Courtyard Check-in: Starting with a Small World of Cultivation

In May, the Western Hills were lush with vegetation. At seven o'clock in the morning, Chen Yu stood at the foot of the mountain, gazing at the winding gravel road leading up to it. Beside the road stood an inconspicuous wooden sign, painted in red that read "Military Restricted Area, No Unauthorized Entry," without even a unit name.

"This should be it." He checked the address on the transfer order, took a deep breath, and started climbing the mountain.

After walking along the mountain path for about twenty minutes, an iron gate and sentry post appeared ahead. Two guards in military uniforms, armed with guns, stood ramrod straight, their eyes sharp as eagles.

"Comrade, please show your identification."

Chen Yu handed over the transfer order and his work permit from the steel rolling mill. The guard carefully checked them, then picked up the phone, dialed a number, whispered a few words, and nodded to let him through: "Go straight in, it's the third building, the personnel department is on the second floor."

After passing through the iron gate, the scene before Chen Yu surprised him. It wasn't the heavily guarded military base he had imagined; rather, it resembled an ordinary unit nestled in a mountain valley. Several three-story red brick buildings were built against the mountainside, connected by paths lined with pine and cypress trees. Early risers were walking in twos and threes towards the canteen; some were in military uniforms, others in Zhongshan suits, and a few researchers in white lab coats.

The third building looked the oldest, with ivy climbing up to the second floor. Chen Yu went up to the second floor and found the office with a sign that read "Personnel Department". He knocked and went in. Inside was a female cadre in her fifties, wearing reading glasses, and looking at documents.

"Hello comrade, I'm here to report for duty. My name is Chen Yu."

The female cadre looked up at him and took out a form from her drawer: "Comrade Chen Yu, please sit down. Fill out this form first, and make sure it's truthful."

The form was much more detailed than the one for the steel rolling mill: in addition to basic information, it included information on family members, social relationships, personal experiences, and even required entries on "whether you have had contact with foreigners" and "whether you have overseas connections." Finally, there was a section on "whether you are willing to abide by the confidentiality regulations," which listed more than a dozen confidentiality provisions.

Chen Yu filled out the forms one by one and solemnly signed his name in the confidentiality section.

The female cadre put away the forms and handed him a brown paper bag: "This is your work ID, access pass, meal tickets, and confidentiality manual. You must carry your work ID with you at all times, and you must show your access pass when entering. You must memorize the entire confidentiality manual; you cannot make a single mistake."

Chen Yu took the paper bag and felt its weight.

"Your office is 307 on the third floor of Building 2. Your advisor is Researcher Lin Zhenhua. You can go there now." The female cadre paused, then added, "Xiao Lin, once you're here, there are some rules you need to remember: don't ask what you shouldn't ask, don't look at what you shouldn't look at, and don't say what you shouldn't say. Once you leave this place, you can't even mention the name of your workplace. Just say you work at the 'Xishan Unit'."

"I see."

After leaving the personnel department, Chen Yu found Building 2. This building looked newer, with slogans like "Serving the country through scientific research, selfless dedication" painted on the walls. The third-floor corridor was quiet, and the door to room 307 was ajar.

I knocked and went in. There were four desks in the room. A man in his early thirties was sitting at the desk by the window, engrossed in doing some calculations. Hearing the noise, he looked up—a square face, thick eyebrows, and wearing thick-rimmed black glasses.

"Comrade Chen Yu?" The man stood up, extended his hand, and said, "I am Lin Zhenhua. Welcome to the research group."

"Hello, Professor Lin. I look forward to your guidance in the future." Chen Yu shook hands with him and felt that the other's palms were rough and had many calluses, as if they were hands that often did experiments.

Lin Zhenhua looked him over and nodded: "Director Li mentioned you to me, saying that your ideas on waste utilization at the steel rolling mill are very good. We mainly do research on special steels here, you can learn about the specific direction gradually. Let's get familiar with the environment today, and I'll take you to the laboratory this afternoon."

He pointed to an empty table near the door: "That's your seat. There are some basic documents on the table; you can take a look first."

Chen Yu sat down and opened the documents on the table. The first one was "An Introduction to Special Steel Materials," which was full of technical terms and chemical formulas. Fortunately, he had the mechanical design knowledge provided by the system as a foundation, plus the enhanced memory after the marrow cleansing, so he could barely understand the general outline.

Just then, the door was pushed open. A young woman in her twenties entered carrying a teacup. Seeing Chen Yu, she paused, then exclaimed, "Oh, a newcomer?"

"This is Su Hongmei, our group's lab technician," Lin Zhenhua introduced. "Sister Su, this is Chen Yu, the new assistant researcher."

Su Hongmei, with short hair and a round face, smiled and had two dimples: "Welcome, welcome! Finally, some young people have joined our group. I was getting so bored with these old men!"

"Hello, Sister Su." Chen Yu greeted her politely.

"Don't mention it, feel free to ask me if you have any questions in the future." Su Hongmei was very enthusiastic. "By the way, there's also Lao Zhou in our group, Zhou Zhigang. He went to the materials department to pick up some things and will be back in a bit."

Chen Yu spent the morning reviewing documents. Around ten o'clock, Zhou Zhigang returned—a middle-aged man in his forties, not very talkative but very amiable. Upon hearing that Chen Yu came from the steel rolling mill, he asked a few questions about the steel rolling process.

At lunchtime in the canteen, Chen Yu noticed that the food was much better than at the steel rolling mill. The staple foods included rice and steamed buns, and the dishes included both meat and vegetables; there was even fruit available. While eating, he observed that the entire unit had about two hundred people, seated in several sections, with little interaction among them.

"That's how it is in our unit. Everyone does their own research and doesn't ask each other about each other's work," Su Hongmei said in a low voice. "I heard that Group Three is working on some kind of aerospace materials. Their security level is even higher than ours, and they don't even eat with us."

In the afternoon, Lin Zhenhua took Chen Yu to the laboratory. It was a large cave carved out of the mountain, and it was chilly inside. It was filled with all sorts of equipment: high-temperature smelting furnaces, presses, metallographic microscopes, hardness testers... Chen Yu had never seen many of these devices before.

"Our current main focus is on high-temperature alloy steel," Lin Zhenhua said, pointing to a furnace. "The blade material for aero-engines needs to be able to operate at 800 degrees Celsius for extended periods, and it also needs to be corrosion-resistant and fatigue-resistant. We can't produce it domestically right now; we rely entirely on imports."

Chen Yu looked at the sophisticated equipment, a thought suddenly occurring to him. What if he used cultivation techniques to aid in materials research? His spiritual eye technique could see through the internal structure of materials; could spiritual energy alter the properties of metals?

The idea excited him, but he remained outwardly calm: "Teacher Lin, what kind of job can I start with?"

"Let's familiarize ourselves with the experimental procedures with Sister Su first," Lin Zhenhua said. "Start with the most basic sample preparation and performance testing. Once you're familiar with it, I'll assign you specific research topics."

For the next few days, Chen Yu lived a very simple life, going back and forth between the lab and his office. During the day, he learned to do experiments from Su Hongmei, and in the evening, he went back to the courtyard house to be with his family. Late at night, he cultivated and recovered in his own little world.

The injuries gradually improved under the nourishment of the Qi-Nourishing Pill and the spiritual spring water, and the bluish-black bruise on his chest had faded to almost invisible. However, the Yin energy in his meridians had not been completely expelled, and he felt a slight stagnation every time he circulated his energy to his chest.

"Looks like I'll have to resort to drastic measures." On Friday night, Chen Yu made a decision while looking at the three Qi-Nourishing Pills he had left in the small world.

He took out a Qi-Nourishing Pill and swallowed it, then sat cross-legged beside the spiritual spring. The moment the pill dissolved, a surge of medicinal power flooded his meridians like a torrent. He activated the Tai Xuan True Scripture at full power, guiding the medicinal power to circulate within his body.

One cycle, two cycles... When he reached the thirty-sixth cycle, Chen Yu felt the sluggish meridians in his chest begin to loosen. The Yin energy, like a stubborn layer of ice, gradually melted under the heat of the Qi-Nourishing Pill.

But not enough.

Chen Yu gritted his teeth and swallowed another Qi-Nourishing Pill. The doubled medicinal power erupted within him, causing a throbbing pain in his meridians. He persevered, guiding the force to surge through his chest.

"boom--"

It was as if something had shattered, and the Yin energy was completely dispersed. At the same time, the amount of spiritual energy in the body surged, and the dantian, which was already close to saturation, expanded again.

[Breakthrough to the fourth level of the Tai Xuan Zhen Jing]

[Officially entered the mid-stage of Qi Refining]

[The range of spiritual awareness has been expanded to fifty zhang.]

[Unlock new spells: Conceal Breath, Lightness of Movement, Fireball (Beginner)]

[Overall physical improvement, with a 50% increase in strength, speed, and endurance]

[Spiritual energy concentration in the small world increased by 20%]

He'd broken through! Chen Yu opened his eyes, a glint of light flashing within them. He could clearly feel that the spiritual energy within his body, both in quality and quantity, was significantly stronger than before. He expanded his spiritual sense, gaining complete control over every movement within a fifty-foot radius.

The Concealing Breath Technique can hide one's aura and cultivation level, which is very useful when traveling in the cultivation world; the Lightness Technique can make the body light, and leaping several feet is not a problem; the Fireball Technique is the first offensive spell, although it is only a beginner level, it is enough in this ordinary world.

What surprised him even more was the change in the small world. The spiritual spring was gushing out more water, and a small pool had formed around the springhead. The concentration of spiritual energy in the air had noticeably increased, and he felt refreshed with every breath. The medicinal herbs he had planted earlier were growing more vigorously, and the Purple Gold Grass had already sprouted new buds.

"Great!" Chen Yu clenched his fist. Reaching the fourth level of Qi Refining was already considered a minor expert in this world of scarce spiritual energy. This added another layer of security to their trip to the South China Sea.

It was already 2 a.m. when Chen Yu exited the small world. Unable to sleep, he decided to practice his new spell.

He activated the Concealing Breath Technique, instantly transforming his aura into that of an ordinary person, even his breathing becoming faint. He tested the Lightness Technique, leaping lightly onto the roof and landing silently. The Fireball Technique was more complex, requiring the conversion of spiritual energy into flames. He tried several times before barely managing to condense a fist-sized fireball in his palm; the temperature was very high, but it also consumed a great deal of spiritual energy.

"Looks like I need to practice more," Chen Yu thought to himself as he dispersed the fireball.

Early Saturday morning, Chen Yu went to Jingshan Park. The old Taoist Xuanji was delighted to hear of his breakthrough: "You've reached the fourth level of Qi Refining; you finally have the power to protect yourself. Your main task on the South China Sea trip is to assist and observe; Ye Gucheng and Huiming will handle the actual operations."

"Master, what's the specific situation in the South China Sea?" Chen Yu asked.

The old Taoist priest Xuanji took out a hand-drawn map from his robes and spread it on the stone table: "According to the news from the South China Sea branch of Tingtao Academy, the strange phenomenon has appeared in this area." He pointed to a location in the middle of the South China Sea, "There are many islands and complex waterways here, which was called 'Seven Continents Ocean' in ancient times. The strange phenomenon of the Southern Vermilion Bird Key appears and disappears, and its location is also changing, so it is not easy to find its exact location."

"So how do we find it?"

"Rely on this." The old Taoist priest Xuanji took out a palm-sized jade tablet with intricate patterns engraved on it. "This is a sensing jade, which has a slight connection to the Five Elements Key. The closer the distance, the stronger the connection. Wen Ruoxu has already gone ahead with another jade tablet; he will guide us."

Chen Yu took the jade pendant. It felt warm and smooth to the touch, and he could feel a faint fluctuation of spiritual energy inside.

"Furthermore," the old Taoist Xuanji said solemnly, "the Heavenly Dao Alliance has a base in the South China Sea, and they may very well send people there as well. If we encounter them, we should try to avoid conflict. Our primary task is to find the key."

"clear."

After leaving Jingshan Park, Chen Yu went to see Yang Jianguo again. Director Yang was looking at documents. When he saw him, he put down his pen and said, "Comrade Chen Yu, please sit down. The South China Sea scientific expedition has been approved. The ship is the 'Xiangyanghong 03,' a research vessel that will depart from Guangzhou at the beginning of next month. Your role is as a research staff member on board, responsible for marine geological surveys."

He handed me a document: "This is your letter of introduction and ship ticket. When you arrive in Guangzhou, go to Comrade Wang Haiyang of the Ocean Bureau, and he will arrange for you to board the ship."

Chen Yu took the document and saw that the ticket date was May 28th, from Guangzhou to the South China Sea, with an estimated sailing time of fifteen days.

"Director Yang, thank you for your arrangements."

"Of course." Yang Jianguo paused. "Comrade Chen Yu, there are some things I need to say upfront. This scientific expedition is nominally a marine survey, but I won't ask or want to know what exactly you're going to do. I only ask one thing: you must return safely. Your wife just gave birth, and the child can't be without a father."

These words were spoken sincerely, and Chen Yu was moved: "Director Yang, rest assured, I will definitely come back safely."

After leaving the government compound, Chen Yu went to a department store and bought a lot of things: milk powder, malted milk powder, canned goods, fabric... and a rattle drum and a small ball for his son. His trip to the South China Sea would last at least a month, and he needed to settle things back home.

It was already afternoon when he returned to the courtyard house. Qin Huairu was washing clothes in the yard. When she saw him returning with bags and bags of things, she was taken aback: "You bought so much stuff?"

"I'll be going on a business trip next month, so I'm packing a lot." Chen Yu put the things down. "You can drink this milk powder every day to help you get better. Keep the canned food in case we have guests while I'm away."

Qin Huairu looked at the things, her eyes reddening again: "Will it take that long?"

"About a month." Chen Yu put his arm around her shoulder. "I promise, this is the last time I'll go on a long trip. From now on, I'll stay in Beijing and come home to be with you every day after get off work."

"You said it, you can't lie to me."

"I'm not lying to you."

After dinner, Chen Yu called He Yuzhu into the house and handed him an envelope: "Brother Zhu, this is about Yushui's girlfriend's family. I asked around. The goods can't be recovered, but the debt problem can be resolved. Here is the contact information of a friend in Tianjin. Have Yushui's girlfriend's family contact this person. He can help negotiate with the creditors and arrange for installment payments."

He Yuzhu took the envelope, his hands trembling. "Xiao Chen... this... how can I thank you..."

"It's only right for neighbors to help each other out," Chen Yu smiled. "Don't worry too much about the rain; life will always get better."

After seeing He Yuzhu off, Chen Yu went to the backyard again. Liu Haizhong had been much more low-key since his release, and seemed a little embarrassed to see Chen Yu: "Little Chen, is something wrong?"

"Second Uncle, I'll be going on a business trip next month for a month. If anything happens in the courtyard, please take good care of Huai Ru and the children."

"Definitely!" Liu Haizhong quickly agreed. "Don't worry, Xiao Chen, with me here, no one will dare to bully them."

Returning from the backyard, Chen Yu greeted Yi Zhonghai and Yan Bugui. Having finished his rounds, he had explained everything that needed to be said in the yard.

In the stillness of the night, Chen Yu sat in his little world, organizing the equipment he had prepared for his trip to the South China Sea.

Bring the spiritual water-repelling bead; it could save your life in a critical moment. Only one Qi-nourishing pill left; use it sparingly. Bring two bottles of hemostatic and tissue-regenerating powder, and one bottle of calming powder. Bring the miniature camera and film; you might be able to capture important evidence. And that sensing jade tablet...

He packed everything into a waterproof canvas bag. After thinking for a moment, he also wrapped a few compressed biscuits and dried meat in oil paper—these could be used in case food ran out at sea.

Finally, he took out the bound volume of the journal *Science*, turned to the section on marine geology and meteorology, and studied it carefully. Although the system had provided him with nautical knowledge, it was never a bad thing to learn more.

In the early hours of the morning, Chen Yu exited the small world. Looking at his sleeping wife and children, a warm feeling and a sense of reluctance welled up in his heart.

Who knows what dangers they might encounter on this journey?

But in order to protect this ordinariness, some risks must be taken.

Outside the window, the moon is missing a corner again.

There are still 23 days until departure.

But he still has a lot of preparations to make.