Courtyard House: A System Connecting Two Worlds, Resources for the Nation

Seeing Kumārajīva escape, the monks of Tenryū-ji Temple in the Muni Hall finally relaxed.

The monk Bencan let out a long breath and, leaning against the wall, slowly sat back down on the meditation cushion.

The meridians that were injured by the force of the Flaming Blade when I fought with Kumārajīva were still throbbing.

The others also sat cross-legged to regulate their breathing. They had all been barely holding on in front of Kumārajīva, but now that he was gone, their internal injuries were starting to fester.

The only thing that made them somewhat regretful was that the original blueprint of the Six Meridians Divine Sword was burned, but with the six of them there, they were still able to recreate it.

Duan Zhengming walked up to Zhou Feng, put his hands together, and bowed deeply, his forehead almost touching his knees.

"Thank you for your help today, Young Master Zhou. If it weren't for you, I would probably have been kidnapped by that Kumārajīva! The Duan family of Dali owes you a huge favor. If you ever need anything in the future, just ask, and we will never refuse."

Zhou Feng waved his hand casually: "Your Majesty, you're too kind. I was entrusted with this task, so I'm just doing my duty. There's nothing to be indebted to."

Upon hearing this, Duan Zhengming straightened up, his expression extremely serious: "It was a small favor for Young Master Zhou, but for me it was a life-saving grace. That Kumārajīva is highly skilled in martial arts. If I had been captured by him and taken to Tibet, the Dali Kingdom would have lost all face. How could I face my ancestors in the afterlife? I will remember this kindness forever."

After speaking, Duan Zhengming glanced back at Abbot Benyin, who nodded knowingly and then turned to enter the inner hall.

Not long after, two monks came out carrying a wooden box.

Inside the box were several neatly stacked rows of gold ingots, each weighing a full ten taels, gleaming with a warm luster in the sunlight.

Taking the wooden box, Duan Zhengming personally handed it to Zhou Feng: "Young Master Zhou, this is just a small gift, please accept it with a smile."

Zhou Feng glanced down at the wooden box, a slight smile playing on his lips. He then closed the lid and pushed it back to Duan Zhengming: "I really don't need this. If you feel bad about it, just write me a note so I can get a discount when I buy things in Dali in the future."

Duan Zhengming was taken aback for a moment, then couldn't help but shake his head and laugh out loud: "Young Master Zhou is so generous, I admire him. Not to mention the cheap price, if Young Master Zhou ever comes to Dali in the future, whatever you buy, just put it on the Duan family's account."

Zhou Feng nodded, and without continuing to argue with Duan Zhengming about the topic, he got up and took his leave.

Lin Yin had already recorded the most important spoils of this operation, so these gold and silver treasures were naturally not worth his attention.

After all, Zhou Feng was backed by the entire world of Dream of Splendor, and gold and silver were no more precious to him than dirt.

Tianlong Temple also had too many things to deal with, so they didn't ask him to stay, but the monks still escorted Zhou Feng to the temple gate.

That night, Zhou Feng passed through the double portal alone and returned to the world of Dream Records.

Lin Yin had already printed out the diagram of the Six Meridians Divine Sword and had him take it to the physicians and diviners.

These people in the palace had the best of food, clothing and daily necessities, and all they studied were the theoretical knowledge about martial arts that Zhou Feng brought back from Tian Long Ba Bu.

Although these 20 people had not learned martial arts, their knowledge of human meridians and the I Ching far surpassed that of most people in the novel "Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils".

They're definitely not suited for martial arts training, but they're more than capable of being Zhou Feng's advisors for martial arts practice.

After leaving them all the diagrams of the Six Meridians Divine Sword for them to study, Zhou Feng returned to the world of Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils.

Anyway, cultivating the Six Meridians Divine Sword requires extremely strong internal energy, which these people don't have by nature. With so many guards watching over them, Zhou Feng wasn't worried that they would transmit the diagram to the outside world.

If these people can come up with a simple and feasible cultivation plan when they go back next time, then Zhou Feng's cultivation will not encounter any problems and will proceed very quickly.

In Zhou Feng's view, the difficulty in mastering these peerless martial arts and the slow pace of cultivation are largely due to the fact that major sects cherish their skills.

After all, each sect only has two or three people who can practice this martial art. Even if the experience is passed down, how much can be passed on?

A study by 20 people would be several times faster than one by two people, right?

Early the next morning, Zhou Feng and his group bid farewell to Duan Zhengming and continued their journey to Mantuo Villa.

The Six Meridian Divine Sword cannot be directly cultivated yet, but the Lesser Formless Skill, which is in the same lineage as the Northern Darkness Divine Art and the Lingbo Steps, should not pose too much difficulty for Zhou Feng, whether he is learning or cultivating it.

As a result, they hadn't gone far along the official road in the northeast direction when Zhou Feng and the others heard the sound of horses' hooves coming from behind them.

As the two carriages slowed down to prepare for a standoff, they finally saw from afar that the approaching people were none other than Duan Yu and Mu Wanqing.

"Young Master Duan, why have you caught up with me again? Could it be that you can't bear to part with me?"

Zhou Feng rolled down the car window and asked Duan Yu a question. The latter chuckled and scratched his head, "Brother Zhou, you jest. I originally intended to go to Mantuo Manor with you, but due to the Four Evils' conspiracy, I changed course and went to Dali first. Now that the conspiracy has been thwarted by you, Brother Zhou, I naturally wish to go to Jiangnan with you."

Zhou Feng pursed his lips in exasperation, but didn't refute anything.

I originally thought Duan Yu would stay in Dali forever, and that his fate would change.

Who knew he was born to be a simp, destined to run into Wang Yuyan.

Zhou Feng glanced at Mu Wanqing and raised an eyebrow at her: "Miss Mu, what's the matter this time?"

"I...I was worried about Zhong Ling!"

Beneath the veil, Mu Wanqing's pretty face flushed slightly, and she hesitated for a few seconds before finding a reason.

"Oh? Sister Mu, you're here too!"

Zhong Ling's little head popped out from under Zhou Feng and waved to Mu Wanqing with a grin.

"Yes...yes! You've never left home before, and now you're going to such a far place as Jiangnan. I...I'm worried about you, so naturally I'll go with you!"

Mu Wanqing spoke more and more fluently, and after repeating this excuse so many times, even she herself began to believe it.

"Ha...you..."

Zhou Feng pursed his lips, but before he could finish speaking, he felt Zhao Pan'er tug at his sleeve. He turned his head and saw his wife gently shaking her head at him.

Although he didn't understand what Zhao Pan'er meant, Zhou Feng still respected her opinion and stepped back to give her his seat.

The latter glanced at Mu Wanqing through the car window, then waved to her: "Miss Mu, since you wish to travel with us, please get in the car!"

???

Zhou Feng turned to look at Zhao Pan'er, a look of confusion on his face.

This Mu Wanqing is no pushover. She even had her internal energy drained by him before. It's not that they have a grudge against each other, but their relationship is definitely not harmonious.

If Zhou Feng calls this woman to the carriage, he can avoid her if she causes trouble, but these women will be in danger!

Zhao Pan'er sighed, somewhat speechless.

It's impossible to say that this official doesn't understand women, after all, she already has 5 sisters.

But if you say he understands women, Mu Wanqing's demeanor, actions, tone, and expressions all point to one thing, yet his own master seems oblivious to it.

Pure wood!

Mu Wanqing hesitated for a few seconds, but Zhong Ling spoke up directly: "Sister Mu, come on up! I have some new delicious food here, I'll share some with you!"

"Okay... alright, I'm coming up now!"

Mu Wanqing always needs someone to give her a way out, and Zhong Ling perfectly fits that description, which makes them work together very well.

After entering the carriage, Zhou Feng noticed Mu Wanqing's gaze sweeping over his face, but he didn't react in any particular way.

This girl is indeed beautiful. Apart from Zhao Pan'er, none of the women in the car could outshine her. Letting her into the car would make her quite a sight on the road.

Why wouldn't Zhou Feng agree to something that offers both no loss and a benefit?

After Mu Wanqing boarded the train, the carriage became a bit cramped, but not crowded.

Zhong Ling moved closer to Qin Jingru, making room for Mu Wanqing, and then pulled her down to sit with a grin, handing her a serving of potato chips.

She has always been an optimist, which is why she quickly became friends with Qin Jingru and the others.

Zhao Pan'er rummaged through the storage compartment of the carriage and pulled out a thin blanket, handing it to Mu Wanqing. After taking it casually, Mu Wanqing hesitated for a while before finally managing to squeeze out a "Thank you."

Duan Yu, who was still outside, was in a rather awkward position.

Originally, Mu Wanqing and he rode together. Although Mu Wanqing did not seem to want to talk to him along the way, it was still quite nice that they traveled together.

But now that Mu Wanqing has boarded the carriage, he is the only one riding a horse.

Tie Jianguo and Bai Lang, who were rushing to catch the carriage, naturally couldn't talk or chat with him, so the journey became boring.

He also wanted to enter the carriage where Lin Yin and Qin Ming were, but the latter dismissed Duan Yu with a simple "it's inconvenient."

No wonder they say a gentleman can be deceived by his principles. Even a scholar like Duan Yu can be embarrassed for a long time by a straightforward refusal.

The next few days of travel went smoothly. During the day, the carriage traveled northeast along the official road, and at night they stayed at inns in towns or camped in the wild.

The scenery along the way gradually changed from the vastness of Cangshan Mountain and Erhai Lake to the gentleness of the Jiangnan water towns. The fields by the roadside became more and more level, the rivers became more and more numerous, and the damp fragrance of grass and trees in the air became stronger day by day.

Over the past few days, the proud and aloof Mu Wanqing has gradually blended into the atmosphere of the carriage.

Although she didn't talk much, she would occasionally chime in with a few words of Zhong Ling and Qin Jingru's casual conversation, her eyes crinkling when she smiled.

Even though the veil hadn't been removed, her demeanor had already changed, making her completely different from her previous cold and aloof appearance.

As the first wife in the world of Dream of Splendor, Zhao Pan'er easily got along well with Mu Wanqing.

Duan Yu was quite self-aware; even though everyone was camping in the wild, he didn't come over to bother Zhou Feng and the others, and instead quietly went to the other side of the campfire to warm himself.

However, every now and then, his gaze would drift towards Zhou Feng, revealing an envious expression.

After a journey of seven or eight days, the group finally entered the territory of Suzhou.

However, when they asked the locals about Mantuo Manor, everyone's reaction was surprisingly consistent.

They either had no idea where Mantuo Manor was, or their faces changed drastically upon hearing the name Mantuo Manor, and they ran far away as if their tails had been stepped on.

I asked seven or eight people, but none of them had a clear direction. Even the people living near the section of Taihu Lake were unwilling to talk about it.

"What's the background of this Mantuo Manor? Why is it so mysterious?"

Bai Ling frowned and asked a question; she hadn't read the story of Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils carefully yet.

Zhou Feng's lips curled up slightly: "Madam Wang's style of doing things has always been extremely extreme. I guess she has caused quite a bit of trouble around Taihu Lake over the years. In addition, the people of Mantuo Manor arrest people at the drop of a hat, kill them, bury them, and use them as fertilizer. It's understandable that the common people are afraid of her."

"Killing people to use as fertilizer?"

These five words decisively hit Bai Ling's sore spot, even making her unconsciously reach for the pistol tucked into her waistband.

Having come from the police system, he naturally couldn't stand idly by when he heard about such lawlessness and disregard for human life.

"Brother Zhou, if none of these people are talking, how are we supposed to search? Taihu Lake is so big, we can't just search every inch of it, can we?"

Zhong Ling leaned against the car window frame, looking out with some curiosity.

"Don't rush. Let's postpone the matter of finding Mantuo Manor. There's something more important to do right now."

"What is it?"

Meeting Zhong Ling's questioning gaze, Zhou Feng patted the storage locker beneath him: "Of course it's time to eat! Food is the most important thing for people! Today we're having barbecue!"

Amidst Zhong Ling's cheers, Zhou Feng and the others unloaded the prepared ingredients from the carriage.

Tie Jianguo set up the prepared barbecue grill directly on the rocks on the shore, and Zhou Feng took out a box of marinated meat skewers and seasonings.

Zhong Ling and Mu Wanqing tilted their heads and watched Sun San Niang process the ingredients. Steel skewers were piercing through the meat and chicken wings, and the smell of marinade wafted from them.

"Third Sister, what kind of way is this to eat?"

"It's grilled."

As the grill was set up, charcoal was placed inside, a wire mesh was put on, and rows of meat skewers were laid out, Zhong Ling and Mu Wanqing suddenly realized what was going on.

They've spent the night in the wild before, and naturally they've made fires and roasted various small animals to eat.

But with their skills, the meat they grilled was merely edible.

How could they compare to the exquisite work done by Sun San Niang and others?

Zhou Feng sat on a rock by the lake, slowly sipping a bottle of chilled Sprite.

It must be said that the scenery of the Jiangnan water towns is very attractive to him, a northerner.

Just as he finished the last sip of Sprite and was about to get the skewers, he heard a very faint splashing sound on the lake.

Under the sunlight, a small boat slowly glides through a gap in the reeds. A girl in a bright green mountain dress stands at the bow, holding a bamboo pole in her hand.

She looked no more than sixteen or seventeen years old, but she had an oval face, crescent-shaped eyes, and a faint smile at the corners of her mouth.

Her skin wasn't fair; it was the delicate, pale honey color typical of people from the water towns of Jiangnan.

Although she wasn't as beautiful as Zhao Pan'er, she possessed a strange gentleness that made people want to hold her in their arms and cherish her.

"Gentlemen, I overheard you asking about Mantuo Manor. What brings you there?"