Courtyard House: The Cultivation System Takes Me Flying

The black market of Beijing is hidden deep in the most secluded alleys of the old city. It's a melting pot of all sorts of people, from ordinary folks selling their ancestral treasures out of desperation to wandering martial artists possessing extraordinary artifacts, and thugs who make a living by swindling, cheating, and extortion. There are no rules here; the law of the jungle prevails. Some become rich overnight, while others lose their lives here, their remains never to be found.

As Qin Lindong stepped out of the dilapidated wooden door of the black market, the setting sun hung low in the western sky, bathing the old city's blue bricks and gray tiles in a warm red glow. In his arms, he tightly clutched three century-old medicinal herbs he had just acquired from the black market. Their roots were plump and full of spiritual energy; even through his clothes, one could feel the gentle, nourishing spiritual energy seeping into his body. For a martial artist in the Body Tempering Realm, these three herbs were priceless treasures, enough to tempt countless people to take the risk.

Instead of taking the wide main road, he slowly turned into the crisscrossing alleyways, which resembled a spider web. The bluestone path under his feet was smoothed by time, and the walls on both sides were covered with withered vines. The occasional chirping of sparrows made the depths of the alleyways seem even more tranquil.

Having just stepped into the alley and walked less than a hundred meters, Qin Lindong quietly pushed his perception realm to its limit.

His divine sense spread out like an invisible net in an instant, covering every corner within a radius of tens of meters. A hundred meters behind him, three sneaky figures immediately came into his perception. Their steps were unsteady, their breathing was disordered, and their deliberately light footsteps were as clear as drumbeats in his ears. Their occasional peeking and probing made their ill intentions written all over their faces.

A barely perceptible sneer curled at the corner of Qin Lindong's lips; he already knew what was going on.

These men were the thugs who had been secretly watching him from a corner while he was selecting medicinal herbs on the black market.

Just now at the black market stall, he spent lavishly, directly acquiring these three century-old medicinal herbs with a considerable sum of money without the slightest hesitation. In addition, he was alone, neatly dressed, and had a calm demeanor, clearly not an ordinary commoner. In the eyes of these thugs, he was undoubtedly a "fat sheep" carrying a large sum of money and treasures. If they didn't rob him, it would be a disservice to their daily lives of eating and drinking around the black market.

These thugs are notorious thugs in the vicinity of the black market.

The leader, Huang Mao, whose real name was Huang San, was a local thug. He had gathered four idle ruffians under his command who did nothing but occupy the entrance to the black market, targeting lone travelers who seemed easy to bully. They would either stage accidents to extort money or ambush and rob people on the way. They were always armed with clubs and knives and were ruthless in their attacks. Many wandering cultivators and ordinary people passing through the black market had suffered greatly at their hands.

Some were robbed of all their money, some were beaten black and blue, and some were even severely injured for resisting, left to fend for themselves in the alleys. Because the black market was shady, most of the victims dared not speak out and could only accept their misfortune. This emboldened Huang San and his gang, making them increasingly arrogant and domineering, believing themselves to be lawless local tyrants in this area.

In the past, their targets were either too cowardly to resist or too weak to withstand their attacks. But today, they've lost their minds and set their sights on Qin Lindong.

Qin Lindong, having reached the pinnacle of the Body Tempering Realm, had long transcended the realm of ordinary martial artists. His physical body was as strong as refined iron, and his speed as swift as a ghost. Dealing with these mortal thugs who hadn't even touched the threshold of cultivation was as easy as an elephant crushing ants. These people had come to him not for money, but to court death.

Instead of speeding up to get rid of him, Qin Lindong deliberately slowed down and even deliberately changed direction, heading towards a more secluded, narrow, dead-end alley.

This alley is usually deserted, with high walls on both sides and only one entrance. Once inside, there is no way out, making it the ideal place for robbers to strike.

He wanted to deliberately create opportunities for these thugs to fully expose their evil intentions, and then clean them up once and for all, so they wouldn't bother him again in the future.

As expected, when Qin Lindong walked into the secluded alley, Huang San and the others behind him immediately showed a greedy glint in their eyes and quickened their pace, afraid that the fat meat in their mouths would slip away.

"Brother, that kid's in a dead end! Thank goodness!"

"Haha, looks like this kid's a greenhorn. He has no idea how capable we are. After we pull off this job, we can enjoy ourselves for a while!"

"Those three century-old medicinal herbs are treasures! Let's sell them and split the money equally among us brothers, then go to the tavern for a good drink!"

The group lowered their voices in secret, delighted, and quickly caught up to the alley entrance.

Qin Lindong stood at the end of the alley, his back to the setting sun, his shadow stretched long. He slowly turned around, calmly looking at the five people rushing towards him, his eyes indifferent, without the slightest panic, as if the people in front of him were not five robbers wielding weapons, but five hopping ants.

"Bang!"

Huang San and his four henchmen blocked the only exit from the alley. The five men spread out in a fan shape, surrounding Qin Lindong. Each of them carried a wooden stick as thick as a bowl, the sticks stained with mottled dirt, clearly tools used for their daily evil deeds.

Huang San took a step forward, his dry, yellow hair glaringly bright in the setting sun. A shallow scar on his face twisted with his smile, exuding arrogance. He pointed at Qin Lindong with a wooden stick, spitting as he shouted, "Kid, you've got some nerve, daring to sneak into a place like this all by yourself? Looks like you know the rules without me having to say a word, right?"

"If you know what's good for you, hand over the three century-old medicinal herbs in your arms and all the money on you, and I might be merciful and only break one of your legs, sparing your life."

"If you dare utter a single word of dissent, I'll cripple your limbs today and leave you to feed the stray dogs in this alley. Even if you die, no one will know where you died!"

The four thugs beside him also joined in the commotion, baring their teeth and grimacing, brandishing their wooden sticks with a whooshing sound as they tried to intimidate Qin Lindong with their imposing presence.

"Hand it over now! Don't force us to take action!"

"Didn't you hear what Brother Yellow Hair said? If you don't behave, you'll be carried out of here today!"

In their eyes, Qin Lindong was just a young boy, and even if he had some strength, he was no match for the five thugs who had been fighting for years. With no one around and no one to turn to for help, Qin Lindong had no choice but to beg for mercy.

They were already fantasizing about how they would squander the medicine and money once they got their hands on it, and how they would continue to bully others around the black market.

But to their utter surprise, instead of trembling pleas for mercy, they were met with a casual yet utterly contemptuous remark.

Qin Lindong slightly raised his eyes, his gaze sweeping over the five people, his eyes as cold as frost, as if he were looking at five corpses about to grow cold. His thin lips parted slightly, and he slowly uttered four words:

"With just you guys?"

These four words, though not loud, struck Huang San and the others like a thunderclap.

Huang San was taken aback for a moment, then flew into a rage: "You little brat, you dare to be arrogant with me? Looks like you're really tired of living! Brothers, get him! Break his arms and legs first, let's see if he still dares to talk back!"

At his command, four thugs immediately brandished wooden sticks and charged towards Qin Lindong menacingly. The sticks whistled through the air as they slammed into Qin Lindong's head, shoulders, and limbs, their attacks ruthless and merciless.

Just as the wooden stick was about to strike him, Qin Lin moved.

"Swift Step!"

He silently chanted, and the true energy of his perfected Body Tempering Realm surged within him, flowing into his legs. His figure vanished from the spot like a ghost, leaving only a faint afterimage swaying slightly in the setting sun.

fast!

Extremely fast!

Huang San and the others only felt a blur before their eyes, without even touching the hem of Qin Lindong's clothes. The two thugs at the front, due to their excessive force, missed their target and crashed headfirst into the hard courtyard wall, making them dizzy and seeing stars.

Before they could react, a heart-wrenching scream instantly echoed throughout the quiet alley!

"Ah—! My hand! The bone is broken!"

"My leg! My leg is ruined! It hurts so much!"

"Help! Help me!"

The screams rose and fell, heart-wrenching and chilling to the bone.

In just three breaths, the five thugs who were just moments ago so arrogant and domineering were now lying sprawled on the cold bluestone slab.

Qin Lindong's figure reappeared in the center of the alley as if he were strolling leisurely. His clothes were neat and spotless, as if his thunderous attack just now was nothing more than a flick of his wrist to brush away a speck of dust.

The five people on the ground were in a horrific state.

Each person's hands and feet were twisted at bizarre angles, all their joints broken by Qin Lin's skillful force, their tendons severed. Even if they could be healed in the future, they would be permanently disabled and unable to commit evil again. They lay on the ground, drenched in cold sweat, convulsing in pain, rolling around on the ground, constantly howling and begging for mercy. Gone was the arrogance they had shown just moments before; they were all trembling like stray dogs.

Huang San's right arm was twisted into a pretzel shape. The excruciating pain made his face ashen, his lips trembling, and his eyes were filled with extreme fear and despair as he looked at Qin Lindong.

Only now did he realize that he had not snatched a fat sheep at all, but had provoked a complete scourge!

The seemingly young man before them possessed strength far beyond their comprehension. With a casual strike, he could cripple all five of them. Such strength was simply beyond the capabilities of ordinary thugs like themselves.

regret!

Endless regret filled Huang San's heart, but now, it was all too late.

Qin Lindong coldly glanced at the five people groaning on the ground, his eyes showing no pity whatsoever.

This is the consequence of doing evil.

In this dog-eat-dog world, harboring evil intentions and actively provoking others will come at the cost of life and limb. The fact that he didn't take their lives is already a sign of mercy; if it were a ruthless person, these five thugs would already be five cold corpses.

He didn't look back again, nor did he leave any words. He turned and walked straight out of the dead-end alley filled with screams.

His steps were steady, his posture composed, as if he had just dealt with a few annoying flies.

His figure quickly disappeared into the winding, secluded streets and alleys, blending into the twilight of Beijing without leaving a trace.

Half an hour later, an elderly scavenger passing by heard the screams coming from the alley. He cautiously peeked out to investigate, and when he saw five thugs lying on the ground with their limbs severed and in a gruesome state, the old man was terrified and ran away as fast as he could, not daring to approach them at all.

Later, someone reported it to the authorities, but when the officers arrived, all they found were five wretched thugs. They found no clues about the murderer, no witnesses, no murder weapon, and not even a trace of Qin Lindong.

The black market was a chaotic place, rife with murders and heinous crimes. This incident ultimately remained unsolved, becoming an unsolved mystery in the area. Meanwhile, the common people and independent cultivators who had been bullied by Huang San and his gang were overjoyed to learn that the five thugs had been crippled, saying it was karma and that evil had been punished.

Having dealt with this group of clowns, Qin Lindong remained calm and made his way back to his courtyard house.

Pushing open the rustic wooden door of the courtyard, one finds a serene atmosphere. The setting sun casts its warm and peaceful glow upon the courtyard. The spirit field is situated in the very center of the courtyard, where the high-grade spirit grains are thriving. The golden rice ears droop heavily, and a rich spiritual energy swirls and flows among them like a light mist, creating a scene reminiscent of a fairyland.

The spirit grain was fully filled and plump, golden in color, and brimming with spiritual energy. It was only one day away from being fully mature. Once the spirit grain was ripe and ready for harvest, he would have ample spiritual food, which would be of great benefit to both consolidating his cultivation and aiding in foundation building.

Qin Lindong entered his room, closed the door, and after confirming that no one would disturb him, he took out the three century-old medicinal herbs that he had been carefully protecting in his arms.

The three medicinal herbs have thick roots and lush green leaves. They are extremely rich in spiritual energy, having been around for a hundred years. They feel warm to the touch, and just placing them in a room makes the spiritual energy of the entire room more concentrated.

"System, store medicinal herbs."

Qin Lindong murmured softly.

The next second, a faint blue light emanated from between his brows, enveloping the three century-old medicinal herbs. The herbs instantly vanished from his hand and were stored in the system space. The system space, with its constant temperature and humidity and stable spiritual energy, perfectly preserved the herbs' spiritual energy without any loss, making it more effective than any other method of preservation.

The moment the medicinal herbs were successfully stored in the system space, a crisp and pleasant system notification sounded precisely in his mind:

[Ding! The host has punished five thugs, successfully protecting themselves and upholding justice!]

[Reward: Complete Body Tempering Enhancement - One physical body strengthening session, Speed ​​attribute +10!]

[Host has been detected to have collected three century-old medicinal herbs. Foundation Establishment quest progress +5%, total progress 100%!]

[Note: The medicinal herb collection process is complete, and the prerequisites for foundation building have been met!]

A series of notification sounds brought a sense of relief to Qin Lindong's eyes.

at last!

The medicinal herbs have been collected, the Foundation Establishment task is at full speed, and all preparations are complete!

He looked inward at himself, feeling his body enhanced by the system. His already perfected body had been further improved. Beneath his skin, his muscle lines were smooth and powerful, every inch of his skin was full of explosive power, and his speed had increased significantly. Even without using the Swift Wind Step, his figure was several times faster than before.

At this moment, he is only one step away from achieving Foundation Establishment!

And the full moon night he had been waiting for would arrive in a few days.

On the night of the full moon, when the spiritual energy of heaven and earth is at its peak, it is the best time to break through to a higher realm. When the spirit grains are harvested and the full moon arrives, he can use the help of century-old medicinal herbs, mature spirit grains, and the system's support to break through the shackles of the Body Tempering Realm in one fell swoop and step into the Foundation Establishment Realm, becoming a true Foundation Establishment cultivator. He will be reborn, his lifespan will increase greatly, and his strength will undergo earth-shattering changes.

Everything was proceeding steadily and methodically according to his plan, and the path to foundation building was already within reach!

Qin Lindong took a deep breath, suppressing his excitement, and walked into the courtyard. He quietly watched the high-grade spirit grain that was about to mature, feeling the surging power within his body, his mind as calm as still water.

Just then, the neighbors of the courtyard came home from get off work and grocery shopping. When they saw Qin Lindong standing in the courtyard, they all stopped and showed the utmost respect, and took the initiative to greet him.

"Manager Lin, you're back!"

"Did things go smoothly for Manager Lin when he went out to run errands today?"

"Manager Lin, please come inside and rest. It's getting chilly."

The neighbors were respectful and humble, showing no sign of neglect.

In their eyes, Qin Lindong was calm, dignified, and unfathomable, possessing extraordinary abilities. He was someone the entire courtyard dared not provoke and could only look up to. They had no idea that this calm and gentle steward had just easily crippled five thugs who had committed numerous crimes around the black market, as if crushing ants.

In their eyes, Qin Lindong will always be the aloof and extraordinary Steward Lin, someone who is never from the same world as those street thugs.

Qin Lindong nodded slightly and responded with a few words. His attitude remained calm, yet he exuded an aura of authority that made people dare not disrespect him.

Unlike the lively and respectful atmosphere of the other neighbors in the courtyard, the Jia family's courtyard remained lifeless and stagnant.

Since Jia Dongxu's accident and the complete downfall of the Jia family, this small courtyard has never been filled with laughter and joy again. It is shrouded in gloom and stagnation, and the family is so poor that they can't even afford to eat.

At that moment, Qin Huairu returned from outside carrying a tattered bamboo basket, having collected vegetable scraps. The basket contained only a few yellowed, wilted, rotten vegetable leaves, devoid of even a speck of oil, a pitiful sight.

As soon as she reached the entrance of the courtyard, she spotted Qin Lindong standing in the center of the courtyard.

With just one glance, Qin Huairu's face turned deathly pale, and she involuntarily shivered, a surge of indescribable fear and inferiority welling up inside her.

She once harbored inappropriate thoughts about Qin Lindong, hoping to use her looks to climb the social ladder and lift the Jia family out of poverty so they could live a better life. She even secretly plotted to get close to Qin Lindong and win his sympathy and favor.

But now, she no longer dares to have any improper thoughts.

Qin Lindong's rise was as dazzling as the sun; he possessed formidable strength, held powerful treasures, and had a limitless future, climbing step by step to the top. Meanwhile, she remained that destitute widow, reduced to scavenging vegetable scraps for sustenance, living in the mud, as insignificant as dust.

The difference between her and Qin Lindong was like heaven and earth, one in the sky and the other on the ground, with an insurmountable chasm between them.

Let alone climbing on her, she felt unworthy even to get close to her.

Qin Huairu quickly lowered her head, not daring to meet Qin Lindong's gaze. She quickened her pace, keeping her head down, and like a mouse, hurriedly took a detour, quietly slipping back to the Jia family's courtyard. She tightly closed the dilapidated door, as if avoiding Qin Lindong's gaze would lessen her inferiority and fear.

Soon, the sounds of Jia Zhangshi's complaints and Bang Geng's crying came from inside the room, completely out of place with the quiet and peaceful atmosphere of the courtyard.

Qin Lindong glanced at the Jia family's tightly closed door, his eyes showing no emotion whatsoever.

The rise and fall of the Jia family had nothing to do with him.

From beginning to end, those insignificant people and events could not interfere with his path of cultivation.

His gaze returned to the setting sun on the horizon, his mind focused on only one goal—

Foundation building!

On the night of the full moon, one breaks through realms and attains enlightenment, reaching new heights!

This small courtyard house, this small part of Beijing, could no longer contain his ambition and his future.