Courtyard House: The Cultivation System Takes Me Flying

The pure spiritual energy contained in the fourth-tier spirit grain flowed like a gentle stream, ceaselessly circulating through Qin Lindong's limbs, meridians, and dantian day and night. Since exchanging for and consuming the fourth-tier spirit grain, his cultivation path had been like a boat sailing with the wind, making rapid progress without any further stagnation.

In this bustling yet ordinary world, Qin Lindong has always maintained a steady rhythm of life, going back and forth between home, work, and home. During the day, as the steward, he handles all the affairs inside and outside the courtyard, from mediating disputes between neighbors and handling tasks assigned by the street to managing the daily necessities of life. He manages everything in an orderly manner, and his calm and reliable demeanor has long made him the most trustworthy person in the hearts of the entire courtyard and even the surrounding neighborhood.

In his spare time, he never participated in the idle gossip and scheming of the marketplace. Instead, he devoted all his fragmented time to quiet cultivation. Whether he was sitting quietly for a rest or walking, the spiritual energy in his body always flowed automatically according to the system's cultivation method. The medicinal power of the fourth-tier spiritual valley was refined little by little, integrated into his cultivation, nourished his physical body, and strengthened his spiritual consciousness.

Without any earth-shattering phenomena or attention-grabbing ostentation, Qin Lindong was like a pine tree rooted in the corner of a courtyard, silently accumulating strength and steadily climbing higher. These ordinary and regular days, without waves or crises, allowed his Dao heart to become increasingly stable, his foundation as solid as cast iron, laying the perfect groundwork for his upcoming breakthrough.

As time passed, night once again enveloped the ancient capital.

As night fell, a full, round moon pierced through the clouds, hanging high in the vast sky. Its cool, boundless light poured down like water, bathing the red-walled, yellow-tiled palaces, the winding alleyways, the roaring factories, and the bustling streets. The night of the full moon is the time when the spiritual energy of heaven and earth is at its most concentrated and active; the air is filled with particles of spiritual energy almost invisible to the naked eye, which, with the flowing moonlight, slowly surge towards all things on earth.

For ordinary people, this is just another ordinary moon-viewing night, cool and comfortable, with a peaceful state of mind. But for cultivators, such a moment is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for cultivation. The concentration of spiritual energy in heaven and earth is several times higher than usual, making it the most suitable time to break through bottlenecks and advance to new realms.

Qin Lindong had already sensed the unusual spiritual energy of heaven and earth tonight. He finished all his worldly affairs early, closed the door, and sat cross-legged in his room. He closed his eyes slightly, straightened his back, formed the hand seals taught by the system's cultivation method, and focused his mind into his body, instantly entering a state of meditation where he forgot himself and the world.

"It's time."

Qin Lindong silently recited in his heart that after these days of continuous cultivation, the spiritual energy of the fourth-order spiritual valley had long been saturated in his dantian, and his cultivation at the first level of the Foundation Establishment Realm was extremely stable. The bottleneck was like thin ice, which could be completely shattered with just a light touch.

With a thought, he stopped suppressing the surging power within his body and fully activated the exclusive cultivation technique granted by the system. In an instant, the pure spiritual energy of the fourth-tier spirit valley, which had been dormant for a long time within his dantian, erupted!

No longer a gently flowing stream, it transformed into a raging, roaring river, surging and rushing wildly along the meridians. Wherever the spiritual energy passed, the meridians were widened and strengthened, and every cell in the body cheered and frantically devoured this extraordinary power from the spiritual valley.

At the same time, the extremely dense spiritual energy of heaven and earth outside the window seemed to be drawn by an invisible force, surging into the room like a tsunami. It flowed into Qin Lindong's body through his pores, mouth and nose, perfectly merging with the spiritual energy of the fourth-order spiritual valley, forming an indestructible torrent of power that rushed straight towards the bottleneck of the second level of the Foundation Establishment Realm!

Just as the spiritual energy clashed with the bottleneck, the cold yet familiar system notification sounded precisely in Qin Lindong's mind:

[Ding! Spiritual energy gathering complete. Attempting to break through to the second level of the Foundation Establishment Realm!]

[Progress 10%...50%...90%...100%!]

Each leap in progress represents the continuous shaking, dismantling, and breakthrough of the bottleneck. Qin Lindong remained calm and composed, allowing the two forces to roam freely within his body, completely destroying the barriers between realms.

boom--!

A deafening roar, seemingly emanating from the depths of the soul, suddenly exploded!

This wasn't a roar from the physical body, but the sound of a breakthrough in cultivation, a sign of a leap in power. Qin Lindong felt all the stagnation within his body vanish, and his aura surged like a flood breaking through a dam, rising and rising wildly! His already formidable extraordinary power was further sublimated at this moment, becoming even more profound, more majestic, and more unshakeable!

The most astonishing change was in his spiritual consciousness!

Before this, Qin Lindong's spiritual sense range was only about ten miles in radius, covering only a small area. But the moment he broke through to the second level of the Foundation Establishment Realm, his spiritual sense was like an eagle breaking free of all shackles, instantly stretching, expanding, and spreading outwards from the courtyard where he was located!

Ten miles, a hundred miles, the entire capital city!

In the blink of an eye, his spiritual sense completely covered the ancient and vast city, reaching every corner without any blind spots!

Immediately afterwards, a series of system notifications popped up, clearly reflecting in Qin Lindong's mind:

[Ding! Congratulations, host, on breaking through to the second level of the Foundation Establishment Realm!]

[Spiritual awareness coverage: The entire city!]

[Physical Strength: Extraordinary Body → Immortal Body!]

[Cultivation Level: Foundation Establishment Realm, Level 2 (10%)]

[System points +2000, current points 3560!]

Every word proclaims Qin Lindong's complete transformation.

An indestructible body!

This is a terrifying physical body, a level above the superhuman. His former superhuman body was already impervious to blades and fire, and ordinary fists and weapons couldn't harm him in the slightest. But his current indestructible body has reached a level where mortal physical attacks are virtually indestructible—even a head-on hit from the most powerful artillery shells in the mortal world, or an explosion from beside him, would only leave a negligible ripple on his body, unable to cause even the slightest superficial injury.

With an indestructible physical body, one is impervious to all laws and is invincible in the mortal realm.

The ability to cover the entire city with spiritual senses is simply heaven-defying.

With just a thought, Qin Lindong could perceive everything in the entire capital city with crystal clarity. There was no fog, no obstruction, no limitation of distance. The imperial palace with its deep red walls, the alleyways filled with the smoke of cooking fires, the factories with their roaring machines, the streets bustling with people—every corner, every inch of land, every living being, and every event happening was clear and perfectly clear to him.

He could hear the soft chirping of autumn insects in the corners of the ancient palace deep within the palace, the orderly footsteps of the night watchmen, and the hushed conversations of the palace servants inside the deep palace.

He could hear the Zhang family's children talking in their sleep, the Li family's elderly snoring, and the neighbors chatting about everyday matters under the lamplight in the crisscrossing alleys.

He could hear the roar of steel machines day and night inside the factories on the outskirts of the city; the sounds of gears meshing, steam gushing, and assembly lines running were still clearly audible even from dozens of miles away.

He could hear the rumble of carriages and horses, the laughter of pedestrians, the shouts of vendors packing up their stalls, the soft barking of stray dogs by the roadside, and the rustling of leaves falling in the wind on the wide streets.

From the hidden movements at the heart of imperial power to the daily lives of ordinary people in the city, the entire capital, its hundreds of millions of lives, and its myriad affairs are all under his control!

This feeling of looking down on all living beings and controlling everything caused Qin Lindong's state of mind to undergo another earth-shattering transformation.

He slowly opened his eyes, his gaze devoid of violence or arrogance, only filled with a gentle, flowing light, as if containing a sky full of stars. His already extraordinary temperament became even more ethereal and otherworldly at this moment. Although he was in a mortal courtyard, he seemed to be high above the clouds, untouched by the dust of the world, yet encompassing all things in the world.

With his Foundation Establishment Level 2 cultivation, indestructible body, and spiritual awareness covering the entire city, Qin Lindong has become truly invincible in this ordinary mortal world. Worldly power, wealth, and martial prowess are all as insignificant as fleeting clouds before his current strength.

At the same time, within the courtyard, a faint yet incredibly powerful aura quietly permeated the air.

The aura was gentle yet profound, calm yet majestic, like a mountain looming overhead, like a still deep sea, instantly enveloping the entire courtyard. The sleeping neighbors were awakened almost simultaneously, a sense of awe and fear rising in their hearts.

An elderly man named Yi Zhonghai got up, put on his coat, and stood by the window, gazing in the direction of Qin Lindong's room. His face was solemn, and his eyes were filled with indescribable awe. He had lived most of his life and had never felt such a terrifying aura before, as if he were facing not a person, but an unshakeable sacred mountain.

The second uncle, Liu Haizhong, and the third uncle, Yan Bugui, also pushed open the door and came out. They looked at each other and saw shock and unease in each other's eyes. They were usually scheming and always put on airs, but in the face of this aura, all their petty thoughts vanished, leaving only heartfelt submission.

Qin Huairu, Jia Zhangshi, Bang Geng, and the others huddled inside the house, not daring to even breathe. They didn't know what had happened; they only knew that the usually gentle and reliable Steward Lin had become incredibly unfamiliar and powerful, so powerful that they didn't even have the courage to look up to him.

Everyone felt this awe-inspiring power and was filled with reverence. However, no one knew that their steward, Lin, whom they had been with day and night, had quietly broken through to the next level that night, becoming an extraordinary powerhouse who could overlook the entire capital and stand at the pinnacle of the mortal world.

The leap in realm, the transformation of power, and the expansion of spiritual consciousness have elevated Qin Lindong's state of mind to a new level.

He might have once cared about worldly opinions, the opinions of others, and the trivial troubles of life. But now, wielding immense power and overlooking the entire capital, worldly honors and disgrace, gains and losses, right and wrong, and grudges have all become as insignificant as smoke in his eyes.

He did not seek power over the world, wealth beyond measure, or fame; he only wished to guard this small courtyard house, to cherish this peaceful and tranquil life, to devote himself to cultivation, to pursue the path to immortality, and to enjoy the quiet beauty of life.

The world's splendor is nothing compared to the moonlight in the courtyard; worldly power is nothing compared to a lifetime of inner peace.

Qin Lindong slowly got up, pushed open the door, and stepped into the courtyard.

A cool evening breeze caressed his cheeks, and the high-hanging full moon cast its gentle light upon his shoulders. He looked up at the bright moon in the sky, feeling the vast spiritual energy flowing around him, the spiritual consciousness that controlled the entire city, and the indestructible power within his body. A gentle and relieved smile slowly appeared on his lips.

Defying fate and transcending the mundane;

Transcend the ordinary and attain sainthood, gaining immense power;

Looking down upon the mortal world, in control of everything;

Live a peaceful life, and the years will pass by.

With a system by your side, spiritual valley for cultivation, a peaceful courtyard, and the prospect of longevity.

This life is enough.

Under the moonlight, Qin Lindong stood with his hands behind his back, his figure tall and serene. He was like a hermit immortal hidden in the city, proving his Dao in silence and achieving immortality in tranquility. The turmoil and upheaval of the entire capital city could no longer shake him in the slightest. From this day forward, this world, this ancient city, would operate peacefully under his spiritual consciousness, and he would be the most secretive and powerful guardian in this mortal realm.

The spiritual energy within his body continued to circulate slowly, the system stood quietly at rest, his spiritual sense enveloped the entire capital city, and his indestructible body exuded an invisible pressure. Qin Lindong closed his eyes, immersing himself once more in cultivation. The moonlight was like water, and time passed peacefully. His extraordinary path had only just begun its even broader journey.

The courtyard remains the same, the capital city remains the same, but the world now has an unparalleled and invincible powerhouse.

The days to come will remain a stable routine, filled with the mundane details of daily life. Yet, beneath this ordinariness lies a power capable of overturning everything. Qin Lin, with a pure and untainted heart, only wishes to cultivate longevity and find peace of mind in this mortal world, to witness the joys and sorrows of life, and to savor the quiet pleasures of time, steadily progressing step by step towards a higher realm.

The moonlight is gentle, surrounded by spiritual energy, where the strong lie dormant, waiting for the coming of time.

Reaching the second level of the Foundation Establishment Realm is merely the beginning, not the end. Qin Lindong already harbors a much longer path of cultivation, and the current stability is his most secure haven. No matter what storms the future holds, with his current strength and the system's support, he is absolutely confident that he can protect everything he desires and forge his own invincible path on this long road of cultivation.

The entire capital city was utterly silent, except for that figure in the courtyard, shining as brightly as the moon and embodying the Dao.