Courtyard House: The Cultivation System Takes Me Flying

The room was filled with a delicious aroma, the rich corn porridge mixed with the savory fragrance of scrambled eggs and meat slices, which seeped out through the cracks in the window, making everyone in the courtyard itch with anticipation.

Qin Lindong held the rough porcelain bowl and ate slowly and steadily. With each bite of food, a wisp of almost imperceptible spiritual energy slid down his throat, sank into his dantian, and slowly nourished his long-weak body.

The original owner suffered from malnutrition since childhood and was oppressed for a long time, often going hungry and cold, leaving her severely depleted. In the past, even if she ate meat, it would only alleviate her hunger at most, but things are different now.

He was a cultivator at the first level of the Body Tempering Realm, and with the blessing of the Myriad Realms Cultivation Cooking System, food would be transformed into the purest cultivation energy upon entering his stomach, gradually repairing his damaged meridians and strengthening his physical foundation.

[Ding! Host has consumed the ingredients exchanged through the system; spiritual energy absorption complete!]

[Current progress of Body Tempering Realm Level 1: 12%!]

Stamina has slightly increased; current stamina: 19!

A series of refreshing notification sounds rang out, and Qin Lindong felt a warm sensation all over his body. The fatigue caused by hunger and the collision had completely disappeared, replaced by a continuous surge of strength.

He put down his chopsticks and bowl, and with a slight movement of his fingertips, he felt the explosive power hidden within his muscles. With a casual wave of his hand, the air made a slight sound of wind breaking.

"Is this the power of a cultivator? Truly extraordinary."

Qin Lindong muttered to himself, a hint of satisfaction flashing in his eyes.

In his previous life, he was just an ordinary office worker, weak and powerless. He would be out of breath even if he tried to lift something heavy, let alone fight someone. But now, he can easily take down a lazybones like Jia Dongxu with one hand.

All of this stemmed from the system he had just been bound to, and the newbie gift pack that changed his destiny.

With that thought in mind, Qin Lindong once again focused his attention on the system panel, his gaze falling on that line of clear text.

[Host: Qin Lindong]

[Realm: Body Tempering Realm, Level 1]

[Stamina: 19]

【Mental Power: 8】

[Skills: Divine Swordsmanship (Perfect), Iron Shirt (Beginner)]

[Technique: Iron Shirt]

Points: 50

System space: 1 cubic meter

[Items: Spirit Rice Seeds x10, Low-Grade Spirit Cleansing Pills x5]

The four items in the newbie gift pack are all incredibly helpful.

The 1-cubic-meter system space wasn't large, but it was discreet and secure enough. He put all the remaining cornmeal, pork, and eggs into it, leaving only enough for the next meal, so that no one would break in and discover anything amiss.

In those days, keeping fine grains and pork at home was a huge taboo, especially under the noses of those beasts in the courtyard. One had to be extremely careful.

The low-grade Cleansing Pill was perfectly round and milky white, emitting a faint medicinal fragrance. Taking it could cleanse the body of impurities and accelerate cultivation. Qin Lindong did not use it for the time being, intending to save it for a crucial breakthrough.

Spirit rice seeds are even more precious, containing a trace of spiritual energy. The spirit rice grown from them not only tastes excellent, but long-term consumption can also strengthen the body and prolong life. However, he currently has no land, so he can only store them carefully and wait for the right opportunity.

What truly allowed him to gain a foothold in the courtyard and dare to confront the Jia family head-on was the first level of Body Tempering Realm cultivation and divine-level swordsmanship directly given to him by the newbie gift pack!

The Body Tempering Realm is the starting point of the cultivation path, focusing on tempering the physical body and strengthening muscles and bones.

With just one level of cultivation, he was strong enough to surpass ordinary people, be resistant to blows and falls, and be immune to all diseases. He was more than capable of dealing with rogues like Jia Zhangshi and Jia Dongxu.

More importantly, his body tempering cultivation is still rising. As long as he keeps cooking and eating good food, his cultivation will snowball and become stronger and stronger!

As for god-level knife skills...

Qin Lindong casually picked up the sharpened piece of iron from the table and his gaze fell on the remaining half piece of pork in the bowl.

Slight wrist movement.

Swish—swish—swish—

The three soft sounds almost merged into one.

Without any hesitation or deviation, the metal sheet flew across the pork with incredible speed, as if it had eyes.

In the blink of an eye, the whole piece of pork was sliced ​​into paper-thin, uniform, and translucent pieces, which were neatly arranged in the bowl without a single scrap of meat.

If a top chef were here to see this, he would be absolutely stunned!

This kind of knife skill has transcended the realm of technique and reached the realm of harmony between man and nature. He can cut shreds as thin as hair, slices as thin as paper, and cut square pieces. No matter what the ingredients are, they can be processed to perfection in his hands.

With his god-like knife skills, coupled with the culinary talent bestowed upon him by the system, he can make dishes comparable to delicacies even with the simplest ingredients, thereby continuously improving his cultivation.

Cultivation + Culinary Skills: A Two-Pronged Approach!

This is the greatest source of his confidence in defying fate and sweeping away beasts in No. 95 Nanluoguxiang!

"The Jia family, Yi Zhonghai, Yan Bugui, Liu Haizhong..."

Qin Lindong put down the iron plate, his eyes as cold as knives, and softly uttered these names.

He will take back all the grievances, oppression, and plunder that the original owner suffered!

From today onwards, no one can ride roughshod over Qin Lindong anymore!

Just then, a light knock came from outside the door, followed by a slightly curious voice.

"Is Qin Lindong home?"

The voice sounded somewhat familiar, and Qin Lindong was slightly taken aback. He quickly found the corresponding person in the original owner's memories—

He Yuzhu!

The only person in the courtyard who wasn't completely bad and still had some principles was the head chef of the steel mill's canteen. He was quite skilled, but he was easily swayed and had been manipulated by Qin Huairu for many years, becoming her sucker.

Why would he come to our door?

Qin Lindong raised an eyebrow, not opening the door immediately, and asked calmly, "What is it?"

He Yuzhu, who was outside, was stunned when he heard his voice.

The Qin Lindong of the past spoke softly and timidly, but today his voice was calm, cold, and distant, with an unapproachable aura.

Things have definitely changed.

He Yuzhu was inwardly amazed, but said with a smile, "Nothing, I just smelled something really delicious coming from your place, even better than what I eat in the cafeteria, so I came to see what you've prepared."

He speaks frankly and has no ill intentions; he was simply attracted by the fragrance and also very curious about Qin Lindong's change in today.

Qin Lindong understood.

He Yuzhu is a chef, and he is most sensitive to aromas. The food he makes is infused with spiritual energy, and its aroma is far superior to that of ordinary food. It is normal for the other party to be able to smell it.

Qin Lindong had no ill feelings towards He Yuzhu.

Although this person has a foul mouth and likes to act tough, he is not a bad person at heart. He is filial to his elders and loyal to his family. In this yard full of beasts, he can be considered a breath of fresh air.

If we can win them over, we'll have an extra helper in the courtyard and avoid a lot of trouble in the future.

Thinking of this, Qin Lindong got up and slowly opened the door.

As soon as the door opened, an even richer aroma wafted out, causing He Yuzhu to sniffle violently and his eyes to light up instantly.

"Wow! It smells amazing! What did you make? It's even more tempting than anything I, a master chef, can make!"

He Yuzhu craned his neck to look into the room and was immediately shocked when he saw the bowl of scrambled eggs with sliced ​​meat and the remaining corn porridge on the table.

How can such simple home-cooked dishes smell so good?

Qin Lindong leaned against the door frame, looking at him calmly and respectfully: "It's just some simple food, nothing to mention."

"Just something casually made?" He Yuzhu's eyes widened, his face full of disbelief. "Brother, tell me the truth, are you holding back? Just look at that aroma, I dare say, no one in the steel mill's canteen can compare!"

He genuinely admired him.

Having worked in the cafeteria for so many years, he is extremely sensitive to aromas. This aroma is not only the smell of the ingredients, but also carries a wonderfully pleasant scent that makes people feel comfortable all over.

Qin Lindong remained noncommittal, simply asking, "Master He, did you come just to smell the aroma?"

He Yuzhu then came to his senses, scratched his head, and laughed, "Not entirely, but you were really tough today, daring to directly deal with that shrew Jia Zhangshi. That's manly! I, He Yuzhu, admire you!"

He speaks frankly and makes no attempt to hide his admiration.

He had long disliked the Jia family in the courtyard, but he hadn't been able to take action because of Yi Zhonghai's influence and because Qin Huairu was pestering him. Today, Qin Lindong dealt with Jia Zhangshi and Jia Dongxu in one go, and he felt incredibly relieved!

Looking at the straightforward man in front of him, Qin Lindong felt a slight stirring in his heart.

The opportunity to win over He Yuzhu has arrived.

He raised the corners of his mouth slightly, revealing a faint smile: "Master He, you flatter me. I won't offend others unless they offend me. If they bully me, I can't just stand there and take the beating."

"That's right!" He Yuzhu slapped his thigh and exclaimed, "That's exactly how it should be! That Jia family is a wolves that can never be satisfied; anyone who tries to be polite will suffer!"

The two stood at the door and chatted for a few minutes, and the atmosphere immediately became much more harmonious.

Not far away, Jia Zhangshi was still lying on the ground, watching He Yuzhu talk to Qin Lindong. She was angry and resentful, but she didn't dare to utter a single curse.

Yi Zhonghai, Yan Bugui, and Liu Haizhong stood to the side, their faces increasingly grim.

He Yuzhu was already not someone to be trifled with, and if he were to team up with the suddenly powerful Qin Lindong, their influence in this courtyard would be even less!

Yi Zhonghai's eyes were sinister as he secretly plotted to find a way to break them up and prevent Qin Lindong from winning over He Yuzhu!

Meanwhile, in front of the house, Qin Lindong already had an idea.

He looked at He Yuzhu and said calmly, "If you don't mind, Master He, please come in and sit for a while. I happen to have something I'd like to talk to you about."

He Yuzhu's eyes lit up, and he immediately nodded, "Okay!"

He was eager to ask Qin Lindong about his culinary secrets, so he couldn't be happier.

Qin Lindong stepped aside to make way for He Yuzhu to enter the house.

Just as He Yuzhu stepped across the threshold, the system notification sounded crisply in Qin Lindong's mind once again—

[Ding! Host detected contact with key figure in the courtyard: He Yuzhu!]

[Hidden option triggered: Befriend He Yuzhu and gain the only ally in the courtyard!]

[Task Rewards: Body Tempering Realm Level 2 progress increased by 30%, Culinary Skill Insight x1, Points x150!]

Qin Lindong sneered inwardly.

The system is helping him.

He's definitely going to befriend He Yuzhu!

For the Jia family, Yi Zhonghai, and their ilk, your nightmare has only just begun!