Courtyard House: The Cultivation System Takes Me Flying

Seven days passed quietly as Qin Lindong focused on honing his cultivation and consolidating his physical strength. After angrily crippling five notorious thugs in the Black Market Alley, he completely calmed down, absorbing the physical enhancement and speed boosts rewarded by the system while guarding the high-grade spirit fields in his courtyard, awaiting the harvest.

For the past seven days, the bustling streets of Beijing remained vibrant, and the daily lives of the neighbors in the courtyard house continued as usual. Unbeknownst to anyone, within this ordinary courtyard, a transcendent transformation, capable of overturning any mortal realm, was brewing. Qin Lindong's aura grew increasingly restrained; the sharp edge of his perfected Body Tempering Realm was now completely hidden deep within his body. From afar, he appeared as a composed young man, but only he knew that he had already honed his mortal body to its limit, and was only one step away from breaking through the shackles and embarking on the true path of cultivation.

On the morning of the seventh day, just as dawn was breaking and the first rays of sunlight pierced through the clouds, illuminating the gray bricks and tiles of the courtyard, a pure and mellow spiritual energy, far surpassing that of previous days, suddenly emanated from the center of the courtyard. This energy, extremely pure and carrying a faint fragrance of grains, enveloped the entire courtyard like morning mist, permeating every corner and instantly imbuing the ordinary courtyard with an ethereal, otherworldly aura.

The neighbors, who were washing up inside, immediately noticed something was wrong.

The originally chilly air became incredibly warm and moist. When inhaled, a warm current instantly slid down the throat and into every part of the body. It felt as if every pore on the body was opening up. The fatigue of the past few days, the old ailments of backache and sore waist, and even the minor ailments hidden in the body were all relieved at a visible speed under the nourishment of this spiritual energy.

Grandpa Wang, who lives in the east wing, suffers from chronic leg pain. Every morning, the pain is so intense that he dares not get out of bed. But at this moment, he stood up while holding onto the door frame and felt his legs were incredibly light. The excruciating pain had completely disappeared. The old man's eyes widened in disbelief.

"What...what is this smell? How come just one breath makes my whole body feel so comfortable?"

"Look quickly in the middle of the yard! It's that field belonging to Manager Lin!"

Someone shouted, and the neighbors in the courtyard rushed out, pushing open their doors. When they saw the high-grade spiritual field in the center of the courtyard, everyone froze on the spot, their faces filled with shock and awe.

The once verdant spirit fields had transformed into a golden sea. The high-grade third-tier spirit grains were fully ripe, each stalk tall and robust, towering half a head higher than ordinary rice. The heavy ears of rice drooped low, three times thicker than ordinary spirit grains, their grains plump and round, gleaming with a warm golden light. Most astonishingly, above the fields, dense spiritual energy condensed into a wisp of white mist, rising and shimmering in the morning light, creating a scene reminiscent of a fairyland.

This scene has long transcended the realm of ordinary crops. In the eyes of these ordinary people who spend their entire lives toiling in the fields, this is not farming at all, but planting the legendary fairy valley!

"My God... this isn't food, it's clearly a divine seed!"

"Just who is Manager Lin? He can actually grow rice that seems to possess a magical aura! That's incredible!"

"We must have accumulated a lot of good karma in our past lives to be able to live in the same courtyard as Manager Lin! Breathing in this sacred air every day will surely help us get sick less often and live several years longer!"

The neighbors gathered at the edge of the spiritual field, not daring to approach even a step closer, their eyes filled with admiration and gratitude. They knew that the changes in their bodies were entirely thanks to Qin Lindong; this invisible spiritual energy was a hundred or a thousand times more effective than any precious tonic. In the past, they felt more awe and dared not provoke Qin Lindong, but now, that awe was mixed with heartfelt gratitude and affection.

In a corner of the crowd, Qin Huairu stood far away, holding Banggeng's hand, her eyes filled with complex emotions as she gazed at the glittering golden spirit field. Ever since she bumped into Qin Lindong at the alley entrance, she had completely given up all unrealistic dreams. She could only barely survive by picking up vegetable leaves every day. The Jia family was still lifeless, and Jia Zhangshi's complaints and Banggeng's crying had become her entire life.

Looking at Qin Lindong, who was surrounded by people and looked like a god, Qin Huairu felt only endless bitterness and inferiority. She knew clearly that the gap between herself and Qin Lindong was as insurmountable as an insurmountable chasm. He was an eagle soaring in the sky, while she was just an ant in the mud. In this life, she could only look up to him from afar.

Qin Lindong walked slowly to the spirit field, his gaze calmly sweeping over the bountiful harvest before him, his heart unmoved. To him, these high-grade third-tier spirit grains were merely essential supplies on his path to Foundation Establishment, far from the astonishing sight others perceived them to be.

He raised his hand and waved it, without using any farming tools. The true energy of his perfected Body Tempering Realm surged slightly, gently yet irresistibly enveloping each ripe grain of spirit rice. The golden ears of rice swayed gently, and the plump grains automatically detached from the stalks, transforming into streaks of golden light that flowed continuously into the system space according to his will.

The entire harvesting process was smooth and silent. In just a short while, all the high-grade spiritual grains in the entire spiritual field were harvested, leaving only neat rice stalks that still exuded a faint spiritual aura.

The moment the last grain of spirit grain fell into the system space, a series of crisp system notifications rang out in my mind:

[Ding! Host has successfully harvested Tier 3 High-Grade Spirit Valley. Testing shows the valley is 100% pure and of superior quality. A total of 120 jin (60 catties) has been obtained, exceeding the basic mission requirement by 20 jin (10 catties)!]

[Ding! The Foundation Establishment quest branch—Spirit Valley Planting—is officially complete! Current progress: 100%!]

[Ding! Detected that the host has completed all prerequisite tasks for medicinal herb collection, physical body strengthening, and spirit grain cultivation. The Foundation Establishment task is now 100% complete!]

[Ding! Mission prompt: Everything is ready. We await the night of the full moon to draw upon the spiritual energy of heaven and earth to cleanse our marrow and meridians, and then we can officially break through to the Foundation Establishment Realm!]

A series of notification sounds brought a barely perceptible hint of relief to Qin Lindong's eyes.

With a thought, he peered into the system space.

On the left, three century-old medicinal herbs—a century-old ginseng, a century-old lingzhi, and a century-old he shou wu—float quietly, exuding a rich medicinal fragrance and brimming with spiritual energy, perfectly preserving the purest medicinal power. On the right, in the warehouse area, 120 jin of third-grade high-level spiritual grains are piled up like a mountain, gleaming with golden light and overflowing with spiritual energy. Each grain contains enough spiritual energy to nourish a cultivator's body.

With all the medicinal herbs in hand, the spiritual grains plentiful, and the physical body perfected, the time is almost here.

All the conditions required for foundation building have been met!

Qin Lindong slowly raised his head, looking at the sun gradually rising on the horizon. His gaze pierced through the clouds, as if he could already see the full moon after nightfall.

Today is the full moon night he has been waiting for.

As time passed, the sun set and night fell as expected over Beijing.

Above the pitch-black sky, without a single cloud, a full, flawless moon, as bright as a jade plate, slowly rose. Its cool moonlight, like mercury spilling onto the ground, bathed the streets, alleys, courtyards, and pavilions. The night of the full moon is the moment when yin and yang meet, and spiritual energy is at its most concentrated. The moonlight draws in the pure spiritual energy that roams the world, converging it into an invisible torrent of spiritual energy that fills every corner of the earth.

This is the best opportunity for cultivators to break through their cultivation level; if they miss tonight, they will have to wait another whole month.

Qin Lindong closed the door, bolted it tightly, and then casually set up a simple spiritual energy barrier to completely isolate his room from the outside world. This was to prevent the spiritual energy fluctuations during his Foundation Establishment from disturbing his neighbors and to prevent anyone from accidentally breaking in and disrupting his breakthrough.

Inside the room, he sat cross-legged on a clean futon, his posture upright, his mind as still as water, having abandoned all distracting thoughts and entered the most perfect state of cultivation. On the wooden table in front of him, three century-old medicinal herbs were neatly arranged, and next to them was a bowl full of high-grade spiritual grains, their spiritual energy swirling and shimmering, their mere presence increasing the concentration of spiritual energy in the entire room several times over.

Everything is ready; we are just waiting for the system to start the foundation-building process.

[Ding! Detection indicates the full moon has arrived, and the concentration of spiritual energy in the world has reached its peak!]

[Host's Foundation Establishment Quest Progress 100%, All Prerequisites Met!]

[The system's foundation-building mission has officially begun! Host, would you like to immediately begin the Qi-guiding and marrow-cleansing process to condense the Golden Core seed?]

The system notification echoed clearly in his mind. Qin Lindong slightly opened his eyes, a glint of light flashing within them. Without the slightest hesitation, he uttered a single word in a deep voice:

"yes!"

The moment the words left his mouth, the system went into full operation!

Om-!

With a slight tremor, the three century-old medicinal herbs on the table instantly floated into the air. The outer skin of the herbs automatically disintegrated, and the pure medicinal power contained within a century was forcibly refined and compressed by the system, transforming into three torrents of spiritual energy of different colors—the milky white of the century-old ginseng, the deep green of the century-old lingzhi, and the dark brown of the century-old he shou wu. The three torrents intertwined with each other, yet did not interfere with each other, like three rushing rivers, flowing into Qin Lindong's body through his Baihui acupoint without any hindrance.

The powerful medicinal force instantly swept through his limbs and bones, without any rage, but rather as gentle as water, nourishing his meridians, bones, and flesh under the precise control of the system.

At the same time, the high-grade spirit grains on the table shattered, turning into the finest and most easily absorbed spiritual energy particles. These particles seeped into the body through the pores, merging with the medicinal power of the herbs to form an even larger and purer energy that flowed slowly through the meridians, providing a continuous source of power for cleansing the marrow and strengthening the meridians.

"System, draw upon the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, and absorb the essence of the sun and moon!"

Qin Lin silently recited in his heart.

The next second, the bright moonlight outside the window seemed to be drawn by an invisible force, instantly transforming into a thick silver beam that pierced through the window paper and surged straight into the room, completely enveloping Qin Lindong's body. The moonlight contained the purest spiritual energy in the world, which, under the guidance of the system, flowed into his body like a tide, perfectly merging with the medicinal power and spiritual energy.

Qi-inducing and marrow-cleansing exercises, officially beginning!

The vast, mixed energy, like the gentlest flush, washed over Qin Lindong's meridians again and again. His meridians, originally at the Body Tempering Realm, though resilient, were still filled with worldly impurities. Now, under the cleansing influence of spiritual energy, they were gradually widened and reshaped, becoming broader, stronger, and more unobstructed. The minute cracks in his bones were perfectly repaired, and the calcium continuously condensed, becoming as hard as black iron. The worldly impurities, toxins, and filth within his flesh were gradually squeezed out and expelled from his body.

Soon, a layer of thick, black, foul-smelling filth seeped from Qin Lindong's body. This was all the impurities he had accumulated in his body since childhood, and it was also the most fundamental difference between a mortal body and a supernatural body.

Cleansing the marrow and refining the meridians is not only about tempering the physical body, but also about elevating the soul.

A cool current flowed through the top of his head into his sea of ​​consciousness, nourishing his soul and making his spiritual power more refined and acute. His five senses were elevated to an unprecedented level, and he could clearly hear the chirping of insects, the sound of wind blowing leaves, and the breathing of his sleeping neighbors a hundred meters away from the courtyard.

Physical body, meridians, and spirit—all are elevated!

Under the constant cleansing of spiritual energy, a faint golden light slowly emerged in Qin Lindong's dantian, like the first ray of dawn, small yet incredibly firm. This was the Golden Core Seed, the most crucial symbol of the Foundation Establishment Realm, and the foundation for a cultivator to embark on the path to transcendence!

Nourished by spiritual energy, the golden seed gradually condenses and grows stronger, its golden light becoming increasingly intense and dazzling. It slowly rotates in the center of the dantian, emitting a gentle yet powerful aura, absorbing and transforming all the energy flowing into the body.

【叮！引气洗髓进行中……当前进度10%…30%…50%…70%…80%…】

[Ding! Golden Core Seed condensing... Energy filling complete, core formed!]

[Ding! Qi-inducing and Marrow-cleansing progress 100%! Golden Core seed successfully condensed!]

[Ding! Congratulations, host! You have successfully broken through the shackles of the Body Tempering Realm and officially reached the first level of the Foundation Establishment Realm! You have taken your first step on the path to extraordinary power!]

A series of system notification sounds rang in my mind like heavenly music.

boom--!

The moment he successfully established his foundation, Qin Lindong's aura suddenly erupted!

The previously restrained spiritual energy could no longer be suppressed, and it surged out of his body like a storm. The tables, chairs, doors, and windows in the room trembled slightly. The dense spiritual energy formed a visible vortex of storm, spinning wildly around his body. The spiritual energy of heaven and earth within a hundred meters of the courtyard was instantly drawn in, pouring into his room and merging into the spiritual energy storm.

The entire courtyard was enveloped by this powerful yet gentle extraordinary aura!

The neighbors, who were fast asleep, were instantly awakened by this aura. They pushed open their doors and came out of their rooms. When they felt the awe and pressure that came from the depths of their souls and saw the dazzling golden light emanating from Qin Lindong's room, everyone involuntarily buckled at the knees, knelt down, lowered their heads, and dared not even breathe.

"It's Manager Lin... Is Manager Lin ascending to immortality?"

"Such a powerful aura! I don't even have the courage to look up!"

"Gods above, please accept our bow!"

The crowd was filled with awe, their hearts overflowing with devout worship. They knew that the person living beside them was no ordinary person, but a true deity!

Inside the room, Qin Lindong slowly opened his eyes, two sharp glints flashing briefly before returning to calm.

He looked down at his hands and felt an inexhaustible surge of power within him. His physical strength, spiritual energy reserves, and soul power were all more than ten times greater than when he was in the Body Tempering Realm. Within his dantian, the golden core seed shimmered with golden light, continuously generating pure Foundation Establishment spiritual energy that circulated through his meridians, nourishing his entire body.

Shatter all worldly shackles!

The path to extraordinary achievements has officially begun!

With a wave of his hand, Qin Lindong's spiritual energy stirred slightly, instantly cleaning away the black grime on his body. His clothes were now neat and spotless, and his aura became even more ethereal, like that of a banished immortal.

He stood up, walked to the window, opened it, and gazed at the bright full moon in the sky, a faint smile appearing on his lips.

A bountiful harvest of high-grade spiritual grains has been achieved, and the foundation-building project is complete.

From this day forward, Qin Lindong is no longer an ordinary person who mingles in the city, but a true Foundation Establishment cultivator!

The small world of Beijing could no longer confine him.