Courtyard Houses: From Bronze Compasses to Global Reach

Chapter 5: Treasures Hidden in the Starlight Tower, Puppet Relief from Worries

After Lin Yan recognized the Qiankun Dingshi Plate as his master, his body was able to enter this magical cave. Before Lin Yan could even take a deep breath of the air, which was a hundred times fresher than the outside world, he saw Xiao Qi puffing out its chest, looking proud and saying, "Watch me!" It raised a furry little paw and gently waved it at the open space by the spiritual spring.

In an instant, space seemed to be stirred by an invisible force, and a colossal tower, its magnificence beyond description, appeared out of thin air, rising straight into the chaotic sky. The tower's body was forged from an unknown material, neither gold nor jade, yet it flowed with a dazzling brilliance like stars. Countless mysterious runes flickered on its surface, emanating an ancient and majestic aura. Above the gate, three ancient characters shone brightly—【Starlight Tower】.

"Master, come with me!" Little Qi called out in a childish voice, flying towards the large door at the bottom of the tower first. As Lin Yan followed closely behind, the giant door silently slid open a gap just wide enough for one person to pass through, the size of which was just right.

Upon entering the first level of the tower, the space was far more expansive than what was visible from the outside. The light here was soft, as if it were a world unto itself. Xiao Qi, like a dutiful little tour guide, flew to a seemingly ordinary jade platform. On the platform, several items floated silently, emitting an alluring glow.

"Master, look!" Little Seven pointed with its little paw at the jade slip in the very center. "This is the fundamental technique left behind by the old master—the Qi Refining chapter of the 'Qiankun Creation Technique'! It's the most suitable cultivation method for you, Master!"

Then, it pointed to a small white jade bottle next to the jade slip: "This is a top-grade Marrow Cleansing Pill! There are thirteen pills in total! The old master said that one pill can be taken for each level of advancement in the Qi Refining stage. It can cleanse the marrow and remove deep-seated impurities from the body, cultivating an immaculate body! This is of immense benefit to future Foundation Establishment, a treasure for laying the most solid foundation!"

Lin Yan was deeply moved. He carefully picked up the jade slip and the pill bottle, feeling their smooth texture and the immense energy they contained.

However, Xiaoqi's demonstration was not yet over. With another wave of its little paw, ripples appeared in the space beside the jade platform, and two lifelike humanoid figures dressed in ancient clothing silently appeared. Their eyes were closed, and their expressions were serene; if not for their lifelessness, they would have been almost indistinguishable from real people.

"These are the helpers the old master prepared for the master!" Xiao Qi introduced. "The old master said that the Qiankun Realm will be very large in the future, and just planting spirit fields and harvesting spirit herbs will take up countless hours. How could he let the master waste his precious time on such trivial matters? Therefore, he left 5000 of these puppets on each floor of the Starshine Tower!"

"Five thousand?!" Lin Yan gasped in shock; this was an astonishing amount.

"Yes!" Xiao Qi nodded. "These puppets are all a whole stage stronger than you, Master! You're a mortal now, so they're equivalent to the Great Perfection of Qi Refining. Moreover, they're ingeniously designed, indistinguishable from real people, and powered by top-grade spirit stones inside. As long as they don't engage in large-scale battles, but just do things like planting, raising animals, and managing the space, the spiritual energy content of the top-grade spirit stones is enough for them to work continuously for a thousand years!"

Xiao Qi added, "Our old master also left you a massive amount of top-grade spirit stones in your storage ring, piled up into several mountains! You don't need to worry about cultivation resources at all, Master!"

As it spoke, it directed Lin Yan to look at the other items on the jade platform: several jade slips containing basic pill formulas, a stack of invisibility talismans emitting faint energy fluctuations, and several brocade pouches filled with seeds of various spiritual herbs and plants.

Finally, Xiaoqi pointed to a seemingly ordinary miniature courtyard model at the very edge of the jade platform, as if presenting a treasure.

"And this! This is a 'portable home' that the old master specially crafted for you!"

Driven by Xiao Qi's thoughts, the miniature model instantly enlarged, transforming into a Chinese-style courtyard with white walls and black tiles, covering an area of ​​about two acres. It was situated beside the nearby spiritual spring, blending seamlessly with the surrounding environment.

Lin Yan walked in curiously and was immediately overjoyed. Although the courtyard was small, it was fully equipped: a cultivation room, an alchemy room, a weapon-refining room, a bedroom, a kitchen, a bathroom, and a toilet—all decorated in a simple yet elegant style, full of life. There was even a study with rows of bookshelves, an alchemy furnace with extraordinary energy in the alchemy room, and a weapon-refining room complete with tools, which could also be used to study formations. Inside was also a top-grade first-tier spirit-gathering array plate prepared by the ancestor. What delighted Lin Yan most was an inconspicuous room in the corner—a warehouse. Upon entering, he discovered that the interior had been spatially compressed, making it almost infinitely large, and time was absolutely frozen; anything placed inside would remain unchanged!

At that moment, Lin Yan was overjoyed. It was exactly what he wanted. His ancestor had thought of everything!

However, all these surprises combined cannot compare to those puppets that are indistinguishable from real people, and this portable, fully functional little courtyard!

A brilliant plan flashed through his mind in an instant.

He could easily use the excuse that "his father has passed away, he is frail and sickly, and there is no one to take care of him" to invite two distant relatives from his "hometown"!

He only needs to summon two puppets, which will transform into the appearance of a young man and a young woman. One will be his "cousin" who is skilled in martial arts and will be responsible for protecting him and dealing with external troubles. The other will be his "cousin's wife" who is good at cooking and will be responsible for managing the housework and taking care of his daily life!

This is simply perfect! It allows for a reasonable improvement in living conditions within the courtyard house, while also providing close protection and shielding against most of the scheming and harassment from predatory neighbors! As for delicious food? It can all be prepared in the small kitchen within the space, using spiritual spring water and ingredients from the space itself—delicious and healthy. As for the outer home, all that's needed is to boil some water and make a show of it!

Thinking of this, Lin Yan looked at the two quietly standing puppets, his eyes burning with desire. One of his biggest problems—how to live safely and comfortably in the courtyard house—had unexpectedly found a perfect solution.

"Ancestor...you have really been a great help!" Lin Yan held the cold jade slip, but his heart was burning with warmth.