Courtyard Houses: From Bronze Compasses to Global Reach

Perhaps it was the promising progress of his cultivation, the spiritual energy nourishing his soul and bringing him peace of mind, or perhaps it was the fact that he had finally overcome the long-standing burden of Yi Zhonghai, the mountain that had weighed heavily on the courtyard, and put an end to a worry in his heart. Bathed in the warm sunshine of early spring, holding the cozy Xiao Qi in his arms, Lin Yan unknowingly fell into a deep sleep.

He slept exceptionally soundly and peacefully. When he opened his eyes again, the sun was already setting in the west. He glanced at his watch and saw it was around three in the afternoon. His thoughtful cousin-in-law had somehow replaced the thin blanket he'd been wearing with a thicker cotton one; no wonder he'd slept so warmly. Little Qi was using his chest as her best pillow, sleeping soundly on it, even drooling.

He quietly got up, folded the thick blanket, and then picked up the still-sleepy Xiao Qi, carrying it upstairs to its special doghouse. Looking at Xiao Qi's contented sleeping face, and remembering how it always quietly lay beside him, protecting him during his cultivation sessions, Lin Yan felt a surge of tenderness. He gently stroked the dog's head and whispered, "Thank you for your hard work, Xiao Qi." Xiao Qi's ears twitched unconsciously, and it comfortably rolled over, continuing its sweet dream.

In the courtyard of the Intermediate People's Court, the director of the street women's federation and several staff members were sitting in the middle of the courtyard, originally just explaining the Marriage Law to an elderly woman named Tan Jinhua. However, they were soon surrounded by elderly women and young wives who had come from the neighborhood after hearing the news. This impromptu legal education class had more than doubled in size.

The Women's Federation director, holding a pamphlet, spoke clearly: "...Let me say it again, sisters, the Marriage Law states that beating one's wife is a vice of the old society, explicitly prohibited by law in the new society! This isn't a domestic matter; it's an illegal act that violates personal rights! If the man hits her again, the Women's Federation and the police station can handle it!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a buzz of discussion arose from the crowd.

"What? It's illegal to beat your own wife?" A middle-aged woman, who had been beaten by her husband when he was drunk for years but dared not speak out, stared wide-eyed and muttered to herself, "This...this government is really standing up for us?"

Another young woman standing nearby nodded vigorously, her eyes a little red: "My father used to beat my mother all the time, and all she could do was cry... So, so it's possible to sue him?"

Someone else asked eagerly, "Director! If a man cheats on his wife, shouldn't they be able to get a divorce? How will the property be divided?"

The women's federation comrade patiently explained: "Of course you can get a divorce! This means the other party has committed a serious mistake. The woman can not only file for divorce, but she will also receive care and protection in terms of property division and child custody! Just like Comrade Tan Jinhua's case, Yi Zhonghai was morally corrupt, so when she filed for divorce, she was entitled to half of the family property!"

Sitting in the middle, Tan Jinhua, an older woman, had initially listened only to her own story. But now, feeling the intense gazes and barrage of questions from the women around her, she straightened her back. She wasn't just listening to her own fate; she seemed to have become a symbol of hope for her fellow women. Her previous anxiety about the future gradually gave way to an unprecedented sense of confidence and strength. Yes, the law was on her side, the government was backing her up—what was there to fear? She even took the initiative to speak, explaining to a timid-looking older woman beside her, "Sister, did you hear that? From now on, we women don't have to suffer in silence anymore; we have a place to seek justice!"

Lin Yan stood by the window, quietly watching the scene unfold in the courtyard. He saw a new light begin to shine in the eyes of those women who were usually either fiery, stoic, or numb—a light called "hope" and "right." They whispered among themselves, their voices excited, as if a door to a new world was slowly opening before them.

He smiled with satisfaction, but his thoughts went further. This small spark, if it could ignite a prairie fire, would be far more significant than bringing down ten Yi Zhonghais. This is precisely the time for the people's initial awakening.

With a thought, a spatial puppet quietly transformed into a middle-aged woman with a calm demeanor and earnest words, and quickly walked towards Director Wang's office at the street office.

Director Wang warmly received this "insightful member of the public." The "middle-aged woman" vividly described to Director Wang the heated legal education session taking place at the Intermediate People's Court, and strongly suggested: "Director Wang, look, the public desperately needs this! Many family conflicts and neighborhood disputes stem from a lack of legal knowledge. If our neighborhood could systematically carry out legal education, regularly organize learning sessions, and distribute easy-to-understand pamphlets so everyone knows where the bottom line is and what their rights are, the atmosphere in our area would definitely improve significantly!"

Director Wang became increasingly excited as she listened. She walked to the window and could almost hear the commotion coming from the Intermediate People's Court—the very voices of the people's yearning! This was not only a good thing for maintaining stability and improving public morals, but also a shining achievement! She could almost see the enormous reaction that a detailed report might generate once it was submitted.

She excitedly grasped the "advisor's" hand: "Comrade, your suggestion is so timely and important! I'll start making preparations right away!" After seeing off the "enthusiastic citizen," Director Wang immediately returned to her desk, her thoughts flowing like a spring, and began to write furiously, drafting a plan and a request report for carrying out comprehensive legal education.

On this afternoon, a legal enlightenment movement combining top-down and bottom-up approaches took its first seeds in this small courtyard.

That night, Lin Yan entered the space. The hustle and bustle of the day subsided, and he needed to focus on his own improvement.

Inside his study, he carefully studied the jade slips containing the teachings on alchemy and talisman-making. After a moment, he realized one thing: these two skills required an extremely high level of "precise control" over spiritual sense, far surpassing the mere strength of spiritual sense. Now was not the best time to practice them.

"The 'Divine Demon Visualization Technique' needs to be advanced three to four more times. Only when the control of divine thoughts is subtle can it be tried again, so that it can achieve twice the result with half the effort." He secretly made a plan.

Since body tempering requires a ten-day interval, this period is the perfect time to hone one's magical skills!

Inside the cultivation room, Lin Yan's eyes shone brightly as he selected eight basic Qi Refining stage spells: offensive techniques—Fireball, Ice Arrow, Gengjin Sword Finger, and Palm Thunder; defensive techniques—Earth Wall; techniques to trap enemies—Entanglement; support techniques—Spirit Rain; and movement techniques—Light Body Technique.

The key is not the quantity of skills, but their mastery. Mastering all eight methods is sufficient to handle the vast majority of situations.

Having chosen his direction, Lin Yan immediately threw himself into cultivation without hesitation!

In an instant, the once silent training room was filled with spiritual light and roaring sounds. Flames surged, ice shot out, golden light flashed, thunder roared, earthen walls rose, green vines danced wildly, drizzle fell, and figures flickered... Lin Yan was immersed in the manifestation of laws and the control of energy, practicing again and again, constantly correcting, optimizing, and perfecting his skills.

His magical talent was exceptionally high, and his comprehension and mastery speed was astonishing. From clumsy to fluent, from barely able to cast spells to effortless execution, he steadily progressed towards his goal of perfecting all eight spells at an astonishing pace. Strange phenomena abounded within the cultivation room, reflecting his unwavering determination to pursue the Dao.