Courtyard House: Time Traveler Not Yet a Ghost

The lingering power of the nine tribulations of the Returning to Emptiness Tribulation still faintly echoed between heaven and earth. On the charred and shattered mountain peak, even the gale carried a unique aura of scorching heat and ionization. He Damin stood suspended in the void, his tattered robes fluttering in the wind. Although his body bore scorch marks, his aura was completely different. Refining the Spirit to Return to Emptiness, his Yang Spirit had begun to merge with the void of heaven and earth. His divine sense perceived all things clearly, and he seemed to have taken another step closer to the Great Dao.

Dozens of miles away, Ma Xiaoling remained frozen atop another peak, the tip of the thousand-year-old peach wood sword she gripped trembling slightly, whether from exhaustion or the turmoil of her emotions, she couldn't tell. She had witnessed the nine destructive bolts of heavenly lightning, and "saw" the mysterious transformation of the figure within the lightning—from solid to ethereal, and then back to solid. Now, sensing him again, the eerie, ghostly aura emanating from He Damin, which had once made her feel uneasy and which she had perceived as "ghostly," had largely faded, replaced by a vast, ethereal, and indescribable "Dao" aura, seemingly merging seamlessly with the deep, night-sky-like backdrop behind him. This was no aura that could be found in demons or heretics!

"Cultivating both nature and life..." He Damin spoke slowly, his voice not loud, but clear enough to reach Ma Xiaoling's ears, carrying a calm and insightful quality that came after a tribulation. "Nature refers to one's character, spirit, and true self; life refers to one's physical form, blood and energy. People either focus on cultivating nature, sitting in meditation to seek enlightenment, but their spirit leaves their body and their flesh decays; or they focus on cultivating life, forging their physique, their blood and energy becoming like a dragon, but their inner demons grow rampant. Only by cultivating both nature and life, uniting spirit and form, and harmonizing mind and body, can one find the right path."

He looked at Ma Xiaoling in the distance, his gaze calm: "Miss Ma, your Ma family's method of summoning gods, which borrows external forces to strengthen oneself, is certainly swift and fierce, but is it enough to temper one's own character and refine one's essence? External forces are ultimately external forces; too much of a good thing can be bad and may damage one's foundation."

Upon hearing this, Ma Xiaoling was deeply shaken. He Damin's words pointed directly to a latent flaw in her Ma family's tradition, one that her elders had subtly mentioned. Over-reliance on invoking deities might lead to rapid progress in cultivation, but it could indeed leave deficiencies in understanding the Great Dao and tempering one's mind. This "demon"... no, this person, not only possesses unfathomable cultivation, but also such profound insight and understanding?

She opened her mouth, wanting to ask something, but didn't know where to begin. The "exorcising demons and protecting the righteous path" that she had previously been shouting about now seemed more like a laughable misunderstanding.

Seeing the changes in her expression, He Damin knew she was emotionally agitated and said no more. Having just broken through to the Void Returning Realm, his cultivation was not yet fully stable. This place had experienced a tribulation of lightning, and the energy was chaotic, making it unsuitable for a long stay. He already had a place in mind—deep in the Yanshan Mountains, a natural secluded spot beneath a cliff that he had searched for during the War of Resistance. After some simple modifications, he had used it as a place for quiet cultivation. The energy there was relatively pure and concealed, perfect for consolidating his cultivation.

"This matter is settled, Miss Ma, you and I..." He was about to take his leave and intended to briefly explain the reason for the "ghostly aura" (the Soul Refining Banner and the Yin-Yang Space) to avoid causing any future trouble for this stubborn Ma family descendant.

However, before he could finish speaking, something unexpected happened!

The sky, which had just regained its calm and revealed a sliver of azure, darkened again without warning! This time, it wasn't the gathering of dark clouds, but rather the entire sky itself seemed to collapse and coalesce inward, transforming into a chilling deep purple! A terrifying pressure, even more vast, ancient, and majestic than the previous Void Lightning Tribulation, as if from the very beginning of the universe, descended without warning! It directly targeted He Damin, who had just completed his breakthrough!

"What?!" He Damin's expression changed drastically, alarm bells ringing in his mind! He clearly sensed that the "spirit" within his dantian, which had just completed its Yang God transformation and begun to merge with the void, was being drawn by some higher-level rule, spontaneously absorbing some primordial power from heaven and earth, frantically fusing and transforming with his own essence, qi, and spirit! This was not the consolidation of the Void Returning Realm, but... a sign of a breakthrough to a higher realm!

The Nascent Soul stage?! A leap from the Nascent Soul stage (refining Qi to become a deity) to the Nascent Soul stage (a realm beyond refining spirit to return to emptiness)?! How is this possible?! He has only just completed the breakthrough to refining spirit to return to emptiness, and his realm is not even stable yet!

Immediately, he realized. Yes, "cultivating both body and spirit"! The tribulation he had just endured was a tribulation of "life," tempering his physical form and spirit to help him break through to the Void Realm. But what he was experiencing now was a tribulation of "spirit"! It was because of his years of tempering his soul, controlling reincarnation, and comprehending the Yin-Yang Tai Chi, accumulating an overwhelming amount of strength in his mind and soul. Now, drawn by the breakthrough of "life," it was a natural progression, directly touching upon the qualitative change at the level of "spirit"! Life and spirit intertwined, resonating internally and externally, he was about to break through two major barriers in succession!

This is undoubtedly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, but it's also a perilous situation with a slim chance of survival! Ordinary cultivators, from the Nascent Soul stage to the Deity Transformation stage, all prepare for decades or even centuries, gathering rare and precious materials, setting up numerous arrays, and inviting fellow cultivators to protect them before daring to attempt the breakthrough. How could anyone be like him, having just survived one tribulation, barely catching his breath, only to be faced with an even more terrifying one? This damned heavens truly have no intention of letting this "anomaly" live a peaceful life!

"Boom—Crack—!!!"

Without any warning, the first bolt of tribulation lightning struck down! This lightning did not descend from the clouds, but seemed to be born directly from the void. It was as thick as a mountain, with a chaotic color, and within it, earth, fire, water, and wind seemed to surge, and the universe and stars seemed to be born and die! Its terrifying power was more than ten times stronger than the last chaotic divine lightning of the previous Void Tribulation!

He Damin didn't have time to make any preparations at all, and he only managed to raise half of his protective qi!

"Pfft!" Just being grazed by the edge of this chaotic lightning tribulation, his body, which had just been tempered by the lightning tribulation and was incomparably strong, was hit as if by a heavy blow. He spat out a mouthful of blood, and his bones groaned as if they could not bear the burden. His Yang God, which had just stabilized a little, swayed.

This is simply not a tribulation he can withstand right now! If one tribulation is this severe, how many more will follow?! In his memory, the tribulation of the Nascent Soul stage seems to be... eighty-one levels? No, judging from this power and the "malice" of the Heavenly Dao, it is probably the highest level of eighty-one levels!

In a flash, He Damin's gaze suddenly fell on the seemingly ordinary black ring on his finger—the entrance to the Inner Realm. A crazy thought flashed through his mind!

Escape is impossible; the heavenly tribulation has locked onto you, and it will pursue you to the ends of the earth. To withstand it head-on is certain death. So… borrow its power? What can be used to “share” or even “utilize” this terrifying power of the heavenly tribulation?

He remembered that silver-gray flying saucer! That creation from beyond the stars, its technology far surpassing his own! Its outer shell could withstand the harsh environments of interstellar travel, and its energy system was shrouded in mystery. Heavenly tribulation lightning, in essence, was also an extremely violent form of energy! Perhaps…

In a life-or-death situation, there is no room for hesitation!

"Come out!" He Damin roared, his divine sense surging wildly into his inner world!

The next instant, just as the second, even thicker, dark gold-colored lightning bolt, carrying an aura of star destruction, was about to strike, the space above He Damin's head violently distorted and expanded!

A disc-shaped aircraft, over twenty meters in diameter, streamlined in shape, matte silver-gray in color, with a smooth, mirror-like surface and no visible propulsion devices, appeared out of thin air! It hovered there silently, forming a strange scene beyond the comprehension of time and space with the scorched mountain peaks, raging thunderclouds, and tiny human figures below!

Ma Xiaoling, watching from afar, was completely stunned, her mind a blank. A lightning tribulation? An even stronger lightning tribulation? And… what was that thing?! An iron bird? A flying disc? Creatures she had never seen before, and couldn't even comprehend!

"BOOM—!!!"

The second bolt of dark gold lightning struck the top of the suddenly appearing flying saucer squarely!

The expected explosion and shattering did not occur. The moment the dark golden lightning struck the smooth outer shell of the flying saucer, it was like a drop of water falling into the desert, merely creating bright, ripple-like silvery-white waves! The flying saucer's massive body trembled slightly, emitting a deep, melodious hum, like the resonance of metal. On the silvery-gray outer shell, countless extremely fine, previously dim patterns were instantly illuminated, like a reflection of a galaxy, shimmering with iridescent light! Even more strangely, a faint "humming—humming—" sound of accelerated energy flow emanated from within the flying saucer, and its faint energy field seemed…to have strengthened slightly?

"It works!" He Damin was overjoyed! He had made the right bet! The materials and energy system of this flying saucer could indeed absorb, transform, and even "digest" the energy of the heavenly tribulation lightning!

The third and fourth tribulation lightning bolts arrived in quick succession, each more terrifying than the last, their colors shifting, and each containing a different destructive principle. There was the "Pure Yang Tribulation Lightning," blazing white like the sun, incinerating all things; there was the "Profound Yin Tribulation Lightning," a deep blue like the ocean, freezing souls; and there was the "Yi Wood Divine Lightning," verdant and vibrant, yet carrying the life force of decaying all things…

Like a most loyal shield, the UFO hovered above He Damin, blocking most of the tribulation lightning. Each time it was struck, the ripples on its outer shell became more dazzling, the buzzing inside became louder and more rapid, and the illuminated patterns became more complex and brighter, as if a dried-up riverbed was being filled with abundant water. The entire UFO was being rapidly "awakened" from its long "slumber"!

With the pressure greatly reduced, He Damin took the opportunity to fully circulate his cultivation technique, guiding a small amount of pure tribulation lightning power that had been weakened and dissipated through the UFO (this energy, after being transformed by the UFO, seemed to have lost most of its destructive attributes, becoming relatively mild and containing fragments of the Heavenly Dao Law), to temper his physical body and Yang spirit, accelerating the fusion and breakthrough at the level of "sex".

At the same time, his divine sense, like the most nimble tentacles, carefully avoided the raging tribulation lightning and attempted to probe the interior of the flying saucer. Previously, when he collected it, he had only conducted a cursory examination, without attempting to claim it as his own or delve into its core. Now, with the flying saucer being continuously "charged" by the tribulation energy, its internal system was clearly activating—this was the perfect opportunity!

His divine sense penetrated the strange outer shell (which seemed to offer little resistance to energy and mental power) and entered the simple, spacious interior of the flying saucer. The central circular platform shimmered with light, and the intricate patterns on the surrounding walls seemed to come alive. He Damin's divine sense quickly detected a faint but pure, coldly mechanical fluctuation of consciousness originating from a core beneath the central platform.

There is no language, only the most direct contact of consciousness and the transmission of information.

"High-purity primordial energy infusion detected... Energy core dormancy broken 7%... 11%... 19%..."

"High-dimensional mental fluctuations detected... Matches basic access authentication characteristics... Analyzing..."

"Soul frequency compatibility 67%... Life form compatibility 89%... Extremely high energy affinity... Meets the conditions for temporary master recognition..."

"Unknown entity, do you accept temporary access binding with the 'Voyager 7' research vessel? After binding, you will gain basic navigation, protection, detection, and energy operation permissions."

A concise and clear flow of information flooded into He Damin's consciousness. This UFO (Voyager 7 research vessel) actually possessed a rudimentary form of intelligence, and it regarded his continuous "recharging" with heavenly tribulations, as well as his powerful divine sense, as some kind of "certification"!

"Bind!" He Damin didn't hesitate. Temporary or permanent, he just needed to gain control first!

"Permission binding in progress... Binding successful. Temporary captain privileges granted. Continuous high-energy external impact detected. It is recommended to activate the 'Energy Absorption Matrix' and 'Primary Deflection Shield' to optimize energy absorption efficiency and reduce unnecessary vibrations to the ship's structure."

With the binding successful, He Damin's senses of the UFO instantly became countless times clearer. He "saw" the complex energy flow network inside the UFO, the dark blue core that was being "fed" little by little by the energy of the heavenly tribulation, like a sleeping heart, and the "energy absorption matrix" and "deflection shield" formed by the patterns on the UFO's shell, which could operate actively.

With a thought, he activated these two functions following the simple operation method of the UFO's intelligent transmission.

In an instant, the silvery-white ripples on the surface of the flying saucer became more orderly and efficient, forming tiny energy vortexes that actively "captured" the descending lightning! Meanwhile, an almost invisible force field, slightly distorting light, appeared outside the flying saucer's outer shell, cleverly deflecting and guiding the excessively violent lightning energy that couldn't be immediately absorbed, dispersing its power. The flying saucer's "charging" efficiency suddenly increased, and the internal hum became steady and powerful.

"Energy Core Dormant Released: 35%...41%...53%..."

The UFO conveyed a joyful "emotion." This calamity, for it, became a once-in-a-lifetime "power bank" and "activator"!

With a sense of relief, He Damin consolidated his breakthrough and attempted to reach the Nascent Soul stage by relying on the protection of the flying saucer and the dissipated gentle tribulation lightning power, while also getting familiar with the starship that had unexpectedly recognized him as its master.

Eighty-one bolts of lightning struck down one after another! The last nine bolts even displayed nine-colored radiance, as if they contained the complete laws of the primordial Dao, with power capable of destroying the heavens and the earth! However, in the face of the energy absorption matrix and deflection shield activated at full power by "Voyager 7", most of the energy was absorbed and converted, and the remaining power could no longer pose a fatal threat to He Damin below.

As the energy of the last nine-colored chaotic tribulation lightning was completely absorbed by the flying saucer like a whale sucking in water, the deep purple tribulation clouds slowly dissipated, revealing a starry sky behind it that seemed to have been thoroughly cleansed and was extremely clear (it was daytime, yet it seemed as if one could directly see the deep space of the universe). A profound enlightenment and vast power surged from the depths of He Damin's soul.

Nascent Soul stage achieved!

His Yang Spirit was no longer merely a "god," but had begun to possess the ability of "transformation," capable of splitting into countless forms and simulating all things. His ability to sense and manipulate the laws of heaven and earth had increased dramatically! Through the dual cultivation of body and mind, and the integration of inner and outer aspects, he had finally entered a completely new world!

Above, the silver-gray Voyager 7 floated silently, its outer shell shimmering with light and brimming with energy, emitting a stable and powerful force field fluctuation, which contrasted beautifully with the mysterious aura of He Damin below.

He Damin looked up at the interstellar visitor who had unexpectedly recognized him as its master and helped him survive his near-death experience, his face revealing an uncontrollable mix of joy and awe. This breakthrough was truly... incredibly exciting.

He retrieved the flying saucer, feeling the immense power within him and the clear connection to it, then turned his gaze back to the distant mountain peak. Ma Xiaoling was still standing there, her figure appearing exceptionally small against the vast expanse of heaven and earth.

It's time to go and have a good "talk" with her.