Courtyard House: Time Traveler Not Yet a Ghost

On the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month, the eve of the Lunar New Year, He Damin sat cross-legged in the study on the Yang side of the Taiji Space, enveloped in a pale golden halo. The Soul Refining Banner floating in front of him was undergoing a strange transformation—more than five hundred blood beads on the banner surface flowed like living things, connected by leaping arcs of blood-red electricity, forming a bizarre and mysterious pattern.

"Buzz—"

The Soul Refining Banner suddenly trembled violently, emitting a deep, resonant sound. More than five hundred blood beads simultaneously lit up with a dazzling red light, rapidly merging and reforming on the banner's surface. He Damin could clearly sense that a qualitative change was taking place within the Soul Refining Banner.

For a month and a half, he hunted down Japanese soldiers and traitors every night, and the Soul Refining Banner was never "starved." After each soul was absorbed into the banner, it would undergo a complex refining process: the pure soul's spiritual power would be extracted for He Damin to absorb and cultivate; while the impurities such as malevolent energy, resentment, and obsession would be absorbed by the Soul Refining Banner itself and condensed into blood beads.

This division of labor was perfect. He Damin received the purest soul power, and his soul body became increasingly solid. He could now move outside his body for short periods during the day, no longer restricted by the night. The Soul Refining Banner, on the other hand, grew stronger by absorbing soul impurities, its body becoming more robust and its power steadily increasing.

"They're practically the best partners," He Damin said with a slight smile. "Let's grow bigger and stronger together and create a brilliant future."

While this was said in jest, it was the truth. The relationship between the Soul Refining Banner and him had long transcended the ordinary realm of a spiritual weapon and its master; it was more like a symbiotic partnership. The stronger he was, the stronger the Soul Refining Banner became; the stronger the Soul Refining Banner became, the stronger he became.

"boom!"

A deep, rumbling sound exploded on the soul level. The Soul Refining Banner suddenly expanded, growing from its original size of about a foot to a square of three feet. The blood-red patterns on the banner recombined, transforming into a picture of a hundred ghosts parading at night. The evil spirits in the picture were ferocious, yet they also faintly revealed a certain rhythm of the Great Dao. The banner pole also changed from ebony to dark red, and fine dragon scale patterns appeared on its surface.

[Soul Refining Banner successfully advanced to its second stage]

[Blood Soul Chains - Power Enhanced, now includes the "Soul Devouring" trait, allowing it to absorb soul fragments to repair itself]

[Soul Banner Domain - Range expanded to a radius of thirty feet, with the addition of the "Soul-Capturing Maze" effect]

[Unlock Ability: Night Parade of One Hundred Demons - Can summon phantom demons from banners to assist in battle]

New information flooded his mind, and a look of surprise flashed in He Damin's eyes.

The new effect of the Soul Banner Domain, "Soul-Capturing Maze," is practically a divine skill tailor-made for him—after the domain is deployed, beings with lower soul strength within its range will fall into a coma, with an effect that is more concealed and safer than sleeping potions. This will be of great help to his future actions, and he will no longer have to worry about alarming others.

The "Night Parade of One Hundred Demons" is an even more devastating weapon. Although the summoned demonic phantoms have limited power and short duration, they are perfect for creating chaos and distracting the enemy.

"Try out a new skill."

With a thought, He Damin silently unfurled the Soul Refining Banner. An invisible wave spread out from him, instantly covering a radius of thirty feet—this was his sensing range in his spiritual state; if his physical body were the center, the range would be even larger.

Within his domain, he had complete control over all fluctuations of souls. He could clearly "see" the faint, firefly-like soul light of a mouse in the corner of the study. With just a thought, the mouse's limbs stiffened, and it fell unconscious.

"It really works well." He Damin put away the banner with satisfaction.

With this ability, night hunts will be much easier in the future. If there are other people around, I can first deploy my domain to knock them unconscious, and then calmly harvest the souls of my targets without them even noticing.

In the evening, He Damin carried home the New Year's gifts that Fengzeyuan had distributed to its employees.

Nanluoguxiang was exceptionally lively on the eve of the Lunar New Year. Every household was busy with the Kitchen God's Festival and cleaning. Children chased and played in the courtyards, and occasionally, a few firecrackers would go off.

"Uncle!" Little Yuzhu rushed out of the yard and jumped onto He Damin's lap. "Dad said he'd buy me firecrackers!"

He Damin smiled and picked up his nephew, pulling out a packet of sesame candy from his pocket: "Eat the candy first, we can set off the firecrackers during the New Year."

"Damin's back." He Daqing came out of the main house with a rare relaxed smile on his face. "Didn't Master Wang ask you to help out today?"

"Master Wang said that everyone should go home early to reunite with their families on the eve of the Lunar New Year." He Damin handed the New Year's goods to Lü Bingxin, who came out to greet him. "Sister-in-law, this is pork, cabbage, and two packs of pastries from Fengzeyuan."

Lu Bingxin took the things and said reproachfully, "You brought back so many things again. You also need to eat at Fengzeyuan."

"Don't worry, sister-in-law, Fengzeyuan will provide meals," He Damin said with a smile. Then he asked He Daqing, "Brother, how's the matter in the east wing going?"

"It's settled." He Daqing lowered his voice. "Grandma Long agreed to rent it for two silver dollars a month for three years. I'll find someone to repair it tomorrow. First, we'll clean up those two rooms, then we'll dig a big pit in the corner of the yard, put in a big vat, and build a makeshift toilet."

"That's great." He Damin nodded. "I'll pay for it, you just need to keep an eye on things, brother."

"We're family, why are you talking like family?" He Daqing waved his hand. "You earn money with difficulty, save it for your future wedding. I have the money to repair the house."

"elder brother……"

"Alright, listen to me." He Daqing said without giving any room for argument. "You should learn your trade well and become successful in the future. It's not too late to be filial to your brother and sister-in-law then."

He Damin felt a warmth in his heart and stopped arguing. He knew that He Daqing genuinely cared for him, a kind of kinship he had never experienced in his previous life.

Dinner was lavish. Lü Bingxin made braised pork, stir-fried cabbage with vinegar, egg drop soup, and steamed a pot of white flour buns. In normal times, this wouldn't be much, but in these times of scarcity, it was a rare feast.

"Today is the Little New Year, let's treat ourselves." He Daqing put a piece of meat on his younger brother's and wife's plates. "Damin, you'll be fourteen after the New Year. Work hard at Fengzeyuan and try to graduate as soon as possible."

"Hmm," He Damin replied, but his mind was on something else.

Today, in the kitchen of Fengzeyuan Restaurant, he overheard several diners chatting, saying that things had been rather unsettling in the city lately. Besides the mysterious deaths of Japanese soldiers and traitors, several charlatans and fortune tellers had also met their demise. It was said that before they died, they all uttered similar words—"Evil spirits are coming to claim my life," and "Something big is about to happen in Beiping."

He Damin knew that most of those charlatans actually possessed some skill and might have sensed the aura of the Soul Refining Banner. Although their strength was weak and they posed no threat, if the news spread and attracted the attention of truly powerful individuals, it would be troublesome.

"I need to speed things up," he thought to himself.

The Special Higher Police, the Central Bureau of Investigation and Statistics (Zhongtong), the Military Bureau of Investigation and Statistics (Juntong), and the Red Party were all operating covertly. With various forces intertwined, the waters of Beiping were becoming increasingly murky. He needed to quickly strengthen his power before attracting too much attention, while also settling his family in.

Late at night, He Damin's spirit left his body again.

After the Soul Refining Banner advanced, his spiritual body became even stronger. He could directly activate the Soul Refining Banner in his spiritual state without needing to use his physical body, greatly increasing his flexibility.

Tonight's target is a joint Japanese and puppet army outpost in the north of the city. There are eight Japanese soldiers and four puppet soldiers there, which is the patrol hub for several blocks in the vicinity.

A pale golden spirit streaked across the night sky and hovered a moment later on the roof of the outpost.

The Soul Banner's domain silently unfolded, its invisible fluctuations enveloping the entire outpost. Inside the courtyard, two puppet soldiers warming themselves by the fire suddenly felt their eyelids droop and slumped against the fire. Inside the house, six Japanese soldiers were playing cards when they suddenly felt a heaviness in their heads and collapsed onto the table.

The whole process was completely silent; even the military dogs in the yard curled up and fell into a deep sleep.

He Damin floated into the room, and the Soul Refining Banner trembled slightly. Twelve Blood Soul Chains shot out like serpents, accurately piercing the foreheads of each unconscious person. The crimson electric snakes at the ends of the chains crackled, instantly shattering the soul defenses and pulling the twelve souls away from their bodies.

The entire process was clean and efficient, taking less than five breaths from the deployment of the domain to the completion of the harvest.

"The Soul-Capturing Maze combined with the Blood Soul Chains increases efficiency by more than tenfold." He Damin said with satisfaction as he put away the banner.

His soul was drawn into the Soul Refining Banner and began to be refined. He felt the pure soul power continuously flowing into his spiritual body, and his soul body became even more solidified.

Just as they were about to leave, the spirit suddenly paused—a wave of soul energy was approaching from thirty feet away.

With a slight thought, He Damin's spirit merged into the shadow of the rooftop. His aura instantly became extremely restrained, as if he had become one with the shadow.

A moment later, three men in black silently scaled the wall and entered the courtyard. Their movements were swift and agile, clearly those of highly trained individuals. The leader was a lean man in his thirties with eyes as sharp as an eagle's.

"Captain, something's wrong," a man in black whispered. "It's too quiet."

The lean man gestured for silence and slowly approached the door. Through the crack in the door, he saw figures lying haphazardly inside, and his expression changed.

"retreat!"

The three retreated simultaneously, their movements perfectly synchronized. But it was too late.

He Damin's spirit emerged from the shadows, and with a gentle wave of the Soul Refining Banner, the Soul Banner Domain was activated once more. An invisible wave spread out, and the three men in black stiffened, a look of struggle flashing in their eyes, but they ultimately collapsed to the ground.

"Not bad willpower, they can hold out for a breath." He Damin floated closer and sized up the three of them.

Judging from their attire and skills, these three are likely agents of the Military Intelligence Bureau or the Central Bureau of Investigation and Statistics. Their presence here tonight is most likely for reconnaissance or assassination missions.

He Damin didn't kill them. On one hand, these people were part of the anti-Japanese resistance force; on the other hand, he didn't want to cause any unnecessary trouble. He used the Soul Banner Domain to make them unconscious for an hour or two. When they woke up, they would only remember suddenly losing consciousness, and the cause would be unknown.

After moving the three to a secluded corner, He Damin was about to leave when he suddenly noticed a piece of paper sticking out of the lean man's arms. His spirit passed through the clothes and took out the paper—it was a simple map with several locations marked on it, one of which was circled in red.

"Xisi Archway, Liu Banxian..." He Damin mused.

He'd heard of this Liu Banxian; he was a somewhat famous fortune teller in Beiping, supposedly possessing some real skills. It seemed the Military Intelligence Bureau was also investigating the deaths of those charlatans.

He put the piece of paper back in its place and drifted away. He'd already had enough tonight; he shouldn't linger.

At the same time, at the Japanese military headquarters.

Yoshiko Kawashima stood by the window, holding a report that had just been delivered. The night outside was deep, and in the distance came the sporadic sound of firecrackers—the Chinese were celebrating the Little New Year.

"Another outpost..." she murmured to herself. "All twelve men are dead. The cause of death is unknown. There are no signs of a struggle at the scene."

This is the fifth similar incident in three days. The death toll has exceeded fifty, all of whom were Japanese puppet troops. The methods are identical: the deceased suddenly fall into a coma, their souls leave their bodies, and they die peacefully as if asleep, but their brains show abnormal atrophy.

Even more bizarrely, traces of third parties were found at several crime scenes—not the murderers, but agents from other forces. These included agents from the Military Intelligence Bureau, the Central Bureau of Investigation and Statistics, and even suspected members of the Communist Party's underground.

"Everyone is investigating this..." A sharp glint flashed in Yoshiko Kawashima's eyes. "Who exactly is this 'ghost'?"

She had been in Beiping for seven days, but the investigation had reached a stalemate. All clues pointed to one conclusion: the murderer was no ordinary person, but most likely a cultivator. However, she had investigated all the cultivators in Beiping and found no suspicious targets.

The deaths of those charlatans and fortune tellers further confirmed her suspicions. Although these people were of low strength, they possessed some sensory abilities and perhaps sensed something, which is why they were silenced.

"Report!" a voice came from outside the door.

"Come in."

A Special Higher Police major pushed open the door and entered, his face grave: "Miss Fangzi, we've taken down the Military Intelligence Bureau's intelligence post at Xisi Archway."

"Oh?" Yoshiko Kawashima raised an eyebrow. "How did you find out?"

"It was purely accidental," the major said. "Our men were following a suspicious person who went to Liu Banxian's fortune-telling stall. After coming out, he was picked up by the Military Intelligence Bureau. We followed the clues and found their hideout."

"Liu the Fortune Teller..." Yoshiko Kawashima recalled the name on the report, "...that fortune teller?"

"Yes. According to the interrogation, the Military Intelligence Bureau is also investigating those bizarre deaths. They believe the murderer may be someone from the Chinese spiritual community, whom they want to recruit for their own purposes."

Yoshiko Kawashima sneered, "Wishful thinking. How could a cultivator of this level be at their beck and call?"

The major hesitated for a moment: "Miss Fangzi, there's another situation... Our men discovered this while searching the Military Intelligence Bureau's intelligence points."

He handed over a piece of yellow paper that was half burned. There were runes drawn with cinnabar on the paper. Although they were incomplete, they could be seen to be some kind of talisman.

Yoshiko Kawashima took the yellow paper, her pupils contracting slightly. Although she wasn't an expert in this field, she had come into contact with Japanese Onmyoji and recognized that this was a genuine talisman, not some scribbled mess drawn by a charlatan.

"Where did you find it?"

"In the close-fitting clothing of Kuomintang agents, there should be something like amulets."

Yoshiko Kawashima stared at the fragment of the talisman, her mind racing. The fact that a Kuomintang agent possessed a genuine talisman meant they had indeed come into contact with a cultivator. But who was this cultivator? Was it the murderer himself, or someone else entirely?

"Increase surveillance," she ordered. "Focus on monitoring all Taoist temples and Buddhist monasteries within the city, as well as any well-known practitioners. Also, find out the origin of this talisman."

"Hai!"

After the major stepped down, Yoshiko Kawashima walked to the map and drew a circle in red on the Xisi Archway.

Liu Banxian... Military Intelligence Bureau... Talismans...

The clues were becoming clearer, yet they were also becoming more elusive. She had a premonition that this "ghost" was in Beiping, perhaps coldly watching their every move.

When He Damin returned to Nanluoguxiang, it was already three in the morning.

His spirit returned to its place, and he sat cross-legged on the kang (a heated brick bed) to begin refining the night's harvest. The twelve souls were refined into pure soul power by the Soul Refining Banner, nourishing his soul body. He could feel that his soul body was one step closer to the transformation into a Yang God.

His cultivation at the mid-Foundation Establishment stage was now completely stable. The drop of golden true essence within his dantian had become even more condensed, its volume more than three times that of the initial stage. The total amount of true essence was enough for him to continuously cast twenty basic Dao techniques, or to sustain the Soul Banner Domain for half an hour.

"Not enough." He Damin opened his eyes.

Yoshiko Kawashima's investigation is progressing faster than he expected. The dismantling of the Military Intelligence Bureau's intelligence point indicates that the Japanese have already set their sights on those charlatans. The Liu Banxian (a fortune teller) lead could very well become a breakthrough.

Although Liu Banxian had never met him, there might be connections among those charlatans. If the Japanese followed the trail and found more clues, they would eventually suspect the cultivator.

"We need to make some preparations."

He Damin took out a stack of yellow paper and cinnabar from his Taiji space and began to draw talismans. This time, he drew protective talismans and warning talismans. The former was to be worn by family members to protect them from a fatal attack; the latter was to be pasted around the courtyard wall to immediately warn of any cultivators or ghosts that approached.

He drew fifteen talismans in one go, consuming six drops of true energy. He Damin's face was a little pale, but his eyes were firm. He folded the talismans into triangles and strung them with red string. He quietly got up and went to the window of the main room. The spirit entered through the window; He Daqing and Lü Bingxin were fast asleep. He Damin gently placed the talismans beside their pillows and also put one on Xiao Yuzhu's head. The talismans disappeared upon contact with the body, transforming into an invisible protection.

Back in his room, He Damin affixed warning talismans to the four corners of the courtyard wall. The talismans blended into the bricks and stones, leaving only a faint fluctuation of magical power, which was difficult for non-cultivators to detect.

After finishing all this, dawn was breaking. He Damin lay back down on the kang (a heated brick bed) and closed his eyes.

The eve of the Lunar New Year has passed, and the year-end is approaching. While Beiping City appears festive on the surface, undercurrents are surging. But he is not afraid. The Soul Refining Banner has advanced, further increasing its power. The "Soul-Capturing Maze" within the Soul Banner's domain will become his greatest asset in his future actions.

As for Yoshiko Kawashima, as for the Central Bureau of Investigation and Statistics and the Military Bureau of Investigation and Statistics, as for all the various forces... "Investigate if you want," He Damin said with a cold smile. "Let's see if you can investigate faster or I can kill faster."

Outside the window, the first rays of dawn pierced through the clouds. A new year was about to begin.