Courtyard House: Time Traveler Not Yet a Ghost

The morning light on Victoria Peak always arrives earlier than it does at sunset. Golden rays pierce through the thin mist, spilling onto the huge floor-to-ceiling windows and illuminating the study.

He Damin stood by the window, calmly watching Lawrence's black sedan disappear around the bend of the winding mountain road. The Hong Kong map spread out in the living room remained in its original place, the locations circled in red standing out prominently in the morning light—Central, Wan Chai, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon Tong. Two hundred and fifty billion US dollars in capital was enough to carve out their own territory on this map and unleash a new commercial storm.

But these weren't his thoughts at that moment. Wealth and power were, to him, merely embellishments on his path of cultivation, and means to protect those around him.

Soft footsteps sounded behind her. Chen Xueru walked in carrying a freshly brewed cup of Longjing tea, the rising steam carrying the fragrance of the tea leaves. Seeing He Damin standing by the window lost in thought, she didn't disturb him, but gently placed the teacup on the desk and turned to leave.

"Xue Ru," He Damin suddenly spoke.

Chen Xueru stopped and turned around, a gentle smile on her face: "What's wrong, Brother Damin?"

He Damin turned around and looked at her. The morning light slanted in from the window, casting a soft golden glow on her. The white magnolia brooch he had given her was pinned to her lapel, pure and elegant, just as it had been three years ago on their wedding night, so pristine and captivating.

"There's something," he said calmly, "that I haven't had a chance to tell you since the long journey from Beijing to Hong Kong. Now that we're settled, I should tell you."

Chen Xueru walked back to his side, looked up at him, her gaze calm and trusting. "Go on, I'm listening."

He Damin remained silent for a moment, seemingly organizing his thoughts on how to tell her the unbelievable truth in the most peaceful way.

"You've been with me for three years, you should have noticed by now that I'm different from ordinary people."

Chen Xueru didn't deny it, only nodded slightly. Of course she noticed. The subtle aura that emanated from him when he sat alone late at night, his superhuman speed and strength, the occasional glimpses of his gaze that seemed to see right through her. She never questioned him, simply accepting it silently. Because she trusted him; whatever he was, he was still her Brother Damin.

“That’s not the same,” He Damin said slowly, “that’s cultivation.”

"Cultivation?" Chen Xueru frowned slightly. This word reminded her of the Taoist priests and monks in storytelling, and the legends of them flying through the clouds and living forever.

"The Taoist alchemy involves refining essence into qi, refining qi into spirit, refining spirit into emptiness, and refining emptiness into the Tao." He Damin looked into her eyes and said clearly, "I have now reached the Spirit Transformation Realm. I have walked this path for a long time, and I will continue to walk it for a very, very long time."

Chen Xueru remained silent, trying to digest these unfamiliar and mysterious concepts. The Nascent Soul Realm? What kind of realm was that?

"I could have kept it from you," He Damin continued, "letting you live your life like an ordinary person, experiencing birth, aging, sickness, and death. But..." He paused, a rare, complex emotion flickering in his eyes, "I don't want to walk this path alone in this life."

Chen Xueru's eyes trembled slightly, as if something had gently struck her heart.

"You want..." she asked softly, her voice trembling slightly, "to let me learn that too? To learn cultivation?"

He Damin nodded solemnly.

"It's not just you." He looked out the window and saw He Yuzhu humming a little tune while wiping his newly bought car in the yard. He Yushui was squatting beside him, holding a small rag and imitating him by wiping the wheel rims. Her little face was full of seriousness. "Zhuzi, Yushui, learn from him."

Chen Xueru followed his gaze and looked at the two vibrant figures, a complex mix of emotions welling up inside her. There was worry, anticipation, and a touch of uncertainty about the unknown.

"Can they... learn it?" she asked softly, with a hint of uncertainty.

"Yes." He Damin's voice was calm, yet carried an undeniable certainty. "I have Marrow Cleansing Pills, Foundation Establishment Pills, and a complete cultivation technique inheritance. As long as they are willing to learn, I can teach them."

He turned around and gently took Chen Xueru's hand. Her hand was slightly cool and carried a hint of nervousness.

"Xue Ru, this road is very long. So long that the end of an ordinary person's life may only be its beginning. I don't want to be watching you grow old, watching the pillars and the rain grow old and pass away a hundred years from now, while I am still the same as I am now, guarding an empty house."

Chen Xueru's hand trembled slightly. She raised her head and looked deeply into his eyes. Those eyes were as deep as an abyss and as calm as a lake. But she could see that beneath that calmness lay something she had never seen before—not possession, not control, but... a deep, fearful plea to hold on.

She paused for a moment, then said softly but firmly, "Okay."

Without a single word, without further questions, without hesitation. This woman has always been like this; once she trusts someone, she gives them everything.

He Damin looked at her, a slight smile playing on his lips, his eyes filled with tenderness.

As evening fell, the setting sun painted Victoria Peak a golden-red hue, and the magnificent sunset adorned the sky like an oil painting.

When He Yuzhu was called into the study, he was still a little uneasy. He wondered if he hadn't cleaned the car carefully enough today, or if he had accidentally scratched it while driving out to familiarize himself with the roads in the afternoon, which might have upset his uncle.

But as soon as he entered, he saw Chen Xueru and He Yushui already sitting on the sofa. He Yushui was still clutching the new schoolbag her aunt had taken her to buy that afternoon, which had cute cartoon patterns printed on it. She was looking around curiously, looking completely bewildered.

"Uncle, Aunt, it's raining." He Yuzhu scratched his head and greeted them somewhat awkwardly, "What's wrong? Why are you so serious?"

He Damin gestured for him to sit down.

He Yuzhu obediently sat down on the single sofa next to He Yushui, his gaze shifting back and forth between his uncle and aunt, trying to discern something from their faces.

"Zhu Zi," He Damin began, his voice calm, "you've been in Hong Kong for a few days now. How are you feeling? What are your plans for the future?"

He Yuzhu was taken aback, not expecting his uncle to ask that. He scratched his head and smiled sheepishly, "I... I just follow you around, Uncle. I'll do whatever you tell me to do. Driving, fixing cars, learning how to do business, I can do it all! I'm strong, and I'm not afraid of hardship!"

He Damin nodded, seemingly satisfied with his answer.

"What if," he changed the subject, "I let you learn something different? Something... beyond your imagination?"

"Different?" He Yuzhu blinked, even more confused. "What's different? Could it be... flying a plane?" He had heard people in Beijing say that rich people flew planes.

He Damin did not answer directly, but walked up to him, extended his right hand, and gently placed it on his shoulder.

He Yuzhu felt a warm current flow from his uncle's palm, a very comfortable feeling, like soaking in warm water. This warm current flowed slowly down his arm, spreading throughout his body. Wherever it passed, his muscles felt slightly sore, while his bones tingled with a faint itch. His internal organs felt as if they had been gently cleansed by something tender, an indescribable comfort.

A moment later, He Damin withdrew his hand.

"Uncle... what... what is this?" He Yuzhu stared wide-eyed in surprise, feeling much lighter.

"Let me check your physique," He Damin said calmly. "Not bad. These three years of Bajiquan training haven't been in vain. You have a good foundation, your meridians are unobstructed, and your qi and blood are abundant. You are a good candidate for cultivation."

He Yuzhu was completely confused. "Innate talent"? "Cultivation"? He'd only ever heard these terms in teahouses, in stories like "Investiture of the Gods" and "Journey to the West." He vaguely sensed that what his uncle was about to say was probably far more complex than just driving and repairing cars.

He Yushui watched her brother and uncle curiously from the side. Although she didn't understand what had happened, she knew that her uncle wouldn't harm them, so she remained quiet and didn't say anything.

Chen Xueru held He Yushui's small hand, her gaze fixed on He Damin, her eyes calm, with a hint of understanding and anticipation, waiting for him to continue.

He Damin walked back to his large mahogany desk, took out three jade bottles of different sizes from the drawer, and gently placed them on the table. The jade bottles had a warm and smooth texture, and were clearly not ordinary objects.

The first jade bottle is blue-green, and the words "Marrow Cleansing Pill x 6" are engraved on the bottle in ancient seal script.

The second jade bottle is yellow and is engraved with "Foundation Building Pill x 7".

The third jade bottle is the smallest, pure white, and inscribed with "Fusion Pill x 1".

He Yuzhu craned his neck, looking curiously at the three bottles, his Adam's apple bobbing involuntarily. The jade bottle gleamed softly under the light, clearly priceless.

"Uncle, these are..."

"A pill." He Damin picked up the first blue bottle and explained, "The Marrow Cleansing Pill, as the name suggests, cleanses the marrow and removes the impurities that have accumulated in your body over the years, making your body purer and more suitable for cultivation."

He then picked up the second yellow bottle.

"Foundation Building Pill, used for foundation building. After taking it, one can open the Qi Sea in the dantian, draw in the spiritual energy between heaven and earth, and formally step into the gate of cultivation."