Courtyard House: Time Traveler Not Yet a Ghost

He Damin's villa on Victoria Peak occupies approximately 2300 square meters, with a total building area exceeding 7800 square meters. Facilities include a garden, swimming pool, and 28 parking spaces. It is now equipped with a full team of security personnel, nannies, and a private doctor. He acquired it for nearly a ton of gold from an earl who was about to return to London, England.

The joy of successfully completing the foundation work flowed like a warm current throughout every corner of the villa on Victoria Peak, lasting for three whole days. During these three days, He Yuzhu, Chen Xueru, and He Yushui were all immersed in a completely new and powerful experience.

Every morning when He Yuzhu wakes up, the first thing he does is sit cross-legged on the bed and begin to "meditate" in a serious manner. He carefully senses the faint but real flow of energy in his dantian, guiding it to circulate slowly throughout his body along the rudimentary route that He Damin had taught him. The feeling, how to describe it, is extremely mysterious! It's as if a small, warm sun has entered his body, making him feel warm wherever he goes, and the backaches and pains he used to suffer from from hard work seem to have lessened considerably. He often smiles foolishly while experiencing this, feeling like he has truly become a "martial arts master" from a novel.

He Yushui was as excited as a bird just released from its cage, chattering incessantly around Chen Xueru, asking questions: "Auntie, Auntie, am I a fairy now? Can I fly? Can I become as powerful as Sun Wukong?"

Chen Xueru was always amused by her and patiently patted her head: "It's still early, silly child. You've only just begun. There's so much to learn. You have to learn slowly and patiently."

Chen Xueru's own feelings were the most profound and comprehensive. After reaching the Foundation Establishment stage, she felt the whole world had changed. Her five senses became exceptionally sharp—standing at the second-floor window, she could clearly hear the tune He Yuzhu hummed while wiping the car in the yard, and even the subtle sound of his rag rubbing against the paint; flipping through thick account books, the dense numbers no longer seemed like dry symbols, they automatically arranged and categorized in her mind, and she could even accurately remember key information after reading ten lines at a glance. What surprised her even more was that the migraines that had plagued her for many years did not recur the day after she reached the Foundation Establishment stage, her skin became more delicate and smooth, her complexion rosy, and she seemed to have become more than ten years younger. This change from the inside out filled her with anticipation for future cultivation.

He Damin looked at the changes in the three men and smiled with satisfaction, but he knew very well that this was only the first step in a long journey, and the real test had just begun.

On the morning of the fourth day, just as dawn was breaking.

He Damin then summoned the three to his study. The study was filled with the faint scent of ink and tea, and the atmosphere was solemn.

"Foundation Building is merely the beginning of cultivation." He Damin sat in the main seat, getting straight to the point, his tone calm yet carrying an undeniable authority. "Next, you will have much to learn: Taoist arts, talismans, martial arts, firearms, and the language essential in Hong Kong in this era. From today onward, you will no longer have so much free time."

He walked to the desk, took out a thick stack of handwritten booklets bound with thread from the drawer, and handed them to the three men.

He Yuzhu took his copy; the cover bore He Damin's powerful calligraphy—"Taoist Primordial Alchemy: Foundations." Curious, he opened the pages to find rows of neat, small regular script characters, each clearly written, accompanied by a simple diagram of the human body's meridians, marking key acupoints and the pathways of Qi flow.

"Uncle, is this the cultivation method you were talking about?" He Yuzhu asked excitedly. He had heard old people in Beijing talk about qi cultivation and internal energy before, but he had never seen anything real.

"Hmm." He Damin nodded. "Taoist alchemy emphasizes refining essence into qi, refining qi into spirit, refining spirit into emptiness, and refining emptiness into the Tao. You have just entered the first level of the qi refining stage. This basic chapter is enough for you to lay a solid foundation and study for a long time. Remember, you must meditate for one hour every morning and evening, without fail, rain or shine. This is the foundation for accumulating true qi and strengthening your cultivation. You must not slack off."

Chen Xueru also opened her booklet, which detailed basic methods for guiding qi into the body, circulating true qi, nourishing the meridians, and breathing in and out the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. She read it very carefully, nodding slightly from time to time, memorizing the key points. She was calm and methodical, and adapted well to this kind of learning that required patience and meticulousness.

He Yushui held the booklet, which was much thicker than her small hand, and her little face immediately scrunched up. She looked at He Damin with a pitiful expression: "Uncle, so many words, so many pictures, do I... do I have to memorize them all? This is much harder than the textbooks at school!"

"No rush, take your time." He Damin rarely showed a gentle smile as he patted He Yushui's head. "You're young, your body isn't fully developed yet, and your meridians are more open and pure than an adult's. You might actually progress faster in cultivation than an adult. But that's precisely why you need to build a very solid foundation. Take it one step at a time, and absolutely don't be lazy, understand?"

"Yes!" He Yushui nodded vigorously, clutching the booklet tightly to her chest as if it were a priceless treasure. "Uncle, don't worry, I'll definitely study hard and won't be lazy!"

After the training method was completed, He Damin did not rest and immediately began to explain the basics of Taoist arts.

"Those who cultivate must not only improve their own cultivation and strengthen their true energy, but also learn to use various techniques to control their true energy, seek good fortune and avoid misfortune, and subdue demons and monsters." He took out a stack of yellow talisman paper, a small jar of cinnabar, and a wolf-hair brush from the bookcase and placed them on the table one by one. "Today, we will start by teaching you the simplest talisman drawing."

He Yuzhu curiously leaned closer, his eyes wide as he watched his uncle pick up the cinnabar brush, dip it fully in cinnabar, concentrate, and then swiftly sketch intricate patterns on the yellow paper. The brush tip moved across the paper like a dragon or snake in flight, flowing smoothly without the slightest pause. As the last stroke fell, a faint, almost imperceptible red light appeared on the talisman paper, then vanished.

"This is the simplest 'Mind-Cleansing Talisman'." He Damin picked up the drawn talisman and handed it to the three of them. "Putting it on your body can calm your mind, eliminate distracting thoughts, and protect you from some low-level external evils. It is very helpful for you beginners in meditation to stabilize your mind."

He handed the talisman to He Yushui, who was closest to him. He Yushui carefully took it and, as her uncle had instructed, gently placed it on her chest. As soon as she did, she felt a cool sensation seep out from the talisman and slowly flow into her body. The slight drowsiness she had felt from waking up early vanished instantly, her mind became exceptionally clear, and her heart calmed down considerably.

"Wow! That's amazing!" she exclaimed in surprise, her little face beaming with excitement. "It really works! It feels cool and so comfortable!"

He Damin then took out several stacks of blank talisman paper, several small jars of cinnabar, and several wolf-hair brushes, and distributed them to the three: "Starting today, practice drawing talismans every day. Don't worry about the quantity, but strive for perfection in every single one. Not a single stroke can be wrong, not a single detail can be off. If there is even the slightest mistake, the entire talisman paper becomes a waste of paper and is completely useless."

He Yuzhu looked at the slender wolf-hair brush in his hand, then at his own calloused hands, which were used to holding a spatula for many years. He scratched his head with some difficulty and said, "Uncle, you know my hands are very rough. I'm used to doing heavy work. I can handle holding a spatula, but holding this little brush and drawing such fine lines... I'm afraid it will look like scribbles and not be legible."

"Practice." He Damin interrupted him, his tone leaving no room for doubt. "There are no shortcuts on the path of cultivation. Drawing talismans is not only the foundation for learning magic, but it can also train your mental control and subtle manipulation of the true energy within your body. Sometimes, it is even more effective than simply meditating. If your hands are clumsy, practice more until your hands can completely obey your will."

"Oh..." He Yuzhu dared not say anything more, obediently sat down, picked up a brush, clumsily dipped it in cinnabar, and began to trace strokes on the talisman paper. At first, his hand trembled violently, the lines were crooked and uneven, either too thick or too thin, or a little too much in one place and a little too little in another. Before long, several sheets of discarded talisman paper were piled on the table. Fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, and he was a little anxious, but remembering his uncle's words, he forced himself to calm down, took a deep breath, and continued practicing.

Chen Xueru, on the other hand, appeared much more composed. She was naturally meticulous and skillful, and although it was her first time holding a calligraphy brush, she quickly adjusted her grip. She first carefully observed He Damin's original Qingxin talisman, memorizing every detail of the design before beginning to paint. She painted slowly and steadily; although the lines were still somewhat immature and lacked a certain spirit, at least the shapes and structures were quite convincing, making her success rate much higher than He Yuzhu's.

He Yushui was young and relatively impatient. She drew several pictures, but either she broke the lines or forgot a certain transition, making her pout in frustration. He Damin watched from the side, not urging her, but only occasionally reminding her: "Calm down, don't rush, think about the warmth inside your body, and slowly guide it to the tip of your pen."

The sun was shining brightly in the afternoon.

He Damin led the three to the lawn in the backyard of the villa. The lawn was neatly trimmed and felt soft underfoot.

"Taoist arts are for long-range attacks, talismans are for support, while martial arts are the foundation for close combat and building a strong physique." He Damin took off his coat, revealing his training clothes underneath, and stretched his limbs, making a slight cracking sound. "Starting today, I will teach you traditional Chinese martial arts."

Upon hearing that he was going to learn real kung fu, He Yuzhu's eyes lit up instantly. Back in Beijing, he had learned the basics of Bajiquan from He Damin for a few years. It was with that skill that he managed to gain a foothold in the chaotic kitchen of Hongbinlou Restaurant, beating up quite a few thugs. Now that he heard he was going to learn something else, he immediately perked up, rubbing his hands together, eager to try it out.

He Damin walked up to He Yushui, squatted down, and looked at her: "Yushui is still young, and her body is still developing. She can't practice kung fu that's too powerful or complicated. Start with the most basic leg techniques." As he spoke, he demonstrated a few simple kicking movements. "This set is called 'Twelve Tan Legs.' Although it's powerful and fierce, the basic movements aren't difficult. It's mainly to train your waist and leg strength, flexibility, and body coordination. Practice for half an hour each morning and evening. Once you've mastered the leg techniques, you'll learn everything much faster later."

He Yushui imitated her uncle, kicking a few times with a practiced air. At first, she couldn't lift her legs high enough, and her body was unsteady, wobbling like a little duck. But she was very serious; she would get up after falling and continue kicking. He Damin patiently guided her, correcting her posture: "Lift your knees a little higher, pay attention to maintaining your balance, keep your back straight... Yes, that's it, take it slowly."

After teaching He Yushui, He Damin turned to He Yuzhu.