Courtyard House: Time Traveler Not Yet a Ghost

On Victoria Peak in the afternoon, the sunlight was almost extravagantly bright. The lush subtropical vegetation, like giant green umbrellas, sliced ​​the sky into dappled fragments. Sunlight filtered through layers of dense foliage, filtering countless dancing spots of light that wove a shimmering path of light and shadow along the winding, flagstone-paved mountain trail. The air was filled with the mingled scents of grass, damp earth, and unnamed wildflowers, a sweet and refreshing aroma that cleansed the lungs with every deep breath. In the distance, the faint calls of birds, sometimes short, sometimes long, echoed each other, adding a touch of life to the tranquil afternoon. Further on, Victoria Harbour shimmered in the sunlight, the sea breeze carrying its characteristic salty, damp scent, flowing gently down the mountainside, its cool touch refreshing against the skin.

Ma Xiaoling slowly ascended the dappled mountain path. She wore white canvas shoes, her footsteps making soft, rhythmic "tap, tap" sounds on the slightly damp flagstones. Her steps seemed light, as if afraid to disturb the tranquility of the mountains, yet each step was exceptionally steady, as if establishing some mysterious connection with the ground beneath her feet. Her consciousness had already spread out like an invisible net, taking in everything within a hundred meters—the trembling of every leaf in the mountains, the crawling trail of every insect, the "splashing" sound of waves crashing against the rocks in the distance, the occasional roar of a car engine and the swishing of tires on the road at the foot of the mountain, and, from the white villa half-hidden by lush vegetation at the summit, the familiar yet somewhat strange aura emanating from it.

That aura was peaceful and profound, like a calm ancient well, yet it subtly revealed an indescribable vastness and majesty.

Getting closer and closer.

She could clearly sense that the previously calm and dormant aura seemed to have sensed something and fluctuated slightly. There was no hostility, no defensiveness, and none of the tense and chilling atmosphere she had felt three years ago atop the Taihang Mountains. There was only a kind of... calm composure, as if it had known all along that she would appear at this time and in this way.

Ma Xiaoling took a deep breath; the faint scent of sea salt in the air seemed to grow stronger. She subconsciously smoothed a few strands of hair that had been ruffled by the wind and quickened her pace. The hem of her white dress swayed gently with her movements, like a butterfly about to take flight, standing out vividly against the backdrop of the green mountains and forests.

The doorbell of the villa rang out with a clear and melodious "ding-dong," breaking the tranquility of the courtyard.

At this moment, He Damin was in his study on the second floor. The study was spacious and bright, with one wall featuring a huge floor-to-ceiling window offering views of lush mountains and the distant sea. Sunlight streamed through the glass, casting warm dappled patterns on the floor. He was sitting behind a large mahogany desk, reviewing the latest documents Lawrence had just sent. The documents were a report on the expansion of Global Bank's business in Europe, filled with dense English text and numbers, yet he read them with rapt attention. His fingers tapped lightly on the table, producing a rhythmic "tap, tap." Hearing the doorbell ring, he put down his Parker gold pen, the nib leaving a small ink dot on the smooth paper. A barely perceptible smile played on his lips, as if he had anticipated this moment.

"Here it comes," he murmured to himself, his voice low but filled with certainty.

Downstairs in the living room, Chen Xueru, wearing an apron, peeked out from the open kitchen. She had just finished cooking a pot of white fungus and lotus seed soup and was about to bring it out to cool. Hearing the doorbell, she asked with some confusion, "Who is it?"

"An old friend." He Damin stood up, straightened the neatly pressed gray casual suit jacket, and said slowly, "I'll go open the door." He walked to the study door, paused, and glanced back at the window. The sunlight was perfect, and everything seemed so peaceful.

The villa's heavy solid wood doors slowly opened to both sides, revealing Ma Xiaoling standing outside.

The afternoon sun shone directly behind her, casting a warm, fuzzy golden halo around her, making her figure exceptionally clear in the backlight, yet with a touch of hazy beauty. She was still wearing that simple white dress, her long hair flowing smoothly over her shoulders, swaying gently in the breeze. Three years had passed; she seemed to have grown taller, her figure more slender and upright. The sharpness, impatience, and unquestionable sense of justice she possessed three years ago atop the Taihang Mountains had faded, replaced by a more composed and reserved demeanor born of experience. Her eyes remained clear, but seemed to hold something deeper within them.

The two gazed at each other silently for a moment. The air seemed to freeze, with only the mountain breeze and the distant sound of the waves flowing by. Time, it seemed, quietly rewound in this silent exchange, then suddenly froze.

"Miss Ma, how have you been?" In the end, He Damin was the first to break the silence. His tone was calm and gentle, with just the right amount of familiarity, as if the woman in front of him was not an "enemy" he hadn't seen for three years and who had once been at odds with him, but simply an old friend who had come from afar and hadn't seen him for a long time.

Ma Xiaoling looked at him. He Damin before her seemed unchanged, still the same gentle and refined man, dressed in well-fitting clothes, his demeanor composed. But she could sense that his aura was even more unfathomable than three years ago, like a deep abyss, calm on the surface, yet concealing unimaginable power beneath. A complex mix of emotions welled up within her, like a jumbled spice bottle. Three years ago, atop Taihang Mountain, she wielded her demon-subduing staff, chasing after this man, shouting and threatening to kill him, convinced he was a possessed, reborn demon harming humanity, and wishing nothing more than to eliminate him. Three years later, times had changed, yet she stood at his doorstep, as an "investigator," questioning him about the "mysterious deaths" he had orchestrated.

"Mr...Mr. He." She hesitated for a moment, but still used this relatively polite and distant form of address. Her voice was a little dry, and she cleared her throat. "I apologize for this intrusion."

He Damin stepped aside, gesturing for him to come in, and said with a gentle smile, "Please come in."

The living room was bright and softly lit. The floor was light-colored solid wood, and you could feel the warmth of the wood under your bare feet. Several landscape paintings with a profound artistic conception hung on the walls, and a few potted plants with vibrant greenery were placed in the corner. The large fabric sofa looked soft and comfortable. Chen Xueru had already placed the bowl of white fungus and lotus seed soup on the coffee table in the center of the living room, next to several exquisite white porcelain teacups and a small tea set. When she saw Ma Xiaoling, she was slightly taken aback, clearly somewhat surprised, but she quickly regained her composure and put on a polite and friendly smile.

"This is..." Chen Xueru looked at He Damin, her eyes asking.

"Ma Xiaoling is a descendant of the Ma family from Northeast China," He Damin introduced naturally. "We met briefly three years ago in the Taihang Mountains."

Chen Xueru understood. She knew her husband was no ordinary person, possessing extraordinary past and abilities she didn't fully understand, but she never questioned him, simply staying by his side with peace of mind. Seeing this elegant young woman with clear eyes, she simply smiled and nodded, offering a greeting: "Miss Ma, please have a seat. The tea is freshly brewed, this year's newly picked Longjing. I wonder if it suits your taste?" Her voice was gentle and melodious, like a clear mountain spring.

Ma Xiaoling looked at Chen Xueru, a barely perceptible hint of surprise flashing in her eyes. She had assumed that a cultivator of He Damin's level, with such profound cultivation, would mostly be solitary, detached from worldly affairs, and single-mindedly devoted to the Dao. She hadn't expected him to be married, and his wife to be so gentle and virtuous, a quintessential lady of a prominent family. Moreover, what surprised her even more was that this seemingly ordinary woman, though not consciously circulating her spiritual energy, had a faint flow of spiritual energy between her brows—clearly, she had begun cultivation and already possessed a certain foundation. This was quite unusual.

"Thank you, sister-in-law." Ma Xiaoling sat down as instructed and accepted the teacup Chen Xueru handed her. The cup was warm and comfortable to hold. She took a small sip, and a fresh and elegant tea aroma immediately filled her mouth, carrying a hint of sweetness and a lingering aftertaste. The tea was at the perfect temperature, neither too hot nor too cold, and as it slid down her throat, a warm feeling spread throughout her body. "Excellent tea," she exclaimed sincerely.

The three sat down, and a brief silence fell over the living room. Only the second hand of the wall clock ticked away, marking the passage of time. Chen Xueru tactfully refrained from asking any questions, simply sitting quietly to the side, occasionally adding hot water to their teacups.

Ma Xiaoling put down her teacup, her gaze finally settling on He Damin's face. Her eyes were complex, containing inquiry, vigilance, and professional scrutiny, but more than anything, they held an indescribable mix of emotions—the earth-shattering misunderstanding three years ago, and the truth she had learned afterward, had left a deep imprint on her heart, making it impossible for her to define the man before her with a simple "good" or "bad."

"Mr. He," she took a deep breath, deciding to get straight to the point and stop beating around the bush. Her tone regained some of the seriousness befitting an "investigator," "I've come to Hong Kong on orders from my organization to investigate a series of recent bizarre deaths."

He Damin picked up his teacup, gently blowing on the floating tea leaves. The steam blurred his glasses, making his eyes appear slightly misty. He didn't reply immediately, seemingly savoring the aroma of the tea, or perhaps deep in thought.

Ma Xiaoling continued, her speech steady and clear: "Jardine Jennings, chairman of Jardine Matheson in Central; Wilson, vice president of HSBC; Davis, head of the Commercial Crime Investigation Department; and several leaders of Wo Shing Wo… In just one week, a total of thirty-seven people died in 'accidental' ways." She paused, her tone becoming more serious. "The manner of their deaths was very strange—some stopped breathing in their sleep with a smile on their faces, while others suddenly became terrified during meetings, as if they had seen something extremely horrific, and then suffered cardiac arrest. But after detailed autopsies, the forensic doctors could only conclude that they died from sudden cardiac arrest or 'natural death' caused by various reasons, finding no trace of homicide, not even a hint of poisoning."

Her gaze sharpened as she stared directly into He Damin's eyes, as if trying to see something deep within them: "This kind of large-scale, highly precise, and completely traceless method of killing cannot be accomplished by ordinary, mundane means. The organization suspects the involvement of powerful supernatural forces, so they sent me to investigate this matter."

He Damin finally put down his teacup, raised his head, and calmly met Ma Xiaoling's gaze behind his glasses. His gaze was deep and calm, like a deep pool of water, unfathomable.

"So you suspect it's me?" His voice remained calm, revealing neither joy nor anger.

Ma Xiaoling did not avoid his gaze and frankly admitted, "Before I came, I did have my suspicions. According to the intelligence we had, these dead people were more or less involved with you, or rather, with your Global Bank. But now that I see you here, seeing you..." Her gaze unconsciously swept over Chen Xueru, who was sitting quietly to the side, "I am almost certain—it's you."

He Damin suddenly smiled. The smile was faint, yet genuine, as if he had heard something amusing. There was no anger, no tension, and no panic at being exposed; only a faint hint of…appreciation?

"Miss Ma is indeed clever, observant, and her reasoning is reasonable." He nodded, his tone relaxed, as if discussing a trivial matter. "That's right, I killed those people."

Although she had expected it, hearing He Damin admit it so casually still made Ma Xiaoling's pupils contract slightly, and her fingers gripping the teacup tighten involuntarily. An invisible pressure seemed to emanate from He Damin, causing her heart to skip a beat.

"Why?" She composed herself and pressed on, her tone carrying a barely perceptible urgency. "I've seen these people's files. Although most of them are ruthless in the business world, and some even involve gray areas, according to mortal law, their crimes don't warrant the death penalty! By doing this, you are openly violating the agreement we reached with various forces after 1949—that supernatural powers must not arbitrarily interfere in mortal affairs!" This is an unwritten rule in the cultivation world, and it is also to avoid causing panic among ordinary people and disrupting social order.

He Damin looked at her, his gaze calm and still, as if looking at an innocent child. "Miss Ma, do you know why those people are targeting me? Or rather, why they're targeting Global Bank?"

Ma Xiaoling shook her head. She only knew that these people had a conflict of interest with He Damin, but she didn't know the specific, deeper reasons.

He Damin stood up, walked to the huge floor-to-ceiling window, and, with his back to the two men, gazed at the shimmering Victoria Harbour and the bustling city of Hong Kong. The afternoon sun shone on him, casting a golden glow on his features. "I own a bank in Hong Kong called Global Bank. You might not know this, but my bank vault holds two hundred tons of gold."

"Two hundred tons?!" Ma Xiaoling's breath hitched, and she nearly dropped her teacup. Two hundred tons of gold! This number was far too enormous, beyond her imagination. Even with the Ma family's resources, they couldn't easily produce so much gold. It was simply an astronomical figure! No wonder those people were so frantic.

"That gold was my lifeline, but it was also the root of all evil that attracted wolves and tigers." He Damin slowly turned around, looking at Ma Xiaoling with a hint of helplessness and a touch of coldness in his eyes. "Somehow the news leaked out, and almost everyone in Hong Kong, both the legitimate and criminal underworld, is watching me. Those old guys in the British Chambers of Commerce want my gold to fill their empty coffers after the war; those gangsters see it as a piece of meat and want to swallow it whole; even the Governor's House is secretly approving and even supporting some of their actions."