Courtyard House: Time Traveler Not Yet a Ghost

The eighteen levels of hell have been firmly formed in the negative space for three days now.

He Damin stepped into this familiar, dark void once more. Compared to his last visit, it seemed more "alive," no longer a deathly still place. The eighteen levels of hell resembled eighteen black vortexes of varying sizes and shapes, or giant beehives floating in the air, steadily anchored in the void. Each level slowly rotated at a fixed frequency, within which countless blurry souls could be vaguely seen twisting and struggling, enduring their respective punishments.

Screams, wails, the scraping of chains, howls of ghosts and wolves... all sorts of sounds mingled together, no longer sharp and piercing, but settled down, transforming into a low, oppressive, seemingly endless buzzing that echoed throughout the space, striking people's eardrums and their minds.

He Damin stood directly beneath this hellish mass, looking up as his gaze swept over the layers of "cages." His brows furrowed slightly, and his face showed no joy, but rather a sense of solemnity.

Hell is here, its form is stable, and its laws are initially established. Souls are here too; the split-body has been "working" quite a bit these past two years—those crying out below are them. Punishments are here as well: mountains of knives, seas of fire, cauldrons of boiling oil, and icy cold—it seems all the usual methods are in place.

Here comes the problem.

How do I get in? And how do I get out?

The souls we see now are being forcibly dragged in by the split entity like dead dogs. It's simple, brutal, and reasonably efficient. But if one day he wants to establish a truly complete and orderly system of reincarnation, allowing souls who didn't deserve to die or who have served their sentences to have the opportunity to be reborn as humans, then he can no longer rely on brute force to force them in.

There needs to be a set of rules and a set of procedures.

A channel is needed.

A complete channel that flows smoothly from birth to death and then from death to birth, with each link interconnected.

He Damin closed his eyes, and his mind began to race. Ancient legends about the underworld he had heard since childhood—names and images flooded back like a tide.

The Gates of Hell, the Road to the Underworld, the Terrace of Longing for Home, the Ridge of the Evil Dog, the Golden Rooster Mountain, the Village of Wild Ghosts, the Hall of Bewitching Souls, Fengdu City, the Palace of the King of Hell, the Little Hell, the Pavilion of Offerings, the Ghost Realm Fortress, the Office of Dream Entreaties, the Lotus Platform, the Bridge of Helplessness, Meng Po's Soup, the Valley of New Life...

Yes, that's it! A complete road to the underworld, a fully functional, truly meaningful underworld! It can't just be about punishment; there must also be a transition, a trial, a period of waiting, and a new life.

"Soul Refining Banner." He opened his eyes and called out softly.

As soon as he finished speaking, a dark light appeared in the void not far in front of him, like ink dripping into clear water, quickly condensing into form. The main body of the Soul Refining Banner slowly floated down and landed steadily in his palm. In the past two years, relying on its split body to constantly harvest souls outside, the Soul Refining Banner had absorbed a terrifying amount of soul power, more than ten or a hundred times stronger than when he first obtained it. On the surface of the banner, countless soul shadows rolled, surged, and struggled, each time refining a wisp of extremely pure soul power, giving the entire banner an unfathomable aura.

"Can you split it again?" He Damin looked down at the Soul Refining Banner in his palm, as if asking an old friend. This wasn't the first time he had split it; the last time, he had split off the prototype of the Eighteen Levels of Hell, which had consumed a great deal of energy.

The Soul Refining Banner seemed to understand his words. The banner trembled slightly, and the soft corners of the banner seemed to have a life of their own, gently brushing against his palm with a slightly cool touch, as if nodding in affirmation.

A slight smile finally appeared on He Damin's lips.

"Then let's divide it again."

Without further hesitation, he sat down cross-legged and held the Soul Refining Banner in front of him. His hands began to form hand seals, and he chanted incantations. The true essence within his body surged forth like a flood, pouring into the Soul Refining Banner.

"With my thoughts, I will shape your form; with your power, I will divide you. Hear my command—the Gates of Hell, the Road to the Underworld, the Terrace of Longing for Home—divide!"

As he uttered the last word "separate," He Damin suddenly pushed his hands forward!

boom--!!!

A deep, thunderous roar exploded from inside the Soul Refining Banner!

Countless dense, eerie lights, like dazzling fireworks, burst forth from the banner, instantly filling the surrounding void. These lights danced and swirled in the air, gradually coalescing into blurry, enormous outlines. Supported by soul power, these outlines began to rapidly become clearer, solidify, and materialize—

At the forefront, a colossal black archway took shape. Two black stone pillars, requiring more than a dozen people to encircle, rose from the ground, piercing the dark void. Countless agonizing, struggling souls coiled around the pillars, their claws outstretched, their faces ferocious, like guardians of the archway, or prisoners forever bound. In the very center of the archway, three enormous, blood-red characters, as if coming to life, slowly emerged stroke by stroke, radiating a chilling aura: Gates of Hell!

Beyond the Gates of Hell, a wide and long road stretched out. The road was paved with bluish-gray flagstones, each one icy cold and covered with twisted, obscure runes that shimmered with a chilling light, seemingly containing some power that imprisoned souls. On either side of the road lay bottomless, endless darkness, occasionally punctuated by slivers of pale green light that could vaguely illuminate the withered arms and struggling souls reaching out from the darkness. They seemed to want to climb the road, yet were blocked by some unseen force. This was the Road to the Underworld.

To the left of the Road to the Underworld stands a solitary high platform. Over three zhang high, it is entirely constructed of black rock, its four sides smooth and devoid of any steps. Only an enormous stone mirror, like a full moon, floats above it. The mirror's surface is as smooth as ice, yet it does not reflect reality. Instead, it clearly reflects the last sight seen by the souls who have traversed the Road to the Underworld, allowing them to take one last look at the mortal realm before embarking on their journey. This is the Platform of Longing for Home.

Looking at the three buildings that were already taking shape and exuding an ancient yet eerie aura, He Damin took a deep breath and, not daring to be negligent, continued to circulate the true energy within his body, forming hand seals once again.

"Evil Dog Ridge, Golden Rooster Mountain, Wild Ghost Village—Rise!"

Rumble—!

As his words fell, a deafening roar, like an earthquake, suddenly echoed from the endless darkness on both sides of the Road to the Underworld. In the darkness to the left, the ground bulged, rapidly forming a rugged hill. On the hill, countless enormous, jet-black, blood-red phantom-like dogs ran and roared madly. Their fangs were gleaming white, saliva dripped from them, emitting a nauseating stench, as if they might pounce down at any moment to tear souls to shreds. This was the Ridge of the Vicious Dogs.

To the right, in the darkness, another hill rose. But on this hill, a completely different scene unfolded. Countless golden roosters, their feathers as red as flames, raised their heads and crowed. Each cries were sharp and piercing, carrying a scorching aura. Their claws and beaks gleamed with a metallic sheen. Any spirit that tried to approach would be torn apart by their flames and sharp claws, emitting a mournful scream. This was Golden Rooster Mountain.

Between Evil Dog Ridge and Golden Rooster Mountain, on one side of the Road to the Underworld, a small village appeared out of nowhere. The houses in the village were dilapidated mud-brick houses or thatched huts, leaning precariously as if a gust of wind could blow them down. Countless ragged, withered ghosts wandered the village, their eyes vacant, their movements slow, aimlessly darting about, occasionally letting out a low whimper, filled with endless sorrow and loneliness. This was the Village of Wild Ghosts.

"The Hall of Bewitching Souls, Fengdu City, the Palace of the King of Hell—Stand!"

He Damin's voice carried a hint of barely perceptible fatigue, but his will was even more resolute. He poured more true essence into the remnants of the Soul Refining Banner.

At the end of the Road to the Underworld, space distorted, and a colossal palace rose from the ground. The palace's style was ancient and majestic. Before its gate stood a tall stone tablet, on which were inscribed three characters in ancient seal script: "Hall of Bewitching Souls." Any soul that enters this hall will be affected by the peculiar aura permeating it, gradually losing its mind and forgetting all the loves, hates, grudges, right and wrong of its previous life.

Beyond the Hall of Bewilderment, an even more majestic and colossal city slowly emerged. Its walls soared into the clouds, constructed entirely of massive black stone slabs, appearing utterly impregnable. The city gates were tightly shut, above which hung a huge plaque bearing three powerful characters: Fengdu City. This was the legendary Ghost City, the capital of the underworld.

In the very center of Fengdu City stood a hall even more magnificent and solemn than the Hall of Bewilderment. The hall's doors were wide open, revealing a dimly lit interior, but a massive black table could be vaguely seen. Behind the table sat a blurry, humanoid figure. Though its face was indistinct, its imposing, judgmental aura emanated from it—the seat of Yama, the King of Hell. Although it was currently empty, merely a symbol, He Damin knew that one day, Yama, who would summon the dead and judge souls, would truly sit here.

Fine beads of sweat had formed on He Damin's forehead, and his face was somewhat pale. His true energy was being depleted as rapidly as the receding tide. But he showed no sign of stopping. The framework of the underworld had only just been established, and many crucial parts remained to be completed.

"Minor Hell, Offering Pavilion, Ghost Realm Fortress—Completed!"

At his command, the space around Fengdu City rippled once more. Countless small cages of various shapes sprang up like mushrooms after rain, densely packed and layered, like a honeycomb surrounding Fengdu City, protecting its center. These were the Lesser Hells, used to imprison souls whose sins did not warrant death and who only needed to undergo short-term punishment before being reincarnated.

Not far from the small hell, a three-story pavilion quietly appeared. With its upturned eaves and corners, the pavilion, though also exuding a sinister aura, possessed a touch of human warmth compared to the other buildings. Inside, it was piled high with all sorts of paper offerings—paper clothes, paper ingots, paper houses, paper cars… even paper cell phones and computers. These were offerings burned by living relatives for the deceased, which here would be transformed into energy or items usable by the soul. This was the Offering Pavilion.

The Ghost Realm Fortress stands on the other side of Fengdu City. It is a massive, sturdy building, resembling a fortress, with an incredibly vast interior space capable of housing and waiting for tens of thousands of souls to reside and wait. This is the temporary residence of souls who have completed their judgment, had their sins absolved, and are awaiting reincarnation.

"The Dream-Telling Bureau, the Lotus Platform, the Bridge of Helplessness—appear!"

He Damin's voice was already a little hoarse, but his eyes were getting brighter and brighter.

Outside Fengdu City, near Ghost Realm Fortress, a small building resembling an ancient government office appeared. A sign reading "Dream-Telling Office" hung at the entrance. This was a place specifically for souls with unfinished wishes to appear in dreams to their relatives in the mortal world, to explain their final wishes, or to request offerings.

Beside the Dream-Telling Hall, an enormous, pure white lotus slowly bloomed. Its petals, layered upon layered, emitted a soft, pure light. Upon the petals sat a blurred, ethereal Buddha image, hands clasped in prayer, its countenance dignified and solemn. This was the Lotus Platform, where souls who had accumulated merit and had a karmic connection to Buddhism in their previous lives could listen to the Dharma, receive deliverance, and escape the suffering of reincarnation.

Behind the Lotus Platform, which is also the last stop on the entire Road to the Underworld, an ancient stone bridge finally slowly appears.

The Bridge of Helplessness.

The bridge is paved with huge, bluish-gray stone slabs. Beneath it is not water, but a raging, roaring river of blood, in which countless wronged souls struggle and float, exuding a strong aura of resentment and bloodshed. At the bridgehead stands an ancient stone tablet with four large characters engraved on it: Bridge of Helplessness.

On the bridge stood the silhouette of an old woman with a hunched back. She wore simple, coarse cloth clothes, her face was covered with wrinkles, and her eyes were cloudy yet calm. In front of her was a huge earthenware bowl, filled with murky, muddy soup that emitted a strange, drowsy aroma.

Meng Po.

Meng Po soup.

Once you drink it, all past events will vanish like smoke, and only by completely forgetting them can you move forward lightly and embark on the next cycle of reincarnation.

He Damin looked at the bridge, at the old woman's fading silhouette, and suddenly smiled softly. His smile carried a hint of relief, but also a subtle, complex emotion.

"The final step." He took a deep breath, almost summoning the last remaining true energy within his body, and formed an extremely complex hand seal with both hands, thrusting it forward with a mighty force. "Valley of Rebirth—Open!"

hum-

At the end of the Bridge of Helplessness, space seemed to be torn open, and a soft and warm golden light flowed out from the opening. It was a gate of light, through which one could vaguely see green mountains and clear waters, birds singing and flowers blooming, and even hear the clear chirping of birds and the babbling of flowing water, full of vitality and hope.

That is the Valley of Rebirth, the final exit for souls to be reincarnated. Souls that emerge from here will be cleansed of their impurities, gain new life, and begin a completely new cycle of reincarnation.

The gate slowly opened, and increasingly bright golden light poured out from within, like the first rays of dawn, dispelling some of the darkness of the Yin-Yang space and illuminating the entire newly formed underworld.

Looking at the golden light that symbolized new life and hope, He Damin let out a long, deep sigh of relief.

It became.

The sixteen key buildings—Gate of Hell, Road to the Underworld, Terrace of Longing for Home, Ridge of the Evil Dog, Golden Rooster Mountain, Wild Ghost Village, Hall of Bewitching Souls, Fengdu City, Hall of the King of Hell, Little Hell, Pavilion of Offerings, Ghost Realm Fortress, Office of Entrusting Dreams, Lotus Platform, Bridge of Helplessness, and Valley of New Life—together with the eighteen levels of hell that already existed, finally formed a complete and fully functional underworld!

From this day forward, any soul entering the Yin-Yang Space will follow a fixed process: First, it enters through the Gates of Hell, embarks on the Road to the Underworld, and experiences the initial punishment for its sins in life. Then, it takes one last look at its family and homeland from the Terrace of Longing for Home. Next, it must traverse the perilous Evil Dog Ridge and Golden Rooster Mountain to undergo further trials, and then pass through the Wild Ghost Village to experience loneliness and desolation. Afterward, it enters the Hall of Bewilderment, forgetting most of its past life, retaining only the most essential information about good and evil.