Courtyard House: Time Traveler Not Yet a Ghost

Deep within the underworld, the aura of the netherworld was as thick as ink, its wisps coiling around the enormous portal of light in the Six Paths of Reincarnation. The portal slowly rotated, emanating a profound and ancient aura. Six different colored halos intertwined and flowed, corresponding to the Heavenly Path, the Asura Path, the Human Path, the Animal Path, the Hungry Ghost Path, and the Hell Path. From within the portal came faint cries and whispers, the laments of countless souls awaiting reincarnation, recounting the joys and sorrows of their past lives. At the edge of the Pool of Reincarnation, rising steam reflected the vibrant colors of the portal, and also illuminated He Damin, who sat cross-legged.

He Damin was dressed in a simple blue Taoist robe. His face wasn't particularly handsome, but he possessed a calm and dignified air, as if he had weathered thousands of years of storms. His eyes were slightly closed, his breathing was long and deep, and his body was surrounded by a faint golden Buddhist light and a profound aura of deathly darkness. These two completely opposite forces were perfectly integrated within him, radiating a chilling pressure—the unique aura of a peak Tribulation Transcending cultivator, the ultimate limit that the rules of this world could contain.

Before him, a colossal water mirror floated in mid-air, its surface as smooth as the finest glass, utterly undisturbed. Within the mirror, however, lay a completely different scene: deep within a gloomy, damp forest of demonic beasts, towering ancient trees blocked out the sun, vines coiled like writhing dragons, and the air thick with the stench of blood and decay. A giant boar covered in brilliant golden mane was frantically tearing apart a smaller, duller-colored demonic beast, also boar-shaped.

That giant golden boar was none other than Ito Sai. The war criminal whose hands were stained with the blood of the Chinese people in his past life, he had been reborn as a golden-maned porcupine in the animal realm. He was no longer the timid little wild boar who had just entered the second tier a month ago. His size had more than doubled; standing there, he resembled a small mountain of flesh, his limbs as thick as pillars, each step causing the ground to tremble slightly. Two curved tusks protruded from the corners of his mouth, gleaming with a cold metallic luster, like two meticulously forged crescent-shaped blades, still covered with dripping flesh and bone fragments. Most striking were the bristles on his back, each hair as hard as iron, golden in color, like countless sharp short blades, trembling slightly with his movements, exuding a dangerous aura.

His eyes were no longer clouded with confusion; instead, they held a primal greed and cruelty. He lowered his head, his massive skull thrashing violently, tearing his dying kin to shreds. Then, he opened his gaping maw and began to devour the flesh with a frenzied, crunching sound. Blood trickled from the corners of his mouth, staining the fur on his chest. With each bite, his aura grew stronger, and his golden mane shone even brighter.

"Brother Da Min, isn't the back door you opened for him a bit too big?" A clear voice, tinged with worry, rang out.

Chen Xueru appeared beside He Damin at some point. She wore an elegant white dress, her black hair cascading down her back, her skin as white as snow, and her appearance exquisitely beautiful. At this moment, she was frowning, watching the bloody and brutal scene reflected in the water mirror, her beautiful face filled with worry. Her gaze fell on Ito Sai, carrying a hint of disgust, but even more so, a bewilderment at He Damin's actions.

"The Myriad Realms Demon Ancestor System, Devouring and Evolving... How long has it been? A month? He's already firmly stepped into the threshold of a third-tier demon beast, and judging by this momentum, he's not far from the peak of the third tier." Chen Xueru stretched out her slender jade finger and gently tapped Ito Sae's ever-expanding body in the water mirror. "If this continues, he'll soon be breaking through to the fourth and fifth tiers. At that time, who in this demon beast forest will be able to control him? What if he really becomes a force to be reckoned with and gets out of control? Wouldn't that be like raising a tiger to cause future trouble?"

He Damin slowly opened his eyes, his gaze as deep as the sea, seemingly capable of containing the movement of the stars. Upon hearing this, a meaningful smile appeared on his lips, and he reached out to gently grasp Chen Xueru's slightly cool, soft hand. Her fingers were slender and soft, carrying a hint of the unique chill of the underworld.

"Do you think I, He Damin, am the kind of person who would raise a tiger to cause trouble?" His voice was gentle, yet carried an undeniable confidence.

Chen Xueru raised her head, her clear eyes looking at him with a questioning gaze: "Then... what exactly do you mean?" She knew that He Damin always acted with discretion and never fought unprepared battles, but the scene before her made her uneasy.

He Damin stood up. He was tall and imposing, exuding a mountain-like aura. He took Chen Xueru's hand and walked to the edge of the Pool of Reincarnation, his gaze fixed on the six slowly rotating light holes that emitted endless suction. Around the light holes, a cold wind howled, and ghostly wails echoed. Countless blurry souls floated and struggled within, awaiting their next reincarnation.

"Xue Ru, do you know what the biggest problem in this world is?" He didn't answer directly, but instead posed a question.

Chen Xueru pondered for a moment. She had been in this world with He Damin for some time and had gained some understanding of its situation. She said softly, "Is it... the lack of a proper underworld? So souls have nowhere to belong, and order is chaotic?"

"It's not just that there's no underworld." He Damin slowly turned around, looking at her with deep eyes. "That's just the surface. The deeper problem is that this world... is too fragmented."

"Too scattered?" Chen Xueru asked, somewhat puzzled.

"That's right, they're too scattered." He Damin emphasized. "Look at the continent, sects are everywhere, from the large ones like the Qingyun Sect, Canglang Holy Land, and Qinglian Holy Land, to the countless smaller ones. But which of these sects isn't acting independently, each confined to its own territory? They fight openly and covertly, even resorting to violence, to compete for resources, territory, and cultivation techniques. When has there ever been true unity?"

"Look at those cultivators, most of them only care about their own cultivation level, thinking only about how to break through their realm and pursue longevity. They are indifferent to the life and death of mortals and the suffering of the world. And what about mortals? They live in a daze, marked by their social class from birth. They either depend on sects or are controlled by nobles, struggling to survive in the cracks, with no control over their own destiny."

His gaze returned to the water mirror, as if piercing through its surface to see the vast, boundless forest of demonic beasts: "And this forest of demonic beasts, with its myriad species and hundreds of millions of creatures, including many powerful ones. But what about them? They are just a disorganized mess, fighting each other for a meager amount of food, never forming a true united force."

"Going further back, in those endless seas, sea monsters roam freely, their strength surpassing even that of land-based monsters. They are also leaderless and chaotic," He Damin summarized. "Such a force is like a group of scattered soldiers; they may seem numerous, but they are actually not a threat. Because they have no organization, no goal, and no unified command."

He paused, then changed the subject, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his eyes: "But what if... they were organized?"

Chen Xueru's heart skipped a beat. A thought flashed through her mind like lightning, and her eyes instantly lit up, as if the fog had parted and she could see the path ahead. "You mean... you want Ito Sai..."

"Yes." He Damin nodded firmly, pointing to the giant golden boar in the water mirror that was still frantically devouring its prey. "This little devil committed countless evils in his past life, his hands stained with blood. Reincarnating him as an animal is punishment enough. But that's too lenient. I want him to become the leader I've found for this monster forest."

"leader?"

"Indeed." He Damin's eyes gleamed with wisdom. "His nature is cruel and insatiably greedy, perfectly aligning with the 'Myriad Realms Demon Ancestor System's' path of devouring and evolution. He will continuously devour his own kind, devour other demon beasts, and evolve by stepping on countless bones, becoming stronger and stronger. Ultimately, he will become the Demon King of this Demon Beast Forest, or even the Demon Emperor who rules over all demons. At that time, all the demon beasts in the Demon Beast Forest, regardless of strength, will submit to his pressure. And the sea monsters in the endless seas, sensing the appearance of such a powerful Demon King on land, will inevitably be attracted, either submitting or challenging him. But in any case, they will revolve around him, forming an unprecedented unified demon beast force."

Chen Xueru's breathing became rapid. She seemed to understand He Damin's intentions, but she wasn't entirely sure. She pressed on, "And then? What will happen next?"

"Then..." He Damin's lips curled into a cold smile, "those so-called strong people in this world will start to get restless."

His gaze seemed to transcend space, sweeping over those lofty sects and sacred lands: "The Azure Cloud Sect, the Canglang Sacred Land, the Azure Lotus Sacred Land, and those ancient families hidden in the shadows, as well as countless sects and forces large and small. They can tolerate the occasional beasts from the Demon Beast Forest escaping and harming people, they can tolerate sea monsters causing trouble on the edge of the sea, because those are just minor skirmishes, not enough to threaten their very foundation. But they absolutely cannot tolerate the emergence of a unified and powerful Demon Beast Empire right under their noses!"

"A unified demon beast empire means possessing a vast number of demon beasts, a unified will, and powerful combat strength. This is an absolutely unacceptable threat to sects that are used to being superior and viewing demon beasts as ants or resources. They will feel fear and unease."

"At that time, they will unite on their own without us having to lift a finger. In order to survive and maintain their existing status and interests, they will temporarily put aside their grudges and struggles and form a huge coalition to jointly resist this emerging demon emperor."

Upon hearing this, Chen Xueru finally understood, and a huge weight was lifted from her heart. She looked at He Damin, her eyes filled with admiration: "So, you want to use Ito Sai, this 'pig,' to find a common enemy for those independent sects, using the threat of demonic beasts to restrain them?"

"It's not just about restraint." He Damin shook his head, took her hand, and walked back to the water mirror, looking at her intently. "It's about finding them a powerful enough external enemy, forcing them to shift their attention from internal strife to fighting against a foreign foe. It's about forcing them to unite under common pressure. Only in this way can those Chinese souls we brought from Earth have enough time and space to quietly develop and accumulate strength in this world."

Chen Xueru remained silent for a moment, her delicate brows still not fully relaxed. She was still somewhat worried: "But, Ito Sai is, after all, a variable. The system's power is too great. What if... what if he really grows to a point where we can't control him? At that time, he will not only threaten those sects, but also us, and even our fellow Chinese."

Looking at her worried face, He Damin felt a surge of warmth in his heart. He reached out his other hand and gently stroked her hair, saying softly, "Xue Ru, have you forgotten? Who created that 'Myriad Realms Demon Ancestor System'?"

Chen Xueru was slightly taken aback, then a look of understanding flashed in her eyes. She looked at He Damin and tentatively asked, "You mean... there's something wrong with this system?"

"There's no problem." He Damin smiled slightly, his smile carrying a hint of confidence that he was in control of everything. "The Myriad Realms Demon Ancestor System was designed by me personally from beginning to end."

He extended his finger and gently touched the water mirror. The image in the water mirror, which had originally shown Ito Sai devouring, instantly changed, transforming into lines of dense, shimmering code and rules shimmering with mysterious runes. These codes and rules flowed and combined on the mirror's surface as if they were alive, radiating a powerful restrictive force.

"Look," He Damin pointed to the code, "His evolutionary path was set by me; the proportion of energy he can obtain by devouring his own kind was set by me; how much bloodline power he needs for each evolution, and what bottlenecks he will encounter, were all carefully calculated by me. He is like a machine with a pre-programmed schedule, seemingly growing freely, but in reality, every step is within my expectations."

Chen Xueru's eyes widened as she stared at the incredibly complex runes and rules reflected in the water mirror. Although she couldn't understand the specifics, she could sense the immense power and intricate design contained within. She gasped, covering her mouth in astonishment, "You...you left a backdoor in him?"

"Of course." He Damin grinned like a cat that had just stolen some cream, a sly glint in his eyes. "I, He Damin, raise pigs, so I need to keep a butcher's knife for myself, right? Otherwise, once they're fattened up, won't they turn around and bite me?"

He tapped his finger again, and the code and rules in the water mirror scrolled rapidly, finally settling on a few lines of hidden rules marked with special runes. These rules emitted a faint golden light, clearly the core of the core.

"Look at this first line," He Damin pointed to one of the lines, "Ito Zoi's evolution speed will slow down significantly after he reaches the fifth tier of demon beast. What might have been a year to break through one tier will now take ten years, or even longer. This will effectively control his growth pace and give us ample time."

"The second point," he pointed to another line, "I set an insurmountable ceiling for him—he can never break through to a realm above the Demon Ancestor. The Demon Ancestor is his limit. This is the bottom line I set for him, and also a guarantee for the balance of this world."

"As for this third point," He Damin's eyes sharpened, "it's also the most important one. My divine sense can lock onto his location and status at any time. If I want, I can strip him of his system in an instant, causing him to fall from grace and back to his original state, or even directly erase his consciousness. His life and death, his power, are all in my hands."