Courtyard House: Time Traveler Not Yet a Ghost

Chen Xueru carefully examined the three hidden rules, her worries lessening with each one she read. When she reached the third rule, she finally felt completely at ease, letting out a long sigh of relief. She gave He Damin a reproachful look: "You should have said so earlier! I was worried sick for ages, thinking you were really going to let the tiger go back to the mountain."

He Damin laughed and pulled her into his arms. Chen Xueru's soft body rested against his chest, feeling his strong heartbeat, and she felt a sense of security.

"When has your husband ever done anything without a backup plan?" He Damin lowered his head and gently kissed her smooth forehead, his tone filled with a hint of doting. "Don't worry, everything is under my control."

Chen Xueru snuggled against him like a docile kitten. She looked up, remembering something else important, and asked, "Then... what about those souls from China? Do they also have systems? Like Ito Sai?"

"No," He Damin shook his head, stating firmly, "They don't need a system."

"No need?" Chen Xueru was somewhat surprised. "But those Japanese devils have system assistance, their cultivation speed is advancing by leaps and bounds, one day is equivalent to a year of hard work for others. Without a system, how can the Chinese soul compete with them? How can they keep up with their pace?"

He Damin carried her to the edge of the Pool of Reincarnation, gazing at the slowly rotating portal of human light, where souls were constantly being drawn in to be reincarnated in the human world. His gaze was distant as he slowly said, "Xue Ru, have you forgotten how many years our Chinese civilization has been passed down? Five thousand years of history, how many storms have we weathered, how many glories have we created? What we Chinese people lack least is wisdom and resilience."

"Those reincarnated Chinese souls carry the memories of their past lives, the knowledge and experience accumulated over thousands of years, and the diligence, resilience, unity, and wisdom unique to our nation. These are ingrained in our very being, incomparable to any cold, impersonal system. A system may make a person stronger quickly, but can it teach a person how to think? Can it teach a person how to create? Can it teach a person how to unite? No."

He Damin's voice was full of confidence in the nation: "What the system provides is ultimately an external force. But the wisdom and spirit of the Chinese nation are the true endogenous power, the source of continuous growth and the creation of miracles. This is far more powerful than any system."

Chen Xueru listened silently, a sense of pride welling up within her. But she still had some concerns: "That's true, but... the difference in cultivation speed is just too great. Those Japanese devils have the system's support, their progress is incredibly fast. Even if the Chinese soul has a better foundation, they'll definitely fall far behind in the early stages. What if they suppress and kill us? Then our plans..."

He Damin knew her concerns were not unfounded. After thinking for a moment, he said, "So, I prepared something else for them."

"Something else?" Chen Xueru looked at him curiously.

"Hmm." He Damin nodded, pointing to a certain direction in the Human Path Light Cave of the Reincarnation Pool, where a soft light faintly flickered. "In the area where most souls in China reincarnate, I secretly set up a vast spirit-gathering array. This array can automatically absorb the spiritual energy between heaven and earth and gather it in that area. Therefore, the concentration of spiritual energy in that area is three times that of other places, and even four or five times in some core areas. Spiritual energy is the foundation of cultivation; with abundant spiritual energy, the cultivation speed will naturally be faster. Although it can't compare to the system's abnormal speed, at least they won't fall too far behind, enough for them to grow steadily."

"And cultivation techniques," He Damin continued, a cold smile on his face. "The cultivation techniques I had the system give those little devils were all demon beast techniques. Although they are domineering and progress quickly, they have a fatal flaw—an unstable foundation and too much malevolence, which can easily affect their minds and cause them to go astray. They are like fruits that have been ripened too quickly, seemingly bright and shiny, but in reality, they are already rotten inside."

"As for the souls of the Chinese people, I will have the judges of the underworld subtly implant some basic but balanced and peaceful Taoist cultivation methods, Confucian mental cultivation methods, and military techniques deep into their souls before they are reincarnated. These methods are all brought from Earth and have been verified and perfected over thousands of years. They emphasize gradual progress, strengthening the foundation and cultivating vitality, and maintaining balance and peace. Although the progress may seem slow, the foundation is laid extremely solidly, and the potential is limitless. Moreover, these methods can not only improve cultivation level but also purify the mind and enhance wisdom. In the later stages of cultivation, it will be clear who is stronger and who is weaker."

Chen Xueru nodded repeatedly, her doubts completely vanishing. He Damin had considered everything so thoroughly; what did she have to worry about? Then she remembered something else and asked, "What about management talent? Didn't you say before that you wanted to find some people with management experience to be reincarnated to help establish order?"

"It's already being arranged." He Damin looked at the Humanity Light Cave with a hint of anticipation in his eyes. "The first batch of management talent will number around one hundred. They are all handpicked by me, and each has extremely rich management experience in their respective fields in their previous lives. There are mayors who have governed a region and are familiar with urban planning and people's livelihood governance; there are factory managers and company CEOs who have run large enterprises and are proficient in production management and market operations; and there are several high-ranking commanders from the military who are well-versed in strategy, tactics, and team building. They will be given priority to be reborn into noble families in various kingdoms, so that they can receive the best educational resources in this world from a young age and become familiar with the rules of power operation. When they grow up, they will be able to gradually make a name for themselves in the court, business world, or military world based on their experience in their previous lives and their identities in this life, becoming the backbone of the reconstruction of this world order."

"Then... what about those who aspire to be emperors?" Chen Xueru looked up, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. "We can't just have managers without decision-makers, can we?"

He Damin laughed loudly and flicked her nose: "Of course there are. I specially selected several people who, in their previous lives, possessed the ambition of emperors but were unlucky and unappreciated. They will be reborn into the royal families of various dynasties and cultivated from a young age in the art of emperorship and the way of governing the country. When the time is right, they will stir up a storm on this continent, establish their own dynasties, and eventually... unify the world."

Chen Xueru gazed into He Damin's deep eyes, her heart filled with admiration and love: "Brother Damin, you...you are truly farsighted. This is a very grand strategy."

He Damin gently shook his head, his eyes becoming incredibly solemn: "It's not a game of chess, Xue Ru. It's hope. This chaotic world needs order, it needs hope. The underworld exists, and wandering souls have found a home. But the mortal realm remains fragmented, with sects vying for power and ordinary people helpless. Someone must stand up, break this chaos, and build a unified, powerful, and civilized empire."

"So, have you chosen this person yet?" Chen Xueru asked softly, holding her breath.

"I've made my choice." A glint flashed in He Damin's eyes, and he pointed his finger at the water mirror again.

The mirror-like water rippled, and the scene shifted once more. This time, instead of the blood-soaked forest of demonic beasts, a lavish palace appeared. Inside, the palace was adorned with carved beams and painted rafters, glittering with jewels, and filled with a faint fragrance. A boy who appeared to be sixteen or seventeen years old, dressed in a magnificent brocade robe, lay lazily on a large, intricately carved bed, his eyes closed, a faint smile playing on his lips, as if he were having a sweet dream.

"His name is Li Zhi, the seventh prince of the Li Dynasty." He Damin's voice carried a hint of mystery. "On the surface, he's an incompetent, pleasure-seeking prince, utterly unremarkable among the many princes. But in reality..."

He paused, a sly glint in his eyes: "He also has a system."

Chen Xueru was completely stunned, her beautiful eyes wide open: "You...you actually gave him a backdoor too? What kind of system?"

"The 'Lying Down System'," He Damin said, suppressing a laugh. "As the name suggests, every day he lies down, he automatically gains a year's worth of power. Not only that, there are monthly rewards, including Saint-level physiques, ancient bloodlines, and top-tier cultivation techniques—you name it, he can become stronger just by lying down."

Chen Xueru opened her mouth, momentarily at a loss for words. To let a "useless" prince gain power by lying down was simply too...unbelievable!

"What...what are you trying to mold him into?" she asked, somewhat amused and exasperated.

"The future emperor." He Damin's smile faded, his eyes hardening with unwavering resolve. "The emperor who will unify this continent. He will quietly accumulate power unnoticed, then rise to prominence in a single moment, sweeping across the land and establishing a unified empire. He will enact comprehensive laws, establish efficient systems, develop the economy, and promote culture. At that time, our Chinese civilization will truly take root, sprout, blossom, and bear fruit on this unfamiliar land."

Chen Xueru remained silent for a long time, so long that even the eerie wind by the Pool of Reincarnation seemed to soften. She looked at He Damin, at the light in his eyes that seemed to illuminate the entire Netherworld, and her heart was filled with shock and emotion.

"Brother Damin, you're really... playing a game of earth-shattering strategy."

He Damin held her hand tightly, his gaze fixed on the sleeping boy in the water mirror, as if piercing through endless time and space to see the distant future: "Xueru, when this world is truly on the right track, when the flag of China is planted in every corner of this continent, we will go back."

"Go back?" A hint of confusion flashed in Chen Xueru's eyes, then they brightened again. "Back to Earth?"

"Yes, back to Earth." He Damin's voice was full of longing. "Let's go back to see our children, see the pomegranate tree we planted together in our old home, see the dazzling Victoria Harbour in Hong Kong..."

"Okay." Chen Xueru leaned on his shoulder, her voice slightly choked but full of anticipation. "Then, we'll take our grandchildren to the moon to see the moon we've watched grow up."

He Damin smiled and hugged her even tighter. The chill of the underworld seemed to be dispelled by this warm anticipation.

The scene in the water mirror shifted again. In the Demon Beast Forest, Ito Zoi had already devoured the third-tier demon beast, and his size had swelled up again, almost the size of a small hill. The golden mane on his back was denser and sharper, gleaming with a terrifying cold light. He roared to the sky with a deafening roar, his voice filled with savagery and excitement, causing the surrounding trees to shake violently and countless birds and beasts to flee in panic.

"Ding! The Myriad Realms Demon Ancestor System notifies: The host's current evolution progress is 67%. Energy accumulation has reached the threshold. It is recommended to continue hunting and complete the third-tier peak evolution as soon as possible!" The cold, mechanical notification sounded in Ito Sae's mind.

Ito Sai licked his blood-stained lips with his scarlet tongue, his bloodshot eyes gleaming with an even more greedy light. He could clearly feel the surging power within him, and the primal desire to become stronger. He wanted to devour, he wanted to evolve, he wanted to become stronger, strong enough that all living beings would grovel at his feet, strong enough that no one would dare bully him again! He wanted to become the Demon Emperor, the Demon King, the sole Demon Ancestor of all realms!

He was completely unaware that he was merely a pawn in He Damin's hands, a pawn used to stir up trouble and consolidate power. He was even more unaware that the system upon which he depended for survival and evolution had already been riddled with countless "backdoors" by He Damin, and that everything about him, his destiny, was already firmly under He Damin's control.

All he knew was that he had to become stronger.

Standing by the Pool of Reincarnation, He Damin quietly watched the wildly growing "golden pig" in the water mirror, a meaningful smile appearing on his lips.

"Very good," he said softly, as if speaking to himself, yet also as if speaking to Ito Sai. "The pig farming plan is officially launched."

Deep within the netherworld, the cycle of reincarnation continues to slowly rotate, witnessing the beginning of all this.