Courtyard House: Time Traveler Not Yet a Ghost

All four divine beasts have awakened!

He Damin led Chen Xueru back to the Taoist temple in the underworld. Chen Xueru looked at the four images simultaneously displayed in the water mirror: the Azure Dragon roamed freely in the waves of the East Sea, stirring up thousands of waves; the Vermilion Bird bathed in the lava of a volcano, its flames burning even brighter; the White Tiger roared at the bright moon on the icy peak of a snow-capped mountain, its voice shaking the surrounding wilderness; and the Black Tortoise slept quietly in the depths of a swamp, the patterns on its shell faintly visible. Her eyes reddened slightly, her heart filled with excitement and hope.

"Brother Damin, will they... will they really become the totems of China?" Chen Xueru asked, her voice choked with emotion.

"Yes, they will." He Damin held her hand tightly, his eyes resolute. "Once they awaken their memories of their past lives, they will understand their mission: to protect China, to protect the soul of the Chinese people in this world, so that they will no longer be bullied."

"What about the Endless Sea? Didn't you say you were going to find the Dragon Clan?" Chen Xueru asked curiously, remembering their previous conversation.

He Damin nodded, his gaze turning eastward: "Deep within the Endless Sea, there truly exists a dragon race. Not these bloodline-possessing demonic beasts, but genuine divine dragons. They have lived in the underwater dragon palace for generations, but now they seem to have fallen into a deep slumber, and someone needs to awaken them."

"So, do you also need to exchange their souls, just like you would exchange the bloodlines of divine beasts or demonic beasts?" Chen Xueru asked with some concern.

"No." He Damin shook his head. "Dragons possess extremely high intelligence and a long history; they don't need to change their souls. What I need to find is the patriarch of the dragon race. I want to negotiate a deal with him to make the dragons allies of China. The dragons are one of the most powerful races in this world. If we can gain their protection, then the soul of China will truly be at peace in this world."

"Then...would they be willing?" Chen Xueru was still a little worried, after all, the dragon race sounded like a very arrogant race.

He Damin smiled confidently: "I'll make them willing."

He stood up and walked to the entrance of the Taoist temple again: "Xueru, wait for me here. This trip to the Endless Sea is a long journey, and the underwater conditions are complicated. It will be more convenient for me to go alone."

"I..." Chen Xueru wanted to say something more, but seeing He Damin's determined eyes, she swallowed her words and nodded obediently, "Then you must be careful!"

"Don't worry." He Damin rubbed her hair, then turned into a streak of light and flew towards the endless sea in the east.

The endless sea stretched as far as the eye could see. Its surface was turbulent, with towering waves and howling winds. The spray rose dozens of feet high, seemingly threatening to swallow the sky. He Damin landed on the sea, his feet resting on a faint layer of spiritual light, standing steadily on the waves, letting the wind whip his Taoist robes. He released his divine sense, probing deep into the seabed with all his might.

Deep in the ocean, pitch blackness reigned, and immense water pressure teemed with bizarre marine creatures. He Damin's divine sense extended downwards, the pressure increasing and the darkness deepening with each step. Yet, he could clearly sense an extremely powerful and ancient life force emanating from the deepest part of the ocean—the very aura of the dragon race!

"Come out," He Damin said softly to the sea, his voice not loud, but carrying an undeniable force. "I know you're here."

As soon as the words left his mouth, the previously turbulent sea suddenly and eerily calmed down, the gale ceased instantly, and the dark clouds in the sky dispersed, revealing a clear sky. Then, the entire sea began to shake violently, and a massive, bottomless crack opened up in the water before He Damin. A colossal golden dragon slowly rose from the crack, its body several times larger than the previous azure dragon. Its scales, as if crafted from gold, shimmered brilliantly in the sunlight; each scale was the size of a millstone. Its eyes, like two golden suns, radiated a majestic and ancient aura. It flapped its wings, creating a gust of wind that parted the surrounding seawater.

The golden dragon lowered its head, its enormous eyes scrutinizing He Damin with curiosity. Its voice boomed like thunder: "Human, who are you? How dare you trespass into my dragon clan's territory and summon me, Your Majesty?"

"My name is He Damin." Standing on the sea, He Damin looked up at the huge golden dragon without fear and said calmly, "I've come to make a deal with you."

"A trade?" The golden dragon seemed somewhat surprised, its golden eyes narrowing slightly. "Human, what do you have that's worth trading with my dragon race?"

"I need you to protect a group of people." He Damin looked directly into the golden dragon's eyes and said, word by word, "A group of souls who have come from the distant land of China. They will take root in this world, build their own empire, and create their own civilization. I need your dragon clan to protect them from harm."

The golden dragon remained silent for a long time, its massive head swaying slightly, as if in thought. "Why should my dragon race protect a group of outsiders? What benefit would that bring us?"

"Because I will give you enough in return." He Damin stretched out his hand, and a soft and holy golden light appeared in his palm. The light emanated a heart-palpitating aura, which was the power of merit. "This is the power of merit bestowed by heaven and earth. It can cleanse your dragon body, allowing you to break through your current bottleneck and become a true divine beast. You may even have the opportunity to touch a higher realm."

The golden dragon's eyes lit up instantly, staring intently at the power of merit in He Damin's palm, its breathing becoming rapid. "Merit? How can you possess such pure power of merit?" Merit is an extremely precious thing for any living being, especially for ancient beings like them who have reached a bottleneck, it is something that can be encountered but not sought after.

"Because I filled in the missing Netherworld in this world and established the complete Six Paths of Reincarnation," He Damin said calmly. "Heaven owes me a favor for this, and this merit is the proof."

The golden dragon fell silent again, its enormous eyes gleaming with contemplation. Protecting a group of foreign souls was not a difficult task for a powerful dragon, and the reward was merit power that would allow it to break through its bottleneck. This deal was clearly worthwhile.

"How long do you want my dragon race to protect them?" the golden dragon finally asked.

"Forever." He Damin said resolutely, "As long as the Chinese heritage continues, as long as there is one Chinese soul in this world, you must protect them for one day."

Jinlong thought for a moment, then nodded solemnly: "Alright. I agree. My dragon race is willing to form an alliance with China and become their guardian beast!"

He Damin smiled slightly and gently pushed the power of merit in his palm forward. The golden light, as if it had a life of its own, quickly flew towards the golden dragon and merged into its body.

The golden dragon's body trembled violently, letting out a dragon roar that shook the heavens and the earth. Its golden scales became even more dazzling, its eyes became even more profound, and the aura emanating from its body instantly became much stronger.

"Ding! The Dragon Emperor has successfully broken through. Current cultivation level: Eighth Rank (equivalent to the Mahayana stage). Guardian Contract established. The Dragon Clan will become the guardian beasts of China."

He Damin nodded in satisfaction: "From now on, the soul of China is entrusted to your Dragon Clan."

Jinlong nodded to He Damin, then with a thud, its massive body sank back into the sea. The cracks in the sea slowly closed, the waves began to surge again, and the wind howled once more, as if everything that had just happened was merely an illusion.

He Damin turned around, transformed into a streak of light, and quickly flew back to the Taoist temple.

Chen Xueru had been waiting anxiously at the entrance of the Taoist temple. Upon seeing He Damin appear, she immediately went to greet him: "Brother Damin, how did it go? Did you succeed?"

"It's done." He Damin smiled and patted her head, speaking in a relaxed tone, "The bloodlines of the four divine beasts have awakened, and the Dragon Clan has agreed to become the guardians of the Chinese soul. From now on, the Chinese soul has the strongest backing in this world!"

Chen Xueru excitedly rushed into He Damin's arms and hugged him tightly: "Brother Damin, you're amazing!"

He Damin held her in his arms, his gaze fixed on the distance, his eyes filled with longing. "It's not that I'm amazing, it's that this world needs them, and the souls of the Chinese people need them too."

He thought of the Chinese souls who had been reincarnated into this world, of their suffering and resentment in their past lives, and of their confusion and hope in this life. All he did was to enable them to live with more dignity and freedom in this strange world, and to see a future full of hope.

"Xue Ru," He Damin called softly.

"Hmm?" Chen Xueru responded muffledly in his arms.

"When they grow up and establish themselves in this world, we'll go back together and visit our hometown."

"Okay!" Chen Xueru nodded vigorously in his arms, a happy smile on her face.

The winds of the underworld still blew, carrying a chill, but at this moment, He Damin and Chen Xueru's hearts were filled with warmth and hope.