Courtyard House: Time Traveler Not Yet a Ghost

Late at night, in the east courtyard.

Moonlight streamed through the window paper, spreading a cool, silvery frost across the blue brick floor. He Damin sat cross-legged on the kang (a heated brick bed), his eyes slightly closed, his breathing long and shallow, as if he had become one with the night.

But his consciousness had already sunk deep into the Taiji space.

The Yin-Yang Space remained unchanged since time immemorial: a hazy gray sky, a hard, black rocky ground, and a faint chill and deathly stillness permeating the air. The only source of light was the Soul Refining Banner, suspended in the center, slowly rotating and emanating a deep, blood-red light and a ghostly aura.

On the banner, the patterns of a hundred demons were depicted with exquisite detail, their grotesque and twisted forms seemingly poised to break free from the banner's constraints and devour their prey. The dark gold dragon scale patterns on the banner pole shimmered with an eerie light under the blood-red glow, faintly echoing with the interplay of low dragon roars and ghostly howls. The ghostly chains hanging from the banner's end, coiled with ghastly green, soul-corroding flames, hovered silently, yet emanated a terrifying pressure that sent shivers down one's spine.

He Damin's soul form solidified like a real person, hovering in front of the Soul Refining Banner. He stretched out his hand and pressed it lightly on the banner, his mind closely connected with this natal soul weapon.

Of all the items he obtained from the Yin-Yang Space beginner's gift pack since his transmigration, the Soul Refining Banner was undoubtedly the one he used the most, relied on the most, and grew the fastest. From initially only being able to absorb and refine the remnants of wandering ghosts and spirits, to now being a malevolent artifact that has undergone three advancements and unlocked many powerful abilities, the Soul Refining Banner has witnessed and carried almost every step of his struggle for survival and accumulation of power in this chaotic world.

He silently recited the unlocked abilities in his mind:

The initial Soul Refining Banner (Fragment) had a single function, but it was the foundation for the growth of his soul.

Upon his first upgrade, he unlocked the [Blood Soul Chains] and [Soul Banner Domain], granting him the ability to directly attack souls and suppress areas of effect.

With its second upgrade, the Blood Soul Chain gains the [Soul Devouring] trait, expands its domain and adds the [Soul-Capturing Maze], and unlocks the [Night Parade of One Hundred Demons], which creates chaos.

The third advancement represents a qualitative leap! The [Netherworld Chains] come with [Soul-Eating Yin Fire], greatly increasing its lethality against spirits; the [Soul Banner Domain] expands to a radius of fifty feet, and the newly added [Wailing of Vengeful Spirits] can massively damage morale; the [Night Parade of a Hundred Ghosts] summons stronger and more numerous phantoms, which can even briefly materialize to attack; and the strategic [Soul Banner Projection] and the [Soul Devouring Feedback] which accelerates cultivation are also unlocked.

"More than 1,500 pure soul energies..." He Damin's divine sense probed into the space inside the banner. There, floating were more than 1,500 clusters of soul essence of varying sizes, all radiating a pure and soft white light. These were the most essential parts that he had recently extracted, especially during the two operations in Fengtai, after the Soul Refining Banner devoured the souls of thousands of Japanese soldiers, removing all resentment, impurities, and fragments of memory.

Previously, in order to advance the Soul Refining Banner and for combat consumption, he absorbed mostly impure soul power, or only took a small portion of pure soul power. Now that the banner has advanced to a stable level, these stored "refined rations" are the best supplements to temper his soul and solidify his foundation.

"Let's begin."

With a thought, the Soul Refining Banner trembled slightly. Within the banner's space, the brightest orbs of soul power were drawn out by an invisible force, drifting slowly towards He Damin's soul body through the banner's surface.

He Damin opened his "mouth," which had no physical form but formed a vortex of soul power. The first ball of pure soul power, about the size of a fist, was sucked in.

"boom--!"

A cool, pure, and powerful surge of soul energy exploded within his soul! Like a spring flowing through a dried-up riverbed, or warm sunlight illuminating a cold corner. Every inch of his soul's "skin," every "vein," and even the space between his brows where the soul core was concentrated, felt an incomparably comfortable sensation, as if his life force was being nourished and evolved.

He could clearly "see" that his soul body had become more solid, and the previously somewhat illusory and transparent edges had quickly become clear and stable, emitting a faint golden glow. The rotation speed of the soul core had increased slightly, and its volume seemed to expand slightly as well.

Without the slightest hesitation, the second, the third... more and more pure soul energy orbs were successively absorbed.

The absorption process is not simply a matter of accumulating energy. He Damin uses the soul tempering method he comprehended from the "Taoist Primordial Elixir Method" to guide these foreign soul energies to merge, temper, and purify with his own origin. He removes the dross and retains the essence, completely erasing any remaining traces of foreign imprints or attributes in the soul energy, transforming it into the purest and most compatible soul nourishment.

There is no concept of time within the Yin-Yang Space. He Damin was immersed in the wonderful feeling of his soul rapidly growing stronger. His soul body was changing at a speed visible to the naked eye: his body seemed to have grown slightly taller, his outline was clearer and more lifelike, the golden soul power flowing around his body was becoming more and more concentrated, and at the soul core between his eyebrows, the golden light was dazzling, and inside there were faintly more complex Tai Chi runes that were being created and destroyed.

When the last and largest clump of soul power was completely absorbed, He Damin's soul body suddenly trembled!

"Buzz—!"

A soul fluctuation several times stronger than before erupted from his body, stirring up howling winds within the Yin-Yang Space! His soul body shone with golden light, resembling a pale golden glass statue, solemn and dignified (though its eyes remained cold), yet exuding a chilling pressure.

He slowly opened his eyes, and golden light flowed in his soul's eye, as if it could see through illusion.

With a slight thought, perception expanded outward like a tide, instantly bursting out of the Tai Chi space, covering the entire courtyard of the East Wing, No. 95 Nanluoguxiang, the nearby alleys and streets... and continued to spread rapidly outward!

1,000 meters, 5,000 meters, 10,000 meters, 30,000 meters, 50,000 meters...

Finally, at a distance of approximately 72,000 kilometers (72 km) from his physical body, the expansion of his perception encountered a noticeable stagnation, as if it had struck a flexible barrier, making it difficult to continue breaking through easily. However, within this range, the outlines and auras of all living beings and objects with soul fluctuations, and even some clear fragments of emotions and thoughts (for targets with soul strength far lower than his), were clearly discernible, as if reading lines on his palm!

"The range of my soul's out-of-body activity has expanded to seventy-two kilometers..." He Damin felt a surge of pride as he experienced this absolute control over a vast area. This meant that, centered on Beiping City where his physical body was located, almost everything within a radius of over one hundred kilometers (in diameter) was within the reach and operational radius of his soul! Combined with the many abilities of the Soul Refining Banner, especially at night, he was the master of the darkness in this area!

Strength is the greatest source of confidence in chaotic times!

His soul returned to the Taiji Space, where he familiarized himself with the specific applications and consumption of the Soul Refining Banner's various abilities after its third advancement, especially the newly unlocked [Soul Banner Projection] and [Soul Devouring Feedback]. The former can be used to set traps or to absorb free soul power from a specific area over a long period; the latter greatly increases his endurance and recovery speed when using the Soul Refining Banner in future battles, creating a virtuous cycle of becoming stronger the longer the battle goes on.

Only after his soul body was completely stabilized and he became familiar with the new power did He Damin turn his consciousness to the other side of the Taiji Space—the Yang Yang Space.

In stark contrast to the deathly cold of the cathode, the anode space is always warm as spring, with gentle sunlight (although the light source is unclear), and the hundred acres of black soil exude a fertile atmosphere, with three thatched huts standing quietly.

He Damin's figure (a projection of his consciousness) appeared in the study. On the desk, besides the Four Treasures of the Study, there were also seven skill cards that were quietly shimmering with light.

He picked up four cards he had already used: "National Martial Arts: Twelve Tan Legs," "Tai Chi Hehuan Gong," "Lightness Skill: Swallow Three Drops of Water," and "Bajiquan." The cards felt warm to the touch, and the inherited knowledge within had long since become integrated with him. It was these four skills, combined with the modifications from the Marrow Cleansing Pill and Foundation Building Pill, that allowed him to advance his national martial arts cultivation to the Transformation Realm in a short period of time, laying a solid foundation for close combat.

His gaze fell on the remaining three cards: Xingyiquan, Taijiquan, and Wing Chun.

These three styles of boxing are all national treasures of martial arts, each with its own emphasis and exquisite techniques. Xingyiquan is fierce and powerful, drawing inspiration from form and focusing on explosive power in actual combat; Taijiquan is soft yet strong, emphasizing using softness to overcome hardness and striking after the opponent has moved, combining health preservation with practical combat; Wing Chun is characterized by its short stance and close-quarters combat, with concise and ruthless moves, making it especially suitable for close-quarters entanglement.

"Skill cards...can they be given to others to use?" A thought arose in He Damin's mind.

The system had long since disappeared, and no one could answer that question. But he recalled his experience using the skill cards—it wasn't a simple indoctrination of knowledge, but more like a "transmission" that was directly imprinted into his soul's instincts, accompanied by some cultivation insights. This method of transmission didn't seem to rely entirely on the system itself, but rather on the magical effects inherent in the skill cards.

"Perhaps... we can give it a try." A thoughtful glint flashed in his eyes.

My eldest brother, He Daqing, is honest and straightforward, with considerable strength, but he lacks any martial arts foundation. Xingyi Quan (Form and Intention Boxing) is powerful and direct, easy to learn but difficult to master, but relatively quick to grasp, which suits his personality perfectly. With martial arts as a skill, he'll have an extra layer of self-defense in this chaotic world. Once he's mastered the basics of traditional Chinese martial arts and his qi and blood are stable, we can give him a Marrow Cleansing Pill to improve his physique; perhaps he can achieve great things in the future.

My sister-in-law, Lü Bingxin, is a woman, and while she is physically weak, she is very perceptive. Wing Chun emphasizes skillful techniques and speed, with agile movements, excelling at overcoming stronger opponents and possessing exceptional close-quarters defensive capabilities, making it perfectly suited for a woman's training. Similarly, once she masters the art, the Marrow Cleansing Pill will improve her physique, at least strengthening her body and reducing illness.

As for Xiaoyuzhu… he is still young, and his muscles and bones are not yet fully developed, so it is not advisable for him to learn powerful and forceful martial arts too early. Tai Chi Chuan has a more prominent health-preserving effect; its movements are gentle and soothing, helping to build a solid foundation and cultivate character. We can teach him Tai Chi Chuan when he is a few years older and has established a good foundation, and with the help of a marrow-cleansing pill, his future will be promising.

Once the idea took hold, it became increasingly clear.

He Damin suffered hardship in his past life, and cherishes the warmth of family in this life. He cannot always protect his family (in fact, he often goes out at night to "operate"), so improving his family's own strength is the best protection. He doesn't ask them to become unparalleled masters, but only that they have the ability to fight back or escape when faced with danger.

"Let's start with the eldest brother," He Damin decided. He picked up the Xingyiquan skill card.

Consciousness returned to the body, and the eyes slowly opened. Outside the window, the sky was still dark; dawn was still some time away.

He Damin got up from the kang (a heated brick bed), quietly left the east courtyard, and came to the window of the main room. He used his spiritual sense to confirm that his elder brother He Daqing and sister-in-law Lü Bingxin were both fast asleep, and Xiao Yuzhu was breathing evenly on the small bed in the inner room.

He gently pushed open the half-closed door (in those days, many families didn't lock their doors at night), slipped in like a ghost, and made no sound. He came to He Daqing's bedside and looked at his elder brother's honest face as he slept soundly.

He Damin gently placed the Xingyiquan skill card on He Daqing's forehead. The moment the card touched the skin, it transformed into a barely perceptible stream of light, silently disappearing into He Daqing's brow.

He Daqing seemed to frown slightly in his sleep, his body stirred slightly, he mumbled something indistinctly, turned over, and fell back into a deep sleep. The skill card's inheritance process is gentle and discreet, and will not wake the host.

He Damin carefully sensed it with his spiritual awareness. There was a very subtle change in his elder brother's soul fluctuations; something seemed to have appeared, but it quickly subsided. The inheritance should have already begun, and it would gradually merge and be released in He Daqing's dreams and subconscious in the future.

After doing all this, He Damin quietly left the main house and returned to the east wing.

He didn't try using the Wing Chun card on his sister-in-law again. Firstly, he needed to observe his brother's reaction and the effects after using it; secondly, his sister-in-law was more perceptive, and suddenly passing on the skill to her might cause her to suspect something and question him, which would only make things more complicated. He could wait until his brother had practiced to a certain level, and then find a suitable opportunity to use the card on her naturally, under the pretext of "when I teach my brother, you can learn along with me."

As for the Marrow Cleansing Pill… He Damin took out the small jade bottle containing ten pills from his Taiji space. This thing is extremely potent and must be taken only after they have mastered the basics of martial arts and their bodies have undergone a certain amount of training so that their qi and blood can withstand the cleansing effect of the medicine. Otherwise, if they use it rashly, their bodies will not be able to withstand the benefits and it will be harmful.

He figured that when his older brother practiced his boxing until his whole body ached, his blood and qi were noticeably more active, and he could feel some power in his punches, he would have probably entered the beginner level. At that time, he could prepare some medicinal baths or dietary supplements as a foundation, and then have him take the Marrow Cleansing Pill.

Having completed these arrangements, He Damin felt much more at ease. He sat down cross-legged again and began to circulate the "Tai Chi Harmony Skill" to harmonize the blood and true essence within his body, which had become somewhat turbulent due to the absorption of a large amount of soul power, while continuing to consolidate the newly grown soul power.

The sky outside the window changed from deep black to dark blue without anyone noticing, and then gradually turned into a pale white.