Courtyard House: Time Traveler Not Yet a Ghost

There was no day or night cycle within the Taiji Space, but He Damin, through his soul perception, knew that seven full days had passed in the outside world. During those seven days, Beiping was in a state of panic. The Japanese soldiers searched the entire city like madmen. Although news of the theft at the Yongdingmen Railway Station warehouse was strictly suppressed, the disappearance of such a large quantity of supplies could not be concealed. It was said that when the warehouse was opened that morning, three—six warehouses—of the guards fainted on the spot; nearly 80% of the supplies had vanished without a trace, leaving only scattered empty boxes and miscellaneous items.

The Japanese high command was furious. The North China Expeditionary Army Headquarters ordered a thorough investigation, mobilizing the military police, the Special Higher Police, and even a detective team transferred from Tianjin. In just seven days, hundreds of so-called "rebels" were arrested throughout the city, and several capitalists who regularly dealt with Japanese trading companies were also implicated, their assets confiscated—it was clear to everyone that this was an attempt to cover up the losses incurred in the warehouses.

"It's just a desperate measure." He Damin sat on the threshold of the Taiji Space kitchen, drinking millet porridge with pickled vegetables, a cold smile on his lips.

He spent almost all his days in the Taiji Space, only occasionally venturing out at night to investigate. His physical body recovered quickly—ample nutrition, a warm environment, and the original owner's youthful physique had restored his sallow complexion, giving him a healthy rosy glow. More importantly, as the fusion of his body and soul became increasingly perfect, he finally broke free from his greatest constraint—he was no longer bound to Xiao Yuzhu at No. 95 Nanluoguxiang. "Now, wherever my body is, within a radius of 15220 meters, my spirit can move freely." He Damin felt the connection between his soul and body, a long-lost sense of freedom welling up within him.

However, the spirit is still in the stage of transforming from a yin spirit to a yang spirit, and has not yet fully transformed. This means that he still cannot be active in the sunlight during the day, but he has broken through the limitation of 1 a.m. to 3 a.m. - now he can come and go freely throughout the night.

During these seven days, besides recovering his health, he also organized the supplies in the Taiji Space. Food was categorized and stacked, medicine was stored in a special area, and weapons and ammunition were carefully counted and registered. The only things he hadn't had time to examine closely were the gold, silver, treasures, and antiques—there were too many, and just counting them would take a lot of time.

"Today, it's time to begin." He Damin put down his bowl, a determined look flashing in his eyes.

On the anode side of the Tai Chi space, beside the pool. He Damin had specially cleared out a space here. The water in the pool was crystal clear, shimmering with a faint spiritual light—after observing it for the past few days, he discovered that the water was not only sweet, but also seemed to have a slight nourishing effect.

He Damin sat cross-legged on the bluestone by the pool, taking out a small jade bottle from his robes. The bottle was warm to the touch and cool to the touch; it was the Marrow Cleansing Pill left behind by the system. He poured out one pill. The pill was about the size of a soybean, entirely emerald green, with cloud-like patterns flowing across its surface, emitting a refreshing fragrance. Just one whiff was enough to make every pore on his body feel relaxed and refreshed.

"The Marrow Cleansing Pill... I hope it lives up to its name." Without hesitation, He Damin tilted his head back and swallowed the pill.

The pill melted instantly upon entering his mouth, transforming into a warm current that flowed down his throat. At first, it felt wonderful, like soaking in a hot spring, a warm sensation spreading through his entire body. But just three breaths later, excruciating pain struck! The warm current suddenly turned scalding hot, surging through his meridians like lava! He Damin groaned, large beads of sweat instantly forming on his forehead. He could clearly feel his meridians being forcibly stretched and torn wherever the heat passed, only to be quickly repaired by a cool energy.

Pain! Excruciating pain! But he gritted his teeth and remained silent. What kind of pain hadn't he experienced during his training on Killer Island in his previous life? Broken bones, torn flesh, drug experiments... Although the pain from the Marrow Cleansing Pill was intense, it was still within his tolerance.

More importantly, he could feel his body transforming. A warm current washed over every meridian, expelling all the accumulated impurities and toxins. A black, viscous substance began to seep from his skin, emitting a pungent, fishy odor. His bones crackled softly, as if they were being reformed. This process lasted a full hour.

As the excruciating pain gradually subsided, He Damin was completely covered in black mud. But the moment he opened his eyes, a glint of light flashed in them. "Hoo..." He let out a long breath, which lingered and formed a white ribbon in the air.

His body felt completely different. Light, clear, and full of power. His physique, which had been weak from prolonged hunger, now seemed to have been reborn. He tried clenching his fist, and his knuckles made a crisp sound. The muscle lines on his arms were faintly visible—although he was still thin, he was no longer the skin and bones of a frail person, but rather lean and strong.

"The Marrow Cleansing Pill...it's truly miraculous."

He Damin stood up and stretched his limbs. Every movement was fluid and natural, demonstrating an unprecedented level of control over his body. He could even clearly feel the blood flowing in his veins and the power delivered by each heartbeat.

Without hesitation, he jumped into the pool. The cool water washed over his body, cleansing away the impurities. When He Damin emerged from the water, he looked completely refreshed.

Her skin was much fairer, and although she was still rather thin, her muscles were well-proportioned and her lines were smooth. The most striking feature was her eyes—bright, sharp, and revealing a depth and composure beyond her years.

"This is just the beginning." He Damin dried himself off and changed into a clean set of clothes—ordinary cotton clothes he had taken from the Japanese warehouse. They were simple, but thick and warm.

Next, the skill cards. He Damin went to the study and picked up the seven faintly glowing cards from the desk. He examined them carefully and chose four:

"National Martial Arts: Twelve Tan Legs" – Powerful and fierce leg techniques. "Tai Chi Hehuan Gong" – Internal martial arts, harmonizing Yin and Yang. "Lightness Skill: Swallow Three Drops of Water" – Agile and swift movement techniques. "Bajiquan" – Close-quarters combat with extremely high explosive power. These four martial arts form a complete system: internal strength as the foundation, leg techniques as the main offensive, fist techniques for close combat, and lightness skill for mobility.

"Let's start with the Tai Chi Harmony Exercise." He Damin picked up the card. The moment the card touched his hand, it transformed into a stream of light and disappeared into his brow.

A massive influx of information flooded my mind instantly! It wasn't text, nor images, but a direct "inheritance." Countless insights into cultivation, methods of circulating qi, and key points of yin-yang harmony were etched into the depths of my soul like a brand.

He Damin sat cross-legged and began cultivating according to the methods passed down in the lineage. His breathing gradually became long and deep. With each inhale and exhale, the spiritual energy in the Tai Chi space was drawn in, transforming into wisps of warm current that flowed into his body. This spiritual energy circulated along specific routes in his meridians, and with each cycle, his body grew warmer.

This is internal energy cultivation! Unlike the external martial arts of his previous life, this is a true method for cultivating internal energy. He Damin could feel a warm energy gradually condensing in his dantian—though still very weak, it was definitely there.

Three hours later, he slowly finished his practice. "So that's how Tai Chi Harmony Exercise works." He Damin's eyes flashed with understanding.

The core of this skill lies in "harmony." Harmonizing yin and yang, harmonizing strength and gentleness, harmonizing body and mind. When cultivated to a high level, not only does one possess enduring internal strength, but one can also maintain the body in optimal condition at all times, with a recovery ability far exceeding that of ordinary people.

"Perfect for me right now." Next up is "Twelve Tan Leg Techniques." The cards transformed into streams of light, another piece of heritage being incorporated. This time, it was countless leg techniques, power generation skills, and practical applications. He Damin stood up and began practicing in the open space by the pool.

At first, he was a bit awkward, but soon, his combat instincts as a former assassin were activated. The moves were no longer rigid routines, but incorporated his practical experience, becoming more ruthless and vicious.

"Twelve styles of Tan Tui, every style a deadly move!" He Damin practiced with increasing ease, his legs whistling through the air, whipping up fallen leaves. His movements were fierce and swift, each kick carrying a whistling sound. If there were a slab of bluestone in front of him right now, he could probably shatter it with a single kick.

Then there's Bajiquan. Its style is fierce and powerful, emphasizing close-quarters combat and aggressive attacks. When He Damin demonstrates, each punch carries the full power of his body, creating a chilling wind. Even more remarkable is how Bajiquan's power generation techniques complement Tan Tui—attacking from above and kicking from below, suitable for both close and distant situations.

Finally, there's "Lightness Skill: Swallow Three-Point Water." This skill emphasizes agility and speed, excelling at short-distance maneuvering and turning. He Damin demonstrated it on the open ground beside the pool, his figure as swift as a swallow, leaping several meters with just three points of leverage. Although he can't yet walk on water, it's already quite astonishing on flat ground.

After practicing the four martial arts techniques, He Damin was covered in sweat, but his spirits were high. He could feel these techniques rapidly integrating into his body, becoming an instinctive part of him. This was not merely the inheritance of skill cards, but a perfect combination of his past life's assassin experience and his current martial arts skills.

But the most important thing hasn't even begun yet. He Damin sat down cross-legged again, closed his eyes, and let his consciousness sink into the depths of his soul. There, two memories resided.

One part is He Damin's present life—short, difficult, and full of regrets. The other part is Ling Yun's past life—dark, bloody, but also dazzling.

"It's time for a true fusion." He Damin didn't choose "overwrite," but "fusion." What he wanted was not simply to inherit memories, but to perfectly integrate the experiences, abilities, and even personality traits of the two lifetimes into one.

This process was far more dangerous than taking the Marrow Cleansing Pill. Memories surged forth like a tide, colliding and merging. The assassin training, mission experiences, and killing techniques of his past life… the hunger and cold of this life, the obsession with finding his brother, the complex emotions of hatred and resentment towards his father…

Two drastically different lives clashed fiercely in the depths of their souls. He Damin was pale, veins bulging on his forehead. He was enduring excruciating pain on a spiritual level—the agony of two personalities, two experiences, and two worldviews being forcibly merged.

But he gritted his teeth and persevered. Only in this way could he be the complete "He Damin"—possessing both the body and identity of this life, as well as the experience and abilities of his past life, rather than simply "Ling Yun occupying He Damin's body."

Time passed slowly. In the Tai Chi space, there was no rotation of the sun or moon; it was impossible to know how much time had elapsed.

When He Damin opened his eyes again, everything was different. His gaze was deeper, containing both the clarity of a young man and the maturity of someone who had experienced life's hardships. His demeanor was more reserved, possessing both the vitality appropriate for his age and the coldness and alertness unique to an assassin.

Most importantly, the memories were completely integrated. He could now access all the skills from his previous life at will: proficiency in firearms, mastery of hand-to-hand combat, disguise, multiple languages, hacking skills, financial knowledge, chemistry and physics... those world-class assassin skills had all become a part of him.

But at the same time, he also fully inherited the emotions of this life: his concern for his brother He Daqing, his complex feelings for his father He Xi, and his understanding and experience of this era. "I am He Damin," he murmured to himself, "and also Lingyun."

"From today onwards, this is the complete me." Standing up, He Damin felt the whole world was different. His body had been transformed by the Marrow Cleansing Pill, a complete metamorphosis. Although he hadn't yet cultivated particularly strong internal energy, the foundation was solid, and the future held great promise.

In terms of skills, he has just entered the initial stage of four traditional Chinese martial arts, and combined with his killing techniques from his previous life, his combat power has skyrocketed. Even if he were to encounter three or five armed Japanese soldiers now, he would be confident that he could defeat them in close combat.

His memories were completely integrated; having lived two lives, his experience and wisdom far surpassed that of ordinary people. More importantly, he had a clear plan. "First, I must improve my strength as quickly as possible. I must diligently practice the Tai Chi Harmony Skill; it's the foundation. Other skills also need constant refinement."

A cold glint flashed in He Damin's eyes. "It's time for the Japanese devils to pay the price."

He went to the study, took out a Type 14 Nambu pistol from a drawer—it had been taken from a Japanese warehouse; although its performance wasn't great, it was sufficient for self-defense. He also took two boxes of ammunition and hid them on his person.

Then, with a thought, he left the Taiji Space and reappeared in the dilapidated courtyard outside Zhengyang Gate. It was late at night, and all was quiet.

He Damin stood in the courtyard, gazing at the starry sky. The winter night wind was still biting, but it meant nothing to him—his body, after undergoing marrow cleansing, had greatly enhanced its resistance to cold.

He stretched his limbs, feeling the newfound power within him. "It's time to go out for a walk." Pushing open the courtyard gate, He Damin stepped into the night of Beiping City.

A slender figure cast a long shadow on the street. His steps were unhurried yet remarkably steady. His eyes shone like stars in the darkness, scanning the city that was both familiar and strange.