Courtyard House: Time Traveler Not Yet a Ghost

The night in Baoding was as black as a piece of velvet soaked in thick ink.

He Damin stood atop an abandoned brick kiln five miles outside the city, the night wind ruffling his dark gray robes. His eyes were closed, but his mind had already transformed into eighty invisible threads, passing through the city walls and entwining around those key figures in Baoding—the machine gunner, the artillery observer, the sergeant guarding the armory, and the duty officer in the command post.

Compared to three days ago in Taiyuan, his operation was now much more refined.

Back then, his possession techniques were still clumsy from their first large-scale application, like a craftsman wielding a heavy hammer for the first time—powerful but inevitably rough. But now, after a night of tempering in Taiyuan, his soul control had reached a level of effortless mastery. Each fragment of his soul was precisely and gently inserted, like the most skilled embroiderer threading a needle, silently taking over control of those bodies while preserving their outward "normality" to the greatest extent possible.

The time was still exactly 10 p.m.

There was no signal, no password. The instant the second and minute hands of the pocket watch coincided at the Roman numeral "XII", eighty commands arrived simultaneously through the soul connection, like mercury spilling onto the ground.

At the Japanese regiment's garrison north of Baoding, on the rooftop, machine gunner Yoshida's finger rested on the cold trigger as usual. He was thinking about a letter from home yesterday, saying the cherry blossoms in Hokkaido were almost in bloom. The next second, his consciousness was gently suppressed and covered. His finger remained on the trigger, and even his expression didn't change, only a cold glint in the depths of his eyes replaced his original thoughts. Slowly, almost imperceptibly, he lowered the muzzle of his gun by an inch, the crosshairs in his scope steadily catching the changing of the guard patrol below.

In the warehouse district south of the city, sentry Yamamoto yawned. The moment drowsiness washed over him, a cool sensation seeped into the back of his neck. He blinked, the drowsiness vanished, replaced by unusual alertness. He turned to his comrade on guard duty, offering the same smile as always, his right hand hanging naturally at his side, gripping the pin of a grenade at his waist.

The workshops of the western arsenal were brightly lit. Foreman Fujiwara, holding a leather whip, was about to lash a worker who was moving too slowly. The whip stopped abruptly halfway up. Fujiwara's eyes widened in surprise for a moment, then returned to normal. He lowered the whip, walked to the workshop's main power switch, and, as if to check something, placed his hand on it.

"Fire."

Two words, as light as a sigh.

Yoshida's fingers clenched.

"Da da da da—!!!"

Explosions ripped through the night sky of Baoding, and blood splattered among the patrol team. Almost simultaneously, Yamamoto pulled the lever and tossed a hissing, smoking grenade into the ammunition depot beside him; Fujiwara pulled the switch, plunging the entire workshop into darkness and screams; throughout the city, machine guns, rifles, and even grenade launchers simultaneously showered death upon their unsuspecting "own men"!

Chaos erupted like gasoline that had been ignited!

But unlike the frenzy of that night in Taiyuan, this chaos carried a subtle, more efficient "rhythm." After completing their first round of attacks, the possessed soldiers often didn't engage in indiscriminate firing, but rather precisely targeted and killed officers and sergeants attempting to organize a counterattack. When their bodies were felled by enraged allies, the pale golden fragments of their souls would detach gracefully and pounce on the next pre-locked target—perhaps another machine gunner, a communications soldier trying to call for backup, or a medic rushing out with a first-aid kit.

Possession, slaughter, death, detachment, re-possession… the cycle relentlessly grinds on like a finely tuned gear. The Soul Refining Banner hovers above Baoding City, its surface unfurling silently in the night wind, greedily absorbing the endless stream of terrified, desperate, and violent souls rising from the battlefield. Those souls, like rivers flowing into the sea, sink into the deep banner, where they are swiftly refined and purified.

He Damin's physical form stood motionless atop the brick kiln, expressionless. His main soul oversaw the entire situation, like a deity high in the clouds, coldly overlooking the city's self-destruction. He could "hear" the silent shrieks of souls being extracted, and "see" the blood beads and pure soul power accumulating within the Soul Refining Banner at a visible speed.

At four in the morning, when the gunfire in the city had completely subsided to sporadic bursts, He Damin's main soul returned carrying the banner. He didn't bother to check on the carnage in the city; there was no need to see it anymore. The feeling of fullness emanating from the Soul Refining Banner, and the surge in soul reserves within the Yin-Yang Space, spoke volumes.

He turned and headed north.

His figure darted swiftly through the rugged mountain paths of Yanshan, as fast as a ghost. The true essence of the Golden Core stage surged through his meridians, combined with the ultimate control of his body as a Grandmaster of Internal Energy, allowing him to traverse the treacherous mountains as if walking on flat ground. In the deepest darkness before dawn, he had already crossed several mountain ridges and returned to that secret valley surrounded by cliffs.

Before the morning light touched the valley floor, the rising steam from the hot springs enveloped the treehouse, the neatly arranged medicinal fields, and the blue-brick swimming pool in a hazy white veil.

He Damin didn't rest in the treehouse, but went directly to the deepest part of the valley, to a natural stone platform backed by a vertical cliff. The platform was flat, with a protruding boulder on top, which provided shelter from the wind and rain and any possible view from above. The place was quiet and the atmosphere was calm, making it an ideal place for secluded cultivation and breakthrough.

He sat down cross-legged and first took a pill to strengthen his body and replenish his vital energy. After the medicine took effect and his vital energy and blood were restored to their full potential, he slowly sank his consciousness into his dantian.

Within the Golden Core, the small world is clearly divided into Yin and Yang.

In the anode space, on a vast land, warehouses stand in rows, and supplies are piled up like mountains. More than half of the 100 square kilometers of space has been filled, and everything is in good order.

His consciousness bypassed these and went directly into the cathode space.

In the center of the hazy, gray world, the Soul Refining Banner floated silently. Purple-gold Dao patterns flowed ceaselessly across its surface, radiating a chilling pressure. The scene surrounding the banner was magnificent.

That is a near-"substantial" reserve of the soul!

On the left were over 30,000 tiny, blood-red beads, each the size of a grain of rice, their radiance restrained. They were not still, but rather, as if alive, slowly swirling around the Soul Refining Banner, forming a massive blood-red vortex. Each bead of blood condensed the life essence and intense emotions of a Japanese soldier before his death; it was a crystallization of the most yang and fierce energy, the best fuel for igniting the "Yang Fire" when breaking through to the Yang God Realm.

On the right were 32,743 pure, milky-white soul entities! Their forms were even more ethereal, like smoke and mist, radiating a soft and holy light, like a swarm of fireflies gathering into a river in a summer night's wilderness. This was the most primal and gentle soul energy left behind after the Soul Refining Banner had completely removed memories, obsessions, and all impurities; it was an excellent tonic for nourishing and strengthening the soul's origin.

Such a vast quantity, such exquisite quality, floats quietly in this place where souls find their rest, waiting to be taken by their master.

Even though He Damin's will was as firm as a rock, when his divine sense swept over this astonishing accumulation, his mind couldn't help but be stirred by a ripple.

"Thirty-two thousand...that's enough. More than enough."

He no longer hesitated.

The phantom of the main soul manifested in the center of the Yin-Yang space, breathing in sync with the physical body seated outside. With a thought, the Soul Refining Banner trembled slightly.

As if hearing a silent command, the more than 30,000 pure, milky-white souls, like swallows returning to their nests or like a galaxy rolling back, came from all directions, with soft tails of light, and merged into the phantom of the main soul!

There was no pain, only a warm, full feeling, as if every "corner" of the soul was filled with the purest energy. The phantom of the main soul became solid and bright at a visible speed, the pale golden light gradually turning into pure gold, and its volume slowly and steadily expanded.

For three days, he sat in meditation, neither eating nor drinking. His physical body outside was like a clay sculpture, but within the Yin-Yang space, it was a feast for the soul. When the last pure soul merged with him, the illusory image of the main soul transformed into a colossal humanoid figure, three meters tall, its entire body radiant as if cast from pure gold! Light flowed, majesty arose spontaneously, and the density and strength of his soul had reached the pinnacle of the Yin-Yang realm, even faintly touching the barrier of ultimate Yang.

The real test is yet to come.

He Damin's mind stirred again. Within the crimson vortex, a thousand of the most condensed blood beads detached from the group, flew to the vicinity of the golden main soul, and suddenly exploded!

"boom--!"

A silent roar exploded at the soul level! The bursting blood droplets transformed into raging crimson flames, instantly engulfing the golden main soul!

"snort!"

Outside, He Damin's physical body trembled violently, his forehead instantly covered in fine beads of sweat, which were then evaporated by his true essence. Inside the Yin-Yang Space, the excruciating pain of burning the soul far exceeded the limits of physical endurance, as if every inch of his soul was being thrown into a furnace and repeatedly forged by an iron hammer! The golden main soul twisted and trembled in the blood-red flames, and wisps of gray smoke, representing the last traces of the soul's yin essence and impurities, were burned out and dissipated.

This is tempering, purification, and the necessary torture to transform the soul from "yin" to "yang".

The crimson flames burned for three days and three nights, until a thousand blood beads were consumed.

The main soul shrank to 2.5 meters, but its light became more restrained and solid, and fine flame marks, like innate patterns, faintly appeared on its surface.

"continue!"

Two thousand blood beads were injected!

A fiercer, more domineering flame shot into the sky! Fine cracks began to appear on the surface of the golden main soul, like porcelain about to shatter, but deep within the cracks shone an even purer, more intense golden light! Destruction precedes construction; without destruction, there is no construction!

Three more days of torment followed. When the flames died down again, the main soul had compressed to the same size as the physical body, its entire form resembling shimmering gold, radiating a warm, rather than scorching, yang energy. Most of the yin essence had vanished, and the yang fire was beginning to rise.

"The final step, to seal the victory in one fell swoop!"

He Damin's mind was as calm as an ancient well, and he ignited all the remaining 29,000 blood beads!

"Buzz—!"

The entire Yin-Yang space was filled with the boundless, blood-gold flames! It was no longer just an envelopment, but a complete submersion and fusion! The golden main soul sat solemnly in the center of the sea of ​​fire, its countenance dignified, without the slightest tremor. It slowly rotated, and with each rotation, the flames faded and merged a little, making the main soul more solid and transparent.

Time flows silently outside, and no one knows when the flowers bloom and fade in the valley. He Damin, sitting on the stone platform, is covered with a thin layer of dust, like an ancient Buddha in meditation.

I don't know how much time passed, maybe a month, maybe longer.

Inside the cathode space, the flames that filled the sky finally subsided completely.

In the center of the space, a tall, upright humanoid figure, identical to He Damin's original form, stood silently. He was about 1.8 meters tall, possessing an indescribable "texture"—neither gold nor jade, neither illusory nor real, with skin textures as clear as a real person, expressive eyes that seemed to speak, and every single hair meticulously detailed. A faint, warm golden halo enveloped him, illuminating the hazy, negative space and even making the six rotating light holes appear clearer.

Yang Shen, accomplished!

Just as the Yang God opened his eyes—a flash of golden divine flame seemed to appear in those eyes—He Damin's physical body outside also opened his eyes simultaneously.

Dust settled down in a soft rustling sound.

He didn't get up, but a thought flickered in his mind.

Within the Yin-Yang Space, the pure golden Yang God took a step forward, ignoring the barrier between the Golden Core and the Small World, and directly manifested in front of the stone platform in the Secret Valley!

It was noon! The thin mist above the Yanshan abyss could not completely block the blazing sunlight. Beams of light pierced the valley like swords, and one of them shone directly on the newly manifested Yang God!

If it were a yin spirit, being exposed to the pure yang light of midday would instantly melt away like ice and snow, its soul and body damaged. But at this moment, the golden yang spirit, bathed in sunlight, felt no discomfort whatsoever; on the contrary, its entire body shone slightly brighter, as if it were resonating harmoniously with the sunlight. Warm, fulfilling, as if this was how it should be.

The Yang God raised his hand, and sunlight pierced through his translucent yet substantial palm, casting a clear, pale golden shadow on the ground. He clenched his fist, then relaxed it, moving with effortless grace, no different from controlling his physical body, even more agile and swift.

With another thought, his Yang Spirit appeared instantly on the rooftop of a tree a hundred meters away. The next second, it appeared beside the hot spring pool, and in another flash, it stood halfway up the opposite cliff. It arrived as soon as he thought of it, as fast as a streak of light, yet consumed very little energy.

"From now on, there will be no distinction between day and night," the Yang God whispered, his voice resonating in the air, clear and carrying a strange echo.

However, this was not the biggest gain from this retreat.

Yang Shen stood still, his consciousness sinking into the depths of his soul. An ancient, vast, and infinitely varied chapter of cultivation technique naturally emerged—"The Seventy-Two Transformations of Earthly Fiends"! Although it was only the foundational entry, with changes limited to the external form and not involving the transformation of essence, and unable to truly possess the innate supernatural powers of the transformed objects, its subtle and profound mysteries were enough to bewitch the eyes of all beings.

"Change."

The golden light on the surface of Yang Shen's body flowed like water ripples, causing his body to sway and twist accordingly.

A magnificent golden eagle took flight, circling over the valley, its sharp eyes gleaming like lightning and its feathers clearly defined.

The eagle landed, and golden light flashed again, transforming into a gray rock squirrel. Clutching a pine cone, it nimbly scurried up the rock, its tail swaying gently.

The squirrel leaped down, its body elongating, transforming into a fern that stretched its leaves in the hot spring mist, lush and green, swaying gently in the breeze.

The ferns withered, leaving only a moss-covered rock in its place, blending seamlessly with the other rocks in the valley.

The series of more than ten transformations were lifelike and seamless. Finally, the golden light faded, the Yang spirit returned to its original form, and a profound smile appeared on its face.

"With this skill in hand, where in the world can I not go? Who can I not deceive?"

Almost at the same moment that Yang Shen stabilized and he comprehended the Earthly Fiend Transformation Technique, within the Yin Yin Space, the Soul Refining Banner that had accompanied He Damin in his long battles resonated with an unprecedented intensity!

"Boom—!"

It wasn't a real sound, but a violent tremor at the soul level! The entire Yin-Yang Space trembled, and the six light holes spun rapidly, casting a hazy, clear glow. On the purple-gold body of the Soul Refining Banner, all the Dao patterns lit up, like a giant dragon awakening! Inside the banner, the Yang God Dao essence, the remaining blood soul power, and the trace of chaotic energy that He Damin had absorbed during his seclusion, as well as the trace of chaotic energy growing within the small world itself, were all drawn in and frantically poured into the banner!

The fifth advancement came naturally, driven by He Damin's breakthrough in cultivation!

The process of advancement lasted a full day and night. When all the strange phenomena subsided, the Yin-Yang Space returned to its former tranquility, but the banner in the center had been completely transformed.

The banner itself transformed into a deep purplish-gold color, neither gold nor wood, its texture as warm and smooth as jade, yet as heavy as a mountain. The Daoist patterns on the banner's surface became more than ten times more complex and profound, vaguely forming an all-encompassing array, seemingly containing the sun, moon, stars, mountains, rivers, lakes, seas, ghosts, gods, demons, and monsters in their cycle of birth and death. The dragon scale patterns on the banner pole were clearly raised, and the blood-red gem at the top had now become a strange crystal the size of a pigeon's egg, containing purplish-gold flames. As the light flowed, it seemed as if countless tiny runes were born and died within it.

[The Soul Refining Banner has successfully advanced for the fifth time!]

A vast stream of information flooded into He Damin's consciousness, not in words, but as a direct, primal perception:

[Flag Body Essence Leap]: Capacity and refining efficiency increase tenfold, as if opening up a sea of ​​soul power, allowing 100,000 souls to be absorbed and refined simultaneously. [Soul Devouring Feedback] Qualitative change: Feedback soul power can be directly transformed into Yang God resources, endlessly regenerating.

【Netherworld Chains - Yin-Yang Twin Chains】: One yin and one yang, twin chains working together. The yin chain binds the soul and fixes the spirit, corroding bones and destroying the mind; the yang chain shines like heavenly thunder, specifically designed to break through the armor of evil spirits. The combined attack of the twin chains can temporarily freeze the target's form and spirit.

【Soul Banner Domain - Netherworld Ghost Realm】: The range extends to 300 zhang (kilometers), forming a self-contained world within the domain, where light, shadow, temperature, and gravity can all be adjusted at will. The newly added "Ghost Realm Projection" can overlay the illusion of the domain onto reality for 100 zhang, blurring the lines between reality and illusion.

【Night Parade of a Hundred Ghosts, Court of Ten Thousand Ghosts】: With a single thought, one can summon a thousand phantom ghosts, guarded by ten late-stage Foundation Establishment ghost generals. Furthermore, by expending a massive amount of soul power, one can summon a "Ghost King" with simple intelligence and strength comparable to an early-stage Golden Core cultivator to descend upon the world!

【Soul Banner Projection - External Avatar】: The projection can be entrusted with a split soul, creating an "avatar" that possesses 30% of the original body's strength and can act and think independently, with a maximum lifespan of twelve hours.

【Blood Soul Dao Soldier - Dao Soldier Legion】: Up to 100 Dao soldiers, with all types of soldiers, can form a battle formation that can rival a thousand troops.

【Soul Ties - Chasing Souls Across Thousands of Miles】: No medium is needed; the spell can be cast simply by knowing the target's name and appearance. The perception range extends to hundreds of miles, and the target's state can be vaguely sensed.

[Unlock: Soul Banner Cave Heaven]: A ten-mile-long cave heaven naturally forms within the banner, which can store souls and nurture ghosts, imprison enemies and hide oneself. Consciousness can enter, and the physical body can also temporarily take refuge within it (the flow of time within the cave heaven is the same as outside).

[Unlock: Reincarnation Guidance]: First glimpse into the authority of reincarnation! You can actively guide newly deceased souls into the banner, and you can also try to "cast" the souls in the banner to the six realms of reincarnation (currently, you can only relatively reliably cast them to the animal, hungry ghost, and hell realms, and the success rate depends on the strength of the soul).

Feeling the earth-shattering changes of the Soul Refining Banner, especially the abilities of [Soul Banner Cave Heaven] and [Reincarnation Guidance], which touch upon the laws of space and reincarnation, even He Damin, with his current composure, felt his mind shaken.

This is no longer a simple magical artifact, but a prototype of a "natal magic treasure" with unlimited growth potential!

His spirit returned to his body, perfectly merging with it. He Damin stood up, all the dust around him gone. He looked up, his gaze seemingly piercing through the mist of the Yanshan Mountains, revealing the vast North China Plain.

It was March 1943. The spring chill was still in the air, but the wind deep in the Yanshan Mountains carried a hint of warmth.

More than a year of traversing, hunting, accumulating, and transforming. From a bewildered transmigrator to a reaper hidden in the darkness, and now a cultivator who has achieved the Yang God realm and whose magical treasures are in the making.

He slowly exhaled a breath of stale air, the long, drawn-out breath condensing into a straight white streak in the cool air, lingering for a long time.

"It's time to go out."

He took a step forward, and his figure was already atop the cliff above the valley. Looking down to the south, the mountains and rivers stretched out vast.

Under the bright daylight, the Yang Spirit can roam freely across heaven and earth, and its seventy-two transformations allow it to change its appearance. The Soul Refining Banner reaches its fifth advancement, forming its own celestial realm, and granting it initial control over reincarnation.