This was merely a passing thought for Zhu Yanyi. Whether she would truly strike at Ruan Mengtuo required careful consideration.
Yan Aohan spoke to Zhu Yanyi: "Ruan Mengtuo’s cultivation has reached the late stage of Void Transformation. Defeating her is easy for you. Although your cultivation is higher, this woman is ruthless and skilled at exploiting feminine traits. You must be cautious."
"En. If she causes trouble, I will show her that her talent means nothing to me. I will reduce her talent from top-tier to mid-tier. Does she really think free gifts are good?" Zhu Yanyi raised an eyebrow, a hint of playfulness in her eyes.
"En. Finally, I must speak of Bai Dawu," Yan Aohan said seriously. "Bai Dawu rarely appears in public, but his prophecies never fail. His current disappearance is fundamentally a trial. It is a way for him to advance together with the Lucky Forest. Therefore, regarding the Lucky Forest, you may assist, but do not make decisions for them."
Zhu Yanyi listened carefully and said, "You mean someone from the Lucky Forest will step up to take responsibility themselves?"
"The Lucky Forest consists mostly of straightforward elves and beastmen. But you forgot that one beastman followed you and experienced the complexities of the human world. Though she rarely appears in public, she understands the dangers of the human realm. Thus, you can only assist secretly. Unless they cannot hold on, you must not make decisions for them. As the old saying goes, relying on others is not as good as relying on oneself. They must learn to bear responsibility."
Yan Aohan’s expression was serious.
Seeing her demeanor, Zhu Yanyi knew it was not so simple. There might be more to it.
She asked cautiously, "Is there something we do not know?" Then she added, "If you cannot say it, do not tell me."
Yan Aohan chuckled lightly. "It is nothing major. It is simply a test Bai Dawu has given all living beings in the Lucky Forest. It is also a test by the Heavenly Dao for Bai Dawu. You wonder why Bai Dawu disappeared?"
Without further explanation, Zhu Yanyi understood most of it. "The Heavenly Dao intervened?"
"It is not exactly intervention. As a prophetic shaman, the one thing Bai Dawu cannot do is fall in love. However, Bai Dawu has fallen in love. Therefore, he must undergo his tribulation. Only by passing this tribulation will the Heavenly Dao acknowledge the existence of his emotional roots."
So, the concept of love was involved again.
Zhu Yanyi shrugged slightly. This was nothing to her, as the Heavenly Dao did not govern her and Yan Aohan. Yet, she felt sympathy for Bai Dawu. To fall in love only to face the Heavenly Dao’s tests was truly a bitter fate.
Yan Aohan remained silent. The details involved were irrelevant to Zhu Yanyi, so withholding them was fine. Moreover, Yan Aohan did not want Zhu Yanyi to become too curious about Bai Dawu.
"In short, you may help, but remember, it must be assistance. Never usurp the host’s role," Yan Aohan repeated.
Zhu Yanyi listened seriously and nodded. "Understood. I will not usurp the host’s role, nor will I inquire further about this matter."
Yan Aohan smiled in satisfaction. "Usually, I will watch over you. If there is danger, I will appear by your side. But remember, I will try not to intervene unless you face extreme danger."
Yan Aohan had realized that if he intervened too frequently, it would not benefit Zhu Yanyi. She might become dependent on him, hence his words.
Zhu Yanyi nodded with a smile. "I will assume you are not by my side." Since she was in the shadows, she could not see her anyway. It was better to pretend she was absent.
"En." Yan Aohan agreed, then produced several boxes of Meng Po's soup. "Take these."
Zhu Yanyi did not hesitate and accepted them directly.
After his instructions, Yan Aohan departed. Zhu Yanyi understood that Yan Aohan might be watching from the shadows, but for now, she had to act as if he were not there. She was responsible for the fifty people on her flying boat.
Yan Aohan’s arrival and departure went unnoticed by others. Only Zhu Yanyi and Ouyang Tianyun, who happened to be seeking Zhu Yanyi at that moment, knew of his presence.
Following the plan, Zhu Yanyi continued forward. The time after the second jump was very peaceful. Nine days later, they performed the third and final spatial jump. Upon completion, they entered the range of the Lucky Forest, specifically its periphery.
Thus, this plane was also known as the Lucky Plane.
The Dark Forest and the Happy Garden had not yet reached this periphery. Zhu Yanyi’s group had arrived early.
Upon reaching the periphery, they did not venture deep inside. Instead, they quietly disembarked from the flying boat and stored it away.
Zhu Yanyi addressed the group: "We are here to assist the Lucky Forest. We do not need the creatures of the Lucky Forest to be grateful to us. This is the home of all elves and beastmen in the Lucky Forest. They must come out to protect themselves. Our role is to help them secretly. If exposed, we assist them, but the main force must be them. Let people understand the strength of the Lucky Forest’s creatures."
Sikong Xuran said, "Junior Sister means we should not let the beastmen or elves of the Lucky Forest rely too much on us?"
"En. Home is one’s own. Protecting it oneself ensures independence. This time, we can certainly help them fight enemies. But if they do not stand up on their own, they will suffer losses in the future. Therefore, I believe our primary task is to help the elves and beastmen of the Lucky Forest recognize their own strengths and use those strengths against enemies. That is what we must do."
"I agree with Junior Sister’s opinion. We cannot stay in the Lucky Forest forever. We do not know where Bai Dawu is, nor if he will return. If we help defeat the enemies, are we to garrison here permanently? If so, what difference is there between us and those who wish to plunder the Lucky Forest, like the Dark Forest and the Happy Garden?"
Yi Yunfei looked at everyone with a serious expression. "Conversely, if we help the elves and beastmen protect their homes, enabling them to use their strengths against enemies, they will be safe even if similar situations arise in the future. Because they will have stood up. Therefore, the main goal is not just to help repel the impending enemies, but to help them stand up."