The Yi family had risen to prominence since Yi Yunfei entered the Sage Academy. Unfortunately, by now, only Yi Yunhang was a sword cultivator in the Divine Emperor Academy. The other descendants of the Yi family were unremarkable and lacked resources. Thus, their claim of being a cultivation family was merely a joke. Moreover, Yi Yunfei’s parents were mortals, likely long deceased.
Yi Yunfei did not know if Sikong Xuran and Ouyang Tianyun were listening, nor did he care. He simply needed to speak his mind. "I never thought I would become so cold-blooded. I don’t even know if my relatives have reincarnated or if their descendants are safe. If this is who I am, what Dao am I cultivating? What am I truly comprehending?"
Yi Yunfei spoke casually, but Sikong Xuran fell silent.
Just as Yi Yunfei said, if he ignored everything, what Dao was he pursuing? Was this what he sought? He felt confused. Why had his cultivation progressed so slowly? Now he understood: he had neglected to cultivate his heart.
Cultivators must also cultivate their hearts. Although different from pure mental training, neglecting it would likely lead to heart demons in the future. Thinking of this, Sikong Xuran said, "We were all wrong. We busied ourselves only with cultivation and study, forgetting that cultivating the heart is also part of our path. No wonder my progress was slow despite my efforts. The root cause was my own fault."
"Listening to you makes me miss my adoptive father. I should contact him properly when I have time," Ouyang Tianyun said seriously.
Yi Yunfei smiled. "I have decided too. After finishing my trials in this plane, I will ask the Dean for leave and visit my own plane to see my relatives' descendants."
His relatives were surely gone, but their descendants likely remained. It was good to check on them regardless.
"I also plan to take leave and visit. Whether they remember me or not, I cannot resolve this knot in my heart without going," Sikong Xuran decided.
"If resolving this knot improves your cultivation, you should probably thank Shiwu," Ouyang Tianyun said with a grin.
"Seems so," Sikong Xuran and Yi Yunfei exchanged smiles. Indeed, without experiencing the atmosphere of the Zhu family, they would not have had such insights.
Meanwhile, Zhu Yanyi and Yan Aohan, whom the three men mistakenly thought were on a date, had gone to the Yan family.
They had visited the Zhu family at noon, so naturally, they would visit the Yan family in the evening. Zhu Yanyi believed this was fair. She could not ignore Yan Aohan’s parents after returning home.
"Seriously, did you really leave plenty of food in the fridge for them?" Zhu Yanyi asked Yan Aohan curiously. By "them," she meant Ouyang Tianyun and the others.
"Yes, I did. I also gave each of them a mobile phone with our numbers. They can call if they need anything. However, I didn’t tell them we were going to the Yan family. I said we were on a date, so they have to cook for themselves. Besides, they have already entered the grain-avoiding stage, so it doesn’t matter if they don’t eat," Yan Aohan replied. He did not want anyone to disturb his life with his wife.
Hearing this, Zhu Yanyi detected a sour tone in her words. "Why do I hear such a strong sour smell?"
"I am jealous," Yan Aohan said seriously. "Think about it. They followed us around everywhere. Their skin is too thick."
"My Lord Yan, why do you think that? They are new to this plane and unfamiliar with it. Starting tomorrow, we will guide them for a week. Once they are familiar, you won’t need to worry," Zhu Yanyi explained.
"They don’t need us to guide them. Tomorrow, I will have Haifeng take them around. He can also teach them about computers and modern technology, letting them experience secular life," Yan Aohan said, having found someone to supervise them.
Zhu Yanyi did not object. As long as someone guided Yi Yunfei and the others, she was fine with it.
"Then you arrange it. Once they are familiar with the place, I will take them to the Aoyan Traditional Chinese Medicine School so they can contribute," Zhu Yanyi said.
"Agreed," Yan Aohan accepted the arrangement gladly.
Zhu Yanyi changed the subject. "After visiting Mom and Dad, I will visit Grandpa Zhan and the others tomorrow. Then, I will ask Uncle Ma and Uncle Wu to come over to check on their situation. Then, what do you think I should do?" She tilted her head, looking at Yan Aohan.
Yan Aohan chuckled softly. "Asking this means you already have a plan. Just do what you want. I will support you from behind."
"Actually, I want to travel and explore. First, I plan to spend some time with my parents. Then, I will wander around. I feel I am not mature enough in some areas. To break through further, I need more experience," Zhu Yanyi said seriously.
Yan Aohan nodded slightly. "Then travel and explore. Don’t worry about other things. I have people watching over external affairs for you."
To ensure Zhu Yanyi’s smooth growth, Yan Aohan would never allow dangerous people or events near her. He would find ways to eliminate such threats.
Zhu Yanyi said this precisely because she knew Yan Aohan handled these matters well. Unless the danger exceeded his ability to handle it, he would protect her without interfering in her personal challenges.
Upon arriving at the Yan family residence, the old lady and old master were surprised to see Zhu Yanyi. The old lady’s face lit up with joy. "Yanyi, when did you return?"
Zhu Yanyi smiled. "I returned this morning. I had lunch at my parents’ house, and now I’m here to mooch a meal. You won’t refuse us, will you?"
"Refuse? I am overjoyed," Old Lady Aluogexiang said, her eyes full of happiness. She immediately ordered the nanny to add more dishes. Then she said to Zhu Yanyi, "You didn’t even call to say you were coming. If I had known, I would have prepared delicious food earlier."
Zhu Yanyi smiled. "We are family, not guests. There is no need for such preparations. We eat whatever is available at home."