Elder Yao was already on her last breath, her outgoing breath far exceeding her incoming. She did not get to see Zhu Yanyi and Yu Qingyun one last time. By the time they arrived, she had just passed away.
Gu Jingtian saw them arrive and walked over, patting their shoulders. "Master said he had no regrets in this life. He was very happy to have us as his disciples."
Zhu Yanyi’s face looked pale, tears falling silently. "I don’t have Grandpa Yao anymore."
She had said these same words before when Zhi Hui faked her death. Now, looking at Elder Yao’s body, that same deep sorrow rose in her heart again.
Yan Aohan patted Zhu Yanyi’s shoulder. "It’s okay. You still have me. Don’t be sad. I will always be by your side, no matter what."
Zhu Yanyi’s tears fell heavily. She had grown up with Elder Yao. Now that she was gone, only she could understand the pain in her heart.
The death of Hua Tianyao, the Divine Doctor of Huaxia, by assassination was a major event. Thousands of people came to the memorial service to offer chrysanthemums and mourn the divine doctor.
Zhu Yanyi sat quietly to the side, thanking the guests for their condolences.
There were thousands of people coming to pay their respects. These were undoubtedly people Elder Yao had once saved.
Zhu Yanyi had not rested well for days, and her complexion was poor.
Gu Jingtian approached her. "Little Junior Sister, you have been kneeling here for a day and a night. I will take over now. Please go rest. There are still things to do tomorrow."
Zhu Yanyi looked at Gu Jingtian and nodded. "Senior Brother Jingtian, I will go out to rest for a bit and come back later."
"Good." Gu Jingtian nodded.
Zhu Yanyi walked out of the memorial hall into an open space and looked up at the sky.
Yan Aohan came over and stood beside her. Zhu Yanyi sighed. "Are power and ambition really that important?"
Yan Aohan said calmly, "Power and ambition depend on the person. For me, you are the most important."
"I think I understand the complex look in Master Zhi Hui’s eyes when she left. She probably knew this result all along. That is why she went to the Evil Buddha Realm. She had no other path to take," Zhu Yanyi said slowly.
"That must be it. If not for his hint before leaving, I would not have discovered this," Yan Aohan said slowly.
"Then, who was in that body? The Holy Father or the Evil Buddha?" Zhu Yanyi asked.
Yan Aohan pondered. "The Evil Buddha and the Holy Father are now one person. The Evil Buddha Realm is now under Zhi Hui’s control. She is the new Evil Buddha Venerable." Yan Aohan looked at Zhu Yanyi. "I must say, this new Evil Buddha is definitely more powerful than the old one. Otherwise, we would not be in this situation."
Zhu Yanyi thought for a moment before saying, "I don’t understand their thinking. Sometimes I feel that if they just didn’t attack me, wouldn’t that be enough? Why can’t they see through this?"
"Ani, some things are destined for you to experience. Without these events, how would you discover the truth? Without these challenges, you would remain just a little divine doctor. They pursue their ambitions, and you grow stronger in the process."
Yan Aohan’s words seemed a bit cold, but they were true. Only he could speak the most fitting truth.
Zhu Yanyi looked at a parasol tree nearby. "There is a parasol tree here too."
"Parasol trees are everywhere. They are too common. Do you still want one?" Yan Aohan asked.
Zhu Yanyi said calmly, "Not for now. I still have the essence. I plan to give a little to my senior brothers in a while to slightly adjust their memories. At least, it won’t be awkward in the future."
Yan Aohan looked at Zhu Yanyi. "Are you sure?"
Zhu Yanyi sighed. "I don’t really want to be sure, but this matter is right in front of me. What else can I do? Since the Holy Father and the Evil Buddha value me so much, I must have a showdown with them. I can’t let them down."
Seeing Zhu Yanyi’s resolve, Yan Aohan breathed a sigh of relief. "It is good that you have come to terms with it."
"I actually came to terms with this long ago. After the incident with the Holy Father, I accepted it. I just didn’t expect to go through it again. I only hope the other grandpas won’t do this," Zhu Yanyi said with a faint smile.
"They won’t. I have already investigated all the others for you," Yan Aohan said. He did not want Zhu Yanyi to face such things repeatedly.
"There is one more day tomorrow," Zhu Yanyi said to Yan Aohan. "By the way, where is Little Northwest?"
"He is with Dad and Mom. They need to know the truth. I didn’t say much else. I only said that the child is the only remaining descendant of another branch of the Zhuge family. His family was all killed. To avoid any trouble for him and for his safety, I have transferred his guardianship to you and me. He is our first child."
Yan Aohan had been very busy these days. Since they had decided to adopt, the necessary procedures had to be completed.
Fortunately, Zhu Shun Yao and Xie Xinlian were open-minded. After learning the child’s background and understanding Yan Aohan and Zhu Yanyi’s intentions, they had no objections. They told outsiders that the child was Yan Aohan and Zhu Yanyi’s biological offspring. Since Zhu Yanyi and Yan Aohan had been registered as married for over a year, having a child was normal.
Of course, they only told outsiders that the child was born in the Saint Realm, where time flows differently from here.
Even if someone suspected the child’s origin, it didn’t matter. Yan Aohan admitted it, the Yan family admitted it, Zhu Yanyi admitted it, and the Zhu family admitted it. Thus, no issues existed.
Zhu Yanyi hummed. "I leave Little Northwest in the care of Dad, Mom, and the others."
Zhu Yanyi did not care whether the child would become a useful heir to the Military Alliance in the future. However, she could ensure the child had a safe space to grow up.
The next day was Elder Yao’s funeral.
Her four male disciples—Gu Jingtian, Qu Zhong, Yu Qingyun, and Zhu Ziqing—carried the coffin. Zhu Yanyi carried her portrait at the front, while Dong Bocao led the way in mourning clothes.
The funeral home had prepared everything. After the final farewell, Elder Yao’s body was cremated in the furnace. They then held his ashes and buried them in the pre-selected Baoshan Cemetery.
When everything was done, Zhu Yanyi stood in front of the cemetery for a long time. Looking at Elder Yao’s photo on the tombstone, she finally spoke after a while. "Grandpa Yao, have a safe journey. From now on, you are no longer a person in this world."
She turned around and left with Yan Aohan.