"Yan'er, there is something you need to prepare for mentally."
After pondering for a long time, Family Head Zhou Wuzhen could not help but say this sentence.
Zhou Yan was no longer the naive child he once was; his father's life was uncertain, and he himself was misunderstood as a waste who had crippled his body to unleash potential. At this moment, perhaps some harsh truths were bound to come.
In his lifetime, he had neither experienced too much nor too little scorn. However, in the memories of that Grandmaster, there were many things deeply ingrained in the spirit and soul.
Therefore, his mind had already matured and was no longer naive about worldly matters. This was also an important reason for his great confidence in his future cultivation.
"Grandfather, if you have something to say, just say it."
Zhou Yan replied calmly.
"Alas... you also know your father's situation... If someone from the Great Zhou Family visits in a month and sees that the descendant of the Zhou Family's greatest genius is too disappointing, I'm afraid they will be dissatisfied. At that time, your father will have no hope of surviving."
Zhou Wuzhen sighed.
Zhou Yan didn't interrupt, and his expression didn't change.
"So, the opinion of myself and the three elders is to quietly send you and Ning'er away, temporarily leaving the family. I know you have a good relationship with Ning'er; being together, you won't be lonely."
Zhou Wuzhen added.
"Is it to secretly expel me from the family, then let Zhou Lingyi and Zhou Lingyao take my place, using the opportunity my father fought to death for, so they can further cultivate in the Great Zhou Family?"
Zhou Yan was not foolish. He immediately understood these people's intentions.
Therefore, he directly asked.
Zhou Wuzhen was slightly stunned, a trace of involuntary sorrow and melancholy on his old face. He nodded, "Your foundation is ruined, and there is little hope... Even if it were not ruined, you're only in the Sword Beginning First Layer Realm, far from meeting the Great Zhou Family's expectations for a genius.
In the past, we nurtured you and provided resources almost identical to Ling Yi and Ling Yao. But now, the Zhou Family is in difficulty, and your talent is still significantly less than Ling Yao and Ling Yi.
Allowing Ling Yi and Ling Yao to pose as your father's children has a higher chance of success than you doing it yourself.
Your father's situation is real. If his descendants cannot excel, then he loses his value and will be refined into a 'Sword Heart' because he had the potential to reach the legendary Sword Spirit Realm as a genius. Once his soul is refined into a famous sword, it has the potential to form a Sword Spirit!
We do not want our family's unparalleled genius to end up with such a fate, so we can only... wrong you."
Zhou Wuzhen's words finally changed Zhou Yan's expression, making it somewhat unsightly... His own father, to be refined into a 'Sword Heart' by the Great Zhou Family's strongmen?
Thus, a condition was given? To let Zhou Wangchen's descendants have the opportunity to go to the Great Zhou Family for cultivation?
Zhou Yan's heart was a mix of emotions; the Zhou Family members were still too naive!
Would the matter really be like this? He feared from the moment his father compromised, he was destined to be refined into a Sword Heart! Any so-called promises were likely unreliable.
Or perhaps it was preparation for cultivating a second or third Sword Heart?!
Zhou Yan thought of many things. It was an inherent type of thinking, coming from the memory fusion as a Grandmaster.
Before this, he was simple and devoid of such complex thoughts. He wouldn't have connected a great family with so much disrepute.
But now, all his thoughts felt more aligned with the rules of this world.
"The situation, since you have decided, proceed as you decided. I am not qualified to offer any opinions."
Zhou Yan was somewhat disheartened. He temporarily couldn't change all this, so he needed to bide his time.
Perhaps, silently being 'expelled,' fading from people's sight, is also a good opportunity for development.
All of this he could temporarily not change, but he believed there would be a day when he could.
"Zhou Yan, you are not unqualified to offer opinions, but we have considered your interests in doing this! Living as an ordinary person, living obediently for a lifetime, isn't that good?"
"I know you like me, but I am definitely going to find an extraordinary genius as a Daoist couple, so even though you have unleashed some potential and gained slight progress, I still won't look up to you!
Do you know Zhou Yuntian of the Great Zhou Family? One of the four top geniuses in the entire Carefree Main City, initially comprehended Sword Qi with just Sword Beginning First Layer! When he reached the Sword Origin Realm First Layer, he had already comprehended Sword Intent! His combat power, even in the Sword Origin Realm First Layer, was unmatched by many strongmen from the Sword Origin Realm Third Layer!"
"He is a top-level 'True Man' genius!"
"I, Zhou Lingyi, am not too picky, because I am confident I can be a genius no less than your father, Zhou Wangchen, was, so only a genius of that caliber would be someone I admire!"
"With your talent, don't wish for it! Being an ordinary person might not be a form of happiness!"
Zhou Lingyi spoke with a tone still somewhat superior.
Under the same roof with Zhou Family members, Zhou Yan felt that this person always placed herself on a high pedestal, looking down at other family members she deemed inferior.
Even so, the family disciples still flocked to her.
Zhou Yan listened to her words, gently smiled, and said softly, "You are right, ultimately, I have repeatedly disappointed my grandfather's expectations, so what happened today is really only warranted.
I fully understand your actions and thank you all for sacrificing benefits for my father in this way. Everything I say is sincere, with no dissent."
Zhou Lingyi was slightly surprised. She didn't expect Zhou Yan to show a smile at such a moment, nor did she expect his emotions to be so calm.
At this time, Zhou Wuzhen also observed Zhou Yan more, yet he couldn't discern much abnormality from Zhou Yan; only that this child seemed much calmer.
On the contrary, Zhou Wuyan, the Preaching Elder, seemed thoughtful, wanting to speak but ultimately saying nothing.
"Being an ordinary person is good too. Under the family's shelter, you won't necessarily go astray or damage the family's reputation."
Great Elder Zhou Wuwei said.
"Yes, like us, without a path in cultivation, we often envy ordinary life, free to raise children without a life of dangers."
Second Elder Zhou Wuhen said.
Here, only Zhou Lingyao, this handsome young man, the foremost of the third generation's cultivation, had not spoken throughout.
From start to finish, he didn't really pay much attention to Zhou Yan; instead, he glanced more times at the statue in Zhou Yan's left hand.
"Grandfather, Preaching Elder, Great Elder, Second Elder, I'm going back to rest now. When everything is arranged, just send me off."
Zhou Yan said with a hint of wistfulness, yet showed no emotion; he only spoke with a faint smile.
"I'll have the Preaching Elder take you away tonight. You can take this year's cultivation resources with you, but no more beyond that. From now on, you will have to rely on yourself."
Zhou Wuzhen, somewhat saddened, also made this difficult decision.
Zhou Yan nodded and said no more.
He turned around and was the first to walk out of the Forbidden Chamber.
In his life until now, this was his first opportunity to enter such a place, but it also seemed to be the last.
He felt countless pieces of unwillingness, yet his expression revealed none of it.
For whatever reason they claimed, he wasn't able to rightly become his father's son, which was indeed ironic.
However, now, his strength was still weak; he needed to become powerful, return to the family, prove himself, and reclaim his rightful position.
Zhou Yan knew, stepping out of this door, the road ahead would be extraordinarily difficult.
Yet, he did not regret it!
He didn't know if all this was orchestrated by his father's enemies, so before he could enter the Great Zhou Family, without an absolute powerhouse's oversight, he wouldn't display any forcefulness.
...
"Ling Yi, I know you want to provoke him, but wasn't what you said too much? His father has already come to such a stage, and the Family Head has agreed to let us take this qualification. Why must you still act that way?"
After watching Zhou Yan leave, Zhou Lingyao frowned and asked.
"Provoke him? Brother, I didn't intend to provoke him to fight because there is no need for that!
He hasn't worked hard and wasted his comprehension talent for nothing; I won't view him differently, so why provoke him?
I only speak the truth.
That time, when he was only thirteen, Zhou Yuntian defeated Zhou Wangchen with one sword, making him vomit blood and kneel, becoming a laughingstock in the Great Zhou Family!
Don't you know about that incident?
At that time, my impression of Uncle Zhou Wangchen crumbled.
And at that time, I fell for the genius Zhou Yuntian.
Therefore, my words were genuinely from the heart. Otherwise, with a character like Zhou Yan, for the sake of a single breakthrough, willing to exploit potential, giving up what's essential for futile gains... heh, as the Great Elder said, being an ordinary person would keep him from going astray.
Otherwise, straying into the evil sword cultivator's path would indeed bring calamity upon the world."
Zhou Lingyi's words left the entire Forbidden Chamber in silence.
Meanwhile, Zhou Yan, who had already walked hundreds of meters away, felt his body tremble slightly.
He paused for a moment, then, with determined steps, continued to stride far away.