Eternal Heart Chapter 17: The Truth of the Family

The "Cloud Stepping Technique" in the Small Success stage, this was already the level Le Feng displayed that day.

In his body technique, such a smooth progress caused Chen Yu to reflect. His first thought was still the "Iron Plow Fist."

Ever since rging with that mysterious heart, his physique had undergone a transformative change, akin to rebirth.

When he initially practiced the "Iron Plow Fist," the smoothness, as if aided by divine intervention, was now also manifested in the "Cloud Stepping Technique."

"Iron Plow Fist," "Cloud Stepping Technique," "Cloud Evil Fist Technique"... In these three martial arts leaning towards "body technique," I practice them all very smoothly."

Chen Yu finally found a common thread.

The "Cloud Stepping Technique," as a movent technique martial art, fundantally could not be separated from the use of the body. Although it also had corresponding ntal thods and inner breath coordination, they rely functioned as supports.

In contrast, Chen Yu's practice of the "Cloud Evil Heart thod" was relatively slow.

To say slow is only in relative terms; it was more of what was "normal."

"The 'Cloud Evil Heart thod' leans towards inner breath, emphasizing the internal and requires certain aptitude. And my aptitude is said to be just a Half Spirit Body, thus making it hard to progress smoothly."

The more Chen Yu thought about it, the more he understood.

His personal talent lay in the realm of "body techniques."

Inner breath, in essence, was a kind of special energy, a domain in which Chen Yu was limited by his aptitude.

Ultimately, Chen Yu still managed to cultivate inner breath through the "Cloud Evil Heart thod," mainly because his physical foundation was astonishingly solid, far exceeding the requirents of the ridian Passage, and he comprehended the essence of the corresponding "Cloud Evil Fist Technique."

In this light, Chen Yu could indeed be considered a "genius in body technique."

No wonder, the red-faced elder of the Heavenly Martial Pavilion recomnded the "Copper Statue Technique" to him.

Chen Yu decided, when he had the chance, to try the "Copper Statue Technique" again.

...

Xiangyang City, amidst the bustling crowd in the market.

Chen Yu strolled leisurely.

This was where he grew up during his childhood and adolescence, every brick and tile intimately familiar.

This was where he and Mu Xueqing left their childhood mories, from knowing each other to playful bantering.

Of course,

Here also lay his family and his dearest ones.

"I'm back."

Chen Yu was filled with anticipation; he hadn't returned ho in the past year, and this ti he brought good news.

As one of the three major families in Xiangyang City, the "Chen Family" owned a mansion spanning a thousand acres.

At the entrance of the Chen mansion, visitors ca and went daily.

"Are you... Young Master Chen Yu?"

The doorman scrutinized him twice before blurting out in surprise.

It wasn't that they had bad eyesight, but that Chen Yu had changed too much recently!

At fourteen or fifteen years old, it was the age for growth; moreover, after rging with the mysterious heart, his body had transford from the inside out.

"Are the Family Head, as well as my parents, at ho?"

Chen Yu asked easily, stepping into the mansion.

Returning ho, he felt an indescribable familiarity and satisfaction throughout his body.

"The Family Head and your parents are all at ho, I'll go notify them..."

The doorman replied.

"No need, I'll go in myself."

Chen Yu said with a smile.

He thought to himself that his breakthrough into the ridian Passage Stage and establishing himself in the sect would surely surprise and delight the Family Head and his parents.

Familiar with the way, Chen Yu walked through a few corridors and entered his own courtyard.

In the courtyard, a middle-aged couple was making tea.

"Father, Mother..."

The boy's voice broke the tranquility of the courtyard.

"Yu'er?"

Father Chen, Chen Tiande, suddenly stood up, staring at Chen Yu in surprise.

Chen Tiande, around forty years old, still looked handso, with an upright stature and spirited eyes.

"My child, it's been over a year, and you finally decided to co ho."

Mother Chen, Liu Wen, almost dropped the teacup in her hand onto the ground.

Father Chen and Mother Chen were dressed rather elegantly, and both of them appeared significantly younger than their actual age.

Especially Mother Chen, Liu Wen. Nearly forty, she had fair skin, bright eyes, and a graceful deanor, looking no older than thirty.

In the courtyard.

The family of three, happily gathered, started reminiscing about the past.

"Yu'er, you've really changed a lot over the past year..."

Mother Chen's eyes never left her son.

Chen Yu had grown considerably in height and bulk, and his deanor had also greatly transford.

In the past, Chen Yu gave off the impression of being sowhat dull; now, he seed vibrant and serene.

After taking a sip of tea, Chen Yu announced a piece of news.

"Oh? You've already advanced to the ridian Passage Stage and secured your position in the outer sect."

Father Chen and Mother Chen exchanged glances, showing joy and surprise more than anything else.

Hmm?

Chen Yu sensed that sothing was amiss.

Logically, as his family had high hopes for him and sent him to the sect, now that he had finally broken through to the ridian Passage Stage, his parents should be very pleased.

However, instead of the expected overwhelming joy, his parents showed more surprise than excitent.

Could it be that his parents never had much hope for him?

"Yu'er, three years ago, when you passed the sect's initial selection, we learned about your 'Half Spirit Body' physique."

Perhaps noticing Chen Yu's confusion, Father Chen Tiande explained.

Chen Yu thought to himself, "Indeed," realizing that his parents did not have high expectations for him.

"The true cultivation physique is called 'Spiritual Body.' This type of physique is naturally suited for cultivation, with a stronger sense of qi and easier ridian Passage breakthroughs. The key is that in subsequent advancents, sensing the Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi, it holds an inherent advantage."

Father Chen lanted.

"So what about my Half Spirit Body?" Chen Yu voiced his curiosity.

"The Spiritual Body is the favored child of cultivation, with subdivisions in its ranks, but let's not get into that. Below the Spiritual Body is the Mortal Body, which is what most of us have. The Mortal Body isn't incapable of cultivation, but it's extrely difficult with near-zero qi perception. It's said that the pinnacle a Mortal Body can reach is the Organ Refining Stage."

Father Chen elaborated.

It seed clear that both Father Chen and Mother Chen likely possessed Mortal Bodies.

"Your Half Spirit Body falls between a Mortal Body and a Spiritual Body, or you could say it's a flawed Spiritual Body, not much stronger than a Mortal Body. Generally, with such a physique, you can't stay long in the sect, and even if you spend resources to advance to the ridian Passage Stage or the Organ Refining Stage, the future accomplishnts remain limited."

At this point, Father Chen and Mother Chen both looked at Chen Yu with surprise.

It seed the two of them never expected Chen Yu to break through to the ridian Passage Stage within three years.

"I see now."

Chen Yu inwardly smiled bitterly, suddenly understanding a lot.

One particular detail was that during these three years in the sect, no matter how hard he worked, the family had given him almost no resource support.

Compared to Wang Lingyun and Le Feng, the difference was like night and day.

Previously, Chen Yu naively believed that those two received such vast resources because they were the young masters of their family.

Now the truth was clear.

The family had no hopes pinned on Chen Yu and even had given up on cultivating him.

...

At night.

The Chen Family hosted a banquet to celebrate Chen Yu's return.

Regardless of the circumstances, having a family mber secure a position in the sect was worth celebrating.

Apart from Father Chen and Mother Chen, the banquet also included the Family Head, Chen Tianwei, and several elders with significant status and standing within the family.

Chen Yu felt a slight sense of disappointnt.

The Family Head and elders did not show much enthusiasm for his breakthrough into the ridian Passage Stage.

At most, it seed to be a mild surprise.

Of course, the older mbers present, although possessing Mortal or Half Spirit Bodies, had been cultivating for decades, with many having reached the ridian Passage Stage.

"Hehe, you're that Cousin Chen Yu, huh?"

A voice as clear as silver bells was heard.

A girl in a floral dress walked into the banquet hall, less beautiful than Mu Xueqing but still possessing a certain brightness and liveliness.

Cousin? When did I gain a younger cousin?

Chen Yu was taken aback.

"Inger, why did you co?"

The Family Head quickly stood up, showing a face full of affection.

Several other family elders also stood up to greet the girl in the floral dress, behaving extrely politely.

Their level of attention surpassed that given to Chen Yu.

"And who is this?"

Chen Yu found this girl sowhat familiar, including her na.

Father Chen Tiande explained, "She is your uncle's adopted daughter. You might have t her when you were young, do you rember?"

As Chen Yu tried hard to recall, only faint impressions ca to mind.

In his mory,

The Family Head, Chen Tianwei, Chen Yu's uncle, only had one son, who did not possess martial arts talent and was focused on rchant businesses outside.

At so point, when Chen Yu was around three or four years old, the Family Head, Chen Tianwei, adopted a "goddaughter," who should be this Ying'er.

But a few years later, that goddaughter suddenly disappeared from everyone's view.

Back then, Chen Yu was just a child amidst many peers in the family and didn't pay much attention to it.

Now, what was going on?

The long-missing goddaughter reappeared, and it seed like she was being put on a pedestal by the family elites.

"I am Ying'er, Chen Ying'er."

The girl in the floral dress seed to be quite outgoing, saying, "I've heard about you, this 'unsuccessful' cousin. I didn't expect you to have broken through to the ridian Passage Stage, quite unexpected..."

Uhh... unsuccessful cousin?

Chen Yu was astonished; this Chen Ying'er was indeed rather impolite.

"Yu'er, don't mind. Ying'er has this blunt personality, a sharp tongue..."

The Family Head, Chen Tianwei, spoke with a smile towards Chen Yu.

He was worried that Chen Ying'er's words might hurt Chen Yu's self-esteem; however, in his words, a lingering fondness and bias toward Chen Ying'er were apparent.

"Mother, what's the deal with this Chen Ying'er?"

Chen Yu quietly inquired.

"You an Ying'er, right? She's been extraordinarily gifted since she was young. Around seven or eight, she entered the Body Refining Stage and was sent to the eastern part of the Chu Country, to the Water Moon Sect. Now, at just fourteen, she's advanced to the late-stage ridian Passage. It's said she possesses a 'Middle-grade Spiritual Body' and was accepted as a disciple by a Sect Elder of the Water Moon Sect, already an Inner Sect Disciple..."

Mother Chen explained with a smile.

Her words showed her fondness for Chen Ying'er.

Water Moon Sect? Late-stage ridian Passage? Inner Sect Disciple?

This stream of information left Chen Yu astonished, and he felt quite discouraged.

He had to consider that Chen Ying'er was even a year younger than him.

Finally, he fully realized why the Family Head and his parents did not show great exhilaration over his advancent to the ridian Passage Stage.

All the truth was right here!

The Chen Family had secretly nurtured such a heavenly daughter.

"Yu'er, now you've formally t Ying'er. Previously, for fear that her exceptional aptitude might incite harm from adversarial families, we kept her identity under wraps. But now, being a disciple of a Sect Elder, she doesn't need to be overly cautious."

Family Head Chen Tianwei said with a laugh.

Chen Yu nodded in agreent but internally complained: This Chen Ying'er was well-protected, while he had to bear Wang Lingyun's bullying.

"Little cousin."

Chen Ying'er pursed her lips, speaking with the air of an elder, "In the future, if you have any questions about martial arts, feel free to ask for guidance!"

Chen Yu: "..."