The smoke from cooking fires rose lazily in the distance. In his ears, he caught the faint sounds of children laughing and playing, interspersed with the sharp, yet weary, cries of adults trying to manage them.

Looking out at that familiar scene, an involuntary smile of deep satisfaction touched He Yiming's lips.

He Family Village. He had once again set foot on the soil that had birthed and raised him.

He raised his gaze to the sky, but even with his exceptional eyesight, he could discern only two tiny, insignificant black specks.

Those were Hundred and Eight and the Divine Path Coagulated Blood Man.

Since the Divine Path Coagulated Blood Man had joined them, Hundred and Eight had concealed the layer of iridescent light surrounding him during flight, making him utterly unremarkable.

As for the Divine Path Coagulated Blood Man, his method of flight was even more diverse, offering two distinct modes. One was, naturally, the technique of Divine Weapon flight. The other was rather astounding.

The Divine Path Sarira could manipulate the surrounding Heaven and Earth power, allowing his body to soar freely without the aid of Divine Weapon radiance.

This was something only a true Divine Path realm expert could achieve.

Having this living example solidified He Yiming’s belief in the Divine Path legends, as it proved, at the very least, that the powers recorded in ancient texts were not exaggerated in the slightest.

Lowering his head, he gently tapped the horse’s flank. White Horse Lightning immediately bolted forward as if shot from a bow.

At Lightning’s speed, it took mere moments to reach the base of the He Family Village’s main ramparts.

To He Yiming’s slight surprise, the entrance to the village fortress was now guarded by fully armed soldiers, just like the gates of major cities, giving it a far more formalized appearance.

Such an imposing setup was certainly beyond what a minor noble family should possess. Had the He Family Village done this before He Yiming’s renown, it would undoubtedly have drawn the displeasure of the Heavenly Net Kingdom's ruler, potentially inviting utter annihilation.

But now, no one dared to cause trouble over such a display. The entire He Family Village thrummed with vibrant energy.

White Horse Lightning reared its front hooves high and slammed them back down onto the ground with the force of a drumbeat, sending tremors through the nearby guards and passersby, making their hearts pound.

The gate guards now comprised only the most elite, their gazes sharp as lightning.

Though they couldn't clearly make out He Yiming’s features, the sheer momentum generated by the white horse alone was enough to prevent them from treating the arrival lightly.

However, among the crowd, a few recognized He Yiming. The moment they clearly saw the rider, they let out cheers, immediately dropping to their knees and crying out, "We welcome the Sixth Master home!"

Within the He Family Village, only one person held the title of Sixth Master.

Instantly, a great commotion erupted both inside and outside the gate, and everyone voluntarily cleared the central avenue.

He Yiming’s gaze swept over the faces before him, but to his dismay, not a single familiar countenance met his eyes.

Gently urging his mount, White Horse Lightning proudly moved through the parted crowd.

Seeing the He Family Village, which had expanded to a hundred times its former size and was now nearly a small town, a complex wave of emotions washed over him.

The current population must be at least a hundred times greater than before. Finding an elder from the original village would now be just as difficult.

A massive bronze bell began to toll from atop the watchtower.

He Yiming knew this was a custom among the great aristocratic houses—a signal used when a major event required the immediate assembly of all key figures within the clan.

In the past, the He Family Village had none of these rigid customs and formalities. Even when He Wude was feeling particularly didactic and wished to lecture all his descendants, he simply sent out individual messengers.

But the current He Family Village was clearly different from how it used to be...

A flicker of uncertainty crossed his eyes, for even He Yiming himself wasn't sure if this transformation was for the better or the worse.

In truth, the He Family Village had undergone a world-shattering change compared to the past; both its prestige and power had reached an unparalleled height.

Yet, in He Yiming’s memory, he felt something essential was missing, and he harbored a faint suspicion that this missing element might never return.

Ahead, the clamor of voices grew louder, and from the inner city, several familiar voices drifted towards him.

A joyous smile spread across He Yiming's face, casting aside the fleeting melancholy in his mind.

Where there is gain, there must be loss. Since the He Family Village was far more prosperous than ever before, that was enough. To strive for absolute perfection in every aspect was an impossibility, even for a true Divine Path cultivator.

White Horse Lightning suddenly pawed the ground fiercely, assuming a challenging posture.

He Yiming paused momentarily, then saw Chu Haozhou emerging from the inner gate.

He couldn't help but feel a mix of amusement and exasperation; even after so many years, the white horse always adopted this expression whenever Chu Haozhou appeared.

However, He Yiming knew well that White Horse Lightning and Chu Haozhou shared a bond spanning over forty years; no matter how much posturing occurred, the horse would never actually harm him.

Chu Haozhou laughed heartily, "Brother He, congratulations, congratulations..."

Hearing that familiar, bright laughter, He Yiming’s heart lifted as well. He dismounted, smiling broadly, "Brother Chu, what joyous news do you bring?"

Chu Haozhou sighed deeply, "Brother, your progress has been astonishingly swift. To reach the peak of the Human Dao realm again in just over a year... you..." He paused, racking his brain for a suitable adjective. After all, He Yiming’s cultivation speed was utterly unmatched in the world.

He Yiming asked in surprise, "Brother, you already know?"

It hadn't been long since he advanced to the Human Dao peak; he never expected the news to have traveled all the way to the Northwest.

His gaze flickered, and he immediately spotted a familiar figure. He instantly understood: Deng Yichen must have returned to the He Family Village, bringing the news with him.

Chu Haozhou abruptly lowered his voice, speaking conspiratorially, "Brother, there is something I'm uncertain whether I should ask."

He Yiming raised his eyebrows, "Feel free to ask, Brother."

Chu Haozhou’s face immediately grew solemn. He asked with utmost seriousness, "Brother, when do you plan to ascend to the Divine Path?"

He Yiming: "..."

Deng Yichen: "..."

Inside the inner city, He Quanxin and others began to emerge. He Yiming greeted his mother and the others, but he didn't see his father or Third Uncle. Upon inquiring, he learned they had taken his Eldest and Second Brothers to the county town to purchase New Year goods.

He Yiming felt a pang of emotion; it seemed another year had passed in the blink of an eye.

Since achieving success in martial cultivation and embarking on his trials, the time he spent residing at home had become increasingly scarce. Yet, it was precisely through his travels that he managed to reach his current realm within these few short years.

The gathered relatives surrounded He Yiming, guiding him toward the main hall as the central figure.

The two eldest members of the He Family generation remained in Mount Heng. Within the He Family Village, the eldest uncle, He Quanxin, held the position of highest authority. However, now that He Yiming had returned, even an elder like He Quanxin was prepared to yield the most central seat to him.

Arriving in the main hall, Lin Wenyu took her son's hand. "Yiming, how long do you plan to stay this time?"

When He Yiming traveled abroad, his mother, Lin Wenyu, was always the most worried. Yet, she was a discerning woman who understood that the current flourishing foundation of the He Family Village stemmed entirely from He Yiming’s reputation. Even for the sake of the entire family, she could not prevent her son from going out.

Therefore, in her heart, she merely hoped her son could stay home for a few extra days this time, and she would be content.

A wave of tenderness washed over He Yiming as he closely observed his mother. The He Family Village had changed drastically over the years. As He Yiming’s mother, Lin Wenyu’s status within the household had naturally risen accordingly. Even under the patriarchal norms of the He Family, her words carried weight. After He Yiming advanced to the Innate Realm, even Old Master He Wude never again defied Lin Wenyu’s wishes.

As a result, Lin Wenyu was not only not frail or aged; in fact, she seemed much more spirited than before. After all, besides He Yiming, she still had a son and a daughter to dote on, so she wasn't overly lonely day-to-day.

Relieving some of his earlier anxiety, He Yiming stated earnestly, "Mother, now that I have returned, I do not plan to leave again."

Lin Wenyu was momentarily stunned, then overcome with sheer joy. "You truly aren't leaving?"

He Yiming nodded with utmost seriousness. "Yes, I will definitely not leave before the New Year."

Lin Wenyu shot him an annoyed glance, and much of her delight instantly evaporated.

He Quanxin cleared his throat and chuckled, "Sister-in-law, a true man’s ambition lies in the four directions. Yiming’s status is different now; we absolutely must not hold him back."

Lin Wenyu nodded slightly. "Elder Brother speaks correctly."

In He Wude's absence, He Quanxin acted as the head of the household, and Lin Wenyu naturally deferred to his words.

Listening to the mundane conversation from his family, He Yiming felt waves of warmth. Although the topics were as plain as could be—nothing as earth-shattering as discussing the Thousand Year Ice Island with Ao Borui and the others—He Yiming realized that what he cherished most was the feeling of being with his family.

A moment later, Lin Wenyu's eyes suddenly brightened. "Yiming, you will stay for a whole month this time, right?"

He Yiming smiled and nodded. With more than half a month remaining until the New Year, even if he wanted to leave, he would have to wait until after the fifteenth day of the month at the earliest.

"Wonderful!" Lin Wenyu beamed. "Yiming, I have found several young women for you. They are all accomplished daughters from distinguished families. Normally, I could decide this matter for you, but your grandfather insisted that you must choose personally. You can spend this month here making your selection."

The smile on He Yiming’s face instantly froze.

Lin Wenyu continued with a gentle smile, "When a man is old enough, he should marry; when a woman is old enough, she should wed. You are not young anymore. Although cultivators can marry later, settling down sooner is also a good thing."