An Obsession: He Truly Wanted to Stay

The clouds and steps in front of them vanished instantly.

Li Yunjing found himself standing on a familiar old street. The sycamore trees along the roadside were lush and leafy, and sunlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves, casting dappled shadows on the ground.

The air was filled with the aroma of fried dough sticks and soy milk wafting from breakfast stalls, and the sounds of bicycle bells, vendors' calls, and the clear reading voices coming from a nearby school could be heard.

Everything was exactly the same as the deepest memory in his mind.

"Xiao Jing! What are you daydreaming about? Hurry up, you'll be late for school!"

A familiar voice sounded from behind.

Li Yunjing's body stiffened abruptly, and he slowly turned around.

A figure that Li Yunjing recognized was standing not far away at the foot of the apartment building, carrying a thermos in his hand, with a gentle smile on his face, and his hair still as black as he remembered.

Beside her, a man held a schoolbag, still with that stern expression, but his eyes were full of concern.

"Dad... Mom..."

Li Yunjing's voice trembled, and his eyes instantly welled up with tears.

It's been almost four years.

He has been in this world of cultivation for almost four years.

In these four years, he went from a struggling junior cultivator to the powerful and independent Luozhen Sect.

He experienced many crises and witnessed too much bloodshed. He thought he had long forgotten everything about his past life and that ordinary yet warm home.

But only at this moment did he realize that the longing he had buried deep in his heart had never disappeared.

They were merely concealed by the responsibilities and battles of the cultivation Immortal Realm, and in his most vulnerable moment, they surged forth like a tidal wave, instantly engulfing him.

"Silly child, what are you standing there for?" His mother stepped forward, reached out and patted his head; the warmth of her hand was still so familiar. "Didn't you say yesterday you wanted to eat my braised pork? I got up at five this morning to make it for you and put it in a thermos. Remember to heat it up at school at noon."

His father handed him the schoolbag and said in a deep voice, "You're in your final year of high school. Work hard, get into a good university, and find a stable job afterward. Then your mother and I will be at ease."

Li Yunjing took the schoolbag, and as her fingertips touched the familiar fabric, tears finally streamed down her face.

He would never forget this memory; it was the life he had always dreamed of.

No need to worry about the sect's destruction every day, no need to struggle for survival amidst swords and shadows.

He could live a normal life, going to school, working, getting married, having children, accompanying his parents as they grow old, and living a simple yet happy life.

Instead of living alone in a strange world like this, without even the chance to offer incense to my parents.

"Come on, I'll take you to school." His father nudged his shoulder and turned to walk towards the motorcycle parked by the roadside.

Li Yunjing followed instinctively.

She skillfully stepped onto the back of the motorcycle, wrapped her arms around her father's waist, and felt the warmth of his back.

The roar of the motorcycle engine filled the air as it carried the two forward.

The wind brushed against Li Yunjing's cheek, carrying the fragrance of sycamore trees; everything felt unreal.

How he wished it were all true.

How I wish I had never traveled through time.

Not long after, Li Yunjing arrived at the rural high school he was attending.

People were coming and going at the school gate, all of whom were his familiar classmates and teachers.

He saw his deskmate, smiling and waving at him; he also saw his strict homeroom teacher, standing at the entrance of the teaching building checking on late students; and he saw his classmates playing basketball on the playground, full of youthful energy.

"Hurry up and go inside, the school bell is about to ring," his father said as he stopped the car.

Li Yunjing nodded and walked into the school gate with her schoolbag on her back.

He walked into the familiar classroom and sat down in his seat.

His deskmate leaned over and whispered about the ball game he watched last night. Just then, the teacher walked in with a textbook and began explaining some dry math problems.

Sunlight streamed through the window onto the desks, and chalk dust danced in the sunlight.

Time passed little by little, with classes starting, ending, morning exercises, lunch...

Everything was exactly as he remembered.

He felt as if he had truly returned to Blue Star, back to that most beautiful age.

But for some reason, he always felt empty inside.

While eating, he looked at the fragrant braised pork in the thermos, but had no appetite at all.

During class, he looked at the math formulas on the blackboard, but his mind was filled with images of the Luozhen Sect.

He recalled the dilapidated main hall of the Luozhen Sect, Nangong Chengyu's teachings, and Mo Xuan and Shui Yao...

These people and these events are etched into his very being, becoming an inseparable part of his life.

"What's wrong? Is it not tasty?" My mother's voice suddenly rang in my ears.

Li Yunjing looked up and realized that he had returned home without even realizing it.

His mother was sitting opposite him, looking at him with concern. His father was sitting on the sofa, reading the newspaper, while the television in the living room was playing the familiar news broadcast.

"No, it's delicious." Li Yunjing forced a smile, lowered his head, and rummaged through the rice in his bowl.

"Then eat more." His mother placed a piece of braised pork on his plate. "Look at you, you've lost weight lately. Are you studying too hard? Maybe you shouldn't push yourself so hard; your health is the most important thing."

"Yes," his father put down his newspaper and looked at him, "It doesn't matter if you don't get into a prestigious university, as long as you're safe and sound. Your mother and I don't need you to be outstanding; as long as you can stay by our side, that's enough."

Stay by their side.

These words, like the sharpest knife, pierced Li Yunjing's heart.

He longed to be by his parents' side, to be an ordinary son, and to fulfill his filial duties as a son.

But he couldn't.

There are still people in the Luozhen Sect waiting for him.

This is ultimately an illusion, not the real world.

If he stays here and indulges in this false illusion, then the Luozhen Sect will perish.

Now, he must prioritize the Luozhen Sect.

"Dad, Mom," Li Yunjing put down her chopsticks, looked up at her familiar parents, and tears streamed down her face again, "I'm sorry."

"Silly child, why are you apologizing?" His mother reached out to wipe away his tears and said gently, "As long as you're alright, we don't care about anything else."

"I can't stay." Li Yunjing shook his head, his voice firm. "I still have things I need to do, and there are people waiting for me to go back."

"This is your home!" the mother's voice became urgent. "What's so good about that world? Fighting and killing, you could die at any moment. Stay here, stay with us, our family will be together forever, isn't that good?"

His father also stood up, looked at him, and pleaded in his eyes, "Son, don't go."

The surrounding scenery began to distort.

The walls in the living room began to peel, the sound from the television became muffled, and the figures of my parents began to appear transparent.

"Stay..."

"Stay with us..."

"This is your home..."

Countless voices echoed in Li Yunjing's ears, and his parents' figures became clearer and clearer as they reached out, trying to grab him.