blueteamnovel Chapter 26 THE SHORT WALK
Chapter 26 THE SHORT WALK
"This..." her mother started but was unable to continue, her usual composure shaken by what she had just witnessed.
Her father leaned forward; his hands clasped tightly together as he studied the intricate display. Such a manifestation had never been seen in the past millennium. Even among the ancient texts he'd studied during his years as a scholar, accounts of such diverse affinities were rare and often dismissed as legends. The complexity of the patterns suggested not just multiple elements, but an innate ability to weave them together in ways that defied conventional understanding. His daughter's potential both thrilled and frightened him.
Once the light dimmed, Li Hua handed her mother the affinity stone with small, steady hands. The silence in the room felt thick enough to cut with a blade, broken only by the soft sound of her brother's awestruck breathing.
"Māmā, Bàba, Big Brothers...is Hua Hua strong?" Her innocent question hung in the air like morning mist, a stark contrast to the weight of what they had all witnessed. Her small face tilted upward; eyes bright with curiosity rather than understanding of the momentous revelation that had just occurred. The affinity stone, now dormant in her mother's trembling hands, seemed to pulse faintly with residual energy, as if echoing the extraordinary display they had just witnessed.
"Yes, yes. Hua'er is the strongest." Her mother whispered, her knees falling to the ground and her arms wrapping around Li Hua, gentle but firm.
Her father moved to join them, his composure momentarily forgotten as he knelt beside his wife and youngest child. His hand, when it came to rest on Li Hua's head, trembled slightly. "In all my life," he began, his voice thick with emotion, "I've never... Such potential is spoken of only in legends, and yet here it manifests in our little Poppy..."
Her brothers, not quite sure what was happening but sensing the importance of the moment, joined in, leaning forward to embrace their little sister. Her father wrapped his arms around her brothers, closing the distance, creating a tight circle of warmth and protection around Li Hua.
The family remained in their tight circle until her father drew in a deep breath, his voice finding its strength again. "You all must learn and train well, do you hear me?" His eyes swept across his children's faces, lingering for a moment on Li Hua before addressing them all. "What we've witnessed today changes everything. Your sister's gift is extraordinary, yes, but each of you has your own precious abilities to nurture. Together, we must grow stronger—not just for ourselves, but to protect what we have."
He straightened his shoulders, and some of his usual commanding presence returned, though his hand remained gentle on Li Hua's shoulder.
Li Hua watched as her father scratched his temples in embarrassment while her mother's cheeks turned pink, and she couldn't help but think her parents were quite adorable.
"Ahem. We're here." Her father turned around. They were a few steps from the lush forest, and as Li Hua gazed at it, she could see how the dense canopy of leaves blocked out most of the morning light, creating a wall of deep green shadows where the forest began. Ancient trees stood shoulder to shoulder, their branches intertwining so thickly that it was impossible to see more than a few feet into their depths.
"Our run will start from our home to this spot here and back," her father stated.
"Master, this is roughly six miles, three miles to and three miles back. This a total of 19 li's," Little Firefly calculated in her mind, its voice carrying the precise tone it always used when converting measurements.
In Li Hua's past life, six miles was easily done in eighteen minutes, however, she looked down at her 4-year-old body. This tiny frame, with its short legs and underdeveloped muscles, might actually take a full hour to complete the same distance. Even with her spiritual cultivation, the physical limitations of a child's body couldn't be ignored.
She bit her lips, feeling immensely frustrated. The gap between her past capabilities and current limitations felt like an abyss she couldn't cross.
"Master, if you're concerned you could try exercising in the space first and see if that'll help improve your stamina," Little Firefly suggested in her mind, its voice a gentle whisper in her consciousness.
Li Hua nodded. This would have to do, for now.
"As your stamina and endurance increases, we will begin training inside the forest." Her father's voice drew her attention.
Li Hua's gaze swept across the dense tree line, noting how the shadows seemed to dance between the ancient trunks. The forest held secrets; she knew - paths that would challenge not just her physical strength but her spiritual awareness as well.