" Ming, be a good boy and stay with grandpa Wu."
" No, take me with you sis."
One girl and a little boy are glaring daggers at each other not willing to give in to the other. Finally, Xia Lian sighed and rubbed her temples. She finally realized that she is not able to scold him ah!
" Alright, but you should listen to me."
Xia Ming nodded and lifted his arms. Xia Lian smiled helplessly and left the house with the little bunny in her arms.
" Both of you be careful. Lian'er, don't go too deep into the forest.." Grandpa Wu couldn't help but worry.
" Don't worry master, have faith in your disciple. I will be back by nightfall." Xia Lian waved at him. Grandpa Wu sighed and watched them leave until their back's disappeared.
" Father-in-law, don't worry. She is a responsible girl." Aunt Qian chuckled on seeing his worried expression. Wu Gong nodded and resumed his work.
" Sis, is this a forest?"
" Yes."
" Then where are lions and tigers?"
"They are sleeping."
" Sis, let's wake them up. I want to play with them."
Little bunny, they are not pets. Are you trying to kill your sister?
Xia Lian patiently answered the curious child's questions along the way.
After walking for an hour, Xia Lian found a place with a cave and open space with a small lake nearby.
Xia Lian nodded with satisfaction after observing her surroundings. She checked the cave and after making sure that it is clean and safe, she gently placed her brother down.
" You can sit here or stand outside and watch me practice. If you want to go anywhere call me. Don't go alone." Xia Lian started nagging.
" I will watch you sis.." Xia Ming blinked his big eyes. Xia Lian smiled and both of them came out of the cave. Xia Ming sat outside the cave and his eyes never left his sister's figure.
Xia Lian took out the red paint and marked circles on many trees at different positions.
After making sure that she is about fifty paces away from her first target, Xia Lian calmed herself. She slowly spread her legs and tilted her body diagonally with her right leg forward.
Xia Lian took her bow in her right hand and notched an arrow with her left hand. She then lifted her bow keeping her shoulder's straight. She then adjusted her arm to her eye-level and drew the bowstring. Aiming for her first target, Xia Lian released the arrow.
" Thunk"
" A bull's eye hit." Xia Lian smiled that she did not miss the bulls-eye. She looked at her small and weak body and sighed. She had to eat well and train this body well as shooting speed depends on one's strength.
Xia Lian calculated the time she took for her first shot and frowned. A minute! She cursed herself for being so slow. In her past life, she held a record for shooting twenty arrows in a minute. But, now she is able to shoot only one arrow.
Xia Lian felt bad and she notched the second arrow and released it.
" Thunk "
"Again I took a minute.." Xia Lian mumbled while notching the third arrow.
Fourth arrow. Fifth. Sixth.
Xia Lian clearly understood that with her current body, this is her best performance. But, this is nowhere near to what she can do.
Xia Lian clenched her fists and breathed out slowly. She had to reach her original speed in archery. She needs to eat foods rich in protein and she had to exercise her body well. Only with proper exercise, she can increase the flexibility of her body and make her hands strong so that she can draw the bow easily.
At that moment, Xia Lian made a decision in her heart. ' To reach my previous form, I will train myself to death if that is what it takes.'
So, without thinking further, she started practising with a single arrow. First, she should be able to shoot an arrow in a few seconds. Only then she can think of shooting multiple arrows at the same time.