"This..." her mother started but was unable to continue, her usual composure shaken by what she had just witnessed.
Her father leaned forward; his weathered 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 strength 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.
"Come, Let's take a walk." Her father stood up, his hands gently pulling his wife up with him. Her mother's composed mask had cracked, revealing a mix of pride and concern beneath, her eyes still glistening with unshed tears. Li Hua noticed how tightly her mother's fingers intertwined with her father's, as if drawing strength from his steady presence.
The siblings nodded, her brothers each taking her hand and giving them a firm squeeze.
The Family of five made their way out the gats of their courtyard.
As they walked, her father spoke, "Our home is quite a way from the village, but it sits near the foot of the great White Cloud Mountains where the spiritual energy flows most purely. Your mother and I chose this place with great care," he gestured to the misty peaks looming above them. "Here in the lowest realm of the human world, the spiritual essence gathers in peculiar ways. Like water flowing downhill, it pools in certain places, creating pockets of concentrated power." He paused, watching as wisps of morning mist curled around their feet. "This spot, where our home stands, is one such place. The mountain above us acts as a natural conduit, drawing down celestial energy that we can use to strengthen our cultivation. That's why you've always felt more energized here than when we visit the village, though you may not have understood why until now."
"Bàba, are the mountains also dangerous? Is that why the villagers said we're foolish to live so close to it?" Li Hao asked.
"Yes, the village chief is only a rank 3 in the Fundamental Phase, just below the three of you in cultivation. The other villagers are even weaker than their chief," her father explained gravely. "It is said that some of the beasts who inhabit the White Cloud Mountains have already reached rank 2 of the Martial Phase. If the villagers were to encounter such creatures..." he paused, his voice growing solemn, "it would certainly end in death."
Li Wei furrowed his brows in thought before asking, "Bàba, wouldn't the spiritual energy in our home attract beasts from the Mountain?"
"You're right, Wei'er," her father replied, pride warming his voice as he walked backward along the path, keeping his eyes on his children. "But your mother and I planned for this. Together, we crafted a protective array around our home—a barrier that not only conceal spiritual energy from those above Fundamental Phase Rank 2, but also ensures our privacy from prying eyes and ears. It took years to perfect the array's intricate patterns."
Her mother caught her father's sleeve, bringing them both to a halt. Turning to face the children, she added, "And for additional security, I scattered Beast-Warding Thunder Powder along our borders." A satisfied smile graced her serene features as they stood there. "Any beast below Fundamental Phase Rank 2 wouldn't dare cross that line."
"Woah! Māmā and Bàba are the best!" Li Hao shouted, raising his thumb up enthusiastically. His siblings nodded in wholehearted agreement, sharing in their brother's admiration.
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.