Chapter 106: A Boy's Awakening
The Liu Clan home glowed with a gentle warmth in the late afternoon,
the air rich with the earthy scent of woodsmoke drifting from the hearth,
the soft hum of qi circulating through the rebuilt wards a comforting presence,
the golden light filtering through paper windows adorned with protective runes.
Lin Xuan, sat quietly in his room,
the space adorned with a low wooden bed and a small carved wooden sword resting against the wall,
his crimson eyes distant as he gazed out the window,
the Celestial Unity Crest on his back pulsing faintly with a rhythm tied to his restless thoughts.
Within the depths of his mind, a memory stirred,
pulling him back to a time when he was younger,
a flashback to the early days after his arrival at the clan,
a period etched with vulnerability and the beginnings of family.
In that past, the Liu Clan home had been newly rebuilt,
the air carrying the fresh scent of timber and the faint crackle of a small fire,
Luo Shuang—gentle, weary, her silver hair framing a careworn face—
tending his wounds with a damp cloth, her calloused hands trembling slightly.
"Xuan'er, you're safe with me," she murmured,
her voice a soothing balm as she fed him warm broth,
the wooden spoon clinking softly against the bowl,
her eyes soft with a mother's love despite the exhaustion lining her features.
Lin Xuan's heart ached, a lump forming in his throat,
he whispered to himself, gratitude and guilt in a frail voice.
"Martial Mother… even with nothing, you gave me everything.
I was just a broken boy, and you made me feel like I belonged."
The memory shifted, months passing in a blur within the flashback,
Liu Ren—informal, warm, his gray eyes crinkling with a rare smile—
teaching him the basics of survival and discipline in a quiet corner of the training field,
his long black coat swaying as he demonstrated a simple stance.
"There's a reason you're stuck at the 1st Layer of Body Refining, Xuan'er,"
Ren said softly, crouching beside him, his tone patient yet encouraging,
the grass rustling under his knees as he adjusted Lin Xuan's posture.
"But your strength will rival mine one day. Trust the journey—it's in you."
Young Lin Xuan, frustration bubbling up, tossed a pebble aside,
his voice tinged with doubt as he met Ren's gaze, his hands clenched.
"Ren, you really expect me to believe that?
I know you're just trying to motivate me, but it's hard to see it.
I feel useless—my body won't move the way I want it to."
Ren chuckled, a deep, reassuring sound that eased the tension,
ruffling Lin Xuan's hair with a calloused hand, the strands catching the sunlight.
"I've seen potential in worse cases, kid.
You'll get there—give it time. We'll try again tomorrow, together."
The memory softened with the arrival of Liu Yue,
a bright spark with raven hair and a mischievous grin,
who bounded into the scene, her wooden sword in hand, her steps light.
"Don't worry, Brother Lin! I'll protect you!"
she declared, her voice cheerful as she tugged at his sleeve,
her small frame exuding a confidence that brought a faint smile to his face.
They spent days together in the flashback—studying herbs in the garden,
the air filled with the scent of crushed herbs as Luo Shuang guided them,
sparring with wooden swords that clacked with each clumsy strike,
and stargazing under a silver moon, their laughter echoing softly into the night.
evening, exhausted after a long sparring session in the memory,
they collapsed onto a blanket under the stars,
Lin Xuan's voice slipping out in a tired murmur, his breath uneven.
"Yan'er…"
Liu Yue froze, her breath catching, her eyes wide with surprise,
then turned to him with a gentle smile, her voice warm and forgiving.
"Let's rest, Brother. You've earned it,"
she said, brushing off the name as if it were a slip of the tongue,
her presence a balm to the depression that had weighed on his younger self.
His mood lifted slightly in the memory, the weight on his chest easing,
the air filled with the faint crackle of a nearby fire and the chirp of crickets,
her small hand finding his as they lay side by side, a silent promise of support.
"Yan'er… it felt right to say," he thought in the flashback,
but he let it go, grateful for her unwavering companionship,
the stars above mirroring the flicker of hope in his heart.
Luo Shuang joined them later in the memory, bringing a tray of tea,
her smile tired but full of love as she sat beside them on the blanket.
"You two are inseparable—my little warriors,"
she said, pouring tea with steady hands,
her silver hair catching the moonlight as she adjusted her shawl against the chill.
Young Lin Xuan leaned against her, his voice quiet and uncertain.
"Martial Mother, do you think I'll ever be strong enough?
Ren says I will, but I don't feel it yet—
I'm just holding everyone back."
She stroked his hair, her touch gentle and reassuring.
"Xuan'er, strength isn't just in your body—it's in your heart.
You've already shown it by surviving. Ren sees that, and so do I.
You're not holding us back—you're our light."
Liu Yue nodded eagerly, sipping her tea, her grin returning.
"Yeah, Brother Lin! You're tougher than you think—
I saw you block my last swing today, even if you stumbled!"
The family moment stretched into the night,
the air growing warm with the scent of tea and earth,
the martial mother's care and junior sister's support a fragile hope,
his bow to the master a step toward overcoming his inner doubts.
back in the present, Lin Xuan,now seventeen, whispered to himself as the memory faded,
"I'll get stronger—for you, for all of you.
That boy in the past… he's part of who I am now."
The awakening lingered in his mind,
a quiet resolve forming as the afternoon light waned,
the cube, tower, and shadowy figure in his consciousness watching silently,
their purpose a mystery yet to unfold, tied to the echoes of his fragile bond.