Chapter 107: The Spark of Strength
The Liu Clan training grounds buzzed with the vibrant energy of a crisp afternoon,
the air thick with the earthy scent of sweat and the gentle hum of qi,
the packed dirt worn smooth by countless footsteps,
the midday sun casting playful shadows over the scattered wooden dummies.
Two years had passed within the memory, a quiet stretch of growth and effort,
Lin Xuan, now a lanky youth of perhaps eleven in the flashback,
stood tall with a surge of pride as he broke through to the 4th Layer of Body Refining,
his crimson eyes glowing with satisfaction as he struck a dummy, the wood creaking under the impact.
The breakthrough came after months of relentless practice,
his muscles aching but his spirit alight with a small, hard-won victory,
a milestone that fueled his determination to honor the faith Liu Ren had placed in him.
The clan's joy swelled with Liu Yang's birth,
his small cries piercing the morning air as Luo Shuang cradled him in the family home,
exhaustion etched into her smile, her silver hair framing her radiant yet weary face,
the rebuilt halls echoing with the fresh wave of laughter he brought.
Liu Yue, now ten and blossoming into her role as a sister,
teased Lin Xuan with a playful nudge, her raven hair bouncing with each step,
her voice bright with mischief as she grinned up at him.
"Now you've got a rival, Brother Lin!
Better watch out—Liu Yang might outdo you one day!"
Lin Xuan grinned back, ruffling her hair with a laugh,
his voice light and teasing as he met her gaze, the strands slipping through his fingers.
"Only if he catches up—
I've got a head start, and I'm not slowing down anytime soon!"
Luo Shuang watched from the porch, her presence a steady anchor,
her smile tired but brimming with pride as she paused her mending,
her hands holding a needle and thread as she called out softly across the yard.
"My Xuan'er, growing so fast—
you're becoming the man Ren always believed you could be,"
she said, her voice carrying a mother's warmth,
her silver hair catching the sunlight as her eyes glistened with unshed tears.
Liu Yue matured with each passing day in the memory,
her raven hair a constant reminder of Liu Ren's subtle touch,
a symbol of the family's unity that Lin Xuan held dear,
her presence growing into a steady support as she practiced her forms nearby.
Lin Xuan trained harder, driven by a need to prove himself,
his movements growing sharper and more fluid with each session,
the wooden dummies bearing the marks of his progress with every resounding thud,
his crimson eyes narrowed in focus as he pushed past the frustrations of his earlier struggles.
One evening, under a starlit sky pierced by a crescent moon,
Liu Ren watched from the training field's edge,
his gray eyes softening as he observed Lin Xuan's form,
his long black coat swaying gently in the cool night breeze.
"You're finding your path, Xuan'er—
not just in strength, but in heart,"
he said, his voice steady and warm, handing him a water gourd with a nod of approval.
Lin Xuan took it, sipping gratefully, the cool liquid soothing his parched throat,
his voice earnest and slightly hesitant as he met Ren's gaze.
"I want to be like you, Ren—
strong enough to protect everyone, especially the family.
But sometimes I wonder if I'm enough, you know?"
Ren sat beside him on a worn bench, his tone reflective and grounded,
the wood creaking slightly under his weight as he leaned forward.
"Strength isn't about being enough on your own, Xuan'er.
It's about lifting others when they stumble, about standing together.
You've got that in you—more than I ever did at your age.
Look at how far you've come these past two years."
Luo Shuang joined them later, carrying Liu Yang in a soft sling against her chest,
her smile weary but full of love as she settled onto the bench beside them.
"You two are the heart of this clan now,"
she said, adjusting the baby's blanket with careful hands,
"and Liu Yang will learn from the best—his big brother and sister.
I'm so proud of you, Brother Lin."
Liu Yue skipped over, plopping down with a wide grin,
her wooden sword tucked under her arm as she chimed in.
"Brother Lin, let's show Liu Yang how it's done tomorrow!
A little spar—nothing too rough, of course, since he's just a baby!"
Lin Xuan laughed, the sound bright and genuine, nodding in agreement.
"Deal, Yue'er. Let's make it fun for him—maybe a demonstration instead!"
The family moment stretched into the night,
the air growing warm with the scent of earth and the crackle of a small fire they'd lit,
Liu Yue's presence a constant source of support as they roasted chestnuts together,
the hearth's glow reflecting off her raven hair and Lin Xuan's determined expression.
Luo Shuang handed Lin Xuan a roasted chestnut, her voice soft and wise.
"Xuan'er, you've grown so much—
but don't forget to savor these moments.
They're what keep us strong, what keep this family whole."
He took it, his heart swelling with gratitude, the warmth of the nut in his palm.
"I won't, Martial Mother.
I'll fight for this—for all of us, every day."
As the fire died down, Liu Ren added a log, the wood hissing as it caught,
his voice low but firm as he addressed them all.
"This clan is our strength, but it's also our weakness.
Train hard, all of you—Xuan'er, Yue'er, and when he's ready, Liu Yang.
The world beyond these wards isn't kind."
Liu Yue nodded, her eyes serious for once.
"We will, Father. I'll protect them—
you'll see how strong I've become!"
Luo Shuang smiled, resting a hand on Liu Yang's head.
"And I'll teach him the herbs, the resilience.
We're a team, Ren—always."
Lin Xuan looked at them, his resolve hardening,
the memory of his early struggles fading into a determination to lead.
"I'll lead that team, Ren.
I promise I'll be ready when the time comes."
The strength lingered in the air,
a quiet resolve forming as the stars wheeled overhead,
Liu Ren whispered to the fire, his voice barely audible,
"May this peace hold, for their sakes—and for the day I must leave again."
Back in the present, Lin Xuan, now seventeen, reflected on the memory,
the afternoon light waning as he sat in his room,
the carved wooden sword a silent witness to his growth.
"That spark… it's still in me," he murmured,
his crimson eyes glinting with renewed purpose.