bookpower Chapter 35 BÀBA'S TRAINING PART 1
Chapter 35 BÀBA'S TRAINING PART 1
After their mother helped them change into their practice robes and shoes, the siblings stepped into their courtyard where their father was already stretching.
"Come, my little warriors! Let's begin!" He shouted, a mischievous smile forming on his face.
The siblings ran over to where he stood, watching attentively as their father began to demonstrate the morning exercises. "Follow me," he instructed, his voice carrying both authority and warmth.
"When stretching, don't just do them willy nilly. Stretch your muscles properly and with purpose," he demonstrated, moving his arms in slow, deliberate arcs. "Each movement prepares your body for what's to come."
Li Hua watched intently and followed his movements, stretching deeply. She could feel the lingering soreness from her training last night but kept her face carefully neutral as she matched her father's routine.
After a few moments, her father led them into a slow jog toward the foot of the mountain. The terrain here posed a different challenge than her spiritual space—instead of the flat, predictable ground she'd trained on the night before, the mountain path rose steadily upward, demanding more from her already tired muscles.
"My little warriors, repeat after me!" their father called out cheerfully. "Little feet strong and light!"
"Little feet strong and light!" the siblings echoed, their young voices carrying in the morning air.
"Running mountain paths so bright!"
"Running mountain paths so bright!"
"One-two-three we go!"
"One-two-three we go!"
"Let's turn around here!" Her father shouted, making a smooth u-turn around a large rock. His smile was wide, as if he too enjoyed this shared moment of exertion. "Come on, lift those legs up!"
The morning sun had risen higher now, burning away the last traces of mist and warming their backs as they began their descent.
Li Hua watched her father's confident stride slow as he fell beside them, his voice warm with encouragement. "Halfway, my little warriors, you can do this!"
She saw her brothers gain motivation and their pace increased, running ahead of Li Hua.
Her father stayed with her, his eyes watching her with gentle attentiveness, noticing how she paced herself with careful precision. Such scrutiny would have made her tense in her past life, but now it filled her with warmth to know he cared so deeply about her progress.
Even as her lungs worked harder in the thinning mountain air, she found herself smiling, drawing strength from his presence beside her.
"Bàba is so proud of you, my little poppy. Don't stop now," he said softly, matching his stride to hers.
She nodded, breathing deeply and keeping her pace consistent.
Soon they reached their home, where she found her brothers sprawled dramatically in the courtyard, their limbs spread like starfish as they gasped for air. Li Wei let out an occasional theatrical cough while Li Hao moaned about his legs feeling like jelly. Their mother sat at the wooden dining table drinking tea and organizing her herbs, shaking her head with a gentle smile playing on her lips.
"Welcome back," she said, her tone both relieved and amused at her sons' antics.
"Wa-water," her brothers gasped. Before they could continue their theatrics, big blobs of water materialized from thin air, thoroughly drenching them both.
Laughter erupted in the courtyard and Li Hua couldn't help but join in, recognizing that her father had used his water abilities to teach her brothers a playful lesson. Their previously dramatic exhaustion forgotten as they sat there looking like drowned rats, mouths still open in surprise.