"Where are we going?" Li XiWang asked him when they stopped.
"How would you like to fly there?" Wei Ying had already taken off his upper robes, and handed them to his daughter.
"Yes, please."
He had known she would agree, fast becoming an adrenaline junkie like himself, ever chasing new experiences, learning new things.
Wei Ying was so proud of her.
He loved all of his children, perhaps too much, but Li XiWang was his in a way that SiZhui was more Lan Zhan's. This closeness came from sharing pain and joy, emerging from the tornado of emotions to be stronger together.
Their souls had just clicked.
He unfurled his wings and picked her up now, his wings launching them into the sky.
The wind raced through their hair, warm sunshine on their faces as they exited the cover of years old oak trees, golden leaves swirling in their wake.
Autumn never failed to bring waves of melancholy upon Wei Ying. He loved to see the rich browns of the trees as they transformed from lush ripe green to golden hues, vivid reds and oranges, and then their inevitable demise, crumbling into dry nothingness. The bleakness of winter was a hard time for him; too many reminders of other places where nothing could grow.
Li XiWang's shrieks of joy as they soared across canopies of pines and sycamore, late blossoming petals spreading their perfume, brought him out of his reverie, and he smiled broadly, excited because she was.
"Look down there, little rabbit!" He pointed with a jerk of his head.
Li XiWang gasped as he aimed for the blue lake, waves shimmering when they caught the sun. He hovered above the waters, grinning.
"Are you going to be a good girl?" He asked, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
"When am I not?" She giggled in anticipation.
"Promise me, otherwise I'm dumping you in there."
She looked down and mock shuddered, throwing her little arms around his neck.
"Please, please, I'll be good. I'll do exactly what you say!"
Wei Ying relented and carried her to the shore.
He had stored away floor cushions in his pouch, which he pulled out after he redressed.
They sat down and began.
"As you know, little rabbit, the first stage of meditation is centering yourself. It's boring but necessary and leads the way to the fun stuff. Only an expert can reach this stage quickly, and that's what we're aiming for. This second stage must be cultivated so that it's instant. In battle, you won't have time to get there slowly."
"Yes, father."
"This second stage is where we can start exploring your powers. I am going to test you today, so we can see what you can do and what can be achieved later." Wei Ying closed his eyes. "Let's begin."
When he was sure that Li XiWang was ready, he spoke softly.
"Concentrate on your breathing, how it nourishes your core. As you breath in, feel the power surge in your blood. Everything is connected, little rabbit, so we are going to start with the Earth. You have a natural affinity with this element, so let us explore how far we can go." His voice was warm and comforting, with an edge of curiosity.
"We know you can grow flowers, what about something bigger, like a tree?"
"Can it be a pretty tree?" She whispered.
"It can be whatever you want it to be. Just try."
Wei Ying could feel tendrils of energy like the veins in his body, swarm under them, gathering and taking shape. He opened his eyes to see Li XiWang with both of her palms on the soil in front of her, eyes closed, and sweat beading on her forehead.
Between them on the ground, he saw the soil loosen and shift, as if making space for something. A tiny green seedling popped its head out of the ground, and still the energy swarmed. Wei Ying touched the ground, feeling vibrations deep into the earth.
"Don't." Li XiWang warned him, eyes still closed.
He removed his hands immediately.
The seedling grew taller, twisting in the sunlight, unfurling its leaves, one by one, and now it was a baby tree, with small branches reaching up into the sky, like a child raises its arms to be carried. The greenness of its leaves contrasted with the brown soil, and the miracle of nature presented itself in front of them.
Still it grew, reaching higher and higher.
"You may stop now." Wei Ying told her, impossibly proud.
She opened her eyes, with the ever present thrill clearly visible.
"Oh my." She breathed out softly, her voice just a whisper on the wind.
They both stood up and walked around the tree,
"Why did you tell me not to touch the earth? Wei Ying asked her, curiously.
"It disturbed the flow of energy. I was channelling straight from my core."
"Ah. So, much like when we transfer spiritual energy to each other, you can do it straight to the earth?" His desire for knowledge was coming to the forefront.
"Yes, only the intentions changed, and I don't have to caution myself here because it is limitless. And," she smiled, shyly, "it's constant. Can you feel it now?"
Wei Ying closed his eyes and concentrated.
There was a quiet humming in the earth, a call to come together. When he opened his eyes, newer leaves had sprouted and the tree looked taller.
"How did you do that?" He felt the trunk of the tree, could feel the life force thrumming through its bark.
"I connected to the life force in all things, and asked them to accept this new addition, to provide spiritual care to this new life." She shrugged. "They listened."
"Hmmm. I wonder if your connection to the water is just as strong? I'm guessing because of your father?"
"What would you like me to do?" If she showed any discomfort at his reference to her father, she didn't show it.
Wei Ying was relieved. The thought of her "real" parents was an uncomfortable feeling for him, something he refused to think about. It was easier to call them by their names than to acknowledge their relationship with his daughter.
They both turned to the gentle lake, its blue waters rippling softly.
"Can you make it move at all?" He asked.
She sat down facing the lake, and closed her eyes again. Her palms rested on the earth as before. This time, the tendrils of energy came from her, hitting the waves in a silent assault.
The previous waters gently lapping at the shore, became stronger, churning and swirling into something more powerful, growing wilder with each pulse of energy.
A wall of water rose from the depths of the lake, climbing higher and higher, threatening to crash down upon them, as Wei Ying watched, unafraid.
Three times his height it grew, foam bursting on the lips of this massive wave, when suddenly, blue energy hit the water in a sudden assault.
Wei Ying turned to see where this new energy came from, and saw Lan Zhan beating back the wave with WangJi, throwing out pulses of his own powerful energy, when suddenly, the wall of water collapsed.
Lan Zhan swooped in, grabbing both his daughter and husband, saving them both from the mini tsunami that engulfed the shore, crashing into the trees upon the edges with force.
Oh no, Wei Ying thought, glancing at a furious looking Lan Zhan.
They were going to be in so much trouble.
YOU ARE READING
WangXian Forever 5
RomanceThe search continues. Wei Ying and Lan Zhan have a mystery to solve and must help their daughter.
