Li Hao's hand shot up imdiately, nearly knocking over their father's teacup in his eagerness. His enthusiasm was so typical of his personality—always first to volunteer, never hesitating.
Li Hua watched her second eldest brother's excitent with a mixture of amusent and mounting anxiety, her own hands clasped tightly in her lap. The contrast between his boundless confidence and her own hesitation couldn't have been more stark.
Honestly, she was nervous. Nervous of exposure of her past self, nervous that her results would reveal too much—or worse, too little. Would the crystal sohow sense that she didn't belong in this world? That the soul who originally inhabited this body was no longer here? The thought sent a shiver down her spine, despite the warmth of the room.
"Master, it'll be fine." Little Firefly spoke, sensing his master's unease.
When Li Hua and Little Firefly first bonded in her past life, their connection had been raw and unfiltered—every thought, no matter how private, flowed freely between them. It took years of practice for Li Hua to refine this ability, learning to control which thoughts she shared with her companion. Though more disciplined now, their bond remained as intimate as ever.
"I'm just nervous," she responded. The word felt foreign on her tongue—she hadn't experienced true nervousness since her past life, where neither board etings as a CEO nor assassination contracts had made her hands tremble like this.
"Master, don't worry. This crystal is not an all seeing crystal." He chuckled softly, "It just senses your spiritual powers and places you within the best categories."
She took a deep breath, drawing comfort from Little Firefly's words. After all, the crystal was just a tool for reading spiritual essence—it couldn't possibly understand the complexities of her existence, the mories of past lives, or the knowledge that resided in this young body.
Li Hua watched as Li Hao now held the affinity crystal in his small chubby hands, his face scrunched in concentration as he channeled his spiritual essence into the translucent sphere.
The crystal stirred to life in her brother's hands, pulsing with gentle radiance like moonlight through morning mist. Li Hua held her breath as she watched the white glow strengthen, responding to his spiritual essence. Everything about this world of cultivation filled her with wonder—the flow of spiritual energy, the mysterious white dragon coiled around her golden phoenix core, and now this remarkable crystal that could illuminate the path of one's destiny.
The crystal's depths stirred with tiny motes of light, like fireflies awakening at dusk. Its pure white glow fractured into scattered rays, and then—as quick as lightning splits the sky—two vibrant hues erged. Red surged upward like flas seeking heaven, while blue spiraled around it like mountain streams, the two colors dancing together in an ancient pattern that seed both wild and perfectly balanced.
"Good!" Her father shouted from his seat.
Li Hao opened his eyes and bead with pride, his small face radiating joy at their father's approval.
"Focus," her mother said, turning to look at their father sternly. "There's still one more test."
Nodding quickly, Li Hao closed his eyes again and infused his spiritual energy into the crystal.
The colors began to shift and swirl, forming distinct patterns within the translucent sphere. Patterns like clashing swords danced alongside ripples that shimred like molten tal, creating a srizing display that drew gasps from her parents.
Her mother's eyes widened slightly, a rare show of surprise crossing her usually composed features. "Fire and water elents, with an affinity for both combat arts and blacksmithing..." She paused, her voice carrying a note of reverence. "A powerful combination. Combat masters who can forge their own weapons are rare indeed."
Li Hao opened his eyes once again, and an infectious grin spread across his face, his eyes sparkling with pure joy at his unexpected talents. "Māmā, will I be powerful?"
"Yes, my Hao'er will be strong and powerful." Her mother smiled gently, her hands squeezing her brother's soft cheeks.
"Indeed," their father added, his voice rich with pride. "But rember, son, true power cos not just from talent, but from how hard you work to master it. With these gifts and proper dedication, you could beco not just a warrior, but a creator of legendary weapons." He reached across and ruffled Li Hao's hair affectionately. "Now, who's next?"
Li Hua looked at her Brother, Li Wei, noticing his gaze was already on her.
She nodded, allowing him to go up next.
Li Wei nodded and stepped forward, his childish features composed into a serious expression. "I'd like to go next."
Li Hao carefully placed the affinity crystal in Li Wei's hands, and Li Hua watched as their mother guided him through the process.
Soon, the crystal began to pulse with the sa soft white light she had seen before. Li Wei's brow furrowed in concentration as he channeled his spiritual essence into the translucent sphere. The light within started to dance, first flickering like a candle fla before settling into a steady glow that began to take on color.
The white light shifted and swirled, gradually transforming into a deep, srizing blue that filled the entire crystal. Unlike Li Hao's dual-colored display, Li Wei's affinity seed singular but incredibly pure, the blue as deep and clear as a mountain lake.
"Remarkable," their mother whispered, her eyes fixed on the intense blue light. "Such a pure water affinity..."
Li Hua felt her breath catch as the crystal began its second revelation. The pure blue light within the crystal started to ripple and transform, creating patterns of such intricate beauty that even their mother leaned forward in fascination. Delicate geotric shapes materialized like frost crystals forming on winter glass, interweaving with graceful patterns that resembled falling feathers caught in a gentle breeze.
"Heavens! A formation affinity and beast tar potential," their mother breathed, her eyes wide with wonder. The patterns within the crystal continued their srizing dance, the feather-like shapes now seeming to respond to Li Wei's gentle breathing.
Her father sat in stunned silence, pride shining in his eyes as he watched his eldest son's remarkable display.
Li Wei's face flushed with a mix of embarrassnt and pride as the crystal's light gradually dimd. "Thank you, Māmā and Bàba."
"Hey... what are you thanking us for? Though when we conceived you, your mother and I were beneath a water—" Her father's words were cut short by her mother's swift fist to his stomach.
Her brothers burst into laughter as their father doubled over, dramatically clutching his middle. "I regret... nothing..." he wheezed, still grinning despite his wife's deadly aim.
"Ahem." Her mother said, her face flushed red as a spring cherry. "Hua'er, it's your turn."
Li Hua's smile quickly faded as she nodded and held out her small chubby hands.
Her brother, Li Wei, carefully placed the affinity stone in her hands.
Sensing that she was slightly anxious, her mother walked behind her, her hands holding Li Hua's arm in gentle support. "Now gently release the spiritual essence in your inner core and focus it into the affinity stone," she instructed with a mother's patience.
Li Hua closed her eyes and felt the warm spiritual essence move from her inner core, threading through her ridians and then focused it, like a gentle stream, pouring into the affinity crystal.
The crystal ward beneath her touch, and when Li Hua opened her eyes, she witnessed sothing extraordinary. Within its depths, a symphony of colors blood—all eight elental hues swirled together like paint in clear water. Red, blue, purple, brown, and black wove delicate patterns, but three colors commanded attention above all others: green surging like spring growth through bamboo, wind essence streaming silver-white like storm clouds at dawn, and gold radiating with the brilliance of sumr noon.
The light from the crystal painted shadows across her family's faces as they stood in stunned silence. Li Hua felt the weight of their unspoken thoughts press against her chest like a physical thing. No one moved, no one spoke—as if the slightest sound might shatter this mont of revelation.
In the dancing light of the crystal, Li Hua kept her face carefully neutral, even as anxiety coiled in her stomach like a restless snake.
"It's okay, Master. This is very good. Your parents just need so ti to process this," Little Firefly's voice whispered in her mind, soothing her anxious heart.
Li Hua nodded slightly and continued focusing her spiritual energy into the affinity stone. The real test was yet to co.
Soon, the colors began their transformation, swirling and coalescing into distinct patterns. Like a celestial dance, spiral patterns intertwined with clashing swords, while geotric shapes rged with flowing feathers. Ripples and bubbles joined the display, creating a tapestry of possibilities that left her parents more speechless.
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