9 Chapter 9: Farewell Mother! (1/2)

”You don't even know what is a Dantian?” said his mother while rolling both of her eyes.

”A Dantian is where the human body stored their spiritual Qi that they have absorbed from the surrounding.” she explained.

Hearing this, Duan Li thought for a while and asked, ”How do we do that? By eating?”

”No silly! We absorb spiritual Qi into our body through breathing exercises!” she giggled and added, ”As for how your stomach managed to transform your digested food into a spiritual Qi, I am no longer surprised by your cheating abilities eventhough I don't know the reason why.”

”Cough!” Duan Li coughed dryly.

”Haha.. what is this 'spiritual Qi' for mother?” sounded Duan Li feeling curious as he chocked himself little bit, embarrassed that his mother categorized his abilities as cheating. He smiled awkwardly looking at that annoyed face of his mother.

”You can do a lot of stuff with spiritual Qi. In fact, some martial arts requires it to be executed just like the skill used by sister Ling Yu the other night. Furthermore, even normal martial arts becomes powerful when imbued with spiritual Qi.” replied his mother.

”Basically, spiritual Qi lets you do wonders and perform miracles. For now, you don't have to think about it yet. After learning the various meridian channels inside your body and mastering them, the academy will explain to you the numerous methods for you to gather spiritual Qi. After that, you just have to pick one that suits your needs.” explained his mother.

Thinking about it, Duan Li conjectured that this spiritual Qi topic might be too difficult and advance for him as of yet. Thus, he relented by nodding.

...

'knock knock!'

”Sister Ming Yue! I've come to pick up Duan Li!” sounded a voice from outside the door.

”Ahh, sister Ling Yu has arrived..” Duan Li's mother said as she opened up the door. They greeted with a hug.

”Sister.. about the other night..” Ling Yu spoke up with a small voice sounding quite guilty.

”Don't worry about it! It's my son who was too weak to have fainted from executing his own secret art. Haa.. ” sighed Meng Yue as she shook her head slowly.

To think that her son would suddenly fainted on the spot from executing his own abilities in front of her junior sister, she felt a little bit ashamed.

”Come on Duan Li, sister Ling Yu is waiting for you!” shouted Meng Yue, beckoning for Duan Li who was still in his room.

Emerging out of his room, Duan Li closed the door to his room gently while looking melancholic. He then slowly carressed the door as he sighed.

”Stop being so overdramatic and come quickly! You don't want to miss the airtrain!” said his mother as she rolled her eyes.

Coming forward while sighing again, Duan Li turned to look at his mother. On the outside, it seems that his mother seemed to be cool and unfazed. But as a son, Duan Li could clearly see that his mother was just acting. From her eyes, he could feel the hidden sadness in it.

”Mother, Duan Li your son here, will visit you every weekend okay? Don't feel too sad about it..” said Duan Li.

”Who is sad?! I am the one who decided to sent you to the academy! Hmph!” harrumphed his mother with crossed arms while pouting.

”Duan Li will make mother proud!” he said as he laughed for a bit looking at that adorable reaction from his mother.

”You.. just.. you take care of yourself over there, you hear me? Don't let others bully you! I will not acknowledge if my son were to be.. a weakling!” replied his mother seeming to stutter in her words a little bit.

She was trying hard to suppress her brewing emotion so as not to betray her unfazed expression.

Duan Li smiled.

Bowing down towards his mother at 90 degrees, Duan Li then hugged her as he whispered, ”I will mother, you too.. take care of yourself..” with a gentle voice.

”Silly boy..” replied his mother, her inner emotions almost broke out.

As Duan Li and Ling Yu departed into the distance, they both waved to Meng Yue as she waved back with a wide smile. Looking at their disappearing figure from their backs until they are completely gone, the trace of sadness finally expanded as it engulfed Meng Yue.

She looked inside the house, feeling empty.

”Now.. I'm all alone..”

She slumped to the ground slowly, and reclined her back towards the door frame. Burrowing her face with her arms to cover it, a silent cry of a mother was then heard by no one, but the wind.

...

”Grandma Ying!” called out Duan Li as he waved at the grocery store owner where the incident took place a few days ago.