XH 38

 

Xiao Hua had the urge to destroy something and preferably a certain huge tree with the hanging wooden target boards. No matter how much she had tried to throw the knives, not even a single one could come close to it. All of them fall to the ground before they could even approach a foot near the board.

 

Her right arm feels tired from the constant throwing, and she feared if she continues throwing, she might end up dislocating her right shoulder. But she had to admit Xiao Hua’s body was tougher than she had originally expected.

 

Her frustration led her to throw the knives at targets closer to her, such as the shorter and thinner tree which was a few feet closer to her than a certain huge tree with the hanging board.

 

Since she can’t bully the big tree, she will bully the smaller one! (╬ Ò﹏Ó)

 

Xiao Hua was happy to see her knives sunk deep into the smaller tree with a satisfying ‘thud’ sound.

 

“That’s not the target.” Da Bei decided to pop her happy bubble.

 

Xiao Hua’s shoulder slumped. “I can’t hit it.”

 

Da Bei stared at her for a moment before reaching out to take a knife. He swings his hand backward before swinging his hand upward and at the same time, releasing the knife. It hit straight into one of the hanging board, making it swing slightly.

 

Xiao Hua bit her lip, contemplating. She picked up a knife and tried to copy Da Bei’s move, but the knife falls to the ground even before it reaches half the distance between her and the board. Depressed, she walked around to pick up the fallen knives.

 

“You lack strength.”

 

Xiao Hua nodded in agreement. She knows that, but the Third Prince only gave her three days! If she trained her right hand to get stronger, she would not have enough time to train her aiming!

 

So many choices yet so little time!

 

“Da Bei, do you know what my punishment is going to be if I fail?” Xiao Hua anxiously asked.

 

“No.”

 

“What…what do you think it will be?”

 

“Beat by a wooden stick.” That was his punishment when he failed to finish the given task in the past.

 

Xiao Hua: '...' No matter what, she needs to have ten knives on the board before the third day!

 

After hours of constantly trying, Xiao Hua let out a loud cheer when one of her throws managed to touch the board. “I did it!”

 

“You are out of the line.”

 

Xiao Hua looked down at the ground, and sure enough, she had crossed the line. And not by few centimeters either. She had crossed more than a few feet!

 

“Why didn’t you tell me, Da Bei?” Xiao Hua cried without tears. Her tiredness had long ago crushed her politeness towards Da Bei. To her, Da Bei was a very likable kid even if he was rather quiet until you asked him a question.

 

This is the perfect little brother type! (´｡• ᵕ •｡`) ♡

 

“...I’m sorry.”

 

Xiao Hua grinned. “Next time, tell me if I did something wrong, okay?” She grinned even wider until her teeth could be seen when Da Bei nodded.

 

“It’s time for afternoon meal!” Tian Zi called out. Tian Chi was behind her, holding a few food containers.

 

Xiao Hua did not have an appetite but she still stuffed herself with food to recover back her energy. Da Bei had disappeared with his own portion of the meal as if he was shy to reveal his face. She actually wanted to see if Da Bei would be as adorable as she had imagined.

 

“I never thought the master would cut down Elder Sister Hua’s basic learning and jump straight to the main teaching,” Tian Zi mused as she stared at the hanging wooden board.

 

“Master has his own reason. Elder Sister An Jing knows his reason but she would not tell us,” Tian Chi said at the same time eating her food happily. During the short time they had known each other; Xiao Hua found out that Tian Chi loves to eat.

 

Xiao Hua’s eyes looked at Tian Chi’s figure up and down and silently thought that she must have undergone a strict exercise regime to maintain that slim figure despite from all that eating.  

 

“Elder Sister Hua, are you throwing only using your right hand?” Tian Zi suddenly asked.

 

“Yes.”

 

“It would be better to train your left hand too. We all learned to fight using both hands!”

 

Xiao Hua was already half dead with just one hand. And now she was told she needs to train her non-dominant hand as well?

 

“Don’t worry Elder Sister Hua. You can train your left hand later. Right now you just need to hit the board with ten knives!” Tian Zi said as if the task was easy. Perhaps it was for Tian Zi, but Xiao Hua was a beginner that does not even know how to punch someone in the right way!

 

Xiao Hua did think up of a way to quicken her training, but it might be dangerous. But since there was not much time and she did not want to be beaten up by a wooden stick, she will just have to be careful.

 

“Sister Tian Zi, Sister Tian Chi, can I have two long ropes?”

 

“Why do you want them for?”

 

Xiao Hua let out an awkward ‘He He He’. “To help my training.”

 

“I will find them for you!” Tian Zi darted away and Xiao Hua started searching for suitable rocks. When Tian Zi came back with the ropes, she had already more or less chosen the suitable sized rocks.

 

“What are you trying to do?” Tian Chi asked curiously.

 

“Can you help me tie a rock at my wrist?”

 

Tian Chi and Tian Zi’s eyes lit up in understanding. “A good idea! But Elder Sister Hua, you should have told us what you want to do.”

 

“Huh?”

 

“Da Bei!” Tian Zi raised her head to stare at a spot in on a tree, directly where Da Bei jumped down a second later. “Can we borrow your warming bag?”

 

“This is used by Da Bei and Da An to warm themselves up but we can also use it to help Elder Sister Hua with her training! Their weights are heavier than the rocks but they won’t accidentally cut your skin.” Tian Zi took two palm-sized black colored pouch bags from Da Bei.

 

Tian Zi and Tian Chi wrapped a pouch bag around each of her wrists and tighten it with ropes and her arms immediately straighten, facing downwards. Xiao Hua could feel the heat coming from the bag and they were pretty heavy. It was heavier than a 1000ml water bottle.

 

“What’s these?”

 

“These are specially made using fire crystals that could only be found in Feng Country. Because Da Bei and Da An’s body are weak towards cold, our master had it made for the twins.”

 

“Eh?” Xiao Hua stared at Da Bei in panic. “You need to wear it!”

 

“Don’t worry Elder Sister Hua. Da Bei still has more.”

 

Seeing Da Bei did not mind her using them, Xiao Hua was a bit relieved. “Then I will return them back to you after I’m done with the task!”

 

Assured by Da Bei’s nod, Xiao Hua returned back to her training. It took her quite some time to get used to the weight before she could start throwing. Her aim skewed and the width of her throw was shorter, but she had expected that with the additional weight and so she did not stop practicing.

 

When it was time for dinner, Xiao Hua was in the state where she could not lift her hands anymore. She tried to feed herself but her hand could not stop shaking, chopstick keeps on crossing or slipping and often dropping the food before it could reach her mouth.

 

Tian Zi laughed before helping to feed Xiao Hua or else she would not even able to eat finish the food before bedtime.

 

“Thank you.” Xiao Hua feels embarrassed for causing trouble.

 

“I remember when I’m still a beginner, I would often skip meals and choose to sleep instead,” Tian Zi said fondly. “Tian Chi was worse. She eats like a pig.”

 

“I did not eat like a pig!”

 

“You did not use your hands and just eat from your mouth! I remember you make a mess!”

 

“I cleaned up after!”

 

Seeing them bickering made Xiao Hua smiled. “How old are you?” Xiao Hua asked curiously.

 

“I’m 16 and Tian Chi is 14!”

 

“Woah!” Xiao Hua’s eyes widened as she reassesses them again. Although Tian Zi was taller than Tian Chi, Xiao Hua always assumed they were the same age.

 

“Surprised?” Tian Chi nodded knowingly. “Elder Sister Hua needs to eat more.”

 

Xiao Hua: ‘…’ Is she really small? Fine, she will try to eat more! (；￣Д￣)

 

“How old are you, Da Bei? You and Da An are twins, right?” Xiao Hua was pretty sure Da Bei and Da An were around her age or younger.

 

“I’m eight years old.”

 

Xiao Hua: ‘…’ This young lady wants to flip a table! ( ╯°□°)╯ ┻━━┻

 

How can he be eight years old with that body size?! What on earth did he eat?