Growing Up

Xue Lan stood at the edge of the courtyard, her gaze fixed on her son, Xuan, as he trained in the distance.

The gentle breeze played with her long, white robes, and her delicate features softened with a smile. Her eyes, usually filled with a quiet strength, now held a deep and lingering affection.

Watching Xuan grow from the small, fragile child she had once cradled in her arms into the young boy before her was a bittersweet experience.

Xuan, though still a boy, moved with an elegance that belied his age. His body might have seemed ordinary to the outside observer—no imposing height or overwhelming physical prowess—but Lady Xue Lan knew better. There was something beneath the surface, something hidden. She could see it in the way he carried himself, the subtle flickers of control and precision in his movements. It wasn't just the physical training, though he had been working hard at that too. It was his soul power, the hidden strength that even now he refused to reveal to anyone.

She sighed softly, her heart a mix of pride and worry.

Lady Xue Lan (thinking):

"He is growing so quickly… and yet, he holds back. Even now, he refuses to show the full extent of his power. Is it because he does not trust the world around him? Or does he not trust himself?"

She recalled when he was just a small child, quiet and observant, always curious but never boastful. Unlike the other children in the sect, who reveled in showing off their growing abilities, Xuan seemed content to watch from the shadows, always learning, always thinking.

As a mother, she worried about his reluctance to engage fully in the world around him. His natural talent, his keen intellect, and his immense potential—all of it remained hidden.

As Xuan paused in his training, he noticed her watching from the distance. For a moment, their eyes met. He gave a small, almost shy smile, the kind of smile he only ever showed to her.

It warmed her heart and reminded her of how much she loved her son's quiet nature, how different he was from the other boys in the sect who were always loud and aggressive in their pursuit of strength.

Xuan:"Mother, are you worried again?" he asked, his voice soft as he approached her. His young face, though still holding the innocence of youth, had a seriousness to it that was far beyond his years.

Lady Xue Lan, smiling warmly, shook her head.

"I am a mother, Xuan. It is my duty to worry about you." She brushed a hand through his hair as he stood beside her. "You train so diligently, yet you hold back so much. Why do you not show the others what you are capable of?"

Xuan looked away for a moment, gazing out at the stormy skies above the Heavenly Thunder Sect, his brow furrowing slightly.

"It's not the right time yet, Mother. I don't want anyone to know… not even Father. The power inside me—it's not like theirs." He turned back to her, his eyes reflecting a wisdom far beyond his age. "I don't want to be feared."

Xue Lan's heart ached at his words. She knelt down so she could meet him at eye level, placing her hands gently on his shoulders.

"Fear is not something you need to concern yourself with, my son. What you have inside you is a gift, not a curse. But you must learn to embrace it, not hide from it." Her voice was tender but firm. "The world may not always understand, but you are destined for more than you realize. You should not be afraid of that."

Xuan's gaze dropped, the inner conflict clear in his expression.

"What if they turn on me, Mother? What if they treat me like I'm something dangerous?"

Lady Xue Lan's heart broke hearing her son's fears. She pulled him into an embrace, feeling the fragility and strength of the child she loved so deeply.

"Then they will be fools," she whispered softly, her voice filled with quiet conviction.

"And I will always be here to protect you. But one day, Xuan, you will have to protect yourself—and the world. You will have to show them that your strength is not something to fear, but something to admire."

Xuan stayed silent for a moment, resting in his mother's comforting embrace. Though he didn't respond, the tension in his body eased slightly, as if her words had given him some measure of reassurance.

As they pulled apart, Lady Xue Lan smiled at him once more.

"Until then, my son, train as you must. But do not forget that hiding too long may make you forget who you truly are." She stood up, her gaze softening. "And always remember, no matter what happens, I am proud of you."

Xuan looked up at her, his expression thoughtful, and then nodded.

"Thank you, Mother. I'll try to remember."

As he turned back toward the training grounds, Lady Xue Lan watched him go, a mixture of love and sadness swirling in her heart. Xuan was special—she had known it from the moment he was born. But being special came with its own burdens, and she only hoped that when the time came for him to reveal his true self, the world would be ready to accept him.

And more importantly, she prayed that he would be ready to accept himself.