Chapter 184
After being away for more than half a month, the little sparrow looked almost unchanged—still round, fluffy, and chubby. Its white feathers puffed up, making it look like a tiny ball.
Being surrounded and stared at as though it were a chick thoroughly angered the sparrow.
It flapped its wings, hovering mid-air, and exclaimed indignantly, “I’m a sparrow! A flying sparrow! Not a chick!”
The tender yet unfamiliar childish voice rang out over the greenery, startling the cubs who had run over to watch.
“Chirp Chirp, since when could you talk?” Lang Ze was the first to ask.
The little sparrow proudly puffed out its chest and huffed, “I’m a human too! Of course, I can talk!”
It landed on Xue Wei’s shoulder, rubbing its beak affectionately against her cheek, conveying both its closeness and longing. “Wei Wei, I’m back!”
Xue Wei gently cupped the little sparrow in her hands, gazing at it with soft eyes.
Su Su hadn’t lied to her—Chirp Chirp really was a beast-shifting human, and during their time apart, it had even learned to speak.
That was wonderful!
“Chirp Chirp, I missed you so much,” she whispered.
“I missed you too,” the little sparrow chirped, hopping in her palm to express its feelings.
They had grown up together, inseparable family. They’d never been apart for this long before, but thankfully, their reunion was joyous and complete.
Meanwhile, Lang Ze stood nearby, still looking puzzled. “Aren’t you a sparrow? How are you a human too?”
“So, Chirp Chirp is a beast-shifting cub?” Lu Jiao chimed in.
“Yes!” The little sparrow nodded confidently.
Lang Ze couldn’t help but exclaim, “So, are you a boy or a girl?”
The sparrow’s voice, soft and tinged with a childish lilt, didn’t give away its gender—it could be mistaken for either.
At Lang Ze’s question, the sparrow puffed up its chest again, declaring proudly, “I’m so pretty, of course, I’m a girl like Wei Wei!”
“Ohhh!”
Lang Ze and Lu Jiao both nodded in understanding.
Even Little Li Hua agreed wholeheartedly, though her mind was already wandering elsewhere. After nodding, she asked eagerly, “Will the chicks be as pretty as you?”
She was utterly defenseless against anything beautiful!
Hearing itself compared to chicks again, the little sparrow almost flared up but calmed down upon realizing it was Little Li Hua asking. Its tone softened slightly.
Tilting its head in thought—it hadn’t seen chicks before—it confidently replied, “I’ll definitely be prettier than them!”
Little Li Hua nodded in agreement, flashing the sparrow a sweet smile. “That’s right! Chirp Chirp is super cute!”
“Hehe~”
Beaming from the praise, the little sparrow chirped happily and flew onto the girl’s shoulder, rubbing affectionately against her to express its joy.
From afar, Yan Ya snapped a photo of the scene, her face glowing with happiness.
Meanwhile, Rong Heng didn’t join the conversation. After seeing the sparrow return, he planned to resume his training. Li Sinian followed him, intending to provide guidance and assistance.
After all, Rong Heng’s ability to control objects stemmed from his bloodline.
This time, Rong Heng didn’t refuse his help. Battle experience was always valuable! The father and son made their way to the spot where Rong Heng usually trained.
Li Sinian wasted no time and sat cross-legged before asking, “Do you know the source of your second bloodline, beyond the Red-Tail Lion?”
Rong Heng shook his head.
Li Sinian smiled slightly, removing a brooch from his clothing. The emblem engraved on it resembled a soaring falcon.
“This is the Hai Dongqing, also known as the Saker Falcon. It’s the crest of the Li family. In the Tes Empire, there’s no one who doesn’t recognize this symbol,” Li Sinian said solemnly.
Rong Heng mirrored his seriousness. In this moment, father and son looked strikingly alike.
“The history of our family—if you’re interested, I can tell you more about it later,” Li Sinian continued. “For now, keep this emblem.”
Rong Heng was about to refuse, but Li Sinian interrupted, “You and Little Li Hua are both my children. Everything in the Li family will one day belong to you.”
“We’ve been separated for so long that we feel like strangers to you, and I understand why you’re reluctant to accept material things from us right now. I’m willing to give you time.”
“But it’s just a small badge. Can you really not accept even this?”
Rong Heng stared at Li Sinian, the man who was supposedly his father. Their facial features were strikingly similar, and they shared a close bloodline connection.
Examining him up close, Rong Heng noticed for the first time the strands of white in his hair—a clear sign of aging.
Seeing the sorrow and regret etched on the man’s face, Rong Heng remained silent for a while before finally reaching out to accept the badge. However, instead of pinning it to his clothing as Li Sinian had hoped, he tucked it into his storage pouch.
Li Sinian stiffened slightly but quickly sighed inwardly, reminding himself to take things slowly.
He resumed his explanation about the Hai Dongqing.
The Hai Dongqing was a small but agile falcon, known not only for its robust physique but also for its innate, powerful mental strength—its most defining characteristic. Additionally, it possessed the unique ability of Object Manipulation.
Not all Hai Dongqing could awaken this ability, but those that did were extraordinarily powerful.
Listening intently, Rong Heng furrowed his brows. “So… like Chirp Chirp, I’m also a kind of bird?”
Li Sinian initially nodded but then hesitated, glancing at his son’s lion-like ears. “You possess two bloodlines simultaneously. The other one comes from your mother.”
Rong Heng nodded in acknowledgment.
Although that might be true, he could clearly sense that his Object Manipulation abilities had been growing significantly stronger recently. Thanks to the mental cultivation techniques and methods he had been practicing, he had managed to maintain a balance between the two bloodlines within his body, preventing them from conflicting with each other.
However, if things continued as they were, the Hai Dongqing bloodline might eventually overshadow the Red-Tail Lion bloodline completely.
“Alright, let me teach you how to harness your Object Manipulation abilities,” Li Sinian said, bringing the conversation back on track. “Only by mastering the power within you can you avoid being controlled by it, which could ultimately affect your temperament.”
Hearing this, Rong Heng nodded again.
This aligned with what Su Su had told him, and it seemed his so-called father might actually know what he was talking about.
Then, he watched as Li Sinian opened a box and took out a thumb-sized cube. After some hesitation, he switched it for a smaller, pea-sized cube.
“Start with this one,” Li Sinian said, placing the pea-sized cube before his son. “If you can manage it, then try the larger one.”
These cubes were custom-made by the Li family for training Object Manipulation abilities. The material was highly receptive to mental strength, making it easier for young ones to hone their skills.
The pea-sized cube was typically used for children under five, while the thumb-sized one was for those under seven.
Since Rong Heng hadn’t been trained in this skill from a young age, Li Sinian decided to start him off with the smaller cube. He didn’t want his son to struggle and risk bruising his pride right off the bat.
Rong Heng glanced at him, then at the two cubes. With a mere thought, both cubes floated steadily into the air, suspended between the father and son.
Li Sinian, who had been ready to teach his son how to guide his Object Manipulation abilities, found himself momentarily speechless. Every word he had prepared was stuck in his throat.
He opened his mouth but could only clap his hands and laugh. “Excellent, excellent! It seems you’ve already got a good handle on your Object Manipulation abilities.”
Rong Heng said nothing. He noted that the cubes seemed to be made of a special material, making them much easier to control than the rocks he had initially practiced with.
Li Sinian then pulled out a cube the size of a fist.
This cube was meant for children under nine. Before he could say anything, the larger cube, placed on the ground, began to rise steadily into the air.
Along with the previous two cubes, the larger block floated effortlessly in front of him.
Li Sinian paused, nodding again. His son’s talent was proving to be extraordinary, and while he was thrilled, he knew it was necessary to test the boy’s limits.
He pulled out another object—a block the size of a brick, designed for training children under twelve.
As before, after placing the block down, Rong Heng effortlessly controlled it, lifting it into the air. All four blocks now floated simultaneously, and his expression remained relaxed.
Li Sinian’s lips twitched. He had always been considered a genius within the family, but at seven or eight years old, managing multiple objects simultaneously would have been far beyond his capabilities.
What happened next left him even more astounded.
Rong Heng guided each floating block back into the box, then proceeded to lift the entire box into the air.
This task seemed to require more effort—Li Sinian could see it in the slight furrow of his son’s brow—but in the end, Rong Heng successfully held the box steady in midair.
Li Sinian fell silent.
This level of ability… was equivalent to an adult’s.
The initial blocks were designed to guide young children into mastering object manipulation. However, the materials used for blocks intended for those over nine years old were fundamentally different, designed to offer significantly more resistance. Though small in size, these blocks were a hundred times harder to control than ordinary objects, making them ideal for advanced training.
Now, Rong Heng had already met the standard for an adult practitioner.
While Li Sinian was both amazed and proud, he couldn’t help but feel a tinge of disappointment. This was supposed to be a wonderful parent-child bonding activity! Did this mean there was nothing left for him to teach his son?
Of course not!
“Well done! Your performance is excellent. Now, let’s move on to the next stage,” Li Sinian said, regaining his composure. “It’s not enough to simply suspend objects in midair; you also need to make them move. This is critical for using your abilities in combat.”
Just as he was about to delve into the explanation, he saw his son pull out the small sword he had used during their first encounter.
Then…
“Whoosh—”
A sharp whistling sound cut through the air, followed by a muffled thud. Li Sinian turned stiffly toward the source of the noise, only to see the small sword embedded in a metal wall, its hilt still quivering from the impact.
“Is this what you meant?” Rong Heng asked calmly.
Li Sinian swallowed hard, wiped his face, and forced a smile. “Son, did you figure all this out on your own?”
If that were the case… Li Sinian’s heart trembled slightly. Their Hai Dongqing lineage had produced such a genius heir.
However, Rong Heng shook his head. “These were all taught to me by Su Su.”
Li Sinian stared at him, stunned. “That Caretaker Su?”
“That’s right.” Rong Heng nodded.
Li Sinian was incredulous. How could this be? In this interstellar world, was there anyone with a deeper understanding of object manipulation than the Li family?
Yet the evidence was right before his eyes, leaving him no choice but to believe it.
“Do you have anything else to say?” Rong Heng asked politely. “If not, I’ll start my training for the day.”
Still dazed, Li Sinian moved aside, standing far enough not to disturb Rong Heng. He silently observed his son’s training, pondering…
Should he approach that Caretaker Su for a discussion?
*
In the days that followed, the cubs’ lives returned to normal.
Although a few adults had joined the nursery, they didn’t seem to impact the cubs much. The most noticeable change was in their meals.
Not only were the cubs well-fed, but every meal now had both vegetables and meat, making them feel like they were living in a dream.
No, even dreams weren’t this interesting and fulfilling!
About a week later, the blood mist surrounding Base 24 was finally dispelled. That morning, as the cubs went to play in the green area as usual, they heard an unfamiliar sound.
“Cheep cheep—”
“Cheep cheep—”
Lang Ze stopped in his tracks and looked toward the chicken coop where the sound was coming from. Beside him, Lu Jiao asked curiously, “Did Cheep Cheep run into the coop?”
“Of course not! The chicks have hatched!”
Finally realizing what had happened, Lang Ze cheered and picked up Zheng Xing, running toward the chicken coop.
Since the coop had been quiet for so many days, the cubs, who initially visited daily to check on the eggs, had gradually lost interest.
Unexpectedly, today, the chicks had finally hatched!
Lu Jiao quickly followed Lang Ze and dove into the coop. When they entered, they saw someone was already there.
“Brother A-Yan!” Lang Ze called out, running over eagerly.
Through the glass, he saw two or three chicks pecking their way out of their shells.
Two other chicks, which had hatched earlier, already had dry, fluffy feathers. Under the warm light, the bright yellow chicks were so adorable they could melt anyone’s heart.
“Wow, they’re so cute!” Lu Jiao’s eyes sparkled as he stared at the chicks.
This was his first time witnessing the birth of life.
Perched on Lang Ze’s back, Zheng Xing turned his face toward the chicks. Although he couldn’t see them, he could hear them and feel their presence.
Lang Ze, who had seen chicks before, was initially amazed but quickly leaned closer to the glass and started counting.
No matter how he counted, there were only five chicks.
“Brother A-Yan, will the other eggs hatch too?” Lang Ze asked.
A-Yan nodded. “Of course.”
In the interstellar era, poultry had undergone significant evolution through countless generations of breeding and genetic advancements. Most modern poultry could reproduce parthenogenetically, and the genetic defect that caused such reproduction to produce only males had long been resolved.
Thus, regardless of whether the eggs were fertilized, they could hatch into chicks. However, chicks born through parthenogenesis generally had weaker constitutions compared to those born through natural mating. Still, apart from requiring extra care, there were no significant issues. With A-Yan around, caring for the chicks was a non-issue.
“Let’s go tell Wen Wen and Mom Yan Ya!” Lang Ze suggested.
In the nursery, besides the cubs, no one cared more about these chicks than Wen Yan and Yan Ya.
“Alright!”
The three cubs dashed out of the chicken coop to share the good news.
However, just as Lang Ze left the coop and ran a few steps, he nearly bumped into someone at the entrance of the nursery.
Ahh fertilisation question answered! How handy for them hehe