Ling Li and the Twins
The Bamboo Pavilion rang with the wild symphony of quacks and shrieks, as if the forest itself had burst into laughter.
"Quack... quack!"
"Stop running, you Mischievous Ducks!" Kim Kim shouted.
"Coward ducks only know how to run!" Chin Chin yelled as she ran, almost stumbling.
Then, with a snap sharper than thunder, Ling Li’s voice sliced through the clamor.
"Kim Kim, Chin Chin! Why are you running after ducks through the forest like little storms?"
The twins skidded to a breathless halt, cheeks glowing and hair crowned with leaf confetti. Kim Kim jabbed a finger at the duck, which shimred like a coin in sunlight and waddled with smug defiance.
"It mocked Big Brother! Said he cried when lightning erupted!" Kim Kim declared, fists balled, lip trembling with injustice.
Chin Chin stomped so hard the boards rattled, her small face scrunched in outrage. "No Mischievous Duck can insult my Big Brother! Not on our watch!"
The Mischievous Spirit Duck let out a triumphant quack, wings flapping as if applauding its own mischief. Laughter rippled through the pavilion, even as Ling Li bit back a smile, her eyes dancing with equal parts fondness and exasperation.
"Quack... quack... quack...!!!"
"Enough. Ducks are not our enemies. But loyalty like yours — how could both of you ever scold it?" Ling Li’s sigh was half laughter, half exasperation, as the twins swelled with pride, heroes in their own eyes.
Ren’s Evaluation
As the laughter ebbed, Ren moved forward — her purple aura unfurling in the air, soft and mysterious as dawn mist creeping over sacred waters.
Ren bowed deeply, her voice bright with youthful energy. "Seven-Great Grandpa, you called for ? "
Li Shenwu’s gaze sharpened. "The Carp showed themselves to you?"
Ren nodded eagerly. "Yes, they were beautiful! "
Destiny Revealed
"The Spirit Carp with Golden Scales — rare as a shooting star. They surface, shining with golden light, only when our bloodlines run strong. They are not just fish, but guides — living promises of fortune and the unbroken chain of the Li Clan." Li Shenwu’s voice was as old as mountain stone, heavy with mory.
Li Shenwu stepped closer, his gaze piercing through Ren’s aura. "But you, child... your aura is not only purple. It resonates with the carp’s glow. And more — there is a ripple in your fate."
Ren’s breath caught, her heart pounding. She thought of the pond, the strange ripple she and Lily had touched, the hidden portal that pulsed beneath the water.
Li Shenwu’s eyes glead. "You touched it, didn’t you? The hidden gate beneath the pond."
Ren’s lips parted in shock. "How... how did you know?"
"Because your aura carries its mark. The carp revealed themselves not only for the clan’s prosperity, but for you. You are tied to that portal, Ren. It is a path few can see, fewer still can open."
Silence fell like a velvet curtain. Every gaze locked on Ren, the eldest. Even the twins froze, mouths agape, as if the world itself was holding its breath.
Li Shenwu’s voice dropped lower, reverent. "Your destiny is not only to lead as the eldest, but to bridge what lies hidden. The carp are your guides. The portal is your trial. And through it, the Li Clan’s future may be secured — or destroyed."
Ren’s knees wobbled like saplings in the wind, but she bent low, voice clear and bright despite the storm thundering in her chest. "I won’t fail you, Seven-Great Grandpa."
Lily’s Evaluation
When Ren bowed and retreated, the air in the pavilion seed to shift — lighter, expectant, threaded with the gold shimr of the waiting pond. Lily, cheeks still warm from laughter and the duck chase with the twins, hovered at the edge before stepping forward, her heart fluttering with a cocktail of curiosity and nervous pride.
Li Shenwu’s gaze sharpened, his beard trailing over his robe as he studied Lily’s aura. Unlike Ren’s calm, steady purple, Lily’s glow trembled — soft, fluid, like sunlight skipping across the surface of water.
He stroked his beard, deep in thought. ’This one... she is different. Not bound to the portal, but attuned to the carp themselves. She hears what others cannot.’
"Child, step closer." Li Shenwu’s voice was firm, but not unkind.
Lily obeyed, her eyes wide. "Seven-Great Grandpa... I didn’t an to disturb the carp. They just... ca to Big sister and ."
Li Shenwu’s sternness lted a little. "They didn’t co by accident. The Spirit Carp with Golden Scales is a guide, and you — child—can hear what others miss. Their splashes, their secrets, even their laughter in the ripples. Where Ren is bound to the hidden gate, you are tuned to the carp’s voice."
The pavilion stirred with murmurs. Elders leaned forward, intrigued. Even Ling Li’s eyes widened, her hand tightening on her robe.
Complentary Destinies
Li Shenwu raised his hand, his voice resonant. "Ren and Lily — two sisters, two paths. One bound to the portal, the other to the carp. Together, you form balance. The gate cannot be opened without guidance, and guidance is aningless without the courage to walk through."
Ren’s heart thudded, her eyes shining as she turned to Lily. Lily blinked back at her, half in awe, half in disbelief.
"So... I’m supposed to talk to fish?" Lily whispered, her lips twitching.
Ling Li “....”
She pinched the bridge of her nose and groaned softly, but a smile tugged at her lips. ’Is she truly my daughter? Well, it’s not surprising, only in this family could prophecy be interrupted by duck talk,’ she thought while shaking her head.
The pavilion erupted in laughter, breaking the tension. Even Li Shenwu chuckled, though his tone remained solemn.
"Not fish, child. Guides. They will speak when others are deaf. They will warn when danger approaches. And you must listen." Li Shenwu patiently explained.
The Twins Interrupt Again
Before the weight of prophecy could settle, the twins burst back into the clearing, still chasing the Mischievous Spirit Duck.
"Quack... quack! Carp are shiny! Carp are silly! Quack!" the duck mocked, splashing into the pond.
Kim Kim, and Chin Chin shrieked, diving after it, their tiny hands splashing water everywhere. The carp leapt once more, scattering golden droplets that shimred like stars. The duck squawked in panic, fleeing into the bamboo, leaving the twins triumphant and soaked.
"Quack! Quaaaack!"
"Ha ha ha ha! See! Even the carp helped us!" Chin Chin declared proudly.
Li Shenwu shook his head, a weary twinkle in his eye. "Even ducks and carp conspire to teach us lessons," he muttered, as if nature itself enjoyed playing tricks on them all.
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