Freedom within the scope of Chapter 45
Chi Li could no longer comfortably attribute all abnormalities to "illusion" or "getting used to it" as she used to.
Her tree spirit yearns for a wider world.
This realization caused Chi Li to go through several days and nights of inner struggle.
Possessiveness and reason tore at each other, and worry was intertwined with the fear of possibly losing her unique dependence, which she herself was unwilling to admit.
Ultimately, it was the sight of Tang Lu unconsciously gathering life force even in her sleep that made her make up her mind.
She cannot, and should not, break the instinct of this new bud to reach for the sunlight.
So, on a bright and sunny morning, Akari made a decision that even she herself found somewhat impulsive.
Instead of keeping Tanglu by her side to review memorials or handle government affairs as usual, she took Tanglu's little hand and walked to the terrace outside the bedroom that connected to the imperial garden.
The warm sunshine shone on my body, and the gentle breeze carried the fresh scent of various flowers and plants.
As soon as Tang Lu stepped onto the terrace, her eyes brightened noticeably, and she unconsciously sniffed, a pure joy radiating from her face.
Chi Li released her hand, pointed to a patch of spirit plants that looked particularly vibrant in the sunlight not far away, and said in a casual tone, "Go play, but don't go too far."
Tang Lu paused for a moment, then looked up at her small face, her amber eyes filled with surprise and a hint of uncertainty:
"Really? Tang Lu can... go play by herself?"
In the past, even when taking a walk, Chi Li was almost always by her side, and her activity range was strictly limited to within reach.
"Hmm." Chi Li nodded, forcing herself to look away and gaze at the distant sky, feigning indifference, "I am right here."
Before she finished speaking, Tang Lu, like a bird released from its cage, happily hummed in agreement and ran towards the flowerbed.
Her long, golden hair bounced in the sunlight, and her skirt billowed in a joyful arc.
Chi Li's gaze almost immediately and involuntarily followed that joyful figure, locking onto it firmly.
She saw Tang Lu squatting by the flowerbed, carefully touching a dew-covered rainbow flower with her fingers, the petals trembling gently at her fingertips.
Seeing her curiously chasing a colorful butterfly, tiptoeing, her little hands futilely scratching at the air, yet her face beaming with a radiant smile that Chi Li hadn't seen in a long time.
She even tried to transfer her faint wood spirit energy to a droopy little grass. Watching the grass leaves slowly stand up, she happily clapped her hands and circled around the grass.
Without burdens or "tasks," she simply explores freely, enjoying the natural world that she is naturally drawn to.
Chi Li stood on the edge of the terrace, her figure as straight as a pine tree, motionless.
The wind blew up her crimson clothes and long hair. Her face was calm and expressionless, but her golden eyes reflected the small figure in the distance perfectly, imprinting it on her face.
Her tree spirit was meant to be this way.
Freedom, happiness, and vitality.
It turns out that the obedience and dependence she displayed when kept at home were far less moving than the radiance she exuded when she was freely stretching out.
However, this "letting go" is not without its limits.
When a large, brightly colored spirit bird, seemingly appearing out of nowhere, appeared, seemingly attracted by the pure aura emanating from Tang Lu, and flapped its wings, trying to approach her...
Chi Li's eyes instantly sharpened like knives!
She didn't even make any obvious movements; a cold divine thought, like an invisible barrier, instantly separated the spirit bird and Tang Lu.
The spirit bird crashed into an invisible wall, let out a terrified cry, fell to the ground in a sorry state, and flew away in a scramble, never daring to approach it again.
Tang Lu was startled by the sudden noise. She looked back blankly but found nothing unusual. She was quickly drawn to a glowing fluorite that rolled to her feet and continued playing happily.
Chi Li's gaze remained fixed on her, and the fleeting chilling aura around him quickly subsided, returning to its previous calm.
She allowed her tree spirits to grow freely within a certain range, but she would never allow any potential danger to come near her.
This "certain range" of measurement is determined by her.
Time flowed slowly amidst Tanglu's playful antics and Chili's silent gaze.
As the sun began to set, casting a warm golden glow on everything, Tanglu, who was playing with sweat on her face and her cheeks flushed but still hadn't had enough, finally seemed to remember something and turned to run towards the terrace.
She ran all the way back to Chi Li, still slightly out of breath, her upturned face covered in dirt, but her eyes were brighter than the sunset glow.
"Lili! The flowers outside are so pretty! The insects glow! The grass also loves the crabapple!" She excitedly shared what she had seen and heard all afternoon, gesturing with her little hands. Her words were a little incoherent, but they were pure joy.
Chi Li reached out and gently wiped the dirt off her cheek with her fingertips.
"Have you had enough fun?" she asked, her voice slightly lower than usual.
"Mmm!" Tang Lu nodded vigorously, then, as if afraid that Chi Li would change her mind, she reached out her small hand and tightly grabbed the hem of her clothes, leaning closer to her and adding softly, "But... Tang Lu wants to watch it with Li Li."
Freedom tastes good, but Lili's embrace is her final refuge.
As Chi Li looked at the little guy who had snuggled up to her, the slight emptiness in her heart caused by "letting go" was filled, even more so than before.
She bent down and picked Tang Lu up.
"Okay, I'll bring you here often from now on," she promised, hugging the little body in her arms, which smelled of sunshine and grass, and turned to walk into the hall.
The setting sun cast long shadows of the two of them.
A careful letting go resulted in a sapling growing stronger and more attached to returning home.
Between her domineering protection and her rational letting go, His Majesty the Demon King finally tentatively took the first step towards a balance.
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