Re-birth: The Beginning after the End

"Leaving so soon?" Old Tang's voice carried a hint of wistfulness as he stepped forward, his robes rustling with hidden treasures. His eyes sparkled with the same enthusiasm he showed when discovering a particularly fascinating text. "Ah, but we've been remiss in our duties as teachers. No proper meeting gifts were given when you arrived." He smiled, the expression warming his usually serious features. "Perhaps we can remedy that oversight with parting gifts worthy of what you've achieved here."

He waved his hand and one by one, the keepers stepped forward, each bearing a parting gift that seemed to resonate with the very essence of their teachings:

Lady He approached first, offering a slender jade token etched with runes that glowed with spiritual light when touched by Qi. "Strengthen your Permission Barrier if ever your core is at risk," she said firmly, her usual sternness softened by underlying care.

Lady Xu presented a small silver compass, its needle dancing in patterns that mimicked the flow of spatial energies until the user stabilized their essence. "When space or illusions threaten to unbalance you, let this remind you how to keep your presence fluid," she explained, her eyes reflecting knowledge.

Lady Wei stepped before Li Hua, placing a delicate vial of shimmering liquid into her hands. The contents seemed to pulse with the realm's own heartbeat. "A distillation of our realm's ambient essence. One drop can still turbulent energies within you or an ally. Consider it an echo of the Breath of the World," she said, her voice gentle with understanding.

Old Guo grunted and passed Li Hao a black stone that pulsed faintly like a hidden heartbeat. "If illusions bite too deep, place it on your chest. It'll bolster your Void Cloak and Soul Reflection against psychic blows," he said gruffly, though his eyes carried unexpected warmth.

Old Tang withdrew a folded scroll from his sleeve, its surface marked with subtle wards that shifted like living things. "Within lies an array script for large-scale misdirection—a grand extension of your False Core concepts," he noted, his scholarly eyes reflecting wisdom accumulated over centuries.

Old Xiao materialized beside each sibling in turn, presenting them with thin metal rings etched with mist-like engravings that seemed to move when viewed directly. "An anchor to the Sixth Realm," he explained softly. "Feed a drop of essence into it if you must vanish swiftly among shifting illusions."

Then, with a gentler smile, he produced a silk-wrapped package that hummed with preserved spiritual energy. "And something sweeter," he added, placing spirit-honey candies in their palms—golden drops that sparkled with captured sunlight.

Li Hua stared at the candies in her palm. Before she could think better of it, she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around the startled keeper. "Thank you," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. Old Xiao stiffened for a moment, unused to such displays, before his posture softened and he patted her back with grandfatherly affection.

The siblings bowed deeply, accepting these treasures with reverence, each gift a physical reminder of the profound arts they'd mastered. Lady He inclined her head, her voice carrying an unusual warmth: "You're always welcomed in this realm. Your presence has honored us."

Old Guo crossed his arms, his gruff tone barely masking genuine concern: "Try not to get yourselves killed out there. The world beyond holds dangers even our illusions can't match."

Lady Wei, Lady Xu and Old Xiao exchanged knowing looks, their silent encouragement more powerful than words. From Old Tang came a measured gaze that promised deeper mysteries for those who returned with wisdom worth sharing.

"Ready?" Grandmaster Yu asked, his voice carrying the warmth of a grandfather watching his beloved grandchildren take their first steps into the wider world.

The siblings nodded in unison, their spirit beasts pressing close as the moment of transition approached.

Grandmaster Yu raised one hand, his movements carrying the weight of centuries of refined technique. The surrounding mist responded to his will, condensing into intricate spirals of silver light that danced with ethereal purpose. With a slow, deliberate gesture that seemed to bend the very fabric of space, he began weaving his essence through invisible seams in reality.

Li Hua watched Grandmaster Yu's technique with rapt attention, fascinated by the fundamental difference in his approach. She noticed how he wove each sibling's concealment into his own, creating a perfect synchronization of their techniques.

As their forms began to fade like morning dew under a rising sun, the keepers' parting words echoed through the misty air:

"You'll always find a path back here," Lady Xu's serene voice promised, carrying the realm's eternal welcome.

"You already know the basics; don't forget to practice them," came Old Xiao's mild reminder, a teacher's final lesson.

"Seek truth wherever it hides," Old Tang called out last.

Li Hua and her brothers waved, their forms growing more transparent with each breath. Their spirit beasts pressed close, their own essences harmonizing with the transition.

The silver mist enveloped them completely, and for a handful of heartbeats, they existed in that liminal space between realms. Then, like a curtain being drawn aside, reality solidified around them once more. They emerged into the familiar courtyard of their parents' safe house in the Ascending Plateau Realm, where the air itself seemed to welcome them home.

"Go rest now," Grandmaster Yu said, his eyes crinkling with grandfatherly affection. "Tomorrow morning, we'll head to the sects of your choosing." Though his tone remained gentle, there was a note of anticipation—pride, perhaps, in knowing his grandchildren would soon make their mark on the cultivation world.

Li Hua guided her grandfather through the familiar corridors of their parents' safe house. "This room is unused, grandpa," she said softly, sliding open a door to reveal chambers still pristine and untouched.

After ensuring Grandmaster Yu was settled, Li Hua made her way to her own room. The walk felt different now—her footsteps naturally silent, her presence merging with the evening shadows in ways that would have been impossible months ago. Even these familiar corridors seemed to respond to her enhanced awareness, each corner and shadow holding new meaning to her trained senses.

In her private chambers, she began preparing for a much-needed bath. She poured in hot water and mixed it with the spirit water from her inner space, then once that was done she removed her robes and got in.

She leaned against the tub and allowed her mind to empty, enjoying this moment of peace.