Re-birth: The Beginning after the End

Li Hua couldn't help but laugh at his sudden shift to thinking about treats. Some things never changed, whether in her old world or this one—Little Firefly's love for sweets remained constant.

"Little Firefly, I don't notice any spiritual energy around you nor do I feel your presence."

"Master, that's because I can completely mask my essence. It's one of the abilities I have in this form. As long as I maintain this size, no one should be able to detect me unless they're specifically looking for me—and even then, they'd need to be incredibly powerful to notice anything unusual."

Li Hua nodded, "That's quite impressive but perhaps you should let a little out. We don't want anyone knowing you're too intelligent."

"Ah, you're right master!"

Suddenly, the air around them thickened with spiritual pressure as Little Firefly accidentally released too much of his essence. Li Hua tensed, caught off guard by the sheer magnitude of power emanating from such a small form. Even restrained, his energy carried traces of something ancient and profound.

"What the fuck!?" The words escaped her lips before she could stop them, her eyes widening as the weight of his spiritual presence pressed against her senses like an ocean. This wasn't the essence of a common spirit beast—it was something else entirely, something that shouldn't be possible from such a tiny creature.

"Sorry, master." Little Firefly quickly reined in his essence, sheepishly adjusting it to a more appropriate level.

"It's...it's ok." Li Hua took a deep breath, forcing her racing heart to slow. The nervous laugh that escaped her lips betrayed her attempt at composure. She pressed her palm against her chest, centering herself. Even as she steadied her breathing, a single question eclipsed all others—what ancient, terrifying entity had Little Firefly once been, that even now, reduced to this tiny form, he radiated power that made her senses tremble?

The weight of that realization lingered, but Li Hua had long practiced the art of compartmentalizing uncomfortable truths. If Little Firefly had wanted to harm her, he'd had ample opportunity. Besides, the confusion in his own aura suggested he was as mystified by these power surges as she was—fragments of an identity neither of them fully understood yet. Whatever he had been before, he was her companion now, both of them feeling their way through the shadows of his past. She decided to set the mystery aside—for the moment.

She rolled off her bed and stretched out her arms.

"Should we go for a walk?" Li Hua turned to look at Little Firefly.

"Master, do you mean it?" Little Firefly shouted as he flew close to her.

"Of course." She smiled as she patted her left shoulder.

"YES!" He twirled in the air for a moment before softly landing on her head.

She chuckled, "That works too."

The duo walked out of her room and they made their way around the sect.

As they walked through the quieter evening pathways, Little Firefly remained perched on her head, occasionally whispering observations through their mental connection. His presence was a warm comfort as Li Hua took in the sect grounds from a new perspective.

The training fields they'd toured earlier now held a different energy as the day's light began to fade. Spirit stones embedded in the ground activated automatically, casting a soft glow that made the practice areas look almost ethereal. A few dedicated disciples were still training with their spirit beasts, their synchronized movements creating beautiful displays of power.

From her head, Little Firefly's essence tingled with excitement every time they passed something interesting—the library's towering shelves visible through crystalline windows, the medicine hall's herb garden releasing evening fragrances, the dining hall where enticing aromas still wafted from the kitchens.

Each new discovery helped cement their mental map of the sect, while also revealing the best spots where Little Firefly might be able to manifest safely in the future. The private gardens, secluded meditation areas, and less-traveled paths all held potential for moments when her companion could stretch his wings without drawing attention.

A sudden chime from her core signaled an incoming communication through the Distant Echo Sound Transmission technique. Li Wei's essence signature resonated through the connection.

"Sister?"

Li Hua chuckled and responded, "Brother?"

The chime came again. She heard her brother chuckle before he said, "Dinner?"

"Sure?"

"Now?"

"Where?"

"Here?"

"Master, should I return—" Little Firefly started to ask, already preparing to hide in the inner space.

But before he could finish his retreat, Li Hua shook her head, a smile playing on her lips. "My brother would love to meet you."

Little Firefly's golden feathers puffed up in surprise, then settled as he let out a small chirp of laughter. After all this time of secret observations, he'd finally get to meet the scholarly brother he'd watched from afar. Enjoy new tales from My Virtual Library Empire

They found Li Wei waiting at the entrance of the dining hall. His eyes immediately locked onto the small golden sparrow perched on his sister's head, and his scholarly composure gave way to genuine surprise.

"Sister, is that...?"

Li Hua nodded, careful not to dislodge Little Firefly. "Brother, meet Little Firefly. He's been wanting to properly introduce himself for a while now." Yet with gentle gestures and a meaningful look at her brother, she suggested caution.

"Let's find somewhere more private," Li Hua said, leading them to a quiet corner behind the dining hall. She carefully wove a barrier around them, one of the concealment techniques they'd perfected in the Sixth Realm, ensuring their conversation wouldn't reach unwanted ears.

Only then did Little Firefly bob in a small bow, his feathers catching the evening light. "Greetings, Master's brother! I've seen your excellent calligraphy practice and impressive water essence control. "Oh, and that time you dozed off while filling the teapot, causing water to overflow everywhere was quite funny—"

"Little Firefly!" Li Hua tried to sound stern but couldn't hide her amusement.

Li Wei chuckled softly, his expression shifting from surprise to warm recognition. "It's nice to finally meet you properly, Little Firefly." His eyes sparkled with genuine pleasure as he offered a small, respectful bow to the tiny creature. "I have so many questions..."

"Two questions, Master's eldest brother."

"Ah? That's it?" Li Wei asked, the curiosity dancing in his eyes dimming slightly as his excitement collided with this unexpected limitation.

"Yes, I'm hungry," Little Firefly chirped matter-of-factly. "And I can smell spirit-infused pastries from the kitchen."

"Very well," Li Wei smiled, recognizing the opportunity might be brief. "First, what exactly are you? Your presence feels... different from normal spirit beasts. And second, what is your element?"

Little Firefly hesitated for a moment, his golden feathers shifting slightly. "I'm a Divine Spirit Beast, though it's not confirmed yet," he said carefully. "And as for elements, I control Fire, Light, and Space, though I suspect there might be more as my memories return."

"Space?" Li Wei's eyes widened, and Li Hua watched as her brother's scholarly mask cracked completely—his expression transforming into that of a child discovering a hidden treasure room

"Is that why you have the space, sister?" he asked, voice hushed with realization.

Li Hua nodded slowly. "I think so."

Before Li Wei could launch into what she knew would be an endless barrage of questions, Little Firefly's stomach growled audibly, the sound comically loud for such a small creature. The spirit beast's golden feathers puffed up in embarrassment, and he ducked his head beneath one wing.

"Perhaps," Li Hua interjected gently, "we should continue this discussion over those spirit-infused pastries you mentioned?"

"Yes, Master! Please!" Little Firefly hopped excitedly onto her shoulder.

Li Wei and Li Hua chuckled as she removed the barrier, and the siblings finally entered the dining hall.