Re-birth: The Beginning after the End - Chapter 122

Chapter 122: IT’S ONLY BEEN THREE MONTHS

The spirit beasts gathered around Li Wei, sensing the impending departure. Bai Ying’s massive form radiating cold elegance, while Feng Yi’s nine tails swayed gently in an unfelt breeze. Lei Lei and Dian Dian pressed close to their master’s legs, their copper fur crackling with anticipation.

Li Hua took her brothers’ hands and pulled them out of her inner space, appearing right outside her bedroom door. The transition was smoother than their first attempt months ago, but still left them feeling as if they’d been pulled through water made of light.

“Woah…” Li Hao whispered, steadying himself against the wall. “I don’t know how you could get used to that feeling.”

Li Hua chuckled, remembering how she too had once stumbled and gasped at the sensation of shifting between spaces. Her first few transitions with Little Firefly had left her dizzy for hours, though she’d never admitted it to anyone. The siblings made their way outside of their courtyard house. The familiar wooden table in the garden beckoned them, and they settled around it, taking deep breaths as they readjusted to the regular flow of time and space

“You know…” Li Wei said, his demeanor slightly ruffled by the transition, “I kind of prefer your inner space.” He gazed up at the real sky, squinting slightly at its brightness. “There was something comforting about training in a place where time moved differently, where we could focus solely on improvement without outside distractions.”

The spirit beasts looked around their new environment and couldn’t agree more with Li Wei. Understanding their thoughts, he laughed. “They prefer your space as well.”

Bai Ying tested her enhanced frost abilities in the new environment, her power having grown significantly during their training. Feng Yi’s wind manipulation had become so precise that he had to consciously gentle his currents to avoid disturbing the courtyard’s trees. Lei Lei and Dian Dian huddled closer to Li Wei, carefully containing their now-potent electrical charges that could easily rival a small storm.

“Of course they do,” Li Hua smiled. “The spiritual essence in my space helped accelerate their growth. Now they’re learning to control their increased powers in regular spiritual density.” She watched as Bai Ying delicately tested her frost abilities, careful not to freeze the entire courtyard.

Li Wei reached down to scratch behind Lei Lei’s ears, earning a carefully controlled spark of appreciation. “We’ll need some time to adjust. Six years of rapid growth means they’re much more powerful than before. We wouldn’t want to accidentally freeze or electrify half the realm.”

Li Hao stretched, admiring how his own cultivation had flourished. “Speaking of growth, when do we leave for the sixth realm?”

“How about now?”

The familiar voice rolled across the courtyard like distant thunder, making the spirit beasts’ ears prick forward in attention. A shimmer disrupted the air several paces from where they sat, reality folding in on itself as Grandmaster Yu’s form materialized before their eyes. His white robes settled around him like settling mist, the movement so fluid it seemed to defy gravity itself.

“Grandpa!” Li Hua’s delighted cry rang out, her smile as bright as morning sun.

He chuckled, the sound warm and rich as he moved toward them, his steps as graceful as falling leaves. But halfway across the courtyard, he froze. His eyes widened as he took in the siblings’ auras, the sheer density of their spiritual essence making the air around them shimmer like heat waves rising from summer stones. “How…” his voice caught with genuine shock, “How is that possible?”

The siblings exchanged glances, confusion rippling across their faces. Their synchronized movement, even in this small gesture, betrayed years of training together – though according to the outside world’s time, it had been mere months.

“Weren’t you two only at the Martial Rank 2 and Hua’er, weren’t you at the martial rank 3?” Grandmaster Yu’s voice carried equal measures of wonder and concern as he circled them slowly, his robes whispering against the courtyard stones. “How did you manage to cultivate to the extent you have in three months?”

The siblings shared another look, this one sparkling with hidden mirth, before breaking into laughter that rang through the courtyard like temple bells. “We pushed past our limits, Grandpa,” Li Hua answered, her voice carrying all the warmth of afternoon sun. “We’ve grown in more ways than one,” she added, gesturing to their matured appearances. “But don’t worry, we did it safely.”

Grandmaster Yu’s penetrating gaze swept over them again, his centuries of cultivation experience allowing him to see far deeper than mere surface changes. The spiritual essence that wrapped around them moved with impossible harmony, like three streams joining to form a mighty river.

Their physical transformation was equally striking. Gone were the soft edges of youth – in their place stood warriors honed by intensive training. Where once stood children, now towered young adults in their prime.

Li Wei had grown tall and broad-shouldered, his scholarly frame developing into the lean, deadly grace of a master swordsman. Li Hao, no longer the gangly teenager, had shot up to match his brother’s height, his natural athleticism refined into the coiled strength of a veteran fighter. Even Li Hua had grown into her full height, her petite frame now perfectly proportioned, moving with the fluid precision of an experienced martial artist. They no longer appeared as talented but untested youths – instead, they carried themselves with the quiet confidence of seasoned cultivators who had earned their power through countless hours of dedicated practice.

“And your presence…” Grandmaster Yu’s eyes narrowed as he studied them more carefully. “It’s impossible to reach such stealth at your age. Your spiritual essence, your breath, even your heartbeats – all perfectly concealed.” His voice held a mix of pride and disbelief. “Most cultivators spend decades mastering such techniques, yet you three…”

He trailed off, watching how they maintained their concealment even while at rest. It was as natural to them as breathing, yet each breath remained undetectable. Such mastery spoke of extensive practice, far more than three months should allow.

The siblings shared another knowing look, Li Hua’s relentless training having forged them into something unprecedented.

Grandmaster Yu smiled, “You three are unbelievable. If I weren’t as powerful as I am I would miss you completely. Now if we could just hide your cores, you’d be—” He paused, his expression shifting to something more purposeful. “Well, that’s why I’m here. It’s time for your journey to the sixth realm. Are you ready to leave?”

The siblings straightened, their earlier playfulness giving way to focused attention. This was what they had spent six years preparing for, even if the outside world only marked it as three months. The moment had finally arrived.