Re-birth: The Beginning after the End - Chapter 43

Chapter 43: WORLD KNOWLEDGE PART 4

Once dinner was ready, their father finally emerged from his hiding spot—er, bedroom—with a sheepish grin playing on his lips.

“Little warriors!” he proclaimed with forced cheerfulness, as if his earlier tactical retreat had never happened. “Did you complete the world knowledge? How was your Māmā’s training compared to your Bàba’s?” He paused, then added quickly, “Not that there’s any competition, of course. Though I must say, my water display was quite impressive—”

“Husband,” their mother interrupted sweetly, “perhaps you’d like some tea first? To help you recover from your… rest?”

Li Wei and Li Hao buried their faces in their bowls, shoulders shaking with barely contained laughter, while Li Hua maintained her perfect posture, though her eyes sparkled with mischief as she watched her father’s face turn a shade redder than the steam rising from the hotpot.

“Wife, can you blame me?” He clutched his chest dramatically, as if mortally wounded. “Such dangerous questions from our little warriors!”

“I managed to handle it quite well,” their mother replied serenely, a smile playing at the corners of her mouth.

Their father reached for his chopsticks with exaggerated dignity, clearly trying to salvage what remained of his pride. “Well then, perhaps while we eat, you can tell me what your Māmā taught you?” He glanced at his wife, who merely raised an eyebrow in response. “After all,” he added hastily, “it’s important to review our lessons, isn’t it, my little warriors?”

Li Wei and Li Hao exchanged knowing glances, their chopsticks pausing midway to their mouths. Li Wei’s eyes danced with barely contained amusement, while Li Hao struggled to swallow his mouthful of food without choking on his suppressed laughter.

Drawing himself up with renewed determination, he cleared his throat and set down his chopsticks. “As your mighty Bàba, I should complete what I started earlier. Where did you all leave off in the world knowledge?” He glanced around the table, a hint of his earlier teaching demeanor returning despite the lingering flush in his cheeks. His eyes carefully avoided the spot where Li Hao was still dabbing at his damp collar from the earlier water display incident.

Helping their father save face, the brothers excitedly told him about their mother’s lesson. Their hands waved animatedly as they described the floating lanterns and waterways of Profound Valley, with Li Wei attempting to recreate the scene using his chopsticks and Li Hao gesturing broadly to show the scale of the Eight Great Houses.

Their father nodded approvingly, his earlier embarrassment fading as he watched their enthusiasm. “Your mother is a great teacher indeed,” he said warmly, sharing a fond glance with his wife. “Now then,” he straightened in his seat, confidence returning, “let’s continue the lesson. Though perhaps we’ll skip the water displays for now—” he added with a self-deprecating smile, “—but if you’d like to see them later, I promise to create an even grander demonstration. One that won’t result in any unexpected showers.”

Li Hao tugged meaningfully at his still-damp collar, earning chuckles from around the table. Their father’s eyes sparkled with renewed enthusiasm, clearly eager to share more of his knowledge despite his earlier mishap.

“Now,” he said, setting down his chopsticks with a flourish, “let me tell you about something truly remarkable.” His voice carried a note of genuine wonder that made all three children lean forward instinctively. “The fourth realm is known as Grand Eternal, and unlike the realms below—where mortals walk freely—here you’ll find primarily immortal cultivators who have transcended mortal limitations.”

“And its governance?” He grinned, clearly enjoying his children’s rapt attention. “Grand Eternal is watched over by beings of incredible power and wisdom—the Council of Twelve Immortal Elders. These cultivators achieved true immortality so long ago that their original names have been lost to time.” His voice carried admiration rather than fear as he continued, “Now they are known simply as First Elder through Twelfth Elder, each one maintaining different aspects of this vast and wondrous realm.”

His enthusiasm growing with each word, he leaned forward conspiratorially. “But the true wonder of Grand Eternal lies in its impossible landscape. Picture, if you will, floating islands suspended in an endless sky—each one a world unto itself. Some are no larger than our courtyard, while others…” he spread his arms wide, “could swallow entire provinces of the lower realms!”

Li Wei’s eyes widened as their father described these magnificent islands, his voice painting pictures of perfect circles and impossible geometric patterns that seemed to defy natural law itself. Even Li Hua found herself caught up in his infectious wonder.

“And in this realm,” he continued, his eyes dancing with delight, “the very concepts of up and down lose all meaning. Those who have achieved immortality build their grand mansions on any surface they please—above, below, or even sideways! Their palaces cling to every surface like precious gems studding a celestial crown, spires reaching out in all directions as if challenging gravity itself.”

He paused for dramatic effect, noting with amusement how Li Hao was leaning so far forward he nearly planted his elbow in his soup. “But do you want to know the most remarkable feature?” He lowered his voice to a stage whisper. “It’s what lies between these islands. The void itself brims with spiritual essence so dense it becomes visible—an eternal aurora that streams between the worlds, carrying immortal cultivators on currents of pure power!”

Li Hua noticed her mother watching their father with quiet amusement, clearly pleased to see him so animated in his element. She took a delicate sip of her tea before adding with a knowing smile, “Perhaps you should tell them about the Eternal Gardens, dear husband?”

“Ah yes!” Their father’s eyes lit up even brighter, his hands dancing through the air as he spoke. “Within Grand Eternal exist gardens where time itself blooms like flowers. Imagine walking through a patch of land where a thousand years pass in the span of a mortal day, then stepping into another where a single sunset stretches lazily across a century! These temporal gardens are carefully tended by time cultivation experts under the watchful eyes of Third Elder and Fourth Elder, who together orchestrate this magnificent dance of time throughout the realm…”

Li Hua’s mind drifted to her own mysterious space. Little Firefly, she communicated silently, does our inner space share similarities with these temporal gardens?

Master, Little Firefly’s voice rippled with quiet amusement in her mind, it seems similar in principle, but our space appears to be far more advanced. These gardens, while impressive, are still bound by the rules of their realm.

Li Wei raised his hand tentatively, his eyes still fixed on the spot where his father’s gestures had painted invisible pictures of time-warped gardens. “Bàba, is that the highest realm? It sounds so incredible!”