Re-birth: The Beginning after the End - Chapter 63

Chapter 63: ADVANCED TRAINING PART 2

“Go!” Li Wei shouted as the siblings burst into motion. Their feet flew across the packed earth in perfect unison, bodies moving with the fluid grace that came from years of shared training. The morning air rushed past them as they maintained a punishing pace, yet none showed signs of strain—this was merely their warm-up.

They reached the base of the Great White Mountain where their familiar trail began its serpentine path upward. Here, where the villagers never venture, the siblings finally released their carefully contained power. Li Wei’s water essence surged around him like living streams, propelling him upward in graceful arcs. Li Hao’s unique fire-water combination created bursts of steam that launched him between outcroppings with explosive force.

Li Hua could have easily outpaced them using her celestial diamonds—the artifacts had proven overwhelmingly advantageous in past races—but where was the fun in that? Instead, she called upon her wind element, letting it wrap around her like an old friend.

Light essence gathered beneath her feet, creating luminous ribbons that curved and twisted through the air. She glided along these paths with practiced grace, each movement flowing into the next as she practically skated up the mountainside.

Her body moved with fluid precision, spinning and weaving between her brothers’ elemental displays as if dancing on ice. Though she could wield all elements, these two, along with her wood essence, had always felt most natural to her, allowing her to transform the very air into her personal skating rink.

The siblings raced each other to the summit, their elements painting the dawn sky with spectacular displays of power. Li Wei’s streams of water carved graceful arcs through the air, while Li Hao’s steam spirals created miniature rainbows in the early morning light. Li Hua’s combination of wind and light left trailing auroras in her wake, her movements as fluid as a leaf dancing on the breeze.

“Getting slow, Eldest brother!” Li Hua called out as she rode a wind current past Li Wei, her light essence sparkling like morning dew.

“Says the one who can use every element!” Li Hao shot back, his steam propulsion sending him rocketing alongside her with a grin.

“I’m just being fair!” Li Hua laughed, weaving wind and light together to create a shimmering path upward. She could have easily pulled ahead—her mastery of multiple elements gave her countless advantages—but the joy was in the challenge, in pushing each other to grow stronger together.

They reached the peak almost simultaneously, touching down on the summit just as the sun breached the horizon. Without pausing to rest, they turned as one and began their descent, this time relying purely on their physical abilities. The race down was just as demanding as the climb up—requiring perfect control, split-second timing, and absolute trust in their siblings’ movements as they wove around each other on the narrow trail.

Reaching the bottom, they immediately turned and began another cycle. Each lap would bring new challenges as the rising sun slowly burned away the morning mist, changing the terrain’s visibility and forcing them to adapt ttheir techniques. They would continue until they completed their set number of circuits, or until their mother’s voice carried across the village calling them home for breakfast—whichever came first.

When the siblings reached the bottom of the mountain after their eighth descent, their mother’s voice carried across the morning air, calling them for breakfast. Without a word but with silent agreement, they took off sprinting despite their sweat-soaked clothes and aching muscles.

Their mother was already waiting in the courtyard as they approached, the familiar scent of breakfast floating from the kitchen. “A-Wei, it’s your turn today. Take your father his breakfast,” she said, handing him a carefully wrapped bundle.

Li Wei nodded and set off toward the fields while Li Hua and Li Hao quickly washed their hands and helped their mother bring the remaining dishes to the table. The spread was generous as always—steamed buns stuffed with spiritual vegetables, congee with herbs that sparkled with essence, and eggs that held a subtle golden glow from the spirit-fed chickens.

By the time Li Wei returned, dewdrops still clinging to his boots from the walk to the fields, Li Hua and Li Hao had already set everything out. He slipped into his usual seat, accepting a bowl of congee from their mother with a grateful smile.

“Children,” their mother began, her tone carrying that particular note that meant an important lesson was coming. “We need to discuss something.” She set down her chopsticks, her elegant features taking on a more serious cast. “You’re all getting older now, and while it was fine when you were younger to play freely in the village, things are different at your age.”

Li Hua paused mid-bite, recognizing the gravity in her mother’s voice. Even Li Hao, usually quick with a joke, sat up straighter.

“You need to learn proper concealment techniques,” their mother continued, her fingers tracing patterns in the air that shimmered with spiritual essence. “Not just simple disguises, but true alterations that can mask your features.” Her eyes lingered on each of them in turn. “People harbor ill intentions toward those they find too beautiful or talented, and you three…” She shook her head slightly. “You all inherited more than just cultivation potential.”

“But Mother,” Li Wei started, his protective nature already surfacing, “Surely sister needs this more than—”

“Not just your sister,” their mother cut in firmly. “All of you. Have you not heard the stories from the neighboring village? About the young men who were poisoned by girls seeking to force marriage? Or the talented young masters who disappeared, only to be found trapped in cultivation contracts they never agreed to?” Her gaze swept across their faces. “In these times, with our old traditions, men must be equally cautious. One mistake, one moment of letting your guard down, and you could be bound by responsibilities you never chose.”

Li Hao’s usual smile had faded to something more thoughtful. “I… I hadn’t considered that. I always thought we just needed to protect sister.”

“The world is more complicated than that,” their mother said softly, her hands moving through a series of graceful gestures. The air around her rippled like water, and suddenly her features shifted—becoming plain and forgettable, the kind of face that eyes would slide right past in a crowd. “This is what I want to teach you today. True concealment isn’t about hiding—it’s about becoming unremarkable.”

Li Hua watched intently, her instincts recognizing the invaluable nature of such a technique. In her past life, she had relied on makeup and prosthetics for disguise. But this… this was something far more sophisticated.

“Now,” their mother said, her features shifting back to normal, “finish your breakfast. Then we’ll begin with the basic forms of essence manipulation required for facial alterations. And remember—” she added with a knowing look at her sons, “being overprotective of your sister is admirable, but the best protection is teaching her to protect herself.”

The siblings exchanged glances over their bowls, each absorbing the weight of their mother’s words. In the peaceful morning light of their courtyard, they began to understand that growing up meant facing challenges far more subtle than spiritual beasts or cultivation barriers.