Re-birth: The Beginning after the End

Chapter 40 WORLD KNOWLEDGE PART 1

Their father settled cross-legged onto his own cushion before them, his back straight and dignified. Then he raised his hand, and water condensed from the air itself, gathering into gleaming droplets that hung suspended before them like stars.

"Today's lesson will be about our world," he said, as the droplets began to merge and flow, forming a floating, inverted, three-dimensional pyramid divided into five distinct sections. The water caught the afternoon light, casting prismatic shadows across their faces. His gesture directed attention to the pyramid's narrow point at the bottom. "We are here, in the lowest realm. This is known as the Mystic Veil Realm. Though spiritual energy may flow more abundantly in the higher realms, this domain at the pyramid's foundation matches them in vastness."

The water shifted again, drawing gasps from the children as it formed a detailed map of their realm that hovered at eye level. Li Wei's mouth fell open as miniature mountains rose from the liquid surface, while Li Hao leaned in closer, his eyes reflecting the shimmer of valleys deepening and tiny rivers beginning to flow through the magical display. Even Li Hua, despite her decades of experience, found herself mesmerized by the intricate detail of the floating landscape before them. It seems her father had been holding back.

"In terms of territories within each realm, they are equal," their father explained, smiling at their enchanted expressions. His fingers traced patterns in the air, and four points of light brightened within the watery map. "The Undermost Realm houses four great capitals, each with its own unique splendor."

The children huddled closer as their father began to shape each capital in turn. The water condensed around the northern point, forming delicate spires of ice. "In the North stands Frozen Peak City, where eternal snow blankets ancient towers of black ice, their crystalline surfaces reflecting the pale northern sun." Li Wei reached out instinctively as snowflakes, made out of water, seemed to drift from the miniature towers.

His fingers traced the flowing trade routes in the water map. "Merchant caravans traverse these paths daily—from the coastal waters of Sun Harbor come salted fish and dried seaweed, while simple herbs and medicinal plants flow from the Eastern gardens of Jade City. The Western mines of Steel Mountain send us hardy tools and cooking vessels, and from the Northern reaches of Frozen Peak come light linens and simple hemp cloth that serve us well through the changing seasons."

The water rippled, showing the changing of seasons as he continued. "The heavens have also blessed us with gentle weather. While our Northern brothers endure bitter frost and our Western sisters battle harsh winds, our valley knows peace. Even as we approach the season of White Snow, the warmth of the sun still graces our lands. When the Frost Moon rises, we may see snow dust the mountain peaks, but our valley remains temperate enough that we need not fill our cellars with excess firewood or preserved foods."

The siblings nodded eagerly, absorbing every detail of their father's lesson. Li Wei's eyes remained fixed on the floating map, while Li Hao leaned forward, as if trying to memorize every mountain and valley. Even Li Hua, despite her memories of modern China's sprawling cities and technological marvels, found herself genuinely captivated by this magical display of her new world.

Their father chuckled at their rapt attention. "Should I continue with the other four realms," he asked, his eyes twinkling with amusement, "or shall we save those for tomorrow and learn something else today?"

"The other realms!" Li Hao burst out, unable to contain his excitement. "Please, Bàba, tell us about what lies above!"

Li Wei nodded vigorously in agreement, while Li Hua kept her eager expression carefully measured—though truthfully, she was just as curious to hear her father's knowledge of the higher realms.