Re-birth: The Beginning after the End-Chapter 145: REFINING TECHNIQUES PART 2

Li Hua summoned a swirling cloak of void energy around her inner core, so intangible that any spiritual probe would find only emptiness or shifting shadows.

Li Wei and Li Hao layered reflection barriers that bounced back intrusions. If an enemy tried to peer into their minds, they’d be hit with a jarring echo of their own energies.

Old Guo released a barrage of targeted psychic thrusts—sharp as needles. The siblings, honed by rigorous practice, met each strike with a calm riposte. Their barriers glowed momentarily, reflecting the assault or absorbing it into the void.

After the last probe fizzled into harmless sparks, Old Guo gave a rare grin. "Not bad," he said, crossing his arms. "Remember—within the labyrinth, illusions can be as vicious as any spirit beast. This level of defense might just save your lives."

The siblings bowed, their bodies still humming with the residual energy of deflected attacks. But they knew defense alone wouldn’t be enough. In the labyrinth, they would need more than just shields—they would need disguises so perfect that even the realm’s deepest mysteries couldn’t penetrate them.

Venturing deeper into the realm, the ancient pillars arranged themselves into an ever-shifting maze. Beneath towering arches and drifting fog, Old Xiao awaited their arrival. Known for guiding newcomers through the Sixth Realm’s ever-changing paths, his teachings went beyond static concealment—he would show them how to maintain their deceptions even in the midst of chaos.

"Be ghosts upon the wind," Old Xiao said in his mild tone, though his eyes held an intensity that belied his gentle demeanor. "Your core should never linger in one place. Let your steps whisper across illusions."

Li Hao dashed forward, core flickering from point to point. Each footstep left behind ephemeral silhouettes, tricking the eye into seeing multiple Li Hao’s weaving between pillars.

Li Wei and Li Hua dissolved their presence into the drifting haze, matching each swirl of fog. To an observer, they seemed to step out of nowhere, then vanish again, seamlessly blending with the environment.

Old Xiao generated illusions—false corridors, phantom beasts, swirling debris—to disrupt their flow. Yet the siblings navigated each conjured challenge, slipping around obstacles without revealing more than a wisp of form.

After mastering movement through chaos, the mists guided them to the heart of the realm—a shaded pavilion with ancient texts lining its weathered shelves. Here, among scrolls that held secrets of identity and illusion, Old Tang awaited them. The keeper’s presence offered a different kind of challenge: not the fluid grace of Old Xiao’s teachings, but the subtle art of weaving deception into truth.

Old Tang studied them through half-lidded eyes. He reached for spiritual instruments designed to detect real from false—and every test revealed only the illusions they wanted him to see. Satisfied, he let out a quiet chuckle. "You’ve truly woven your stories well." He traced a character in the air, and the siblings felt their deceptions strengthen, as though his approval had somehow reinforced their techniques. "But remember—the most convincing lie is the one you believe yourself."

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The siblings absorbed this final wisdom from Old Tang, understanding that in the labyrinth, mere technical proficiency wouldn’t be enough. They needed to inhabit their illusions so completely that even their own minds accepted the deception.

The siblings reconvened in a grand courtyard that melded every element of the Sixth Realm. Shifting paths, drifting mists, powerful spiritual flows—everything was present. It was a crucible designed for them to layer all they’d learned.

From hidden balconies, the keepers watched, each one primed to see if Li Wei, Li Hao, and Li Hua could not only perform the techniques separately but blend them seamlessly.

Li Wei began by activating the Permission Barrier while forging a False Core that made him seem like a novice. Then, in a fluid motion, he used Dimensional Shift to vanish into a side corridor, only to reappear an instant later via Phantom Step, leaving behind decoys.

Li Hao scattered his Breath of the World so thoroughly that the air itself seemed to hum with his Qi, impossible to trace. He clad himself in the Void Cloak to repel any stray probing, while simultaneously weaving illusions that mirrored his brother’s presence.

Li Hua let her core go utterly silent with the Still Lake Method, drifting in and out of illusions with Mist Walker, all while maintaining a hidden Soul Reflection Barrier—ready to bounce back any mental assault. Occasionally, she flicked on her False Core illusions, deceiving watchers into believing she was a simple nursemaid-level cultivator.

At times, the illusions they created threatened to overlap in dizzying ways, but the siblings had refined these arts to near perfection. Each shift in presence, each layered barrier, each swirl of essence blended, so one technique flowed seamlessly into another. They were like dancers weaving a tapestry of invisibility and deception.

The keepers exchanged glances: Lady He silently acknowledged Li Wei’s perfect gating of his presence, Lady Xu noted the siblings’ deft use of spatial transitions, Lady Wei nodded at their silent synchronization with ambient essence, Old Guo gave a rare approving grunt at how they deflected illusions and psychic probes, Old Tang scribbled notes on how well they disguised their real cores, and Old Xiao smiled at their nimble, phantom-like movements.

From a distance, Grandmaster Yu observed. Pride warmed his features. "They’ve learned much," he murmured. "But soon comes the labyrinth, which cares not for how many lessons one has memorized. It demands unwavering synergy of mind, body, and spirit."

By twilight, the siblings were breathless yet exhilarated. They had tested their mastery under illusions, sudden surprise attacks, and the realm’s shifting pathways. Each technique felt smoother, more instinctive—no longer forced or separate but integrated into their very way of being.

Gathering beneath a solitary lantern, Li Wei wiped sweat from his brow. "We’re almost there," he said, voice laced with both relief and anticipation.

Li Hao grinned, though exhaustion weighed on his posture. "I’d say we’ve got one foot in the labyrinth already. But let’s keep pushing."

Li Hua glanced at the swirling mists overhead, recalling that soon they’d face illusions made real. She knew they’d grown, but deep inside, a flicker of nerves remained. We’re prepared, she told herself, we have to be.

And so, they returned to their quarters under the keepers’ approving eyes, the resonance of their newly honed arts echoing in every step.