Their father smiled warmly at their enthusiasm. "Very well. Let us venture beyond our realm, through the Mystic Veil and into what lies above." His hands moved with practiced grace, and the watery display shifted. The inverted pyramid representing the five realms reappeared with its second level illuminated in a soft red glow.
As the children leaned closer, the water transformed, painting a new landscape before their eyes. "This is the Ascending Plateau," their father explained, his voice taking on a tone of familiarity. "Unlike our realm below, it is not governed by imperial capitals and imperial families, but by cultivation sects—six great powers that have maintained their territories for countless generations." The liquid coalesced into distinct regions, each glowing with a different intensity, like stars in an evening sky.