Re-birth: The Beginning after the End - Chapter 176

Chapter 176: NOT A BAD PERSON
“You’re obviously fine,” she said, trying to maintain her composure. Then, softening despite herself, she added, “And…I didn’t a get a chance to tell you earlier but…thank you. For everything. For saving my brother, and for settling things with Old Xiao.”

“Of course.” His smile curved like the edge of a well-honed blade. “Services rendered always come with a price.”

Li Hua squared her shoulders, meeting his gaze directly. “Is that why you’re here, then? To collect what you believe I owe you?” The challenge in her voice was unmistakable.

“Not yet.” Mo Xing’s response was soft but weighted with intention. Each syllable seemed to brush against her skin like phantom fingers, raising goosebumps in their wake. “When that time comes, believe me, you’ll know.”

“Then what purpose brings the great Mo Xing to this humble sect?” The words emerged with more bite than she intended, her composure fracturing under his steady gaze.

His answer came without hesitation: “I missed you.”

Three simple words, spoken with such devastating directness that Li Hua had to look away. She rolled her eyes, a practiced gesture of dismissal that did nothing to calm the thundering of her heart against her ribs. “Let’s just finish this tour,” she managed, hating how her voice had softened. “I have other matters to attend to.”

The tour became a blur of clipped sentences and hurried steps, with Li Hua pointing out locations with mechanical precision, desperate to maintain what little composure she had left.

When they finally circled back to the residential area, she nearly sighed in relief, already turning toward the sanctuary of her quarters—but his hand caught her wrist, the sudden contact sending electricity racing up her arm. His touch was always surprisingly gentle, yet it held enough authority to root her in place, her pulse betraying her underneath his fingers.

“Did you need something?” she managed, hating how breathless her voice sounded.

His chuckle rippled through the air between them. “Yes, where do I sleep?” His eyes held a dangerous glint. “Or perhaps you’re offering to share your quarters?”

For a moment, Li Hua found herself caught in his gaze, noticing what she’d somehow missed before—his eyes, once a warm honey-brown, now burned a molten gold, luminous and unnaturally intense. She felt herself being drawn into their depths, a peculiar warmth spreading through her chest as she stared. The captivating color held her like a spell, making it impossible to look away even as alarm bells rang distantly in her mind. This was another reminder that the man before her was not the same one she’d known. What had happened to transform him so completely?

The question rose to her lips unbidden, but she swallowed it down, fighting against the hypnotic pull of those golden eyes. Whatever secrets he carried were dangerous—and his new appearance only confirmed her suspicions that he had been remade by powers she couldn’t begin to comprehend. A shiver traced her spine, equal parts fear and something she refused to name.

“Do you even need to sleep?” she muttered instead, yanking her wrist from his grasp with more force than necessary.

“Li Hua!”

Senior Chen’s voice cut through the tension and relief flooded her so quickly she nearly stumbled. “Senior Chen!” She called back with barely concealed desperation, gesturing toward Mo Xing as if he were a problem she could simply hand off. “Are you here to help him settle?”

“Yes,” Senior Chen approached, looking between them with neutrality. “I ran into Elder Sun after my last tour and he asked me to come give you a hand.”

“Oh, thank the heavens,” Li Hua breathed, then quickly composed herself. “He needs a proper quarter. I assume you won’t be requiring my help any further?” The last question carried a hint of plea beneath its formal tone.

“Ahhh, no. I think we’re good.”

Li Hua straightened her shoulders, attempting to gather the fragments of her usual composure. She managed a curt nod, but when she glanced up at Mo Xing, her carefully constructed mask slipped—just for a heartbeat. “Sleep well,” she said, her tone caught between attempted indifference and unwanted warmth.

Then, before her traitorous heart could betray her further, she turned and fled to her quarters with as much dignity as she could muster, leaving only the lingering scent of spring blossoms in her wake.

Li Hua slid her door closed and leaned against it, her heart beating wildly against her ribs. She pressed a cool palm against her flushed cheeks, irritated by her own reaction.

“Master…” Little Firefly materialized beside her, ethereal wings flickering with concern. “Was that man…”

“Yes,” Li Hua cut in, her voice steadier than she felt. “Exactly who you’re thinking of.”

After a moment of contemplation, Little Firefly sighed. “He doesn’t seem like a bad person.”

“He doesn’t…” Li Hua began, then straightened away from the door, forcing her racing pulse to calm. “But I still can’t fully trust him. He’s too mysterious.” Her eyes narrowed, remembering the knowing glint in his gaze. “People like that—people who wear secrets like armor—they’re the most dangerous of all.”

“But master, aren’t you a person wearing secrets like an armor?”

Li Hua ignored his question, the truth in it stinging more than she cared to admit. Instead, she crawled onto her bed, closing her eyes as reality shifted around her.

“I need to focus,” she said as she materialized in her inner space, her voice carrying the edge of someone desperate to bury emotion beneath duty. “Would you please send me into the Library?” At least there, surrounded by ancient texts and forgotten knowledge, she might forget the way her wrist still tingled from his touch.

In less than a breath, she materialized in front of the library, Little Firefly trailing behind her like a golden shadow. Without hesitation, she reached for the Soul Forging arts and settled into her favorite chair, the ancient text opening before her with promises of profound knowledge.

As had become their comfortable routine, Little Firefly perched on the chair’s arm, his gentle presence a familiar comfort as they both began—she absorbed in her studies while his golden form pulsed softly with growing power of cultivating.

After carefully studying the initial steps, she glanced at Little Firefly, who was deep in his own cultivation. With practiced care, she placed a protective barrier around his form, ensuring her experiments wouldn’t disturb his progress.

Then, following the manual’s guidance, she began the delicate process of soul refinement. The technique required perfect control, each movement of essence carefully calibrated to bridge the gap between physical and spiritual realms.

The Soul Forging arts were unlike anything she’d encountered before—more subtle than the Thousand Veils, yet more profound than the Sixth Realm’s techniques. As she practiced, Li Hua could feel her essence responding in new ways, as if learning to exist in multiple states simultaneously. Her physical form remained steady while her spiritual energy explored the boundaries between her inner space and the outside world.

Each movement had to be precise. Too much force could disrupt the delicate balance between physical and spiritual existence, while too little would fail to forge the necessary connections. Li Hua found herself drawing on everything she’d learned—the precise control from her assassination techniques, the spatial awareness from the Sixth Realm, and the adaptability she’d gained from the Thousand Veils.

The manual described how, with mastery, one could strengthen their soul to the point where it could resist most spiritual attacks. More importantly, it could help stabilize one’s existence across different states of being—a skill that might prove crucial in the future.

The subtle shift of her mattress drew Li Hua from her focus like a ripple disturbing still water. She didn’t need to open her eyes to know who it was—only one person would dare such an intrusion. With deliberate slowness, she let her consciousness drift back from her inner space, already feeling the weight of his presence beside her. When she finally looked, there was Mo Xing, sprawled across her bed with all the casual arrogance of a mountain cat in its territory, watching her with that same knowing smile that had haunted her thoughts all morning.