Re-birth: The Beginning after the End - Chapter 232

Chapter 232: COMPLIMENTS
“We should really get out of here,” Li Hua whispered as her fingers traced lazy circles on Mo Xing’s chest, following the subtle patterns of cultivation marks that shifted beneath his skin.

When he didn’t respond, she looked up to find him watching her, his golden eyes half-lidded with contentment, a knowing smirk playing at the corners of his lips.

“What?” Li Hua asked, propping herself up on her elbows, suddenly self-conscious under his intense scrutiny.

“Just thinking how beautiful you are,” he smiled, one hand rising to brush a strand of hair from her face with tender precision. “And how I could never bear to let you out of my sight again.”

Li Hua chuckled, leaning into his touch. “Well, you’ll be in the Beast Tamer’s Sect when we return, right? We can arrange regular meetings.”

Mo Xing’s smile slowly faltered, something complicated flickering behind his golden eyes. “I had originally planned to remain nearby while looking for the soul that crossed into this world. But now that we’ve found it, I might…have to leave.”

Li Hua’s eyebrows furrowed, her perception immediately detecting the careful choice of words. “What do you mean, Mo Xing? What…exactly is your identity in this world?”

She studied his expression carefully, noting how he maintained his composure despite the almost imperceptible tightening of his jaw. Whatever he was about to reveal carried significant weight.

His hand found hers, fingers interlacing with deliberate care. “I don’t want to hide anything from you, my love. You know that, right?”

Li Hua nodded, squeezing his hand reassuringly. “I do.” Her eyes met his without hesitation, silently communicating that whatever revelation came next, she would face it alongside him. After all, what secret could possibly compare to discovering they were reincarnated immortals from a different world?

He huffed out a breath before running his hands through his hair. “I still have certain pieces to secure before I can give you complete answers,” he admitted, conflict evident in his golden eyes. “Not because I don’t wish to tell you everything, but because knowledge itself can become a liability when other powers are involved. The methods I’ve employed and the powers I’ve circumvented have earned me powerful adversaries who would use any knowledge against me, against us.”

His fingers traced the line of her jaw with gentle reverence, eyes holding hers with intensity. “Give me a little time to ensure our position is unassailable. Let me create safeguards that will protect what we’ve found. Once certain arrangements are in place, I promise you’ll understand everything—who I am in this world, the resources at our disposal, and the full scope of what we can accomplish together.”

Li Hua studied his face, noting the conviction behind his words but also the subtle tension in his features—the burden he carried alone. A protective instinct welled up within her, as natural as breathing yet intensified by their renewed connection.

“Let me help you,” she said, her voice carrying a quiet authority from all her lives. “Whatever enemies you face, whatever tasks need completing—we can accomplish more together than separately. My cultivation has advanced significantly and that’s me holding back.” She leaned forward, eyes intense with determination. “We’ve finally just reunited, please don’t shut me out now.”

Mo Xing’s expression softened, his thumb gently tracing her lower lip as he smiled with unexpected tenderness. “Your spirit remains unchanged across lifetimes, my fierce little princess. Always ready to challenge the world by my side.”

But he shook his head, golden eyes holding hers with unwavering certainty. “You have priorities as well, my love. I would never ask you to abandon them. They’re a part of who you are in this life, and I would not diminish that by pulling you into my wars.”

Li Hua paused, her mind running through scenarios with methodical precision. She had no concrete knowledge of what enemies Mo Xing had made in this life, but the reverence in his voice when mentioning them suggested powers beyond ordinary cultivators. Would she risk her family’s safety to be by his side? Her father, whose quiet wisdom had guided her since childhood. Her mother, whose gentle strength had shaped her character. Her brothers, who always supported her decisions and filled her days with laughs.

No—she couldn’t make that choice yet. Despite her breakthrough to the seventh rank, she wasn’t strong enough to save her parents, let alone protect them all if powerful enemies targeted them to reach her.

An ache bloomed in her chest as she acknowledged the truth in his words. Much as she yearned to reclaim everything they had once been, her current incarnation had formed bonds and responsibilities that couldn’t be abandoned. She did have other priorities—not lesser ones, but different aspects of the complex tapestry that formed her current identity.

“Promise we’ll meet as often as possible then,” Li Hua said, her storm-gray eyes fixed on Mo Xing with quiet determination. This wasn’t surrender but strategic retreat—a temporary compromise until circumstances changed. “And that you’ll share what you can, when you can.”

“I promise,” Mo Xing smiled, relief evident in the subtle relaxation of his features. “Should we take a look at those archives now?”

Li Hua nodded, a smile curving her lips as she brushed a strand of hair from her face. “I think that’s a good idea.”

Mo Xing leaned in and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead, the simple gesture carrying more tenderness than any passionate embrace. “Such a good girl,” he murmured with affectionate amusement before rolling out of the bed with immortal grace.

Li Hua watched as his naked form bent to retrieve their discarded robes from the floor. Her gaze traced the elegant musculature of his back, following the cultivation marks that shifted beneath his skin like living calligraphy. Her eyes lingered appreciatively as they traced downward to his perfectly sculpted posterior—a sight that momentarily derailed her thoughts. Heavens, what an ass, she mused with admiration.

“Eyes up here, my love,” Mo Xing remarked without turning around, amusement evident in his voice. “Though I’m flattered by your thorough inspection.”

Li Hua felt her cheeks warm slightly at being caught so blatantly admiring him.

“Well, it’s a very nice ass,” she admitted with a shrug that failed to convey the nonchalance she intended.

Mo Xing chuckled, the sound rich and melodic as it resonated through the chamber. He turned to face her, golden eyes darkening with renewed interest as he handed her the inner robes.

“Compliment me like that and you’ll never leave this room,” he warned, voice dropping to that velvety register that seemed designed specifically to unravel her composure. “The archives have waited millennia—they can wait another day or perhaps even a few.”

“We can’t delay forever,” Li Hua sighed, reluctantly accepting the inevitable. “The archives await, and so does the world beyond these walls.”

“I know, my love,” Mo Xing murmured, his voice carrying notes of both resignation and resolve as he handed her the robes. “Though I would freeze this moment if I could.”

His fingers brushed against hers during the exchange, and Li Hua’s breath caught as tendrils of spiritual energy danced where they touched—visible manifestations of how deeply their essences had harmonized during their week of seclusion. The meridians in her arms illuminated briefly beneath her skin, responding to his proximity with an eagerness that transcended conscious control.