Re-birth: The Beginning after the End - Chapter 98

Chapter 98: SOLD MY SOUL

Li Hua nodded, frustration flickering in her eyes as the room’s atmosphere grew tense. She bit her lip, as though trying to hold back the emotions threatening to surface. “He took my brothers, said he’d be back in a week.” She bit her lip again, harder this time, her voice trembling slightly. “I should have known better, but I believed him. Now he’s gone, and something about all of this just feels wrong.”

“Master,” Mian Mian spoke up, her ethereal voice tinged with confusion. “Didn’t Old Xiao also enter cultivation with the sixth realm Master?”

Mo Xing shook his head, his youthful features darkening slightly. “Old Xiao emerged from cultivation a few days ago, but he would still be in seclusion, stabilizing his breakthrough. Even Old Tang wouldn’t dare disturb him during this critical period.” His eyes narrowed thoughtfully. “Which makes it rather interesting that someone claiming to be Old Xiao would choose this exact moment to appear…”

“Someone pretending to be…?” Li Hua’s words faltered as the realization struck her. The subtle exchange of glances between Mo Xing and Mo Tao, the unnerving stillness in Mian Mian’s otherworldly form—it all pointed to a deception she should have known. Her fists tightened at her sides.

“My brothers…” Her voice wavered, unsteady in a way that betrayed the strength she usually carried. She turned to Mo Xing, her composure faltering. “Please, help me find them. I’ll do anything.” The words tasted bitter, the act of pleading cutting into her pride, but none of that mattered now. All that mattered was finding them—no matter the cost.

Mo Xing moved with deliberate grace, his fingers carving intricate patterns through the air that shimmered with raw spiritual energy. A barrier materialized, enclosing them in an impenetrable veil of privacy. His movements slowed, deliberate, as he turned towards Li Hua, tilting his head just enough to let a sharp, dangerous smile curve his lips. His voice, smooth as silk yet edged with steel, cut through the stillness. “Anything? Careful, little tempest. I don’t hold back when something I desire is offered.”

Li Hua’s unease coiled tightly in her chest, a storm brewing beneath her calm exterior. Her hand drifted instinctively to the hilt of her daggers, the motion subtle yet loaded with intent. Her wary eyes never left him. Why did he have to smile like that? The thought flickered unbidden, sharp and distracting, making his already unsettling presence seem even more suspicious. “And what is it you want, Mo Xing?” she asked, her voice steady despite the tension thrumming through her.

He chuckled softly, the sound low and intimate as he leaned in close, his breath warm against the shell of her ear. “Just add it to your rolling tab,” he murmured, and his hand rose to brush her cheek—a touch maddeningly gentle, yet possessive enough to send a chill down her spine. “I’ll come to collect later.”

Li Hua’s eyes narrowed, her curiosity tinged with suspicion. She knew better than to trust men like Mo Xing, men cloaked in charisma and cunning. Yet, his power and knowledge were undeniable, and she needed both. Desperation clawed at her resolve. She couldn’t afford to push away a potential ally, even one as enigmatic as he.

“Fine,” she ground out, her words edged with reluctance. Her gaze locked with his, resolute yet brimming with unspoken fear. “But only if you promise to help me find my brothers first.”

His smile widened, a predator pleased with its prey’s submission. Li Hua suppressed a shiver, the sudden weight of the pact hanging heavy between them. She had no idea what she’d just agreed to—and something about the gleam in his eyes told her she might be in over her head. It felt less like an agreement and more like a deal struck with the Devil himself.

With a casual flick of his wrist, somehow both dismissive and intimate, Mo Xing dissolved the barrier around them. His tone shifted, light but commanding as his voice carried to the others in the room. “We’ll enter the sixth realm shortly. Mian Mian, notify Old Tang of our visit.”

“Yes, Master,” Mian Mian replied, her ethereal form already disintegrating into flickering shadows.

Mo Tao, perpetually bewildered, blinked at the sudden turn of events. “Wait, so we’re leaving now?” His theatrical dismay returned in full force as he gestured at his elaborate robes. “But I haven’t even changed into my traveling clothes! And what about all our things? And the princess might still have guards watching the city gates, and—”

“Mo Tao,” Mo Xing’s voice sliced cleanly through the mounting hysteria, calm yet unyielding. His smirk turned wicked, mischief dancing in his eyes. “We’re not using the gates.” He let the words hang in the air for a moment before adding, “Though if you’re worried about the princess, we could always send you ahead as a distraction.”

“Suddenly, I’m perfectly fine with leaving right now,” Mo Tao announced, moving closer to the group with surprising agility. “But why Old Tang? Isn’t he still angry about… you know, the whole spirit wine and singing peach trees incident?”

Li Hua’s patience was wearing thin, her fingers drumming restlessly against her daggers. Every wasted second was another moment her brothers remained in danger. She felt like a coiled spring, ready to snap.

Mo Xing noticed. Without warning, his hand reached out, capturing hers. His fingers were warm, calloused with the strength of centuries, yet his grip was gentle, grounding her storm. “We’re leaving now, little tempest,” he said softly, his voice pulling her from the edge of her frustration. “I know you’re impatient, but I promise—whoever has taken your brothers will deeply regret catching my attention.”

His words struck something deep within her. The power in his eyes softened, the predator momentarily pulling back to reveal a sliver of sincerity. Li Hua’s heart betrayed her, skipping a beat as she stared up at him. She couldn’t trust him fully—she knew that. But in this moment, his conviction felt like something she could lean on, just for a little while. Maybe it was his disarming charm, or maybe it was her own desperation clawing for hope, but she found herself nodding.

“Then let’s go,” she said, her voice steady despite the roiling emotions beneath the surface.

Mo Xing’s smile returned, this time laced with promise rather than mischief. He released her hand with the kind of care that seemed almost out of character, before raising his free hand. Shadows began to twist and deepen around them, responding eagerly to his power. His fingers moved with practiced precision, tracing complex patterns in the air. The room seemed to hold its breath, the darkness shifting like a living thing, bending to its master’s will.