Re-birth: The Beginning after the End-Chapter 194: BEFORE NIGHTFALL

Li Hua turned to Mo Xing, her fingers still tracing the ancient carvings on the railing. "How long will it take to reach the boundary?"

Mo Xing's eyes narrowed slightly as he calculated the distance. "At least a day," he answered, watching the spiritual current patterns visible only to those with enhanced perception. "Or possibly before nightfall."

The sound of silk robes rustling against spirit wood announced a new presence. "Excuse me," a melodious voice interrupted. One of the senior disciples had approached, her calm demeanor suggesting years of trial and refinement.

Li Hua turned to meet the eyes of a woman she had never seen before. She acknowledged the stranger with a slight nod, maintaining the reserved demeanor she had perfected in her past life. The calculated distance—just enough to be polite without inviting further familiarity.

The woman glanced between her and Mo Xing, her gaze lingering a moment too long on the latter before clearing her throat. "Are you both new disciples? I don't recall seeing either of you before."

Li Hua looked up at Mo Xing, whose gaze remained fixed solely on her, not even acknowledging the other woman's presence—a dismissal so complete it bordered on insult.

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"Yes," Li Hua confirmed simply, offering nothing more.

The woman's eyes widened with genuine surprise. "Impressive! You must have extraordinary talents to join a special request mission so early."

Li Hua merely nodded, neither confirming nor denying the assessment.

"I'm Mei Lin, third disciple of Elder Feng," she introduced herself with a formal bow, the jade pendant at her waist catching the morning light. Her cultivation rank was evident—Martial Phase Rank three. As she straightened, her gaze drifted back to Mo Xing with unmistakable interest, though he continued to ignore her completely. "The Forbidden Zone mission is rarely entrusted to newcomers. Your abilities must truly be remarkable."

Her smile tightened slightly as she noted the way Mo Xing stood just close enough to Li Hua to suggest possession without actual contact. "Perhaps we could exchange cultivation insights during the journey?" The invitation carried a hint of something beyond professional interest. "The nights can be...quite long."

Li Hua's eyes narrowed imperceptibly, the temperature around them dropping several degrees. "Perhaps," she replied, her tone making it clear how unlikely that prospect was.

The silence stretched between them, heavy with unspoken tension until Mei Lin finally broke. "Well, I should greet the other fellow disciples," she said quickly, her practiced smile faltering. With another bow, more hurried than the first, she retreated toward the group gathered near the bow.

Li Hua looked up at Mo Xing with narrowed eyes. "Do you not have a concealment on?" she asked, her tone deceptively casual despite the slight furrow in her brow.

"Jealous, Little Tempest?" His eyes darkened with mischief, his voice dropping to that intimate tone that she was beginning to suspect he reserved solely for her. The slight curve of his lips suggested he found her concern far more entertaining.

Li Hua scoffed, turning her attention back to the passing landscape. "Hardly. I'm merely wondering why someone would be interested in a man who can't even acknowledge her existence."

His low chuckle vibrated through the space between them. "Perhaps because she senses what you refuse to admit." He leaned slightly closer, his breath warm against her ear as he added, "That I only have eyes for one tempest in this world."

Heat crept up her neck despite her best efforts to remain unaffected. "Your concealment," she insisted, returning to the original question with stubborn determination.

"I do have a concealment on," he replied, his eyes gleaming with mischief. "Just like you, my real looks can only be seen by you."

Li Hua arched an eyebrow. "Then why is she so infatuated with you?" A hint of curiosity colored her voice despite her best efforts.

"Do you want to see what my concealment looks like to others?" Mo Xing offered, his tone suggesting he found her interest highly entertaining.

Before she could refuse, his features shifted subtly—still handsome, but noticeably less striking than his true appearance. The face before her was pleasant but ordinary, slightly more appealing than the disciples Li Hua had seen walking around the sect, but nothing that would warrant such obvious attention.

"Hmph," Li Hua scoffed, turning away to hide her relief. "Make yourself uglier. You're still drawing too much attention."

Mo Xing laughed out loud, causing the other disciples to turn around. "Of course, my tempest." Despite herself, Li Hua couldn't help the small smile that tugged at the corner of her lips.

"Excuse me." The words were barely audible above the wind, spoken with such hesitance they might have been mistaken for a passing breeze.

Li Hua turned to see a petite disciple before them, her posture slightly hunched as if trying to occupy as little space as possible. The girl bowed with formal precision before extending her hands, offering two intricately crafted miniature pavilions that gleamed with spatial runes. Her gaze remained fixed on the deck, only occasionally darting up to their faces before quickly returning downward.

"I'm here to distribute the traveling quarters," she explained, her voice so soft Li Hua had to lean slightly forward to catch the words. "These are yours."

Li Hua accepted one of the miniature structures, studying its perfect proportions. Though small enough to fit in her palm, every detail was rendered with remarkable precision—from the tiny guardian beasts at the entrance to the microscopic spirit formation arrays etched along the roof tiles.

"What exactly are these?" Li Hua asked, sensing complex spatial energy radiating from the miniature building.

The question seemed to transform the girl. Her face lit up with pride, though her voice remained gentle. "Your accommodations for the journey. Each contains a fully furnished residence in compressed space." For a brief moment, enthusiasm overcame her shyness. "Elder Fu had these crafted specifically for extended missions like ours."

Li Hua nodded, "Are you Elder Fu's disciple?"

The girl nodded shyly, a faint blush coloring her cheeks at the direct attention. "Yes, I am his second disciple, Yang Mei."

Li Hua's expression softened, offering the kind of gentle smile she usually reserved for those closest to her. For some odd reason, she felt comfortable with Yang Mei—a stark contrast to the discomfort she'd experienced with Mei Lin earlier. "It's good to meet you, Yang Mei. Thank you for these."

Mo Xing watched Li Hua with undisguised interest, the corner of his mouth curving slightly upward. Unlike the cold dismissal he'd shown Mei Lin, his demeanor remained relaxed and almost warm as this interaction unfolded. His focus remained entirely on Li Hua, studying this glimpse of tenderness as if cataloging every facet of her character with meticulous care.

"Ah, no worries!" Yang Mei's eyes widened at the unexpected kindness, her hands making a flustered gesture in the air. Then, as if remembering an important task, she leaned slightly closer. "Elder Fu asked me to inform everyone—there will be a storm when we near the boundary." Despite her shyness, her technical knowledge emerged with confidence. "You're stationed near the eastern array. Could you channel your essence to strengthen the protective barrier when it begins? The crimson lightning can be... disruptive."

"I'll handle it," Li Hua assured her with a decisive nod. The girl's relieved smile suggested she'd been worried about how the new disciples might react to such responsibility. With another quick bow that sent her jade pendant swinging, she scurried toward another group of disciples, continuing her task.