Re-birth: The Beginning after the End-Chapter 213: MIST LEOPARDS

Li Hua offered a noncommittal shrug, her expression revealing nothing. "An artifact I was blessed to acquire during my travels," she replied, noting how Mei Lin barely registered her response. Behind her placid expression, Li Hua chuckled inwardly at the woman's transparent intentions and complete ignorance of the spiritual barrier now surrounding them.

Mei Lin turned her full attention back to Mo Xing, a coy smile playing at her lips. "I may have misjudged you, Junior Brother. You're clearly far more powerful than you let others believe." The admission carried the unmistakable undertone of someone reopening possibilities she had prematurely closed.

Mo Xing maintained his forward gaze, deliberately withholding the charming response Mei Lin clearly expected. His sudden shift to cool indifference created a palpable tension that only heightened when the senior disciple attempted a more direct approach.

"Junior Brother," Mei Lin purred, reaching for his arm with practiced familiarity, her fingers adorned with spirit-enhancing rings that caught the dappled light. "Perhaps you could demonstrate that shadow technique for me privately later? I've always been fascinated by unique movement arts."

Mo Xing stepped smoothly beyond her reach, his avoidance so precisely calculated that it appeared almost choreographed. "Please don't touch me," he requested, his tone polite but carrying an unmistakable finality. The rejection was delivered with such casual certainty that it left no room for misinterpretation—this wasn't merely playing hard to get, but a fundamental boundary being established.

The flash of surprise and wounded pride that crossed Mei Lin's face revealed how rarely her advances met with such definitive rebuffs. Her gaze flickered briefly to Li Hua, a calculating reassessment forming behind her momentary embarrassment.

"I'm the sect's top beast charmer," Mei Lin announced, her wounded pride finding refuge in boastfulness as she smoothed her elegant robes with exaggerated care. "I noticed neither of you appears to have contracted spirit beasts yet." Her smile became artificially sweet, laced with petty vengeance. "Should you ever require assistance in this, please don't trouble yourself to ask me for help. Those who hoard their secrets find themselves without allies when most needed."

Li Hua couldn't help but chuckle at the transparent attempt at intimidation, the sound light but unmistakably dismissive.

Mei Lin's face immediately flushed, an angry crimson creeping from her neck to her cheeks. Her eyes narrowed dangerously as she turned fully toward Li Hua. "What are you laughing at?" she demanded, her carefully cultivated composure cracking to reveal the raw insecurity beneath.

But before Li Hua could answer, with a practiced hair-toss that sent her ornamental hairpins tinkling musically, Mei Lin turned and glided back to Yang Mei's side, her dignified retreat somewhat undermined by the stiffness in her shoulders.

Li Hua rolled her eyes at the theatrical departure, a rare display of unguarded emotion that Mo Xing immediately found charming. He reached for her hand with casual possessiveness, his long fingers intertwining with hers. The warmth of his touch contrasted with the coolness of his rejection of Mei Lin moments before—a temperature difference that spoke volumes about his preferences.

"How unfortunate," he murmured, his voice carrying mock disappointment. "We've lost access to the sect's finest beast charmer. However shall we obtain spirit beasts?"

His deliberately exaggerated concern drew a smile from Li Hua, another small victory in his ongoing campaign to breach her carefully maintained composure.

This time, in a gesture that surprised even herself, Li Hua pulled his hand toward her face and pressed her lips gently against his knuckles. She couldn't understand why she did it—perhaps watching Mei Lin try so hard only to be firmly rejected had given her the confidence boost she needed to act on her own desires. The impulse wasn't calculated—a rare authentic response unburdened by her usual strategic considerations. The kiss was brief but deliberate, her eyes maintaining contact with his throughout the unexpected intimacy.

Mo Xing's response was immediate and visceral. His golden eyes darkened to amber, pupils dilating visibly as the playfulness that typically animated his features gave way to something more primal. For a heartbeat, his careful composure faltered completely, revealing raw hunger typically kept concealed beneath layers of cultivated charm. His fingers tightened involuntarily around hers, a momentary loss of his self-control that spoke volumes about the effect her simple gesture had unleashed.

"Stormy..." The nickname emerged from Mo Xing's lips as a gentle demand, his voice dropping to a register she hadn't heard before—slightly hoarse with barely restrained desire. His golden eyes remained fixed on hers, simultaneously imploring and commanding. "Give me another one."

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The request hung between them, deceptively simple yet laden with implications that extended far beyond the immediate moment.

Li Hua laughed softly, the warm sound carrying a newfound freedom rather than her usual restrained amusement. Maintaining eye contact with deliberate intensity, she drew his hand back to her lips with exquisite slowness, transforming the simple motion into an act of intimate promise. She watched with quiet satisfaction as his adam's apple bobbed.

With unhurried tenderness, she pressed her lips to each knuckle in succession, each kiss distinct and purposeful—five separate moments of connection rather than a rushed collective gesture. Her lips lingered fractionally longer on the final knuckle, the gentle pressure accompanied by the faintest brush of warm breath against his skin.

The forest around them seemed to hold its breath, ambient sounds momentarily fading as if the Verdant Expanse itself recognized the significance of their exchange. Even the ever-present rustling of leaves stilled in their immediate vicinity, creating a pocket of relative silence around them like privacy granted by a conscious entity—despite their continued progress along the expedition path.

Mo Xing's stride remained perfectly matched with hers, but his usual fluid grace had surrendered to a heightened tension evident in the line of his shoulders. His golden eyes revealed his internal state, irises now almost entirely eclipsed by dilated pupils as they darted between her face and the path ahead, maintaining just enough awareness of their surroundings to prevent stumbling.

When she finally lowered his hand but maintained her hold, allowing their joined fingers to swing naturally between them as they walked, the connection between them had transformed—deepened beyond the casual touches they had shared before. Something fundamental had shifted, acknowledged without words but understood with perfect clarity by both, even as they continued their physical journey through the Verdant Expanse alongside the other disciples.

Ahead of them, Elder Fu signaled a change in formation to navigate a particularly dense section of towering vegetation, unaware of the private transformation occurring among his disciples.

Li Hua reluctantly shifted her attention from Mo Xing to their surroundings, her instinct for environmental changes finally breaking through the intimate haze that had enveloped them. A subtle transformation in the Verdant Expanse caught her notice—tendrils of mist now curled between the massive plant stalks, a pearlescent fog that hadn't been present earlier in their journey. The vapor thickened with each step forward, transforming from scattered wisps to substantial veils that partially obscured the path ahead.

This developing mist carried distinct spiritual properties—unlike ordinary fog, it seemed to softly absorb ambient essence from the air, creating pockets of spiritual vacuum within its swirling depths. The vapor moved with subtle purpose, tendrils occasionally forming shapes reminiscent of predatory forms before dissolving again. As they continued forward, the mist's density increased noticeably, weaving between the massive plant stalks with unnatural precision.

"Mist Leopards," Elder Fu announced from the front of the formation, his voice pitched low but carrying to all disciples. "Their hunting mist precedes them. Tighten formation, enhance spiritual shields, and prepare defensive formations. They rarely hunt alone."