Re-birth: The Beginning after the End

Chapter 235: SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS

"MASTER!" his voice exploded in her mind, indignation and relief battling for dominance. "A WEEK! You blocked me for an entire WEEK! Do you have ANY idea how BORING it is to be trapped in your spiritual space with nothing to do and nowhere to go? I reorganized your warehouse supplies—TWICE!"

His mental voice carried such dramatic outrage that Li Hua had to suppress a smile.

"I'm sorry, Little Firefly," she replied internally, trying to maintain appropriate dignity despite the his theatrics. "It was... necessary."

"Oh, I KNOW what was necessary," Little Firefly retorted with unmistakable innuendo in his spiritual voice. "I may have been blocked, but I could still feel the general... energy fluctuations. Seven straight days of 'cultivation practice,' hmm? Very thorough 'dual cultivation' indeed!"

Li Hua's blush deepened despite her best efforts to maintain composure. "Little Firefly," she warned, "if you continue this, I'll be forced to reinstate the barrier."

The spirit beast immediately adopted a more pacifying tone. "No need for such drastic measures! I'm just saying, it's about time you two figured things out. The sexual tension was becoming unbearable to witness."

Li Hua laughed aloud at Little Firefly's dramatic indignation, the sound echoing unexpectedly in the archive's solemn atmosphere. Mo Xing turned from his research, one elegant eyebrow quirked upward in silent inquiry, golden eyes gleaming with curiosity.

"Don't mind me," she said with a dismissive wave, her lips still curved in amusement. Mo Xing nodded with understanding—he had been aware of her spiritual companion's existence, though they had yet to discuss anything further.

Turning back to her research, Li Hua composed herself while maintaining the mental connection. "Little Firefly," she said, clearing her throat as she addressed her spirit companion directly. "I now remember fragments of my first life—the Celestial Court, the three-realm structure, my position as the youngest princess of the Heavenly Realm. If my memories are accurate, we must have originated from the same world."

"You remember?" Firefly's mental voice contained unmistakable excitement.

"Yes, just fragments so far," Li Hua answered as she continued examining the ancient scrolls. "Enough to understand who I was, who Mo Xing is to me, and moments before my soul was scattered. Everything else remains either fragmented or completely inaccessible—like trying to recall a dream that dissolves upon waking."

"That's significant progress already, Master," Little Firefly replied with uncharacteristic patience. "I have no doubt that we'll both remember everything soon!"

"Yes, I believe we will." Li Hua smiled.

The days flowed together as Li Hua and Mo Xing immersed themselves in the archive's ancient knowledge. Despite examining countless texts, maps, and records, they found no definitive evidence of other souls from their original realm in this world. The search yielded valuable insights about a few hidden realms, but the specific answers they sought remained elusive.

On their fourth night of research, they finally acknowledged the diminishing returns of their efforts. As they exited the archive chamber, the nine-tailed fox merely nodded in acknowledgment, having grown accustomed to their comings and goings.

"We've learned what we can for now," Mo Xing said, his fingers intertwining with hers as they walked along the shrine's moonlit corridors. "The rest will reveal itself in time."

Li Hua nodded, her thoughts already turning to practical concerns. Elder Fu and the disciples from the Beast Tamer Sect should have made it out of the Forbidden Zone by now. They would likely be returning to the sect within a day—which meant she needed to leave the shrine soon as well. The realization brought a bittersweet pang; returning to the sect meant separation from Mo Xing as he pursued whatever mysterious tasks awaited him.

She looked up at him as they made their way to the chamber they had claimed as their own during their stay. The lanterns cast his features in subtle gold, highlighting the perfection that couldn't be concealed. Sensing her gaze, Mo Xing turned to meet her eyes, his smile carrying such genuine warmth that it made her heart flutter despite all they had already shared.

"What thoughts trouble you, my love?" he asked softly, the endearment flowing naturally from his lips as he paused their walk to face her fully.

Li Hua sighed, her head tilting slightly, "I just wish we didn't have to separate so soon. A week of reunion after multiple lifetimes feels rather insufficient."

Mo Xing's lips curved into a mischievous smile, golden eyes sparkling with playful arrogance. "Oh? My Little Tempest will miss me? The same woman who tried to stab me with a spirit dagger not so long ago?" He placed a hand over his heart in mock astonishment.

"Undoubtedly," Li Hua responded, fighting a smile. "After all, you've proven yourself to be quite useful in certain... recreational activities."

"Useful?" Mo Xing's eyebrow shot up, genuine indignation briefly overtaking his teasing. "I don't recall 'useful' being the word you gasped repeatedly during sex. In fact, I distinctly remember—"

Li Hua silenced him with a finger to his lips, her cheeks warming despite her best efforts at composure. "Your memory is suspiciously selective."

He captured her hand, pressing a kiss to her palm while maintaining eye contact with devastating effect. "I remember the important things, my love. Like the exact sound you make when I—"

"I will definitely stab you if you continue that sentence," she interrupted, though the threat was undermined by her traitorous smile.

Mo Xing chuckled, pulling her closer. "I'm sorry we must part ways temporarily, my fierce tempest. But I promise to visit so frequently the Beast Tamer Sect will consider making me an honorary member." His voice softened, the teasing giving way to genuine tenderness. "Besides, with our consciousness link, I'm never truly far from you."

"You better," she whispered against his chest, inhaling his distinctive scent—night-blooming flowers and pine forests with undertones of something otherworldly that defied description. She felt his arms tighten around her, drawing her closer as if trying to memorize the feel of her within his embrace. For several heartbeats, they stood motionless, two beings who had defied cosmic law and dimensional barriers to find each other again, simply relishing their hard-won connection.

In this moment of perfect stillness, Li Hua felt a certainty beyond logical thought—whatever challenges awaited, whatever forces might still oppose their union, they would face them together. The universe had failed to keep them apart despite its best efforts; it would not succeed a second time.

Mo Xing finally broke the silence, his lips brushing against her temple. "Come, my love," he murmured, voice rich with both tenderness and reluctance. "Let's take a final bath and then I'll void-walk you back to the Beast Tamer Sect before your absence raises too many questions."

His fingers intertwined with hers as he led her toward their chambers.