Mystique Soul: A Cultivator's Flame
Chapter 42

Chapter 42: Chapter 42

Feng Jiao Xue took the kid to a nearby cafe, ordering him something light for the stomach.

"Here" She slid the vegetable salad and mushroom soup to the kid.

Startled, his head snapped up, fox ears twitching, wary and yet pure golden eyes widened like that of a puppy, lost, lonely and yet... wary and still fighting on.

"Eat" Feng Jiao Xue tried to soften her voice and expression as she could, removing her face to at the very least, not make the kid even more concerned.

"Thank you, sister" The kid bowed sincerely before scarfing down on the food.

Feng Jiao Xue sipped her coffee as she observed the ’kid’.

He have long beautiful yet unkept hair that frames his face and almost reach his waist, eyes that reminds her of the finest jewel and the bright warm golden sun, his cheeks looks hollow due to the lack of fats andhis lips chapped, dry and almost gray, and thick, long silver lashes and perfectly arched brow.

As if sensing her gaze, the boy tried to cover his arms riddled with scars, whip marks, cuts and bruises.

She frowned when the kid stopped eating, instead curling in on himself.

’What did I want when I was a kid?’ Feng Jiao Xue though before taking out a handkerchief, pausing when the kid flinched as she reached her hand up to him.

As gently as she could, she wiped the corner of the kid’s mouth.

"It’s okay" She tried to make her tone as soft and gentle as possible as she retreated her hand.

"Your name, ehem, what’s your name?" She asked. ’How old is he even? Does this world have elementary schools?’

"Mo Tianze... I’m Mo Tianze." The kid, Mo Tianze intoduced himself, his voice sweet and mellow. "Sister" He calls sweetly and looks at her with eager eyes. "What’s your name?"

"Feng Jiao Xue" She introduces herself before focusing back on him. "Are you done?" Her eyes flickered to his half eaten food.

Mo Tianze nodded, feeling full for the first time in his life. "Thank you, sister." he sincerely thanked but before Feng Jiao Xue could reply he added. "I’ll try to serve sister well. I can do lots of things. I can clean and cook and carry heavy things. Sister, I’m very usefull" he earnestly told her, eye desperate for acknowledgement, for kindness.

"...how old are you?" Feng Jiao Xue asked trying to keep her conflicted emotions at bay.

"19" Mo Tianze replied making Feng Jiao Xue slwoly lower the tea she was about to drink.

"19?" She asked dubiously but Mo Tianze nodded in confirmation.

Unable to help it, Feng Jiao Xue looked at the ’kid’ from head to toe, his tail nervously flicking from side to side.

Taking a deep breath she asked again. "Do you have anywhere else to go?"

Immediately, fat tears gathered in MoTianze’s eyes. "Does sister-" the boy sniffles. "Does sister not want Tianze?" He asked pitifully, his voice wavering slightly before launching himself in Feng Jiao Xue’s arm.

"Sister! Sister! Tianze is well behaved! I don’t eat much! I- I wont eat much I promise! I’ll do what sister says! I’ll clean and cook and- and- and I can warm sister’s bed!"

"Cough! Cough! Cough!" Feng Jiao Xue hack out a cough as she choked on air at the last statement while the other’s in the cafe look at them strangely.

"That’s not what I meant!" Gently, she pushed the kid away gently. He may be nineteen but he looks about thirteen at most.

With his features, there is no doubt that he will look dashing if he is nourished and nurtured well in a couple of months or years.

"Look" She presented her the ring she took from the servant, offering it to him from the palm of her hand. "I can give you some money, you don’t have to be a slave anymore. You’re free, no catch, no alterior motive-" her voice wavered when she saw utter abandonment in those innocent eyes, the light in them fading away.

"Or, you can stay with me for a while, until you can get healthy again and my offer will still stand. I can provide you some funds to help you live the rest of your life out peacefully" Feng Jiao Xue offered Mo Tianze what she wished she could have been offered in her previous life.

"Tianze-" Mo Tianze clutched on her sleeves. "Tianze wants to stay with sister." he responded with brightly, his eyes fervently seeking her approval.

"...Don’t you want to be free?" Feng Jiao Xue asked hesitantly.

Mo Tianze shaked his head."I- I don’t want to be alone..." he mumbled softly, fear and insecurity woven in his voice and Feng Jiao Xue understood. She understood clearly.

To be thrusted in a world your unfamiliar with, alone, after years of possible abuse and neglect. It could be scary. While in captivity you will yearn it, outside of that familiar cage... the world will appear bigger, scarier. It would be like your in a wavy sea in a raft with no navigation.

Firm but gentle hands held his. "You can stay with me for as long as you need" She promised. "I’ll protect and look after you until your ready to leave."

"Are you really taking the boy with you?" Huang Jin De finally spoke up.

"When we leave, he should have already settled in the Feng Clan and I would already have control over it. He can safely live his life there" Feng Jiao Xue revealed her plan in her mind.

Feng Jiao Xue patted Mo Tianze’s head before taking his hand and leading him out of the cafe.

Reluctantly, Mo Tianze looked away from the unfinished food feeling that it was a pity to leave that much food un-eaten. Sensing his gaze, Feng Jiao Xue looked at the server and asked for it to be put on a container so that she can heat it up for him later.

When they got back, Mo Tianze looked at her small home as if it was the most amazing sight he had ever seen. Eagerly taking in everything.

"Come here, you can look later." Feng Jiao Xue pulled a chair for him to sit on.

Obediently, Mo Tianze sat down.

"Your arm" She asked holding her hand out and Mo Tianze eagerly held her hand.

Chuckling, Feng Jiao Xue held his wrist instead, checking his pules and her eyes widened for a miniscule second before focusing back on him.

She couldn’t help but suck in a breath as she felt immense Qi in the boy’s body. It was uncontroled, unrefined and simply existing in him but it was there, resting in his dantian like a small orb seperated from the rest of his body.

"Jin De what’s going on?" Feng Jiao Xue informed Huang Jin De about her finding making the other immediately come out of the space ring and look at Mo Tianze who immediately burried himself in Feng Jiao Xue’s arms.

"It’s okay, his a friend" Feng Jiao Xue coaxed him softly. "His just going to check something okay?"

Mo Tianze didn’t want to but thinking that Feng Jiao Xue will drive him away if he doesn’t listen to her, he reluctantly nodded and let the big bird take a look at him.

"Your just like me" Mo Tianze stated in slight awe making Huang Jin De grin at him.

"Yup, though better." He proudly claimed, chest puff up. "But your not so bad." he continued before looking at Feng Jiao Xue.

"This is, unprecedented but not unexpected. I just didn’t think I’d see one here" Huang Jin De mused. "I told you before that he is half a spirit beast right? Generally, they don’t have a beast bead. That’s where we store our Dou Qi. But on rare occasion, some are born with it. For you humans, you need to undergo lightning triulation to achieve it and so does the demi beasts that are born without one before they can shift back into whatever beast kind their bloodline originated from. That’s what your sensing but this little guy don’t know how to utilize it yet but I can teach him"

Feng Jiao Xue nodded at the explanation. Thinking to herself that ’At least, when she leave, Mo Tianze would still be able to protect himself.’

"I- I can cultivate?" Mo Tianze asked hopefully, his eyes sparking in excitement at the thought. "But I haven’t been able to advance at all. I’ve always been at the treshold"

Huang jin De rolled his eyes. "Of course you won’t be able to enter the treshold if your cultivating like a human."

"You can talk about it more thoroughly later. Right now, he needs medical attention" Feng Jiao Xue cut them off before Huang Jin De could go on another tangent.

"Sit back down, Tianze" She softly told the boy.

"Yes, sister" He sbmissive did as he was told allowing Feng Jiao Xue to tend to his wound

"Here, swallow this" She hande him a low level healing pill she had left.

Mo Tianze looked at the pill like it was a prizeless treasure. "Sister, sister can keep it. I will heal in a few days." He handed the pill back to her but Feng Jiao Xue just shoved it in his mouth.

"Just do as your told" She coughed awkwardly after realizing what she had done trying to be more patient with him. "I am an alchemist, I can refine some more when I want to" she assured him.

Awe-struck, Mo Tianze swallowed the pill down and let Feng Jiao Xue take care of his injuries.