Mystique Soul: A Cultivator's Flame
Chapter 64: Roots entwined: Flower Crown

Chapter 64: Roots entwined: Flower Crown

The courtyard was quiet, bathed in the gentle glow of lantern light. Even in this secluded mountain, the sounds of music, cheers and festivities from the various mountain peaks still rang softly.

The cool evening breeze carried the faint scent of night blooming flowers, rustling the edges of Feng Jiao Xue’s robes as she stood beneath an old withered tree trying to consolidate her constitution.

The realm within the ring is ideal for cultivation but she needs to stabilize the Qi in her first. She can feel it, just a slight push further and the can fully enter the fourth rank.

Her fingers lightly traced the edge of the stone as she sits in a lutos position. Long thick curtains of lashes fluttering open to reveal calm black eyes that reflects the stars in the sky as she gazed up at the moon, its silver light casting soft shadows across the courtyard. Her face now free from the horrid make up that replicated her burns. Instead, laid bare, was her real face.

Long thick lashes that curtains her obsidian eyes mirroring the beautiful night sky. Her cheeks now plump and rosy, smooth as a peach and a sharp, perfectly shaped nose. Plump lips pursed together, full and glossy.

Victory. It should have felt more significant, more... satisfying. But the moment has passed, as this Chapter comes to a close, another is about to open.

The sound of hesitant footsteps broke the silence.

Feng Jiao Xue didn’t turn. She already knew who it was.

"Sister."

Mo Tianze’s sweet and soft voice was quieter than usual, laced with something uncertain.

She finally glanced over her shoulder, catching the flicker of lantern light on his fair features. His white fluffy hair was slightly tousled, almost hiding his fuzzy ears that was lating flat on top of his head and his hands were awkwardly clasped behind his back as if he was hiding something.

He looked at her bashfully, shuffling from one foot to the other, his tail flickering back and forth slightly behind him.

"What is it, Tianze?" she asked her tone as even as always.

Mo Tianze ears perked up before they moved to point at opposite direction as he hesitated. His grip tightened on whatever he was holding. "I... I have something for you." he looked away, uanble to meet her eyes.

Feng Jiao Xue raised an eyebrow. Gifts were common after a tournament victory and many has sent quite a lot to build connection but she hadn’t expected one from him.

Before she could question him, he stretched out his hand as he kept his gaze on his feet, finally revealed what he had been concealing, on his slender, long fingered hands with faint callouses and fading scars was a delicate flower crown, woven together with delicate pale blue blossoms and tiny white petals. It was a little uneven, some flowers sticking out at odd angles, but it was clear that he had made it himself.

The moonblossoms created a flower crown of mesmerizing beauty. These appeared to shine with a faint silverblue light, as if they were tiny fragments of the night sky. Starlit violets studded this arrangement, their velvety purple petals speckled with minute flecks that shimmered with quiet radiance. Delicate celestial daisies in silky pastel shapes and the shape of the first light of dawn nestled in between the bigger blooms. Imperfect, with a couple of petals a little askew, and stems uneven, the crown transmitted an otherworldly beauty, with a subtle glow so that it seemed as if enchantment was its aura. And deep within the crown lay the Azure Dreambloom, soft and light with its misty blue tender curls, beating with promises of untold dreams and hopes. The delicate blend of icy blue and warm gold on these rare Sun-kissed Frostroses shines with a subtle balance of strength and tenderness, surrounding the frost.

"I know it’s not much," Mo Tianze muttered looking at the side. "But I... wanted to give you something. For winning."

For a moment Feng Jiao Xue simply stared at it. The idea of a gift from Mo Tianze was surprising enough. The fact that he had made it himself... was another thing entirely and yet... her gaze look at him, a small tilt of her lips upward.

She reached out her slender fingers brushing against the woven stems, careful and gentle as she took it from his hands.

"You made this?" She asks, voice as soft as velvet.

Mo Tianze nodded rubbing the back of his neck. His ears were starting to turn red and even his ears seems to gain a shade of pink as his fluffy tail flickered back and forth "I, uh... yeah. It took a few tries. I kept breaking the stems..."

Feng Jiao Xue studied the uneven weave of the crown. It was clumsy in some places, but the effort behind it was obvious. She lifted it slightly, turning it in her hands. Then, rather than putting it on herself, she extended it back toward him.

Mo Tianze blinked confused a whimper leaving his troat like a wounded animal as his fuzzy fox ears flattened on his head and his tail drooping behind him. "You don’t like it?" he asked nassaly.

"I never said that." She tilted her head slightly. "You made it. Shouldn’t you be the one to place it?" She offered him a smile.

Mo Tianze froze. His fingers twitched at his sides. "...What?"

Feng Jiao Xue arched an eyebrow at his reaction, eyes twinkling slightly and there was the faintest glimmer of amusement in her expression. "If you’re giving it to me, then you should do it properly?"

Mo Tianze’s face felt like it was burning. "That... That’s not how gifts work!"

"Are you refusing~?" Feng Jiao Xue asked, leaning forward for their faces to slightly meet. "Don’t you want to put it on me?"

Mo Tianze opened his mouth then closed it. He looked at the flower crown in her hands, then at her, then at the crown again. His throat felt oddly dry.

This shouldn’t be difficult. It was just placing something on her head. That’s it.

So why was his heartbeat going all out of rhythm?

With great hesitation, he reached forward, fingers brushing hers briefly as he took the flower crown from her grasp. Feng Jiao Xue remained perfectly still, her expression unreadable.

Mo Tianze swallowed. Carefully, too carefully, he raised the crown and lowered it onto her head, trying to make sure it sat evenly.

His fingers accidentally brushed against her silky hair.

He nearly yanked his hands back as if burned.

"There." His voice cracked slightly and he coughed to cover it. "Done."

Feng Jiao Xue reached up adjusting the fit slightly. "That wasn’t so difficult, was it?" She asked, her voice light and a slight playfulness.

Mo Tianze refused to answer. He was too busy staring anywhere but at her, the warmth in his face spreading all the way to his ears.

Feng Jiao Xue seemingly satisfied, let her hand fall back to her side. "It’s a little uneven," she murmured, touching one of the stray petals.

Mo Tianze nearly choked. "I...I can make another one!" he blurted out, looking half-horrified, half-determined. "A better one! Just give me some time---"

Feng Jiao Xue let out the faintest chuckle. It was soft, barely noticeable, but it was there.

Mo Tianze’s brain stopped working.

It wasn’t that he had never seen her smile before, it was just rare. And that sound, so light and fleeting, made his heartbeat do something strange in his chest.

"There’s no need," she said calmly as if nothing had happened. "I like it." She smiled, small but gentle, eyes narrowed, pleased. "It’s perfect"

Mo Tianze stared at her unsure of what to do with this information.

She liked it. She liked it.

His tail wag behind him from one side to the other creating small current of air and dust.

The words echoed in his head, and for some reason, he felt a little too warm despite the cool night air.

A silence settled between them, not uncomfortable but different. Mo Tianze glanced at her again, at the contrast of the delicate flowers against her blank as ink hair. He had expected her to brush off the gift to take it without much thought. He hadn’t expected this.

Compared to all that she had recieved, he was embarassed to give it to her but none of the gifts from other made her smile, none but his little gift.

Feng Jiao Xue turned slightly catching his gaze. "Something wrong?"

Mo Tianze immediately straightened. "No! Nothing at all!" He coughed into his fist, trying to regain some composure. "I’ll... make a better one next time."

She hummed noncommittal and turned to leave. But she didn’t take the crown off.

Mo Tianze watched her retreating figure, hand unconsciously tightening at the edge of his robes. The flower crown sat atop her head, fragile yet unmistakable, and his heart thudded in a way he didn’t quite understand.

He shook his head, exhaling softly. For a brief moment, the round pure eyes turned into a sharp golden gaze before they return to their naive state.

Shelikedit.

And for now, that was enough.