Mystique Soul: A Cultivator's Flame
Chapter 69

Chapter 69: Chapter 69

The air inside the chamber was thick with the scent of aged wood and incense, but it did little to mask the underlying scent of decay. Feng Jiao Xue knelt beside the bed, her gaze locked onto the frail figure lying before her.

His breath was shallow, each exhale fragile, as if the mere act of breathing was a battle he was struggling to win.

"Don’t die yet" Feng Jiao Xue muttered as her brows creased while frantically searching through her mind for possible solutions.

She pressed two fingers against his wrist, allowing her qi to seep into his meridians. Immediately, the turbulence within him lashed back rejecting her interference.

Feng Jiao Xue gritted her teeth, steadying herself against the unstable qi. It’s chaotic, unstable... if this continues, he won’t survive.

A voice echoed in her mind. "His soul is slipping. If we don’t act soon, even if he breaks through, he won’t live past it. The chances of him dying before he could reach the next rank is a lot more than him getting through it."

Huang Jin De’s tone was grave, his presence firm within the space of her mind.

"Do we have anything to help stabilize him?" she asked, her voice steady but urgent.

Huang jin De paused for a bit "I was prepaing this for when you break through qi refinement but I have enough spiritual herbs in the little realm to create a modified version of the Grade 7 Soul Replenishing Pill. I’ll need time to refine it but once done, it should restore his foundation."

Feng Jiao Xue exhaled, nodding. "Then do it."

Huang Jin De withdrew into the ring, and she turned back to her grandfather. She couldn’t just wait.

With practiced efficiency, she pulled out a set of senbon needles, their slender bodies gleaming under the dim lantern light. Each needle carried delicate engravings, capable of guiding qi through meridians and stabilizing energy flow.

She rolled up his sleeve, exposing his frail, veined skin. Positioning the first needle, she inserted it into a critical acupuncture point. A faint glow pulsed at the tip, synchronizing with his qi.

The old man’s body twitched, his cloudy eyes fluttering open.

"... Sying’er?"

Feng Jiao Xue froze.

Her breath caught in her throat as his murky gaze searched for someone who was no longer there. Sying’er. Her mother’s name.

A wave of emotion swelled in her chest, but she pushed it down. Instead, she responded softly "I’m still here"

It’s best to keep the old man hoping for now.

The old monarch opened his warry eyes, her figure blurred in his sight as he sighed, a distant warmth flickering in his expression. "You always did worry too much..." His voice was faint, laced with exhaustion "Where’s Haoyuan? Did that brat... go away..." He trailed of as his muddled gaze had a brief clarity before it misted again.

Feng Jiao Xue lowered her head and carefully inserted another needle along his forearm, his grip on reality blurred, his mind retreating into memories.

"Sying’er, where’s Jiao Xue’er? Let me hold her okay?" He asked with a distant gaze. "No, little snow, little snow is a toddler now... You would have been proud... Jiao Xue... such a bright child..." His voice trembled, his thoughts tangled in the past. "Always laughing. Always following me, asking about battles... fearless..."

Feng Jiao Xue’s fingers stilled for just a heartbeat before she continued.

"She got into fights," the old man chuckled weakly. "Threw a boy into the koi pond once because he mocked her name..."

A soft smile ghosted her lips. "He deserved it."

The old monarch exhaled a long, tired breath. "She wanted to be strong. Just like her father..."

Feng Jiao Xue remained silent, focusing on the final needle. She pressed it gently into the pulse point beneath his ear.

The tension in his body eased, his erratic breathing stabilizing. His soul was still weak, but for now, she had stopped the rapid depletion of his life force.

While Feng Jiao Xue focused on stabilising the old patrairch.

Outside, the wind howled through the mountains, rattling the bamboo groves and bending the ancient trees with its force. Thick storm clouds loomed over the horizon, their dark masses roiling like an ominous omen. The storm was coming, both in the heavens and within the Feng Clan.

The storm churned above the Feng Clan’s sacred mountain, thick with roiling clouds and flickers of restless lightning. The air was charged with energy, heavy with the scent of impending rain and something else, the weight of a breakthrough.

Outside the mountain estate, a restless crowd had gathered. Elders in flowing robes stood in dignified anticipation, their eyes flickering with a mix of reverence and ambition. Their gazes were fixed on the peak, where their old patriarch remained in seclusion.

"It’s finally happening," one of the senior elders murmured, gripping his staff. "After so many decades... the Patriarch is about to break through."

Another elder stroked his beard thoughtfully. "If he succeeds, the Feng Clan will no longer be just an old and fading powerhouse. We will reclaim our dominance."

Among them, the younger disciples buzzed with excitement, whispering amongst themselves.

"I heard that the sky turns dark when a major breakthrough happens!"

"And that the heavens themselves will test him. What if he fails?"

"Idiot, do you really think the old patriarch will fail? He’s a legend!"

Not far from them, the clan’s direct members stood in their own clusters, exchanging hushed words. Some carried expressions of pride, others masked their anxiety well. This was an unprecedented event, the moment their clan’s future would be decided.

Yet, not everyone wore expressions of excitement. A few figures lurking in the background carried different thoughts.

A middle-aged man narrowed his eyes toward the peak. "If the old man breaks through, our influence will be limited. Certain... ambitions will have to be delayed."

His companion, a shrewd-looking elder, let out a slow hum. "Perhaps. Or perhaps this is an opportunity. Power attracts chaos, after all."

Word of the Feng Patriarch’s impending breakthrough had not remained confined to the clan alone. The news spread like wildfire beyond the clan’s borders, reaching the ears of powerful figures across the empire.

In the grand halls of the imperial palace, the Emperor set down his cup of tea with a thoughtful expression.

"The old man still has life in him, I see," he mused, glancing at the officials before him. "If he succeeds, the balance of power will shift again."

A minister beside him sighed. "Your majesty, this may work in your favor. An ally as powerful as the Feng Clan could bolster your position against certain... factions."

The Emperor only smiled, his gaze unreadable.

Even in the midst of the bustling city. The streets and taverns were ablaze with gossip.

"Did you hear? The Feng Clan’s old patriarch is attempting a breakthrough!"

"Heh, if he succeeds, they might even reclaim their former glory. If he fails, though..."

"Who knows? But I’d hate to be the one in his way."

The world watched. Some in excitement, some in fear, and others... waiting for an opportunity.

And all the while, on the sacred mountain, the storm gathered, growing heavier with each passing moment.

Feng Jiao Xue was oblivious to the chaos outside as bead of sweat soaked her back and forehead as she exhaled slowly. This isn’t enough.

Her fingers hovered over his wrist, feeling the fragile, flickering pulse beneath her fingertips. Even with the needles regulating his qi flow, his body was weak, struggling against the imbalance. If she didn’t act fast, he wouldn’t last until the breakthrough.

A low voice, tinged with a hesitant warmth, interrupted her thoughts.

"Jiao Xue, I think you need to rest." A voice languidly spoke behind her.

She turned her head and found Mo Tianze leaning against the doorway, his fluffy fox ears twitching slightly. His pale silver hair, usually tidy, had been tousled by the wind, giving him an even more boyish appearance. He was smiling, soft, almost teasing, but his golden eyes watched her carefully, as if assessing whether she was about to collapse from exhaustion.

Feng Jiao Xue’s attention was immediately drawn back to her grandfather when his qi spiked up againts hers. Too fast that she didn’t manage to notice the peculiarity in her fox’s demeanor.

Feng Jiao Xue didn’t respond for a bit as her gaze flickered to Mo Tianze briefly before her gaze went back to her grandfather. "He’s not stable yet"

Mo Tianze padded inside, his tail swaying behind him in slow, deliberate movements. "You’ve been at this for a while. Aren’t you tired?"

Feng Jiao Xue frowned slightly but didn’t answer. She was tired. The constant use of her energy, the strain of maintaining her focus, her body was starting to feel the effects. But exhaustion wasn’t an excuse.

Mo Tianze must have sensed it because his fox ears drooped slightly, and he crouched beside her. "If you faint, who’s going to finish healing him?"

She gave him a sharp glance, but Mo Tianze only smiled naively, caringly, his usual soft expression returning yet his eyes danced with mischief. "I mean, I could always carry sister~ to bed if you collapse. You’re not that heavy..."

Her cold stare silenced him immediately.

Mo Tianze coughed and looked away, ears flicking as if trying to ignore his own words. "A-Anyway! Huang Jin De already said he’ll modify the pill, right? You just have to hold on until then."

She didn’t reply, but a slight furrow formed in her brow.

Mo Tianze shifted closer, his voice lowering, this time without teasing. "You’re not alone in this, Jiao Xue."

A beat of silence passed. The storm outside rumbled, distant thunder rolling through the heavens.

Feng Jiao Xue finally exhaled. "I know."

Mo Tianze smiled again, but it was softer this time before his eyes softened back, his blazing golden eyes melting into the familiar molten gold. "Sister..." He frowned weakly paling considerably as he leaned into her for support.