Mystique Soul: A Cultivator's Flame
Chapter 103

Chapter 103: Chapter 103

The courtyard was peaceful, with only the rustling of Feng Jiao Xue’s packing and the soft breeze breaking the silence. She moved with calm efficiency, methodically organizing her belongings. She was leaving today, finally stepping beyond the empire’s borders to the academy that would shape her future.

The thought made her feel a strange mix of anticipation and unease. Her decision was final, but there was a part of her that couldn’t help but linger in this place she had once called home.

She was folding a robe when the sound of hurried footsteps approached. Feng Jiao Xue didn’t need to look up to know who it was. A familiar, carefree voice filled the air before she even saw him.

"Little Snow! Little Snow!"

Feng Haoyang appeared at the entrance of the courtyard, breathless and grinning like a fool. His robes were askew, his hair a mess, and there was a look in his eyes that could only mean one thing, he had come to see her off in his usual goofy way.

"You’re really going?" His voice cracked with a hint of disbelief, as if he couldn’t accept it.

Feng Jiao Xue stopped what she was doing, turning toward him with an expression that was colder than she felt.

"I can’t just stay in the empire forever, uncle" she replied curtly, her gaze drifting back to her packed bags. Her space ring taking it in once properly set.

Feng Haoyang’s face fell for a split second, before his usual grin returned, albeit forced. "I don’t know how to handle this, you know?" He scratched his head, pacing around her courtyard like an anxious child. "I mean, look at you! My little snowflake, going off to some faraway place... without me!" He plopped down beside her pile of belongings, throwing a dramatic arm over his eyes as though he were mourning.

Feng Jiao Xue didn’t respond immediately, simply continuing to arrange her things, though the corners of her lips twitched ever so slightly. She had expected this. Feng Haoyang was the type to never let go easily, to make light of serious matters with humor and mischief. But she knew, deep down, that he was hurting.

"You’re going to be fine, Uncle," she said, her voice cold but somehow comforting, a quiet reassurance to him that she didn’t even fully understand herself. She reached down and tightened the strings on a satchel, trying to avoid his gaze.

Feng Haoyang sat up abruptly, his eyes widening as if struck by an epiphany. "You’re really leaving, aren’t you?" His voice was hoarse now, the humor falling away, leaving only raw vulnerability. "It’s not some joke?"

Feng Jiao Xue’s hands faltered for a moment, but she kept her composure. "I’m going to learn, to be stronger, Uncle. This is something I have to do."

Feng Haoyang shook his head, as if rejecting the reality of it. "No, no, you can’t. Little Snow..." He trailed off, his voice cracking. His goofy demeanor was gone now, replaced by a tenderness that surprised her. He reached out and placed a hand gently on her shoulder. "I don’t want you to leave."

The simple words, so rare from him, caused something in Feng Jiao Xue to tighten in her chest. She hadn’t expected him to show his true feelings so openly, especially not in front of her.

"I have to, Uncle." She looked up at him, her coldness masking the warmth she felt stirring within her. "I can’t stay here forever."

"But why now? Why so soon? I mean... I just..." His voice quivered, and she could see the hesitation in his eyes. "I... I’m going to miss you so much, Little Snow. You can’t just leave me behind like this."

She clenched her jaw, feeling her heart beat faster despite herself. It was ridiculous, wasn’t it? She had always been so distant, so careful to keep her emotions under control, but this moment, his unguarded sincerity, was breaking through her defenses. She turned away from him, trying to hide the sudden warmth filling her chest.

"You’ll be fine," she said as she pat his shoulder, her voice low but firm. "You have everyone else. And I doubt you of all people will stay in this empire for long either"

Feng Haoyang’s eyes glistened, and before she could stop him, he stood up and threw his arms around her, pulling her into an unexpected hug. "I don’t want to let go, Little Snow. I’m just getting to know you and even if I’ve been an idiot. I..." His voice cracked, and for a moment, he just held her, his body trembling slightly as he fought to keep his composure.

Feng Jiao Xue froze, her body stiff in his embrace. She had never been one for touch, had never allowed herself to be vulnerable in front of anyone. But this... this moment, with him holding her like that, somehow felt right, even if it tore at her heart.

"Uncle..." she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. Her hands slowly reached up, awkwardly resting on his back, unsure of how to respond to the flood of emotions swirling within her. She wasn’t used to this, wasn’t used to letting people in.

He pulled away, wiping at his eyes with a sheepish grin, but it was clear that his composure was breaking. "I know I can be annoying, and wasn’t reaaly there for you but... I’m proud of you, Little Snow. You’ve grown so much. I just don’t want to see you go. I want to keep watching over you, making sure you’re okay."

Feng Jiao Xue’s chest tightened, but she kept her face impassive. "I don’t need you to watch over me, Uncle," she said, her voice cool, but there was something in the way her throat tightened that betrayed her calm demeanor.

"I know," he replied quietly, nodding with understanding. "But that doesn’t mean I won’t miss you." He took a step back, giving her space but still looking at her with something close to helplessness. "Just... promise me you’ll write sometimes, okay? Don’t leave me hanging with this fools that can’t appreciate my brilliance and lonesome days."

She hesitated, her icy demeanor slipping just a little. "I’ll write."

"And when you need a break from all the boring stuffy learning stuff, come back and visit your favorite awesomess old uncle," he said with a watery smile, trying to lighten the mood again.

Feng Jiao Xue stared at him for a long moment, then, almost reluctantly, she gave a small nod. "I’ll visit when I can."

Though he had not been there in the earliest times in Feng Jiao Xue life, Feng Haoyang, amongst her uncles, made effort to make it up to her during her time here. Not once having a single day where a snack wasn’t brought in by him.

She had enjoyed his company during his visits. Playing childish games, drinking tea or sometimes wine.

At first, she was bothered by his pestering almost daily but....

Feng Jiao Xue hugged Feng Haoyang. ’She will miss this silly uncle of hers’

Feng Haoyang beamed at her, though his eyes were still glassy with unshed tears. He stepped toward the gate, looking back one last time. "Good luck, Little Snow. Don’t forget about me, alright?"

Feng Jiao Xue turned back to her packing, but she couldn’t stop the small tug in her chest. "I won’t forget, Uncle" she murmured softly, her voice barely audible.

And with that, Feng Haoyang turned and ran, his long legs carrying him out of the courtyard faster than she could blink. She watched him go, her heart unexpectedly warm, despite the cold mask she always wore.

The warmth lingered in her chest as she continued her preparations, the weight of the goodbye heavier than she had expected.

Feng Jiao Xue was in the middle of organizing her things when the sound of hurried footsteps once again reached her ears. She turned, her expression cold, expecting to see her uncle again. But this time, Feng Haoyang was carrying far more than she could have imagined.

The man appeared in the doorway, nearly stumbling under the weight of an absurd number of bags and bundles. "Little Snow! Little Snow!" he called out breathlessly, his face flushed, and his grin as wide as ever. "I’ve got everything you need! All packed up for you! Don’t you worry about a thing!"

Feng Jiao Xue blinked, her brows knitting together as she took in the sight before her. Her courtyard, once filled with neat piles of her own belongings, was now inundated with a ridiculous amount of things. There were bundles of herbs, bags of dried food, bottles of potions, blankets, cooking utensils, weapons, an entire bed, a large tent, candlebug repellent.... is that a teddy bear peaking throught the piles? ... toys, candies, a pile of shiny gemstones, artifacts, everything imaginable. It looked like Feng Haoyang had raided the entire estate and packed it all for her.

"Uncle, what—" Feng Jiao Xue didn’t know where to start. "This is... too much." Her voice was strained, and she tried her best to maintain her composure, but it was impossible to ignore the overwhelming display of care.

"Too much? No way, Little Snow!" Feng Haoyang said proudly, completely oblivious to her discomfort. "You’re gonna need all of it! I packed everything you could possibly want. We’ve got herbs for healing, food for days, potions for every situation, and even a bed! I thought you’d need one for when you’re sleeping on the ground, right?"

Feng Jiao Xue could only stare at him, her cold exterior betraying no emotions, but her heart softened in spite of herself. It was ridiculous, all of it. She could feel the love and care behind each item, and yet... "Uncle" she managed to say, "I don’t need all of this. It’s just too much."

Feng Haoyang only waved his hand dismissively. "Nonsense! You’ll need it, trust me. I’ve been around, I know how it works out there. The academy won’t provide all of this for you, so I took it upon myself to be thorough. Everything’s covered! From your tent to your bug repellent to your, wait, I even got you a few toys! If ever you need a pick me up. Can’t forget about entertainment! And the candies, well... who doesn’t like a little sweet treat when they’re far away from home?"

He handed her a small pouch of brightly colored candies as if it were the most important item of all. Feng Jiao Xue was speechless, her gaze flickering between the massive pile of things and his eager expression.

"Uncle... this is overwhelming."

"Just think of it as my way of looking out for you!" Feng Haoyang said with a wink. "I want you to be well-prepared, Little Snow, and I know you’ll be out there facing challenges, so... better safe than sorry!"

He started ordering his servants to put everythng neatly for Feng Jiao Xue to put on her space ring.

Before she could respond, the sound of footsteps approaching again caused her to look up. This time, it was Feng Zhenhai, her grandfather. He stood at the entrance with a slightly narrowed gaze, looking at the ridiculous amount of luggage in the courtyard.

"Haoyang" he began, his voice stern as he looks at this dissapointing son of his, "What exactly is all this?"

Feng Haoyang, completely unfazed, shrugged casually. "It’s for Little Snow! You know, I’m just making sure she’s got everything she could need!"

Feng Zhenhai let out a deep sigh, clearly irritated. He stepped forward, his eyes scanning the enormous collection of supplies, and with a shake of his head, he muttered, "Scoff, you call this everything? I’m ashamed to call you my son sometimes, Haoyang."

"What? I’m just doing what’s best for her!" Feng Haoyang protested, but his father was already shaking his head.

"Doing what’s best for her," Feng Zhenhai repeated with a wry smile. "You call this ’best’? What would she do with all these trinkets and bags? You can’t possibly expect her to carry this nonsense with her!"

Feng Haoyang scratched the back of his head sheepishly, but his father wasn’t finished yet. He strode into the courtyard, a stern expression on his face.

"I’ll take care of this, Little Snow. Don’t worry about it. Leave it to me."

Feng Zhenhai began pulling out more extravagant items from his own stash. "Here," he said, tossing her a ring with a fortune’s worth of gold coins. "This should be enough to last you for a long time. And I’ve arranged for some additional magical artifacts, things that no one else could get. I’ll make sure you’re equipped with what’s truly important."

Feng Jiao Xue looked inside the ring wide eyed at the pile of gold coins in inside, then up at the extravagant array of magical items her grandfather was presenting to her. She opened her mouth to protest, but he waved his hand dismissively.

"Don’t say a word. It’s not enough for someone of your stature. I can’t let your uncle outdo me. These are the things that truly matter."

Her grandfather was so intent on ’one-upping’ her uncle’s display that she couldn’t help but feel a slight twinge of amusement, even though she was far from pleased with the excessiveness of it all.

Before Feng Jiao Xue could say anything, the familiar voice of the crown prince echoed through the courtyard. "Ah, so this is where all the chaos is," he remarked, stepping in with his usual composed, regal demeanor.

He didn’t look surprised by the piles of items. In fact, he had likely expected it. With a raised brow, he turned his attention to Feng Jiao Xue. "I hope this is all for your benefit, but..." He sighed, his tone turning a little softer. "You don’t need all of it. Don’t be overwhelmed."

The crown prince’s expression softened, a rare vulnerability breaking through his usual aloofness. "But..." he added, "If it helps, here." He handed her a finely crafted amulet. "This will help protect you. If you’re ever in danger, just use it. You’ve always been there for me, and this is the least I can do."

Feng Jiao Xue’s expression softened slightly, and she took the amulet from him, her fingers brushing against his. "Thank you."

Just as she thought the chaos might die down, Feng Haoran appeared with his wife and children. They had clearly arrived in full force to offer their parting gifts. Feng Haoran stepped forward, his face serious yet filled with a bit affection.

"I know your journey will be difficult, this is your first time travelling away from the clan for long but know this, Little Snow," he said, his voice steady. "You have the support of our entire family. Don’t forget where you came from."

He presented her with a beautifully crafted blade, its edge glinting with an almost ethereal glow. "For protection," he added. "And something to remember us by."

Feng Jiao Xue felt a strange warmth fill her chest as she held the weapon, but before she could respond, the last person entered the courtyard. Feng Haotian, her eldest uncle, walked in with an air of reluctance and a cold glare, looking as if he would rather be anywhere else.

"I suppose I should at least show my face," he muttered, though there was a subtle softness in his gaze as he looked at her.

He handed her a neatly wrapped package. "Something practical," he said gruffly. "Take care of yourself."

When Feng Jiao Xue unwrapped it, she found a finely made cloak, light yet warm, perfect for travel. The gesture, though simple, held a quiet care that she hadn’t expected from him.

"Thank you, Uncle," she said, her voice softening despite her usual coldness.

Feng Haotian nodded, looking away as if the moment had made him uncomfortable. "Don’t get too used to my kindness," he added with a huff, but there was a trace of something else in his eyes, something that spoke of his unspoken care for her.

As the family continued to bustle around, packing her with more than enough items for her journey, Feng Jiao Xue stood in the middle of it all, her heart surprisingly full. Despite the chaos, despite the overwhelming gifts and words, she realized one thing, no matter how much she distanced herself, she was loved, deeply and undeniably.

It was a warmth she didn’t know she needed, but now, she couldn’t bear to leave without it.

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