Mystique Soul: A Cultivator's Flame
Chapter 44

Chapter 44: Chapter 44

hgj soar in the sky above the small tranquill estate, a silver haired teen cleaned the courtyard with a broom, the sweeping sound disturbing the quite place adding more sense of peace in the place.

"Phaa!"

"Aww...." Mo Tianze turned and looked at Feng Jiao Xue with a cute pout and a wronged expression.

"I told you to rest. Not be up and about" She sighed pulling him back inside.

It had been a peaceful three days for the three humans and a deer, well, one human, one demi-beast and one humanoid beast with a deer.

A black giant bird caught Feng Jiao Xue’s attention making her glance sideway and took the scroll.

Feng Jiao Xue’s gaze lingered on the scroll in her hand, her usually calm face breaking into the faintest of smirks. Her silver eyes gleamed under the sunlight, a rare brightness overtaking her usual calm demeanor. Rolling the scroll tightly between her fingers, she secured it in her sash and turned her head slightly, just enough to glance at Mo Tianze out of the corner of her eye.

"Mo Tianze, go rest, alright? You don’t need to work until your fully healed." she said in a measured tone, though her lips twitched as if suppressing a grin.

The Mo Tianze tilted his head, his cute, fluffy silver ears twitching. "But- But I can help you out" he replied cautiously, watching her carefully.

Feng Jiao Xue looked at him kindly and patted his head. She is not so blind to not notice how he wants to make himself useful to her, the fear of being abandoned clear in those lovely golden eyes.

Unconsciously, she held his cheek in the palm of her hand, her thumb caresing Mo Tianze’s eyelid as he closed his eye in confusion yet tilting his head her hand still.

"Rest" she insisted, her voice firm yet soft at the same time, a contrasting blend. "You don’t need to be useful for me to let you stay. I understand."

Mo Tianze blinked before slowly nodding and left.

The moment he was out of sight, Feng Jiao Xue’s calm mask slipped, revealing a rare and almost childlike excitement. Her steps were quick and deliberate as she retreated into the house, sliding the door shut behind her. From her robe, she pulled out the scroll once more, her fingers trembling, not from fear but anticipation.

"So, Fourth Uncle has finally returned," she murmured, her tone laced with a dangerous sort of glee.

The scroll was brief, but the words written in precise calligraphy were enough to stir a thrill in her chest.

"In accordance with the contract. The Fourth Master of the Feng Clan have been monitored and as was agreed upon, the Black Flames have given the buyer the information asked. Everything you inquired is on the scroll. The Black Flames awaits for the next assignment from the buyer. We hope you are satisfied with out service.

Feng Jiao Xue couldn’t help but smile as she read through the scroll. In it where informations the guild collected on her uncle and most specially, the date of his return. She had been preparing for this moment for days. Her uncle’s return wasn’t just a familial reunion, no. Feng Jiao Xue smirked. ’Her bishop has entered the board’

She retrieved a small box hidden beneath the floorboards of her room, its lacquered surface reflecting the dim light of the lantern. Inside were vials of various liquids, powders, and herbs, poisons and antidotes, each one meticulously crafted by her own hands. Feng Jiao Xue selected a small, unassuming vial filled with a clear, viscous liquid.

"Just enough to alarm him," she muttered, her smile turning cold.

"What are you doing" Huang Jin de asked taking the vial from her, some dropping on her cloath accidentally.

"Don’t worry. It’s not deadly" She assures him, snatching the vial back. "It just mimicks the effect of an unknown poison."

"Here, do me a favor" She hand him another vial, completely wiped off of any fingerprints. "Put this on second uncle’s estate, make sure it can be found alongside my second aunt’s belongings. Make sure that it’s not easy to find that it’s obviously planted there but not hard enough that it can’t be found"

Huang Jin De immediately lit up at that. "Your planning to frame them"

Feng Jiao Xue matched his smirk. "Is it framing if it’s the truth? They poisoned this body first."

Huang Jin de saluted playfully before leaving but then paused at the door.

"Should’nt you inform that puppy of yours too?" He asked thoughtfully.

"Puppy?" Feng Jiao Xue frowned at that, last she remembers, she has a bird, a deer and... she rolled her eyes realising who he is pertaining too.

"No, I need him to react naturally and take this as a little test for him" She waved off.

By the time Mo Tianze woke up, stumbling to where Feng Jiao Xue was sitting, adorably rubbing the sleepiness in his eyes , Feng Jiao Xue was already seated in the courtyard, sipping tea as if nothing had happened. She didn’t glance his way as he dropped the firewood into a pile and dusted off his hands, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that something had shifted.

"Good morning..." he asked, his voice tinged with sleepiness.

"Good evening" she replied with a slight chuckle, her tone pleasant.

Suspicious, Mo Tianze squinted at her, his golden tail flicking nervously. "You smell... strange, Sister"

"I was reffining something" she said with a faint chuckle, rising to her feet. "Come, I’ll make dinner tonight. It’s been a while since I’ve cooked."

That evening, the aroma of food wafted through the house. Mo Tianze sat cross-legged at the low table, his eyes glued to the spread of dishes Feng Jiao Xue had prepared. There was steamed fish, roasted vegetables, and a fragrant soup that made his stomach growl audibly.

"This is... all for us?" he remarked eyeing her suspiciously yet his tail excitedly wagged behind him.

Feng Jiao Xue served him a bowl of soup, her movements graceful and precise. "Yes, so eat. You need alot of food to get back to full health" she urged, her tone leaving no room for argument.

Mo Tianze hesitated for only a moment before digging in. The soup was delicious, its warmth spreading through his body, but something about the way Feng Jiao Xue was watching him made him pause.

"What?" he asked, his ears twitching nervously.

"Nothing," she said, her smile serene. "It’s nice to see you eat well."

She likes him this way. This is how he should be. Feng Jiao Xue smiled. She likes the small dimples that appears when he grins and the bright light in his eyes, like that of the sun she reminds him of.

Later that night, long after Mo Tianze had gone to bed, Feng Jiao Xue sat alone in the courtyard, staring at the moonlit sky. Her hand trembled slightly as she uncorked the vial of poison and poured a single drop into a cup of tea.

"Just enough to mimic the symptoms of a fatal illness," she thought, her heart racing with excitement. Her Fourth Uncle may be troublesome and too carefree at times but he cares greatly for family. The sight of her "suffering" would be enough to draw his concern and attention as well as his guilt.

With a deep breath, she raised the cup to her lips and drank. The poison burned as it slid down her throat, a searing pain that left her gasping. She clutched her chest, her vision blurring as the concoction took effect. Sweat beaded on her forehead, and her breaths came in shallow gasps, but through the pain, she smiled.

The next morning, Mo Tianze found her collapsed on the floor of her room, her complexion pale and her breathing labored. Panic overtook him as he knelt beside her, shaking her gently.

"Jiao Xue jie! What’s wrong? What happened?"

Feng Jiao Xue’s eyes fluttered open, her voice barely above a whisper. "It’s nothing... just tired..."

"Don’t lie to me!" he snapped, his golden eyes filling with tears. "You’re sick! I’ll get help!"

"No!" she said sharply, grabbing his wrist with surprising strength. "Don’t tell anyone."

"But-!"

"Promise me, Mo Tianze. Don’t tell anyone. Not yet" She held his hand assuringly. "I wan’t you to do something for me instead...." she whisphers her plan

"I understand" His heart ached at the sight of her suffering, but he nodded reluctantly. "I promise. I won’t fail you sister." He nodded resolutely.

When the day of Fourth Uncle’s arrival came, Mo Tianze was a wreck. He paced the courtyard, his ears flat against his head, his tail flicking anxiously. He couldn’t understand why Feng Jiao Xue was so calm, lying in bed as if nothing was wrong.

When the sound of a bird’s cry reached his ears, his heart sank. He glanced at Feng Jiao Xue, who gave him a weak nod.

"Go," she whispered.

With a deep breath, Mo Tianze ran to the main house, his footsteps echoing loudly in the quiet morning. He burst into the courtyard just as Fourth Uncle dismounted from his horse, his imposing figure towering over the servants who scrambled to greet him.

"Help! Help! You guys have to help my sister!" Mo Tianze cried helplessly trying to get anyone’s attention but porpusely don’t let others touch him or get a question out, acting as if rejected and making sure no one can speak up to deny that.

"Mister!" Mo Tianze cried, his voice filled with desperation running to the new arrival.

The man turned, his sharp eyes narrowing. "What is it, boy?"

"It’s Jiao Xue jie! She’s sick! Please, you have to help her!"

Fourth Uncle’s expression darkened, and without a word, he strode toward Feng Jiao Xue’s courtyard his long robes billowing behind him. Mo Tianze followed closely, his heart pounding in his chest.

When they arrived, Feng Jiao Xue lay motionless on the bed, her pale face framed by her silver hair. Fourth Uncle knelt beside her, his hand hovering over her wrist to check her pulse. His brows furrowed, and for the first time, Mo Tianze saw a flicker of unease in the man’s usually stoic expression.

"This..." he muttered, his voice barely audible.

Feng Jiao Xue’s lips twitched into a faint smile as she opened her eyes, her voice barely a whisper. "Uncle... you’re finally here..."

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