Mystique Soul: A Cultivator's Flame
Chapter 71

Chapter 71: Chapter 71

Feng Zhenhai had done it. He had ascended. The chaotic storm above the mountain gradually dissipated, leaving behind a sky painted in hues of gold and purple, the heavens acknowledging his breakthrough. A powerful surge of energy radiated from him, an unmistakable sign of his new strength.

Excited murmurs filled the air.

"The old patriarch has become a Spirit Lord!"

"This is a great day for the Feng Clan!"

"The first ever Spirit Lord in our empire!"

"The last one was the third young master"

"Yeah, it was such a shame."

Disciples and elders alike were eager to pay their respects. Among them, his sons were the most impatient, wanting to be the first to greet him after his momentous achievement. But as they took a step forward, their excitement faltered when their eyes landed on the scene before them.

Feng Zhenhai stood tall and mighty in the sky before descending just above the ground, his gaze fixed on something far more important than the glory of his breakthrough.

Feng Jiao Xue.

His eyes searched for his little grand daughter frantically in worry.

His brows furrowing when he saw Feng Jiao Xue lay unconscious in the arms of a boy, white-haired, fox-eared, and exuding a quiet protectiveness that was hard to ignore. His arms encircled her carefully like a shield from the remnants of the tribulation’s energy. His golden eyes, sharp and alert, watched Zhenhai warily as he approached.

"A demi-beast?" Feng Zhenhai muses in confusion. The Feng clan do not condone the slavery of such kind. Even their contractual beasts are sworn into partnership, never servitude.

His lips thinned in dissaproval before its flickered beside them, perched on the ground with wings slightly spread as if ready to attack, was a round bird. "And a pet"

Huang Jin De’s beady eyes locked onto Feng Zhenhai, heat haze flickering dangerously around his form, a silent warning.

The old patriarch hesitated. He had not seen his granddaughter since she was a child, yet now, here she was, frail, pale, and in the protective embrace of a beast and a bird. His heart twisted at the sight in confrlict.

Mo Tianze’s grip unconsciously tightened when Zhenhai stepped closer, his fox ears twitching as if he sensed danger. But after a brief moment, he carefully released her, placing her gently on the soft grass. He still sat close, watching warily as Zhenhai crouched beside her, inspecting her condition.

"Foolish girl" Feng Zhenhai muttered under his breath, eyes softening. "You exhausted yourself for this old man."

With a slow breath, he gathered his energy, coating her with a thin layer of protective qi before lifting her with effortless ease.

Without a word, he turned and carried her away ignoring the startled looks from his sons and the murmurs of the onlookers.

Mo Tianze watched him for a long moment before sighing and following, his tail flicking behind him as he walked.

Outside the Feng Manor, the once-quiet mountain path was now crowded with powerful figures, elders, noble lords, high-ranking officials and ambitious disciples alike, all eager to witness history.

"The patriarch has become a Spirit Lord! Do you know what this means?"

"The Feng Clan will stand at the peak of the empire! No one will dare offend them now!"

"We must offer our congratulations immediately!"

Among them, three figures stood out, the patriarch’s sons, each carrying a different expression.

Feng Haoyang, paced anxiously. Unlike his brothers, his emotions were raw, worn openly on his face. His usual carefree attitude was nowhere to be seen. He had always been the most rebellious of the three, the one who chose adventure over duty. But now, his hands clenched into fists as he stared at the gates, worry creasing his brows.

"Father has refused visitors," a guard announced, his voice firm.

Feng Haoyang’s jaw tensed. "What about Jiao Xue?" he demanded, his tone sharper than usual. "I saw her there! Where is she? Is she okay?"

The guard hesitated. "The patriarch is currently tending to her. He has left strict orders, no one is to enter."

Feng Haoyang exhaled sharply, frustration flashing across his face. "Then tell him I’m here. Jiao Xue is my---"

"Fourth brother," Feng Haoran, the eldest, interrupted coolly. "Father is not to be disturbed."

Unlike Feng Haoyang, Feng Haoran was composed, his sharp gaze assessing the situation with a strategist’s mind. His posture was rigid, refined but right now, there was an undercurrent of tension in his voice.

Feng Haoyang turned to him, incredulous. "You’re fine with this?"

"I don’t like it," Feng Haoran admitted, crossing his arms. "But I understand it." He glanced toward the manor’s towering entrance. "Father has just ascended. He must consolidate his strength. That’s what we must focus on."

A snort came from the side.

Feng Haotian’s expression was unreadable, his hands hidden within the long sleeves of his robes.

"Father ignored the entire empire for her." His tone was flat, but his words carried weight. "Even his own sons."

’Even to this day, father’ He sneered in his heart. ’You can’t even see us despite the fact that all he has left you is his spawn’

Feng Haoyang shot him a glare. "What are you implying?"

Feng Haotian’s lips curled slightly, neither a smile nor a smirk. "Nothing. Just that it’s interesting how much father values her. He haven’t seen us for years and we wheren’t even a spec in his thoughts."

His words left an uncomfortable silence as he turned around to leave. Even Feng Haoran’s lips pressed together as he gaze at the retreating back of his little brother before sighing.

On the stone steps leading to the Feng Manor, the clan elders stood in dignified silence, their expressions unreadable.

"This changes everything," one of them murmured. "With the patriarch’s breakthrough, the Feng Clan will no longer be merely a great power, we will be the ruling power of the central region."

"The patriarch must be in a favorable mood. This is the perfect time to reaffirm our loyalty."

The eldest among them, a white-haired cultivator with a long beard, tapped his cane against the ground, silencing the whispers. "Do not forget" he said gravely "This changes everything. That damn brat, we must make sure that she doesnt say anything to him that she shouldn’t say"

"I told you before not to go overboard!"

"She was a stain to our clan. How would I have known that that rotten old man would still have the dog’s luck to make a breakthrough!"

"Nevertheless, we didn’t actally do anything to that girl. The old patriarch is reasonable"

"And with her current rise in power... the old master must be anxious to make her his true heir..."

"We never made trouble for her, there is still a way to salvage the situation."

The elders nodded solemnly but their greedy, expectant gazes toward the manor betrayed their true thoughts.

Even beyond the Feng Clan envoys from prestigious families and sects had begun arriving in droves, their luxurious carriages lining the mountain path.

A noble lady in embroidered silk gracefully descended from her carriage, her sharp eyes scanning the manor’s entrance. "We must send gifts immediately to congratlate the old man of the Feng Clan"

Beside her, a noble lord with a fox-like smile nodded. "The patriarch has refused visitors, but if we align ourselves with his newly ascended strength, our future will be limitless."

One of the three sects in the empire observed the change of tides, inside of a dimly lit room, a young sect leader in dark robes chuckled. "I wonder how the other powerhouses will react. No doubt some will scramble to forge alliances, while others will see this as a threat." His gaze turned calculating. "The question is, how much did Feng Zhenhai’s tribulation cost him? And how much will this benefit us?"

Not all reactions were favorable.

Deep in the imperial city, the Zhao Clan, one of the Feng Clan’s greatest rivals, had convened a secret meeting.

A sharp-eyed elder slammed his palm on the table. "Feng Zhenhai’s breakthrough threatens our standing. If he takes action against us no---"

The clan head raised a hand, silencing him. "Not necessarily." A dangerous glint flickered in his eyes. "Even an impenatrable wall can be corroded from the inside" The man looked at the shadow where a figure of a lady stood. "Our chance to be a part of the top five family rests in your hand, my darling"

The figure nodded.

The murmur of the gathered crowd outside the manor grew restless.

Would the patriarch show himself? Would the Feng Clan open its doors to those seeking favor?

As they waited in gusto, message was delivered.

"The patriarch will not be receiving visitors at this time." A servant called making sure everybody hears, a smug and proud expression plastered in his face despite only being an outer member of the clan.

"what?"

"Well, that is as expected. A Spirit Lord must have the temper of a spirit lord"

"When has the Old Feng cared about that?"

"Well, I didn’t expect much coming here but to witness the rise of a Spirit lord... I have lived long enough already. That’s spirit lord! my dream rank!"

"Then keep dreaming boy!"

"Heh, I’d like to see how those arrogant elders fare now that the real head of the clan has woken up."

"Wait, didn’t that old man favor Feng Jiao Xue before..."

Mutters spread through the crowed in an instant as they all talk amongst themselves.

Right now, Feng Zhenhai’s sole focus was not on politics, not on power, but on the unconscious Feng Jiao Xue.

And that, more than his breakthrough, was what truly unsettled them.