Mystique Soul: A Cultivator's Flame
Chapter 74

Chapter 74: Chapter 74

A pair of majestic spirit beasts headed to the Feng Clan leaving gasps and stares along the way.

A majestic giant blue flame eagle soared in the sky as a silver furred snow dire wolf run below. Each beasts carrying their respected masters. The beasts powerful forms exuded an aura of danger, their very presence a testament to their masters’ strength.

Whispers spread like wildfire.

"They’re back..."

"Was that...?"

"Holy that was a Rank 7 spirit beast!"

"Who cares about the rank! Did you see that wolf? It’s feirce eyes, those shiny coat..."

"Fools! Did you see who owned them?!"

The words rippled through the imperial capital carrying a mixture of awe, envy, and admiration.

It was even more so in the Feng Clan.

From the outer courtyards to the grand halls, disciples and elders alike turned their heads toward the entrance, eyes filled with expectation. Servants momentarily paused in their tasks and exchanged knowing looks. Even those who had once prided themselves on their own talents couldn’t help but hold their breath.

A low murmur rose into a wave of hushed voices.

"The young genius of the clan, Feng Xiao has returned!"

"And Feng Mei as well... She’s already a Rank 6 magician, isn’t she?"

"The youngest Spirit Master in our generation and a prodigious magician... The clan is blessed!"

At the grand gates of the estate, two figures stepped into view. Even among the noble scions of the empire, they were dazzling. The Eagle landed besides the wolf towering over the masses.

Feng Xiao stood tall and commanding, his golden robes embroidered with coiling dragons glimmering in the sunlight. His sharp, phoenix like eyes carried a natural arrogance, and his long black hair was neatly tied back with a silver clasp. Power radiated from his very being, his every step light yet deliberate, like a blade sheathed in silk.

Beside him, Feng Mei moved with effortless grace, her deep purple robes swirling like mist as she walked. Her beauty was ethereal, untouched by the trivialities of the world. Her black hair was adorned with a single jade hairpin, and her expression was cool, distant, as if everything before her was beneath notice.

As they passed through the courtyard, the crowd instinctively parted for them.

Some disciples bowed deeply while others stole glances filled with admiration or jealousy.

Their return sent ripples through the Feng Clan, the very air shifting as hushed whispers filled the manor.

The young genius and the aloof young miss, two of the most brilliant juniors of the clan, had finally come back.

Feng Xiao is Feng Zhenhai’s the eldest grandson and Feng Haoran’s only son. Despite the attention of hundreds on him, he walked with an effortless air of confidence, his very presence commanding attention. He had the sharp, chiseled features of a true cultivator, his skin lightly tanned from years of training under the sun. His long, dark hair was tied back in a simple yet elegant topknot, secured with a jade clasp. His robes, dyed in the deep indigo of the clan’s elite disciples while his Qi freely yet at the same time, subtly wrapped around him, announcing his cultivation level to be that of a Low-Level Spirit Master.

At just nineteen, he had already surpassed many of his elders, his aura crackling with restrained power. The energy of a true cultivator radiated off him in waves making the surrounding juniors instinctively lower their gazes in respect.

Beside him, Feng Mei moved with a grace that seemed almost unreal, her every step measured and deliberate. Her presence was like a winter’s breeze, cold yet strangely intoxicating. Her beauty was striking, almost ethereal. She had a delicate, refined face with high cheekbones, framed by cascading locks of midnight-black hair adorned with silver hairpins shaped like crescent moons. Her eyes, icy black, held a distant coolness, as if the world itself did not deserve her attention.

She was dressed in layered silk robes of pale blue and silver, embroidered with intricate runes that glowed faintly with magical energy. As a Rank 6 Magic Practitioner, she carried a subtle but undeniable air of superiority. Magic danced around her fingertips, an unseen force that made even those unfamiliar with sorcery take a step back in instinctive awe.

Their arrival was met with fervent admiration.

"That’s Feng Xiao! The youngest to reach Spirit Master rank in our generation!"

"Feng Xiao already reached Spirit master?!"

"This level of talent... it is second only to Feng Haoyuan in his youth!"

"I remember. Feng Haoyuan reached spirit master at 14!"

"And Feng Mei... She’s already at Rank 6? Isn’t she the most talented magician of the younger generation?"

"Whoever marries her will surely fly high..."

Even the Third Prince of the empire, seated among the guests, turned his full attention toward Feng Mei. His gaze lingered on her with a mix of fascination and desire. She was the perfect example of an aristocratic young lady, talented, refined, untouchable.

Feng Xiao and Feng Mei walked through the grand halls of the Feng Manor like celestial beings descending from the heavens, each step carrying the weight of their unparalleled achievements.

The two walked without much care to the attention they where drawing to the clan’s main building.

Feng Zhenhai, who had taken the mantle as clan head after his own son’s obvious failures of taking care of a family member, sat once more at the head.

As they stepped into the hall, silence fell over the room.

Feng Zhenhai was seated regally, his once frail frame now filled with newfound strength. His presence was undeniable, his aura one of authority, of power reclaimed.

And beside him, seated quietly, dressed in soft red robes was Feng Jiao Xue. Her skin, pale as freshly fallen snow, had a natural glow, smooth and untouched by blemish, as if carved from the finest jade. Her features carried a refined elegance, not yet mature but already striking, high cheekbones, a delicate nose, and naturally arched brows that added a quiet sharpness to her beauty.

But it was her eyes that drew the most attention. Deep and ink black, they shimmered like a frozen lake under moonlight, carrying an unspoken depth, mysterious, distant, yet mesmerizing. If one looked closely, there was a quiet storm hidden beneath their surface, like a secret she refused to let slip.

Her figure was still slender, yet there was a newfound grace in her movements, a quiet confidence in the way she sat. Though she was not yet fully grown, the outline of a future beauty could already be seen, her limbs were long and elegant, her posture poised, and her presence commanding despite her youth.

Dressed in a flowing robe of deep sapphire silk, embroidered with silver thread in the shape of soaring phoenixes, she looked like a noble lady from an ink painting, serene yet untouchable. At just sixteen, Feng Jiao Xue was no longer the timid girl who once shrank into the shadows. She was blossoming, slowly but surely, into a beauty that could one day shake the world.

It was clear, Feng Jiao Xue was done with hiding.

She silently observed the two figures in front of her as they too observed her.

Feng Mei’s fingers twitched as she dug them into her palm, her nails pressing into her skin. She quickly schooled her features, her face still as serene as ever but beneath that cold exterior, an unspoken resentment simmered.

That was her place. Or, at the very least, it should have been.

Yet there Feng Jiao Xue sat, as if she belonged at their grandfather’s side, as if she had earned it.

Feng Xiao’s sharp eyes flickered toward his cousin but held no visible reaction. He had never paid her much attention before.

Still, the two both bowed deeply.

"Grandfather" Feng Xiao greeted with respectful ease before also bowing to his father. "Dad"

"Grandfather," Feng Mei followed suit her voice light graceful. "Feng Mei congratulates grandfather for his advancement."

Their greetings extended to their uncles, parents, and elders, proper, formal, perfect.

The second madame who was confined as punishment, was also there, her release granted as a favor to Feng Mei.

"Mei Mei!" The once proud lady that now looked slightly haggard hugged her daughter. She clutched her daughter’s hand, her eyes filled with relief, as if Feng Mei’s presence alone was enough to restore her dignity.

The reunion among family was warm, filled with hushed exchanges and affectionate words. The air was heavy with emotion, reverence for the patriarch’s return, admiration for Feng Xiao and Feng Mei and whispered speculations about the clan’s future.

But amidst all this, Feng Zhenhai’s gaze softened.

Because as he watched his grandsons and granddaughters gather, he was reminded of something bittersweet.

Feng Jiao Xue had no one.

His little snowflake, his granddaughter, who had once been abandoned, unloved, forgotten, was now alone among the crowd of siblings and cousins reconnecting with their parents.

A pang of guilt settled in his chest. So, he did the only thing he could think of.

With a wave of his hand, a servant rushed forward, carrying a tray of delicacies. Soft pastries, honey-glazed treats, and a small bowl of sweet almond soup.

Feng Zhenhai carefully placed a piece of candied fruit onto a plate and nudged it toward Feng Jiao Xue.

"Xue’es, here, here" He eagerly offered "My little snowflake try this strawberry cake I got specially for you" he said, his voice gentle but firm.

Feng Jiao Xue blinked looking up at him in mild surprise.

The warmth in his eyes was unmistakable making Feng Jiao Xue smile mildly.

The elders exchanged glances their expressions subtly shifting.

Because what they saw was not just a simple gesture of affection. It was an unmistakable display of favoritism.

The patriarch, the most powerful figure in the clan, was openly doting on Feng Jiao Xue in front of everyone.

It was a declaration, silent yet deafening.

And the elders, calculating, sharp-eyed, understood its meaning at once.

If before they had dismissed her as an insignificant, discarded member of the clan... now, things had changed.

Now, she had the patriarch’s protection.

And that meant she was someone they could no longer ignore.

Feng Mei’s grip on her sleeve tightened ever so slightly.

Feng Xiao remained expressionless, though a single glance at him showed that he, too, had noticed the subtle shift in power dynamics.

But Feng Zhenhai paid no attention to the quiet storm brewing beneath the surface.

He simply patted Feng Jiao Xue’s head as if she were still a child, his expression filled with warmth.

"Eat well" he said. "You’ve been through enough."

And just like that, the balance of the clan shifted once again.