Mystique Soul: A Cultivator's Flame
Chapter 87

Chapter 87: Chapter 87

The wind rushed past, whipping at Feng Jiao Xue’s sleeves as she guided Yin Xiao forward, the spiritual deer’s powerful wings cutting smoothly through the evening sky. Below them, the capital had long disappeared, replaced by rolling hills, thick forests, and the occasional glimmer of lanterns from far-off villages. The outskirts of the empire stretched endlessly before them—wild and untamed.

Behind her, Mo Tianze clung tightly, his arms wrapped around her waist. Though he had been eager to travel, his grip betrayed his unease. "Sister Jiao Xue," he called out, his voice barely carrying over the wind. "This is my first time flying so high... Yin Xiao is amazing, but I feel like if I let go, I might get blown away."

Feng Jiao Xue glanced back, an amused glint in her usually cold eyes. "You’re a fox demi-beast. Shouldn’t you be more agile?"

Mo Tianze pouted, golden eyes shining under the moonlight. "That doesn’t mean I can fly!" He huffed, burying his face against her shoulder as if it would help him feel more secure. "This is different from running. Very different."

Yin Xiao let out a soft chuff, as if taking offense at Mo Tianze’s words. With a powerful flap of his wings, he suddenly dipped lower, cutting through a layer of clouds before soaring back up again.

"Ah!" Mo Tianze yelped, his grip tightening around Feng Jiao Xue. "Don’t play around!"

Yin Xiao’s ears flicked, clearly entertained.

Feng Jiao Xue shook her head, but a small smile tugged at her lips. Mo Tianze, despite his height and strength, had a pure heart. Unlike the schemers in the imperial court, he was refreshingly honest—his emotions written all over his face.

The sky darkened as they continued forward, the landscape shifting beneath them. The towering trees of the imperial forests grew sparser, giving way to rugged cliffs and narrow dirt paths that wound through rocky terrain.

It was then that she felt it.

A subtle shift in the air.

Feng Jiao Xue’s gaze sharpened. Mo Tianze must have sensed it, too, because his ears twitched slightly, his earlier nervousness vanishing in an instant. "Something’s wrong," he murmured, his voice quieter now, more serious.

Yin Xiao tensed beneath them, his wings slowing ever so slightly.

A whistling sound pierced the silence.

Feng Jiao Xue reacted instantly. With a sharp tug, she guided Yin Xiao into a roll just as an arrow sliced through the space where they had been mere moments before.

More followed.

Dark, gleaming arrows rained from above, each one carrying an ominous energy. Yin Xiao twisted midair, evading them with supernatural grace, but their enemies weren’t just attacking from afar.

From below, figures cloaked in black burst out from the trees, their movements swift and coordinated.

Assassins.

Feng Jiao Xue’s expression remained cold, but her fingers tightened around her sword hilt. Whoever sent them wasn’t ordinary. These weren’t just mercenaries looking for easy prey—they were after her.

"Hold on!" she ordered.

Mo Tianze obeyed without question, gripping her tightly as Yin Xiao folded his wings and dived. They plummeted straight toward the ground, cutting through the arrows, twisting and weaving through the barrage. Then, just before impact, Yin Xiao spread his wings wide, the sudden force of it kicking up a whirlwind of dust and leaves.

They landed with a thud on the forest floor. Mo Tianze slid off, eyes burning with determination as he stepped beside her.

Their attackers didn’t hesitate.

The assassins lunged, their blades gleaming under the moonlight.

Feng Jiao Xue met them head-on. With a flick of her wrist, her sword flashed, parrying the first strike before countering with a precise slash. One assassin barely had time to react before his chest was split open, blood spraying against the dirt.

Mo Tianze moved beside her, his golden eyes flickering as his claws extended, sharp and gleaming. Despite his usual innocence, he was still a demi-beast—his strength unmatched in close combat. When an assassin tried to strike at him from behind, Mo Tianze spun, his tail whipping out with enough force to send the attacker crashing into a tree.

More came.

Yin Xiao didn’t stay idle either. With a stomp, ice spread from his hooves, freezing several enemies in place. Then, with a powerful beat of his wings, he sent a gust of razor-sharp wind slicing through the battlefield.

Feng Jiao Xue cut through another assassin, her movements fluid and precise, her breathing calm despite the chaos. But something nagged at her.

Why now?

Why attack her here, outside the capital, in the middle of nowhere?

Her blade clashed against another enemy’s, and for a brief moment, their eyes met. A flicker of hesitation crossed his gaze—just enough for Feng Jiao Xue to drive her sword through his throat.

As the man collapsed, something fell from his sleeve. A small token, barely visible in the moonlight.

Feng Jiao Xue stepped back, narrowing her eyes. She recognized that insignia.

The Third Prince’s faction.

Her lips pressed into a thin line. So, this wasn’t just a random ambush.

This was a message.

A warning.

And perhaps, a declaration of war.

Yin Xiao’s wings sliced through the air, the silver-white feathers gleaming under the dimming sky as he twisted and spun with breathtaking agility. Spells surged toward them—fireballs, ice shards, arcs of lightning—but he wove between them like a phantom, slipping through gaps no ordinary beast could maneuver.

He twisted midair, his wings beating powerfully as he wove through a storm of arrows and glowing spell formations. His movements were nothing short of divine—each flap sending gusts of wind strong enough to disrupt enemy aim, each leap defying gravity with an elegance only a celestial beast could achieve.

Feng Jiao Xue, seated on his back, shifted her weight with precision, guiding Yin Xiao’s movements while her fingers flicked through the air. With each motion, gleaming silver needles shot from her sleeves, intercepting enchanted arrows mid-flight. Some she deflected with a flick of her black sleeves, her spiritual energy shattering projectiles before they could reach them.

She tightened her grip on his silky mane, her gaze sharp and calculating. With every movement, she adjusted the angle of her body, shifting her weight to help Yin Xiao pivot faster. Her black whip coiled around her arm like a serpent before lashing out—snap!—a dagger flying straight for her heart was deflected midair, spinning off-course before embedding into a tree.

A barrage of arrows rained down, but Feng Jiao Xue flicked her wrist. The whip unfurled like a midnight ribbon, striking with pinpoint accuracy, knocking them off their deadly path.

Then she saw it—an opening between the trees, where shadows twisted unnaturally. The perfect spot to thin out their enemies.

Without hesitation, she leapt from Yin Xiao’s back.

The wind roared in her ears as she descended, her figure a blur of movement. The moment her boots touched the ground, her whip flashed—a sickening crack—and a head rolled, separated cleanly from its body. Blood sprayed the leaves as she dashed forward, her movements fluid, calculated, predatory.

A figure lunged from the darkness. She twisted—the whip wrapped around his wrist, tightening like a vice—then she yanked. A scream tore from his throat as his arm was wrenched from its socket, his body crashing into another assassin.

But there was no time to stop.

Mo Tianze had already followed, landing lightly beside her. His white fox ears twitched, golden eyes gleaming in the chaos. He had never been one to revel in violence, but right now, his instincts roared for battle.

A blade whistled toward his ribs.

He dodged.

It was almost too easy.

With an effortless twist, he avoided another strike, the dagger grazing only air. His body moved as if it had always known how to fight, as if this battle was nothing more than a natural rhythm. His golden eyes widened—he wasn’t hesitating, he wasn’t thinking—his body simply knew.

Another enemy charged.

Mo Tianze moved before he even realized it.

A sharp pivot. A sidestep.

His fingers curled into a clawed strike, boom! his palm slammed against the assassin’s chest, sending them flying into a tree with a sickening crunch. His eyes flickered with surprise, but he didn’t stop. Another came, and he ducked low, sweeping their legs out from under them.

Feng Jiao Xue barely spared him a glance.

She could hear him fighting beside her. Could feel him. His movements were sharp but instinctual, unpolished but fast, strong.

Then something shifted.

The moment their backs touched, something clicked into place.

They moved.

One.

Two.

Three.

Their strikes fell into sync, as if a single unspoken thread connected them.

Feng Jiao Xue’s whip coiled around a sword-wielding enemy, yanking them off balance, Mo Tianze was already there, his palm thrusting against their chest, sending them sprawling.

An arrow shot toward Mo Tianze’s back, Feng Jiao Xue was faster. She pivoted behind him, her whip slicing it in half midair before twisting to ensnare an approaching enemy’s ankle. Mo Tianze lunged forward the same moment she yanked, his claws gliding through flesh.

He didn’t even need to think anymore.

Every move he made, she compensated.

Every attack she struck, he followed up.

They were dancing.

A step forward, a strike, a turn.

A back-to-back spin, a seamless dodge, a ruthless counter.

It was almost hypnotic, the way they weaved through their enemies, like water flowing through gaps in stone, like wind moving with the storm.

Feng Jiao Xue exhaled slowly.

Mo Tianze gritted his teeth.

Then...

Silence.

The final body dropped, limp and lifeless.

The night settled around them, only the whisper of the wind and the distant rustling of leaves remaining.

Mo Tianze let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. His heart was still pounding, his body thrumming with newfound energy. He glanced at Feng Jiao Xue, golden eyes searching hers.

She didn’t say a word.

She simply looked at him, truly looked at him.

And for the first time, Mo Tianze felt it.

He wasn’t just following her.

He was fighting alongside her.

And it felt...

Right.