News of Huǒ Yulie’s return spread through the Phoenix Palace like wildfire. Every member of the family had gathered near the gates when she entered alongside her brother to try and get a glimpse of her, but all they could see was a figure dressed in a full-body cloak with their hood pulled up and a facemask covering whatever the hood could not. Many of the people gathered expressed disappointment.

“W-why is she wearing a mask? I wanted to see what she looked like!”

“You and me both. I’ve been living here since before she was even born, but I’ve never so much as gotten a glimpse of her.”

“Do you think the rumors are true?”

“You mean the one that says she’s so beautiful a single glimpse will turn any man into a wild beast? I don’t know. It could be true, but on the other hand, maybe the reason we’re not allowed to see what she looks like is because she’s secretly ugly.”

Beauty was not as coveted as strength, but that did not mean it was not coveted at all. A beautiful person would always be given preferential treatment over someone who was ugly. That was the sad truth of the world.

Huǒ Shuchang glanced at all the people surrounding them, then looked at his little sister. She walked beside him with her shoulders hunched. It was hard for most people to tell thanks to the large cloak she wore, but he had known his sister for a long time. He was one of the only people who had seen her. When they were younger, he had often been called upon to help care for her.

Huǒ Yulie had been born beautiful. Everyone knew the moment that she would grow up to be a gorgeous young woman. That was why Huǒ Huangdi, their father, had been very selective about who helped raise her. Huǒ Shuchang had been one of those people. It was believed that he would not succumb to the same base instincts as other men because they shared the same mother.

Most people would find it odd that a father was so careful about who got to lay eyes on his daughter. It was normal for clans to debut their children at a young age so they could find a potential suitor. Such was not the case for Huǒ Yulie. She had never debuted in any parties, never showed up at any clan events, and had spent her entire life locked up in the Sanctuary alongside their guardian.

Of course, it wasn’t just Huǒ Yulie’s looks that made their father lock her away. Huǒ Shuchang could have accepted his actions as an overzealous father who just wanted to protect his daughter. The larger reason he had locked her away was much worse. Sadly, there was nothing he could do about that. The Huǒ Clan was too powerful. If he tried to take Huǒ Yulie away from here, they would surely be captured before they could leave the country.

“It’ll be okay,” Huǒ Shuchang said to his sister. “Even Father won’t touch you.”

The hood shifted as Huǒ Yulie looked up. “But…”

“Don’t worry. He’ll definitely be mad, but he can’t afford to do anything to you.” Huǒ Shuchang placed a hand on his sister’s head. Huǒ Yulie nodded once and went silent.

They continued walking and trying to ignore the crowd that had gathered to catch a glimpse of their clan’s princess. Huǒ Shuchang tried to shield his sister from their stares.

The Phoenix Palace was massive, more akin to a city within a city than a simple palace. This was where members of the Huǒ Clan resided. It had to be opulent in order to showcase their clan’s power and wealth. The massive phoenix statues made of solid jade, the gardens lining the interior, and the numerous rooms were all there to display the might of their clan.

It was made up of roughly two-hundred and seventy six rooms. Only a few of them were designated for sleeping. All residences were located in the east and west Phoenix Wings. The southern area was called Entrance of Fire. It was the entrance to the Phoenix Palace, which they had just passed, and it was easily one of the most ostentatious areas of the palace. Never-ending pillars of fire burned on all sides of a staircase that led to a large gate guarded by golden phoenix statues on either side and a jade statue above. The gate itself was made of a meteorite that supposedly fell from the sky long ago. Decorating the gate was a detailed depiction of their guardian deity.

The area they were going to was called Plumes of the Phoenix. The Sanctuary where their guardian and Huǒ Yulie lived was there. As they walked down the hall, however, several people intercepted them.

One of them was Huǒ Huangdi--their father.

“I see you found Huǒ Yulie,” their father said in a gruff voice. He spared no more words for Huǒ Shuchang and cast his stern glare at the quivering cloaked figure. “What were you thinking? Why did you sneak out of the palace like that?”

“I… I…”

Huǒ Yulie quivered in fear. She had always been afraid of their father, though he had never laid a hand on her. The biggest fear she probably had was of disappointing him. Their father was one of the only people she had constant contact with, which meant he was, in a sense, her world. Huǒ Yulie did not like the fact that he was the only person she could connect to, but it also meant that his approval was something she heavily relied on.

Huǒ Shuchang would have spoken up, but he knew that speaking out of turn would make his sister’s position worse. Sometimes trying to protect someone only did the opposite. Their father would not brook interference on his part, so his best option was to remain silent.

Fortunately, someone spoke in Huǒ Yulie’s place.

“Doth not beest fell at mine own priestess.”

“Th-that voice! It’s coming from inside my head?!” one of the elders said.

Huǒ Huangdi’s eyes widened. “Is that you… Great Phoenix?”

“Forsooth, t’is me. Doth thee knoweth anyone else who can speaketh to thee in this manner?”

The words of their great guardian caused everyone to bow, including Huǒ Huangdi and Huǒ Shuchang. Only Huǒ Yulie did not bow. She was the Great Phoenix’s priestess, which granted her special privileges that no one else had.

“What is your wish, Great Phoenix?”

“Sendeth mine own priestess backeth to me. The lady and i has't much to speaketh about.”

Huǒ Huangdi made a puckered face like he had swallowed a lemon, but he kept his head bowed low.

“Of course, Great Phoenix.”

***

Huǒ Yulie was led back to the Sanctuary by her father in brother. Neither of them spoke. Huǒ Shuchang wasn’t allowed to speak. She was sure her father would have said something if not for the Great Phoenix’s words. His face was all scrunched up like he had smelled something rotten. It made her feel a trickle of fear, but fortunately, she was protected.

They left her in the Sanctuary without saying a word, though her brother did look back to smile and wave at her. She watched as the massive golden gates closed, sealing her inside, then turned around.

The Sanctuary was dubbed such because the Great Phoenix lived there. Spread before her was a grassy plain with sakura trees, streams, and ponds. It was a glorious park filled with all kinds of colorful flora and fauna. Many people would probably never imagine a place like this existed inside of the Sanctuary. After all, the Phoenix was a being of fire to most. Few realized the Phoenix symbolized rebirth. It enjoyed being among life.

She walked across a cobblestone path, the floral scent filling the air causing her mind to calm. There was a small bridge with a babbling brook. She took a moment to stop there and take in the sight, but then she continued on, winding her way around trees and plants of all types. She paid no real attention to the wide assortment. She had seen these plants every day for as long as she had been alive.

At the very end of this path, in the very center of the Sanctuary, lay a massive bird. His crimson feathers radiated heat and looked like flames given shape. Majestic was the word she had heard people use to describe the phoenix. His body was large, but it was streamlined as well. His aerodynamic shape would allow him to move through the air without any resistance. While he was predominantly red, his plumage was a combination of orange and blue. He towered over Huǒ Yulie. His head was about as big as her.

“I welcome thee back, priestess.”

“Tis good to be back,” Huǒ Yulie said as the phoenix spoke into her mind.

The Phoenix raised his head, and although he could not form facial expressions, she could tell he was smirking at her.

“Thou does not need to lie. I know thee wishes to be free of this place.” Huǒ Yulie could only look away. “Thee needeth not w'rry. Freedom shall cometh to thee lief.” The Phoenix paused. “Didst thee meet him? The man of destiny?”

“I did!” Huǒ Yulie whirled around to face the Phoenix, her eyes shining like golden beacons. She clenched her hands and placed them near her chin as she began speaking rapidly. “I saw him just like you said. He was a very kind young man. He helped me even though he had no reason to. And you were right. He smells wonderful. I’ve never met anyone who had such a scent I… ahem.” Realizing she had let her zeal get the better of her, Huǒ yulie coughed into her hand. “What I cullionly to sayeth is yond t’wast as thee f'rsaw.”

The Phoenix shook his head. Huǒ Yulie’s manner of speech was something she had picked up from him. He was the peron she spoke to the most, so all of her mannerisms were picked up from him. In truth, the Phoenix did not like how Huǒ Yulie took after him so much, but it couldn’t be helped either. He could only hope that the man he had seen who would change her destiny could help her when he was gone.

“I am fain yond sir hast did surpass thy expectations.”

“I wouldst not sayeth that gent did surpass mine own expectations…” Huǒ Yulie poked her fingers together as her cheeks warmed up. “I wast merely excited because I hath met the sir thee toldeth me about.” Huǒ Yulie paused to cup a hand to her chin. “But tis most strange.”

“What is?”

“Yond sir's nameth is Wu Jian, aye? But that gent wenteth by the nameth Jian Wu at which hour I hath met that gent.”

“Tis natural he would hideth his name. Many are his enemies. Great are his enemies. He must taketh care not to alloweth anyone to know of his existence, lest his enemies cometh upon him like a great flood.”

As a god, the Great Phoenix had many powers. Most of them related to death and rebirth. That was how he had been able to discover the young man who would change Huǒ Yulie’s destiny. A man who had been touched by death and rebirth over the eons, who had his time and destiny tampered with by a goddess. As the only remaining god on this planet, there was no way he could miss such a monumental presence.

He had not missed the goddess either. That woman was shrewd. She had hid both herself and the young man within time, making it so their time did not appear to those who were perceptive of it, but of course, he did not rely on time to detect people. He had sensed them through the power of rebirth. He had sensed their presence even before Huǒ Yulie had been born and been looking at them this entire time.

“Dost thee mean Wu Jian has many an enemy after his life?!” Huǒ Yulie suddenly leaned forward with a sparkle in her eyes. “I kneweth it! That gent is a sir of most wondrous destiny after all. To bethink that gent wouldst has't enemies so dangerous that he can do not but hideth his existence from them.”

The Phoenix could only sigh as his priestess once more became lost in her own fantasies. This was a regular occurrence, so it did not bother him. He would even say it amused him. At the same time, he knew how people would look at her if they realized she was somewhat… delusional.

His thoughts went back to the young man. The Phoenix could not sense the destiny of others, but he could make deductions based on his own eons of experience. He could tell when someone who had the power to change the course of history had been born. The young man known as Wu Jian had a power unlike any the Phoenix had ever known. He was an existence that probably aught not to exist. He could understand why that reincarnated goddess was so interested in the young man.

And surely a man like that could help the one person the Phoenix cared about.