In a world devastated by calamity, Yijun's journey begins when his entire village is inexplicably wiped out. Desperate for answers and protection, he scales the mountaintop to seek aid from the legendary dragons. What he finds there is beyond his wi...
Yijun has no recollection of what transpired after the lightning obliterated the Jie kingdom. The past few days has passed in a foggy haze, leaving him adrift in a sea of numbness and emptiness. As he trudges behind the dragon through the dense forest, each step feels heavier than the last, weighed down by the burden of his guilt.
Suddenly, he stop, his legs giving out beneath him as he clutches his head in his hands.
It was all his fault. Every death, every drop of blood-his fault.
Perhaps if he had been truthful with the townspeople, some might have been spared. If he had told them the truth-that it was the Apocalypse Dragon itself, not a mere flood dragon-maybe they would have laid down their arms and fled. But he hadn't. He had lied, and now those lies haunted him. The scenes of the battle replays in his mind like a cursed vision: the horrified screams of mages exploding as their spells failed, the ground littered with the shattered bodies of warriors, and King Jie, once so proud in the town square, now nothing more than a splattered stain in the center of a crater.
Their blood was on his hands.
As he stand there, consumed by his guilt, a soft, rhythmic sound reaches his ears-wing beats. He looks up weakly, too drained to even contemplate fleeing from whatever new danger approached. If death is coming for him, then he would gladly accept it. He deserves no less.
But the universe has other plans.
Descending before him is a magnificent phoenix, far more flamboyant than any creature he has ever seen. The creature's feathers glow with an ethereal light, a dazzling blend of fiery reds, deep oranges, and shimmering golds, like the final rays of a setting sun. Each feather seem to hold a flickering spark, gently igniting the cool breeze with warmth. As the phoenix spreads its wings, light cascaded onto the forest floor, casting dancing shadows and illuminating the vibrant green foliage in a warm, golden hue.
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The phoenix fixes its golden eye on the dragon. Then, in a burst of flames and smoke, it transforms into a human. His long, slender face is framed by phoenix eyes that tilted up seductively, while his sable hair, bound with a golden coronet, flow gracefully behind him. He wears splendid robes of red and gold, and in his pale, slender hand, he holds a black fan embroidered with gold thread.
"Ah, look who we have here," the phoenix says, fanning himself with a casual elegance that make his hair billow around him like ribbons of silk.
The dragon snorts dismissively and continues on his way without a word.
The phoenix's lips curls into a smile as he watches the dragon's retreating back. "Still as warm as ever," he comments dryly, before following after the dragon, his steps light but eager, like a bird hopping after a feeder. "I happened to be in the area and heard a rather loud explosion a few days ago. Up to your old tricks again?" he asks, his tone playful, almost teasing.
The dragon remains silent, his gaze fixed ahead, refusing to acknowledge the phoenix's presence.
The phoenix pauses, his frown deepening, before resuming his pursuit. "It's been a while since we last met, and you're still ignoring me? I've been searching for you for years, and this is how you repay me?"
