"You birds sure are arrogant," the little fox sneered, curling his lip as his golden eyes glinted with mischief. He licked his lips slowly, deliberately, as if savoring the idea. "Mess with me, and I'll pluck your feathers one by one and turn you into soup."
Feng Jiu froze for a second, her gaze sharpening into something dangerous. A slow, mocking smile spread across her face.
"It seems you have a few loose screws rattling around in that furry head of yours. How dare you even imagine such things about me? I am a holy phoenix, the pinnacle of avian bloodlines—pure flame and majesty. You, on the other hand, are nothing but a sly, scheming fox." Her voice turned razor-sharp. "If I ever find you so much as thinking about making me into bird soup—or worse, if I catch you drinking any—I will cut off one of your nine tails and make it into a winter coat."
The threat hung in the air like the crackling tension before a thunderstorm.
The little fox's tail twitched involuntarily, and he took a cautious step back, his bravado faltering.
"You—"
Before the insult could form, a cold yet smooth voice, laced with authority, cut through the air like an unsheathed blade:
"It seems I've been gone only a few days, and already my palace has been overturned by you two."
The voice silenced the world. Even the wind outside seemed to hesitate.
Both Feng Jiu and the little fox stiffened, as if lightning had struck the ground beneath them.
"Master—welcome back!" they said in unison, turning toward the familiar figure who now stood at the entrance to the courtyard.
Song Taiyi walked forward with unhurried steps, his long robe brushing the marble floor in a steady rhythm. His expression was unreadable, his gaze moving lazily between the two of them—but there was a weight in his presence that pressed down like an invisible mountain.
"I leave for a short time," Taiyi said, his voice neither raised nor lowered, "and the first thing I find is the two of you at each other's throats." His eyes landed on the fox first. "Lin'er, you've been with me for many years. You are older than Feng Jiu. Instead of welcoming her, teaching her the palace customs, you waste your breath on childish squabbles. Is this the example you think befits my disciple?"
The little fox, Bai Lin, dropped his gaze instantly, ears flattening against his head. The heat of embarrassment crawled up his neck. "This disciple was wrong. Please punish me, Master."
"Good. Since you admit your mistake, you know the penalty… or shall I remind you?"
Bai Lin's tail bristled slightly. "Master may decide."
"You may choose," Taiyi said evenly, "between the whip… or copying the palace rules a thousand times within two days."
It was the second option that made Bai Lin shudder. The rules were ancient and long—just transcribing them once took hours.
"Disciple thanks Master for his leniency," Bai Lin replied quickly, bowing.
"You are dismissed."
Bai Lin bowed again before retreating, clearly eager to escape the oppressive weight of Taiyi's presence.
---
Now Taiyi turned to the phoenix, and the air seemed to grow even colder.
"Little phoenix… do you think my palace is the Fire Realm, where you can throw your weight around and issue threats freely?"
Feng Jiu straightened, but her head lowered in deference. "Feng Jiu would never dare."
"Good. Since you are new here and know little of the rules, I will overlook this offense. But understand—should such a thing happen again, I will not be merciful. Punishment here is exact, and it is absolute."
"Yes, Master."
Without another word, Taiyi lifted his sleeve. Space twisted, the air rippling like disturbed water, and in the blink of an eye they were no longer in the palace courtyard.
---
The Secret Realm
Feng Jiu found herself standing in a vast, ancient expanse. Jagged peaks rose into mist-shrouded skies, rivers glittered like molten silver, and wild spiritual energy pulsed in the air like the beat of a giant heart.
This was no ordinary training ground—it was a self-contained world. She could feel it in her bones. The air itself hummed with power.
"Since I am now your master, you will show me what you can do," Taiyi said, his voice calm, almost bored. With a casual wave of his hand, a teapot and cup appeared on a table that hadn't been there a heartbeat ago. A single chair formed from the earth, its surface polished smooth as jade.
"You may use your full strength here. There are no limits in this place—nothing you do can damage it. If you can make me take even half a step back, I will reward you."
Feng Jiu's eyes brightened. "Truly, Master?"
"You may begin."
Taiyi's cultivation sank visibly, the oppressive weight of his aura lessening until he stood at the level of a low god—one full realm below her middle god cultivation.
Feng Jiu's lips curled into a small smile. This, she thought, was going to be easy.
She launched forward, flames sparking to life around her fists. Her first punch streaked toward Taiyi's face, wrapped in a blazing corona of phoenix fire—only to be met by the delicate rim of a teacup. The strike stopped dead.
Before she could recover, she pivoted and sent a second punch toward his chest. A wave of force pulsed outward from Taiyi's free hand, and she was thrown back three paces, her boots skidding against the stone.
"You must work harder," Taiyi said without looking up from his tea. "If you cannot even make me use both hands, you are too weak. You may as well return to the Fire Realm."
His words stung. Her pride as a phoenix screamed at her to lash out, but the rational part of her knew he spoke the truth.
"I will not disappoint Master," she said steadily.
A sword of golden flame burst into existence in her right hand. She charged again, movements sharper now, faster, every blow carrying more weight. Sparks and bursts of fire erupted where her blade met Taiyi's casual defenses.
And yet—he still stood on the exact same spot, using only one hand to parry.
Her strikes became a rhythm: attack, parry, rebound, repeat. She felt herself building momentum, every clash pushing her closer to forcing him to use that other hand. Sweat beaded on her brow.
Finally—on her thousandth strike—Taiyi's second hand rose to block.
"Impressive," he murmured, his tone still neutral, but there was a faint flicker of approval in his eyes.
Then his fist shot forward—not fast, not hard, but with the weight of a mountain behind it. The air cracked like thunder. Feng Jiu was driven back nearly a dozen paces, her boots digging trenches into the ground.
"That's enough for today. You still lack the strength to move me, but… you are slightly better than Lin."
She bowed. "Thank you, Master." After a brief pause, she asked in a softer voice, "What about the gift you promised?"
Taiyi studied her for a long moment. Then, with a flick of his fingers, a blade appeared between them. It was deep purple, its edge whispering with an energy that made the air shiver.
"This is the Dragon Breaker Purple Sword. It has accompanied me for a long time, but I have no further use for it. Take it. Do not disgrace its name—or mine."
The sword floated toward her, its weight pressing on her spirit even before it touched her hand.
Her fingers curled around the hilt, and her heart clenched. "Master… my cultivation is still too low to fully wield a weapon of this caliber. I cannot—"
"I do not take back what I have given," Taiyi said firmly. "Carry it. Learn from it. Grow into it."
Before she could speak again, his sleeve swept outward, and the world around her dissolved.
--
Back in the secret realm, Taiyi stood alone. His gaze lingered on the horizon, the misty mountains shifting under a phantom wind.
"The realms seem peaceful on the surface… but the storm is already forming," he murmured. "This phoenix's aptitude is not bad. She has potential—but she is lazy, playful, far too innocent. She prefers laughter to discipline."
A small sigh escaped him.
"I never thought I would accept another disciple again."
His eyes narrowed, catching some far-off ripple in the world's qi.
"But perhaps… the heavens have already decided otherwise."
---