The sky was as black as ink, and a chill suffused the deep night.
Nestled within an undulating mountain range was a hidden traveling palace. It snaked across the peaks like a great, coiling dragon, blending seamlessly into the landscape.
A golden, ancient phoenix tree, so wide it would take a person's full embrace to circle, stood by the rear hall. Beside it was a natural hot spring. Hazy white mist drifted through the air, and through it, the tall, upright figure of a young man could be faintly seen standing by the water's edge.
His hair, a deep red so dark it was nearly black, was unbound, cascading over his broad, straight shoulders. He wore a crimson and black robe embroidered with ancient, intricate golden phoenix patterns that seemed to shimmer with a light of their own, exuding an air of supreme nobility. The sight of his back alone possessed a beauty that struck straight to the soul, enough to make heaven and earth themselves pale in comparison.
