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Jean gently floated down from the high cliff, landing softly in the center of the village.
Chu Yuechan, Chu Yueli, and Xia Qingyue landed quietly right behind her.
They kept their ice swords put away, not wanting to scare the people any further.
The villagers slowly peeked out from their wooden homes.
They looked at the empty spots where the cruel bandits used to be.
Then, they looked at the beautiful red-haired woman standing on the dirt road.
An old man with a walking stick slowly stepped forward.
He was the Village Chief. His hands were shaking, but his eyes were full of absolute wonder.
"Did you... did you cast that golden fire from the sky?"
The old man asked, his voice trembling.
"Yes,"
Jean answered, giving him a warm, comforting smile.
"You are safe now. No one will ever hurt your home again."
Suddenly, Jean closed her eyes.
She felt a deep, powerful thrum in her chest.
The cosmic Phoenix Force was speaking directly to her mind.
*Look at them, Jean,*
The ancient, cosmic voice whispered.
*They carry my tiny spark in their veins. But their blood is chained by a heavy, unfair curse. Please. Free my little children.*
Jean opened her eyes.
She looked deeply at the old man and the frightened villagers.
With her cosmic sight, she could see a dark, ugly chain wrapped tightly around their life force.
It was a curse that stopped them from leaving this valley and slowly drained their lives away.
"Your ancestors made a mistake a very long time ago,"
Jean said, her voice echoing perfectly through the quiet valley.
"You have paid the price for thousands of years. You have suffered enough."
Jean took one step forward and gently placed her hand on the old Village Chief's chest.
A bright, blinding golden light poured out of her hand.
It washed over the old man, and then quickly spread out like a warm wave, touching every single man, woman, and child in the village.
*Snap.*
A quiet sound echoed in the air.
The dark, invisible chains binding their bloodline completely shattered.
Instantly, the villagers felt a massive change.
The heavy, painful weight they had carried since birth vanished.
A pure, clean fire ignited inside their veins.
They felt incredibly light, strong, and totally free.
The old Village Chief looked at his own hands.
The dark curse mark on his arm had completely melted away.
Then, he looked back up at Jean.
He didn't just see a beautiful woman anymore.
The tiny drop of Phoenix blood inside him screamed in absolute reverence.
It recognized the source. It recognized the ultimate, supreme origin of all fire in the universe.
Compared to her, the legendary Phoenix they worshipped was just a tiny candle.
Jean was the blazing sun.
His knees hit the dirt.
"The True Flame..."
The old man wept, bowing his head all the way to the ground.
"The absolute origin... you are the True Phoenix!"
Seeing their leader bow, every single villager in the valley dropped to their knees.
They pressed their foreheads to the earth, their bodies shaking with pure awe.
Their awakened bloodline naturally, happily submitted to the mother of all fire.
"Please, do not kneel to me,"
Jean said.
She leaned down and helped the old Village Chief back to his feet.
"But you are our Goddess,"
The old man cried happily, wiping the tears from his wrinkled face.
"You hold the supreme fire. You saved our lives and broke our ancient curse. We must worship you."
Jean shook her head.
Her green eyes were completely filled with kindness.
"I am not a god,"
Jean smiled, brushing the dirt from the old man's shoulders.
"I am just someone who holds the fire, just like you do. That means we share the same spark. You do not need to kneel to your own family."
Chu Yuechan watched the scene from a few steps away.
Her cold heart fluttered.
She realized that Sam and Jean were exactly the same.
They held enough power to completely conquer the world, but all they wanted to do was heal it.
Jean let go of the old man's hands.
Before she could say another word, the deep, warm thrum in her chest echoed a second time.
The golden light in her green eyes flared up, shining like two bright stars.
The Phoenix Force was speaking to her mind once again.
*Jean,*
The cosmic voice whispered, sounding incredibly sad.
*My little children here are finally free. But there is another one nearby. The remnant... the spirit who left this bloodline behind. Her soul is trapped in the dark. She gave away too much of her fire, and now she is fading away into nothing. Please. Go to her.*
Jean took a deep, quiet breath.
The cosmic presence slowly faded from her mind, leaving her with a clear mission.
She looked back at the Village Chief.
"Chief,"
Jean said.
"There is one more thing I must do today."
"Anything you need,"
The old man answered quickly, bowing his head.
"Just name it, and we will make it happen."
"The remnant of the Phoenix,"
Jean explained.
"The spirit that gave your ancestors their fire. She is resting somewhere very close to this village, isn't she?"
The Village Chief's eyes widened in surprise.
"Yes,"
He answered honestly.
"She rests inside the ancient Phoenix trial grounds. It is a hidden cave just behind that mountain. Our family has guarded the heavy stone doors for generations. But none of us are allowed to go inside."
"I need to go inside,"
Jean told him.
"Her spirit is incredibly weak. The Phoenix Force just told me that her spark is almost completely gone. She is dying. I have to go into the trial and heal her."
The old man gasped. He leaned heavily on his walking stick, totally stunned by her words.
"Heal the Divine Spirit?"
The Chief asked, his voice full of disbelief.
"For thousands of years, warriors have traveled to that cave to beg the spirit for a tiny drop of her power. People only go there to take from her. I never even imagined that the Great Spirit might need someone to help her."
Jean smiled, a look of deep understanding on her face.
"That is the heavy burden of being powerful,"
Jean said.
"When you are strong, everyone expects you to give. They forget that even ancient spirits can get tired, lonely, and hurt. She has been sitting in the dark for a very long time. It is time for her to see the sun."
Chu Yuechan, Chu Yueli, and Xia Qingyue listened quietly. Jean's words struck a deep chord in their own hearts.
They knew exactly what it felt like to hold a cold, lonely burden that no one else understood.
Jean looked at the old man again.
"Will you show me the way to the cave?"
Jean asked politely.
Tears of pure joy filled the old Village Chief's eyes. To him, this was the greatest day in the history of his people.
"I will not just show you,"
The old man said proudly, standing up as straight as he could.
"I will lead you there myself! It is the absolute greatest honor of my life to escort the True Flame to our sacred grounds."
The Chief turned around and waved his wooden stick in the air.
"Make way!"
He called out to the happy villagers.
"Clear the main road! We are marching to the trial grounds!"
The villagers quickly moved aside, creating a wide, clear path through the dirt road.
They bowed their heads respectfully as the old man began to walk toward the mountain.
Jean followed right behind him, with the three ice cultivators staying close by her side, ready to see the ancient spirit of the Phoenix.
While Jean followed the Village Chief toward the dark mountains, back in the Blue Wind Imperial Palace, the grand bedroom was very quiet.
Sam sat comfortably in a wooden chair near the window.
He was drinking a warm cup of tea. Little Jasmine was sitting on the floor nearby, playing Nintendo Switch.
She liked it very much.
The heavy bedroom doors slowly opened.
Cang Yue walked in. She looked very different from the tired girl in the tea house.
She stood tall, but her hands were trembling just a little bit.
She walked over to a table and gently put down her sword.
Emperor Cang Wanhe looked at his daughter from his bed.
His eyes were full of worry, but also deep pride.
"Is it done, Yue'er?"
The Emperor asked softly.
"Yes, Father,"
Cang Yue answered, taking a deep breath.
"The Royal Doctor... the man who planted the Gu inside your heart. He is dead."
Sam put his teacup down and looked at her.
"You did it yourself,"
Sam stated quietly. It was not a question.
He could sense the fresh, heavy shift in her energy.
Cang Yue nodded.
She walked over to the edge of the bed and sat down.
"I had to,"
Cang Yue whispered.
She looked at her trembling hands.
"The royal guards offered to take him away and execute him in the prison. But I told them no. He has been fooling our family for years. He took our gold, ate our food, and pretended to heal father, all while he let that dark bug eat his heart."
She closed her eyes, trying to calm her racing pulse.
"I could not let someone else swing the sword,"
She continued, her voice filled with resolve.
"If I am going to rule this empire and protect my people, I cannot hide behind the guards. I cannot turn away when it is time to do the hard things."
The Emperor reached out and covered her shaking hands with his own warm ones.
"Taking a life is not easy, my sweet daughter,"
The Emperor said sadly.
"It leaves a heavy mark on your soul. I never wanted you to carry this kind of bloody weight."
"It is okay, Father,"
Cang Yue said, forcing a brave smile.
"I am not a weak little girl anymore."
She looked up at Sam, seeking his guidance.
"It felt awful, Senior Sam,"
She admitted honestly.
"My stomach feels completely sick. Did I do the right thing? Does doing this make me a cruel person?"
Sam shook his head. His eyes were full of deep, comforting wisdom.
"No, Cang Yue,"
Sam answered.
"It makes you a responsible ruler. Cruel people kill because they enjoy it, or because they want to steal something that does not belong to them. They kill out of greed."
Sam leaned forward in his chair.
"But you didn't kill for greed,"
Sam explained.
"You killed to protect your father. You killed to stop a traitor from ruining your entire country. A sword is just a piece of metal. It is neither good nor evil. Everything depends entirely on the heart of the person holding it."
Cang Yue let out a long, shaky breath. The heavy guilt in her chest slowly melted away, replaced by a firm sense of duty.
"You used your new power to protect your home,"
Sam smiled at her.
"That is exactly what a true queen must do. You should never enjoy taking a life, but you must never be afraid to do it when your family is in danger."
"I understand,"
Cang Yue said, her voice finally steady again.
She stood up from the bed, her eyes clear and focused.
"The traitor doctor is gone. My brothers are terrified and hiding in their rooms. But the poison in this palace goes much deeper. There are still many corrupt lords in the court."
"Take your time,"
Sam told her comfortably, picking up his tea again.
"You have the power now. The Blue Wind Empire is finally waking up, and I will be right here to make sure you do not fall."
The heavy feeling in the room finally began to clear.
Cang Yue took a deep breath, ready to plan her next steps.
Suddenly, three loud, urgent knocks echoed against the heavy bedroom doors.
"Enter,"
Cang Yue said, her voice completely steady.
The doors opened just a crack. A nervous palace servant bowed deeply, keeping his eyes glued to the stone floor.
"Please forgive this rude interruption, Princess Cang Yue. Your Majesty,"
The servant said, his voice shaking.
"But we have a very unexpected guest waiting at the main gates."
"Who is it?"
Cang Yue asked, stepping forward.
"Is it one of the lords?"
"No, Princess,"
The servant swallowed hard.
"It is an envoy. They carry the official crest of the Heavenly Sword Villa."
Emperor Cang Wanhe leaned forward in his bed. His tired eyes widened in pure shock.
"The Heavenly Sword Villa?"
The Emperor whispered, looking very worried.
Even Cang Yue looked completely stunned.
In the Blue Wind Empire, the Heavenly Sword Villa was the absolute strongest sect.
They were like untouchable gods who lived high up in their remote mountains.
They almost never involved themselves in normal palace politics.
"Why would they send someone here today?"
Cang Yue asked, looking back at her father.
"Do they already know about my brothers? Or is this about the upcoming tournament?"
"I do not know,"
The Emperor answered, his face turning pale again.
"But they are incredibly powerful, Yue'er. We must treat them with extreme caution. If they support your brothers, we are in terrible danger."
"Let them try,"
Sam interrupted calmly.
Sam did not look worried at all. He poured himself another warm cup of tea.
Over on the floor, Jasmine didn't even look up from her glowing screen.
She was entirely focused on her new action RPG game, happily slashing digital monsters and grinding for rare loot.
The politics of mortals bored her completely.
Sam looked at the Princess with deep, clear eyes.
"Remember what we just talked about,"
Sam reminded her gently.
"You have me as your teacher."
Cang Yue stood up perfectly straight.
The brief flash of fear in her chest vanished.
"You are right,"
Cang Yue nodded firmly. She looked at the nervous servant.
"Tell the envoy I will meet them in the grand reception hall. Prepare our best tea. I will receive them as the true representatives of the royal family."
"Yes, Princess!"
The servant bowed quickly and ran down the hallway to deliver the message.
Sam smiled proudly and took a slow sip of his tea.
"Shall I come with you?"
Sam asked, putting his cup down.
"Just in case their swords are a little sharper than their manners?"
"I would like that very much, Senior Sam,"
Cang Yue smiled back, her eyes full of complete trust.
"Let us go see exactly what the greatest sect in the empire wants."