[email protected]/phelio for 100+ more chapters
"We are done here,"
Sam said.
He turned away from the kneeling men to walk out the door.
Behind him, Feng Hengkong finally found his voice.
The pressure on his chest was still incredibly heavy, but he forced himself to speak.
"Wait,"
Feng Hengkong gasped, struggling to lift his head.
Sam stopped. He looked back over his shoulder.
"What?"
Sam asked coldly.
"The war,"
Feng Hengkong said. His voice was shaking with fear and pain.
"I didn't order the war against the Blue Wind Nation."
Sam turned fully around. He looked down at the Sect Master.
"Explain,"
Sam said.
Feng Hengkong took a slow, deep breath.
"My daughter, Xue'er, told me not to do it,"
He explained.
"She begged me to leave the Blue Wind Nation alone. She said the heavens would punish us if we hurt innocent people. I listened to her. I cancelled the march last month."
"Your sons said otherwise,"
Jean pointed out.
"They did it behind my back,"
Feng Hengkong said sadly. Tears finally fell from his eyes.
"They forged my royal seal. They gathered the army in secret. I was completely blind. I didn't know my own flesh and blood had become so rotten."
Sam studied the man's face carefully. He could tell the Sect Master was telling the absolute truth.
"You were blinded by anger just a moment ago,"
Sam reminded him.
"You wanted to kill us."
"They were my sons,"
Feng Hengkong whispered.
"A father's first reaction is to protect his own blood. I didn't think. I just saw them dead. But now... now my mind is clear."
The Sect Master looked at the pile of ashes on the floor. He looked at the headless body of his youngest son.
"They would have doomed us all,"
Feng Hengkong said quietly.
"If they had attacked the Blue Wind Nation, you would have destroyed my entire sect today. You spared us. The True Phoenix spared us."
Feng Hengkong bowed his head even lower against the stone floor.
"Thank you,"
He said softly.
He thought of his daughter. He still had his beloved Xue'er.
She was kind.
She was pure. She was the only true hope left for his family and his entire empire.
Sam nodded slowly.
"Where is she?"
Sam asked.
"In the Sun Moon Courtyard,"
Feng Hengkong answered.
"It is in the very center of the palace."
"We will go see her,"
Sam said.
He walked out of the broken dining hall. Jean and Sue Grey followed right behind him.
They walked through the quiet, empty palace. The night air was cool and peaceful.
They soon reached a massive gate made of solid white stone.
There were thick, heavy iron chains wrapped around the handles.
Sam reached out and grabbed the metal chains.
He pulled them gently. The thick iron snapped like dry pieces of wood.
He pushed the heavy white doors open.
The courtyard inside was absolutely beautiful.
There were bright, glowing flowers and a small, clear pond.
A young girl sat on a smooth stone bench.
She wore a simple, elegant white dress.
She looked up when the heavy doors opened.
Her eyes were bright and completely clear.
There was no fear in her face at all.
When she saw Sam, Jean, and Sue, a big, warm smile appeared on her face.
"Hello!"
She said happily.
She stood up and walked toward them.
She didn't act like a scared prisoner.
She acted like a host greeting old friends.
"Who are you?"
She asked.
"Did my father send you to see me?"
"No,"
Sam said.
"We came on our own."
Xue'er looked at their strange clothes.
Her eyes filled with wonder.
"You are from the outside,"
She said softly.
"I haven't seen anyone from the outside in a very long time. Are there many people like you out there?"
"Yes,"
Sam answered.
"Do you want to go outside and see them?"
"Oh, yes,"
Xue'er nodded quickly.
"More than anything in the world. I want to see the real sky. I want to see the loud cities and the quiet forests. But my brothers always say it is too dangerous for me."
Sam felt a deep, heavy pity in his chest.
Her brothers were terrible monsters, but she still spoke of them softly.
She was completely innocent. She had no idea how ugly the world could be.
"Your brothers are gone,"
Sam told her gently.
"They will not keep you locked in here anymore."
Xue'er tilted her head. She looked very confused.
"Gone where?"
She asked.
"Far away,"
Sam said. He didn't want to ruin her pure heart with the dark truth.
"They went on a very long journey. They will not come back."
Xue'er looked down at her hands.
"I am sad they left without saying goodbye to me,"
She said softly.
"But... does that mean I can finally leave this place?"
"Yes,"
Sam promised her.
"You can go anywhere you want."
Sue Grey walked forward.
She stood right in front of Xue'er.
Xue'er looked at the young girl. Her bright eyes widened in surprise.
"You feel... very warm,"
Xue'er whispered.
"You feel exactly like the stories my father reads to me at night. You feel like the sun."
"I am the Phoenix,"
Sue Grey said simply.
Xue'er gasped.
She took a step back and quickly tried to bow.
Sue reached out and caught Xue'er's hands.
She stopped her from bowing down.
"You don't need to bow to me,"
Sue said.
"Your heart is completely clear. You are exactly what the Phoenix is supposed to be."
"I don't understand,"
Xue'er said, shaking her head.
"Your family carries my fire,"
Sue explained.
"But they have made it dirty with their greed. You are different. I want to give you a special gift."
"A gift?"
Xue'er asked.
"I am going to give you the true power,"
Sue told her.
"I will make you a Divine Origin Realm cultivator. You will be the strongest person in this entire world. No one will ever be able to lock you in a cage again."
Xue'er looked past Sue. She looked directly at Sam. She seemed a little unsure.
"Is it okay?"
She asked him.
Sam smiled. It was a real, gentle smile.
"It is very okay,"
Sam said.
"It belongs to you."
Sue Grey closed her eyes. Her small hands glowed with a pure, beautiful golden fire.
The warm fire moved from her hands straight into Xue'er's chest.
The beautiful courtyard filled with a blinding, golden light.
Xue'er floated smoothly into the air.
Her simple white dress changed.
A beautiful pattern of bright golden feathers appeared on the soft fabric.
She closed her eyes.
She didn't look like she was in any pain.
She looked completely at peace.
The absolute power of the Divine Origin Realm filled her small body. It changed her bones.
It purified her blood completely.
When she slowly floated back down to the stone floor, the bright light faded away.
She opened her eyes. They glowed softly with gentle golden energy.
"How do you feel?"
Jean asked.
"I feel so light,"
Xue'er answered, looking at her hands.
"I feel like I have real wings."
She looked at Sam.
She ran over to him and gave him a sudden, very tight hug.
Sam was surprised.
He stood perfectly still for a second, and then he gently patted her head.
"Thank you,"
Xue'er said, resting her head against his chest.
"I didn't give you the power,"
Sam pointed out.
"Sue did."
"I know,"
Xue'er smiled up at him.
"But you promised I could finally go outside."
Sam looked down at her. He felt a very strange, comforting warmth in his own heart.
He had seen so much darkness in this world.
He had just killed three men without a single hesitation.
But looking at this innocent girl, he felt like an older brother protecting his true family.
"You are going to be the new Emperor tomorrow,"
Sam told her.
Xue'er looked up at him in shock.
"Me?"
She asked, her eyes wide.
"But I don't know how to rule an empire. I don't know anything about laws."
"You will learn,"
Sam said.
"You only need to do one single thing. Just be kind to the normal people. That is all it takes to be a great ruler."
"Will you help me?"
Xue'er asked softly.
"My brothers always pushed me away. They never talked to me nicely. Will you stay and talk to me sometimes?"
Sam smiled again.
"I will help you,"
Sam promised.
"I will be your brother now. No one will ever hurt you. If anyone ever tries, they will have to go through me first."
Xue'er smiled a bright, incredibly happy smile.
For the very first time in her life, she had a brother who was truly good to her.
She held his hand tightly.
"Okay, big brother,"
She said happily.
"Let's go outside."
Sam held her hand back.
"Let's go,"
He agreed.