Just as the Vermillion Bird had said, there was now a gap in the cyclone of flames that protected this place. Large enough to allow Youmei to pass through unimpeded, it looked like a tunnel, with a curved roof and flat walls. He didn’t know if the Vermillion Bird was controlling these flames or if there was a sealing array, but it was impressive whatever the case.
Wu Jian was sure his companions were coming through the tunnel right now. He opted to wait by the entrance and, sure enough, he soon spotted Youmei and the others walking through.
Their eyes widened the moment they passed the threshold, and Wu Jian had to withhold a chuckle. Their reaction was the same as his. They looked like they had been stunned into oblivion. Even Youmei’s mouth was hanging wide open.
“Welcome, you guys. About time you showed up,” he said with a grin.
“I’ve never seen anything like this,” Huǒ Yulie murmured in shock.
His older brother was gazing at the flora. “These are all the highest quality alchemy ingredients available. I don’t recognize all of them, but the ones I do recognize are all used in tier 8 and tier 9 pills.”
“They look delicious,” Youmei licked her lips.
“Don’t you dare eat them!”
“Jian Wu… what is this place?” asked Huǒ Shuchang.
“It’s the home of the Vermillion Bird and his sect. I suspect this place was once just like the White Tiger Sect, but it became ruins, and then it was found by your father who decided to make use of it.”
“The Vermillion Bird? I see. That explains why we’re not immune to those flames.”
The Vermillion Bird, known as Zhuque to some, was one of the four guardians said to rule over this world in ancient times. It was associated with the south and the element of fire, which was why the southern sea was named after it.
In the myths and legends written down, the Vermillion Bird was said to be a magnificent and sacred bird that dwelt in the southern skies. Depictions of it were always colorful and resplendent. It had striking red plumage, which was where its name originated from.
Not to be mistaken with the phoenix, the Vermillion Bird was believed to be a harbinger of prosperity, growth, and renewal. Its appearance was often associated with the arrival of the summer season and the flourishing of life.
The Vermillion Bird was many times stronger than the phoenix that resided within the Xia Dynasty. You could not even compare the two. Of course, this meant its flames were much hotter than anything the phoenix could conjure, so of course, those who carried the phoenix’s blood would not be able to withstand the flames surrounding this place.
“Anyway, Huǒ Shuchang, the Vermillion Bird wants to speak with you.”
“Wait! It’s here? The Vermillion Bird is still around?!”
Wu Jian shook his head. “No, just its fragment. Come on. I’ll show you.”
Leading them through the path allowed the four to admire the garden that spread out before them like a beautiful painting. They were stunned by the pagoda after finally reaching it. While the structure was not as massive as their home, the architecture was every bit as magnificent, and it possessed a vicissitudes that the Phoenix Sanctuary lacked.
They entered and Wu Jian led them up to the statue.
“I’m back!”
“So I see,” a voice said, causing those around him to jump. “Welcome, young ones. I am the Vermillion Bird.”
None of the four looked like they knew what to do, though Youmei seemed the most clueless. Huǒ Yulie took the lead. She knelt and bowed her head in deference. Her two brothers followed suit. This creature may not have been their guardian, but even if it was just a fragment, it was still a creature of immense power.
“I thank thee for the gracious welcome, Lord Zhuque. We hold in high regard thy permission to enter,” Huǒ Yulie said.
“You are welcome. I see you speak in the dialect of the phoenix welp. He must have come a long way since I last saw him, to be bestowing mortals his blood.”
“Thou knoweth Lord Phoenix?”
“Indeed. Back then, he was but a tiny hatchling who resided within this realm. He knew nothing of the world. I took him under my wing until he was strong enough to make it on his own. It is good to see that he has managed to carve out his place in the world… but that is not why I called you here.”
A poignant pause caused their hearts to flutter. Wu Jian could sense the confusion in their gaze. None of them knew what this creature wanted.
“Boy on the left. You are the one they refer to as Huǒ Shuchang, are you not?”
Huǒ Shuchang jolted. “Ah? Um, yes? That is me.”
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“I request that you undergo my trial. Succeed, and I shall bestow upon you my blood. Of course, to undergo my trial, I must excise the phoenix blood within you.”
“Uh… why me? Wouldn’t my little sister be a better option?”
“No. Your little sister’s affinity for the phoenix is absolute. The blood he bestowed her has already infused into her dantian and meridians. Excising the blood now would only result in crippling her. Your older brother over there is in a similar position. I cannot in good conscience remove the phoenix’s blood from them. You, however, are quite different. The phoenix blood is incompatible with you to begin with, which is why you’ve not had much success with cultivating it and learning your family’s techniques.”
Huǒ Shuchang shifted. He looked pensive, his expression tightened into knots that caused his brow to furrow and the corner of his eyes to wrinkle.
“You’re saying… I’m no good at using Lord Phoenix’s blood or cultivation method?”
“Correct. However, you are perfectly suited to my blood and cultivation. I can sense your worry, so allow me to allay your woes. You need not worry about destroying your cultivation for this. The cultivation method your family uses is but an offshoot of the Flame Resurgence of the Vermillion Bird Cultivation Method that I created. Because of that, you need not destroy your own cultivation method as you might if you were to begin practicing anew with other cultivation methods.”
Huǒ Shuchang hesitated, and the look in his eyes was telling. No one said anything. This was his choice to make. Even Huǒ Pànguó didn’t speak out of turn.
“Okay. I’ll do it,” he said at last.
“Brother… are you sure? If you do this…”
“Yeah, I’m sure. I know I’ll no longer be a member of the Phoenix Clan, but don’t worry--” Huǒ Shuchang ruffled his sister’s hair. “I’ll always be your brother no matter what.” He glanced at the statue with fire in his eyes. “Let’s do this.”
“Very well. I shall bestow upon you my blood. Travel up to the tenth floor. That is where you will undergo the trial.”
***
While the first floor of the pagoda served as something of a shrine dedicated to the Vermillion Bird, and the last floor was where hopefuls underwent the Vermillion Bird’s trial, the other eight floors were each dedicated to something.
The second floor was an alchemy lab. It was fully equipped with all the appliances and artifacts one would expect from a lab. Sadly, none of them could use alchemy. However, the Vermillion Bird had told Wu Jian that, since this place had gone unused for so long, he could take whatever he wanted. Wu Jian had grabbed a cauldron that he planned on sending to Zhou Lihua along with many alchemy herbs from the garden.
Above the lab was a training dojo. It was a spacious area where cultivators could practice martial arts and combat techniques. This pagoda was made from a material that absorbed fire, which meant practitioners of fire elemental cultivation methods could practice there without worry. Wu Jian could not practice there. His cultivation method dealt with space, which this pagoda had no defense against. The most he could do was spar.
On floor number four was the fire meditation chamber, which, like the rest of this place, was meant specifically to help people who used fire cultivation methods gain a deeper understanding of their element and improve their control over flames. It looked like a hallway that was sectioned off into several isolated chambers. Huǒ Pànguó spent most of his time cooped up in there.
This pagoda also had a library on the fifth floor. Known simply as the Library of Fire, it contained within the vast wisdom of the Vermillion Bird’s now defunct sect… though, sadly, many techniques had been lost during the warfare that destroyed the Four Great Sects. The library did still contain several powerful techniques, which Huǒ Yulie had taken to studying.
The sixth floor contained an observatory for cultivators to study celestial phenomena. Many cultivation methods required one to align their cultivation with the movements of stars and planets. On the seventh floor was an art gallery. While some might have assumed it was just an attempt at showcasing the Vermillion Bird’s glory, each piece contained wisdom. Those who comprehended the art would gain a greater understanding of fire. The eighth floor contained forges and the ninth floor was a theater. None of them could forge items and there were no plays, so they did not spend much time there.
Wu Jian spent most of his time with Youmei. They would explore the gardens, play hide and seek, and eat from the pantry, which surprisingly still had food that wasn’t expired. According to the Vermillion Bird, everything within here was frozen in a form of stasis thanks to the feng shui sealing array. Everything from the position of the plans to the items within the pagoda had been used to create a massive sealing array that kept this place stuck in time. Wu Jian had no idea how that worked, so he didn’t ask questions.
There was something more important that he needed to deal with anyway.
“I see. Your young panther companion is suffering from chi imbalance, and you are seeking an item that can both rebalance her chi and help her ascend to the Deva Realm.”
“That’s right. Is there anything here like that?” asked Wu Jian.
“I believe there is something here that will help. Travel outside and around this pagoda. Keep heading straight and you will eventually reach a small shack. This shack leads to an underground spring. The spring is called the Pure Yin Spring. It is a coagulation of the purest yin chi you will ever find. If she soaks within it for at least ten days, her chi should rebalance itself. You should also have her consume a Yin Essence Lotus every day. She should break through to the Deva Realm if you do that.”
“Thank you.”
After offering his respects to the Vermillion Bird, Wu Jian went into thee garden and grabbed several Yin Essence Lotuses, which were exquisite flowers with a captivating, ethereal flow. Their petals were a shade of enchanting moonlit silver, reminiscent of the soft glow of the full moon on a clear night. The silvery hue shimmered like liquid mercury when touched. He had grabbed enough to last for fifteen days.
Just as the Vermillion Bird had said, there was a shack in hidden away behind the pagoda. It was a ramshackle thing. Wu Jian felt like it was something someone had created as an afterthought. The inside contained nothing except a door on the floor that led to some staircases, which he and Youmei took. After that, they traveled down a long, dark hallway, which led to a door with a powerful sealing array painted upon it.
“Is this the pond the bird was talking about?” asked Youmei after they entered.
What lay on the other side of the door was a pond that looked like liquid moonlight. Its silvery hue glowed with an otherworldly vibrancy and purity. While it wasn’t very big, it was large enough for at least three people to bathe in and still be comfortable.
“It is. Go on and get in Youmei--oh, but swallow this first.”
He fed Youmei a Yin Essence Lotus, which the panther ate without complaint. Then she waded into the pool. Wu Jian sat down. Since he was not looking to increase his strength right now, he would watch over his companion and ensure she had a smooth transition into the Deva Realm.