The Flame Orchid Trees stood tall, their branches and leaves blazing red like fire, radiating a crimson glow and exuding a delicate fragrance. The path outside this villa was lined with these trees, cherished in the imperial capital for their fiery hue, resonating with the name of the Fire Nation. Shi Hao walked along the ancient bluestone road toward the vast estate, where a diverse crowd of beings—many with bizarre appearances—gathered in silence.
The bronze gate bore the marks of time, guarded yet unbarred, for only those who could step onto the formation array at its threshold would gain entry. “Hmm, quite the refinement,” someone remarked. “This is an ancient teleportation array once used by sects to screen elite disciples. Only those with sufficient cultivation can pass.”
Most entered effortlessly, though a few were barred. As Shi Hao stepped onto the array, a six-pointed star shimmered, mist swirling around him before he was whisked into a courtyard. The air was thick with the scent of medicinal herbs, the garden teeming with vitality, resembling an ancient apothecary’s paradise.
The courtyard bustled with cultivators, mingling in small groups, exchanging knowledge and treasures. Yet, such gatherings were not without tension—disputes could erupt at a word, settled only by spells and might.
A murmur spread through the crowd as a short-haired man entered, his palm cradling a three-inch-tall jade-white dragon-elephant. “That’s a guardian beast of the Western Paradise!” someone gasped. Shi Hao noted the man’s strength, recalling the Western Paradise’s unchecked marauders who had ravaged his homeland.
A low growl announced the arrival of a snow-white tiger, its ancient eyes surveying the crowd. “The Fire Nation owes my kin an explanation!” a fiery-haired, serpent-tailed man demanded, his voice laced with fury. Shi Hao recognized him as a member of the Flame Python Clan—he had slain one of their young prodigies in the Fire Nation’s ancestral grounds.
“The risks were clear before entry,” countered an elder from the Fire Nation. “Death was a possibility you accepted.”
A sudden, overwhelming fragrance drew attention to a corner of the courtyard, where a six-leafed Star Grass shimmered, its seventh leaf just budding. Gasps erupted—such a herb was nearing sainthood, a rarity even among treasures.
Conversation turned to the North Sea and rumors of Shi Hao mastering the Kun Peng’s divine technique. “After the battle of the two Shis, he vanished. Some say he’s crippled,” one whispered.
Nearby, a cold voice cut through. “None dare insult the Immortal Mountain’s dignity,” a middle-aged man from the sect warned, his gaze sharp. Silence fell, the crowd wary of provoking the ancient power.
Shi Hao moved on, his keen senses catching every word but choosing indifference—unless challenged, he would not engage.
A streak of red darted from his sleeve—his companion, the Crimson Bird, finally free. “Don’t get roasted,” Shi Hao called after it.
Eyes turned as Yun Xi, the divine maiden of the Celestial God Mountain, appeared in violet robes, her beauty drawing admiration. The estate brimmed with power—foreign experts, ancient bloodlines, and even a nine-headed golden lion, its aura awe-inspiring.
“It’s said this lion is sworn brothers with Shi Hao,” someone mused aloud. “Imagine taming it as a mount—what a blow to his pride.”
The golden lion, nearing pure-blooded evolution, greeted Princess Huo Ling’er warmly. “Years since the Hundred Shattered Mountains,” she smiled. “You’ve grown formidable.”
Whispers spread—this lion, once fully evolved, would be a mount coveted even by gods.
Yet, the bold suggestion of subduing it as an insult to Shi Hao hung in the air, a challenge that could ignite fresh conflict.
The garden hummed with tension, alliances and rivalries intertwining beneath the glow of ancient trees and the promise of power.
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