The capital of the Fire Nation was vast and ancient, standing tall through countless ages since antiquity. “What a pity. We’ve been here for days and haven’t seen a single outstanding human expert. Is this so-called ‘Battle of the Twin Stones’ even real? Otherwise, why haven’t we encountered anyone close to their level?” Some doubted, having arrived from distant lands and spent time in this colossal city without witnessing any remarkable young talents.
“Not necessarily. The Fire Nation’s princess is no ordinary figure. She seems to possess Vermilion Bird bloodline and is undergoing continuous transformation. I’ve seen her a few times, and each time, she’s grown significantly stronger. She’s no simple character,” another countered.
The streets bustled with life, a ceaseless flow of people. The ancient city was grand and prosperous, its population uncountable. Along the main thoroughfare, pedestrians jostled shoulder to shoulder. What was most astonishing, however, was the diversity of races—some so peculiar they defied classification, creatures never before seen.
Shi Hao spotted several such races, their appearances bizarre and unfamiliar. Yet, none of the locals dared to point or gossip. Clearly, these beings were formidable, and the residents knew well the dangers of careless words.
Shops lined the streets, many of them time-honored establishments—apothecaries, armories—frequented by cultivators, their business thriving. Shi Hao strolled leisurely, savoring the liveliness after over a year of solitude in the mountains.
“Escaping the clamor of the mundane world for a paradise is a joy. But after prolonged tranquility, returning to this bustling capital offers a different kind of enlightenment,” he mused, lost in thought. The contrast reminded him of cultivation—the choice between secluded asceticism and worldly freedom.
“What an enormous tree!” Shi Hao gasped as he reached the eastern district. Towering into the sky was a colossal ancient tree, its trunk and leaves a fiery red, its canopy like a vast umbrella. The tree was so massive that only the Fire Nation’s sprawling capital could accommodate it.
“This is the Fire God Tree, once one of the Fire Nation’s Guardian Spirits,” someone remarked. Clearly, Shi Hao wasn’t the only one awestruck. The tree had stood since antiquity, though its divine flame had long since extinguished, its consciousness withered.
“Back then, it fought alongside a Vermilion Bird, both divine beings of immense power. It aided the Fire Sovereign in founding the nation before falling during an era of chaos,” an elder explained. Though it survived, its divinity was lost, leaving only an ancient, ordinary tree.
Yet, whispers persisted. “Some say its divine flame isn’t truly extinguished—it’s undergoing nirvana,” the elder added, sparking disbelief. If true, the tree’s resurgence would be unimaginable.
Shi Hao’s curiosity piqued, he ascended one of the floating palaces surrounding the tree. The cost was exorbitant, but the experience proved worthwhile. Among the elite cultivators gathered there, he overheard crucial news: “Powerful figures are vanishing, even those from beyond our realm. The higher one’s cultivation, the greater the peril.”
Days later, while meditating with a Vermilion Bird feather he’d obtained from the Fire Sovereign’s palace, Shi Hao made a startling discovery. The tree pulsed with latent vitality, its rhythm detectable only through the feather.
Using his enhanced vision, he peered into the tree’s depths—and glimpsed a pair of Vermilion Bird wings forming a gate, behind which lay a golden coffin sealing a cavern. Inside the coffin lay a man, his presence overwhelming, resembling an ancient Fire Sovereign statue Shi Hao had once seen.
His heart raced. What lay beyond that sealed cavern? The revelation was staggering—a secret buried since antiquity.
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