At that time, Huo Feng was nothing but a pampered breath of wind—like a tiny whirlwind that could only be seen if one focused hard enough.Her movement blended with the fluttering of butterflies and the hum of bees, as though she were a part of the garden itself.
She followed her father, Jin Hai, everywhere inside the palace, yet she had never stepped beyond its boundaries.
Whenever Jin Hai left on a mission—rare as it was—he would either leave her to play among the flowers or order her to hide among the clouds so that no one would discover her.
One day, the commander of the elite, Wu Xin—who at that time had yet to become the Warlord and Supreme Commander of the Heavenly Armies—arrived at Jin Hai's palace to check on him and assess the situation under his care.
Wu Xin approached and stood behind him without being noticed, for Jin Hai's thoughts were elsewhere. Meanwhile, Huo Feng spun around above his shoulder like usual, light as a breeze.
Suddenly, Wu Xin raised his hand and slapped her with full force, thinking she was an insect trying to harm him.
She drifted back for a moment, then returned toward him again—so he tried to catch her with both hands.
But she vanished before his very eyes.
Jin Hai's heart seized with fear for her, and in an attempt to distract his guest, he turned to him with feigned curiosity and asked in a troubled tone:
"Welcome, Commander. Forgive me... I did not sense your presence until now."
Wu Xin replied with the calm of a seasoned leader:"No, forgive my rudeness. I didn't mean to startle you. I merely brushed away a bug from your shoulder."
Jin Hai let out a breath filled with quiet bitterness."It's fine for bugs to linger in the garden," he said. "They will not harm me... unlike those whose duty was supposed to be protecting me."
A clear reference to those superiors who had sentenced his wife to death—simply because she belonged to the Shadow Realm.
He fell silent for a moment before speaking again, sorrow heavy in his voice:"Forgive my neglect, Commander... Please, take a seat."
But Wu Xin rejected the offer with firm resolve:"No. Instead, forgive me for what I am about to request. Would you accompany me to my palace? There is something important I wish to show you... and ask your counsel on."
Those words swept the gloom from Jin Hai's shoulders, stirring his curiosity.It had to be something serious—something hidden within Wu Xin's palace.
But what was it? And from whom was he hiding it?
They exchanged conversation as they walked toward Wu Xin's residence, unaware that the tiny whirlwind trailed them from afar, watching every step as though she were witnessing a new world unfold.
Upon reaching his private chamber, Wu Xin ordered his guards not to allow any being to enter—regardless of the reason.
Suspicion tightened in Jin Hai's chest as he waited, eager to see the forbidden sight... the thing that would ultimately be the cause of his disappearance—the erasure of his very name.
Wu Xin lifted a covering and revealed a small jar containing a forbidden talisman—one capable of possessing its master and granting him the power to replicate any ability he desired.
It was an artifact forbidden even within the Shadow Realm.
Jin Hai asked in alarm,"How did you get this? And who else knows of it besides me?"
Wu Xin answered calmly:"I doubt the means by which I obtained it matters right now... but you know well that the King of Shadows spent his life searching for it. That's why I ask your counsel."
Confusion deepened on Jin Hai's face."Then why not inform the Council of Elders first?"
Wu Xin replied with unwavering certainty:"Because I trust no one but you with it."
Jin Hai thought deeply before speaking with conviction:"You must announce its existence in the Heavenly Kingdom publicly, before the assembly of the Elders, so none of them will dare covet it in secret. And afterward, it must be destroyed immediately—without delay. For surely, once word spreads, many will covet it when the call to assembly is sounded."
Wu Xin asked, unsure,"And when can we summon the Council?"
Jin Hai answered,"Wait just a little... until the Grand Commander returns from his seclusion. Then we can carry out the plan in full."
Wu Xin fell silent for a moment before making another request:"Then, until that time... relieve me of this burden. You know well my palace is crowded with guards, servants, and constant visitors. I cannot ensure its safety here. Keep it with you... surely, it will be safer away from prying eyes and greedy hearts."
That day, Jin Hai forgot about his daughter entirely. He did not notice her following him out of the palace.
That evening, Wu Xin finally stepped out of his chamber with a serene expression, as though he had cast a mountain off his shoulders.He stood gazing at his towering sacred tree when suddenly—he sensed a strange wind swirling among the leaves, changing direction every moment…