In the heart of the Ten-no-Kura, the air was thick with the scent of burning incense and pure Mana.
Ryuzaki Haruto, now eight years old, sat cross-legged on a mat woven from Golden Spirit Grass. Surrounding him were piles of Divine Sources—crystallized spiritual energy so pure that a single shard could start a war in the mortal realms. Yet, here, they were scattered like common pebbles.
Haruto's eyes were closed, his consciousness deep within his own mind.
In his mental landscape, a terrifying sight unfolded.
A colossal, blood-stained millstone—the Chaos Divine Mill—rotated slowly in the void. It crushed everything in its path: stars, demons, and even Haruto's own soul.
Crush. Reshape. Crush again.
This was the [Chaos Spirit-Grinding Visualization]. It tempered the soul by subjecting it to the pain of eternal destruction and rebirth. For an ordinary cultivator, this agony would shatter their mind.
But Haruto sat still, his expression serene.
'It hurts,' he thought calmly. 'But compared to the boredom of being a baby for three years, this is manageable.'
As his soul reformed for the thousandth time, it shone with a diamond-like luster.
'Once mastered, I can project this Millstone into the real world to crush the souls of my enemies,' Haruto mused, opening his eyes. A golden light flashed in his pupils. 'I wonder if anyone else can endure this pain?'
The Arrival of the Phoenix
High above the Central Province, a streak of fire cut through the clouds.
A magnificent chariot, pulled by three Fire Spirit Birds, descended toward the Ryuzaki Domain. The birds shrieked, their feathers leaving trails of flame in the sky.
"Is that the chariot of the Vermilion Bird Kingdom?" "Judging by the extravagance, it must be the famous Princess Suzaku."
The chariot landed at the massive Torii Gates of the Ryuzaki Clan.
A young woman stepped out. She wore a robe of red phoenix feathers that clung to her curves, and her hair flowed like living fire. It was Princess Suzaku.
She looked at the floating islands and towering pagodas of the Ryuzaki Clan, feeling a pang of inferiority. Her kingdom was a candle compared to this sun.
'Calm down,' Suzaku told herself, smoothing her hair. 'So what if they are powerful? That Ryuzaki prodigy wants me. I hold the cards.'
She walked up to the gate, where massive guards in samurai armor stood like statues.
"Halt," a guard rumbled, his aura oppressive. "State your business."
"I am Princess Suzaku," she said, lifting her chin. "I am here to see Ryuzaki Reika."
"Token?" the guard asked boredly. "If not, leave."
Suzaku froze. 'I am a Princess! How dare a gatekeeper talk to me like this?'
Humiliated, she produced the jade communication slip. The guard glanced at it and waved her through. "Go in."
Suzaku bit her lip. 'Just wait. Once I have the elixir, I will never return to this arrogant place.'
The Meeting in the Garden
Inside the clan grounds, Suzaku was led to a garden that looked like a slice of paradise. Cherry blossoms fell like snow, and the sound of a shishi-odoshi (bamboo water fountain) clacked rhythmically.
"You have arrived," a soft voice said.
Suzaku looked up and gasped.
Walking toward her was a youth of indescribable beauty. He wore simple white robes, yet he looked like a god walking among mortals. His skin was luminous, his eyes deep pools of wisdom and indifference.
Behind him walked Ryuzaki Reika—the proud "Flower of the High Peak"—carrying a tray like a common servant.
'Reika is... serving him?' Suzaku's mind reeled. 'Who is this boy? Is he a Sequence?'
Even her fiancé, the Crown Prince of the Azure Dragon Kingdom, looked like a mud pile compared to this jade statue.
"Are you Princess Suzaku?" Haruto asked, his voice calm.
"I am," Suzaku bowed slightly, but she kept her back straight. She reminded herself: 'He wants me. Do not be humble.'
"You want an Immortal Elixir to save your father?" Haruto asked, sitting on a stone bench. Reika poured him tea.
"That is correct," Suzaku said, meeting his gaze. "I hope the Young Master will show mercy and lend a helping hand."
Haruto raised an eyebrow. There was no pleading in her voice. No desperation. It sounded... entitled.
"Oh?" Haruto smirked, swirling his tea. "But can you give me a reason? Immortal Elixirs are priceless. They don't fall from the sky."
Suzaku paused. A faint, knowing smile touched her lips.
'Here it comes,' she thought. 'He wants me to offer myself.'
She straightened her posture, looking righteous.
"Young Master is no ordinary person," Suzaku said smoothly. "You hold a high position in the Great Ryuzaki Clan. For you, one elixir is nothing. But for my kingdom, it is a life."
She took a step forward, her voice filled with conviction.
"Saving my father saves millions of lives in the Fire Province. For you, this is a small favor that brings great merit and reputation. Surely, a hero like you wouldn't refuse to do a good deed just because of the cost?"
She looked at him expectantly.
Haruto stared at her. He blinked. Then, a chuckle escaped his lips.
'Moral kidnapping?' Haruto thought, amused. 'She's trying to guilt-trip me?'
"So," Haruto said, leaning back. "You think because I can help, I must help? And if I don't, I'm unrighteous?"
"I am merely appealing to Young Master's noble heart," Suzaku said, confident she had cornered him.
Haruto sighed, shaking his head.
"Princess," he said, his eyes turning cold. "You seem to misunderstand something fundamental about this world."