The frost never ceased its relentless march across the mountain, swallowing every living thing and even the smallest leaf until all was locked in an icy stillness. It was as though life had vanished from that sacred peak—or perhaps it had merely retreated, curling deep within the frozen heart of the land, waiting for a force powerful enough to awaken it.
Rumors began to stir among the villages at the mountain's base: a witch dwelled atop the summit, a being of untold power who commanded the frost itself. And where whispers of fear and wonder grew, so too did curiosity… and arrogance.
One by one, the most prideful and reckless cultivators set out to challenge the frozen peak. Each believed themselves stronger, wiser, or braver than the last, but their confidence only fed the mountain's wrath. The higher they climbed, the more ferocious the frost became, its hunger insatiable, consuming men and beasts alike. Time itself seemed to shiver, its flow distorted under the icy dominion, threatening even the villages that bordered the sacred mountain.
Among the eager adventurers were three young men from the Heavenly Kingdom, led by a girl even more reckless than they were—Mei Ling. She had once been celebrated as the most beautiful maiden in the kingdom, her laughter bright as morning sunlight, but even her charm seemed muted in the presence of Huo Feng, whose shadow already loomed over their fate. Mei whispered seductively to the hearts of the three, urging them to seek the witch, to uncover the forbidden secrets of the frost, and to challenge the avenging spirit said to dwell within.
Their arrogance betrayed them immediately.
As they approached the mountain, Mei attempted spell after spell to breach the frost barrier, but each effort failed, leaving her trembling with frustration. Her companion, Suo the Sorcerer—handsome, proud, and the kingdom's strongest disciple—mocked her in a voice that dripped with condescension.
With reckless bravado, he stepped into the frozen expanse as though daring the mountain to stop him. In the blink of an eye, the ice claimed him, wrapping him in unyielding frost. Mei reached for him desperately, but the cold claimed her as well, freezing her in mid-motion, her fingers stiffened by the cruel bite of the mountain.
The third young man, panic etched across his features, felt his courage evaporate. He sent a mental plea for aid to the only ones capable of confronting such power: Grandmaster Wu Xin, the Warlord of the Heavenly Kingdom, and his trusted companion, Master Li.
They arrived like lightning tearing through storm clouds, descending with sudden, awe-inspiring swiftness. They paused for a moment, their eyes drinking in the tragic beauty before them: a land painted in frost, a scene of death and ice that held a haunting, almost hypnotic allure.
Without hesitation, they began chanting, weaving their combined spells to restore life and quell the frost. Their voices intertwined with the air itself, a battle of magic against nature and the witch's command.
From the sky descended a figure, ethereal and haunting, cradling the unconscious elder in her arms. Her small, diamond-like wings flared protectively around him, while her larger, ethereal wings beat fiercely, keeping all who dared approach at bay. Her presence radiated both innocence and a dangerous power, as though the mountain itself had bent its will around her.
The two masters did not flinch. Wu Xin seated himself before the frost barrier, a serene determination in his gaze. He closed his eyes, calling upon the full extent of his magic, channeling it into piercing spears of lightning that shot forth toward the girl's wings.
She flinched, yet did not falter. Her wings beat harder, her head bowed in focus, unaware of how many stood against her. Another spear struck one of her smaller wings—she nearly faltered, the elder slipping slightly in her grasp.
Master Li's eyes widened as he glimpsed the elder's face. "Wu Xin! Stop! That's the Furnace Elder—she's holding him hostage!"
Wu Xin's eyes snapped open. Recognition flooded him—both the girl descending from the sky and the elder in her arms. He halted his incantation, cutting off the flow of lightning.
The frost's grip seized him immediately, yet he did not struggle. It was not error that held him, but awe. Even as ice crept along his limbs, he could not tear his gaze away. Her presence, her beauty, and her resolute determination had claimed his surrender before the frost had even fully encased him.
Huo Feng herself felt the pull of destiny as she hovered, the frost receding at her mere presence. She had not acted out of fear or mercy alone, but from the singular force of her own will. She released life into the frozen forms that had been claimed, and only then did her strength wane. She collapsed, a fragile yet radiant figure against the frost-covered peak.
Wu Xin shattered the ice around himself and rushed to her side, catching her gently before she touched the ground. In that fleeting moment, it was not the magic, the frost, or the battle that defined the scene—it was the human connection, the longing reflected in his eyes, the recognition of a soul both fierce and broken.
The mountain's peak, now bathed in the golden light of sunset, shimmered with an almost sacred brilliance. Every snowflake, every crystal of ice, every gust of wind seemed to bow to the presence of the girl who had wielded life and death so effortlessly. And Huo Feng, even in exhaustion, stood tall in spirit, her triumph quiet but absolute—a testament to the enduring power of will, courage, and the ties that bind hearts across even the cruelest of fates.