Chapter 4 — Phuong Hoa Van Thien

Mr. Bach's eyes narrowed: "Every time you lie, your phoenix ears are exposed." I frantically clutched my ear. “Phuong Kim Hoang.” – the first time he called me by my full name – “It's been three years, you still don't believe me?” My eyes fell on the hem of his shirt, where the swirling cloud pattern was embroidered. Suddenly, the Emperor's words appeared in his mind: "You are still young, you don't understand the cruel hearts of people." “I believe.” – I replied softly – “But… really take refuge…” “I know where you are.” – he interrupted – “Yesterday you came back and even came to the private house to secretly look at me.” My ears immediately burst into flames, standing straight up. The mother was curious, turned around Mr. Bach, carefully asked: "Is Mr. Bach right? What is your background? How is your cultivation? Is there an engagement yet?" “Nguyen!” – I wish I couldn't dig a hole to crawl into. But Mr. Bach still replied leisurely: "Father was originally a Tay Son practitioner. I am incompetent, I have just passed the Nguyen Anh period. As for the engagement contract..." He turned his head and looked straight at me: "I want to ask for my love." “Zhang——” the tea cup in my hand fell and broke into pieces. The mother's face became strange: "Are you sure? My daughter is..." - she suddenly stopped, then burst out laughing - "Forget it, it's a matter for young people, you decide for yourself." That night, mother sneaked into my room, clutching a necklace with a piece of golden unicorn in her hand. "Son, have you really thought it through? This Mr. Bach..." "He is very good to me!" – I grabbed the necklace – “Better… than some people!” Mother sighed softly: "Actually, the Emperor..." "Don't mention him again!" – I threw the necklace hard on the table – “One thousand eight hundred years, by the time he leaves customs, my bones will have turned to ashes!” Mother pursed her lips, wanting to say something again, but in the end she just reached out and stroked my hair, her eyes rarely serious. 16 On the big wedding day, I put on a robe embroidered with phoenix patterns and sat in front of the mirror to brush my hair. "So beautiful." – the mother stood behind, her eyes sparkling – “As expected, she is my daughter.” The person in the mirror was indeed different from before - his childish features had faded, and his eyes and eyebrows were a bit more mature. Only her eyes were still sparkling and clear like when she was a child. “Nguyen, I'm a little scared.” – I tightened the hem of my wedding dress. She put the golden unicorn necklace back on my neck: "Just take it with you." The bridal procession arrives. Mr. Bach is dressed in red. When he held my hand, I clearly felt his fingertips trembling slightly. “Are you worried?” – I asked softly. He shook his head, the corner of his lips smiled: "Just... a little excited?" The loud sound of drums and music brought the group to the ferry wharf - this was the custom of his hometown: the bride had to take a boat across the lake. But as soon as I stepped onto the deck, my eyes suddenly turned dark. When I opened my eyes, I was imprisoned in a dark glass palace, with deep blue on all sides. Nine dragon pillars were wrapped in chain and iron, locking my arms and legs tightly. Surrounded by a group of soldiers and crabs with fierce faces. And my “bridegroom”, has escaped his human form —— his whole body is covered with green phosphorus. “Third Crown Prince?!” – I lost my voice. Ngao Binh grinned, revealing sharp fangs: "Miss Phuong, no more." I struggled as hard as I could: "Where is Mr. Bach? What have you done to him?" “Mr. Bach?” - he burst out laughing - "Just a puppet transformed by my subordinates! All... just because of the above golden unicorn chain." your neck, and the Phoenix bloodline in this body!” With trembling fingers touching the scales on my chest, I finally understood. “Three years…” – my voice choked – “You lied to me for three years?” Ngao Binh laughed: "It's not really a lie... sometimes I can't even tell who I am anymore." A group of shrimp soldiers rushed forward, but were shot back by the golden light from the scales. Ao Bing slowly stepped back, the corner of his lips curled up: "The emperor left behind a ban, we can't break it at the moment. But…” – his eyes were dark – “it can wait. Wait for you to take it down yourself, or wait for it to expire on its own." I am locked in a transparent glass prison. Crouching in the cold corner of the wall, I took out a willow leaf - the thing he once gave me. For the past three years, I have kept it close to my heart, but now it has withered. "Waiting is the stupidest thing..." - I whispered to the leaf, tears filling my eyes - "Nang, this time... you were wrong." 17 I huddled in the corner, counting every ripple of light reflected on the glass wall, waiting for my mother to come to my rescue. “One thousand three hundred twenty-seven… one thousand three hundred twenty-eight…” The prison door suddenly opened. Ngao Binh walked in, followed by two general crabs. In his hand he held a transparent jade bowl, the edge of the bowl inlaid with strange red blood patterns. “Miss Phuong, let's eat.” – He smiled gently, like he was still the elegant gentleman who once taught books in private. I quickly backed away: "Go away!" “What's wrong with this?” – he slowly squatted down, placing the bowl on the ground – "The more you resist, the more it will hurt later." The crab general pressed my shoulder tightly, Ngao Binh took out a bone needle from his sleeve. “Do you know what this is?” – his voice was slow – “Needles made from Demon God bones, specialized in destroying body-protecting immortals.” When the needle pierced my chest, my eyes became dark. It felt like a hand was reaching into my chest, squeezing my heart. “Ah——!” Ngao Binh held up the jade bowl filled with the golden heart of a golden phoenix, his eyes filled with love: "So beautiful... the blood and heart of a phoenix, worthy of swallowing so many spiritual treasures." I collapsed on the cold ground. “What do you… what exactly do you want to do…” “Shh, don't say it.” – he touched my lips with a bloody finger – “Save your strength, you have to pick it up tomorrow.” On the third day, he brought another item — a bronze glass engraved with dragon patterns. “Do you know why your necklace hasn't expired yet?” – he held up the mirror to look at the piece of golden scale – “Because in it there is the original force of the Emperor. But..." The copper mirror suddenly emitted a dazzling blue light, and the golden scale made a trembling "crack" sound. {Read full on page Nguyet Hoa Cac} "Dong Hai treasure 'Breaking the World Mirror', specializes in overcoming all prohibitions." - he whispered close to my ear - "It can't be broken once, but every day it makes it a little weaker..." He suddenly squeezed my chin: "Once you have enough seventy-seven or forty-nine days of dedication, even if Diep Thien De personally comes, he won't be able to save you!" On the fourth day, I developed a severe fever. In his daze, he seemed to hear the sound of chaotic killing outside the prison door. “My child! Where is my child?!” It's the mother's voice! 18 I struggled to crawl to the prison door, and saw my body transformed into its original form - a giant phoenix, its entire body covered with bright red and yellow feathers, roaming the corridors of the Dragon Palace. Where the feather's tail swept past, the shrimp soldier and crab general fell theater into pieces. "Ngao Quang! Get out of here, old lady!" - She flapped her wings, sending away the old Prime Minister Turtle blocking the way - "If you dare touch my daughter, you will burn this tattered Dragon Palace to pieces!" Finally, Old Dragon King appeared, closely followed by Ngao Binh with a gloomy face. “Madam Phuong, where did these words come from?” – Old Dragon King stroked his long beard – “When have we ever seen love?” "Sophisticated!" – the lady opened her beak and spit out a stream of phoenix fire – “My child's aura is clearly down here!” Ngao Binh suddenly took action, a whirlwind of water flying straight towards his mother's face. She dodged in time, but from the darkness, a dark ice chain shot out, wrapping her wings tightly. "Blackguard!" – she roared, her whole body was on fire, phoenix flames billowed out, causing the sea to boil. I banged on the prison door until my hands bled: "Mom! Go away quickly! Don't worry about me!" But the sound doesn't go out. In the end, her meridians were locked by nine paths of profound iron, and her whole body was seriously injured. “Look carefully, little phoenix.” - Ngao Binh coldly threw himself into prison next to me - "This is the end of someone who meddles in things that should not be meddled in." At night, in the silence, I tightly held the thin hand she extended from the crack in the iron bars. "Idiot..." - her voice was weak as if she was about to melt - "Why didn't you call me sooner..." "Your communication spell... was blocked by them..." - I choked. My mother suddenly squeezed my hand: "Is the necklace still there?" I nodded, pressing the piece of golden unicorn into her palm. "Hark." – a look of determination flashed in her eyes – “Tomorrow when they come to take the blood, you must give it to the lady.” "Impossible!" – I retreated in panic – “This is the Emperor's…” “It's because it's his thing that it can save us!” – she coughed, blood gushing out – “My original phoenix body combined with the divine power of the dragon scale, can temporarily break the restriction…” I bit my lip and shook my head. "Daughter..." - she suddenly softened her voice, trembling - "In this life, I have never asked you for anything..." 19 On the fifth day, when Ngao Binh brought the Pha Giac Mirror again, I deliberately provoked: "Is that all the Third Crown Prince is? If you want to get a drop of blood, you must also rely on a magic weapon?" Sure enough, he was angry and strangled me: "What did you say?!" This is the moment! I took the opportunity to throw the dragon scale necklace into the next prison. “Not good!” - Ngao Binh's face changed dramatically - "Stop her!" But it's late. Her entire body exploded with golden red light, and the iron chain cracked and cracked into pieces. She transformed back into her original form, the blazing phoenix fire swept away the entire dungeon. “Girl, try to endure!” - her voice echoed in the sea of fire - "Go find that unscrupulous man and settle the matter!" I watched her leave, the corner of my lips suddenly curled up - it had been a long time since I heard those two words "disloyal". When she broke through the door of Nam Thien Mon, her whole body turned into a human flame. "Diep Thien De! Get out of here, old lady!" - While coughing up blood, she rushed towards Linh Tieu palace at the risk of her life - "You raised your little phoenix, now you are about to die!"