chapter 11

The flames roared around Shen Lingzu like a blazing sea, forming a vibrant mix of red and yellow hues. They created a fiery barrier to protect her, but it wasn't enough. Xiao Hong, her spiritual beast and companion, was trembling with fury in her spiritual sea, struggling to break free—especially after those humans pointed their weapons at his master. He could no longer suppress his rage.

Shen Lingzu tried to calm him, but her efforts were in vain.

"Calm down, Xiao Hong! Don't come out! We can't let these people see you now!" She shouted internally within her spiritual sea. But the winged creature wasn't listening. How could he remain silent when his master was threatened with weapons? She could be harmed at any moment. Wasn't it his duty to protect her no matter what?

As Shen Lingzu desperately tried to restrain Xiao Hong, his energy surged suddenly. Flames flickered in his eyes within her spiritual sea. The only thought she felt from him was an obsessive determination to shield her from danger. Then, in a flash, he broke free—he burst out of her spiritual sea.

In an instant, Xiao Hong manifested in the real world with a dazzling radiance. His sharp golden-yellow eyes glowed with fierce intensity, while his enormous flaming wings emitted scorching golden sparks. The air around him rippled with pure spiritual energy. He was like a god incarnate.

Everyone froze in place, awestruck by the legendary creature before them.

"This... this is impossible!" stammered one of the sentinels.

Another whispered in disbelief, "What is that being? Is it..."

Someone else from the crowd muttered in awe, her voice trembling, "Is this really a spirit beast? I've never seen anything like it before."

The ordinary onlookers knew little of the phoenix legend. Such spiritual beasts were extraordinarily rare, even in historical records. Most had never seen one before, as these mythical creatures had disappeared centuries ago. Shen Lingzu was fortunate; if anyone had realized its true identity, her name would be on the lips of billions across the empire.

Marshal Ouyang Jian stood nearby, his brow furrowed deeply. Beads of cold sweat trickled down his forehead. The situation had completely spiraled out of control.

Seeing how dire things had become, he raised a hand and signaled to his four elite sentinels.

"Summon your spiritual beasts now! Contain that beast immediately!" He commanded firmly.

One by one, different animals emerged behind the sentinels in dramatic fashion. A massive bear roared with a sound that shook the ground. A colossal elephant stomped forward, the earth trembling beneath its feet. A muscular kangaroo crouched, ready to leap into action, and a cunning jackal bared its sharp fangs with predatory intent.

The spectacle of the summoned beasts was intense and dramatic. Without hesitation, they charged toward Shen Lingzu, intent on subduing the fiery phoenix under their masters' orders.

But before they could even cross two meters into the fiery barrier surrounding Shen Lingzu, Xiao Hong flicked his right wing effortlessly.

The movement unleashed a small yet devastating spiritual whirlwind—an almost miniature tornado that carried overwhelming force.

A cacophony of screams followed. The four spiritual beasts howled in pain before vanishing into thin air, their physical forms disintegrating into dust as they retreated back to their spiritual seas. Their summoners staggered, reeling from the spiritual backlash of Xiao Hong's single move.

A heavy silence fell over the battlefield. Everyone, including Marshal Ouyang Jian, was frozen in shock.

With just one casual movement, this spiritual beast had obliterated the four strongest spiritual beasts of Ouyang Jian's elite guards. These sentinels were the finest of their generation and served as the marshal's personal escort during formal missions. Yet now, they lay incapacitated after a single strike.

Hovering above Shen Lingzu, Xiao Hong spread his massive wings protectively around her. To others, his heat was infernal, but to Shen Lingzu, it was a warm and comforting embrace. For a brief moment, she felt safe.

But the reality of the situation quickly dawned on her. She had to stop Xiao Hong before he caused irreversible damage. She had seen what he did to the summoned beasts and their owners, and her heart nearly stopped. She didn't want to spend the rest of her life in prison, not after only being in this world for two weeks. She hadn't even had the chance to enjoy this second chance at life yet.

Taking a deep breath, she pressed her head and both hands against Xiao Hong's fiery wing, whispering gently yet firmly, "Xiao Hong, calm down. Please... calm down. Everything will be okay. No one will hurt me, and no one will hurt you either. We'll be fine. Please stop this. Don't use your power against these people. They aren't enemies."

Xiao Hong's rage subsided slightly, but when the word "enemies" left her lips, his energy surged violently again. An overwhelming spiritual force radiated from him, shocking Shen Lingzu to her core.

Then, she heard a calm but authoritative voice ahead of her. Though distant, it carried an undeniable weight of truth.

"It's not him. It's not your spiritual beast that needs calming. It's your emotions that are controlling him."

Shen Lingzu was stunned. She couldn't see the man approaching her because Xiao Hong's wings blocked her view, but his words reached her clearly.

Hesitantly, she looked up at Xiao Hong's face, meeting his golden eyes. Yet those beautiful eyes seemed unfocused, as though they weren't entirely conscious. Tears began streaming down her face.

"Is it true? Is it my fault...? Xiao Hong, answer me. Xiao Hong!"

Her voice cracked with desperation. Xiao Hong was her first and only companion in this world—the one being she could trust completely. She couldn't bear the thought of losing him.

"Xiao Hong!"

No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't hear anything from Xiao Hong except one thought repeating endlessly in his mind: Protect her.

It was all because of her—her overwhelming fear of reliving the horrors of her past life. Her intense emotions were driving Xiao Hong to the brink, and she was about to lose the most precious thing in her current life because of it.

"Face your fears. Don't run from them. It's okay to be afraid sometimes. Fear exists in all of us, but that doesn't mean we let it consume us. You have to overcome these negative emotions. Don't let them control you."

The voice echoed softly as Shen Lingzu clung to Xiao Hong's wing.

Nearby, the sound of steady footsteps reached her ears. As her emotions calmed, the flames surrounding her began to dim, eventually fading completely.

The words struck a chord within her. She couldn't let her past life dictate her present. Things were different now. The world was different; the people were different. She was no longer in that place where she had been used, betrayed, and killed.

As Shen Lingzu repeated these thoughts in her mind, trying to overcome her fear, a voice suddenly spoke above her head:

"Well done. Good work."

The voice was cold yet oddly gentle and strong. Then, a hand reached out toward her head—Shen Lingzhu lifted her gaze to look at the owner of the outstretched hand. It was none other than Marshal Ouyang, the very man she had bumped into earlier when entering the hospital.

A faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips. Just as Shen Lingzhu opened her mouth to say something to break the awkward silence, Xiao Hong, who had been silent until now, suddenly vanished. It seemed he had regained his consciousness, as he didn't attack Ouyang Jian when the man had approached moments earlier.

Fear briefly flickered through Shen Lingzhu's midnight-black eyes but quickly faded when Xiao Hong began communicating with her through their thoughts, assuring her he was fine. He explained that he had merely lost much of his strength. Hearing this, Shen Lingzhu finally exhaled in relief.

Her attention then returned to the hand still extended in front of her. A strange thought crossed her mind—that hand might always be there, reaching out for her in times of need. Startled by her own silly notion, her pale face flushed crimson.

Exhaustion washed over her as she recalled how much strength she had used earlier—not only to heal Aunt Hua Rou's husband but also to control her own unstable powers. She now looked frighteningly unwell.

Considering this man's willingness to step forward and help her without fear or disdain, Shen Lingzhu hesitated only briefly before extending her hand to grasp his. She allowed him to help her off the ground, where she had been sitting at some point earlier.

Marshal Ouyang carefully pulled her up. "You'll be fine now..."

He was about to reassure her further and ask for her name when he suddenly felt an unexpected weight against his chest. Shen Lingzhu had collapsed into his arms, unconscious.

Without hesitation, he scooped her up in a princess carry, his voice ringing out with authority as he barked orders to the medics and guards gathered around the injured. "Bring Bernard here immediately!"

Then, without wasting another moment, he strode quickly toward the nearest treatment room.

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 Writer Rinarina Laziha has something to say :

Oh, Aunt Hua Ru , when will

you come?

After your dear "Xiao Ai" wedding?

or maybe after she gives birth to her fifth child?

ʕ⁠ಠ⁠_⁠ಠ⁠ʔ

Hua Ru: am coming! am

coming....Ai Ai Wait, aunt

Is here to save you...

(⁠─⁠.⁠─⁠||) Huh? Where did

everyone go?

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