Stepping out of the cave, Leng Chen found himself in the back mountain. The moment he laid eyes on the scene before him, he froze in place.
"This… this is the back mountain?" he whispered, his voice catching in his throat. His eyes widened as he took in the view, his breath quickening. He tried to calm his racing heart, but the sheer scale of what lay before him defied any sense of normalcy he had ever known.
Unlike the dark, narrow cave he had just passed through, this place seemed like an entirely different world. A gentle mist hung over the valley, softening the light and adding an ethereal quality to the scene. Towering trees lined the slopes, their trunks shimmering with rippling, water-like patterns of light. The leaves glowed faintly in the breeze, as if countless stars had fallen and taken refuge on the branches.
What truly left Leng Chen speechless was the peculiar sensation that the valley itself was alive. Not far from him, a massive boulder began to swell and contract, mimicking the rhythmic pulse of a giant heart. He even caught faint, muffled sounds—like a deep, steady heartbeat.
Taking an instinctive step back, Leng Chen muttered to himself, "This place… is it alive?"
In the center of the valley stood a colossal tree, dwarfing everything else around it. Its branches stretched impossibly high, disappearing into the misty sky. Among its branches were strange, flame-like fruits that glowed with an otherworldly light. Their hues mirrored the fiery orange of the phoenix's flames, but with a tinge of vibrant blue radiating from their cores.
Leng Chen pointed toward the tree, unable to hide his curiosity. "What are those fruits?"
The phoenix, calm as ever, replied, "Phoenix Fruits. I planted that tree long ago. It's the only one of its kind."
Hearing this, Leng Chen's eyes widened in amazement. "Something that rare… it must be incredibly precious!"
The phoenix's gaze softened, and it spoke with a faint sigh, "I planted it for a friend who needed its healing power. But…" It paused briefly, the meaning hanging heavy in the air, "He was gone before the fruits ripened."
Leng Chen hesitated, sensing the weight behind those words. "I'm sorry," he said, his voice subdued.
The phoenix shook its head slightly and said, "It's fine. Let's go. We're almost there."
As they approached the great tree, a low, resonant hum echoed from deep within the valley. It was subtle, yet carried an unsettling weight, like the breathing of some immense, slumbering creature. Leng Chen's steps faltered.
"What… what was that?" he asked nervously.
The phoenix glanced toward the distant sound. "Don't worry. It can't leave its prison. And even if it could, it wouldn't dare face me."
Leng Chen swallowed hard, his unease only partially alleviated. "What exactly is 'it'?"
The phoenix's tone remained steady. "A magic dragon," it said simply.
Leng Chen froze mid-step. "A… a magic dragon? Are you serious? That sounds incredibly dangerous!"
The phoenix didn't respond immediately, continuing forward as if the matter were inconsequential. Finally, it said, "Dangerous, yes. But not for me."
Before Leng Chen could press further, they arrived beneath the massive tree. Looking up, he marveled at its sheer size.
"This tree is enormous…" he muttered. "I can't even see the top. But at least there are fruits down here, so we don't have to climb, right?"
The phoenix gave him a sidelong glance. "The fruits down here aren't ripe. Only those at the top are usable."
Leng Chen groaned. "You're joking, right? There's no way I'm climbing this thing! That's… impossible."
The phoenix ignored his protests. With a casual flick of its wing, a fruit detached from the highest branches and began to fall, gliding gracefully through the air before landing gently in Leng Chen's hands.
The fruit was larger than the ones below, nearly the size of a coconut. Its surface glowed faintly, a gradient of color radiating outward: deep blue at the core, blending into a fiery orange along its edges. Leng Chen held it up, examining it in awe.
"So… do I just eat it? No special preparation?" he asked.
The phoenix nodded. "Just eat it."
Without hesitation, Leng Chen took a large bite. For a brief moment, the fruit's sweetness burst across his tongue, but it was immediately followed by an intense heat that spread like wildfire. His eyes widened as he stumbled back.
"Ah! It's so spicy!" he yelled, his voice muffled by the fruit in his mouth.
The phoenix, standing nearby, tilted its head slightly. A subtle smirk appeared on its otherwise composed face, which quickly turned into a quiet chuckle.
Leng Chen glared at it. "You knew it was spicy, didn't you?"
The phoenix's chuckle deepened, and it finally said, "I may have… forgotten to mention that part."
"Forgot?! This is more than just spicy—it's like swallowing fire!" Leng Chen exclaimed, fanning his mouth with his hands.
The phoenix's laughter echoed through the valley, its usually serene demeanor momentarily replaced by unrestrained amusement.