Beneath the throne room, hidden within a secret passage, the heavy doors slowly creaked open before XiuYing Fenghuang. Her dull eyes, partially obscured by strands of unkempt hair, reflected a glimmering energy ahead.
A faint, humanoid figure of light stood at the center of the chamber, its presence flickering like scattered embers. Her frail body barely sustained itself, thin bony fingers resting against the parting doors as she took slow, deliberate steps toward the radiant figure.
"Things have already become too entangled," she thought, her gaze darkening. The entire continent had become a battleground for civil war, while outsiders infiltrated her lands without permission. And here she was—depleted, vulnerable.
With every step, her mind raced, prioritizing what needed to be dealt with first. The approaching vampires were the immediate threat. After that, stabilizing the situation and uncovering the true cause behind the war would follow.
