A FIRE BETWEEN TWO WORLDS

Fog shrouds Chang'an as dawn breaks. It was no ordinary fog, but a golden mist that made the city's buildings look like they were floating between the real world and the realm of dreams. Zhao Ming stood on the roof of the "Quiet Moon" inn, gazing at the strange phenomenon with inexplicable unease.

"Golden mist in summer," he muttered. "This is not a natural thing."

The jade necklace around his neck sparkled brighter than usual, as if resonating with the fog enveloping the city. Zhao Ming grasped it, feeling the warmth flowing from the stone throughout his body. Over the past week since his arrival in Chang'an, he had tried repeatedly to use his fire power, but the results were inconsistent. Sometimes he could produce a flame the size of a finger, other times nothing happened but heat in his palms.

"You're up early," Lang Fei's voice sounded from behind him. The former robber leader walked over with leisurely steps, carrying two cups of hot tea.

"This mist," Zhao Ming accepted the proffered tea. "It feels... not of this world."

Lang Fei sipped his tea calmly. "If you keep talking like that, people will think you're crazy." He stared into the distance. "But you're right. In all my years of exploring deserts and forests, I've never seen fog like this. Except..."

"Except what?"

"On the Kunlun mountain," Lang Fei lowered his cup. "A place said to be the entrance to the gods' world. I once got lost there while fleeing from the imperial army. Fog like this shrouds its highest peak."

Lang Fei's words made Zhao Ming's heart beat faster. Shards of memory flashed through his mind: a luxurious palace above the clouds, magnificent doors made of gold and jade, and a sword glowing red in his grasp.

"We need to move quickly," Lang Fei said, breaking Zhao Ming's reverie. "I've arranged a meeting with someone who can take us to the palace library."

"Who?"

Lang Fei smiled mysteriously. "An... old friend. He used to be the best spy in Chang'an, before retiring and opening a teahouse. If anyone knows about the legend of the Nine Flame Mirror, it's Master Fu."

In a small teahouse on Vermilion Street a few li away from the palace, an old man with a long beard played the qin nimbly. His wrinkled fingers moved over the strings with a grace that could only be achieved after decades of practice. Some patrons sat listening solemnly, while others whispered conversations over high-quality green tea.

Lang Fei and Zhao Ming sat in the farthest corner, waiting patiently for Master Fu to finish playing. As the last note struck, the patrons applauded respectfully. Master Fu bowed slightly, then his sharp eyes caught Lang Fei's presence. Wordlessly, he passed his qin to a disciple and approached their table.

"Lang Fei," Master Fu greeted, his voice as calm as lake water. "I thought you were dead."

"The news of my death was a bit exaggerated," Lang Fei replied with a faint smile.

"And you brought a guest," Teacher Fu turned his gaze on Zhao Ming, scrutinizing him from toe to head with a calculating gaze. "Someone who isn't from here."

Zhao Ming gasped. "How can you tell?"

"Your eyes," Master Fu replied shortly. "The eyes of someone who sees this world as a foreign place." He sat down to join them, pouring the tea with a measured and elegant gesture. "So, what brings the former robber leader and his... mysterious friend to me?"

Lang Fei leaned forward. "We're looking for information on the Nine Flame Mirror."

Master Fu, who was lifting his teacup, paused for a moment. His eyes narrowed. "The mirror is just a myth."

"But you know about it," Lang Fei urged. "And we need to know everything you know."

"For what?" asked Master Fu, now staring at Zhao Ming with an intensity that made Zhao Ming feel as if his soul was being stripped bare.

"To..." Zhao Ming hesitated. He himself wasn't sure why he needed to find the mirror. There was only a strong urge within him, a belief that the fate of the world-or perhaps two worlds-depended on this quest. "To restore balance."

The answer seemed to surprise Master Fu. He set down his cup carefully. "Balance," he repeated. "Interesting words from someone who doesn't even remember who he is."

Now it was Zhao Ming's turn to be surprised. "How-"

"Lang Fei isn't the only one with connections in this city," Master Fu cut in. "News of a mysterious man who fell from the sky and has control over fire has spread in certain circles."

"You're endangering us by coming here," Lang Fei growled at Zhao Ming.

"On the contrary," Master Fu said calmly. "I'm the one who summoned you."

"What?"

Master Fu took out a small scroll from inside the sleeve of his robe. "Three days ago, when the Fire Star shifted to its anomalous position, a young lady from the palace came to my door. She gave me this, with a message to give it to the 'one who fell from the sky'."

Zhao Ming received the scroll with trembling hands. The red seal showed an emblem he didn't recognize: a phoenix intertwined with a dragon.

"Who is that woman?" asked Lang Fei suspiciously.

"Xiao Ying," replied Master Fu. "The palace astronomer. A young woman with an extraordinary talent for reading the stars."

Zhao Ming broke the seal of the scroll. Inside, there was a detailed map of the palace, with a red cross on a small building in the northern compound. Underneath it was written in beautiful calligraphy: "Meet me at the Pavilion of the Night Wind. I know who you really are."

"This could be a trap," Lang Fei said after taking a read.

"Or the answer I'm looking for," Zhao Ming replied.

Teacher Fu sipped his tea calmly. "Xiao Ying isn't just anybody. She's the granddaughter of Master Li Bai, the previous court astronomer and friend of the late Emperor. His position in the palace is irreplaceable due to his unrivaled star reading ability."

"And how did he know about my arrival?" asked Zhao Ming.

"The stars spoke to him," replied Master Fu simply. "Like fire speaks to you."

There was silence for a moment. The three men sat in silence, each lost in their own thoughts.

"I'll go see her," said Zhao Ming finally. "Alone."

"You don't know the palace," Lang Fei protested. "You could get lost or get caught by the guards."

"Then you should help me get in," Zhao Ming retorted. "Didn't you say you had connections?"

Lang Fei snorted. "My connections are for the library, not for smuggling you into the palace astronomer's private pavilion."

"Incidentally," said Teacher Fu, who had been listening to this exchange with a faint smile, "I have a way."

Xiao Ying could not concentrate on the astronomical maps before her. Her hands trembled with each stroke of the brush to record the movements of the previous night's stars. The Fire Star was now shining brighter than usual, almost comparable to the North Star-a phenomenon that had never occurred in the astronomical records of the Tang Dynasty.

"Miss Xiao Ying," a young servant bowed at the entrance to the observatory tower. "His Highness the Crown Prince summons you to the East Pavilion."

Xiao Ying sighed softly. Meeting Prince Li Chen had always made her wary. There was something in the prince's gaze that made her feel like a lab rat under the watchful eye of a wild cat.

"I will come over soon," she replied. After the servant left, she hurriedly wrote a small message and tucked it into the sleeve of her robe. If the man she saw in her vision was really coming tonight, she had to make sure there was proof of what she knew.

The East Pavilion was the Crown Prince's private quarters, surrounded by beautiful flower gardens and lotus ponds. Even so, Xiao Ying always felt a sense of discomfort whenever she entered the place. The air there felt heavier, as if restrained by an unnatural force.

"Enter," Prince Li Chen's deep voice answered Xiao Ying's knock.

The Crown Prince sat behind a black wooden table carved with dragon motifs. Before him lay a star map identical to the one Xiao Ying had observed in his observatory tower.

"Miss Xiao Ying," Li Chen greeted with a smile that did not reach his eyes. "Thank you for coming so quickly."

"At the service of Your Majesty," Xiao Ying bowed deeply.

"As you can see, I've been interested in the movement of stars lately," Li Chen pointed at the map. "Especially the Fire Star that shifted to an anomalous position. What do you think, Miss Xiao?"

Xiao Ying swallowed. Her instincts told her not to be completely honest. "Such a shift is rare, Your Majesty. According to ancient records, it could signify a major change in dynasty or... the arrival of an important person."

"Important person," Li Chen repeated, his fingers tapping the table in a slow rhythm. "Or perhaps, not a person at all."

Xiao Ying's heart skipped a beat. "I do not understand what Your Majesty means."

Li Chen stood up, walking around the table to approach Xiao Ying. The prince was tall and handsome, with sharp facial features and deep eyes. Yet there was something disturbing about his beauty-like an alluring poisonous flower.

"Your grandmother, the honorable Li Bai," Li Chen said, "once told me about beings who came from another world. Beings called gods."

"Those are just fairy tales for children, Your Highness," Xiao Ying replied quickly, perhaps too quickly.

"Really?" Li Chen was now standing so close that Xiao Ying could smell the strange fragrance emanating from him-like withered flowers mixed with morning dew. "Then why are you writing a message to someone you believe 'fell from the sky'?"

Xiao Ying's blood seemed to freeze. "I didn't-"

"Don't lie to me, Miss Xiao," Li Chen's voice changed, deeper, older than his years. "I have eyes and ears all over Chang'an. That wise Master Fu is working for me, though he does not realize it."

Xiao Ying took a step back, but her back immediately met the wall. "What does Your Highness want from me?"

Li Chen smiled, and for a moment, Xiao Ying saw a glint of gold in his eyes. "A favor. When that fire god comes to see you tonight, you will bring him to me."

"And if I refuse?"

The prince raised his hand, and a black feather appeared between his fingers, sparkling with an unnatural light. "Then my dear sister, Princess Yue Hua, will find a long dreamless sleep."

Xiao Ying felt a gripping fear. Yet beneath that fear, there was something else-rage, which somehow felt like a strong wind blowing inside her chest.

"I understand," she replied, lowering her head to hide her flashing eyes.

"Good," Li Chen returned to his desk. "You may leave. Oh, and Miss Xiao-" he paused, looking directly into Xiao Ying's eyes, "-the image of Mei Lian in you is very attractive. I wonder if she also feels your presence in the immortal world there."

Night crept in slowly in Chang'an. Zhao Ming, dressed in the palace maid outfit Master Fu had gotten, followed the map Xiao Ying had given him carefully. He parted ways with Lang Fei at the south gate of the palace, where the former robber leader had acquaintances among the guards.

"If you're not back by dawn," Lang Fei ordered, "I'll consider you captured or worse. And I won't come to rescue you."

Zhao Ming knew that was a lie. In the past week, he had gotten to know another side of Lang Fei that was hidden behind his gruff demeanor-an almost fanatical loyalty to those he considered friends.

The Tang Dynasty imperial palace was a maze of grand buildings, pavilions, gardens, and hidden corridors. The design was deliberately confusing to deter intruders or protect residents from attack. Thanks to Xiao Ying's detailed map, Zhao Ming managed to avoid the main guard post and found his way to the Wind Pavilion on the north side.

The pavilion stood alone in the middle of a small lake, connected to the mainland by an elegant arched bridge. The design was simple yet graceful, with a stacked roof that curved like the wings of a phoenix. The full moon reflected its light on the surface of the lake, creating an illusion as if the pavilion was floating on a sea of light.

Zhao Ming stopped at the end of the bridge, feeling a sudden sense of doubt. Who exactly was this woman called Xiao Ying? How did she know about his arrival? And why did the jade necklace around her neck feel increasingly warm as she approached the pavilion?

"You came."

The soft voice startled Zhao Ming. A young woman stood in the center of the bridge, as if appearing out of thin air. She wore a dark blue astronomer's robe studded with silver star symbols. Her long black hair was down, glistening in the moonlight.

And his face...

Zhao Ming felt the world spin around him. That face-the beautiful jade eyes, the gently curved lips, and the strong yet loving expression-he knew her. No, more than recognized.

"Mei Lian?" the name slipped from his lips without him realizing it.

The woman gasped, her eyes widening. "So it's true," she whispered. "You do know her."

"Know her?" confusion washed over Zhao Ming. "Didn't you..."

"No," the woman shook her head softly. "My name is Xiao Ying, the palace astronomer. And you are Zhao Ming, the god of fire who fell from the Eternal Sky."

The names and places triggered a wave of memories. Zhao Ming gripped his throbbing head in pain. Flashes of images flashed: a palace in the sky, a fierce battle, Mei Lian's face screaming his name, and a mirror reflecting nine different colored flames.

"How did you know?" asked Zhao Ming, his voice trembling.

"The stars spoke to me," Xiao Ying replied, stepping closer. "And dreams... dreams that aren't mine. For the past month, I've dreamt of being a woman named Mei Lian, a wind goddess who loves the god of fire."

"Why do you look like her?"

"I don't know." Xiao Ying shook her head, tears beginning to well up in her eyes. "Maybe it's fate, maybe it's coincidence. Or maybe..." she hesitated, "...maybe I'm his soul vessel in this world."

Instinctively, Zhao Ming reached out, touching Xiao Ying's cheek gently. The touch sent a wave of warmth flowing between them, like two streams of energy meeting after a long separation.

"You're looking for the Nine Flame Mirror," Xiao Ying said, without removing her gaze from Zhao Ming's eyes.

"Yes, to save the Heaven Immortal."

"The mirror is kept in this palace," Xiao Ying lowered her voice to almost a whisper. "But that's not what I want to talk about. You're in great danger."

"From what?"

"From whom," Xiao Ying corrected. "Crown Prince Li Chen. She-"

Her words were cut off by the sudden sound of flapping wings. A large black bird hovered above them, its eyes flashing golden in the darkness.

"Scout eagle," Xiao Ying hissed, pulling Zhao Ming into the pavilion. "We're not safe here."

Inside the pavilion, astronomical instruments were neatly lined up: primitive telescopes, astrolabes, and various scrolls of celestial maps. In the center of the room, a three-dimensional model of the solar system made of bronze and gold rotates slowly, driven by an intricate water mechanism.

"We don't have much time," Xiao Ying said hurriedly. "The prince knows you're here. He ordered me to hand you over to him, but I can't do it."

"Why? Who exactly is Prince Li Chen?"

"He's not human," Xiao Ying replied, her eyes implying deep fear. "At least, not anymore. I suspected him a long time ago, but was only convinced today when he called me. There was something... other in her. Like a robe worn by an entirely different person."

Zhao Ming frowned. "Like... possessed?"

"More than that. Like she's the incarnation of something much more powerful, much older." Xiao Ying retrieved a small scroll from among her astronomical instruments. "This is the sky record from the night when Prince Li Chen returned from the fall hunt last year. Look at this star pattern."

Zhao Ming scanned the sky map. Although most of the symbols he didn't understand, there was a clear pattern-a gap in the star formation, like a gaping black hole in the night sky.

"Dimensional rift," Zhao Ming whispered, the words emerging from his buried memories. "The entrance to another world."

"Exactly. And based on ancient prophecies, a rift like this can only be opened by a being with extraordinary power. A god." Xiao Ying took a deep breath. "I believe Prince Li Chen has been taken over by one of your enemies from the Immortal Sky."

"Ying Feng," the name slid from Zhao Ming's lips, bringing waves of painful memories. "The leader of the winged clan that rebelled. He... he caused the destruction in the Immortal Sky."

"And now he's after you," Xiao Ying concluded. "When I realized who you really were from the movement of the stars, I'm sure he realized it too. That's why he ordered me to ensnare you."

"But you didn't. Why?"

Xiao Ying paused, as if searching for the right words. "Because of those dreams," she finally replied. "In the dreams, I felt what Mei Lian felt. Her love and trust for you... so real, so strong. I couldn't betray those feelings, even if they weren't mine."

Zhao Ming's heart beat faster. He saw Xiao Ying in the dim light of the pavilion-so similar to Mei Lian, yet clearly different. There was a unique gentleness to her, a different strength, and a courage that the wind goddess might not possess.

"We should get out of here," Zhao Ming said. "If what you say is true, we're both in danger."

"It's not that easy." Xiao Ying shook her head. "I can't just leave the palace. There's Princess Yue Hua-her life is at risk if I don't obey the Prince. And..." she hesitated for a moment, "...the Nine Flame Mirror. We need to find it before we leave."

"Where is that mirror?"

"In the Emperor's Secret Pavilion, where the most precious artifacts are kept. Even I don't have access to it. Only the Emperor, the Crown Prince, and some of the highest officials can enter."

Zhao Ming frowned, thinking hard. "So we need a plan to get that mirror and escape Princess Yue Hua at the same time."

"Yes, but-"

Xiao Ying's words were cut off by the sound of approaching footsteps. The two froze, exchanging alarmed glances.

"Hide," Xiao Ying whispered, pointing to a dark corner behind a tall drawer storing maps.

Zhao Ming had just stepped into his hiding place when the pavilion door opened. A lavishly dressed young girl stepped in hastily, her face pale with fear.

"Princess Yue Hua," Xiao Ying bowed in surprise.

"Xiao Ying," the girl, who turned out to be the Crown Prince's younger sister, whispered in a trembling voice. "You must leave here. Right now."

"What happened, Your Highness?"

"My brother," Yue Hua shook her head, tears beginning to run down her cheeks. "He's not my brother anymore. I saw him... change."

"Changed how?"

"Wings," Yue Hua whispered, her eyes wide with terror. "The big black wings on his back. And his eyes... his eyes became golden, like an eagle's. He spoke in a voice that wasn't his, to someone I didn't see."

Xiao Ying stared at Zhao Ming who was still hiding, sending wordless confirmation that their conjecture was correct.

"Your Highness," Xiao Ying said carefully. "There's someone you need to meet."

"Who?" asked Yue Hua.

Zhao Ming stepped out from hiding, making the Princess flinch back. But her shock turned into a strange expression-like recognition and confusion at the same time.

"You..." whispered Yue Hua. "You're the man in my dream. The man with the fire sword."

"My name is Zhao Ming," he bowed respectfully. "And you're right, Your Highness. Your brother is no longer himself. He's been taken over by a being named Ying Feng, the rebel leader of my world."

"Your world?" repeated Yue Hua in confusion.

"Heaven Immortal," Zhao Ming replied. "I'm a fire god sent to the mortal world to find an artifact that could save my world-the Mirror of the Nine Flames."

Instead of disbelief, Yue Hua nodded slowly. "I believe you," she said surprisingly. "Because in my dreams, I am not myself. I was someone named Mei Lian, a wind goddess who loved you."

Both Zhao Ming and Xiao Ying were surprised to hear that confession.

"Mei Lian?" repeated Zhao Ming. "But... how is that possible? Xiao Ying also dreams of being Mei Lian."

The three people exchanged confused glances. The awkward silence was broken by the sound of a horn from the distance-a sign of danger.

"They're looking for me," Yue Hua said frantically. "My brother knows I escaped from my pavilion."