[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-phoenix-returns-to-rule-the-world":3,"chapter-the-phoenix-returns-to-rule-the-world-the-phoenix-returns-to-rule-the-world-chapter-6":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","The Phoenix Returns to Rule the World",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2353130,4602,"Chapter 6: Crisis","the-phoenix-returns-to-rule-the-world-chapter-6",6,"\u003Cp>The village night was pitch black, so dark one could not see their own hand. Stars in the night sky flickered faintly, appearing and disappearing. Jun Zijin lay on the dilapidated bed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, she woke from her dream with a start; a rustling sound came from outside the door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Go take a look.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jun Zijin instructed Xiao He, who was lying by the bedside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao He fumbled her way to the door, only to discover that it had been locked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just then, a great fire suddenly ignited outside the door. The flames illuminated the night sky, and thick smoke billowed toward the room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jun Zijin’s heart turned icy cold; since Liu Ma hadn't managed to drown her, she was now trying to burn her to death.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fire grew larger and larger; outside the door, tongues of flame devoured everything like a wild beast, the crackling sound of burning wood interweaving with the roar of the blaze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no time for her to overthink; she saw at a glance that the fire was smaller near the window.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She didn't care about much else, reaching out to clutch the broken clay pot on the windowsill to her chest—that was the Red Arrow she had dug up from the back mountain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She grabbed a stool and smashed it toward the window; the window was already old and rickety, and this strike actually managed to break it open.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A wave of heat rushed toward her, and the firelight illuminated her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her face was taut, and a flash of resolve crossed her eyes. This might be their last chance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jun Zijin gripped Xiao He’s hand tightly, her voice calm:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Xiao He, stay close to me!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They jumped out without the slightest hesitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In her previous life, her father was a captain in a special military physical training unit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Influenced by her father since childhood, Jun Zijin had learned taekwondo, archery, and horsemanship from the age of seven.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although she followed her ideals and went into medicine, and did not have profound attainments in martial arts, she had not neglected them over the past twenty-some years in order to keep fit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This body was very weak, but using a bit of leverage to jump out a window was still no problem.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moon in the night sky was obscured by thick smoke, leaving only the stars, which appeared exceptionally dim against the backdrop of the fire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The firelight lit up the night sky, and the moment they jumped out of the window, the heat wave almost swallowed them whole.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They ignored the intense burning pain on their skin and sprinted forward, aided by the cover of night.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jun Zijin felt as if her lungs were about to explode after running for only a short while, but she could not stop.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Ma would certainly not let them go; if they were caught, she feared she would be unable to protect herself, let alone Xiao He, who could not defend herself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not until the firelight was far behind and no one was chasing them did they stop.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once the tension left her, she felt completely drained; Jun Zijin pursed her lips—this body was still too weak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fire in the distance burned for a full half-night before gradually extinguishing. The night was hazy, and even the air was scorching.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the firelight faded, the trees outside the manor appeared vaguely in the darkness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jun Zijin and Xiao He crouched in a patch of grass, staring intently at the activity at the manor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao He had been somewhat frightened, but she calmed down quickly; a flash of appreciation crossed Jun Zijin’s eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, Xiao He asked:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Young Lady, the fire was so big and burned for so long; if we hadn't escaped, I fear there wouldn't even be ashes left. Liu Ma is truly ruthless.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jun Zijin chuckled softly and comforted her:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Don't be afraid, aren't we perfectly fine?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao He grew a bit anxious:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Young Lady, what time do you think it is? I can't believe you can still laugh.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jun Zijin lay down on the ground:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Rest assured, I will not let a single one of those who harmed me go.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the distance, the house had been burned to a mess; as soon as dawn broke, Liu Ma brought people to search the ruins for something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After searching for a long time, the ruins had been turned upside down, but they seemed to have found nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A Retainer said in a low voice:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I don't know how such a big fire started last night; I fear nothing was left behind.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Ma felt slightly relieved, though she said:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Perhaps the wind blew over a candle.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao He looked at Jun Zijin’s exhausted face and couldn't help but ask:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Young Lady, Liu Ma will definitely not let us go. Where are we going now?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jun Zijin looked toward the direction of Jingcheng, a cryptic smile curling the corners of her lips:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We are returning to Jingcheng, returning to the Jun Residence.\"\u003C\u002Fp>",839,"2026-06-21T03:35:39.629Z",1,"Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite","4c5f0936b913fda1bfa61450e4b817b50e65b165ed1132095ac13a23b85e8cea","the-phoenix-returns-to-rule-the-world-chapter-7","the-phoenix-returns-to-rule-the-world-chapter-5",224,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-phoenix-returns-to-rule-the-world-cover.jpg"]