Zetian

Zetian is the Empress of Shendu, Divine Capital of the Cadia Riverlands, as well as the "Tomb Keeper" who erected the unmarked monument in memory of the Ancient Ones. Millennia ago, she used the last of her phoenix spirit's power to create Shendu, a sanctuary for the mortals of the Cadia Riverlands. Exhausted by this feat, she fell into a deep slumber. A thousand years passed before she was reincarnated at the Lake of Reflection, and returned to the Divine Capital as a mortal to once again ascend to divinity. Over millennia of introspection, her resolve remained unshaken; the phoenix found its eternal roost in the Divine Capital. Now, she ascends the throne as Empress once more to usher in an era of unprecedented peace and prosperity for a realm in bloom. Spring has graced the Divine Capital, painting it with a riot of blossoms. At the foot of the Phoenix Terrace, a sea of people has gathered, bringing countless eager eyes upon its summit. Atop the terrace, the empress, resplendent in her phoenix robe, ascended the steps with regal grace. Though it was not a long path, Zetian has tread it for countless seasons. Ancient chronicles recount that untold millennia ago, the Ancient Ones sacrificed themselves to stop the descent of the Twin Gods. The original Oriental Fighters of the Cadia Riverlands chose the same path, passing down their power to protect the lands and rivers. Among the remnants of the Ancient Ones was a woman who made a wager with the White Dragon. She bet that even without the gift of divine cultivation, the mortals of the Cadia Riverlands could thrive in peace for a thousand years under her ward. This woman, drawing upon the Ancient Ones' art of manipulating Yin and Yang, harnessed the phoenix spirit of her lineage to establish a mortal city—Shendu. She became its first sovereign. Soon after, the War of the Twin Dragons erupted in the Cadia Riverlands. The woman vanished amidst the chaos, but left behind her phoenix spirit, which has protected the Divine Capital to this day. Millennia passed, and while various noble families and ministers ruled the capital in succession, none could inherit the power left by its founder. Legend whispered that whoever obtained the phoenix spirit would inherit its imperial legacy. Zetian had this telling of history etched in her heart since childhood. Over two decades ago, she was but a wandering orphan with no memory of where she came from. Her earliest memory was encountering a man surnamed Wu by the Lake of Reflection, who then took her under his wing. Wu, a humble merchant, traversed the Cadia Riverlands with Zetian, teaching her to read and write, and instilling in her compassion for all things under the heavens. Blessed with a keen intellect, she witnessed the suffering of the people and realized that the power of the phoenix spirit protecting Shendu was nearly exhausted. She thought about the legend of the Divine Capital's creation, but regarded it more as a fable than fact. If destiny does not