In the southern continent, Thornokk, far away from the kingdom of Therionis,
Morning mist drifted through the vast forest, weaving between the emerald slopes of towering mountains.
The mountain peaks touched the high sky.
A residence stood gracefully atop one of the mountains, a secluded haven built in the classical Chinese courtyard style.
Its dark tiled roofs curved elegantly, each ridge flowing like a wave frozen in time.
Wooden beams, painted in deep crimson and framed with black lacquer, formed the sturdy structure of the compound.
The house was not a single building but a series of halls and wings arranged around an open central courtyard, enclosed by walls yet open to the sky.
Inside the courtyard, a grand old tree grew at its heart, its broad canopy casting soft shadows across the stone pavement.
The branches reached out like a guardian's arms, their leaves whispering gently in the mountain breeze.
