Ten days later, a new city rose on the old site of Iron Bone Stockade.
Its walls were built from the rubble of Star-Locking Hall, and its gate frame was adapted from a Mechanism Hub Old Ironhead had designed while he was alive. A flag hung atop the gate tower, bearing a drawing of a roly-poly phoenix. Beneath it, three large, crooked characters spelled out: Star Phoenix City.
White Snow had drawn it herself. She insisted it was "freehand impressionism." Ningyu studied it for a long while before tactfully saying, "At least you can tell it's a bird."
Three thousand rogue cultivators lived in the city: survivors of the Seven Wasteland Stockades, prisoners rescued from Star-Locking Hall, and low-ranking cultivators from Falling Star Harbor who had come after hearing of it. Star Phoenix City had no entry requirements and asked nothing of anyone's background. Anyone with hands and feet could come. A line of large characters was carved above the gate at White Snow's insistence: "Rogue cultivators are not ants." The writing was crooked, every stroke carrying her distinctive swagger.
White Snow was the city's Guardian.
It had happened like this. On the first day the city opened, a young rogue cultivator saw her descend from the sky in human form. He dropped to his knees with a thud, his voice shaking like grain in a sieve. "Greetings, Lady Star Phoenix!"
White Snow composed her expression, walked over, and patted his shoulder. "Just call me Grandpa White Snow."
Terrified, the young rogue cultivator knocked his forehead against the ground with a loud thump. "This lowly one wouldn't dare! Lady Star Phoenix, such an honor would be the death of me!"
White Snow grew frantic. "No, get up! Seriously, just call me Grandpa White Snow. I don't go in for all