Azula and Kahn led their troops on the return march, and the journey took an unusually long ti because Lidon and the others, still covered in injuries, had to follow on foot, severely slowing the army's pace.
Azula carried out her plan with ticulous care.
Every colony and every city they passed through beca a stage for another brutal display of punishnt, stirring up trendous commotion wherever they went.
So people were indifferent.
So applauded.
So were furious.
Regardless, compared to their sluggish pace on the road, news of their actions spread through the Fire Nation at astonishing speed, eventually reaching Ozai in the Royal Palace.
After each 'performance' ended, Azula would provide them with the best treatnt available and basic food, ensuring that their lives were never in danger.
No one saw this as rcy, because everyone knew it was rely preparation for the next round of tornt.
At first, Lidon and the others still had the strength to curse loudly, constantly denouncing Kahn's betrayal.
But later, their bodies gradually weakened, and their voices turned hoarse from prolonged screaming, causing them to slowly fall silent.
They staggered and dragged themselves along the road like soulless walking corpses, a sight enough to send chills down any ordinary person's spine.
During this ti, even the Royal Guards beca noticeably cautious, afraid that if they accidentally provoked Azula, they too might suffer such rciless punishnt.
And when they learned that Kahn had also been part of these plans, they imdiately began keeping their distance from him, while at the sa ti feeling a sudden sense of understanding.
They had once wondered why Azula and Kahn got along so well.
Now it seed the two of them were exactly alike.
Birds of a feather.
Neither was soone to provoke.
However, what the Royal Guards did not know was that Lidon, who outwardly appeared numb and broken, would secretly show Kahn the faintest trace of a smile.
And the brightness that still lingered in his eyes, despite his wretched appearance, told Kahn clearly that he still rembered their plan.
Yet it was precisely that smile that caused Kahn's spiritual training to stall for the first ti since his transmigration.
From the day they began the return march, no matter how he ditated, his Spiritbending showed no further progress at all.
As for the reason, he understood it perfectly in his heart.
After personally witnessing the power of these tortures, he had subconsciously believed that so of them might not be able to endure.
But the result had gone beyond his expectations.
The terrible outco he had anticipated never appeared.
Perhaps it was Lidon and the others' desperate will to survive.
Or perhaps it was the bright future Kahn had described that made them grit their teeth and endure.
But regardless of the reason, they had indeed given Kahn their utmost trust, even entrusting their lives entirely to him.
And for the first ti, bearing the weight of so many lives while ultimately being able to rely only on a gamble filled him with imnse pressure, leaving his mind unable to settle.
Azula saw all of this.
She could not change the current situation, but in order to help Kahn loosen up, she ca up with several excellent ideas.
For example—
"Wolf, co to think of it, you still haven't received those fifty military lashes, have you?"
Azula's sudden words made Wolf's expression freeze, and he answered hesitantly:
"Yes."
He had thought that after joining Azula's command, this matter would have disappeared like smoke.
But what did it an to suddenly bring it up again now?
Settling old accounts?
Had he done sothing recently to offend her?
But he hadn't done anything at all recently!?
Wolf felt both aggrieved and bewildered, but Azula turned to Kahn and said:
"Hey, Kahn, do you want to carry out the military punishnt?"
"Just don't beat him to death."
Wolf: "???"
Even Kahn's face darkened when he heard this.
What kind of devil are you!?
He refused at once:
"Forget it."
"I don't have that kind of hobby."
"Thanks anyway."
Azula rely shrugged.
"Alright."
"Suit yourself."
Although Azula's words had nearly scared Wolf out of his wits, hearing Kahn refuse still made him breathe a quiet sigh of relief, and when he looked at Kahn, there was even a trace of gratitude in his eyes.
However, Azula ruthlessly shattered that illusion as she said:
"Then go receive your punishnt yourself."
"And don't try any tricks."
"...Yes."
Wolf answered with a bitter smile, resigning himself to his rotten luck.
After all, this had been the punishnt he originally deserved, so he did not have many complaints.
Soon after, the group gained one more limping companion, which unexpectedly added a rare touch of lightness and amusent to the otherwise steady, dull, and slightly oppressive atmosphere.
Ti continued to pass.
And after a long journey back, they finally returned to the Royal Capital.
This ti, they had also brought with them a large group of rebel soldiers who looked like walking corpses.
Looking at the familiar towering city walls before him, Kahn drew in a deep breath and exchanged a glance with Azula.
Both of them understood what the other was thinking.
This was the final stage.
As soon as they entered the city, they imdiately received notice that Ozai had ordered them to present themselves.
The citizens within the capital also learned of their return and poured out in droves to watch.
Very quickly, both sides of the streets beca packed and noisy, broken from ti to ti by sharp gasps, because the appearance of Lidon and the others truly shocked many people.
It seed the two of them had beco thoroughly famous.
And fa often ant trouble.
After passing through the streets and entering the Royal Palace, the first person Ozai summoned was not the two of them, but Wolf, the captain of the accompanying Royal Guards.
Seeing Wolf limping, Ozai showed a trace of surprise, but after learning the reason, he paid it no further attention and imdiately went to the heart of the matter, ordering Wolf to recount every detail of this mission.
Wolf truthfully narrated everything.
He did not deliberately praise Azula's actions or embellish anything simply because he had joined her command.
First, doing so might expose him.
Second, there was no need.
Even a straightforward retelling of Azula's conduct was already shocking enough.
There was no need to gild the fla.
"Good."
"Very good indeed."
"But why did you dare to alter my orders without permission!?"
Ozai's tone was icy and severe, as if they had committed so unforgivable cri.
Wolf could only break into a cold sweat and, trembling, repeat Azula's original explanation.
"Waste?"
Ozai gave no clear reaction after hearing it, and instead asked:
"What do you think of Kahn?"
Wolf answered without hesitation:
"Very strong."
"Very talented."
"Very talented, that much I already know."
"What I want to ask is about his relationship with Iroh's forr subordinates."
Wolf imdiately understood and continued:
"Their relationship is extrely poor."
"The leader of that force was personally defeated by Kahn, and all along the road he cursed him without end."
"It is said that Kahn's suggestions were also involved in the thods used to deal with Iroh's forr n."
Ozai fell into thought after hearing this.
Then he dismissed Wolf and separately summoned Azula, receiving an answer that was largely the sa.
Finally, he summoned Kahn together with her.
He did not ask Kahn anything.
He rely praised the two of them briefly before allowing Kahn to return and rest on his own.
The next day, Ozai's decree was announced.
Lidon and the others were to be paraded through the streets as a public warning, then sent to the mines for lifelong imprisonnt.
The stone weighing on Kahn's heart finally fell away.
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