Chapter 36: The Guardian’s Judgment

The Phoenix Guardian stood motionless, its ethereal flames licking at the edges of the chamber. Its glowing, ember-like eyes locked onto Li Feng as if peering into the depths of his soul. The air shimmered with heat, the temple itself responding to the ancient power stirring within.

"You have made your choice," the Guardian intoned, its voice a blend of fire and wind, ancient yet unwavering. "But power demands sacrifice. To wield the Coiled Dragon Ring is to embrace a burden few can bear. Before you can claim your fate, you must prove your worth. The Trial of Fire begins now."

A blast of heat erupted, forcing Mei Lian and Zheng Wei back. Mei Lian reached out, but the flames crackled between them, forming an impassable barrier.

"Li Feng!" she shouted, eyes wide with worry.

Zheng Wei clenched his fist. "This is his trial alone. We must trust him to endure."

Li Feng swallowed hard, feeling the oppressive heat pressing against his skin. Then, from the depths of the chamber, Lady Yuexiang's voice slithered through the air like a serpent.

"Even if you pass this test, will you survive what comes next?" Her whisper curled around him like smoke, filled with eerie certainty. "Is this the path that leads to your glory... or your destruction?"

Before he could respond, flames surged around him, and the world melted away.

He was no longer in the temple.

Li Feng found himself standing at the gates of his childhood home, the scent of burning incense filling the air. A younger version of himself stood beside his father—General Li Jian, his proud yet battle-worn face filled with determination.

"Power alone is meaningless without purpose," his father said. "Remember that, Li Feng."

But as the words left his lips, the scene shifted. His father's face twisted in agony, his armor pierced by enemy spears. Li Feng gasped as he saw himself—older, stronger—standing over his father's broken body, his own hands stained with blood.

"No... this isn't real!" Li Feng staggered back, but the vision changed again.

He now stood atop a throne of bones, the Coiled Dragon Ring burning bright on his hand. Below him, kneeling figures trembled—Mei Lian, Zheng Wei, and countless others. Their eyes were filled with fear.

"You failed," a voice echoed. "The dragon consumed you."

The flames around him intensified, pressing in, suffocating. The Guardian's voice cut through the firestorm: "Will you burn away your weakness, or will you burn with it?"

Pain shot through Li Feng as the flames seared into him. He clenched his fists. No. This was not who he was. He was not his father. He was not a tyrant. He would not fall to the darkness.

With a fierce roar, Li Feng lifted his head, embracing the inferno.

The flames consumed him, and the world went white.