Chapter 38: The Gathering Storm
Zheng Wei pressed two fingers to Li Feng's neck, releasing a breath of relief. "He's alive."
Mei Lian, kneeling beside them, studied the glowing mark etched onto his chest. The Phoenix sigil intertwined with the Coiled Dragon's energy, forming a duality of power that both awed and unsettled her. "But for how long?"
Before Zheng Wei could respond, the ground beneath them shuddered violently. Cracks raced along the temple walls, and sand from the crumbling ceiling rained down upon them.
A slow, deliberate clap echoed through the chamber.
Lady Yuexiang stood near the temple's entrance, her silhouette framed by the shifting torchlight. A smirk played at her lips as she observed them. "How fascinating. You truly never fail to amuse me, Li Feng."
Mei Lian instinctively reached for her blade. "What do you want?"
Yuexiang tilted her head, feigning innocence. "Oh, nothing. I simply came to congratulate our dear hero." Her gaze slid to Li Feng, still unconscious. "He's no longer just a pawn, but a piece worth playing."
Zheng Wei stood, shielding Li Feng's body. "Enough riddles. Speak plainly."
The smile on Yuexiang's lips remained, but her eyes darkened. "Your new power has stirred the heavens and the underworld alike. Shen Longwei knows exactly where you are. And he's coming."
The weight of her words settled over them like a suffocating fog.
"The Scarlet Iron Sect," Mei Lian whispered, realization dawning. "He'll send everything he has."
Yuexiang folded her arms. "He already has."
The temple trembled once more. A low, rhythmic sound began to build—distant, yet unmistakable. The pounding of war drums.
Zheng Wei's expression darkened. "How long do we have?"
Yuexiang turned toward the temple's exit. "Not long. And I doubt your friend will be pleased to see me, but..." She cast a glance over her shoulder. "Jiang Ren has survived."
As if on cue, a slow clap rang out from the temple entrance.
Jiang Ren stepped into the chamber, bloodied but standing, his armor dented from his previous battles. His expression was unreadable, save for the simmering fury in his eyes.
"You," Mei Lian snarled, drawing her blade.
Jiang Ren merely smirked, brushing dust from his shoulder. "Miss me?"
Zheng Wei clenched his fists. "How are you still alive?"
Jiang Ren's smirk widened. "I could ask you the same."
Mei Lian shifted protectively in front of Li Feng. "If you've come to finish what you started, I suggest you rethink your odds."
Jiang Ren chuckled, shaking his head. "I'm not here to fight. At least, not yet." He gestured outside. "My real mission is complete. The Scarlet Iron Sect's army is already surrounding the temple. There's nowhere left to run."
A chilling silence settled over them.
Zheng Wei's jaw tightened. "Then we fight."
Jiang Ren's smirk faded, replaced by something almost... amused. "Bold words for dead men."
Yuexiang let out a soft laugh. "Ah, the scent of impending chaos. It's simply intoxicating." She turned to Li Feng's still form, her voice dropping to a near whisper. "You have chosen fire, Li Feng. Let's see if you can withstand the burn."
With that, she vanished into the shadows, her presence fading as though she had never been there.
The war drums grew louder. The ground trembled beneath their feet. Outside, beyond the temple walls, torches flickered in the distance—hundreds of them, forming a sea of fire that illuminated the approaching army.
Jiang Ren took a step back toward the exit. "Try not to die too quickly. Shen Longwei prefers his victories to be drawn out."
Then he was gone, leaving them alone with the sound of impending war.
Mei Lian exhaled sharply. "What do we do?"
Zheng Wei hoisted Li Feng onto his back, his eyes burning with resolve. "We survive."
A single arrow whistled through the air, embedding itself in the temple wall beside them.
The siege had begun.