Chapter 45: The Doors to Destiny

The ruins trembled beneath the weight of an oncoming storm. The air crackled with energy, the battlefield alive with the sounds of steel meeting steel, the guttural cries of warriors, and the monstrous roars of the ancient guardians that had awakened from their slumber. The Jade Empress's tomb loomed before them, its massive stone doors slowly creaking open as Shen Longwei and his elite fighters surged inside.

Li Feng, battered and breathless, forced himself forward. Every step sent a jolt of pain through his body, the Phoenix Sigil's burning energy threatening to overtake him. Mei Lian grabbed his wrist, her grip firm despite the desperation in her eyes. "You're already at your limit. If you push any further, you'll—"

"I don't have a choice," Li Feng cut in, wrenching himself free. "We can't let them reach the Celestial Mirror first."

Yan Shun blocked his path, his expression unreadable. "Then use your power. Crush them before they get inside."

"No," Mei Lian countered, stepping between them. "Every time he uses the sigil, it drains him. If he collapses now, he's as good as dead."

Before the argument could escalate, a piercing howl split through the air. One of the towering stone guardians, its body carved from ancient jade and inlaid with glowing runes, swung a colossal blade at a group of Shen Longwei's men. The warriors barely had time to react before the blade cleaved through the ground, sending dust and debris flying. More guardians emerged from the shadows, their glowing eyes scanning the battlefield, attacking both factions without discrimination.

Jiang Ren, standing at the temple's threshold, watched with a smirk as his men fell back, weaving through the chaos with expert precision. Unlike Li Feng's group, Shen Longwei's forces had prepared for this. They knew how to navigate the deadly ruins, using the guardians' predictable movements to carve a path forward.

Yan Shun gritted his teeth, parrying an enemy's strike before slicing them down in one fluid motion. "If we waste time fighting both the guardians and Shen Longwei's men, we're finished."

Zheng Wei, despite his injuries, summoned his strength and began chanting, attempting to cast a protective barrier against the guardians' relentless attacks. "We need to break through—now!"

Li Feng clenched his fists, his vision wavering as exhaustion clawed at him. The battle was slipping from their grasp. If Shen Longwei secured the Celestial Mirror, all hope of stopping him would be lost.

With a deep breath, he called upon the Phoenix Sigil—not to attack, but to weave through the chaos. The sigil's energy surged through his veins, and he moved like fire itself, dodging blades, slipping past the guardians, and outmaneuvering Shen Longwei's warriors.

The temple doors groaned as they began to close. Shen Longwei's forces disappeared into the depths of the tomb, their shadows flickering against the dim torchlight inside.

Li Feng made his decision.

Ignoring the burning pain in his limbs, he sprinted forward, slipping through the narrowing gap just as the doors slammed shut behind him, sealing him inside the tomb with his greatest enemy yet.

Outside, Yan Shun, Mei Lian, and Zheng Wei stared at the massive stone doors, their expressions filled with alarm and disbelief.

"The fool," Yan Shun muttered, shaking his head. "He's gone in alone."

Mei Lian's fists clenched. "Then we find a way inside—before it's too late."

From within the tomb, the sound of footsteps echoed, and Li Feng's breath steadied as he faced the darkness ahead. Whatever awaited him within the Jade Empress's tomb, he would face it alone.