Chapter 70: The Final Trial

The entrance to the labyrinth loomed before them, its walls lined with countless mirrors that stretched endlessly into the abyss. A chilling silence filled the chamber as Li Feng and his allies hesitated at the threshold. The words of Lady Yuexiang echoed in his mind: "This was never about who wins. It was about who survives."

A pulse of energy rippled through the air, and without warning, the labyrinth reacted to their presence. The mirrors shimmered, and reflections of themselves wavered and distorted before pulling them into fragmented realities.

Mei Lian's Vision

Mei Lian gasped as the world around her twisted, and she found herself in an ornate hall draped in the dark silks of the Silent Orchid Sect. Her heart clenched as she saw her own reflection wearing the robes of a high-ranking member, standing beside Lady Yuexiang.

"You always belonged here," the reflection whispered. "You left, but your soul never did. Why keep running?"

Mei Lian backed away, shaking her head. "This isn't real."

The reflection smirked. "Isn't it? Had you stayed, you would have wielded true power. You would have stood at Yuexiang's side as more than a student. More than a pawn."

Doubt clawed at her mind. What if I had never left? But she clenched her fists, forcing herself to see through the illusion. She had already made her choice once, and she would not change it now.

Yan Shun's Vision

Yan Shun stood at the edge of a battlefield, watching as his younger brother, Yan Zhi, fought beside him, both wearing the insignia of Shen Longwei's army.

"Together, we could have been invincible," Yan Zhi said, wiping blood from his blade. "Why resist? We were meant to fight side by side."

Yan Shun trembled. This isn't real. But the image was too perfect, too tempting. A future where his brother lived, where they fought as one. But at what cost?

He forced his mind to focus. He would not be shackled by regrets. "You aren't real," he growled. "And I will not serve another warlord."

Li Feng's Vision

Li Feng found himself standing on a grand throne, surrounded by kneeling figures. They bowed before him, chanting his name, the power of the Coiled Dragon Ring and the Black Phoenix Talisman radiating from his hands.

A voice whispered, "This is what you were meant to be. A ruler. A god."

He could feel the weight of absolute power pressing down on him. He could end war, reshape the world, carve a destiny of his own choosing. No more running. No more uncertainty.

But another voice, deep within him, roared against it. This is not my path. The memory of the Azure Dragon Spirit flickered in his mind, and he clenched his fists, breaking the illusion apart.

Breaking Free

One by one, they tore themselves from the false realities. The labyrinth shimmered in protest as the illusions collapsed. They stumbled back into the real world, gasping for breath.

But before they could recover, a shadow emerged from the shifting glass. Shen Longwei stepped forward—but he was no longer the same man. The aura around him rippled like an abyss given form, and his eyes burned with something far worse than ambition.

"You finally see," he said, his voice laced with something inhuman. "This was never about us. It was about what comes next."

A final pulse of energy surged through the labyrinth, and the last trial began.

The walls of the labyrinth shift, and reality bends as Li Feng and his allies prepare for their greatest battle yet.