Chapter 81: The Duel of Fate

The battlefield trembled beneath their feet. The clash of abyssal darkness and the Coiled Dragon's power sent shockwaves rippling through the collapsing Jade Abyss. Li Feng and Shen Longwei stood at the heart of it all, their gazes locked in a silent challenge before they clashed once more.

Li Feng's body burned with the Coiled Dragon's energy, his every movement infused with divine power. But Shen Longwei's transformation was complete—his form twisted with abyssal corruption, his once-human features obscured by a swirling mass of shadow and flickering violet flames. The air around them warped with each strike, reality itself bending under the sheer force of their battle.

Blades of energy ripped through the ruins, carving deep fissures in the earth. Mei Lian and Yan Shun tried to push forward, but an invisible force repelled them. The energy radiating from both warriors was too great.

"Li Feng!" Mei Lian called out, shielding her eyes from the blinding glow of their battle. "You have to end this before it's too late!"

Yan Shun clenched his fists, torn between action and fear. His hesitation gnawed at him, the memory of his brother's betrayal still fresh. Could he truly stand against Shen Longwei?

Li Feng heard their voices but did not waver. His focus was entirely on the warlord before him. Shen Longwei moved like a storm given form, his strikes carrying the weight of abyssal wrath. Each attack threatened to consume Li Feng whole, but he met them head-on, countering with the Coiled Dragon's righteous fury.

"You still don't understand, do you?" Shen Longwei sneered, his voice laced with both amusement and disdain. "This world is broken. The strong feast upon the weak, and the heavens do nothing but watch. I am simply claiming what should have been mine all along."

"You think corrupting yourself with abyssal energy will save you?" Li Feng spat, their blades locking in a deadly struggle. "This isn't strength. It's madness!"

Shen Longwei's laughter rang hollow. "Madness? No, Li Feng. This is freedom."

With a sudden surge of power, Shen Longwei unleashed a devastating shockwave. Li Feng was sent skidding backward, his feet carving trenches in the cracked earth. The warlord did not relent—his abyssal aura expanded, swallowing the battlefield in a storm of pure destruction.

Li Feng gritted his teeth. He could feel the Coiled Dragon's spirit within him, urging him forward, pushing him beyond his limits. He closed his eyes for a moment, letting its wisdom guide him. When he opened them again, his movements were sharper, faster. He became a blur of light, meeting Shen Longwei's abyssal storm with a relentless counterattack.

The world around them flickered. Time warped. Space twisted.

Each clash of their swords sent tremors through the heavens, causing the celestial alignment to pulse with unnatural energy. The sky above was no longer sky—it was a swirling vortex of ancient power, a gateway to something neither of them fully understood.

Mei Lian's heart pounded. She could see it now—this battle wasn't just about who was stronger. Shen Longwei wasn't merely seeking conquest. He was trying to reshape the world.

Li Feng could see it too. Every strike, every drop of abyssal energy that Shen Longwei released wasn't just an attack. It was rewriting reality, distorting everything in its wake.

"You would burn everything just to rebuild it in your image," Li Feng said, realization striking him like a bolt of lightning. "You don't want to rule the martial world. You want to tear it apart!"

"And you would cling to an old world that has forsaken you," Shen Longwei shot back. "Your ancestors weren't saviors, Li Feng. They were conquerors who failed. I will not fail."

Li Feng's grip tightened around his sword. He could feel the Coiled Dragon's energy responding to his conviction. This wasn't just about him. It was about everyone—his allies, the people who still believed in justice, those who had suffered under Shen Longwei's cruelty.

He surged forward with renewed determination, his blade slicing through the abyssal fog. Shen Longwei met him blow for blow, the two warriors locked in a battle that had transcended the mortal realm.

Then Shen Longwei raised his hand—and the battlefield screamed.

A dark fissure tore through the earth, swallowing everything in its path. A vortex of abyssal energy erupted from it, tendrils of corruption lashing out like hungry specters. The sky split open, and for the first time, Li Feng felt a force that even the Coiled Dragon feared.

Shen Longwei smiled.

"This is the end, Li Feng," he whispered. "Be consumed."

The vortex roared to life, and in an instant, it began pulling them both in.

As the abyssal vortex expands, threatening to consume the entire battlefield, Li Feng realizes that this isn't just a technique—it's a forbidden ritual designed to merge the abyssal realm with their world. He has only seconds to act before it's too late.