Chapter 84: Mei Lian’s Sacrifice

The battlefield trembled beneath the weight of the celestial alignment, a cosmic force that twisted the sky into a vortex of fire and shadow. Shen Longwei stood unshaken, his abyssal energy pulsating like a dark tide, threatening to consume everything. Li Feng, battered but unrelenting, felt the Coiled Dragon's essence within him stir, urging him forward. But it was Mei Lian's voice that grounded him, sharp and unwavering despite the blood seeping from her wounds.

"You don't have to become him," she said, her eyes burning with conviction. "Your strength isn't in the power you wield, Li Feng—it's in how you choose to use it."

Shen Longwei scoffed, his voice a low, mocking growl. "How noble," he sneered. "But nobility does not win wars. It only leaves you dead in the dirt."

He lunged. A tidal wave of abyssal flames surged toward them, dark tendrils twisting with hunger. Mei Lian moved first, her qi flickering as she summoned the last reserves of her strength. Her hands carved symbols in the air, forming a barrier of pure energy just as the abyssal flames collided against it.

The force of the impact sent cracks spidering through the ground beneath her feet. She gritted her teeth, holding the barrier steady while Li Feng charged forward. But Shen Longwei had anticipated his move. With a flick of his wrist, the flames twisted, spiraling toward Mei Lian instead. Her breath caught as the darkness engulfed her.

"NO!" Li Feng roared, but he was too far. The flames struck with a deafening crash, swallowing her whole.

For a moment, silence. Then, through the raging storm of abyssal energy, Mei Lian emerged—her robes tattered, her face bloodied, but standing. She was breathing heavily, her knees trembling beneath her.

"I will not break," she whispered, forcing herself upright.

Yan Shun, who had hesitated for too long, finally surged forward. His blade flashed through the darkness, slicing through the abyssal tendrils that coiled around her. He positioned himself between her and Shen Longwei, his stance firm, his expression resolute.

"I was a fool," Yan Shun admitted, his voice hoarse. "I let my doubts hold me back. But I know where I stand now."

Shen Longwei's expression twisted into a smirk. "Touching," he mused. "But sentiment will not save you."

Mei Lian turned to Li Feng, urgency in her gaze. "You have to end this," she said, gripping his arm. "You have to use the Coiled Dragon's power before the alignment is complete. Before the Abyss swallows everything."

The Coiled Dragon's spirit pulsed within Li Feng, a steady heartbeat of ancient power. He hesitated for only a moment before nodding. The choice had been made. The celestial energy around them crackled with anticipation as he let go of his restraint, allowing the power to surge through him fully.

Shen Longwei's eyes narrowed, sensing the shift. He could feel it—the transformation. The battle was about to reach its final stage.

The sky erupted in a violent storm of golden and black light as the celestial alignment peaked. Energy coalesced around Li Feng, wrapping him in the ethereal glow of the Coiled Dragon. A gust of wind exploded outward, sending Mei Lian and Yan Shun stumbling back as Li Feng rose into the air, his body wreathed in shifting azure flames.

Shen Longwei snarled, his abyssal form expanding as he braced for what was coming.

The final battle had begun.