Chapter 90: The Return from the Abyss

The gateway exploded with a deafening crack, sending a shockwave rippling across the battlefield. Dust and debris clouded the air as Mei Lian and Yan Shun braced themselves, shielding their faces from the raw force of the impact. The sky, once warped by the celestial alignment, finally settled into a deep twilight, its eerie glow fading into the remnants of a dying storm.

From the shattered gateway, a figure staggered forward.

"Li Feng!" Mei Lian gasped, her heart clenching at the sight of him.

He was alive—but barely. His robes, once pristine, were torn and frayed, his body marred by deep bruises and scorched by abyssal energy. His breath came in ragged gasps, his once-commanding presence reduced to a fragile silhouette against the swirling remnants of the Abyss. But the most terrifying realization struck Mei Lian instantly—

The power was gone.

Li Feng no longer radiated the strength of the Coiled Dragon. The aura that had once surrounded him, the energy that had made him the hope of the martial world, had vanished. He was empty, his connection to the celestial forces severed, his spirit tethered by something unseen.

Yan Shun moved first, rushing forward and gripping Li Feng's shoulders. "You made it back," he said, but his voice carried an undercurrent of uncertainty. "But... what happened to you?"

Li Feng barely met his gaze. His eyes, once burning with conviction, now flickered with something else—doubt, exhaustion, and the lingering touch of the Abyss. "I had to let it go..." he murmured. "The Coiled Dragon... it's gone."

Mei Lian's breath hitched. "Gone?"

Li Feng gave a weak nod, his legs giving out beneath him. Yan Shun barely managed to catch him before he collapsed completely. Mei Lian dropped to her knees beside them, her hands trembling as she reached for him. "We'll fix this. We'll find another way."

Li Feng shook his head. "It's over, Mei Lian. The alignment is broken. The war is done." His fingers dug weakly into the dirt. "But I left something behind... in the Abyss. A part of me is still there."

The words sent a cold shiver down Mei Lian's spine. "What do you mean?"

Before Li Feng could answer, a sudden gust of wind swept across the battlefield, carrying with it the scent of rain and ash. The celestial rift above them flickered one last time before sealing shut, leaving only the remnants of a world that had barely survived its collapse.

In the distance, the land lay in ruins. The armies that had once clashed were now scattered—some bodies lay motionless, others stirred weakly, barely clinging to life. The warlords who had sought ultimate power were no more, and the battlefield that had borne witness to their ambitions was now silent.

And yet, despite the desolation, something else stirred.

A figure stood at the edge of the horizon, cloaked in shadow, watching.

Mei Lian's gaze snapped to it, her body tensing as unease curled in her gut. "Who is that?" she whispered.

Yan Shun followed her line of sight, his grip tightening on his sword. "Someone who was waiting for this moment."

The figure did not move, did not advance—only stood, silent and patient, as if the war had merely been the opening act of something much larger.

Li Feng, despite his weakened state, felt the weight of that presence, and a new, unfamiliar dread settled in his chest.

The battle for the Abyss was over.

But something far worse was about to begin.

As the dust settles, a lone figure watches from the distance—a new force, one that has been waiting for this moment.