Chapter 95: The Gathering of Forces

The battlefield lay in ruins, the once-mighty armies of Shen Longwei reduced to scattered remnants. The sky, once alight with the celestial alignment, now seemed muted, as if the heavens themselves had exhausted their fury. Ash and embers drifted through the air, and the scent of scorched earth mixed with the metallic tang of blood.

Li Feng stood at the edge of the battlefield, his form steady yet distant. The weight of the past days bore down on him, and though his body had emerged from the Abyss, his soul had not yet fully returned. The Coiled Dragon's power was no longer his to command, and with it, a part of himself had been lost. Mei Lian and Yan Shun watched him from a short distance, their expressions tinged with concern.

"We need to move," Mei Lian urged. "The war isn't over. The power vacuum Shen Longwei left behind will only breed chaos."

Yan Shun nodded, his gaze shifting toward the remnants of Shen Longwei's forces. Some had surrendered willingly, others had fled into the distant mountains, hoping to escape judgment. Yet the Scarlet Iron Sect's lieutenant, now bound in chains, held a knowing smirk despite his capture.

"You think killing Shen Longwei ended this?" the lieutenant sneered. "You're fools if you believe that. He was only the beginning."

Mei Lian's grip on her blade tightened. "What do you mean?"

The lieutenant laughed, shaking his head. "The sect never served just one master. We were but an arm of something far greater. You will see it soon enough. And when you do, you will beg for the days when Shen Longwei ruled."

Yan Shun exchanged a glance with Mei Lian. "We need to interrogate him further."

Before the lieutenant could continue, a new presence emerged from the shadows. A dozen figures clad in dark robes stepped forward in formation, their leader walking with measured steps. Lady Yuexiang, regal and unshaken, moved with purpose. But it was the man beside her who froze them all in place.

A masked figure, exuding an aura of quiet power, regarded Li Feng with an unreadable expression. The warriors behind them carried themselves with precision and unity—an unknown force, yet disciplined and organized.

Li Feng felt the hairs on his neck rise as the masked figure spoke.

"So, you are the one who defied fate," the figure murmured, voice smooth yet carrying the weight of knowledge. "You severed the ties of the Abyss, yet you remain bound by something even greater."

Mei Lian instinctively positioned herself at Li Feng's side, readying her stance. "Who are you?"

The figure reached up, removing their mask in a slow, deliberate motion. As the veil fell away, gasps echoed across the battlefield. The man's face was lined with age and wisdom, his piercing gaze filled with recognition.

Yan Shun whispered in disbelief, "That's impossible."

Li Feng's breath caught in his throat. He had seen this face before—not in life, but in the ancient murals of his clan's hidden temple. The man standing before him was supposed to be long dead.

"I am what remains of the Azure Dragon Clan's exiled lineage," the man said. "And I have returned to finish what was started centuries ago."

The silence was deafening.

Lady Yuexiang smirked, folding her arms. "We all knew this war would not end with Shen Longwei." She turned her sharp gaze on Li Feng. "And neither will you."

The battlefield, though no longer filled with the roars of combat, became even more dangerous in that moment. Alliances were shifting. The war had not ended—it had merely evolved into something far greater.

Li Feng felt his pulse steady. The burden of the past, the uncertainty of the future—it all weighed upon him. But one thing was clear.

The world was not yet free.

As night descended, he turned his gaze toward the horizon. The unknown awaited, and in the darkness, a shadow moved behind him. He had only a moment to react before a blade sliced through the air—an assassin sent for him.

A sharp whistle split the silence as the assassin struck, forcing Li Feng into motion. The war was far from over, and now, a new force had finally begun its move.