Chapter 96: The Aftermath of War

The battlefield was silent, yet it was a silence filled with ghosts. The once-mighty clash of blades and the roar of celestial energies had faded, leaving behind only the echoes of war. Smoke curled from the broken earth, and the air carried the heavy scent of blood and ash. Bodies—some of the fallen, some of the barely living—were scattered across the battlefield, remnants of a conflict that had reshaped the martial world.

Li Feng stood at the center of it all, his posture weary, his breath uneven. His robes, torn and bloodied, bore the scars of the battle that had nearly consumed him. The Coiled Dragon's power was gone, leaving behind only a hollow ache in his chest. Without it, he felt weightless, untethered from the force that had guided him for so long. And yet, he was still here. Alive.

Mei Lian and Yan Shun flanked him, their gazes sweeping over the ruins of the battlefield. Mei Lian's fingers trembled around the hilt of her sword, though whether from exhaustion or lingering adrenaline, even she did not know. Yan Shun, bruised and bloodied, had a distant look in his eyes—one of grim realization. They had survived, but what had they truly won?

The remnants of Shen Longwei's forces had fractured. Some warriors, realizing their leader was truly gone, cast aside their weapons and fell to their knees in surrender. Others fled, vanishing into the mountains and the shadows, unwilling to face a world where their warlord no longer reigned. A few still clutched their blades, torn between vengeance and self-preservation, but even they seemed to understand that the battle was over.

A deep breath rattled through Li Feng's lungs as he took a step forward, his body protesting every movement. He gazed at the wreckage before him, at the twisted remains of an era built on blood and ambition. Was this what victory looked like? He had spent his life chasing justice, yet here he stood, surrounded by ruin.

"It's over," Mei Lian murmured, almost as if saying the words aloud would make them true. "We won."

Yan Shun exhaled sharply, running a hand through his matted hair. "Did we?" he muttered. "Or did we just delay the next war?"

Li Feng didn't answer. He wasn't sure he had one. His gaze lifted toward the heavens, where the celestial alignment had once burned with power beyond mortal comprehension. Now, the sky was bare, the stars distant and indifferent to the struggles of men.

Then, from the distance, the sound of approaching hooves shattered the fragile quiet.

Mei Lian's grip tightened on her sword, and Yan Shun straightened, his stance shifting in anticipation of yet another fight. The few warriors still standing turned toward the sound, their expressions dark with uncertainty.

From the rolling hills beyond the battlefield, a lone rider emerged. Clad in armor unlike any they had seen before, their face hidden beneath the shadow of a hood, they carried themselves with an air of quiet authority. Behind them, a small force followed—silent, disciplined, bearing no banners of allegiance.

The rider halted at the battlefield's edge and surveyed the destruction with an almost calculating gaze. Then, as if finding what they were looking for, they turned their attention to Li Feng.

"You are the one who defied fate," the rider said, their voice even, unreadable.

Li Feng met their gaze, his exhaustion momentarily forgotten. "And who are you to speak of fate?"

The rider dismounted, stepping forward until they stood mere feet from him. "A messenger," they said. "From those who have watched this war unfold from the shadows. Shen Longwei's defeat was only the beginning. The balance has shifted, and the martial world is teetering on the edge of something far greater than you realize."

A cold unease settled over Li Feng's spine. Mei Lian's fingers twitched against her sword's hilt, and Yan Shun scowled, ever the skeptic. "We've had enough cryptic warnings," Yan Shun growled. "If you have something to say, say it."

The messenger did not waver. "The war is not over," they said. "And if you think you have won, you are gravely mistaken."

A gust of wind swept through the battlefield, scattering ashes into the air like the ghosts of the fallen. Li Feng clenched his fists, the weight of those words settling heavy in his chest.

The battle was over.

But the war had only just begun.

The messenger delivers their warning, setting the stage for the next scene where the true threat behind Shen Longwei's war is revealed.