Found You

An ancient crystal ball pulsed within the Phoenix Empress' grasp, its light bending to her will. The air around her shimmered with an intense heat, a testament to the untamable power that coursed through her veins. Her golden robes, embroidered with flames, barely moved: as if the laws of nature bowed to her presence.

Her long, lacquered nails traced the orb's smooth surface as she channeled her Qi into it, commanding it to reveal what had eluded her for so long. The image flickered, a shifting blur. Then, a glorious golden trident appeared, its tip loomed over a small eel. She paused, then smirked. There you are.

She had known it. She had felt it in her core: the Dragon of Air was different. When he walked, the immortals listened. When he spoke, even fate wavered. No one else had ever made her feel so enamored.

Others doubted. Others whispered that he had perished after he fell from the Celestial Realm, that even an immortal of his caliber could not withstand such an ordeal. But they were all fools. He was no ordinary immortal. He was an extraordinary celestial being. She defied fate to find him: because she knew. He could not perish. He was hers.

And now, here he was, reduced to nothing more than a slithering, defenseless creature at the mercy of the sea. Pathetic. And yet, it only affirmed what she already knew: Only Long Fei is the one she truly desires.

She sighed longingly. Her eyes softened, drinking in the frail form with something akin to endearment.

"Long Yan, I know you're there," she said.

A spark of heat flickered behind her, followed by a puff of thick, crimson smoke.

The Dragon of Fire stepped forward. He had grown accustomed to being summoned at her whim as her confidant.

She gestured toward the crystal ball. "Take a look."

He stood frozen before the crystal ball, his gaze locked on the frail form of an eel, struggling feebly against the surging sea.

The sight twisted something deep within him, a darkness that simmered for millennia. His brother was now a pitiful creature. This should have felt like a victory. So why did it feel so hollow?

His pulse quickened as the image in the crystal shimmered. Now, the brightest star had fallen so far that he was unrecognizable.

And yet, Zhen Hua, the woman who had consumed his thoughts for millennia, still would not look at him like she had always looked at his brother. Even now, he could feel her intense gaze on his brother's struggle. The longing in her eyes was too blatant to ignore.

His heart clenched. He had betrayed, bled, and burned for her. But she had only ever seen his brother.

His hands gripped around the edges of the crystal ball. This was not how it was supposed to be.

She flicked a hand as if waving away dust.

"I've changed my mind. There will be no wedding."

He held his breath and refrained from screaming. Her cold, indifferent declaration seemed to mock him.

He rubbed his temples. How could she do this to him?

He shook his head, shoulders slumped. For millennia, the Phoenix Empress had loved only his brother. Long Yan had seen it in the way her eyes shone at the mere mention of his name, the way she idly twisted her hair, lost in thought. He had tried to ignore it, convinced that time would wear down her obsession. That one day, she would choose him instead. But time had only proven him a fool. He had sacrificed everything, broke the code of honor. And yet, she refused to let him in her heart. Only Long Fei.

He clenched his fists so tightly, his nails digging into his palm, drawing blood. The sting only fed the fury evolving inside him. Zhen Hua had already dismissed him; her actions were like daggers to his heart, each twisting deeper as she turned her back to him. Her fingers tenderly traced the vision of the immortal she yearned for. His mind was a maelstrom of rage and despair. She had manipulated him, and in the end, she chose his brother. It was a bitter pill to swallow.

The realization struck him like a spark to dry wood. She would never love him as she had his brother. She would never see him the way she saw him. It was an unbearable truth. His brother was weak now, a shell of his former self. The only thing that mattered was how she saw him.

His thoughts twisted further. Only one choice remained. He could not stand it any longer. Her obsession, fixation, and love for the fallen immortal was maddening.

Long Yan took a step back, his voice filled with venom. "No. I'm sick and tired of your games."

She did not respond, didn't even spare him a glance. Her silence planted a seed of darkness in him. He could feel the darkness fester, consuming him.

"Zhen Hua, did you hear me?"

She continued to ignore him. His hands tremored, and his eyes twitched. The only way to rid himself of this bitter reality, to free himself from Long Fei's shadow, was to destroy it.

Destroy the one who had stood in his way for millennia. He would kill his brother, erase him, and by doing so, end her obsession.

The pieces clicked into place within his mind. The path was clear. There was no other way. Zhen Hua's indifference toward him had fueled his fiery nature. If the Dragon of Air no longer exists, she would have no choice but to notice the Dragon of Fire. He would be the only one that could claim her attention. She would no longer take him for granted.

The insidious thought coiled like a serpent within his heart, and with his bloodied hand, he swore an oath. He would do whatever it took to be the only one by her side. His lips curled into a wicked smile filled with bitter determination, his eyes twitched. No more waiting. No more games. He would obliterate Long Fei.