The Coiled Dragon’s Legacy

Li Feng's body hit the cold earth with a jarring impact. His vision swam, ears ringing from the fall. Darkness pressed around him, the underground cavern eerily silent save for the sound of Mei Lian coughing beside him.

"Are you alright?" he asked, pushing himself up.

Mei Lian groaned but nodded. "Still breathing."

A soft glow illuminated the space. Li Feng turned to see Zheng Wei, his robes torn and blood seeping from a gash along his arm. He had landed on a jagged rock. Despite the wound, he remained composed. "We need to move," he said. "Jiang Ren won't leave us for dead. He'll find another way down."

Li Feng pulled Mei Lian to her feet, scanning their surroundings. The cavern stretched out before them, old carvings covering the walls—ancient dragons coiling through depictions of celestial battles. At the center, a ruined altar stood, dust motes swirling in the dim light.

Mei Lian traced the markings. "This is no ordinary place."

Zheng Wei's expression darkened. "The hidden sanctuary of the Azure Dragon Clan. If Shen Longwei's men are searching for a relic, it must be here."

A distant rumbling sent pebbles tumbling from the ceiling. The walls trembled.

"That's not good," Mei Lian muttered.

Li Feng stepped toward the altar. A faded inscription glowed beneath the dust, its energy pulsing in tandem with the Coiled Dragon Ring. He reached out, fingers tracing the etchings. The moment his skin made contact, the cavern shook violently.

Zheng Wei gasped, stepping back. "Feng—what did you do?"

The altar split apart with a loud crack, revealing a hidden chamber beneath. From within, a golden scroll rested atop a stone pedestal, pulsating with an otherworldly glow.

Mei Lian exhaled. "The artifact."

Li Feng approached cautiously. His fingers barely grazed the scroll when an eerie whisper filled the cavern.

"You were not meant to be here."

A figure materialized from the shadows. Jiang Ren.

His blade gleamed, reflecting the faint light of the chamber. Behind him, assassins poured in, their crimson armor blending with the darkness.

Zheng Wei gritted his teeth. "We have no choice—we fight."

Mei Lian's daggers were in her hands in an instant. Li Feng tightened his grip on the Coiled Dragon Ring, knowing that the battle for survival had only just begun.