The Celestial Realm quaked as the Phoenix Empress, Zhen Hua, unleashed her fury. Her crimson flames lashed toward Long Fei, the Dragon of Air and Wind.

  The sky darkened with sulfur as he stood on the edge, his spear glinted in the sunset. He called the winds to shield him, but the flames burned through his defenses, unraveling his power.

  He had faced her countless times, and yet this was different. Never had she overpowered him before. Her obsession was a constant, unchanging force. He had no interest in indulging her infatuation. His brother harbored romantic intentions for her.

  The flames seared his skin, seeping into his bones. With a wave of his hand, he tried to snuff it out, but his limbs felt heavy. Why... couldn't he breathe?

  The very element he controlled - the wind, the breath of life - was slipping through his grasp. His lungs, usually capable of commanding fierce winds, could barely summon a breeze.

  "Whoever can defeat Long Fei, I will accept their hand in marriage."

  Zhen Hua's voice thundered across the battlefield, her decree igniting the heavens. Immortals surged forward, drawn by the promise of power, status, and her favor.

  Attacks rained down on him, relentless and unyielding. Even as his body sputtered, his instincts remained sharp. He thrust his spear through the onslaught-a deadly spar. One by one, his foes fell. But the poison surged deeper, gnawing at his core.

  "Older brother, need a hand?"

  His gaze snapped toward the familiar voice.

  Long Yan, the dragon of fire, stood before him, smiling - not the smirk of an opportunist, nor the cold grin of a rival, but the warm smile of a brother.

  Relief flooded him.

  He reached for his brother, but Long Yan's hand swiftly pressed against his back. Fire seared through his meridians. His limbs convulse before locking in place. His own Qi turned against him, burning under a hidden force -then his body seized. A chilling numbness crept from his spine, sealing his limbs. His vision swam. He tried to move, but to no avail. His breath came in ragged bursts as he realized too late - His only family. The immortal who once stood beside him. The only person he had never doubted had blocked his meridians.

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  "Give up already - Zhen Hua is mine now."

  The words shattered him. Was all this about staying by her side? He had always kept his distance from her - not out of contempt, but to allow his brother to pursue happiness unimpeded. His only family who had fought beside him through every battle, and every hardship had just condemned him.

  The poison clawed deeper, leaving his body trembling and unresponsive. The dragon of fire's voice cut through the dying embers of battle as he turned to Zhen Hua.

  "Your Majesty, your wish is my command."

  Above them, the Phoenix Empress descended. The smoke rippled with her presence, her robes trailing fire as she stepped toward them.

  He knelt before her.

  "In exchange for your hand in marriage, I offer you my brother."

  A hush fell over the battlefield. The embers of battle hung thick in the air as she stepped forward. Her fiery eyes gleamed triumphantly as she leaned close, her breath warm against Long Fei's ear.

  "How does it feel to know I'll marry your brother?"

  Her fury swelled as she desperately searched for any reaction. For millennia, she had sought his love, his acknowledgment.

  He didn't flinch as she glared at him.

  But to the Phoenix Empress, his calm indifference cut deeper than any dagger. No anger. No sorrow. No regret. A calm disinterest. Had all her efforts been so beneath him? The millennia of pursuit meant nothing? His aloofness seared more than any flame. She had chased him through realms, through lifetimes, and this was his response: nothing. He looked at her with a faint smile, let out a soft breath, and said. "Take care of my brother for me."

  What?! Her blood boiled as she struggled to comprehend his reaction. He wasn't angry. He wasn't trying to stop her. He was...giving them his blessing?

  "You..." Her voice trembled, seething with frustration.

  His gaze slightly softened, never leaving her eyes. "He's my brother. If he's with you, I know he'll be happy."

  His words were as sharp as daggers, their simplicity more cutting than any rejection. She wanted him to fight, to oppose her-anything but this calm, unbothered acceptance. The very indifference she had always loathed now twisted deep in her gut.

  His words etched in her mind. If he's with you, I know he'll be happy.How dare he speak of her like this? As if she were some passing trinket he'd offer to his brother.

  And in that moment, something snapped inside her.

  It had always been this way. No matter how high she ascended, how many realms she conquered, his response was always the same - disinterest. He was a mirror reflecting her failures, his indifference a constant reminder that no matter what she achieved, he was the only one she could never conquer.

  "You think you can walk away from me forever? You will regret this." Her tears evaporated as her palm struck with a fury that could shake the heavens.

  The force of her strike launched him off the edge; he vanished into the abyss below.

  Long Yan watched Long Fei plummet, the wind tousling his hair - one final, unspoken wish from his brother. His smirk faltered, a flicker of doubt in his eyes. Was this truly what he wanted? Regret rose in his chest, but it was too late for second thoughts. He had already chosen his side - Zhen Hua.

  The Phoenix Empress relinquished her rage, and the flames that had consumed everything died. For the first time in millennia, she could not feel the fire inside her.