《The Storm Through The Tide》 Clash of the Celestial 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 with 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 can''t I 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. This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. "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 tousled 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 let go of her rage - the flames that engulfed everything died. For the first time in millennia, she could not feel the fire inside her. The Dragon Falls Splash! A glint caught the attention of Shui Yi, the mermaid princess. She darted toward it, heart racing, but before she could reach it, the object shot past, embedding into the ocean floor. Thunk. She stared at the spear as bubbles rose. But before she could move, something crashed into her¡ªa solid weight slamming into her arms, sending her tumbling. Her tail flailed in the water, struggling against the force. Heavy. Warm. Her fingers curled around the figure, anchoring it tightly. Her hands immediately went to work, patting his face. She squinted, surprised by the chiseled features before her. His high nose, full lips, and perfectly sculpted jawline. But his most striking feature was the lack of fins. Her brows furrowed as she felt along his waist. No tail... He''s not a merfolk. Her heart skipped a beat as his shallow breaths faltered. Panic surged. He''s struggling to breathe! Instincts took over, and she tried to help, unaware that more than air was flowing between them. The energy inside her¡ªher very essence¡ªseemed to flow into him, intertwining with his in an inexplicable connection. Her lips tingled with the contact, and a soft, ethereal glow enveloped them both. There was an invisible thread tugging at her heart, but she couldn''t make sense of it. Then silver locks veiled her vision. What happened to my hair? Her hands trembled as she touched the unfamiliar strands of her hair. She couldn''t hide it now. Her mind spiraled into chaos. This wasn''t just an accident¡ªit was a catastrophe. "What did I do?" she whispered. Her eyes darted back to the unconscious stranger. His breath was shallow, his body still heavy, but his energy was starting to stabilize. His body seemed to hum with a gentle, healing energy¡ªhe was recovering quickly, but she had no idea why. Her heart clenched as her thoughts returned to her situation. Her father would find out. She couldn''t let him see this¡ªhe''d banish her. Long Fei''s eyes flickered open, his senses clouded. He could feel it¡ªthe pulse of a strange connection, the poison within him fading away. His lips still tingled; an unfamiliar warmth. The energy flowing through him differed from any magic he had ever encountered. He could feel her essence, her panic, her fear, intertwined with his confusion. He exhaled slowly, his body was sluggish. He''d never experienced anything like this before. He took in the mesmerizing woman before him¡ªhair like woven moonlight cascaded to her waist. He quickly averted his eyes toward the ground, surprised to see her fishtail. They spoke at the same time, then immediately clamped their mouths shut. She clutched her head. Her father had a grudge against non-merfolks! "You can''t stay. If my father sees you¡­" This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. He pinched the bridge of his nose. She didn''t even realize what she''d done. He had received something precious from her. His body is slowly healing, he can feel it. Yet here she was, more worried about hiding him than the bond she unknowingly formed. He weakly smiled and concurred. "If it will ease your worries..." he murmured. The immortal''s body pulsed with exuberance as his form began to shrink. The water around him rippled in shimmering light as he transformed into a sleek eel. A strange warmth lingered on his lips as he floated in the water, still processing what had just happened. This wasn''t like any injury he had before... She gaped in disbelief. "You¡ªwhat just happened?" Her voice trembled as she reached out, touching the now-squishy eel. What was this? How could he...? He watched with mild amusement as an eel. He gave her a nod, encouraging her to take him with her. "Did I accidentally curse you too?" The eel sighed and rested his eyes, falling into a deep slumber. Her fingers trembled as she held the eel close to her chest. She listened to his heartbeat to check that he was still alive. The gravity of the situation settled in¡ªshe needed to hide him. She frantically swam toward the palace, holding the eel to cover her face as she passed her people. Whispers spread like ripples in the ocean as Merfolks gasped and gossiped as they saw their princess dashing through the town. *** The mermaid princess paced back and forth in her coral bedroom chamber, her mind in a whirlwind of hysteria. Her hair¡ªher beautiful and unmistakably white hair¡ªwas the one thing she couldn''t hide. Her thoughts raced as she searched desperately for a solution, clutching her hair. Rumors would have reached her father by now, and he will demand answers. Her eyes flicked to the bedside, where the small eel lay. His breathing was getting better; he was recovering. She could sense his energy through the water. But she was still in a state of disarray. She couldn''t ignore her dilemma, she should at least attempt to hide her hair. A garden of seaweed in her courtyard came to mind. She dove into the garden, frantically trying to braid seaweed to cover her silver hair but it slipped through her trembling fingers. *** In her frantic state, the mermaid struggled with a crab, its sharp pincers snipped at her hand. She yelped as it jabbed her, but Long Fei quickly flicked his tail, sending a gentle gust to blow the crab away. His golden eyes gleamed with silent amusement as he watched her struggle. Despite her chaotic disposition, he calmly closed his eyes and continued cultivating. *** Shui Yi thought it was serendipitous that the small critter tumbled away, but she could still feel the sting. Then, the current around her churned, magic swirling in the water as a warning that the trident was near. The blast of a trumpet echoed through the sea. No, not now. The King was coming¡ªshe didn''t have any more time. Her heart pounded, but her hands worked faster, trying to fix her hair. The trumpet blast echoed like thunder, vibrating the water around her. It was too late¡ªher father was already here. The waves surged as his presence loomed closer. "Shui Yi, open the door," her father''s booming voice erupted the water. With a shaky breath, she reached for the door handle, her hands trembling as she braced herself for the impending storm.