At the peak of Kun Lun Mountain, Feng’s talon gripped Wu Zhao’s arm firmly, his strength undeniable. Her once-pristine clothing was now in tatters, torn and scorched from the relentless assault she had endured from both Feng and Huang. Wu Zhao looked utterly defeated, her strength drained from her body. Her breaths came in shallow gasps, and though her defiant gaze remained, her trembling frame betrayed the toll the battle had taken on her.

“Pitiful one, all talk and no bite. Is this the best you can do?” Feng scoffed, his voice laced with disdain.

I…I can’t faint here…if I do, it’ll all be over, Wu Zhao thought, her mind battling the darkness creeping at the edges of her vision.

Feng’s talon tightened around her arm, his grip unrelenting. A sickening crack echoed as her wrist gave under the pressure, and a scream tore from Wu Zhao’s lips. Without hesitation, Feng flung her to the ground with a force that rattled her bones.

“It is over and done,” he declared coldly, towering over her battered form. “You are not just pitiful—you are weak.”

“N-no…” Wu Zhao gasped, her voice strained but filled with defiance. “It’s not yet…over.”

With trembling arms, she clawed at the ground, dragging her battered body forward. Every movement was a struggle, but she pressed on, refusing to give in. Slowly, she fought to push herself upright, her determination a flickering flame refusing to be snuffed out.

Jian Yi… what would you do in this situation…? Wu Zhao thought, her heart aching at the memory of her fallen protector.

“Unsightly one, leave now,” Feng commanded, his tone cold and unyielding.

Wu Zhao gritted her teeth, her voice trembling but resolute. “I… I won’t give up!” With all the strength she could muster, she placed her palm on the ground, willing her mana to respond. She attempted to cast [Earth Spear], but nothing happened. The ground beneath her remained still, her depleted mana refusing to cooperate.

Feng’s eyes narrowed. “If you refuse to leave, then don’t blame me for taking your life.”

In a blur of motion, Feng delivered a powerful kick to Wu Zhao’s abdomen, sending her hurtling through the air. She crashed against the rocky terrain, her body crumpling from the impact. Agonizing pain coursed through her, yet she struggled to rise, her determination burning despite the overwhelming odds.

Wu Zhao attempted to rise, but her wobbly legs betrayed her. Her battered body refused to obey, weakened by countless injuries. Her left arm hung limp and unusable, and the searing pain radiating through her made even breathing a struggle. Each breath came ragged and shallow, and she teetered on the edge of consciousness, her vision blurred and dotted with darkness.

“You are weak. Everything you have obtained until now has been through the efforts of others. You cannot achieve anything on your own. Give up,” Feng said, his voice cold and unyielding.

Huang, who had briefly joined the fight at the beginning, had since returned to their nest. Deeming Wu Zhao unworthy of her further effort, she rested comfortably, observing the one-sided battle with detached interest, as though watching an inconsequential show.

“E-even if I am weak, I-I will not give up!” Wu Zhao cried out, summoning all the strength she had left.

“Then die,” Feng sneered, his powerful, stag-like foot raised high, preparing to stomp down on Wu Zhao’s head and end her life.

But just as Feng's foot was about to land, something unexpected happened. An armored arm emerged from beneath the ground, seizing Feng’s leg and halting his attack.

Feng reacted quickly, leaping with his other leg, aiming to kick the armored arm and free himself.

But as soon as he was airborne, the arm, still gripping his leg, hurled him sideways with tremendous force, sending him sprawling away from Wu Zhao.

The armored arm pressed against the ground, and from beneath, the entire body of a figure emerged. Standing at around two meters tall, the humanoid was clad in black armor that covered every inch of its body, its presence imposing and mysterious.

"W-Who are you...?" Wu Zhao asked weakly, her gaze fixed on the mysterious figure before her. But it didn’t respond, instead standing protectively in front of her, facing both Feng and Huang as though shielding her from their wrath.

"J-Jian Yi...?" The name slipped from her lips instinctively, but the figure remained silent.

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Feng rose from the ground, ruffling his feathers to shake off the dirt, an air of indifference about him as though the attack had barely fazed him. Huang, having been resting, stood up and prepared to rejoin the fray, her gaze cold and determined.

"So, this pitiful one still has the strength to summon a golem... interesting," Feng said, his tone mocking yet curious.

"There is something off about this golem of hers," Huang remarked cautiously, her eyes narrowing as she studied the armored figure.

"Golem...? What are they talking about...?" Wu Zhao thought, her mind racing in confusion. This mysterious figure... is it not Jian Yi...?

The golem’s heavy armor gleamed in the light, standing tall and resolute in front of Wu Zhao. Its movements were slow but deliberate, its immense strength evident with every step it took. Feng and Huang, unphased by the appearance of the new opponent, squared off, ready to strike.

Feng let out a guttural battle cry and charged forward, his talons raised high. With a swift, powerful kick aimed at the golem’s chest, Feng intended to send it flying. The force of his strike reverberated through the air—but the golem did not budge. It braced itself, its armored body absorbing the impact as if it were nothing more than a gentle breeze. Feng's claws scraped against the golem's armor, but the creature stood its ground like an immovable mountain.

Huang, not one to stand idly by, darted in from the side, her eyes narrowed in determination. She leapt toward the golem, aiming to strike at the exposed seams in its armor. With deadly precision, she slashed through the air, aiming for its flank. But the golem’s massive, armored hand reached out and caught Feng's foot, which had been planted firmly against its chest. In one fluid motion, it swung Feng's body with surprising strength, hurling him straight into Huang, sending both of them crashing to the ground in a tangled heap.

Huang hissed in frustration, quickly untangling herself. She growled, her eyes glowing with a fierceness that only intensified her resolve. "You are tougher than I expected," she spat, getting to her feet.

Feng shook off the dust from his feathers, his eyes narrowing. With a raucous screech, he took to the sky, soaring high above the golem. "You will fall before us!" he declared. As he dove back down toward the golem, his talons aimed for its head, intending to tear through its helmet and strike at whatever vulnerable spot it might have.

But the golem reacted quickly. With a fluid motion, it swung its massive, armored arm upward, intercepting Feng mid-flight. The force of the collision sent Feng spiraling through the air, crashing into the ground with a resounding thud.

Huang rushed forward again, her eyes flashing with fury. She swung her tail at the golem, attempting to strike its legs, but the golem anticipated her move. It swung its massive arm downward, knocking her aside with a single blow. Huang was sent crashing to the ground, her wings scraping the rocky surface as she skidded to a halt.

Wu Zhao watched, still struggling to regain her strength. Her body ached, her vision blurred from exhaustion, but she couldn’t tear her eyes away. The battle before her was far from over. The golem, though immensely powerful, was holding its own against two of the most powerful creatures she had ever faced.

The golem, its heavy armor gleaming with each movement, seemed more than just a mindless construct. It was aware—aware of Wu Zhao’s labored breathing, her exhaustion palpable with each strained inhale. The creature understood the delicate balance of the fight. If it allowed this to drag on any longer, Wu Zhao would suffer. Her mana, already near depletion, would be drained entirely with every passing moment. Its duty was to protect her, and it intended to end the battle quickly to spare her any further harm.

With a swift, fluid motion, the golem turned its attention to Huang, the nearer of the two opponents. It surged forward, its massive armored body crashing through the air with startling speed. In an instant, it reached Huang and grabbed her by the scaly neck with an iron grip, its fingers pressing tightly against her throat. The force was enough to lift her off the ground as it squeezed with the intent to strangle.

Huang’s eyes widened in shock as the golem’s powerful fingers cut off her breath, her claws scrabbling uselessly at the golem’s hand, trying to pry it loose. Her body twisted, struggling for air, but the golem’s grip remained unyielding. It was relentless, its focus on the task at hand—eliminating the immediate threat to Wu Zhao.

Wu Zhao’s vision blurred, her body aching and trembling with every moment, but she watched the golem’s actions through a haze of desperation. The golem, despite its immense power, seemed to be acting with a strange sense of purpose, as if it had a mind of its own, aware of her need for protection.

"Enough!" Feng's voice thundered, carrying an unmistakable authority. "This match is over. You have proven your worthiness!"

He then turned his gaze toward the golem, his tone sharpening. "And you, summoned one, if you persist any further, your master will die."

His words were not a threat to Wu Zhao’s life at his hands, but a grim truth. The golem’s continued exertion would only deplete the remaining mana Wu Zhao had, and that drain would ultimately lead to her death, not by Feng’s power, but by her own diminishing strength.

Upon hearing his words, the golem's grip on Huang loosened. With deliberate, measured steps, it retreated, returning to the side of the fallen Wu Zhao, who lay on the ground, barely able to move.

Although Wu Zhao felt a sense of relief, an unsettling thought lingered in her mind. She couldn’t shake the feeling that Feng and Huang hadn’t truly fought to their fullest—they had only been testing her, as they had said.

"We will honor our promise," Feng declared, his voice unwavering. "We will continue to bless this land, until the day you are no longer its ruler."

Wu Zhao wanted to thank Feng and Huang, but as the tension in her body eased with the relief, she felt her strength slip away. Before she could voice her gratitude, her vision blurred, and she fainted.

As she collapsed, the golem, having fulfilled its purpose, began to deconstruct. Its form crumbled away, returning to a pile of mud and stones, its purpose now complete.

"Such a troublesome one, though still pitiful," Huang said, her voice laced with detachment. "Helping her unlock her hidden potential is all we can do."

"We shall see how she struggles against her pitiful fate," Feng remarked, his tone heavy with foreboding.

What they called "pitiful" was not her strength nor her resolve, but her fate. Feng and Huang could sense that her future would be grim, a shadowed path filled with sorrow and hardship.

"Xiao Xi, Xiao Que!" Feng called out.

After a brief pause, both magpies swooped down and landed gracefully in front of Feng.

"Our King, what may we do for you?" they asked in unison.

"Take her back to her people at the base of the mountain," Feng commanded, his tone steady but not unkind. "You are both free to remain by her side if that is your desire."

"Really?! You mean it?!" Their eyes sparkled with excitement.

"I can tell you're both interested in her," Feng continued, a hint of amusement in his voice. "After all, she's the only one who brought both of you the Jade Empress' peach."

"We do!" Xiao Que exclaimed.

"Verily!" Xiao Xi added enthusiastically.

"I relieve you both of your duties as gate guardians," Feng said. "Now, go."

"Thank you, our King! Hehe!" they both cheered, bouncing with joy.

With that, Xiao Xi and Xiao Que each seized a section of Wu Zhao’s tattered robe in their tiny talons. Flapping their wings in unison, they lifted her gently into the air and soared off toward the base of the mountain, where her soldiers and carriage awaited her return.

"What will we ever do with those two magpies?" Huang sighed.

"Indeed," Feng agreed with a smirk. "But I'm sure Peng would be lonely without them around, constantly pranking her."

They both chuckled, the sound echoing through the air.