The outer gates of Crimson Moon Sect groaned open at dawn.
Mist clung low over the forest paths like coiled serpents, and the scent of damp earth mingled with the sharp aroma of spiritual herbs growing wild. Beyond the forest stretched the Beast Wastes—a sprawling wilderness where Qi beasts roamed freely, many stronger than early Foundation Realm cultivators.
A perfect hunting ground.
Su Chen stepped through the gates alone.
He wore the standard inner disciple robe, but his presence was anything but ordinary now. Qi pulsed faintly around him—not forceful, but dense. Like a sea held back by an invisible dam.
From the watchtowers and training fields, several disciples turned to look.
"He's going out alone?"
"Didn't he just tame the Ashborn Flame?"
"I heard Ji Liang wants him dead. Maybe this is a death mission."
Su Chen ignored them.
Let them guess.
Let them wonder.
His enemies watched—but so did potential allies. The right display of power could turn whispers into fear… or reverence.
And soon, he would deliver both.
By midday, the trees thinned, revealing cracked red plains under a blazing sun.
This was the edge of the Beast Wastes.
Here, nature was brutal and lawless—perfect for what he needed.
Su Chen knelt in the dirt, pressing two fingers to the ground.
His spiritual sense rippled outward, sweeping over the plains like a wave.
There.
Three beasts.
One small, one medium, and one large. They were converging near a dried-out ravine just a few miles ahead.
The largest one pulsed with faint Foundation Realm energy.
"Perfect."
By the time Su Chen reached the ravine, the fight had already begun.
A Silverhide Wolf, its fur like polished steel, had cornered a massive Ironspike Boar—a creature with metallic tusks and skin like armor.
Between them, a Shadow Viper slithered, waiting for weakness.
Su Chen watched, unmoving.
He could end all three with ease now. But this wasn't about victory.
This was about the Blooming Void Petal.
One shot.
One spell.
Nothing more.
> [Quest Active: Proving the Flame]
Defeat a Foundation Beast using only the Blooming Void Petal.
"Let's begin," he murmured.
He stepped into the clearing.
All three beasts turned toward him, instincts flaring.
The Wolf growled, recognizing a new predator. The Boar stomped, tusks angled. The Viper vanished beneath a rock.
Su Chen lifted his hand.
The violet flame bloomed.
> [Blooming Void Petal – Stage 1]
Condensing…
A coin-sized lotus flame spiraled into life, its deep purple petals rotating slowly.
He released it.
The air didn't scream.
The spell moved without sound—like death itself.
The Ironspike Boar charged.
And then froze.
A heartbeat later, it erupted—flesh, blood, and Qi bursting outward in a hiss of steam and flame.
The Silverhide Wolf yelped and vanished into the brush.
The Shadow Viper lay still—roasted through.
> [Target eliminated. Quest complete.]
Blooming Void Petal – Stage 2 Unlocked
You have learned: Fractured Bloom
Effect: Flame splits upon impact, causing delayed internal eruptions. Targets suffer lingering damage over 5 seconds.
Su Chen stared at the charred remains of the Boar.
One attack.
Minimal Qi.
Maximum devastation.
He was no longer just a disciple with tricks.
He was becoming something else.
Something dangerous.
He stored the tusks and beast core in a pouch and turned to leave—
But the ground shuddered beneath his feet.
The ravine began to glow.
Hairline cracks appeared, pulsing with violet light—the same hue as his flame.
"...What?"
He stepped back.
The earth split open.
A staircase of obsidian stone emerged from the cracked ravine, descending into shadow. Ancient runes glowed faintly along the walls, and dust fell like snow.
From below...
Something called to him.
> [System Alert: Anomaly Detected]
Unknown Ruin contains Void-aligned signatures.
Do you wish to explore?
Warning: Threat Level – Unknown.
Su Chen stared into the darkness, heart pounding—not with fear, but with recognition.
This place...
He had been here before.
Not in this life.
But
in another.
In a previous cycle.
Another reset.
He stepped forward.
"I came here once... and I died here."
A slow smile curved his lips.
"Let's see how different the ending is… this time."