Shen Hao smiled slightly.
"My turn."
He gathered all his Qi into his hands and began forming a series of intricate hand signs.
Meanwhile, the remaining five Level 3 elemental beings had caught up to Lingfeng. But Lingfeng continued his battle with fierce confidence—believing that this battle they will surely win no matter what.
Back on Shen Hao's side, the two enemies facing him stepped back cautiously, their stances tense. They raised their guard, clearly alarmed by the energy Shen Hao was building.
Shen Hao channeled his Qi into the palm of his right hand. Slowly, it began to take the shape of a glowing purple rose—a manifestation of his unique inner energy. In this world, Qi colors reflect a person's character. Purple symbolized a calm mind, emotional control, and vast potential.
The rose shimmered brightly, radiating raw power.
The two elemental creatures watched in disbelief. They knew they couldn't withstand the technique—not in their current, drained state.
Without hesitation, they turned and ran, sprinting with everything they had, like men chased by a pack of bloodthirsty beasts.
"Oh no, not today my friends, you're not going anywhere!"
Shen Hao took off after them, the rose still glowing in his hand.
They fled for some time, but exhaustion finally caught up with them. Their energy was depleted, and their legs began to slow.
That's when Shen Hao closed the distance.
He hurled the rose-shaped energy forward with a fierce cry:
"Crimson Core Detonation: First Form – Ember Bloom!"
The two creatures turned, eyes wide in resignation. They knew this was the end.
BOOOOOOOOOOM!
A massive explosion engulfed the battlefield. The blast radius was enormous—comparable to half a modern nuclear detonation. The surrounding terrain was reduced to rubble, scorched by the sheer force of the impact.
Thankfully, the battle was still within the containment barrier of the mine. That barrier ensured no human would see or sense the destruction from the outside.
Lingfeng, still fighting nearby, was momentarily stunned by the display.
He looked over with awe.
"What terrifying power… His growth is monstrous. Looks like I really did choose the right person to be my second master."
Back at the blast site, the two elemental creatures had been completely vaporized—turned to ashes and swept away by the wind.
Shen Hao stood tall, taking in a deep breath.
"Vooo…"
"Finally. They're gone. I can't believe I pulled it off."
We cut to a flashback — Shen Hao's room. Mo Han stands in front of him while Shen Hao sits cross-legged on his bed, cultivating.
"Alright, Shen Hao. The technique I just taught you is called Crimson Core Detonation," Mo Han said.
"It has seven forms. With your current abilities, you're only capable of learning the first one—Ember Bloom."
"But even that will take you about eight or nine months to master properly. Right now, you can only use an incomplete version—barely 50% of its full power."
"I'll teach you the advanced forms when your soul and body are strong enough to handle them."
The flashback ends.
Back in the present, Shen Hao looked at the destruction in disbelief.
"That old man said it was powerful… but this is insane. It's comparable to a small nuclear bomb."
"And this is just barely 50% of the first form, What would happen if I ever unlocked the seventh…?"
"Would I be able to wipe out an entire nation with a single strike?"
His mind drifted.
Eyes closed, he began imagining himself as the strongest cultivator in the world. His thoughts made him smile.
But his moment of pride was interrupted.
"MASTER!"
Lingfeng's voice echoed across the battlefield.
"IF YOU'RE DONE POSING, HOW ABOUT GIVING ME A HAND!? THINGS AREN'T LOOKING TOO GOOD OVER HERE!"
Snapping back to reality, Shen Hao's eyes widened.
"Right… The battle's not over yet."
There were still five more elemental beings left—and Lingfeng needed help.
Without wasting another second, Shen Hao dashed forward, racing to join the fight.