The moment Gu Chen moved, the world seemed to slow.
His eyes remained fixed on the crimson plant beside the cracked earth.
Blazing Earth Root.
That was all he wanted.
He had no intention of fighting the Rank 2 Flame-Earth Wolf.
Even with the Flame Demon Physique strengthening his body close to the physical strength of an Initial Rank 2 cultivator, Gu Chen understood the difference between them.
The beast was a genuine Rank 2 existence.
Its World Energy, defense, strength, and experience far exceeded his own.
One mistake could be fatal.
So he needed only one thing.
Speed.
BOOM!
Flame Phantom Step erupted.
Crimson energy flashed beneath Gu Chen's feet.
His body shot through the forest like an arrow.
A faint afterimage remained behind him.
The sudden movement immediately attracted attention.
"Someone's there!"
One of the strangers shouted.
The Flame-Earth Wolf turned.
Its burning eyes locked onto Gu Chen.
Gu Chen ignored it.
Ten meters.
Seven meters.
Four.
The heat from the underground fire vein struck his face.
His skin burned.
But the Flame Demon Physique immediately reacted.
A warm current flowed through his body, reducing the effect of the surrounding heat.
Gu Chen reached forward.
His fingers closed around the Blazing Earth Root.
At that exact moment—
ROAR!
The Flame-Earth Wolf realized what he was doing.
The beast slammed its claws into the ground.
BOOM!
The earth exploded beneath Gu Chen.
"Gu Chen!"
Gu Qing's voice echoed behind him.
Gu Chen's body was thrown forward.
He rolled across the ground.
But his hand remained tightly closed around the Blazing Earth Root.
Pain spread through his back.
Gu Chen immediately stood.
He couldn't stop.
The Flame-Earth Wolf was already charging.
"Move!"
A voice suddenly shouted.
A blade of energy descended toward the beast.
Bang!
The attack struck the Flame-Earth Wolf's shoulder.
The beast was pushed slightly to the side.
Gu Chen looked up.
The older youth from the group stood nearby.
His weapon was raised.
"Get out of here!"
Gu Chen didn't hesitate.
He activated Flame Phantom Step again.
BOOM!
His figure shot backward.
But the moment he moved—
his meridians suddenly burned.
Gu Chen's expression changed.
He had pushed the technique too hard.
His mastery of Flame Phantom Step was still at Entry.
Using it repeatedly during such a short period placed enormous pressure on his body.
Fortunately, the Flame Demon Physique absorbed most of the strain.
Otherwise, his meridians might already have been damaged.
Gu Chen landed beside Gu Qing.
Gu Qing immediately grabbed him.
"Are you injured?"
"I'm fine."
That wasn't entirely true.
His back hurt.
His World Energy had been greatly depleted.
But he could still fight.
That was enough.
The older youth and his companions continued battling the Flame-Earth Wolf.
But the situation was getting worse.
The beast had become enraged.
Its body suddenly sank into the earth.
The older youth's expression changed.
"Everyone, watch the ground!"
Too late.
BOOM!
The Flame-Earth Wolf erupted beneath one of the cultivators.
The young woman barely escaped.
The beast's claws struck her shoulder.
She was thrown backward.
"Retreat!"
The older youth shouted.
Gu Chen watched the battle.
Then his eyes narrowed.
The Flame-Earth Wolf's scales were extremely tough.
The attacks of the strangers couldn't easily penetrate them.
But Gu Chen had noticed something.
Every time the beast emerged from the ground, the scales beneath its neck briefly separated.
A weakness.
Perhaps.
Gu Chen looked at the Scarlet Ember Sword.
Then at the beast.
His World Energy was low.
He shouldn't interfere.
The Blazing Earth Root was already in his possession.
He had accomplished his goal.
There was no reason to take another risk.
Yet—
the older youth had just helped him escape.
Gu Chen's gaze became thoughtful.
Cultivators didn't owe each other favors.
Especially strangers.
But Gu Chen wasn't someone who enjoyed owing debts.
He took a deep breath.
Then stepped forward.
Gu Qing immediately noticed.
"What are you doing now?"
"Returning a favor."
"With what strength?"
Gu Chen smiled faintly.
"I only need one strike."
Gu Chen didn't rush toward the beast.
Instead, he circled the battlefield.
The Flame-Earth Wolf was focused on the five strangers.
It hadn't noticed him yet.
Gu Chen controlled his breathing.
He remembered the old elder's words.
Don't make the sword follow your power.
Let the power follow the sword.
His grip relaxed.
For the first time during a real battle, Gu Chen didn't immediately force World Energy into the Scarlet Ember Sword.
He moved first.
One step.
Then another.
His body followed naturally.
The sword remained still.
Gu Chen waited.
The Flame-Earth Wolf charged toward the older youth.
The youth raised his weapon.
At that instant—
the scales beneath the beast's neck separated.
Gu Chen moved.
Flame Phantom Step!
His body became a crimson blur.
The sudden acceleration caused pain to spread through his meridians.
But he ignored it.
The beast sensed him.
Too late.
Gu Chen drew his sword.
Everything became silent.
His body moved.
His arm followed.
Only at the final moment—
World Energy entered the blade.
A crimson flame condensed along its edge.
Ember Draw.
SHING!
The Scarlet Ember Sword struck.
The blade entered through the gap between the scales.
The Flame-Earth Wolf roared.
Gu Chen's attack didn't kill it.
He knew it wouldn't.
The difference between them was too great.
But the strike had done something important.
It had injured the beast.
For the first time—
blood appeared.
The older youth's eyes widened.
"Now!"
The five cultivators immediately attacked.
Several techniques descended simultaneously.
The Flame-Earth Wolf roared in pain.
Gu Chen had already retreated.
His chest rose and fell heavily.
His World Energy was almost completely exhausted.
But something strange happened.
He looked down at his sword.
The strike had felt different.
Cleaner.
More natural.
He had used less energy than before.
Yet the attack had been stronger.
Gu Chen closed his eyes briefly.
He understood.
He hadn't reached Minor Success.
Not yet.
But he had finally grasped a small part of the true principle behind the Ember-Sundering Sword Art.
ROAR!
The Flame-Earth Wolf suddenly let out an enraged roar.
The beast slammed its claws against the ground.
The underground fire vein erupted.
Crimson flames burst from the earth.
"Run!"
The older youth shouted.
No one hesitated.
The entire group retreated.
Gu Qing grabbed Gu Chen's arm.
"Move!"
Gu Chen activated Flame Phantom Step.
But this time—
nothing happened.
His body had reached its limit.
Gu Chen's expression changed.
His World Energy was exhausted.
The strain on his meridians was too great.
He couldn't force the technique again.
The flames behind them spread rapidly.
Gu Qing pulled him forward.
"Don't stop!"
Gu Chen clenched his teeth and began running.
Without the support of his movement technique.
Without sufficient World Energy.
Only relying on his newly strengthened body.
The ground trembled behind them.
Trees burned.
Rocks shattered.
The entire forest seemed to be swallowed by crimson flames.
Gu Chen looked back once.
Through the sea of fire, he could see the Flame-Earth Wolf standing above the cracked ground.
Its burning eyes were fixed on them.
Then—
the beast disappeared beneath the earth.
Gu Chen didn't slow down.
Neither did anyone else.
They continued running until the sounds behind them finally disappeared.
Nearly half an hour later, the group finally stopped.
Everyone was exhausted.
Several of the strangers had injuries.
Gu Chen leaned against a large tree.
His World Energy was almost completely depleted.
But his eyes remained calm.
His hand reached into his storage pouch.
He took out the crimson plant.
Blazing Earth Root.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
He had obtained it.
Another resource required for the Flame Demon Physique.
The older youth approached him.
Gu Chen looked up.
For several moments, neither spoke.
Then the youth said,
"That sword strike."
Gu Chen remained silent.
The youth continued.
"It shouldn't have been possible for a Rank 1 cultivator to injure that beast."
Gu Chen looked at his sword.
"I didn't defeat it."
"No."
The youth nodded.
"You didn't."
Then a faint smile appeared on his face.
"But you found its weakness."
Gu Chen didn't answer.
The youth extended his hand.
"Jiang Wu."
Gu Chen looked at the hand.
Then shook it.
"Gu Chen."
The youth's eyes changed slightly.
"Gu Clan?"
"Yes."
Jiang Wu nodded.
"So you're one of the disciples participating in the mountain expedition."
Gu Chen didn't ask about Jiang Wu's identity.
Not yet.
The two had only just met.
And in the cultivation world, names alone didn't create trust.
Still—
they had fought the same enemy.
For now, that was enough.
Gu Chen placed the Blazing Earth Root back into his storage pouch.
He had entered the Falling Flame Mountains to gather resources.
In less than one day, he had already encountered a Rank 2 magical beast.
The mountains were far more dangerous than he initially expected.
But Gu Chen's eyes held no fear.
Instead, there was anticipation.
He still had six days remaining.
And somewhere within these endless mountains—
more opportunities were waiting.