The forest gradually returned to silence.
The distant eruption had stopped, but the smell of smoke still lingered in the air.
Gu Chen sat beneath a large tree, slowly circulating the Ember Scripture.
His World Energy was nearly exhausted.
The battle hadn't lasted long.
Yet the repeated use of Flame Phantom Step, followed by his final sword strike, had pushed his body close to its limit.
Fortunately, the Flame Demon Physique had proven its value.
His meridians were sore, but they hadn't suffered serious damage.
A faint stream of fire-attributed World Energy entered his body from the surroundings.
Gu Chen's breathing gradually stabilized.
Not far away, Jiang Wu watched him.
After several moments, he finally spoke.
"Your recovery speed is impressive."
Gu Chen opened his eyes.
"The environment helps."
That wasn't a lie.
The Falling Flame Mountains were rich in fire-attributed World Energy.
For Gu Chen, cultivating here was naturally easier than cultivating within the Gu Clan.
But Jiang Wu clearly didn't believe that was the entire reason.
He glanced at Gu Chen's crimson-golden eyes.
Then at the faint dark-red strands within his hair.
There was something unusual about this Gu Clan disciple.
But Jiang Wu didn't ask.
Every cultivator had secrets.
Asking about them recklessly was a good way to create enemies.
Gu Qing approached Gu Chen and handed him a water pouch.
"You're recovering?"
Gu Chen accepted it.
"Slowly."
"You shouldn't have made that last attack."
Gu Chen drank some water.
"You would have said the same thing if I hadn't helped?"
Gu Qing opened his mouth.
Then became silent.
Gu Chen smiled faintly.
Jiang Wu's group had helped him escape.
He had simply returned the favor.
That was all.
Gu Qing sat beside him.
"Still, don't do something like that again."
"I'll try."
"That's not reassuring."
A short distance away, Jiang Wu's companions were treating their injuries.
The young woman who had been struck by the Flame-Earth Wolf had a wounded shoulder, though the injury wasn't serious enough to stop her from moving.
The others looked exhausted.
One of them occasionally glanced toward Gu Chen.
Clearly, they were still thinking about his final strike.
A Rank 1 cultivator injuring a Rank 2 magical beast was unusual.
But Gu Chen wasn't interested in explaining himself.
He simply continued recovering.
After nearly an hour, he finally stood.
His World Energy had recovered somewhat.
Not completely.
But enough.
Jiang Wu noticed.
"You're leaving?"
Gu Chen nodded.
"The expedition lasts seven days."
"You've only just arrived, and you're already planning to continue?"
Gu Chen looked toward the forest.
"I didn't come here to rest."
Jiang Wu laughed.
"I like that attitude."
Gu Qing sighed.
"Of course you do."
Jiang Wu's expression gradually became serious.
"Before you leave, there's something you should know."
Gu Chen turned.
Jiang Wu walked toward him.
"The Flame-Earth Wolf wasn't supposed to be in that area."
Gu Chen frowned.
"What do you mean?"
"The information we received said the outer region only had Rank 1 beasts around the fire vein."
"Information can be wrong."
"Yes."
Jiang Wu nodded.
"But not this wrong."
Gu Chen's expression changed slightly.
Jiang Wu continued.
"The beast wasn't simply passing through."
"It had made that fire vein its territory."
Gu Chen remembered the scene.
The Flame-Earth Wolf had emerged directly from beneath the ground.
It clearly knew the underground fire vein extremely well.
"What are you suggesting?" Gu Qing asked.
Jiang Wu looked deeper into the mountains.
"I think something has changed within the Falling Flame Mountains."
Silence followed.
Gu Chen looked toward the distant peaks.
A Rank 2 beast appearing closer to the outer region could be coincidence.
But cultivators survived by taking unusual things seriously.
"What kind of change?"
"I don't know."
Jiang Wu shook his head.
"But before entering the mountains, I heard something."
His voice lowered.
"Several independent cultivators have disappeared during the past month."
Gu Qing's expression tightened.
"Disappeared?"
Jiang Wu nodded.
"No bodies were found."
One of his companions suddenly spoke.
"Maybe they entered the inner region."
Jiang Wu looked at him.
"Perhaps."
Then he looked back at Gu Chen.
"Or perhaps something from deeper within the mountains is moving outward."
The atmosphere became heavier.
Gu Chen remained silent.
He remembered the elder's warning.
Do not enter the inner region.
At the time, he had assumed it was simply a standard rule.
Now—
perhaps there was more behind it.
Gu Chen placed his hand on the hilt of his sword.
"Are you returning?"
Jiang Wu shook his head.
"Not yet."
"Then?"
"We'll continue searching, but we'll stay closer to the established paths."
That was sensible.
Gu Chen nodded.
He had no reason to enter dangerous territory either.
His purpose was resources.
Not adventure for its own sake.
Jiang Wu suddenly smiled.
"Why don't we travel together?"
Gu Qing looked surprised.
Gu Chen considered the offer.
Jiang Wu's group had five people.
Their strength wasn't weak.
More importantly, Jiang Wu himself was clearly a Rank 2 cultivator.
Traveling together would provide additional security.
But there were disadvantages.
More people meant resources had to be divided.
And Gu Chen didn't know them.
Trust was still a problem.
Jiang Wu seemed to understand his hesitation.
"No obligation."
Gu Chen thought for a moment.
Then shook his head.
"Not yet."
Jiang Wu wasn't offended.
Instead, he nodded.
"Fair enough."
The two groups prepared to separate.
Before leaving, Jiang Wu stopped.
"Gu Chen."
Gu Chen looked back.
"That sword technique of yours."
Gu Chen's eyes narrowed slightly.
"What about it?"
"Keep practicing."
Jiang Wu smiled faintly.
"Your final strike was different from the previous one."
Gu Chen remained silent.
"I don't know what technique you're cultivating," Jiang Wu continued, "but you're still wasting too much of your strength."
Gu Chen's expression became thoughtful.
That was exactly what he had realized.
"But you improved during battle."
Jiang Wu turned away.
"That's more valuable than winning an easy fight."
Gu Chen watched him leave.
Those words remained in his mind.
Gu Qing and Gu Chen continued deeper along the outer region.
The path became increasingly difficult.
Several hours passed without encountering another cultivator.
Gu Chen occasionally stopped to inspect spiritual plants.
Unfortunately, most were ordinary.
They contained only weak spiritual energy.
None were useful for the Flame Demon Physique.
As the sun began to descend, Gu Qing finally stopped.
"We should find somewhere to rest."
Gu Chen looked around.
The forest was becoming darker.
Traveling at night was possible.
But magical beasts were more active after sunset.
There was no reason to take unnecessary risks.
"Over there."
Gu Chen pointed toward a rocky slope.
They found a small cave hidden behind several large stones.
After carefully inspecting it, Gu Chen nodded.
"No beast traces."
Gu Qing immediately began preparing a small fire.
Gu Chen sat near the entrance.
His sword rested across his knees.
He didn't cultivate immediately.
Instead, he studied the battle with the Flame-Earth Wolf.
His final strike replayed repeatedly in his mind.
The timing.
The movement.
The flow of energy.
For the first time—
Gu Chen felt that the Ember-Sundering Sword Art was more than a collection of movements.
Every strike contained a principle.
A direction.
But he hadn't fully grasped it.
Not yet.
He closed his eyes.
His fingers slowly tightened around the sword.
Inside his consciousness, the first chapter of the Ember Scripture appeared.
The ancient inheritance remained silent.
It didn't explain.
It didn't guide him.
It simply presented the path.
Gu Chen had to walk it himself.
Hours passed.
The night became deeper.
Gu Qing had already fallen asleep.
Gu Chen remained awake.
Suddenly—
his eyes opened.
A sound.
Very faint.
From outside the cave.
Gu Chen slowly stood.
His hand moved toward his sword.
Another sound followed.
Crunch.
Something had stepped on a dry branch.
Gu Chen's expression became cold.
There were only two possibilities.
A magical beast.
Or another cultivator.
And neither had approached openly.
He glanced at the sleeping Gu Qing.
Then silently moved toward the cave entrance.
Outside—
the Falling Flame Mountains had become completely dark.
The forest was silent.
Too silent.
Gu Chen stood in the shadows.
His crimson-golden eyes faintly reflected the moonlight.
Then—
a pair of eyes opened between the trees.
Watching him.