Kai stood at the edge of a vast, scorched wasteland, the air thick with heat that distorted the very space around him. Before him stretched the Abyssal Flame Ruins, a land of eternal fire where the Emberroot Essence was said to grow.
Even from this distance, he could see rivers of molten lava, towering obsidian spires, and monstrous figures lurking within the flames. The ground beneath his feet was cracked and charred, pulsing with an unnatural warmth.
Master Wei's warning echoed in his mind.
"This place is not meant for mortals. Even peak-tier combatants have perished in its depths. If you fail, there will be no second chance."
Kai exhaled sharply. Failure was not an option.
With careful steps, he advanced into the ruins. The moment he crossed the boundary—
Boom!
A wave of scorching heat slammed into him, wrapping around his body like a living entity. His clothes sizzled, his skin burned, and his breath came in short gasps.
But he endured.
He had to.
Activating his Spiritual Cooking Aura, he directed the energy to shield himself, forming a thin protective barrier around his body. The relief was instant but not absolute—the heat still gnawed at his defenses, testing his endurance.
Step by step, he pressed forward.
As he ventured deeper, the landscape grew more hostile. Flame Serpents slithered between cracks in the earth, their glowing eyes fixed on him. From above, Fire Drakes circled hungrily, waiting for an opportunity to strike.
Kai knew that any hesitation would mean death.
Suddenly—
Crack!
The ground beneath him split apart, revealing a pit of bubbling magma. From within, a monstrous claw emerged, followed by a massive, four-armed beast wreathed in flames.
A Molten Titan.
Its body was composed of molten rock, its veins pulsing with liquid fire. The air trembled with each step it took, and its glowing eyes locked onto Kai.
A roar echoed through the ruins, shaking the very ground.
Kai narrowed his eyes. There was no escaping this fight.
He reached into his storage ring and retrieved a Spirit-Infused Cooking Knife. Though it was a chef's tool, it was crafted from Celestial Steel, capable of cutting through even the toughest monster hides.
The Molten Titan lunged, swinging one of its massive arms down toward him.
Kai reacted instantly, his body twisting to the side as the molten fist slammed into the ground, sending a shockwave through the area.
Without hesitation, he countered.
Channeling his Spiritual Cooking Energy, he infused his knife with Frost Essence, a rare technique that allowed him to neutralize heat-based creatures.
With a single precise motion, he slashed across the Titan's exposed joint.
Sizzle!
A burst of steam and molten rock erupted as the frost-infused blade cut deep, causing the Titan to stagger back in pain.
Kai didn't stop. He dashed forward, weaving between its attacks, striking at its weak points. Each cut drained its strength, until—
Boom!
With a final strike to its core, the Molten Titan collapsed, its fiery body crumbling into the earth.
Kai exhaled heavily, his body drenched in sweat.
This was only the beginning.
Somewhere in these ruins, the Emberroot Essence was waiting.
And he would find it. No matter what.