Flames of Resolve

The morning sun painted the sky in hues of gold and crimson, casting its light over the towering peaks of the Desolate Mountains. Lin Fan stood atop a jagged cliff, his robes fluttering in the cool mountain breeze. In his hand, the Beast Core from the Crimson-Scaled Leopard glowed faintly, its fiery energy pulsating in rhythm with the ember of cultivation burning within him.

The previous night's battle replayed in his mind: the speed of the leopard, the intensity of its attacks, and the overwhelming pressure it had exerted. Yet, despite the odds, he had stood victorious.

Lin Fan tightened his grip on the Beast Core, his expression resolute. "Victory is never guaranteed, but survival isn't enough. I don't just want to win. I want to dominate."

The memory of the Lin family elder and Su Xue Rou intruding into his path resurfaced. Their sneers, their disdain, their indifference—it was the fuel that fed his flames.

His jaw clenched as he gazed out at the horizon. "Lin family… Su Xue Rou… you think I'm still the weak, forgotten fool you cast out? Let me show you how wrong you are."

Lin Fan sat cross-legged in the center of a small clearing, surrounded by the towering trees of the dense forest. The Beast Core floated in front of him, its fiery glow illuminating the shadows around him. He took a deep breath and began channeling his energy, focusing on the core. The Blazing Sun Ascension Art surged to life within him, the flame in his core burning brighter as it resonated with the energy of the Beast Core.

The scroll's teachings had warned of this process: absorbing a Beast Core was a double-edged sword. It could greatly enhance one's cultivation, but it came with immense risk. The raw spiritual energy within the core was wild and untamed. If mishandled, it could easily backfire, crippling the cultivator—or worse, killing them outright.

Lin Fan's determination, however, was unshakable.

The moment his spiritual energy touched the Beast Core, a torrent of fiery power erupted from it, flooding his meridians like a raging inferno. Lin Fan's body trembled as the energy surged through him, threatening to tear him apart from the inside.

"Focus!" Lin Fan gritted his teeth, sweat pouring down his face as he fought to control the energy. The flames burned hotter, scorching his meridians as they barreled toward his core.

Pain wracked his body, but Lin Fan refused to yield. He visualized the flames within him, bending them to his will, shaping them into a steady flow that merged with his cultivation. Slowly, the wild energy began to stabilize, fusing with his own.

The flame in his core roared to life, growing larger and more vibrant. Lin Fan's breathing steadied as he felt his strength rise, his spiritual foundation becoming firmer and more refined. The Beast Core's energy was no longer a threat—it was his.

When Lin Fan opened his eyes, they burned with a fiery intensity. The clearing around him was scorched, the grass charred black by the residual heat of his breakthrough.

"Second stage of Qi Refining," Lin Fan whispered, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. He clenched his fists, feeling the surge of power coursing through him. "This is only the beginning."

As Lin Fan prepared to leave the clearing, a faint rustling sound caught his attention. His senses sharpened, and his body tensed as he turned toward the source of the noise.

From the shadows emerged a group of three figures—two men and one woman—all dressed in robes that bore the insignia of the Lin family. Their eyes locked onto Lin Fan with contempt and greed, their auras radiating hostility.

"Well, well," one of the men said, his voice dripping with mockery. "The so-called 'waste' actually survived. Looks like the elder wasn't lying about you finding a treasure."

The woman sneered, her eyes narrowing as she glanced at the scorched ground around Lin Fan. "You've certainly made progress, but do you really think you're a match for us? Hand over whatever you've found, and we might let you live."

Lin Fan's gaze swept over the three cultivators. He could sense their strength—two were at the second stage of Qi Refining, while the third, the leader, was at the peak of the second stage. They weren't weak, but Lin Fan's lips curled into a cold smile.

"You Lin family dogs really don't know when to quit, do you?" Lin Fan said, his voice calm but laced with venom. "If you want what's mine, come and take it—if you can."

The leader's expression darkened. "You've got guts, I'll give you that. But it's time someone taught you your place."

The battle erupted in an instant. The two weaker cultivators charged first, their spiritual energy flaring as they attacked from opposite sides. Lin Fan moved like a shadow, his movements precise and fluid. He dodged one strike and countered with a blazing fist, the flames of the Blazing Sun Ascension Art engulfing his opponent.

"Ahh!" The first cultivator cried out as Lin Fan's attack seared his arm, forcing him to retreat.

The second cultivator swung a blade toward Lin Fan's back, but Lin Fan pivoted smoothly, deflecting the strike with his forearm before delivering a fiery kick to his opponent's chest. The impact sent the man flying, his robes smoldering as he hit the ground.

The leader's face twisted with anger as he watched his companions fall. "Useless fools," he spat before stepping forward, his aura surging as he unleashed a powerful wave of spiritual energy.

Lin Fan braced himself, his flames flaring as the leader's attack barreled toward him. The force of the strike pushed Lin Fan back several steps, but he remained standing, his eyes burning with unyielding determination.

"You'll regret underestimating me," the leader growled, drawing a long blade that shimmered with spiritual energy.

Lin Fan's flames burned brighter as he prepared for the next exchange. The two clashed violently, their attacks lighting up the forest as sparks and flames filled the air. The leader's strikes were fast and precise, but Lin Fan's mastery of the Blazing Sun Ascension Art allowed him to counter with equal ferocity.

Finally, Lin Fan saw an opening. As the leader overextended with a downward slash, Lin Fan surged forward, channeling all his energy into a single, explosive strike.

"Blazing Sun Burst!"

The burst of flames engulfed the leader, his screams echoing through the forest as the fire consumed him. When the flames died down, the man's charred body collapsed to the ground, lifeless.

The two remaining cultivators, realizing they were no match for Lin Fan, scrambled to their feet and fled into the shadows, their cries of fear fading into the distance.

Lin Fan stood amidst the scorched battlefield, his chest heaving as he caught his breath. His body ached, but his heart was steady, his resolve stronger than ever.

"Let them run," Lin Fan said softly, his voice cold. "They'll spread the word. Let the Lin family know—I'm not the waste they threw away. I'm the fire that will burn them to ashes."

With the flames of the Blazing Sun Ascension Art burning brighter within him, Lin Fan turned and continued his journey, the path of vengeance stretching endlessly before him.