Hope left the Silver Fang Guild, he looked back at the building. His eyes didn’t linger on it for long. There was no need to.

He had spent enough time here. His cultivation was progressing, but it was clear that resting here would only slow him down. He didn’t want to waste time. He had no patience for distractions or delays.

With one last glance toward the guild’s towering walls, Hope turned his back on it. His destination lay ahead: Emberfell. He had heard of this name in passing, it’s a very famous land in the Ember Empire. The name had always intrigued him, but today, it held a deeper meaning.

The volcanic land was filled with beasts, fire-infused herbs, metals, and much more. It was a land of danger and opportunity, and it was Hope’s next stop.

He had a bounty to complete—three Flamefang wolves, their pelts worth a decent sum. It was a simple task, one that would earn him some money, but Hope knew that the bounty wasn’t the only reason he was headed there.

He wasn’t just a hunter.

He wasn’t here just for the money.

He had greater ambitions, ones that couldn’t be ignored.

He had learned about the second realm of Body cultivation, Cinderheart Awakening, from the relic. The realm wasn’t just about physical strength; the early stage was about awakening the heart, allowing it to resonate with the primal forces of nature, unlocking vitality, and enhancing endurance.

The kind of fire that burned in Emberfell could help him push further into this realm. The volcanic heat, the primal nature of the land—it would help him take that next step in his cultivation. It almost felt like he was destined to come to the Ember Empire and visit Emberfell because the Cinderheart Awakening heavily relied on fire.

As he walked he saw the gate to the eastern part of the city looming ahead.

Hope quickened his pace, eager to begin his journey.

He approached the eastern gate. Guards stood watch, eyeing him with curiosity as he approached. Hope ignored them, his mind already focused on the path ahead. As he passed through the gate, the city fell away behind him.

With each step, the temperature began to rise, and the landscape shifted. The lush forests of the inner empire gradually turned into rugged, cracked earth, spewing veins of lava from the deep crevices below.

He continued his journey without hesitation.

He had spent days preparing his body, refining his strength, and now, as the air thickened with the heat from Emberfell’s volcanoes, he could feel the power of the land calling to him.

This was what he needed.

The further he walked, the more the land seemed to hum beneath his feet, the smell of sulfur and fire filling the air. The heat would only grow as he went deeper into the heart of Emberfell.

Within an hour, the city was nothing more than a distant memory. Hope’s pace didn’t falter. His eyes scanned the land around him, taking in the jagged landscape.

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Emberfell was a place of constant eruption, where fire and fury had shaped the land in unimaginable ways. The volcanoes towered over him, spewing forth ash and flame into the sky. The ground beneath him cracked with every step he took, as if the earth itself was restless.

Hope’s thoughts shifted to the task at hand.

The Flamefang wolves were known to roam the outskirts of the volcanic terrain, often seen near the craters and rivers of lava. He had heard rumors of their ferocity, their pelts ablaze with fire, their eyes glowing like molten coals.

The bounty would be easy enough to complete, but Hope wasn’t just hunting for wolves. He was hunting for a way to increase his power.

The fire of Emberfell would help him cultivate the second realm of Body cultivation—Cinderheart Awakening. He wasn’t going to waste this opportunity.

As Hope moved deeper into the volcanic region, the air grew hotter, the scent of sulfur stronger. He could feel the pulse of the land beneath his feet. The earth was alive with energy, and the lava veins below the surface crackled with untapped power. The volcanoes were more than just geographical features—they were the heart of this land.

The very ground seemed to hum with the ancient clash that had formed Emberfell, the battle between the Sun Serpent and the Titan that had left the land scorched, burned, and transformed.

Hope’s focus never wavered, but as he moved forward, he began to sense something else. The wolves were close. He could feel the heat in the air changing, the pressure of the ground shifting. A low growl echoed in the distance, and then, the shape of the wolves emerged from the shadows.

A dozen Flamefang wolves appeared, they seemed to be in the Primal Surge realm, their eyes glowing like molten lava. Their fur was more than just fur—it was as if the fire of Emberfell itself was woven into their coats. The wolves circled him, their powerful bodies moving with an eerie grace. They were testing him, sizing him up.

Hope didn’t flinch, they were just ants in his eyes.

The first wolf lunged toward him, its fiery jaws snapping. Hope sidestepped, moving fluidly, his sword cutting through the air. With a clean strike, the wolf’s head fell from its body, the fire on its body extinguished as it fell to the ground.

The first wolf was down.

But the remaining nine weren’t as easily fooled. They moved faster, smarter.

The second wolf dashed toward Hope, its body a blur of flame and fury. With an indifferent expression Hope brandished his sword so fast the wolf couldn’t even tell when it died. Feeling that this might take too long he lunged at the wolves, each one of them took a single sword strike before they died.

Now the only one remaining was the alpha.

The alpha wolf, however, wasn’t going to be so easily defeated. It circled him, its fiery breath sizzling in the air. The ground beneath its feet cracked with each step. Hope’s eyes narrowed. He could feel the intensity of the heat rising, the flames around the wolf growing hotter, but Hope wasn’t afraid.

The alpha wolf lunged at him but he easily side stepped, his sword slashing through the air, connecting with the wolf’s shoulder.

The beast staggered back, its eyes glowing even brighter with rage. Hope could see the wolf’s power, its fiery energy coursing through its veins.

With a swift motion, Hope struck again, this time piercing the wolf’s side. The alpha let out a final, guttural growl before falling dead to the ground.

Hope stood amidst the ashes, his breathing even, his heart still as a lake. The pack was dead.

He could take the bodies, return to the guild and complete the bounty but…he didn’t want to. He decided he will hunt three wolves before returning, now wasn’t the time.

As he stood there he felt the flames, the heat, the fire—it was all around him, seeping into his body. It would be enough to help him cultivate Cinderheart Awakening. His body would resonate with the primal forces of Emberfell, unlocking his true potential.

Hope took a deep breath, feeling the fire around him coursing through his veins. The power of Emberfell would help him grow, help him push his limits further. But there was more to this journey—he didn’t want to train normally. He wanted to push himself to his limits.

Hope turned and walked deeper into the heart of Emberfell.

The volcanoes towered over him, their fiery eruptions lighting up the sky.

And his destination…was inside them.