Chapter 43: Show of Power
Jin's steps thundered through the cracked earth as he surged toward the next ruin. The air around him crackled with intent, his aura subtly stirring the wind like a predator closing in on prey. After finding the killing intent manual, his perception had shifted—he no longer saw these ruins as mere opportunities for growth but as battlegrounds that would shape his future.
As he neared a rocky cliffside, the faint shimmer of protective formation arrays caught his attention. Embedded in a jutting slope was an ancient ruin, its outer structure barely intact but still oozing with lingering essence. Four figures stood before its gate, each cloaked in dark red and black robes. From the subtle fluctuations in their aura, Jin could tell—they were all late-stage Initiate Realm cultivators, sovereigns in their own right.
They were arguing over how to open the gate when Jin appeared, stopping just short of the slope. A flicker of amusement danced in his eyes.
He took a deep breath, then infused a thread of wind element into his voice. The wind swirled through the canyon, carrying his words to the ears of the four cultivators.
"This ruin is no place for the weak. Leave now, or face the consequences."
The four froze. One of them, a lanky man with a jagged scar over his cheek, chuckled and stepped forward.
"And who the hell are you to order us around?" he sneered. "You think just because you got here first, it belongs to you?"
Jin remained quiet, his expression as cold as ever. Another voice joined in—a woman with braided white hair and arms crossed.
"Even if you're mid-stage Adept Realm, we four together can take you down. You don't scare us."
Jin sighed softly. His thoughts drifted to the ferocious beast he had battled in the Forest of No Return—the beast that could crush mountains with a single blow. The memory of its sheer power burned in his mind.
"You think a group of ants can bring down a dragon?" Jin said, eyes glowing faintly red as he took a single step forward. "Let me show you the difference between your fantasy... and reality."
Without further warning, he raised his hand and called forth the most devastating fire spell in his arsenal.
"Volcanic Devastation."
The earth trembled.
A massive ring of fire encircled the group, glowing with searing heat. Cracks tore open the rocky terrain beneath them as deep magma veins surged upward, bubbling with molten rage. The air grew heavy, blistering. The four cultivators immediately panicked and formed a square formation. Ancient runes lit up beneath their feet, their essence pouring into a shimmering barrier.
"Don't let it break! Focus!" their leader roared.
But it was futile.
The sky above turned crimson as the spell completed. From the ruptured earth, an explosion of pure elemental fire burst forth—natural magma surged into the air in a terrifying pillar of destruction. The ruin itself quaked in response, its formation trembling against the nearby explosion.
The barrier of the four cultivators glowed brightly... then cracked.
In seconds, their defensive formation was consumed.
The fire didn't simply burn—it erased.
The molten geyser raged for a full ten seconds before collapsing into itself, leaving behind scorched earth and trails of black smoke. The only sound left was the slow drip of molten rock cooling.
Jin walked forward, scanning the area where the group had stood. There was nothing left. No screams. No ashes. Nothing—except four spatial rings that somehow survived the inferno, hovering just above the charred stone. Jin reached out and claimed them, sliding them into his own ring.
He exhaled, steadying his breathing. The Volcanic Devastation took a heavy toll on his essence reserves. He needed to recover.
The entrance to the ruin now lay unguarded, still pulsing faintly with spiritual energy. However, the terrain around it was unstable—streams of molten lava still flowed from the ground fissures, and the area shimmered with heat distortion.
Jin stepped lightly, feet barely skimming the blackened rock, his fire resistance shielding him from the heat. He entered the ruin with slow, careful steps.
Inside was dim—lit only by the gentle glow of lava flowing through shallow channels along the walls. The temperature was unbearable to most, but Jin's control of fire made it tolerable.
He sat cross-legged in the first open chamber and took a deep breath.
It was time to recover.
And once he did, he would search the depths of this ruin for any weapon, technique, or knowledge that could bring him closer to his goal. He had begun walking a road paved with destruction—but within it, he would forge a new power.