At the center of the chamber, resting atop a stone altar, was the Scarlet Flame Jade. Its fiery glow illuminated the room, its power palpable in the air.
"This is it," Lei Chen murmured, stepping forward. He could feel the jade's energy calling to him, resonating with the War God's techniques within him. The jade's power would allow him to enhance his cultivation, pushing him closer to the next stage.
But before he could claim it, Wu Jian and his group arrived, having finally caught up with them.
"This ends now, Lei Chen," Wu Jian snarled, drawing his sword. "The jade is mine."
The final battle between Lei Chen and Wu Jian erupted in a storm of qi and spiritual energy. Wu Jian's strikes were fierce, but Lei Chen's mastery of the War God techniques, combined with the power of the Scarlet Flame Jade, gave him the edge he needed.
As Lei Chen tapped into the jade's power, his qi surged, and he felt himself break through to the fifth sub-stage of the Essence Gathering Stage. The jade's flames coursed through him, enhancing his attacks and overwhelming Wu Jian.
With a final, devastating blow, Lei Chen sent Wu Jian crashing to the ground, defeated.
But as Wu Jian retreated, Lei Chen knew that this victory was only temporary. The Scarlet Moon Realm was full of dangers yet to be discovered, and the true battle was still to come.