Evolution Begins with Elemental Domination

The Titan Giant Python was just looking for a chance to escape, with no intention of continuing the fight.

And in that split second, Su Chen made his move.

Telekinesis surged from his palm, rapidly condensing in midair. A three-meter-long, invisible spear materialized, its shaft turning completely red as he infused it with the power of a Flame Burst.

SWISH!

He hurled it down from his high perch on a branch. Boosted by Telekinesis, it plummeted like a Crimson Flame meteor.

The hippo, having just broken free from the water prison, hadn’t even regained its footing when the Crimson Flame spear landed squarely on its head. The spear tip’s Penetration Power even pierced its tough hide.

As the flames erupted, a spray of blood foamed from the hippo’s head. Its left eye exploded on the spot, and a small part of its skull caved in.

Blood coated its face, twisting its features into a grotesque mask. The blast ruptured its eardrums, leaving a sharp ringing in its ears.

The intense heat not only burned its flesh, but the Soul Burning property seared its mind as if it were being steamed by fire. The pain bored deep into its soul, causing the already enraged hippo to lose all reason.

Grievously wounded, it charged forward like a runaway chariot. It didn’t even consider that the Titan Giant Python couldn’t use Fire Magic and just wildly unleashed one Gravity Skill after another, not caring if they hit anything.

The surrounding ancient trees bore the brunt of the attack, their large branches snapping and breaking away.

In its chaotic frenzy, it actually achieved a surprising result. A muffled thud sounded from underwater, followed by a large cloud of blood bubbling to the surface.

But just as the heavily panting hippo paused between spells, Su Chen—who had been following it through the treetop canopy—dropped all pretense. With a single leap, he dove down from above.

Enveloped in Wind Gauze, he was as light as a hunting falcon.

By the time the hippo sensed something was wrong, it was too late.

A fully concentrated Strong Thought Burst slammed into the fractured opening of its cranial cavity. A moment later, its head, detonated by the intense internal pressure, burst like a ripe watermelon.

Flesh, blood, and bone fragments flew everywhere. The creature’s enormous body stiffened, staggered two steps in the water, and then slowly toppled over.

”Finally killed it.”

Su Chen’s eyes were cold, but he couldn’t help but marvel at the creature’s tenacious Life Force. It had taken two of his full-power Strong Thought Bursts to finally bring it down.

He didn’t dwell on it.

His surging Telekinesis pierced the water’s surface, searching the shattered remains directly.

Soon...

A flicker of joy ignited in his heart.

A Rune glowing with a brilliant, earthy-brown light was ensnared by his threads of will, and he pulled it from the water along with two other Earth Element Runes.

Accelerating the retrieval, Su Chen snatched the Gravity Skill Rune in less than three seconds. As the rest of the loot flew into his canvas backpack, he didn’t wait for a single moment. He activated a Shadow Leap, leaving only an afterimage in midair.

BANG!

A water cannon blasted through the exact spot he had occupied a moment before, but it clearly only hit empty air.

The Titan Giant Python’s vertical pupils contracted. Its bronze scales shimmered with a cold light born of fury. It never expected its own attack would end up creating the perfect opportunity for someone else, that all its efforts were for another’s gain.

A mournful cry echoed from the other side. The female hippo, which had been pinned underwater by a massive tree, had finally broken free only to find its mate dead. It looked all around, but there was no sign of anyone.

The human interloper, the thief, had vanished without a trace.

...

「One minute later.」

”We’re too late.”

By the time Feng Zhiyuan, his son, and a group of skilled archers arrived via the treetop path, the battle here had already ended.

The scene before them was deathly silent.

Large swaths of what had been thick, sturdy ancient trees lay toppled.

The water’s surface, stained crimson with blood, was littered with broken trunks and branches. The pungent smell of blood hung in the air.

The three archery coaches were nowhere to be found, most likely having perished in these waters.

Only a lone female hippo remained in the water. Amidst its whimpering cries, it gradually noticed the newly arrived group.

”That’s not the one. Judging by the fluctuations of its earthen aura, it doesn’t look like it has a Lv5 Rune.” Feng Zhiyuan frowned. According to the scouting report from his coaches, they should have been targeting three hippos.

But now, only a single, mournfully crying giant hippo was left.

The battle was already over.

”Could it have been the Titan Giant Python?” Feng Yuanjie guessed.

This morning, the two regional lords had fought. It had even been filmed by a drone. Once the news spread, it had caught their attention, and they were determined to get their hands on a Lv5 Rune no matter what.

”Maybe.”

Feng Zhiyuan’s nostrils flared slightly. As a veteran hunter, he clearly detected the acrid smell of burnt-out fire.

It seemed there had been a Fire Spellcaster at the scene.

’Don’t tell me someone beat us to it.’

”First, let’s kill this one that got away.”

...

Activating the Shadow Jumping Skill five times in a row had left Su Chen, whose Physique had long surpassed the theoretical limits of an ordinary person, feeling a little unwell.

Lingering dark fluctuations swirled around him. Wreathed in Wind Fluff, they looked like wisps of black smoke drifting away.

Without breaking his stride, he continued to dart forward through the treetop canopy.

With this maneuver, he had completely evaded the counterattacks of the Titan Giant Python and the other hippo. He had also noticed numerous figures approaching from behind and had silently taken a wide detour.

The most important thing now was to digest the spoils of his victory.

「Ten minutes later.」

Su Chen had reached a quiet area of the forest.

By this point, the Earth Element Rune he had snatched had been completely absorbed. A cluster of earthy-brown radiance bloomed in the depths of his consciousness, and as it flowed through him, a burst of information was released.