Not long after entering, the team encountered their first target.
A flame-type beast—larger than expected.
Its body resembled a wolf, but its fur burned like flowing fire, and every breath it exhaled carried intense heat. Its cultivation had already reached Core Formation early stage.
Li Hao raised his hand slightly, signaling the team to stop.
They observed first.
This time, they would not act recklessly.
"We take it together," he said.
The plan was simple—control, suppress, then extract.
When they moved, their coordination was flawless.
Wang Lei controlled the battlefield space, limiting the beast's movement.
Lin Xue distorted its senses, creating slight misjudgments.
Xu Mei restrained its flames with her own, reducing its advantage.
Su Ling prepared for refinement.
And Li Hao—
Controlled the flow.
The beast was subdued without chaos.
When it fell, Su Ling carefully extracted its flame essence.
A steady, stable fire.
"Not bad," she said quietly.
Li Hao watched closely.
This was only the beginning.