As the Magma State Internal Power within his body began to shift, Andrew Han's heart surged with emotion. His normally calm demeanor grew a little excited—at last, the moment he had been waiting for before the full-scale war had arrived.
"What a pity."
"With my current martial arts realm, I still can't fully comprehend the essence of Internal Power. All I can do is stabilize my Internal Power, achieve perfect control, and avoid any disorder." Andrew's expression grew solemn.
In fact, whether the Magma State could further evolve, or reach a higher level, even Andrew himself was unsure.
Because this was a natural progression.
It was as if he were drawing closer to nature... His Internal Power foundation was so vast and deep, forging limitless potential, somewhat akin to the boundless grandeur of the natural world. It operated on its own, without any artificial interference.
People often say, "Man can conquer nature."
But human wisdom and intellect can hardly compare to the cosmic universe and the natural world.
"That's right."
"Rather than saying I've pioneered a brand-new path, it's more accurate to say I'm emulating the way of heaven and nature." Andrew stepped out of the residential complex.
He always remembered the true foundation of martial arts.
By observing the workings of all things in the world, martial arts as we know them came into being!
Vroom!
His Magma State Internal Power, now fully materialized, began to boil intensely. Fortunately, Andrew had already left the residential area and soared a thousand meters into the sky, placing himself among the vast white clouds.
Ripples of light spread outward in endless waves.
This new path was unprecedented... And after the Magma State, a never-before-seen form of Internal Power was about to emerge once again.
Since the origin of martial arts, there has never been a form of Internal Power beyond Solidified Core... No one had walked this road before, there were no examples to follow, and no guidance—such a path was difficult beyond measure, and Andrew could only rely on himself.
At this moment.
Andrew gently closed his eyes and sat cross-legged atop the white clouds.
The vast white clouds contained immense water vapor, exuding a cool and refreshing aura, like white cotton candy suspended in the sky... Water vapor and steam are not the same; the former is water existing in a gaseous state, best symbolized by clouds, while the latter is a mixture of gaseous and liquid water flows.
"If I'm not mistaken."
"Based on contemporary scientific theory and changes in states of matter, this evolution of my Internal Power should be classified as evaporation." Andrew pursed his lips, feeling a nervous anticipation he hadn't experienced in a long time.
As the Magma State Internal Power boiled over, his body began to glow.
His skin shone like flawless jade, suffused with an indescribable crimson radiance, vibrating at high frequency, surging and receding, pressing against the surrounding invisible air, crushing all dust and particles.
Boom! Boom!
The brilliance of Internal Power first blossomed outward, then contracted inward. This cycle repeated, like the beating of a heart—expanding with a boom, contracting with a hum—resembling twinkling crimson stars.
Even the entire stretch of white clouds began to dissipate.
If not for Andrew deploying his Inspiration to forcibly gather the clouds, they would have collapsed in the sky.
"It's a bit too ostentatious."
Andrew shook his head, his face still calm.
At this moment, he was almost like a true miniature volcano of the natural world—scorching magma flowed, wisps of vapor rose, dyeing the sky's white clouds a fiery red, even redder than burning clouds and denser than storm clouds.
The white clouds turned into a massive crimson cloud, stretching across the sky.
The Magma State Internal Power continued boiling to the absolute limit.
Its operation reached an inconceivable extreme, then broke through that limit, gradually vaporizing and evaporating—even with all of Andrew's effort, he couldn't achieve such rapid circulation before.
Internal Power began to vaporize.
Internal Power advanced to an even higher level.
The form of Internal Power underwent a mysterious transformation.
"Beyond the Magma State!"
Andrew, his entire body radiating light, his face shining with a sacred glow, hovered above the crimson cloud. The thick, massive red cloud could be seen clearly even from several kilometers away.
This crimson cloud floated with extreme stability.
It was now autumn, the sky high and clear, with endless blue stretching overhead. Against this cloudless expanse, the crimson cloud stood out to an extreme degree, like a ball of fire suspended in the air, spreading fiery red and crimson hues far beyond ordinary imagination.
It looked like a burning auspicious cloud!
It seemed to be the very center of heaven and earth!
No exaggeration—everyone in Riverford City could clearly see the crimson cloud.
"What's that?"
"I remember it was just a white cloud a moment ago—how did a burning cloud suddenly appear? Wait, even burning clouds aren't this red, and it's flashing inside the cloud." Residents from nearby complexes stepped out of their buildings, staring in shock at the sky.
Everyone looked up at the sky.
Not knowing what expression to wear.
From below, they felt as if the crimson cloud was expanding slightly. Sharing anxious glances, they wondered what was happening—why was there a crimson cloud?
Such a miraculous phenomenon was rarely seen in the world.
Was it some kind of scientific experiment, or maybe aliens? These were the thoughts of ordinary people.
Some young people, however, were incredibly excited, thinking of ancient legends about immortals, secretly guessing it might be immortal arts or magic with the power to change heaven and earth.
...
"Take a few pictures!"
A stylish young woman quickly pulled out her phone, aimed at the crimson cloud, and snapped six or seven photos in rapid succession, each from a different angle.
Immediately after.
She began taking selfies, striking various poses for four or five shots, edited them, and happily posted them to her social media feed.
...
A young man wearing a baseball cap and sunglasses walked down the street with a serious expression. When he saw everyone looking east, he was puzzled and glanced over casually.
One glance—and it was as if he had been struck by lightning.