After using the three Gu, Lin Yan understood their effects much better and became more familiar with them. Still, he felt a bit regretful. It's a pity I don't have any offensive Gu.
At that moment, he heard respectful voices from behind him. "Greetings, Vice Caravan Leader." He turned and saw a tall, muscular middle-aged man walking toward him. The man looked fierce, and Lin Yan was slightly startled before quickly recalling his identity.
This person was the vice caravan leader, a Rank 3 peak Gu Master, and also his original body's maternal uncle, Shan Shayuan
A Rank 3 Gu Master was already considered strong in this world, an elite among Gu Masters and a key pillar in any force. In a clan, someone at this level would usually be an elder, and Rank 3 was the minimum needed to travel alone in the wilderness.
Rank 4 and Rank 5 were usually the leaders of large clans. Above them were Gu Immortals, who rarely appeared and almost never took part in normal conflicts.
Lin Yan opened his mouth, then still called out, "Uncle."
The wilderness was dangerous. A Rank 1 Gu Master was nothing more than cannon fodder and could die at any moment. But the original Lin Yan was not someone without support; he had a background.
Shan Shayuan looked at him with clear affection. Lin Yan's parents had died during a mission, killed by sand wolves, leaving him as their only child. Since Shan Shayuan had no son of his own, he had long treated him as his successor.
"How is it? Are you getting used to life in the caravan?" he asked.
Lin Yan felt a bit unfamiliar with this kind of concern. Following the original owner's personality, he answered carefully, "It's quite comfortable." That was the truth. With different Gu serving different purposes, the living conditions here were not worse than his previous life.
Shan Shayuan laughed. "That's because you haven't faced real danger yet. Once you do, you'll understand how cruel the wilderness can be." He paused slightly, then added, "But this route has been developed by our family over many years, so it's mostly safe."
Then he took out a Gu worm from his arms. It looked like a black and red beetle, with a thin red line running along its back. He handed it to Lin Yan and said, "I've seen how hard you've been working in the caravan. This is your reward."
Hearing this, Lin Yan took the Gu and looked at it. His heart started beating faster. "Is this a Rank 1 Fire Line Gu..?"
"That's right," Shan Shayuan said with a hint of pride. "Our Huang Family is a large force. In the past, family heads have all reached Rank 5, and we have true legacies in both Earth Path and Flame Path."
"Fire Line Gu is the core of our Flame Path legacy. It has strong power, can be used in many ways, and can keep advancing through refinement."
He looked at Lin Yan and added, "You haven't chosen your vital Gu yet. Take this and refine it as your vital Gu."
Gu Masters were divided into nine ranks, and Gu worms also had nine ranks, matching each other. The path of Gu was simple in concept: refine Gu, raise Gu, and use Gu.
Refining meant creating Gu worms using different recipes, but the process was dangerous and could easily fail or damage the Gu. A vital Gu was different. It could be used in refining without being damaged. Each Gu Master could only have one vital Gu, and once it was chosen, it would decide their future path. Changing it later would cost a lot.
"Flame Path… does that mean I'll follow the Flame Path in the future?"
Lin Yan thought about it for a while, then decided to make it his vital Gu. First, he wasn't someone who aimed too high. Right now, he didn't have the luxury to choose.
Having a Gu worm was already good enough. Most Gu Masters struggled to get even one, let alone think about future growth.
Second, the Flame Path suited the Western Desert well. Flame Path, Wind Path, and Earth Path were common here. The five element paths had always been the main paths, so it would be easier and cheaper to collect related Gu in the future.
Compared to others, he was already very lucky. He could cultivate, his aptitude was better than most people, and he had the support of his family, a proper legacy, and an uncle to guide him.
At least, his situation was much better than Fang Yuan at the same stage. The Gu Yue clan was only mid-sized, with its strongest member at Rank 4, and their inheritance followed the less popular Moon Path.
Lin Yan couldn't help but think that his uncle must have spent his own primeval stones to get this Gu. He felt a bit moved and said, "Thank you, Uncle."
To be honest, his transmigration was not something he chose, and even how the original owner died was unclear. But from this moment on, he was willing to treat Shan Shayuan as his family.
"It's nothing, we're family," Shan Shayuan waved his hand and said with a smile. "I'll be satisfied if you can go back and enter the top ten in the family competition."
Hearing this, Lin Yan's face turned slightly red. Just like in many stories, the Gu World also used this kind of competition to train the younger generation. Even Fang Yuan had gone through the same thing.
However, the Shan Family was a bit different. After opening their aperture at fifteen, new talents had two choices. One was to choose a vital Gu from the family's Gu room and stay behind to train. The other was to join a caravan, where they would be given three Gu along with some resources.
The second option allowed them to earn more and buy the Gu they wanted, which helped them grow faster and gain more Gu. But it was also much more dangerous.
Lin Yan had chosen the second path, and now, with his uncle's help, his future looked much better.
After that, he said goodbye to his uncle and quickly returned to his tent, ready to refine the Gu.