The First Elder spoke calmly, "No matter the cause, we should first send people to investigate, and at the same time prepare for another wave of the beast tide."
"Agreed." Clan head Huang Ming nodded, then looked toward Huang Feng. "Second Elder, you cultivate the Wind Path. Your speed is unmatched, and you can move freely in the wilderness alone. I'll leave this matter to you."
Huang Feng smiled faintly. "I won't refuse."
Below, Lin Yan remained silent, thinking about the sudden disturbance. The more he considered it, the more certain he became that this was not a simple natural event, but something at the level of a Gu Immortal. The movement of the sand had been too deliberate—at one point even forming the outline of a dragon. That was no coincidence.
Most likely, the wild beasts within Ember Passage Ridge had already been dealt with.
At that thought, Lin Yan's heart tightened slightly. Even if a Gu Immortal had taken the desolate beast corpses and their Gu, the ridge itself was still a massive treasure for mortals. It contained huge amounts of Gu materials and countless Gu, many of them at Rank 4 or even Rank 5.
Second Elder Huang Feng accepted the order and did not hesitate. A fierce gale rose around him, wrapping his body as he shot into the sky, heading straight toward Ember Passage Ridge.
The elders in the hall did not remain idle. Orders were issued one after another, and the Gu Master defense lines of the oasis were pushed outward, preparing for any sudden change.
Two hours later, Huang Feng's communication Gu transmitted his voice. It was both urgent and exciting. "Ember Passage Ridge has collapsed for unknown reasons. The beast tide has ended. There are countless Heaven and Earth treasures scattered everywhere. Wild beast corpses cover the area—Thousand Beast Kings, Myriad Beast Kings, even Beast Emperor remains!"
"We must move quickly. Before the nearby oases recover, send people to explore and collect resources!"
"What?!"
The hall erupted in an uproar. Clan Head, Huang Ming's breathing grew heavier as he realized what this meant—a rare opportunity. If they could seize the remains of Ember Passage Ridge, the Family might obtain one or two more Rank 5 Gu, greatly strengthening their foundation.
He made his decision without hesitation. "Everyone present will form an advance team and move immediately to secure the area. After that, we will organize a larger force to follow and take the remaining resources step by step."
Then his gaze shifted to the First Elder. "Someone must stay behind to guard the oasis."
The First Elder nodded calmly. "I will remain. I am already old. Even if I compete for resources, I won't be able to make full use of them."
Huang Ming gave a satisfied nod. The First Elder cultivated Earth Path and had Rank 5 strength. With support from other Gu Masters, he could activate the killer move Iron Barrel Mountains and Rivers, making him the best choice to defend the oasis.
Soon, Clan head Huang Ming gathered the Family's top forces. Nearly ten Rank 4 Elders and around thirty Rank 3 experts formed the advance team, leaving the oasis without hesitation and heading deep into the desert.
Among them were Shan Shayuan and Lin Yan.
As Lin Yan left the central area of the Three Lakes, he was startled by what he saw. The oasis outskirts were in ruins, the land scarred and broken. Corpses lay scattered across the ground, and the air was thick with the smell of blood.
Only then did he truly understand how brutal the beast tide had been. Even such a large oasis could not remain completely safe. Some wild beasts had broken through the defense lines, forcing local Gu Masters to fight on their own.
The central region of the Three Lakes was the core of the Huang Family, heavily guarded, so it had remained untouched.
The group moved past the western front and entered the outer desert. Along the way, the corpses of wild beasts appeared again and again, a silent reminder of the chaos that had just passed.
Fortunately, they did not encounter any danger along the way. The beast tide had already swept across the desert, leaving it strangely quiet. Following the wind markers left by Huang Feng, they quickly approached their destination.
Lin Yan looked toward the horizon. Amid the drifting yellow sand, the outline of a massive ridge could be seen, faint and shifting, as if it were slowly moving away even as he watched.
It was Ember Passage Ridge, constantly drifting across the Western Desert.
At that moment, a green figure shot out from the sand and descended from the sky. Huang Feng appeared before them and spoke in a low voice, "Hurry. Ember Passage Ridge is breaking apart, and two or three teams from nearby oases have already entered."
Only Lin Yan understood the real reason. The desolate beast within the ridge had already died. Without its dao marks sustaining the environment, the massive sand formation could no longer hold together and was beginning to collapse.
At that level of wild beasts comparable to Gu Immortals, wherever they existed, they naturally shaped an ecosystem around them.
"Hmph." Huang Ming's eyes turned cold. "Is it just the Wei, Cai, and Shen Families nearby? Their own oases have suffered heavy losses, yet they still dare to come and seize opportunities. If their Family Head is only Rank 4, kill anyone you encounter without mercy."