Inside the cave, the brief and violent clash came to an end.
Lin Yan and Shan Shayuan quickly began sorting through their gains. They obtained four Rank 3 Light Path Gu, three Rank 3 Earth Path Gu, along with scattered materials and the resources those three had already collected from Ember Passage Ridge.
Compared to Lin Yan's earlier haul, this was smaller, but still substantial—six Thousand Beast King corpses, over ten Earth Path Gu of different ranks, and more than a hundred catties of Earth Path materials.
In total, the value was around one hundred thousand primeval stones.
"A pity," Lin Yan said lightly. "That Cai Family elder acted too fast. Otherwise, we could've gained even more."
His tone remained calm. There was no lingering emotion from killing the three. After all, he had spent so long honing his combat ability in the dream realm and had already formed a complete Gu setup. Failing to kill them would have been the real embarrassment.
Shan Shayuan shook his head and said seriously, "Being able to kill a Gu Master of the same rank without injury is already rare. Such gains are already an unexpected blessing. Do not rely on plunder just because wealth came easily. Those skilled in water drown in water; those skilled in battle perish by killing."
Lin Yan nodded. He understood his uncle's intention—to warn him against stepping onto the Demonic Path. However, Fang Yuan's figure appeared in his mind. That person had risen by constant burning, killing, and plundering, seizing every opportunity with ruthless efficiency. Only after becoming a Venerable did he begin to care about appearances—and even then, it was merely for more efficient resource acquisition. Fang Yuan could be said to have grasped the essence of the Gu Master path. Cultivation relied heavily on external resources, and the fastest way to obtain them had always been plunder.
Yet it could not be ignored that Fang Yuan had mastered countless methods that made plundering efficient and controlled, allowing him to seize great gains again and again. Even so, he lived constantly on the edge of danger, walking a narrow line where a single misstep meant death.
Lin Yan's thoughts turned sharper. In the future, I also need methods—ways to kill instantly, and ways to suppress an opponent's thoughts.
Soon, the two stood before the condensed mass of Profound Yellow Earth Qi at the center of the cave. It was vast, almost like a small pond, radiating a heavy and ancient presence. This was the greatest gain of the entire encounter.
Even after being scorched by Prairie Fire, the Profound Yellow Earth Qi showed no signs of weakening. Instead, its surface shone even brighter, tempered by flame, its glow resplendent while its weight felt as steady as a mountain.
Shan Shayuan activated Earth Kiln Gu and began collecting it carefully. The Gu, originally no larger than a fist and shaped like a small kiln, rapidly expanded as it absorbed the mass. Its surface bulged, nearing its limit, yet it still managed to contain the entire body of Profound Yellow Earth Qi.
The Profound Yellow Earth Qi was incomparably heavy, but fortunately, the Earth Kiln Gu was sturdy and had ample capacity, barely able to contain it.
Lin Yan glanced at their storage and said, "It's a pity our storage Gu are already full. If we run into more treasures, we'll have to start choosing what to keep and what to discard."
Shan Shayuan wasn't bothered. His gaze swept across the dozen or so tunnel entrances carved into the cave walls. "It's fine. Those people came from another direction. Most of these passages have probably already been searched."
He continued, "We're already at the deepest core of Ember Passage Ridge. With so many people rushing in, there won't be much left untouched."
Lin Yan nodded. He was already satisfied. This single battle had brought in three hundred thousand primeval stones. Adding what they had gathered earlier, along with the Rank 4 Earth Dragon Gu, the total value of this trip had reached around seven hundred thousand.
Even Family Elders managing major departments might not earn that much in ten years.
Just as the two were discussing regrouping with the Huang Family and withdrawing from the collapsing Ember Passage Ridge, the ground beneath them suddenly shook violently, splitting open with deep cracks.
"What's going on?!" Lin Yan's expression changed as he activated Fiery Eyes and Golden Gaze, looking downward through the ground. His eyes tightened at once. Beneath the cave was a vast hollow space, unbelievably wide, like another world hidden below. More than that, he saw over twenty clusters of orange-red heat, each shaped like a human figure.
"Had everyone inside the sand ridge gathered here?" Before he could think further, the ground beneath him gave way. It turned into flowing sand, opening a huge pit as sand and soil poured down like a waterfall, swallowing both of them instantly. A sense of weightlessness struck. In that moment of danger, Lin Yan gritted his teeth and activated Burning Wind Gu. A violent crimson gale burst from his body, wrapping around him and forcibly pushing back the collapsing sand, even if only for a brief moment.
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