Lin Yan stood by Flame Lake, observing the surface of the crimson water covered by a layer of slowly burning illusory flames, the heat distorting the air.
Dozens of golden-red wooden boats floated nearby, crafted from a special plant called Iron Firewood, known for its hardness and resistance to fire.
He stepped onto one of the boats and headed toward the island at the center of the lake, where the outline of a grand city could already be seen.
After entering the city, Lin Yan met Huang Ming in the council hall, received a token, and then proceeded to the tallest structure in the inner city—the Flame Lake Gu Chamber. The building resembled an octagonal pagoda and was constructed from extremely sturdy materials.
When he arrived, several courtyards surrounded the towering Gu Chamber. Seven or eight elderly Gu Masters stepped forward, each with a strong aura, all at Rank 3.
One of them spoke calmly, "Are you Lin Yan?"
Lin Yan nodded.
The elder continued, "My name is Min Jun. All the guards of the Gu Chamber are present. You may choose a courtyard nearby to stay in. Do you have any instructions?"
"I wouldn't dare give instructions." Lin Yan quickly waved his hand and said gently, "Elders, you have all worked hard guarding this place. I've just arrived and am not familiar with things yet, so I won't change any rules. Everything can remain as it is. I will rely on you all to manage the Gu Chamber in the future."
As soon as he said this, Min Jun's expression softened, and the other elderly Gu Masters beside him revealed relaxed and satisfied smiles.
After dismissing them, Lin Yan selected a courtyard and settled down. He reminded himself that his purpose in coming here was to accumulate foundation, not to display authority.
Soon after, he entered the Flame Lake Gu room. The octagonal pagoda was divided into five floors.
The first floor was the largest, covering nearly a thousand square meters. Tall, thick walls lined the surroundings, filled with dense rows of cabinets storing a wide variety of Gu. They came in all shapes and colors, though most were common types.
Lin Yan only gave them a brief glance, planning to study them in detail later, before heading up to the second floor.
The second floor was slightly smaller and stored rare Rank 1 Gu. Among them were Green Copper Relic Gu and Liquor Worm, all clearly displayed.
There was no need to dwell on the third and fourth floors, which stored Rank 2 and Rank 3 Gu respectively, with even smaller areas. Lin Yan went straight to the fourth floor to inquire about Rank 3 Gu recipes. He already possessed over a dozen refinement methods for his Rank 2 Gu—Fireball Gu, Fire Eye Gu, Walking Fire Gu, and Fire Armor Gu—each corresponding to different development paths.
For example, combining Fireball Gu with Boulder Gu could produce the Rank 3 Earth Fireball Gu.
Lin Yan collected all the available recipes but did not rush to make a decision. He planned to review them carefully after obtaining the Flame Path True Inheritance. He already had a clear direction in mind—focusing on the Flame Demon True Body killer move, which he intended to fully cultivate, while the other two killer moves would serve as support.
At present, he had more than five hundred thousand primeval stones, more than enough to sustain the development of three killer moves. The remaining resources could be used to acquire Soul Path and Wisdom Path Gu.
At Rank 3, killer moves became central, and the number of Gu used in battle increased significantly. Relying on simple thoughts and will would no longer be sufficient. Most Gu Masters would begin strengthening their souls using Soul Path Gu. At the same time, this stage also marked the threshold for developing new killer moves with Dream Derivation Gu as the core.
Soon after, Min Jun retrieved three Gu from the secret vault: a Rank 3 Vow Gu, a Rank 3 Glass Flame Bone Gu, and a Rank 1 bookworm. These together contained the Flame Path True Inheritance.
The elder spoke in a steady tone, "Although the Family is granting you this Inheritance, precautions must still be taken to prevent leakage. You will need to make a vow."
Lin Yan remained calm. The Vow Gu was a small purplish-red insect with sharp mouthparts. It flew to his finger and bit into it. A sharp pain followed as blood flowed onto the contract.
A moment later, the Vow Gu exploded into countless dark purple motes of light, merging into his body. If he violated the agreement, the consequence would be immediate death.
He sensed it clearly but did not dwell on it. He had his own methods to deal with such restrictions.
He then took the Glass Flame Bone Gu and the bookworm, spending a total of fifteen thousand primeval stones. The cost would have been even higher if the Family had not waived the fee for accessing the True Inheritance.
Afterward, Lin Yan purchased three more Rank 2 Fire Aperture Gu, completing the basic Gu required for his Flame Demon True Body killer move set. By this point, he had spent nearly twenty thousand primeval stones, leaving him with four hundred eighty-five thousand. Even with such wealth, it was being consumed quickly.
Before leaving, Lin Yan glanced at the staircase leading to the fifth floor. Remembering his right to choose three Gu for free, he made a mental note to consider it carefully.
After returning to the courtyard beside the Gu room, he immediately entered seclusion and began refining the three Fire Aperture Gu and the Glass Flame Bone Gu.