After the news spread, Gu Masters from various families rushed over to watch. No one expected that just three months after the Blazing Sand Flame Lord's Rank 3 battle, another Rank 3 duel would take place, and one of the participants would be Lin Yan.
Ever since Lin Yan claimed the title of number one among his peers, he had never left the center of attention. First the inheritance, then the Human Elixir Gu incident—his name kept resurfacing again and again.
Huang Ming also received the news, his expression shifting slightly in surprise. The Family had still been debating whether to fully invest in Lin Yan, yet in the blink of an eye, he had already stepped into Rank 3. From this point on, even he had to treat Lin Yan as an equal or at the same level, no longer as a junior to be overlooked.
In truth, Huang Mo's actions were not entirely independent. Huang Ming's earlier indifference had allowed such pressure to build, intending to temper Lin Yan's temperament. The idea had been simple—wait until things escalated, then step in personally to resolve the situation and earn Lin Yan's loyalty in the process. From beginning to end, Huang Mo was nothing more than a pawn meant to be sacrificed.
But Lin Yan's sudden breakthrough had disrupted everything.
"Forget it… there's still room to recover," Huang Ming thought. "Challenging a Family Elder right after reaching Rank 3—he's still too impulsive."
With that, Huang Ming made his decision. No matter what happened next, Lin Yan had to be protected.
At the same time, the First Elder, Second Elder, and other Rank 4 Family Elders all received the news and used various methods to observe the situation. The three A-grade geniuses even rushed to the training ground in person, their expressions dark and uneasy. Lin Yan had truly risen now, no longer on the same level as them, but standing alongside the older generation.
On the arena, the battle erupted the moment both sides stepped forward. The crowd fell silent, their earlier whispers disappearing as every gaze locked onto the stage.
Huang Mo moved first, activating a rather uncommon Flame Path Gu—Rank 3 Earth Fireball Gu. Large, dull-yellow fireballs condensed and shot forward. They looked less like flames and more like chunks of rock, moving at a slow, heavy pace.
Lin Yan didn't even bother using Walking Fire Gu. His figure shifted lightly as he sprinted to the side, effortlessly dodging each incoming Earth Fireball.
He immediately recognized it. This Gu carried traces of Earth Path characteristics. Its projectiles were slow and its direct damage among Rank 3 Gu was not particularly high, but once it struck a target, it could induce a petrification effect, slowing movement. If it merged into the ground, however, its power would double, erupting into one of the most destructive Rank 3 attacks.
To be honest, Earth Fireball Gu had too many flaws and was easy to counter. Lin Yan frowned slightly, unable to grasp Huang Mo's intention. Was he simply wasting primeval essence?
The next moment, the dull yellow fireballs struck the ground one after another, yet no explosion followed. Instead, they sank smoothly into the soil and vanished without a trace.
"What's going on?"
Lin Yan's gaze sharpened as he activated Fire Eye Gu. His vision turned crimson, the world layered in heat. Looking toward the spots where the fireballs had landed, he saw through the thick soil—clusters of orange-red heat silently gathering beneath the surface.
They hadn't disappeared they were buried. Like hidden traps.
"Delay Gu…?"
Lin Yan's eyes narrowed as he looked toward Huang Mo. The latter met his gaze and smiled faintly, continuing to pour silver primeval essence into Earth Fireball Gu. One after another, the fireballs flew out, filling the arena.
Lin Yan understood almost instantly.
Delay Gu was a rule-type Gu that postponed the eruption of attacks. On its own, it was rarely useful, but combined with Earth Fireball Gu, it formed a dangerous synergy. Each missed attack didn't vanish—it became a buried threat, gradually sealing off space. The longer the fight dragged on, the more restricted his movement would become, until even activating movement Gu would carry the risk of stepping into an explosion.
Moreover, the arena's space was limited. As more Earth Fireballs sank into the ground, the entire battlefield would eventually be covered. At that point, a single misstep would trigger multiple explosions at once, the damage doubling instantly. Even Rank 3 defensive Gu would not last long under such pressure, and defeat would only be a matter of time.
It was an open, unavoidable strategy—either endure the attacks head-on and suffer petrification and constant consumption, or keep dodging until the ground itself became a death trap.
An old Gu Master watching from the side narrowed his eyes and sighed, "Here it is… Huang Mo's signature method. Truly troublesome."