Buzz buzz buzz!
Lin Yan stood inside a snow-white corridor, with layers of soft silk shifting beneath his feet like living threads. The figures of the two groups ahead had already disappeared from sight. This was normal. The Ten Thousand Li Silk Corridor moved too quickly—entering even a moment apart could separate people by a vast distance.
He recalled Zhang Bai, who had once followed the Huang Family in this same way without being noticed, only to meet his end at Lin Yan's hands.
In the next instant, the scene around him changed. His figure appeared in a barren desert, with harsh wind and sand rushing toward his face, almost forcing sand into his mouth.
Rumble! The moment he arrived, a terrifying roar echoed in the distance. Violent waves of energy surged outward, sweeping across the desert.
Someone was already fighting. Amid the raging wind, Zhang Fang's furious voice rang out, "Damn it! This is a trap, you're luring us in!"
Lin Yan was slightly startled. Without hesitation, he immediately activated Scarlet Dragon Flame Armor Gu and Flame Sparrow Wing Gu.
First, flames burst from Lin Yan's body, twisting into a scarlet dragon that coiled tightly around him, forming a full set of glazed armor. The dragon scales shone brightly, radiating heat that seemed able to burn everything around him.
Then, a pair of long crimson wings spread from his back, each several meters in length. Illusory feathers shimmered at the edges, and faint golden patterns flowed across them like streams of light.
Dragon Phoenix soaring!
Lin Yan's figure lifted into the air, as if carried by both the dragon and the phoenix. Under the sunlight, his armor glowed with golden light, while the wings spread wide like burning fire. His presence surged, giving off a powerful and oppressive feeling.
After reaching a safer height, he activated Hearth God Eye and looked down. Only then did he realize that this barren desert had already been turned into a massive Earth Path Gu formation, and he was also inside its range.
Every oddly shaped stone hill began to rumble and shift. They rearranged themselves freely, forming a vast maze-like fortress that trapped Zhang Fang and the others in the center. At times, the hills rose up and transformed into huge stone figures, each with strength comparable to a Rank 3 Gu Master, and there were many of them.
Even though Zhang Fang and Xiao Jiu had brought several peak Rank 5 experts and more than a dozen Rank 4 Gu Masters, they were still forced into a dangerous situation under this encirclement.
On the highest sand dune of the barren desert, the black-clothed person stood with his hands behind his back, looking down at Zhang Fang and the others with a cold sneer.
"I knew you people were greedy by nature and would come to seize things by force. Since that's the case, I might as well take make use of it. Gu refinement fees are too expensive, and the marketplace isn't nearly secretive enough."
"So I'll take you all instead. Set things up properly—and have you refine Gu Worm for me."
Her voice was clear and pleasant. When she removed her hood, a pure yet captivating face was revealed. Her skin was smooth and unblemished, her lips full and naturally inviting.
She stood tall and slender, her figure long and well-proportioned, with curves that were impossible to ignore. Her waist was narrow, her chest full with a soft, voluptuous charm—she was truly a stunning beauty.
Zhang Fang was both shocked and furious, roaring, "You venomous woman! I am a Refinement Path Master with countless connections. If we go missing, not only will Gu Masters across Western Desert hunt you down, even the Xiao Family will investigate!"
"Hehehe." Sun Yue's expression showed open disdain, completely uninterested in such hypocritical Righteous Path talk. Her beautiful eyes shifted upward and locked onto Lin Yan in mid-air, her killing intent no longer concealed.
"I misjudged you. I didn't expect you to be this kind of person as well."
Her voice turned cold. "Why don't you surrender now?"
Seeing this, only Lin Yan remained calm. He had already guessed her identity, so there was no surprise on his face. His gaze stayed steady, watching everything unfold without moving.
Sun Yue frowned slightly. She chose not to deal with him first, instead directing her focus toward Zhang Fang's group, planning to crush them before turning back to handle Lin Yan.
Rumble!
A well-known Rank 5 Gu Master from Western Desert finally could not endure the pressure. He directly unleashed his trump card, activating the Rank 5 Wind Path Gu—Golden Silk Dragon Whirlwind Gu.
This Gu carried the power of a true desert disaster. A massive golden whirlwind rose into the sky, tearing through the barren land. Wherever it passed, stone figures were dragged into the storm, crushed into dust, and smashed into nearby hills, causing them to collapse.
The entire formation trembled under this violent force. Sun Yue let out a low grunt. Her face tightened as she gritted her teeth and activated another layer of change within the Earth Path Gu formation.
Suddenly, the barren desert was covered in a thick yellow glow. The raging golden whirlwind seemed to be pressed down by an invisible weight, as if a mountain had fallen on it. Its force weakened rapidly, and it soon collapsed into chaotic air currents.
The Rank 5 expert's face turned pale. He stared ahead in disbelief, unable to understand what had just happened.
In the next moment, the surrounding stone hills closed in and crushed him. His body was buried under the shifting earth, and his life ended there.