This process, in turn, supported the creation of Human Path Gu worms, continuously accumulating his foundation; the two reinforced each other.
Of course, Lin Yan had another goal—to refine Rank 4 Gu worms. One was the Flame Path's unique flame, Mystic Yellow Earth Fire Gu, and the other was Nine-Eyed Liquor Worm.
The former needed no explanation; once refined, it would greatly increase his combat power. The latter was a Rank 4 Gu used to refine primeval essence, significantly accelerating cultivation at the Rank 4 stage.
In addition, there was only one month left until the coming spring. Once the Huang Family finished processing the gains from the recent beast tide, they would inevitably send a caravan to the Ten Thousand Li Silk Corridor for trade.
Lin Yan looked forward to this greatly, sensing that it would bring valuable opportunities.
On this day, he did not enter the dream realm. Instead, he began refining Gu in reality. He chose to start with Nine-Eyed Liquor Worm, which required two Seven-Fragrance Liquor Worms as the core materials, along with the eyes of nine beast kings.
Fortunately, after his gains from Ember Passage Ridge, the latter requirement was not difficult to meet. As for the former, he spent a small amount of primeval stones to acquire four Liquor Worms, and step by step refined a second Seven-Fragrance Liquor Worm. At this point, he was no longer worried about resources.
Inside the quiet room, Lin Yan steadily threw the nine beast king eyes into the cluster of clear light. Each time an eye was added, the light grew stronger, gaining another layer of color, while a faint wine fragrance gradually spread through the air.
When the multicolored light cluster expanded to its limit, it suddenly contracted. In the next moment, a Nine-Eyed silkworm-like Gu appeared, crystal clear, its body delicate and almost translucent.
Lin Yan's heart surged with excitement. The Nine-Eyed Liquor Worm had been successfully refined. This was a true milestone—the first time he had refined a Rank 4 Gu, carrying great significance.
At that instant, a strange sensation rose from deep within his mind, as if something was about to break through—a sign that his attainment was on the verge of advancing.
This was precisely why he had temporarily set aside his dream deductions and chosen to refine Gu in the real world.
With the Nine-Eyed Liquor Worm successfully refined, Lin Yan did not stop. He immediately proceeded to refine the Mystic Yellow Earth Fire Gu. The difficulty rose sharply; even with Profound Yellow Earth Qi, the cost of the remaining materials alone approached ten thousand primeval stones.
Lin Yan's expression grew solemn as his hands moved in precise, intricate patterns. One by one, the Gu materials were processed and fed into the refinement. At the center, a dense cluster of profound yellow energy gathered, heavy and condensed, as various Gu worms were introduced, slowly undergoing transformation within it.
Suddenly, his expression changed. He activated his Fire Cloak in an instant as the profound yellow energy violently churned, rejecting the materials. Several fragments were blasted outward like cannon fire, striking the walls with loud explosions.
The refinement failed. The backlash followed immediately. Blood spilled from the corner of Lin Yan's mouth, his soul trembling as his face turned pale. Yet he forcibly suppressed the disturbance within his aperture and continued the refinement.
The process itself was already familiar to him. His countless attempts within the dream realm had long made him proficient. This failure was merely part of the process—after all, the success rate of Rank 4 Gu had always been low.
Soon, after three consecutive failures, Lin Yan finally succeeded in one refinement. Before him, a massive Gu worm floated in the air. Its entire body was profound yellow, radiating a dense, earthen glow. Its back rose thick and towering like a small mountain, its surface riddled with openings that intermittently released strands of profound yellow flames. A heavy, majestic aura spread outward, its size comparable to a millstone.
This was a Rank 4 Gu worm—Mystic Yellow Earth Fire Gu—far larger than any Rank 3 Gu.
Lin Yan stood motionless. At that moment, insight surged within him. Countless thoughts flashed through his mind, long-standing doubts in refinement unraveling one after another. His understanding of Flame Path true inheritance, its killer moves, and related Gu worms deepened rapidly.
When he finally came back to himself, his body trembled slightly. The world before him felt different, as if his perception had stepped into an entirely new level.
"Hahaha."
In the next moment, Lin Yan burst into laughter. He could clearly feel it—his attainment had risen. After long accumulation, he had stepped into the threshold of both Flame Path and Refinement Path, becoming a dual-path quasi-Master.
It has not been easy. His initial attainment had only been at the Ordinary level. Although he had accumulated deeply over time, many veteran Gu Masters also possessed years of refinement experience. Only by truly refining a Rank 4 Gu worm could such accumulation undergo a qualitative transformation.
A Master-level practitioner could wield their Gu with near-perfect control, pushing every movement to an almost artistic level, while also possessing an instinctive sense for how Gu should be used and developed.
Lin Yan had now reached that boundary. He was only one step away from true Master attainment, and that step was no longer distant. Once he refined a Rank 5 Gu worm, he would naturally cross into it. In terms of practical strength, the difference was already minimal.
Thus, one of Lin Yan's conditions for becoming an immortal had already been fulfilled. At just seventeen, with dual-path quasi-Master attainment and Rank 3 Peak cultivation, his talent could already be considered extraordinary and He could now stand on his own in the Gu world
Lin Yan examined the Mystic Yellow Earth Fire Gu before him and let out a soft chuckle. Taking advantage of the Gu worm's will that had just taken shape after refinement, he instantly refined it…and stored it in his aperture.
Refining a Rank 4 Gu worm was normally not so simple. It often required a long period of suppression and gradual refinement.
From what he knew, Min Jun and Huang Feng were still suppressing the two Rank 5 Gu worms they had obtained from Ember Passage Ridge, barely managing to keep them within their apertures. Their refinement would likely take at least half a year.
But refining a Gu he had personally created was far less troublesome.
Without any pause, Lin Yan once again immersed himself in dream simulations. With the rise in his attainment, new insights and inspiration continuously emerged, pushing forward his attempts to create Human Path Gu worms.