As Arya''s consciousness slowly returned, he took a deep breath and observed his surroundings. A shiver ran down his spine as he realized that the environment had changed once again—this was now the third transformation he had witnessed within the cave.


    What stretched before him was a narrow, rocky path, just wide enough for three people to walk side by side. The ground beneath him had the appearance of volcanic stone, dark and cracked, as if magma had once flowed through it. A strange warmth filled the air, making it slightly uncomfortable, but as a fire-element cultivator, Arya found that he could tolerate it better than most. Still, something about this place felt wrong.


    Beyond the path, everything was engulfed in impenetrable darkness, a void so deep that even his enhanced vision couldn''t pierce through it. The contrast between the glowing embers within the volcanic stones and the eerie blackness surrounding them sent an unsettling feeling through Arya''s heart. He tried to peer into the darkness, but it was like staring into nothingness—it absorbed all light, leaving only an abyss of unknown dangers.


    A sense of unease crept over him. "What is wrong with this place, little guy? I have a bad feeling about it," Arya muttered, gripping his fists tightly as if that alone could suppress the discomfort growing inside him.


    Fang, the small beast residing within him, remained silent. That only made Arya more alert. If this creature—who usually loved to speak in riddles—wasn''t saying anything, then that meant there was something truly unusual about this place.


    After a brief pause, Arya spoke again, trying a different approach. "Is the road ahead safe? We have to follow it, right?"


    This time, the beast responded with a slight nod. That was enough for Arya. He chose to ignore his unease, pushing forward with steady steps.


    However, after walking for about ten to twelve seconds, Fang suddenly broke the silence with a question of its own.


    "What would you think if I told you that the road you are walking on right now is not actually a road?"


    Arya frowned. "Not a road? What do you mean?"


    Fang let out a small chuckle. "I mean exactly what I said."


    "You mean… it''s man-made?" Arya asked, trying to make sense of what the beast was hinting at.


    "No, I mean this isn''t a road at all. It''s actually…"


    The beast abruptly stopped speaking, cutting itself off.


    This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Arya sighed in frustration. "Finish your sentence! You always do this—stop making everything suspenseful."


    Instead of replying immediately, Fang asked another question. "Do you remember the story I told you last night about my past?"


    Arya nodded. "Yes, I remember it clearly. Why?"


    "You remember that my best friend—the one who was like a blood brother to me—was ambushed and killed while I managed to escape, right?"


    "Yes… but you don''t have to dwell on that. There''s nothing wrong with retreating when defeat is inevitable," Arya said, trying to console it.


    But Fang shook its head. "I''m not telling you this because of guilt. I''m telling you this because I didn''t reveal the full story."


    Arya narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean?"


    "When I fled that day, I didn''t leave my friend''s body behind in their hands. Even while retreating, I took his body with me. I refused to let it become food or an energy source for those traitors."


    Arya''s expression grew serious as he listened.


    Fang continued, "After escaping, I brought his body here… to this very place."


    Arya''s heart skipped a beat as realization began to dawn on him. He slowly looked down at the rocky path beneath his feet, his breath hitching.


    "And the road you are currently walking on," Fang said, pausing for effect, "is actually his body."


    Arya''s legs nearly gave out beneath him. His throat ran dry, and he found himself struggling to form words. "T-This… this path is… a beast''s body?" he stammered.


    The road stretched endlessly into the distance, with no end in sight. If this was truly a body, then the sheer size of it was incomprehensible. How could a single creature be this enormous?


    Fang smirked at his reaction. "You still haven''t seen my full form, little guy. The body you saw before was just a fraction of my true strength—about ten percent, to be exact. If I revealed my full power, I would be as large as this."


    Arya gulped. The idea of Fang being this massive was hard to comprehend. But now, his mind was flooded with even more pressing questions. "So… what are we supposed to do here? Why did you bring me to this place?"


    Fang''s tone became serious again. "It''s simple. We''re here to collect the energy source from my friend''s body. That''s what has been causing this place to remain in its current state."


    Arya frowned. "Energy source? What do you mean?"


    Fang let out a knowing chuckle. "The energy source I''m talking about is something you humans call Seed Stones."


    Arya''s eyes widened. "Seed Stones?"


    "Exactly. And there''s something else," Fang continued. "The beast''s blood—it will be extremely useful to you. You''ve already seen how beneficial beasts blood is for your cultivation, haven''t you?"


    Arya nodded, deep in thought. The beast''s blood had already helped him grow stronger at an incredible rate. If this massive beast''s blood was even stronger…


    "Then we''ll still have a bit of it left to use," Fang added. "However, it''s so powerful that even a single drop is too much for you to absorb at once. I''ll assist you in refining it."


    Arya snapped out of his thoughts. "Wait… you''re saying I''m going to absorb this beast''s blood?"


    Fang nodded.


    Arya''s mind raced with possibilities. If a single drop of this blood contained such immense power, then how much would just one or two drops be worth on the market? With that kind of wealth, he could afford to buy his third or even fourth Seed—maybe even one of rare grade!


    But before he could continue daydreaming, Fang shook its head. "You''re thinking too far ahead. And you''re not considering the consequences."


    Arya blinked. "What do you mean?"


    "I won''t stop you if you want to sell it," Fang said plainly. "But understand this—if you even attempt to sell a single drop, you will be dead within a day. Even I won''t be able to protect you from what follows."


    Arya felt a chill run through his body.


    "This blood is filled with my friend''s remaining energy. It has matured into a top-grade treasure—something even Rankers would kill for. The moment you expose it, you''ll become a target. And trust me, you won''t even realize how you died."


    Arya swallowed hard, his excitement fading. He cursed himself for getting blinded by greed, completely ignoring the dangers that came with it.


    The beast gave a satisfied nod. "Good. Even consuming a single drop will take you months to refine. Store it carefully after collecting the blood, and don''t let anyone know about it. Remember, sometimes wealth is more dangerous than poverty."


    Arya exhaled slowly, calming his thoughts. He had learned an important lesson—true power wasn''t just about obtaining treasures but also about knowing when to keep them hidden.


    He clenched his fists, determination burning in his eyes. First, he would take what was rightfully his. Then, he would use it to become strong enough to survive in this ruthless world.