Han Yu suddenly pictured Duan as a sly fox wrapped in an Inner Disciple's robes, lecturing them about "the deeper meaning of rewards" while casually pocketing every treasure under the sun.

A thought struck him, and he almost snorted aloud. 'Was that entire little moral lesson just… a justification to keep the core for himself?'

"Don't be discouraged, junior brothers. Even ruins can yield rewards. See? This shiny orb? A fine treasure indeed… for me."

Han Yu coughed into his hand to cover the laugh threatening to spill out.

Fatty Kui walked alongside him, humming softly under his breath and no doubt thinking about food again.

Han Yu glanced at him, then at Wu Shuan.

Neither of them seemed to notice or care that Duan had claimed the reward without discussion. Either they were too polite to mention it, or they had already accepted the rule of the jungle: the one who does the killing gets the spoils.

And in fairness, Duan had indeed single-handedly cut down the rat-wolf before anyone else could so much as swing a weapon. If Han Yu thought about it logically, it made sense. The man had earned the core.

'Still…'

Han Yu rubbed his chin.

If Duan kept mowing down every beast that appeared, then by the time they left this tomb, the Inner Disciple would be jingling with beast cores and treasures, while the rest of them would walk out with empty hands, empty sleeves, and "valuable lessons about disappointment."

No. That wouldn't do.

Han Yu's eyes narrowed in sudden determination.

He needed to stake his claim, even if it meant diving into a fight and smacking a beast on the tail just before Duan landed the finishing blow. That way he could at least say, "See? I contributed. I get ten percent of that core."

He pictured himself darting forward during the next battle, throwing a dramatic punch that barely grazed a beast's fur. Then later, when Duan tried to stash away the prize, Han Yu would clear his throat and say, "Ah, Senior Brother, I believe my fist clipped its left ear. Surely that entitles me to a share."

The mental image was so absurd he had to press his lips together to keep from laughing.

What if Fatty Kui tried the same thing?

The man would probably leap onto a beast's back, bite its tail, and later claim, "I weakened it with my teeth! I demand half the core!"

Han Yu almost tripped over his own feet at the thought, catching himself just in time.

Duan glanced back briefly at the sound, his expression as calm and collected as ever. "Careful. The ground may be uneven here."

"Yes, Senior Brother," Han Yu replied quickly, bowing his head in respect while internally muttering, 'Uneven ground, my foot. You just don't want me to trip and accidentally fall on your treasure pouch.'

He straightened his back, a mischievous grin tugging at his lips.

If this tomb kept throwing beasts at them, he would make sure to land at least one strike, even if it meant smacking a paw, tugging a tail, or stabbing the air dramatically near its face. Anything to justify grabbing a piece of the pie.

Otherwise, at this rate, by the time they left the tomb, Duan would be rich, Fatty Kui would be fat, Wu Shuan would be wise, and Han Yu would be the coolie carrying the materials and rewards they 'obtained'.

That was not the kind of cultivation path he wanted to walk. He pushed the thoughts aside for now, as they reached the end of the path.

The corridor spat them out into another chamber. At first glance, it was almost the same as the previous room: the same rough-hewn stone walls, the same faint greenish glow emanating from cracks above, the same stale air that carried the scent of dust and old blood.

But unlike before, there was nothing inside.

No altar. No collapsed shelves. No beast waiting to leap out of the shadows.

The emptiness itself was unsettling.

Fatty Kui rubbed his arms. "I don't like this… it's too clean. Too empty. It's screaming at us, 'come inside and die, honored guests!'"

Wu Shuan gave a solemn nod. "Indeed. Silence is often more dangerous than sound."

Han Yu glanced around, his brows furrowing. What drew his attention most wasn't the stillness of the chamber, but the fact that this one was different. From the far end of the room stretched three more paths, each identical in width and darkness. Including the one they had just stepped out of, that made four directions.

Three choices.

Each of the new corridors looked exactly the same, their mouths yawning open like the throats of waiting beasts.

Senior Brother Duan stepped forward and closed his eyes. The faint shimmer of spirit sense flickered around him as he probed the paths ahead. After a moment, he exhaled softly and opened his eyes again.

"They're at least fifty meters each," he said. "My sense can only reach forty. I cannot see the end."

Han Yu's lips twitched slightly. He could only manage twenty meters at best, barely more than a glorified lantern compared to Duan. Still, even the senior's ability wasn't enough to pierce through.

"So what now?" Fatty Kui asked, nervously glancing between the tunnels. "Do we just… pick one? Close our eyes and let fate decide?"

"That would be reckless," Wu Shuan replied. "There is also the option to split up. If we do so, we can scout all three at once, then regroup."

"That's worse than reckless," Fatty Kui muttered, horrified. "That's suicide wearing a mask of efficiency."

Senior Brother Duan folded his arms, clearly weighing the options. But before he could speak, Han Yu raised a hand, a smile tugging at his lips.

"There's no need to argue," he said calmly. "I have a way to scout ahead… with minimal risk."

All eyes turned toward him, curious.

"Oh?" Duan asked. "And what way is that?"

Han Yu reached into his robes with practiced ease. Something soft and warm stirred beneath the folds of cloth. He fished around for a moment before pulling out a small lump of fur.

It was Chitterfang.

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