Within this gloomy cavern, there had initially been only one main passage to follow, so everyone walking through it was heading in the same direction.
The only differences between them were probably their timing and speed.
Broadly speaking, they fell into three groups. The first consisted of impatient, impulsive cultivators who feared others would get ahead of them. There were not many of these; most were greedy people with little in the way of brains.
The second consisted of cautious cultivators who followed close behind the impulsive ones. They had their own little schemes: uncertain whether danger lay ahead, they used the first group as cannon fodder to scout the way. Though greedy, these people were cautious enough, and they accounted for most of the cultivators. After all, few fools survived long enough to reach their level of cultivation.
The third paid no mind at all to whatever treasures might appear in the cavern. They had genuinely come only to investigate why magic beasts had appeared in Windforest Star River. Even these people, however, fell into several categories. One consisted of rogue cultivators conducting an investigation of their own accord. Mindful of danger even in times of peace, they believed such a grave truth should not be buried. Another consisted of those sent by sects.
Of course, everyone also brought their own personal feelings into the matter. Whether their intentions were kind or malicious, and whether they were truly thinking only of the world's safety and their own circumstances, was probably something only they themselves knew.
Often, people merely used some pretext to serve their own selfish interests. For instance, two small sects had joined this dangerous mission to make a name for themselves. A first-tier sect from Vast Heaven Continent had also joined the investigation with the aim of