Walker Of The Worlds

Chapter 3097: Discussing With The Grand Elder

Overseer Zhai thought back to the time he had hosted Lin Mu, wondering if he had ever said something inappropriate, wondering if he had somehow overstepped. he had been lucky that he had quickly changed his attitude, seeing the VIP token of the Great Kang clan and had not insulted Lin Mu.

Even the worker who had insulted Lin Mu before had long since been fired by Overseer Zhai. Still, the fact that Lin Mu had always been calm and unassuming only made the contrast to this moment more jarring.

When the Grand Elder finally turned from Lin Mu to see High Elders Gu Jin and Luo, relief flooded his face. After greeting them and confirming their recovery, he ordered the other Xian Sword Sect elders to prepare for their safe return.

But as the merchants watched, it was not the exchange with the rescued elders that left the deepest mark on their hearts. It was the sight of the One Eyed Sword Lord, the Grand Elder of the Xian Sword Sect, showing warmth and trust toward Lin Mu.

From that day onward, the name Lin Mu would be remembered by the Smoldering Rock Merchant Union not as a guest, but as someone whose existence shook their very foundations.

.

.

.

The study chamber in the villa had been cleared, its incense braziers lit, the faint scent of sandalwood lingering as Lin Mu and Grand Elder Huo sat across from one another.

Between them lay the stacks of documents Lin Mu had gathered from the destroyed Drowned Crescent Cult stronghold, their seals broken and pages carefully categorized over the past few days.

Grand Elder Huo, his lone sharp eye scanning the papers with unrelenting focus, turned page after page in silence. His brow furrowed deeper the more he read, the scar across his face tightening with displeasure.

At last, he set a scroll down with deliberate weight and spoke, his voice low but carrying the authority of a man who had led countless battles. "It seems we were wrong to believe that the purges of old had truly wiped out every remnant of these vermin. Their roots run deeper, and their numbers are greater, than what we had anticipated. Too many seeds of corruption remained scattered through the Silent Lotus World."

Lin Mu, sitting with arms folded, inclined his head in agreement. His expression remained calm, though his eyes carried a cold light. "It is not too late. These weeds have grown thick, but they can still be pulled out. What they need now is a proper cleaning."

Grand Elder Huo’s lips curved in the faintest hint of approval, though the steel in his eye did not soften. "Then tell me, Lin Mu. Where do you plan to strike next? What target deserves the first blade?"

Lin Mu leaned forward, spreading out another set of parchments that bore coded markings and names of allied sects.

His finger pressed against one.

"The Hidden Cave Sect. From what I learned, they were never fully destroyed. In the past, everyone thought their collapse was genuine, but in truth only half of their strength was lost. The other half went into hiding, waiting for a chance to resurface. That chance may have already arrived."

The Grand Elder stroked his chin, recalling fragmented knowledge from centuries past. "The Hidden Cave Sect... yes, I have heard of them. Of all the groups, they were the most secretive, always shifting lairs like burrowing moles.

Their former base was said to be northwest of the Silent Lotus Temple’s territory, yet I always felt it was too convenient, too obvious. A facade, perhaps, to mislead their enemies. You are saying that was indeed the case."

Lin Mu nodded. "Exactly. The Drowned Crescent Cult themselves admitted that the supposed base was nothing more than a false front. But as for the true location of their stronghold, not even they knew it."

Grand Elder Huo’s gaze sharpened. "So we are hunting shadows. Without a true lead, rooting them out will not be simple. Do you have any path forward?"

A faint smile tugged at Lin Mu’s lips as he turned his palm over. In his hand appeared a jade talisman covered in sealing runes. Within it pulsed a faint, flickering light, like a caged ember struggling against a storm.

The elder’s solitary eye widened slightly. He leaned closer, recognition flashing through his stern demeanor. "That aura... is that the Nascent Soul of the Drowned Crescent Cult’s leader?"

Lin Mu let the talisman hover above his palm, the trapped soul within quivering as though it sensed the authority in the elder’s voice. "Yes. I deliberately captured and preserved it. His body perished, but his soul remains whole. Through it, we can glimpse his memories. Somewhere inside lies the truth he tried to bury, and perhaps the thread that will lead us to the Hidden Cave Sect."

Grand Elder Huo sat back, letting out a slow breath.

His scar twitched as he studied Lin Mu with new weight. "A captured Nascent Soul... intact, no less. You did not destroy it outright."

Lin Mu’s expression turned solemn. "No. Destroying him would have been easy. But we need answers. Every fragment of knowledge could be vital in dismantling this hidden network. I kept it precisely so we could pry out what he knew."

The elder’s eye narrowed, but there was no censure in it.

Instead, his tone shifted, almost contemplative. "You intend to soul search him, then?"

Lin Mu’s gaze did not waver. "I do."

Silence hung in the chamber for a few moments, broken only by the faint crackle of incense. Soul searching was no ordinary method. It was an art considered unorthodox, even forbidden in many sects.

To plunge into the remnants of a person’s soul, tearing apart their memories, often left the soul shattered and screaming. It was a path of cruelty, though one that sometimes bore fruit when other avenues failed.

But the method Lin Mu intended to use was even more cruel... One that could consume one’s very being, their essence, their soul.