Walker Of The Worlds

Chapter 3099: Revealing The Clues To The Grand Elder

The Nascent Soul convulsed, its light flickering. Lin Mu steadied his breath, weaving the Sutra tighter, until finally the soul’s screams faded into silence. What remained was nothing more than a husk of fading essence, stripped of secrets and strength.

He let the black-red light fade, opening his eyes. His body trembled slightly, but his gaze was steady.

Lin Mu took a minute to compose himself, as well as erase any trace of the devlish aura remaining in the room with the Severing Heart Sutra and the Calming Heart sutra, before sending a message to the Grand Elder.

Grand Elder Huo who had been waiting in his room all this time returned upon Lin Mu’s call. "You succeeded."

Lin Mu nodded slowly.

His mind was still swirling with the flood of memories, but clarity was already forming. "The Drowned Crescent Cult was only one piece. The Ephemera Sect... they are pulling the strings of more than I thought.

The Hidden Cave Sect’s true base is not where the world believes it to be. I saw fragments, veiled illusions in a cavern to the South Eastern shores. It might be there."

The Grand Elder’s single eye narrowed. The weight of his presence grew heavier, pressing upon the room like a mountain. "So they faked their fall more deeply than we thought. That would explain why their traces have never vanished completely. It was in a completely opposite direction than we thought."

Lin Mu let out a breath, rubbing his brow. "There was more too. Mentions of a Root Temple... I did not see enough to know what it is, but the way they spoke of it... it felt like the foundation of everything. Something ancient.

I think it is the very same temple that exists in the Ninefold Crypt in the Marshes of the Silent Skies"

Grand Elder Huo’s expression grew grim. He looked at Lin Mu with silent intensity, then finally said, "If such a temple exists, then this matter is far greater than the Silent Lotus World. You did well, Lin Mu. This knowledge is worth more than the destruction of a dozen cults."

"I know more, but I need a few minutes to consolidate it in my mind." Lin Mu spoke.

"Of course, take your time." The Grand Elder stated.

Lin Mu gave a slight nod, though inwardly his thoughts lingered on Lin Mo. That devilish laugh still echoed in his chest, along with the strange warmth of approval.

Why had Lin Mo yielded this time? Why had he encouraged him?

The question burned more than the memories he had just consumed.

Lin Mo’s voice lingered faintly in the back of his head, but for the first time, Lin Mu had been the one guiding the Murdering Heart Sutra instead of being guided by it.

The taste of that control unsettled him. Still he focused on the task at hand and gathered the scattered memories and organized them in his mind. After half an hour, he finally felt like he had done it.

He turned his gaze to Grand Elder Huo, who had been watching him intently the entire time. The elder’s single eye gleamed with quiet power, but there was no judgment in his expression, only solemnity.

"What else did you find?" Grand Elder Huo asked, his voice steady, though Lin Mu could hear the tension beneath it.

"The Scarred Crescent leader knew more than he let anyone guess," Lin Mu replied, recounting what he had extracted. "The Drowned Crescent Cult wasn’t just allied with the Ephemera Sect. They were also acting as couriers, trading information and resources with several other hidden sects. The Hidden Cave Sect among them."

At that, the elder’s brow furrowed deeper. "So it is as we suspected. The Ephemera Sect is building a network, a coalition of what remains of the old evil powers."

Lin Mu nodded. "The memories also confirmed that the Hidden Cave Sect has at least three separate bases. The one north-west of Silent Lotus Temple was indeed only a facade, something to divert attention. Their real seat of power was never revealed even to allies. Only their highest elders knew."

"The one at the South Eastern Coast?" the Grand Elder asked.

"It was from some Fragments. The real location we’ll still have to figure out." Lin Mu admitted. "Hints of hidden tunnels, wards that even the Ephemera Sect couldn’t breach without permission. The Scarred Crescent leader was only given an access token, not knowledge of the location itself. But the token’s resonance is unique. I can track it."

A heavy silence fell between them. Grand Elder Huo stroked his beard, his gaze distant. "This is troublesome. The Hidden Cave Sect... their strength is unknown, and secrecy is their greatest weapon. To flush them out without alerting the entire coalition will not be simple."

Lin Mu leaned forward. "We do not need to flush them out immediately. First, we dismantle their reach. Strike their external bases, cut off their resources, and force their hand. When they feel the net tightening, they will have no choice but to draw strength from their true base. That is when we strike."

The elder’s lips curved into the faintest of grim smiles. "A bold plan. Ruthless, but effective. It fits you well, Lin Mu."

Lin Mu inclined his head but did not respond. Inside, he was restless. His mind drifted back to Lin Mo, to that devilish chuckle that still seemed to echo in the recesses of his soul.

Why had Lin Mo held back? Why had he encouraged Lin Mu instead of simply taking control as he so often did?

Lin Mu clenched his fists under the table. He could not tell if it was trust, manipulation, or something else entirely. Every time he thought he understood Lin Mo, the devilish persona revealed a new facet.

He had always seen Lin Mo as a greedy, destructive force that reveled in chaos, but today... today he had acted almost like a teacher.

Grand Elder Huo interrupted his thoughts. "Your method of extracting the memories... it was not a simple soul search, was it? A normal Soul Search does not strain a person this much."