Walker Of The Worlds

Chapter 2687  A Few Spoils And Moving Out

Meng Bai furrowed his brow, glancing around the blood-stained courtyard. The battle was over, yet its traces remained—dark patches of blood clinging stubbornly to the soil and walls, a lingering scent of iron thick in the air. He sighed.

”How will you help?” he asked Little Shrubby, skeptical. ”We donʼt have enough water for all this.”

Little Shrubby didnʼt reply with words, but with action. Without hesitation, he exhaled, releasing a stream of fire into the air. Meng Bai flinched instinctively, expecting the heat to wash over him. But the flames didnʼt burn. They didnʼt even feel hot.

His eyes widened. ”How is this possible?”

He had no knowledge of Little Shrubbyʼs Absolute Flame Control, nor did he understand how the beast was able to manipulate fire with such precision. All he could do was watch as the controlled flames split into smaller streams, weaving through the courtyard like living serpents. They licked across the roofs, curled around the walls, and swept over the soil. Everywhere they touched, blood and flesh vanished into nothingness, leaving behind only the unmarred surfaces beneath.

Meng Bai exhaled in amazement. ”Whoa…”

Within seconds, the entire courtyard had been cleansed. The pungent, suffocating stench of blood was gone, replaced by air that smelled fresh, almost purified. He took a deep breath, savoring the difference.

HUUU—

Meng Bai let out a satisfied sigh. ”This is amazing. I should have just waited for you before I started cleaning.” He gave a wry chuckle before nodding in gratitude. ”Thank you.”

”Mew!” Little Shrubby chirped before, with a sudden shift, his large form compressed. In a blink, the formidable beast had shrunk down into a small, unassuming cat.

Meng Baiʼs jaw nearly dropped. ”What the… You were a cat!?”

While he had seen Little Shrubby shift sizes before, he had only ever transformed into his tiger-sized form. But this… this was something entirely different. The tiny feline in front of him had soft fur, bright eyes, and an expression of innocence. It was almost too much.

Little Shrubby tilted his head. ”Meow?”

Meng Bai felt something stir in his chest. ”Aw, youʼre ridiculously cute.” He reached out, scratching behind the beastʼs ears.

Little Shrubby purred in satisfaction. ”Mew!”

Meng Bai chuckled. ”Alright, I guess all we can do now is wait for Master to return.” He glanced around the courtyard, now free of blood. ”Though, we still need to clean up all the broken vessels and furniture.”

”Mewo.” Little Shrubby nodded and, with a flick of his paw, summoned his prosthetic hands to assist.

As they worked, Meng Bai noticed the beastʼs gaze land on the spilled food. Little Shrubbyʼs expression darkened, his ears flicking in irritation. He huffed, clearly displeased.

Meng Bai sighed. ”Itʼs a shame.” He understood the sentiment. ”This couldʼve fed so many people.”

Little Shrubby patted his back as if to reassure him.

Meng Bai managed a small smile. ”I guess you can always cook more, right?” He recalled how effortlessly the beast had prepared an entire feast earlier.

”Meow.” Little Shrubby nodded with confidence.

”Well then, letʼs clean up first. We need space if weʼre going to cook again.” Meng Bai began picking up the fallen furniture.

Little Shrubby worked alongside him, collecting broken pots, pans, and other vessels. Some were stored away for future use, while others were beyond saving. The larger metal cauldrons remained intact, but the porcelain dishes and bowls lay shattered beyond repair. It was a loss, but there was nothing they could do now.

As Meng Bai moved to collect another pile of debris, something caught his eye. A glint of light flickered from a shadowed corner.

”Huh?” He walked toward it, curiosity piqued. Kneeling down, he brushed away some dirt and picked up a small object.

”A ring?”

It was a simple yet elegant piece. Gold with a silver streak running through its center, it twisted upward into a delicate crown that held a single white jewel. The way it caught the light was mesmerizing.

Meng Bai frowned, glancing at the spot where he had found it. ”Wait… isnʼt this where one of the hands landed?”

His heart pounded as he channeled his spirit sense into the ring. The moment he did, his eyes widened.

”A spatial storage tool!”

This must have belonged to the elder. When Lin Mu had severed the manʼs hand, the ring must have slipped off and been left behind.

”Wait… could there be more?” His pulse quickened with excitement. Lin Mu had cut off several hands—what if more rings had fallen unnoticed?

”Little Shrubby, can you search for these?” He held up the ring.

”Mew!” Without hesitation, Little Shrubby spread his immortal sense across the area.

In mere seconds, his prosthetic hands retrieved several more items.

Meng Bai gasped. ”So many!”

Before him lay four additional spatial storage tools—two rings and two bracelets. Each was finely crafted, but from what he could tell, the elderʼs ring was the highest quality.

”These must be worth a fortune,” Meng Bai murmured, eyes gleaming.

But his excitement quickly faded. He clenched his fists. ”We canʼt keep these… The River Bending Axe Sect might come looking for them.” He sighed. ”Besides, we canʼt even open them.”

Little Shrubby, however, simply patted his arm.

Meng Bai blinked.

”Ah… right! Master!” His face lit up. ”Heʼll definitely know how to open them.”

Little Shrubby nodded.

With newfound anticipation, Meng Bai carefully tucked the spatial storage tools into his pocket and resumed cleaning.

Minutes passed in silence before Little Shrubby suddenly tensed. His ears flicked, his posture shifting.

”Mew!” The beast cried out, drawing Meng Baiʼs attention.

Meng Bai turned toward the entrance just as a familiar figure stepped into view.

”Master.” Meng Bai greeted with a slight bow. ”Youʼre back earlier than I thought.”

Lin Muʼs gaze swept over the courtyard. ”I finished my business.” His eyes flickered to Little Shrubby. ”Any intruders?”

”No,” Little Shrubby replied simply.

Lin Mu nodded. ”Good. Get ready.” His tone was firm. ”Weʼre moving out.”