Walker Of The Worlds

2755  A Headache For Lin Mu

It was nighttime, and everyone was gathered for the much-anticipated new dish that Little Shrubby had prepared.

A thick, velvety soup filled the bowls before them. Not a single chunk of meat could be seen, for everything had been blended into the broth, making it an optimal source of nutrition. The Qi and vital essence infused within it were enough to invigorate an immortal with just a single bowl.

The rich aroma wafted through the air, tantalizing the senses and rousing appetites. Yet, amidst the eager faces, Lin Mu alone bore an expression that seemed as though he had just caught a whiff of something profoundly foul. His brows furrowed, and his lips pressed into a thin line.

Meanwhile, completely oblivious to Lin Muʼs strange expression, Meng Bai animatedly narrated his eventful day, punctuating every sentence with enthusiastic hand gestures.

”She then said, ʼStrategy Number Seventeen: Beating the bastards in the dark!ʼ” Meng Bai declared.

”And then?” Daoist Chu asked, his face alight with amusement.

”Then they beat everyone up! I didnʼt see much since it was pitch dark, and we got away fast, but they said they twisted the legs of every single one of them and—oh yeah—they left that man completely bald!” Meng Bai exclaimed.

”HAHAHAHAHA!” Daoist Chu erupted into laughter, nearly knocking over his soup bowl. ”Good! Good! I wouldʼve done the same!”

The twins and Ashy practically glowed with pride at the praise, their beady eyes gleaming with mischief.

”Donʼt encourage them!” Lin Mu scolded, rubbing his temples as a headache settled in.

”They were too much, Master! And they said theyʼll take me out on an adventure AGAIN!” Meng Bai emphasized, looking equal parts excited and terrified.

*Sigh…*

Lin Mu didnʼt even know how to process this. While he was frustrated that Meng Bai had been insulted, he also knew that the trioʼs retaliation had likely gone overboard. However, Daoist Chuʼs words made him reconsider.

”Let it be. They threatened him first. This was the least they could do,” Daoist Chu reasoned. ”Besides, now Meng Bai knows what those ʼyoung mastersʼ are like. Itʼs better to nip their arrogance in the bud.”

”True…” Lin Mu admitted. Now that he thought about it, things could have gone much worse if Meng Bai had been alone.

Trouble had a funny way of finding them, it seemed. And perhaps it was for the best that the beast trio had been with him.

Lin Mu glanced at Little Shrubby, who was busy ladling out portions of the soup. ʼWould he have handled things differently?ʼ Lin Mu pondered. Then he shook his head. No, he wouldʼve just killed them all.ʼ

Little Shrubby was simple in his ways—if something threatened his master or his disciple, he would eliminate the threat. No questions asked. The twins and Ashy shared a similar nature. No matter how much time they spent with humans, at their core, they remained beasts. Lin Mu couldnʼt blame them for acting on their instincts.

Deciding not to dwell on it further, Lin Mu settled on giving them a light scolding, reminding them to inform him immediately if something like this happened again. If their opponent had strong backing, things could become troublesome. The trio might be fine, but Meng Bai was still too weak. One stray attack from an immortal could end him before he even realized he was in danger.

With that matter settled, Lin Mu turned his attention to the soup.

”Itʼs good,” he admitted, taking a sip. ”Very energy-dense.”

”Indeed,” Daoist Chu agreed. ”Itʼs a shame Monk Hushu canʼt enjoy it.”

”Amitabha, I am satisfied with the dishes he prepared for me,” Monk Hushu replied serenely.

Little Shrubby had been thoughtful enough to make vegetarian dishes for the monk, using various herbs and seaweed harvested from the ocean.

Meng Baiʼs portion of the soup was made from spirit beasts rather than immortal beasts. They didnʼt want him spontaneously combusting from an overload of energy.

Once dinner was finished, everyone dispersed to cultivate, utilizing the mealʼs immense energy to strengthen themselves further.

###

Meanwhile, across the capital, tension filled one of the grand courtyards of the Nan Clan.

A group of nobles and attendants were gathered in a hall that had been hastily converted into an infirmary.

”How is he?” a regal woman in luxurious robes demanded.

The physician, clad in pristine white robes, bowed slightly before responding, ”Despite his appearance, he has no life-threatening injuries.”

”Are you sure?” Another man frowned. ”Look at him… He looks like heʼs turned into an idiot.”

The unfortunate young master in question lay in bed, his head completely bald, his eyebrows missing, and his face frozen in a vacant, blissful smile.

”My mom is a bitch… my dad is a cuck…” the injured young master muttered in a dreamy voice.

Silence blanketed the hall.

Then—

”SHUT HIM UP!” the noblewoman screeched, her face turning a dangerous shade of crimson.

The healers scrambled to obey, hurriedly pouring a vial of powerful sedative down the young masterʼs throat. Moments later, he was out cold.

The noblewoman clenched her fists, trying to suppress the volcanic rage boiling within her. ”What exactly happened?” she hissed, her voice dripping with barely contained fury.

The attendants hesitated, their faces a mixture of fear and confusion.

”You heard her! Speak!” an authoritative noble barked.

”Things are… complicated, my lord,” one of the attendants finally answered. ”We couldnʼt confirm the identities of those involved. The description of the boy varies wildly among witnesses. The reports are jumbled, contradictory… and, uh…”

”And what?!” the noblewoman snapped.

”W-well, rumors are spreading that it was a… ghost,” the attendant finished meekly.

”Bah! There are no ghosts in the capital!” she spat, slamming her fist against the table.

”What about that bird?” the authoritative man asked.

”We donʼt know about that either. While the color of the bird does matches that of several ominous birds, itʼs too small to match them.” They replied. ”Plus the fact that no one could detect their cultivation bases was also confusing.” Another one added.