Walker Of The Worlds

Chapter 2914: Daoist Chuʼs Arrival

The days in the Great burden Monastery passed in quiet anticipation. Lin Mu continued his cultivation, but his thoughts often wandered toward the coming guest.

Two months later, the wait ended.

One crisp morning, a monk arrived at Lin Muʼs courtyard, offering a deep bow before speaking.

”Senior Lin Mu, a messenger from Lotus Prefecture has arrived. Daoist Chu is here.”

Lin Mu stilled mid-form, his body freezing in the midst of a complex gravity step. A slow smile broke across his face.

”About time,” he muttered, already moving to prepare.

Daoist Chu arrived not with ceremony or grand entourage, but with the wind at his back and dust on his boots. His robes were travel-worn, his gait relaxed, and his eyes gleamed with the mischief of a man who had crossed many mountains and caused twice as much trouble along the way.

He reached the temple gates just as the sun dipped behind the western peaks. There, waiting for him, were Lin Mu and Meng Bai.

”Well, look at you two,” Daoist Chu called out, spreading his arms. ”Oneʼs become a silent mountain, and the otherʼs finally grown a chin.”

”Daoist Chu!” Meng Bai shouted and ran forward, a wide grin on his face.

The two clasped forearms with familiar ease.

”Youʼve gotten taller,” Daoist Chu said with a wink.

”Youʼve gotten older,” Meng Bai shot back.

”Iʼm an immortal, I wonʼt age so fast.” Daoist Chu laughed, eyes twinkling. ”Still, a sharp tongue. I like it. Looks like my influence was good.”

Lin Mu stepped forward, and the two men embraced like brothers separated by war and time.

”Still alive?” Daoist Chu asked.

”Barely. I heard someone was threatening to make me drink tea again.”

”You still brew like a beast cultivator with broken taste buds?”

”Better than the last time your talisman exploded.”

The three of them laughed under the temple gates.

The next few days passed in a flurry of stories, reunions, and shared memories.

Daoist Chu spent the first day walking the temple grounds with Lin Mu, commenting on every formation, bell, and prayer mat as if inspecting a battlefieldʼs terrain. It was not everyone one got to see so many Gravity Formations after all. His questions amused the monks, who welcomed the disruption with quiet smiles.

The second day was spent under the Bodhi tree with the abbot. Daoist Chu spoke at length about his travels—his misadventures in the Southern Immortal Court, a narrow escape from a cursed ruin, and the shifting political tides within the Immortal Court.

He casually mentioned that some people had tried to assassinate him in a floating ruin. Twice.

”And I survived by faking my own death and hiding in a beastʼs fur for three days,” he said, drinking his tea with a smirk.

”Thatʼs… unhygienic,” Meng Bai muttered.

”But effective,” Daoist Chu replied. ”Survival first, comfort later.”

”Howʼd that happen, though? I thought you were there with a lot of people?” Lin Mu was both surprised and concenred.

”We split up to investigate and it ended up happening.” Daoist Chu said.

”I see. If they could threaten you they must be strong.” Lin Mu muttered.

”Yeah, there were a lot of them too.” Daoist Chu nodded.

On the third day, Lin Mu sparred lightly with Daoist Chu while Meng Bai sat nearby, absorbing every movement and word. It was a scene both new and familiar, a reminder of the camaraderie they had shared before the world changed.

”Youʼve improved,” Daoist Chu said, dodging one of Lin Muʼs sword feints with ease.

”Youʼve slowed down,” Lin Mu retorted.

”Lies and slander,” Daoist Chu huffed.

Meng Bai grinned. ”Heʼs actually right, though.”

Daoist Chu gave him a mock glare. ”You too, traitor?”

”Iʼm just stating facts.”

But as all things must, the calm began to give way to motion.

On the fourth morning, Lin Mu stood with Daoist Chu and Meng Bai near the temple steps, the morning mist curling around their feet like silent farewells.

The abbot joined them, hands folded in his sleeves, eyes serene.

”Youʼre leaving?” he asked.

Lin Mu nodded. ”The threads are converging again. I can feel it.”

”Where to first?” the abbot asked.

Daoist Chu shrugged. ”Wherever the road tries to kill us first.”

”Likely the Eastern lands,” Lin Mu added more seriously. ”Weʼll head there on the way to the Xian Sword Sect.” he stated.

The abbot inclined his head. ”Then may the road rise to meet your steps.”

He looked at Meng Bai, who was already wearing travel robes and had his spear strapped across his back.

”Youʼre ready?”

Meng Bai bowed. ”Been ready for a long time now.”

The abbot smiled gently. ”Then go with the clarity of the lotus and the strength of the mountain.”

Daoist Chu gave Meng Bai a nod. ”Good. I was starting to worry Lin Mu would be too boring alone.”

”Trust me, other than the training and spars he talks more than he fights these days,” Meng Bai replied.

”Mmm, too much time with the monks.” Daosit Chu muttered.

Lin Mu simply chuckled in response to their words.

The three of them stood shoulder to shoulder, their silhouettes outlined against the rising sun. Behind them, the temple bell rang once—not an alarm, but a farewell.

Lin Mu bowed low to the abbot. ”Thank you. For everything.”

”You have not left us,” the abbot said with warmth. ”You carry this place within you now. Wherever you go, so too does the lotus bloom.”

The path down the mountain was steep, winding, and familiar. They walked in silence at first, listening to the rustling wind and birdsong.

After a while, Daoist Chu spoke. ”So, whatʼs the plan? Visit the Xian Sword Sect first? Or go sight seeing like old times?”

”Weʼll take a look on the way and apperciate the sights” Lin Mu said. ”But the Xian Sword Sect is still the main destination.”

”And the strange cultivators?” Meng Bai asked.

”Thatʼs a longer thread,” Lin Mu replied. ”We canʼt go to the crypt anyways so weʼll take things in a stride..”

”Good,” Daoist Chu said. ”Just make sure we stop for good food at least once a week. Iʼm not living off rations again.”

”Agreed,” Meng Bai said.

Their laughter echoed through the forest trail as they descended from the monastery.

Three cultivators, once scattered, now walking a single path once more.

Not just toward danger, but toward destiny.