Walker Of The Worlds

Chapter 2952: The Excited Elders

By now, the sect’s inner court disciples, outer court elders, and even a few of the deacons had begun paying attention to the changes in the rankings.

”Is this the birth of another Sword Saint?”

”He’s not even using techniques, I heard. Just swordsmanship and sword intent...”

Rumors were already abound.

”What kind of monster did they let in?”

A few disciples tried to locate Lin Mu, but since he was using the private puppet hall near the Residential peak’s Jade Echo Retreat, none could access it. Rumors circulated wildly.

Some said he was a hidden descendant of a sword immortal. Others claimed he was an ancient soul reborn. One bold guess was that he had trained in the Sacred Grounds in secret already.

But amidst all the speculation, one thing was certain—

The name Lin Mu was now carved into the memory of every disciple who walked past the Hall of Achievements without him even knowing about it.

And he wasn’t done yet.

The days rolled by like drifting clouds, and with each passing moment, the name Lin Mu became etched deeper into the consciousness of the entire Xian Sword Sect.

What began as a curiosity—a few new entries on the Puppet Duel Record Wall—had now become a full-blown phenomenon.

The initial murmurs had grown into full-fledged excitement.

Disciples would visit the Hall of Achievements multiple times a day, often with snacks in hand, treating it like a grand tournament they could spectate from afar. Many had even begun betting on when Lin Mu would take the top rank in more sword styles.

The most frequent question echoed throughout the sect like a mantra:

”Can he take the 1st rank?”

Especially the spot held by High Elder Yan Dao, who had long maintained the fastest record against the Sixth Stage puppet using the Seven Winds Pierce sword style—a blistering two-minute and twenty-four-second duel that had gone unbeaten for over 300 years.

Everyone knew the rankings were mostly for disciples. The system didn’t include Grand Elders or the Patriarch, whose swordplay would obliterate the puppets in a single flick.

Even the High Elders were typically removed from the list once promoted, but Elder Yan Dao’s record remained—grandfathered in from his core disciple days. It had been left intentionally as a benchmark, a holy grail no one ever truly believed could be surpassed.

Until now.

By the end of the month, Lin Mu had done the unthinkable.

He held 2nd place in nearly every single sword style tested against the Sixth Stage puppet.

But more than that—

He had claimed 1st place in eleven of them.

And in one of them, Raging Gale Cleave, he had cleared the entire Sixth Stage duel in exactly two minutes flat.

The hall was in uproar when that result appeared.

Lin Mu – Raging Gale Cleave – 6th Stage – Victory – 00:02:00 – Rank 1

That style had been known for wild, unpredictable movements, often thought inefficient in duels against calculated puppet routines. Yet Lin Mu had tamed the chaos, mastered its rhythm, and cleaved through the puppet like a blade through mist.

The disciples were stunned. Words failed.

”No way... He beat Elder Yan Dao’s time.”

”Who even is this guy!?”

”I bet he’s actually the hidden son of the Patriarch. That would explain everything.”

”I heard he doesn’t even use Qi skills. Just sword intent!”

”Forget that! That’s old news! I heard he doesn’t even use a sword, just his fingers coated in Sword Intent!”

”I heard he fights blind.”

”And I heard he fights with one hand tied behind the back and hopping on one leg!”

”I heard the elder whisper that even his breath can turn into illusory swords!”

The exaggerations were getting crazy as time passed.

”Do you think he’s already trained in the Sacred Grounds?”

In the quiet corners of the sect, even elders began frequenting the Hall of Achievements more often.

Some came cloaked, others without entourage.

They all claimed to be ”just passing by,” yet their eyes would inevitably drift toward the flickering walls that now glowed with Lin Mu’s name over a hundred times.

Several of these elders knew exactly who Lin Mu was.

But they said nothing.

They remembered the man who had come recently with Daoist Chu, a trainee of the Immortal Court and a disciple of the Zenith Dao Sect. They had been briefed that Lin Mu was a special guest. And for now, they respected his privacy.

Though it was getting harder by the day.

The excitement wasn’t confined to the Hall.

Far above, deep within the Floating Immortal Platform, the sect’s higher echelons had already been informed.

In a chamber of star-polished jade and golden veined marble, two robed figures stood by a circular mirror of light, watching as names updated in real-time.

The mirror was connected directly to the central sect array, capable of monitoring almost every sect record and ranking.

One of the figures stroked his long silver beard and laughed heartily.

”Haha! That boy’s truly something, isn’t he?”

This was none other than High Elder Yi Feiyan, a powerful Peak Seventh Tribulation Immortal Stage cultivator known for his sharp mind and easy laughter.

Standing beside him was High Elder Yan Dao, the very man whose record had been broken.

Instead of looking displeased, Yan Dao’s eyes sparkled with delight. ”Two minutes flat... Tch. That’s no coincidence. He meant to beat me.”

”You think he’s that cheeky?” Yi Feiyan grinned. ”He hasn’t even left the Jade Echo Retreat yet. He probably doesn’t even know of the rankings.”

”Oh, I know he is.” Yan Dao folded his arms. ”But I don’t mind. Let them chase. A sword is meant to cut forward, not linger behind.”

They both chuckled.

Then Yi Feiyan turned serious. ”He’s requested entry into the tournament.”

”I heard,” Yan Dao said, eyes narrowing slightly. ”I also heard he’s not interested in the rewards. He wants access to the Sacred Grounds.”

”Hah. Ambitious. I like it.” Yi Feiyan smirked. ”But he doesn’t know what we have in store.”