Walker Of The Worlds

Chapter 2986: Talking About The Founder Of The Sect

The cool night air brushed gently across the cliffside, rustling the sparse blades of grass that clung to the rough stone.

High above, the stars shimmered like a tapestry of immortal sparks strewn across the vast heavens. Lin Mu sat on the cloud formed table near the edge of the cliff beside the Jade Echo Retreat, his legs hanging beneath him and a steaming cup of tea resting in his hands.

The fragrance of the Immortal-leaf blend Little Shrubby had prepared earlier lingered faintly, grounding him in the present even as his thoughts wandered far. The Saintess sipped her tea silently, watching the winds blow and the stars twinkle.

The events of the Path of the Sealed Swords still lingered in Lin Mu’s mind, as vivid as if he had just stepped out from its endless halls and boundless illusions. The taste of those trials, the solemn weight of the final one, and the silent birth of his Sword Heart—they were all etched into him.

Seeing that the Saintess had finished her first cup, he poured her a cup of tea without a word, then sat back.

The Saintess took a slow sip. ”So... tell me. What did you see inside the Path of the Sealed Swords?”

Lin Mu was silent for a moment, collecting his thoughts. ”It’s difficult to put into words,” he said finally. ”It was long. Three years, though it didn’t feel like that to me. I thought it had only been a few weeks. There were trials. Dozens upon dozens. Each one stranger than the last.”

”Your eyes carry the weight of that place,” she said. ”Even now.”

He gave a small nod. ”There was one trial that stood out, near the end. An old man appeared—kind and calm, but... powerful. More powerful than anyone I’ve met before.”

Her gaze sharpened, but she waited.

”He said he was a Celestial,” Lin Mu continued. ”And he offered me his legacy. A sword technique called the Astral Severance Sword. Said it would allow me to sever the very threads of fate. That if I learned it, I’d ascend to the Celestial realm for sure.”

The Saintess’ eyebrows rose, though she did not interrupt.

”He showed me what it looked like,” Lin Mu said. ”And it was... breathtaking. Cold, vast, unrelenting. Like a blade forged from the silence of space.”

”And did you accept it?” the Saintess asked.

Lin Mu smiled. ”No. I told him I didn’t need another master. I already have one. Besides, I want to walk my own path, not borrow someone else’s legacy.”

The Saintess stared at him for a long moment before a small smile crept onto her lips. ”Wise,” she said. ”Temptation disguised as generosity. But I suppose that was the point of the trial.”

”I figured as much,” Lin Mu said. ”He didn’t seem angry. In fact, he looked pleased when I declined.”

The Saintess set her cup down lightly. ”You said the name of the technique was Astral Severance Sword. And the old man?”𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

”He didn’t say it outright, but after I came out of the path, the elders told me his name. Daoist Star Slayer.”

The Saintess blinked. ”Daoist Star Slayer? You met him?”

”So you’ve heard of him?” Lin Mu asked, a bit surprised.

”Of course,” she said. ”Many cultivators in the upper realm have. Daoist Star Slayer is not just a name—it’s a legend. A Celestial Sword Cultivator known for his fierce duels and solitary path. When I first heard of him, he was still very young.”

”How long ago was that?” Lin Mu asked.

”About a million years,” she said casually. ”It was during a massive celestial assembly. News spread that a newly ascended Celestial cultivator had challenged a veteran and destroyed his body in a duel. Only his soul survived. That man was Daoist Star Slayer.”

’A million years ago...” Lin Mu gave a low whistle. ”So he’s famous, even among Celestials.”

”He is,” The Saintess said. ”Though he vanished from the upper realms not long ago.”

”Where do you think he went?” Lin Mu couldn’t help but ask.

After all the disappearance of a man like that won’t be simple.

”From the reports, he was somewhere in the Farlands beyond the Western Celestial Court’s territory. He’s probably just cultivating in seclusion somewhere. Once one reaches the Celestial realm, cultivation is less dependent on just qi and more on comprehension.” The Saintess answered.

”I see.” Lin Mu nodded. ”Looks like the Farlands are a place many people go to and seemingly disappear.” he muttered.

He had heard about that region often and many mysteries seemed to stem from it. And this wasn’t just in the Immortal realm’s Farlands, but even the Celestial Realms.

”Though he’ll probably appear, eventually. People like him are bound to create uproars whenever they return.” The Saintess added. ”Still, I never knew he came from the Xian Sword Sect—or the Silent Lotus World. Or that he was their founder of all people.”

”Seems even the Saintess doesn’t know everything,” Lin Mu teased.

She lifted a brow. ”I only pay attention to those worthy of my attention.”

Lin Mu laughed quietly, setting his own cup down.

”Still,” he said after a moment, ”I can’t help but wonder why he chose me. Why that technique? Why now?”

The Saintess shrugged slightly. ”Perhaps he saw a reflection of himself in you. Perhaps he was testing your will. Maybe he’s watching even now.”

Lin Mu didn’t respond immediately. He looked up at the moon, its silver light bathing the world below.

”If he is,” he said at last, ”then I hope he’s ready. Because I’m going to reach him—sooner or later.”

The Saintess smiled faintly. ”I’ll look forward to it.”

She stood, her form almost blending into the night mist. ”Thank you for the tea,” she said. ”And the story.”

”Anytime,” Lin Mu replied, watching her begin to walk away.

Just before she vanished into the dark, her voice floated back to him.

”Don’t keep the heavens waiting too long, Lin Mu.”

He chuckled to himself, lifting the last of his tea in a silent toast to the stars.

”I won’t.”