Walker Of The Worlds

Chapter 2920: Discussing The Threat

Elder Mingshi bowed once more, and with a single wave of his hand, his masked entourage followed him out of the courtyard, vanishing into the darkness beyond the gate.

Silence lingered long after their departure.

Finally, the head of the Golden Scales Merchant Union turned toward Lin Mu.

"We owe you. All of you. Without your intervention…"

Lin Mu sheathed his swords, still watching the gate. "We need to talk. Tonight."

Daoist Chu nodded. "Something big is moving. And they're watching it unfold."

Meng Bai knelt beside a wounded guest, helping them sit upright. "And whatever they're planning… that was just a taste."

The night air was thick with unease as Lin Mu and his companions returned to their inn. The inn itself was quiet, tucked away in a calmer part of the Golden Scales City, far from the banquet hall's now-ruined grandeur. Yet the silence in their room wasn't peaceful—it was the kind that followed bloodshed.

Little Shrubby returned to his smaller, fluffier form and curled up near the window, his ears twitching and eyes half-closed, still alert.

Meng Bai sat on a cushion, arms crossed over his knees and brows furrowed. "I can't believe they actually dared to attack during a Golden Scales Merchant Union banquet," he said, voice low.

Daoist Chu poured himself a drink and downed it in one gulp. "That wasn't just a random ambush. That was a message."

Lin Mu leaned against the wall, arms folded, eyes focused on nothing in particular. "It wasn't just a message. It was a test."

"A test?" Meng Bai looked up.

"They knew I would be there," Lin Mu replied. "They knew we were invited. That kind of thing doesn't go unnoticed."

Daoist Chu exhaled. "And then Elder Mingshi just happens to show up—with a group of silent masked attendants—and watches the whole thing without lifting a finger."

"Exactly." Lin Mu nodded. "It was too open. Too deliberate."

"Do you think it was all staged?" Meng Bai asked. "Even the attackers?"

Lin Mu's expression darkened. "Not staged. Real enough to kill. But orchestrated? Absolutely."

Daoist Chu filled another cup, this time drinking more slowly. "It's the boldness of it that worries me. You don't attack a Union-sponsored banquet unless you want attention. Unless you know no one can touch you for it."

"The Golden Scales Merchant Union is one of the more respected powers in this region," Lin Mu added. "If this were done secretly or on the road, that would be one thing. But during a formal gathering, with nobles, sect elders, and cultivators in attendance? That's making a statement."

"And the Hollow Eye Sect made it." Meng Bai's voice turned grim.

Lin Mu turned toward him. "Not just made it. They wanted us to see them make it. That's the part that bothers me the most."

Daoist Chu ran a hand through his hair. "It felt like… they were probing us. Trying to gauge our reaction. Your reaction, especially."

Lin Mu didn't reply immediately. He walked toward the small table in the center of the room and sat down. His fingers tapped slowly against the wood, a quiet rhythm to his thoughts.

"They sent that crimson-eyed cultivator for me," he said eventually. "The others didn't carry that mark. Only him."

"The Rooted Eye," Meng Bai muttered.

Daoist Chu gave a short grunt. "That damned symbol again."

Lin Mu looked out the window. "Whatever they're planning, it's not subtle. And they're not hiding it anymore. The question is why."

"Why now, and why here?" Daoist Chu echoed.

"Maybe they think the Western Immortal Court won't interfere," Meng Bai offered. "Or maybe… they've already gotten to someone."

Lin Mu frowned at that.

It wasn't an impossible suggestion.

The Western Immortal Court was vast, its territories spanning many cities, sects, and hidden powers. While some regions remained bastions of order, others were plagued with corruption and politics. If the Hollow Eye Sect was growing bolder, perhaps it was because they felt shielded—or allied.

"We'll need to check in with Elder Dugu Ciu again," Lin Mu said. "He's already dealt with these corrupted before. Maybe he's seen something similar in other prefectures. Perhaps contacting the Immortal Court might also be good."

"I can send a message through the Immortal Court's Transmission Relay," Daoist Chu offered. "Might take a day or two, depending on schedule."

"Do it," Lin Mu nodded.

The room lapsed into silence again. Outside, the distant sounds of the city night—wagons rolling, distant laughter, and faint bells—felt strangely disconnected from the weight that hung over them.

Little Shrubby let out a soft growl. His tail flicked twice.

"There's more to come," he said while Ashy simply translated.

Meng Bai looked at the beast. "How do you know?"

Little Shrubby's golden eyes narrowed. "That scent… during the banquet… it didn't vanish. It retreated."

Lin Mu's brows furrowed. "You felt a trace?"

"Briefly. But it was enough. It wasn't a normal kind of retreat. It was… deliberate."

Daoist Chu stood up. "Then they're not done with us."

"They're just beginning," Lin Mu said quietly.

His voice was calm, but underneath was steel.

He turned to face them all.

"From now on, we don't travel alone. No splitting up, no wandering. We need to be sharp. If Elder Mingshi wants us to see his hand, then he's playing a long game—and he's not done testing us yet."

Meng Bai nodded, jaw set.

Daoist Chu sighed, but there was a familiar glint in his eyes—battle-tested and seasoned. "I was hoping for a peaceful trip. Should've known better."

"We can't afford to wait," Lin Mu said. "Tomorrow, we start investigating the Hollow Eye Sect's presence in Golden Scales City. If they're here openly, they'll have some kind of base. An inn. A contact. A Safehouse."

"And if they don't?" Meng Bai asked raising a brow.

"Then we follow the trail," Lin Mu replied. "Even if it means digging through the shadows."

Lin Mu was not one to back down from an open provocation like this.

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