Walker Of The Worlds

Chapter 2575  The Imperial Alchemy Pavillion

Seeing Lin Muʼs determination, the Saintess felt a tinge of approval and perhaps even a hint of pride.

”Are you sure you want to do this alone?” she asked one last time, her voice calm yet probing.

”Yes, I would prefer to see how I can manage independently first,” Lin Mu replied firmly, his resolve evident in his tone.

”Alright,” the Saintess agreed with a slight nod. ”If thatʼs your wish, you should take the proper precautions. It would be wise to go to an established alchemy pavilion for this task.”

”Oh, yes, that was my plan,” Lin Mu acknowledged. ”I suppose I can inquire about borrowing the Imperial Alchemy Pavilion for this purpose.”

”That should suffice,” the Saintess said with approval. ”Iʼll observe your progress from here then.”

”Of course, Saintess.” Lin Mu stood up, a sense of urgency driving him. ”If you permit me, Iʼll head over and begin. Iʼm eager to recover my body cultivation and move forward.”

”Go ahead,” the Saintess replied, waving her hand in a dismissive yet supportive gesture.

Before Lin Mu could process her action, he found himself flying out of the courtyard at an astonishing speed. Within moments, he landed softly in front of the Imperial Alchemy Pavilion.

”Huh… that was certainly efficient,” Lin Mu muttered, somewhat taken aback by the effortless transportation.

”Who?!” The guards stationed at the pavilionʼs entrance snapped to attention, startled by his sudden appearance. One of them rubbed his eyes, wondering if he was hallucinating. ”Did that man just appear out of thin air?”

”Itʼs me, the Imperial Imperator,” Lin Mu stated calmly, revealing his token.

The moment the guards laid eyes on the token and recognized Lin Muʼs face, their expressions transformed into ones of shock and respect.

”Ah! We welcome Lord Imperator!” they exclaimed in unison, bowing deeply. Their earlier hesitation vanished as they scrambled to make amends for their initial lapse in recognition.

”I wish to enter,” Lin Mu said simply.

”Of course! Please, come in!” The guards quickly opened the massive doors, ushering him inside with deference.

”Iʼll accompany you to the Pavilion Head, Lord Imperator,” one of the guards offered, stepping forward.

”That would be helpful,” Lin Mu agreed. He had never visited the Imperial Alchemy Pavilion before, and having a guide would save time.

The pavilion was vast, a sprawling complex of hundreds of interconnected buildings surrounded by a high compound wall. Protective arrays shimmered faintly in the air, a testament to the strict security measures in place. Lin Mu could sense the layered complexity of the formations, designed to safeguard not only against external threats but also internal accidents.

The guard led him through winding paths, each turn seemingly indistinguishable from the last.

”This route is quite intricate,” Lin Mu commented, glancing around at the similar-looking buildings they passed.

”Ah, yes,” the guard replied with a smile. ”This is the Illusory Pathing Array of the Imperial Alchemy Pavilion. It ensures that only authorized personnel can navigate the compound without getting lost.”

”What happens if someone unauthorized tries to enter?” Lin Mu asked, intrigued.

”Theyʼre automatically guided to a Prison Array,” the guard explained. ”Once there, theyʼre sealed and detained until the guards can apprehend them.”

”Can it restrain powerful cultivators?” Lin Mu inquired.

”Indeed,” the guard affirmed. ”The array can contain even a Seventh Tribulation Stage Immortal Realm expert. Itʼs been tested extensively. In fact, some past generals and ministers personally volunteered to test its limits.”

The guard chuckled before adding, ”We even hold competitions in the capital, challenging participants to navigate the array without getting lost. Itʼs both a training exercise and a source of entertainment.”

”Thatʼs clever,” Lin Mu remarked, impressed. ”Do formation masters take part in these competitions?”

”Yes, itʼs even part of their formal exams,” the guard said proudly. ”Our alchemy pavilion collaborates closely with them since their expertise is crucial for maintaining these arrays. The formation mastersʼ predecessors were the ones who originally designed and implemented the Illusory Pathing Array.”

”I see,” Lin Mu mused, tempted to test his own skills against the array. However, he quickly dismissed the idea, not wanting to divert his focus from his primary goal. ʼBesides, my spatial skills would give me an unfair advantage,ʼ he thought. ʼAttempting it would feel pointless.ʼ

After navigating the intricate maze, they finally arrived at the Central Hall of the Imperial Alchemy Pavilion. The building was an imposing structure, towering over the others at a height of six hundred meters. It had thirty floors, each adorned with ornate carvings and shimmering runes. A massive chimney rose from the center of the hall, resembling the mast of a great ship. It continuously emitted a steady stream of smoke, purified by the glowing runes etched into its surface.

Lin Mu paused to observe the chimney, his eyes narrowing as he deciphered the purpose behind the elaborate design.

ʼThat must be the exhaust system for the pill cauldrons,ʼ he deduced. ʼIf I recall correctly, chimneys like this are also used to accumulate toxins for specific techniques, such as the Lung Shredding Smog Breath.ʼ

Though Lin Mu had his own alternative methods for toxin extraction, he kept the traditional techniques in mind. The memories of the Withered Spirit Daoist were rich with tips and tricks for optimizing such processes, including ways to enhance the formations on chimneys to maximize efficiency.

”This is the Central Hall,” the guard announced, breaking Lin Muʼs train of thought. ”The Pavilion Head should be inside. Iʼll inform them of your arrival.”

”Thank you,” Lin Mu replied, stepping forward to enter the grand hall. As the doors opened, a faint scent of herbs and alchemical fumes wafted out, a testament to the intense activity within.

Lin Mu couldnʼt even make out the sheer number of herbs that were present here. Both the walls were lined up with shelves upon shelves that reached all the way to the ceiling. To a lot of cultivators, merely laying their eyes upon such a bounty of herbs might get their hearts racing. After all, these would be worth a massive fortune.