Walker Of The Worlds

Chapter 2646  Great Orchard Library

The more Guard Ru heard about the incident, the darker his expression grew. By the end of Doumen and Dou Qiʼs account, his face was flushed with anger, and it seemed as if steam might actually erupt from his head.

”Thatʼs it!” Guard Ru declared, his voice firm. ”Iʼm taking this straight to the Captain. Even the Teng Clan wonʼt escape punishment for something this big.”

”Will that really be fine?” Doumen asked, his voice laced with concern. ”Wonʼt the Teng Clan only grow angrier if this is escalated?”

”They might,” Guard Ru admitted, ”but they wonʼt be able to do anything as long as youʼre under our protection. Not to mention, there were so many witnesses. The Teng Clan will have no choice but to save face.”

”Even considering their recent ambitious activities?” Lin Mu interjected, his tone skeptical.

”Thatʼs exactly why theyʼll have to tread carefully now,” Guard Ru explained. ”You may not be aware of this, but theyʼre already under pressure from the other clans. This incident will give those clans even more leverage to suppress them.”

”Hmm. Letʼs hope it works out that way,” Lin Mu said, his tone neutral. He wasnʼt entirely convinced.

He had encountered many ambitious clans during his travels, and petty vindictiveness often ran deep in their veins. A clan as eager to establish dominance as the Teng Clan could very well retaliate in unexpected ways.

”Donʼt worry,” Guard Ru reassured them. ”Iʼll also assign a few guards to this area at all times.”

”Thank you, Little Ru,” Doumen said, a wave of relief washing over his face.

With the immediate matter resolved, Lin Mu watched as the other guards fanned out to gather reports from the numerous witnesses who had seen the altercation. The street had been bustling at the time of the fight, and many passersby, as well as shopkeepers, had observed everything.

Most of the spectators had retreated into their shops, seeking safety within buildings fortified by formation arrays. Thanks to these defenses, no structural damage had occurred, even though Chiji Ou had been violently sent flying by Lin Mu. Of course, Lin Mu had held back to minimize collateral damage.

Even the modest Book House where Doumen worked had its own defensive arrays. Though weaker than those of the larger establishments, they had been sufficient to keep the building intact.

”Thank you again, Sir Lin Mu,” Doumen and Dou Qi said in unison, bowing deeply.

”Itʼs nothing. I simply did what needed to be done,” Lin Mu replied, his tone steady. ”Iʼll take my leave now. There are still other places Iʼd like to explore.”

”Of course. Please take care,” Doumen said, gratitude evident in his voice as Lin Mu prepared to depart.

Ascending into the air, Lin Mu activated his immortal sense, spreading it far and wide. His sharp awareness quickly locked onto Teng Yi and Chiji Ouʼs group, tracking their movements. While he had no intention of pursuing them directly, he was curious about their destination.

ʼSo thatʼs where the Teng Clan resides,ʼ Lin Mu thought as he retrieved the VIP card he had received from the Four Fruits Restaurant. Consulting the map embedded within the card, he quickly pinpointed the Teng Clanʼs location.

The Teng Clanʼs estate was expansive, spanning nearly a third of an entire city district. The complex consisted of over a hundred buildings, interspersed with lush gardens and various facilities designed to cater to the clanʼs needs.

Lin Mu observed as Teng Yi and his subordinates hurried into one of the estateʼs larger buildings, which bore the inscription Physician Hall.

”They must be taking him there for treatment,” Lin Mu concluded, watching from a safe distance. His immortal sense probed the area but was blocked by the estateʼs robust formation arrays.

For a few minutes, Lin Mu continued to observe the Teng Clanʼs compound before deciding he had seen enough.

ʼThis isnʼt my concern anyway,ʼ he reminded himself. His primary goal remained exploration and learning, not entangling himself in local disputes.

Descending back onto the street, Lin Mu allowed his gaze to wander before settling on a massive building nearby.

Great Orchard Library, the sign above its entrance read.

”This place should have far more books than the Book House,” Lin Mu mused, noting the libraryʼs sheer size.

The structure was an impressive six stories tall and occupied a sprawling area of over five hundred meters. It was the second-largest building on Erudite Street and appeared to be a hub of activity, with over two hundred people bustling about inside. Library staff, easily identifiable by their uniforms, moved efficiently among the visitors.

Consulting his map, Lin Mu learned that the Great Orchard Library served as the cityʼs public library. The first two floors were open to all visitors free of charge, while the upper floors required specific access permissions.

Entering the building, Lin Mu joined the short line of patrons at the reception counter. It wasnʼt long before his turn arrived.

”Greetings. Welcome to the Great Orchard Library. Is this your first visit?” a polite staff member asked.

”Yes,” Lin Mu replied simply.

”I see. Please enter your name here, and youʼll be free to browse the first two floors,” the staff member explained, sliding a register toward him.

Lin Mu complied, jotting down his name before the man continued.

”If you wish to access the third and fourth floors, there is a nominal fee. You can pay it now if youʼd like.”

Lin Mu nodded and handed over a hundred low-grade Immortal Stones to cover the fee. However, a thought struck him.

”What about the fifth and sixth floors?” he asked.

”Ah, those are restricted,” the staff member explained. ”Access is limited to high-ranking officials and individuals who hold special access cards. Unfortunately, payment alone cannot grant entry.”

”Access cards, you say?” Lin Mu murmured, retrieving the VIP card from his belongings. ”Will this work?”

The staff memberʼs eyes widened in surprise. While he had seen many people come in with access cards, he had only seen this card a couple times before since he started working here.