Walker Of The Worlds

2710  The Setup

The Grand Elder felt a pounding headache. His nausea worsened, and his heart felt like it was about to give out. Every beat felt heavier, as if the weight of the entire sectʼs downfall pressed upon his chest.

ʼI should have retired long ago… I should have entered seclusion… At least the position of an Ancestor would have been far more peaceful than this nightmare,ʼ he lamented, closing his eyes as exhaustion washed over him.

As the other high elders turned to him for guidance, their faces filled with fear and desperation, the Grand Elder could only sigh deeply. The fate of the sect now rested upon his shoulders, and yet, for the first time in centuries, he felt powerless.

”What do we do now, Grand Elder?” one of them finally asked, his voice barely holding together.

The Grand Elder didnʼt answer right away. He simply sat there, mumbling to himself, his mind caught between exhaustion and despair. He had lived long enough to witness countless challenges, but never had he seen a disaster unfold so rapidly and so ruthlessly. This was no ordinary setback. This was a deliberate dismantling of everything they had built.

Meanwhile, the elder in charge of reports took advantage of the chaos and quietly slipped away.

ʼI need to get out of here,ʼ he thought. ʼThis place has gone to shit. Thank heavens Iʼm single—just need to grab my things from the vault and leave.ʼ

He knew for sure that things would be going further south, and the longer he stayed, the higher his chances of getting embroiled in it. He had been an elder in the sect for barely ten years and had already seen how it had changed, especially in recent times.

ʼAll this shit started from that useless Chijin Ou. There are plenty of women who would hop into bed with him, yet he just had to go pluck one from the city, creating unnecessary trouble. If that wasnʼt enough, he got Core Disciple Jilin Tu involved and made things even worse. How did that idiot even become a Core Disciple with that kind of judgment? He has no tact!

Not to mention the other elders seem to have lost their minds as well, getting involved in their disciplesʼ issues.

This was a simple matter, and they could have resolved it easily. They didnʼt even need to apologize—just keep their heads down. But no, they had to escalate it to a full-blown conflict.” The elder cursed tens of people, along with his luck. ʼAnd here I thought I had found a decent place to settle. Now I gotta pack up and find another…ʼ

After today, however, he wouldnʼt be the only one thinking of leaving. The Patriarchʼs actions had certainly not inspired confidence in the disciples who had witnessed his rampage—many of whom had been injured because of it. In fact, he had harmed and maimed more disciples than Lin Mu had.

A lot of the disciples would be rethinking their options and looking for greener pastures.

And once the news of the sectʼs collapsing business spread, even the elders would start jumping ship.

When even the higher-ups were this unstable, control over the sect would soon dissolve. The few remaining people who had deep roots in the sect would be left wondering how it all happened.

Hours went by as the sectʼs activity only increased. Hundreds of disciples were sent to the healing pavilion, along with the Patriarch, who remained unconscious. The once-proud sect was descending into chaos, and for the first time in centuries, there was no clear path forward.

It became clear: this was no mere coincidence. Someone had orchestrated their downfall. And worse, it was only just beginning.

Meanwhile, Lin Mu stood at the edge of a cliff, overlooking a serene lake and the vast forest beyond it. The wind rustled through the trees, but his expression remained calm, his eyes sharp with focus.

Several hours had passed since he had asked Ashy to deliver the message.

”When will they be here, Master?” Meng Bai asked, fidgeting anxiously.

He had been too worried to focus on his writing. But Lin Mu didnʼt press him about it, knowing his discipleʼs mind wasnʼt strong enough to handle everything that was happening.

”They should be here soon,” Lin Mu replied. ”Ashy reported that they left the city as soon as they received the letter.”

”What should I do?” Meng Bai asked hesitantly.

”Stay here. It will be safe.” Lin Mu replied. ”Iʼll handle everything on my own.”

Meng Bai lowered his head in gratitude. ”Thank you, Master.”

”Itʼs something I owe to those people,” Lin Mu said, narrowing his eyes.

Far in the distance, he noticed the faint shaking of trees.

”Looks like we wonʼt have to wait any longer,” Lin Mu said as he floated into the air. ”Stay here. The twins and Ashy will be here soon as well. Theyʼll guard the area.”

”What about Little Shrubby?” Meng Bai asked.

”Heʼll come with me.” Lin Mu said before flying away.

WHOOSH!

He dove straight down before speeding toward the forest. A red blur flitted through the trees, circling the area, waiting for the prey to draw near.

”This should be the location,” an Inner Court disciple of the River Bending Axe Sect said, holding up a worn sheet of parchment.

A roughly drawn map depicted the surrounding terrain, with the lake serving as the most prominent landmark.

”Letʼs see if this ʼinformantʼ was telling the truth or not,” High Elder Yannan said, his hands itching for a fight.

”What if this was a setup, High Elder?” another disciple asked, his voice wary.

”Then weʼll simply add another name to our list,” High Elder Yannan stated matter-of-factly.

The air suddenly grew tense.

”Oh, I assure you, it was not fake,” a voice cut through the silence, sending a jolt through the gathered disciples.

High Elder Yannan spread his immortal sense, only to be stunned—a presence had appeared without him even noticing.

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