Walker Of The Worlds

Chapter 2889: Onwards To The Great Burden Monastery

The two clasped hands once more, and then with a flicker of energy, Lin Mu leapt atop Little Shrubbyʼs now-enlarged form. Meng Bai joined behind him, and with a final wave, the beast soared into the sky, leaving the Hawk Eye Sword Sect behind in a trail of swirling wind.

They flew in silence for a while, the plains unfolding beneath them like a patchwork quilt of green and stone. Eventually, Meng Bai leaned forward, eyes sparkling.

”So… whatʼs this monastery like?” he asked.

Lin Mu thought for a moment. ”Old. Profound. And likely filled with monks who speak in riddles.”

”I like riddles,” Meng Bai said chuckled hearing Lin Muʼs little joke.

”You like flirting with the unknown,” Lin Mu replied having learned about the boyʼs great curiosity by now which was much like his own. ”Big difference.”

”Touché.”

Their journey took a meandering path—Lin Mu didnʼt rush. With no pressing danger on their heels for once, he decided to indulge in a few detours. After all, even cultivation demanded time to breathe.

A few weeks later...

Their first stop was the Mirror Lake, a crystalline basin nestled between crescent-shaped hills. The water was still as glass, reflecting not just the sky above but also the immortal energies of those who stood upon its shores.

Lin Mu sat in meditation there, absorbing the tranquil Qi, while Meng Bai chased Flame Wisp Fireflies with Ashy who was hell bent on having a taste, the twins flying along them. Little Shrubby on the other hand simply monitored them from the distance, ensuring they didnʼt get into any trouble.

Upon catching one, Ashy promptly spat it out.

”Ugh! Tastes like spicy onions!” She certainly didnʼt like the taste.

A month later...

Next came Dawnhold City, a bustling trade hub famous for its floating lantern markets and rainbow bridges woven of Rattan wrapped with colorful silk. Meng Bai gawked at everything, while Lin Mu quietly observed the merchants, their wares, and the subtle traces of formation arrays embedded even in the food stalls.

They stayed the night at an inn run by a retired cultivator who once served the Dawnhold City Guard. The old man recognized Lin Muʼs dignified bearing but said nothing, only offering them free tea and a room with silent hospitality.

The old man knew when to not pry into the identities of individuals.

Two months later...

Further south, they paused at the Thousand Bloom Gorge, a valley perpetually filled with blooming flowers and thick with sweet fragrance. Here, Lin Mu spent an afternoon refining a few herbs and materials he had gathered on the way for his Omnicore Ascendancy Technique, growing the size of his cores even more.

Meanwhile Meng Bai sketched spirit and immortal plants into a small notebook he had started carrying. He had been reading some of the travelogues that Lin Mu had and had taken an interest in the stories within.

He felt a desire to have one such travelogue of his own one day. SO he was recording all his experiences which Lin Mu was pleased about. After all, it helped with introspection which was key for a cultivatorʼs well being.

”Smells like a perfume shop exploded,” Meng Bai mumbled as he tried to fight off a sneeze. The scent of the flowers was a little too strong.

Little Shrubby lay belly-up in a bed of spirit camellias, tail flicking lazily. Ashy was once again chasing down some poor bugs, pollinators which there were plenty of here. the twins though didnʼt accompany here, instead flying off elsewhere to find some beasts to play with.

Meng Bai pitied the poor beasts that may come across them and offered a silent prayer.

Two more months later, as they neared the borders of the monastery region, the land began to change. The vibrant cities grew sparser, replaced by quiet temples and small hamlets. Shrines dotted the hills, and the roads were lined with prayer wheels that turned with the wind.

Lin Mu could feel it—the weight of the land. Subtle, but constant. It wasnʼt oppressive, but contemplative. Like the breath before a chant.

”Feels different here,” Meng Bai said.

”This is where the spiritual tides shift,” Lin Mu replied. ”Closer to the heart of the world.”

The Great Burden Monastery was located quite close to the center of the continent after all. Lin Mu had also read some records about it and had learned that it was almost located near a hidden qi leyline, so he could expect some strange phenomena here.

He paused, then glanced to the horizon. ”The Great Burden Monastery should be a few days ahead.”

”Whatʼs with the name anyway?” Meng Bai asked. ”Sounds more like a punishment than a place of wisdom.”

”I donʼt know but perhaps weʼll understand when we get there,” Lin Mu said quietly.

He truly didnʼt know what made them name this. Even the information he had obtained from the Abbot and Elders only stated that they practiced Buddhist body cultivation techniques and were recluses.

While most Buddhist powers were recluses to some extent, the Great Burden Monastery was an outlier even among them.

They made camp that night near a small waterfall that spilled down glowing moss-covered rocks. As Lin Mu sat in quiet meditation, Meng Bai practiced writing runes on flat stones, occasionally asking questions about formations.

The stars glittered like diamond dust overhead.

”You think that Dugu guy has other friends like him?” Meng Bai asked suddenly.

”Probably. Heʼs been around longer than he looks,” Lin Mu replied.

”Maybe weʼll meet them too.”

”Maybe. But not all friends are trustworthy.”

”I trust you,” Meng Bai said.

Lin Muʼs eyes remained closed. ”Then keep training, so I can trust that trust wonʼt be misplaced.”

Silence followed, only broken by the soft splash of water and the distant hoot of a Night Eye owl.

The journey continued the next day, the final stretch toward the Great Burden Monastery still ahead. Yet both master and disciple felt changed—by the encounters, the knowledge gained, and the realization that something greater loomed ahead.

In the distance, atop a solitary peak wrapped in mist, the silhouette of the monastery slowly began to emerge.