Walker Of The Worlds

Chapter 3695: War Against The Metal Dao Embryos

Lin Mu’s left arm carried a shield fused directly into the armor itself, thick and angular, designed to absorb and redirect force. In his right hand rested a long sword, its form far more refined than the crude weapons of his earlier attempts.

The blade gleamed with a subtle sharpness, its edge carrying the accumulated effect of countless applications of Hone.

Across his back lay a rack of spears, each one balanced and deadly. A bow rested along his lower back, paired with a quiver of roughly formed arrows that had nonetheless been enhanced beyond their appearance. On his wrist, a compact crossbow remained ready, its mechanisms simple yet effective.

The most unusual aspect was his helmet.

It was heavy and reinforced, but protruding from its front was a blunt, cross shaped hammer head. It was clear that Lin Mu had adapted even his own body into a weapon, using every possible advantage he could create.

Around him, weapons were stacked in organized piles. Hundreds of them. Swords, axes, spears, shields, even complete armor sets lay ready. Each had been forged for a purpose, each a response to a previous failure.

And before him stood the final five Dao Embryos.

They did not rush him. They observed.

Each one radiated a presence far greater than the countless he had already faced.

The first resembled a towering halberd, its blade jagged and layered with energy. This was the Severing Horizon Halberd Dao Embryo, capable of cleaving through both physical and conceptual defenses. Its strikes did not simply cut matter. They disrupted structure itself, breaking it apart on a molecular level.

The second took the form of a set of floating shields, each rotating independently. This was the Eternal Bastion Plate Dao Embryo, embodying absolute defense. Any attack directed at it would be dispersed, redirected, or absorbed.

The third appeared as a cluster of metallic orbs orbiting one another. This was the Orbiting Star Metal Dao Embryo, capable of launching attacks from multiple angles simultaneously while maintaining perfect control.

The fourth manifested as a thin, needle like blade, almost invisible. This was the Oblivion Piercer Needle Dao Embryo, specializing in precision strikes that bypassed conventional defenses entirely.

The fifth was the most imposing, a massive greatsword that radiated crushing force. The World Crushing Edge Colossus Dao Embryo. Its strikes carried weight far beyond its form, amplifying impact to overwhelming levels.

Lin Mu inhaled slowly.

He understood that this was the final trial.

The battle began without signal.

The halberd moved first, its arc cutting through the air with a force that seemed to split the very realm. Lin Mu raised his shield, the impact sending shockwaves through his body. The reinforced layers held, though cracks spread across the surface.

Before he could recover, the orbiting orbs launched forward. They struck from multiple angles, forcing Lin Mu to shift his stance constantly. He countered with his sword, each strike guided by Hone, cutting through incoming projectiles while stepping back.

Then the needle struck.

It bypassed his defenses entirely, grazing his side. A sharp pain surged, forcing him to react. He twisted his body, narrowly avoiding a second strike that would have pierced deeper.

Lin Mu did not retreat.

He moved forward.

Reaching behind, he drew a spear and hurled it with full force. Hone sharpened its trajectory, and it struck one of the orbiting orbs, shattering it. The orbs adjusted instantly, reforming their pattern.

Then the greatsword descended.

Lin Mu met it head on.

He braced his shield and angled his body, redirecting the immense weight. The ground beneath him cracked, yet he held firm. Reinforce surged through his armor, stabilizing him against the crushing force.

Then he countered.

Dropping the shield, he stepped inside the greatsword’s range and drove his blade upward. The strike connected, forcing the massive Dao Embryo to recoil slightly. The halberd returned at that moment.

This time, Lin Mu did not block.

He ducked beneath the arc and used his helmet.

CLANG

The hammer embedded in it slammed forward, striking the shaft of the halberd and disrupting its motion.

It was a crude move.

Yet effective.

The battle intensified as weapons broke, and Lin Mu replaced them instantly. Armor cracked, and he donned another layer.

Each exchange pushed him further, yet his movements grew sharper, more refined. He began to anticipate attacks, understanding not just the abilities of the Dao Embryos but the principles behind them.

He adapted.

Against the needle, he created layered onion like defenses, forcing it to strike repeatedly before penetrating.

Against the orbiting orbs, he used area attacks, sweeping multiple weapons in arcs to disrupt their formation.

Against the halberd, he closed distance.

Against the greatsword, he redirected force rather than resisting it directly.

The Eternal Bastion Plate proved the most difficult.

Its defense seemed absolute.

Lin Mu changed tactics.

He did not attack it directly.

Instead, he targeted its connections.

Forging a heavy hammer, he struck the spaces between the shields, disrupting their synchronization. The formation faltered for a brief moment.

And that was enough.

He drove a spear through the gap as the defense shattered.

One by one, the Dao Embryos fell.

Each victory came at a cost.

Each required adaptation.

Finally, only one remained.

The World Crushing Edge Colossus.

Lin Mu stood before it, breathing steadily.

Their clash was brief and decisive.

He did not meet it with force.

He sidestepped, redirected and struck at the precise moment its weight shifted.

The greatsword trembled.

KACHA

Then shattered.

Silence followed.

The metallic realm stilled.

All the Dao Embryos reappeared, no longer hostile. They hovered quietly, their presence calm. And at their center, the Flawless Metal Anvil finally emerged. It had remained unchanged throughout, steady and unwavering.

It moved toward Lin Mu.

This time, nothing obstructed it.

It reached him and touched his form.

In that instant, understanding flooded in.

Dao traces surged.

Insights followed.

The anvil dissolved into light and entered his body, settling within his Dantian.

Outside the dome, the elders straightened.

A golden yellow light radiated from Lin Mu’s figure, steady and profound.

They exchanged glances.

”He succeeded,” one of them said quietly.

And for the first time in a long while, all of them allowed themselves to smile.