Walker Of The Worlds

Chapter 3696: Flawless Metal Anvil Dao Embryo Obtained!

The moment the golden glow settled and faded, Lin Mu’s eyes opened once again within the Dao Forge.

The illusory metallic realm vanished like a receding tide, leaving behind the quiet, vast expanse of the spatial domain that housed the forge. The rune dome that had enclosed him dissolved gradually, its countless symbols unraveling into faint motes of light before disappearing entirely.

For a brief moment, Lin Mu remained still.

His breathing was steady, yet there was a depth to it now that had not been there before. The weight of what he had experienced lingered within him, not as exhaustion, but as something heavier and more refined. His gaze sharpened, and a faint glimmer of metallic sheen passed through his pupils before fading.

He stood up.

The Dwarven elders, who had been watching intently from outside, stepped forward almost immediately. There was anticipation in their expressions, a mixture of curiosity and hope that they did not bother to conceal. For all their experience and age, this was still a moment that stirred something within them.

Before any of them could speak, Lin Mu raised his hand.

A subtle ripple of energy spread outward.

From within his body, a Dao Shell formed naturally, appearing like a shimmering construct that encapsulated something profound. Within it, the shape of a familiar object took form.

The Flawless Metal Anvil Dao Embryo!

It hovered before them, compact yet radiating an unmistakable presence. Its surface appeared smooth and refined, every edge precise, every angle perfect. The Dao traces within it were dense and orderly, reflecting a level of understanding that could not be easily described in words.

For a moment, the elders simply stared.

Then, almost at the same time, their expressions broke into wide smiles.

Laughter erupted.

It was loud, genuine, and filled with relief.

”Great!” they exclaimed together, their voices echoing across the forge.

SMACK

One of the Fireforge elders stepped forward and clapped Lin Mu heavily on the back. The impact would have staggered most cultivators or sent them flying, even in the case of those with considerable strength.

Yet Lin Mu did not move in the slightest. His body remained rooted, as steady as a mountain.

The elder blinked once, then laughed even louder.

”Solid as a peak,” he said with clear approval. ”Good, very good.”

Another elder nodded, his eyes gleaming. ”You have done something that only a handful across the entire span of existence might have accomplished.”

Lin Mu inclined his head slightly, acknowledging their words. ”It was not easy,” he said calmly. ”Each step required effort.”

The Rune Dwarf elder stepped closer, his expression more serious now. ”Tell us,” he said. ”What did you face inside?”

They had held back their questions before, respecting the process and knowing that any interference could have consequences. Now that Lin Mu stood before them, fully formed and successful, their curiosity could no longer be restrained.

Lin Mu took a moment before answering.

He began with the fire.

He described the countless Fire Dao Embryos that had appeared before him, each presenting its own power and allure. He spoke of how they had remained calm at first, observing him patiently until he made his intent clear.

He explained how they had reacted once he chose the All Melt Furnace, how they had resisted, interfered, and attempted to prevent him from claiming it.

The elders listened closely.

When Lin Mu recounted the method he had used to resolve that conflict, their expressions shifted between disbelief and amusement. Some even chuckled quietly, shaking their heads as they imagined the scene.

”That... is certainly one way to handle them,” one of them muttered, clearly impressed.

Lin Mu then moved on to the metal.

His tone grew slightly heavier.

He described the battlefield, the endless clashes, the forging of weapon after weapon. He spoke of the different Dao Embryos he had faced, their abilities, their strengths, and the challenges they presented.

He detailed how each fight had forced him to adapt, how each failure had led to improvement, and how the trial had turned into something resembling a war of endurance. The elders’ expressions gradually turned serious.

When Lin Mu spoke of the final confrontation, of the remaining few Dao Embryos and the culmination of all his efforts, silence fell among them. Even those who had lived for centuries could feel the weight of what he described.

”And in the end,” Lin Mu concluded, ”they accepted it.”

For a few seconds, no one spoke.

Then one of the elders exhaled slowly.

”A war,” he murmured. ”You fought a war inside the Dao Forge.”

Another shook his head in disbelief. ”And you survived it. That alone would have been considered impossible for most.”

But what truly unsettled them came next.

As Lin Mu casually mentioned the names of various Dao Embryos he had encountered, the atmosphere shifted once again.

Some of the elders stiffened.

Others widened their eyes.

There were names they did not recognize.

Dao Embryos they had never heard of.

”That cannot be...” one of them whispered.

”The Dao Forge does not contain records of such Embryos,” another added.

The Rune Dwarf elder’s expression grew grave. ”It can only guide what it knows. If you saw those... then something else must have occurred.”

Lin Mu nodded slightly. ”They appeared on their own.”

A heavy silence followed.

Then realization dawned.

”Dao Resonance,” one of the elders said slowly.

The others looked at him.

”Yes,” he continued. ”That is the only explanation. Your comprehension resonated with the Dao itself, drawing forth Embryos beyond what the forge holds.”

This time, no one laughed. The weight of that statement settled deeply. They even thought that perhaps Lin Mu never needed the Dao Forge in the first place. Even without it, he might have been able to form the two needed Dao Embryos on his own.

Still, to trigger such a phenomenon was something that very few could even dream of achieving.

”And yet,” another elder said after a moment, ”you still chose the ones suited for your path.”