Chapter 3119: The Concern And Praise Of Companions

Lin Mu lifted his gaze to see familiar figures approaching swiftly. His companions had clearly been waiting for any sign of him.

Grand Elder Huo descended first, his aura calm yet sharp as always. Daoist Chu followed, his flowing robes trailing like clouds. And Meng Bai was the fastest of the three, having been nearby and landing with an expression of both relief and reverence as soon as his feet touched the courtyard stones.

They had come not as onlookers, but as those bound by trust and shared purpose.

Lin Mu clasped his hands behind his back, his expression steady as he greeted them. "You came quickly."

Meng Bai was the first to speak, unable to hold back his words. "Master, you truly endured two tribulations in succession... and unscathed. The entire city is still shaken by it!"

Daoist Chu chuckled, though awe flickered in his eyes. "Shaken is an understatement. Legends usually grow from exaggeration, but here, Brother Lin Mu, I fear the truth alone will be more terrifying than any story."

Grand Elder Huo merely observed Lin Mu, his gaze heavy but approving. "Your strength continues to defy expectations. But strength must be directed with care. You understand this, yes?"

Lin Mu inclined his head slightly, meeting the elder’s gaze with calm determination. "I do."

The courtyard fell silent for a breath, the dust-filled air carrying the unspoken weight of what was to come. The plan was close to unfolding, and Lin Mu’s breakthroughs had only added momentum to the storm that was building.

Lin Mu had barely finished his conversation with the elders and Meng Bai when the familiar energy of his companions reached his senses.

A moment later, a streak of fiery red blurred into the courtyard and landed gracefully Little Shrubby, his loyal beast companion, wagging his massive tail happily.

Behind him slithered the twin serpents, Xiao Yin and Xiao Yang, their scales shimmering faintly with an inner radiance. And perched on the stone railing was the little black bird, Ashy, her wings flapping impatiently as if she had been waiting for her turn to chatter.

The moment they arrived, all three of them stared at Lin Mu intently, their beastly instincts sharper than any human senses.

"You smell different, Master," Little Shrubby said in his deep yet playful tone, his tail swishing about. "Stronger. Much stronger."

The twin snakes hissed together, their voices overlapping in perfect sync, "Yes... your scent is thicker. Heavy like thunder, sharp like blades, endless like the sea. Did the tribulations... taste good?"

Lin Mu let out a laugh at their curious tone. "Taste, hm? I didn’t eat them the way you two would, but in their own way... yes, they were good. Better than I expected."

The snakes coiled happily around each other, flicking their tongues with delight at the answer, while Little Shrubby purred with approval, his fur bristling faintly with flame elemental energy as if sharing in Lin Mu’s newfound strength.

Ashy, however, was already hopping about, her small body trembling with excitement. "Oh, you wouldn’t believe it, Master! The whole city is buzzing about you! There isn’t a single tavern, market, or courtyard where your name isn’t being shouted. I even saw children running around pretending to be you. They were saying, ’I will transcend the heavens just like Immortal Lin Mu! I will fight the tribulation and win!’"

Her chatter grew so fast that the words almost tumbled over each other, but her excitement was infectious.

Lin Mu chuckled, shaking his head. "Children playing pretend as me? That’s new."

Meng Bai, who was standing nearby, laughed openly, his youthful energy shining through. "Master, you’ve become the role model of every child in the city already. Imagine that."

Daoist Chu stroked his beard, his chuckle carrying a note of fond amusement. "Legends spread quickly, especially when they are born in front of so many eyes. You will find yourself the hero in countless stories soon enough."

Grand Elder Huo only gave a slight grunt, though there was the faintest twitch of a smile at the corner of his lips.

The lighthearted moment hung pleasantly in the courtyard, but Ashy suddenly grew still. Her little black feathers puffed up as her tone shifted from playful to sharp.

"But..." she said, voice quieter now, "not everyone was celebrating."

Lin Mu’s eyes narrowed slightly. He knew Ashy well enough to tell when she was being serious. "Go on."

Ashy spread her wings and balanced herself on the railing, her eyes gleaming like two black gems. "Most people were awestruck, yes. Some were scared at first, but it turned to awe and worship after they realized you endured it.

But there were two... two individuals whose reactions were different. They weren’t marveling. They weren’t relieved. They were afraid... truly afraid. Not the kind of fear mortals have for something beyond them, but the kind of fear a rabbit feels when the predator chasing them turned out to not be a wolf but a tiger..."

Everyone’s expression hardened instantly.

Ashy clicked her beak before continuing. "They were whispering to each other, thinking no one noticed. But I followed them, hidden in the shadows. They spoke of you as a ’threat’, a catastrophic one and said they needed to inform others."

Lin Mu’s gaze sharpened like a drawn blade. "The Ephemera Sect..."

The twin snakes let out low hisses, their scales bristling. Even Little Shrubby’s tail stopped swishing, his fur rising at the thought.

"Did you keep track of them?" Lin Mu asked, his tone calm but heavy with meaning.

Ashy tilted her head, her voice carrying a note of frustration. "I did. But in the middle of the night, they used some kind of talisman and vanished. A teleportation of some sort. I couldn’t follow."

Daoist Chu exhaled sharply, shaking his head. "A shame. If we had caught them, we could have forced out the truth of their network."

But Grand Elder Huo, standing with his hands clasped behind his back, shook his head slowly.

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