Chapter 2875: Verdant Moon City
Chapter 2875: Verdant Moon City
The journey to the Great Burden Monastery was long, but Lin Mu didn't intend to rush.
With the world so vast and rich, it would be a shame not to appreciate its splendor.
Thus, the group made several stops along the way, visiting scenic regions that dotted the continent like hidden jewels.
Their first detour brought them to the Cinnabar Cloud Ridge, a series of red-tinged mountains that shimmered under sunlight as if dipped in molten gold.
From the back of Little Shrubby, the trio soared over valleys bursting with wildflowers and forests that hummed with spiritual energy. Spirit beasts roamed freely here, many of them harmless and curious.
Meng Bai, despite having seen such wonders with Lin Mu before, was still taken aback by the beauty.
"I feel like I'm in a painting," he said, arms spread wide as the wind tousled his robes. "A grand, majestic painting where I'm clearly the dashing protagonist!"
"You'd be the extra who trips and falls into a river," Ashy quipped.
"You wound me, Senior Sister Ashy," Meng Bai replied, clutching his chest dramatically.
They descended near a large spiritual spring nestled between the cliffs, a known rest point for traveling cultivators.
A few vendors had set up stalls around the spring, selling charms, spirit fruits, and hand-drawn maps. A group of musicians played serene tunes with flutes and guqins, adding to the tranquil atmosphere.
The two decided to stay the night at a cliffside inn made from fragrant cedar wood, its balconies offering an uninterrupted view of the rolling hills.
Come morning, they resumed their journey, heading toward the first major city on their route: Verdant Moon City.
Known for its towering pagodas, hanging bridges, and moonlit lotus lakes, Verdant Moon City was a favorite stop for scholars, artists, and cultivators alike.
Upon entering the city gates, the contrast between the quiet spiritual wilderness and the bustling urban sprawl was stark. Stalls lined the streets, selling everything from calligraphy scrolls to beast-taming tools. Sects advertised their discipleships with elaborate banners, and children ran through the alleys playing tag.
"I smell roasted meat!" Xiao Yang declared, his tongue flickering.
"You just had breakfast," Meng Bai said hearing the translation from Ashy.
"Yes, but that was 'forest breakfast.' This is 'city feast.' Completely different categories," Xiao Yang argued.
With a knowing shake of his head, Lin Mu allowed the younger man to lead the way. They wandered through open markets and food streets, sampling skewered spirit beast meat, crystal fruit jellies, and roasted spiritual tubers.
Eventually, they came to the city's central plaza, where a public demonstration of swordsmanship was taking place.
A group of robed cultivators performed dazzling sword formations, their blades leaving trails of silver light as they spun and clashed in coordinated patterns.
The crowd watched in awe, and Meng Bai was no different—until his attention drifted elsewhere.
"Senior Sister…" he whispered, Ashy. "Target acquired."
Lin Mu heard him, following his gaze and sighed.
A trio of young women in elegant traveling robes stood at the edge of the plaza, laughing softly as they sipped tea and watched the performance. Each carried a short sword at her waist, their emblems suggesting they were from a reclusive sect in the Eastern Glimmer Mountains.
Meng Bai had already started smoothing his hair.
"I'll just go… inquire about their sect's cultivation techniques," he said, adjusting his collar.
Lin Mu didn't respond—he just turned to Little Shrubby, who had taken the form of a fluffy, loaf-sized feline to fit in with city regulations.
"Keep an eye on him," he said to the beast.
Little Shrubby purred lightly but gave a lazy nod.
It took less than five minutes before Meng Bai was animatedly chatting with the young women, making grand gestures and laughing far too loudly at his own jokes.
Lin Mu sighed again and walked toward a small book vendor nearby, browsing scrolls on regional cultivation techniques and legends.
Despite the lighthearted atmosphere, his mind remained sharp. He had no doubt that danger still lurked in hidden corners of the world.
He'd already felt faint remnants of corrupted energy at the outskirts of the city, not strong enough to cause harm, but a sign nonetheless that something was quietly spreading. He didn't know if there were corrupted cultivators here too or if they had left.
Lin Mu had of course investigated it briefly but found nothing other than some lingering traces. Whatever or whoever was there had long since left or hidden their presence. Lin Mu kept on scanning the area with his immortal sense, looking for any more signs, but it was all for naught.
'Looks like they are a lot more careful than before.' Lin Mu thought to himself, wondering just what kind of danger awaited.
Still, he allowed himself this brief moment of peace.
After all, the journey was just beginning.
He spent his time watching the sword performance, finding himself critiquing them without even realizing it.
"Hmm... Needs to pivot the sword more to the right."
"Body weight needs to be shifted more precisely."
"Lacks decisiveness in the thrust."
Lin Mu's words were heard by the nearby people. Most didn't think much about them, thinking them as just comments in passing. but a few sharp eared cultivators among them too it a bit seriously.
"Fellow Daoist, are you a sword cultivator?" Someone asked.
"You could say that." Lin Mu replied, looking at the middle aged man that had a sword box on his back.
"Haha, you surely jest." The man laughed. "You found the vulnerabilities of the Shifting Trace Sword Style so easily." he said.
"Is that what its called?" Lin Mu raised his brow.
"Indeed. It's a famous sword style in this region, practiced by many cultivators both from sects and those unaffiliated." he added.
"I see..." Lin Mu said before realizing he hadn't introduced him. "ah, I am Daoist Lin Mu, an itinerant cultivator." he stated.
"I am Daoist Dugu Ciu." The man replied. "I am from the nearby Hawk Eye Sword Sect." He replied.
"Oh? You're from a sword sect?" Lin Mu was intrigued.