Walker Of The Worlds

Chapter 3048: The Drowned Crescent Cult

Lin Mu looked back at the faint traces of the teleportation rift. "And they were thought to be... destroyed?"

"Yes. Wiped out by an alliance of sects nearly a fifty thousand years ago or even more. They had burrowed deep into old volcanoes, twisting their energies, conducting blood rituals, summoning magma beasts, and worse.

Eventually, the major sects—Xian Sword Sect, Silent Lotus Temple, and the Darkhan Dynasty—led a crusade to root them out. They succeeded, or so we believed."

Daoist Chu stroked his chin. "And yet here they are... back from the grave."

"It seems they never left," Elyon said, tone dark. "They just sank deeper."

Meng Bai looked worried. "Do you think the Ephemera Sect is working with them?"

"I’d wager they are," Daoist Chu replied. "There’s too much overlap in the methods. The Ephemera Sect has been subtly abducting and replacing people. The Drowned Crescent was known to do the same. Subversion, possession, corruption from within."

Lin Mu nodded. "And it makes sense. If the Ephemera Sect wanted to avoid scrutiny while regaining strength, reviving an old, ’extinct’ cult as a puppet or partner would serve both their ends."

"I can’t believe this..." Meng Bai muttered. "All this time, the elders... they were fighting this cult alone."

Lin Mu clenched his fist. "And now we know what lies ahead."

Elyon, still recovering from the shock, managed to find his voice again. "I don’t know what you all intend to do next... but you should know, if the Drowned Crescent is really active again, this isn’t just a sect war. It’s the prelude to a disaster.

These people don’t want to rule. They want to erase."

Lin Mu turned to him, eyes filled with unshakable resolve.

"Then we’ll erase them first."

The scorching red hue of the Earth Flame chamber dimmed behind them as Lin Mu and the group made their way out of the now-revealed ruins beneath the Verdant Ash Basin.

Though the Earth Flame pits were empty now, the tension remained heavy in the air. The revelation of the Drowned Crescent Cult’s return was not something any of them could easily cast aside.

As they emerged into the warm glow of the early morning sun, Lin Mu turned toward Elyon, who had remained uncharacteristically quiet during their ascent.

"We have some direction now," Lin Mu said calmly. "But it’s not enough. You’ve worked across the region for years. Have you ever encountered anything—any whispers—about where this cult might be hiding?"

Elyon shook his head slowly, frustration flickering behind his gold-flecked eyes. "No solid leads. I’ve heard rumors, but nothing that pointed to a physical location. The Drowned Crescent Cult was a phantom even when it was active. They used misdirection, hidden lairs, and followers who didn’t even know where their masters lived."

"Then we’ll need to dig deeper," Lin Mu said. "Can you ask your contacts? Even the faintest trail might help."

"That I can do," Elyon replied. "I’ve got favors owed and favors to offer. I’ll circulate the word quietly."

"Good." Lin Mu nodded in approval.

Elyon hesitated for a moment, then added, "One thing I do know. This region—the Ash Basin and its surroundings—was their stronghold thousands of years ago. The original base was supposed to be somewhere nearby.

But if the records of its location still exist, they’re not in public hands. If we want accurate details, only two factions might hold them: the Xian Sword Sect, and the Silent Lotus Temple."

Meng Bai raised a brow. "The Darkhan Dynasty doesn’t?"

Elyon snorted lightly. "The Dynasty? Maybe. But good luck getting an answer out of them. They keep secrets even from their own nobles. And I’m not in a hurry to knock on the Emperor’s door and ask, ’Hey, remember that ancient death cult you never quite finished off?’"

Lin Mu gave a small smile. "Understood."

"Even if we did find the old base," Daoist Chu added thoughtfully, "it’s unlikely they’re foolish enough to set up shop in the same location. Still... a ruin like that might hold more clues. Perhaps caches left behind, or formations that still whisper secrets."

"Then that’s what we’ll aim for," Lin Mu said firmly. "I’ll contact the Xian Sword Sect and the Silent Lotus Temple. They’ll respond. Hopefully soon. While I do that, Elyon—start your search."

"Of course," the wolfkin said with a nod, his tone sharpening back to professional.

With the path ahead set, the group turned back toward Ash Crown City, walking across the ashen earth now stripped of its previous molten chaos.

By the time they reached the outskirts of the city, the haze of midday had set in. Elyon veered toward a narrow alleyway at the edge of the district. Lin Mu raised an eyebrow as the wolfkin stopped in front of the run-down building they had visited before—the shabby little inn with cracked windows and sagging wood beams.

"Where are you going?" Lin Mu asked.

Elyon blinked. "My inn. I still have the room."

Daoist Chu chuckled. Meng Bai looked mildly horrified.

Lin Mu waved a hand. "Don’t bother. Come stay with us. We’ve got room."

Elyon’s ears twitched. "You serious?"

"Of course," Lin Mu said with a light laugh. "What kind of hosts would we be otherwise? You’re part of the team now."

Elyon hesitated, clearly unused to such generosity. "You don’t need to waste good coin on me. I’m used to rough places. Comfort’s just an illusion anyway."

"It’s not about comfort," Lin Mu replied. "It’s about convenience. And you’ll work better if you’re not sleeping on a moldy straw mattress or huffing the ash dust and fumes that linger everywhere."

Reluctantly, Elyon nodded. "All right then. Lead the way."

Minutes later, he was standing slack-jawed in the courtyard of the Ember Hollow Hall, one of the most luxurious inns in Ash Crown City.

The place stood tall with sculpted dragon pillars, gardens with spiritual koi, and a scent of wood incense mixed with ash hanging lazily in the air. Attendants in silk robes bowed politely as they passed.