Walker Of The Worlds

Chapter 3506: Exchanging Information With Others

Lin Mu smiled faintly and gestured for them to begin. "Let us exchange what we learned. I will start."

He recounted his conversation with Old Man Jeon in detail.

He spoke of the fall of the Butterfly Kingdom, the centuries long decay that preceded it, the succession crisis born from an unnaturally long reign, and the eventual war that allowed neighboring powers to carve the kingdom apart.

He explained the current state of the former capital, now a joint economic city under shared control, and the reassurance that the teleportation array there was still intact.

As he spoke, Daoist Chu nodded along, occasionally closing his eyes as if aligning Lin Mu’s words with his own findings.

"That aligns with what I heard as well," Daoist Chu said once Lin Mu finished. "The administrative office had records, though they were incomplete and poorly maintained. Still, the essentials match. The kingdom fell due to internal strife and external opportunism."

Elyon clicked his tongue. "At least the old man knew something. The mercenaries were completely useless."

Lin Mu raised an eyebrow. "That bad?"

"Worse," Elyon replied. "They barely qualify as a mercenary guild. Half of them are glorified bodyguards, the other half are drunk. Their information network is nonexistent. I would trust street gossip over them."

Meng Bai looked surprised. "Really?"

Elyon nodded. "Their strongest member is barely at the late Second Tribulation Stage of the Immortal realm. In another world, they would not even be trusted to escort a merchant caravan through a peaceful region."

Cattaleya let out a low laugh. "Pathetic."

Lin Mu turned back to Daoist Chu. "What about the teleportation array confirmation?"

"That was the one useful thing I learned," Daoist Chu said. "One of the officials in the City Hall had personally visited the former capital a few years ago. He confirmed the teleportation array there is operational. It is maintained jointly by the surrounding powers since they all benefit from it."

Lin Mu released a quiet breath he had not realized he was holding. "Good. That gives us live confirmation."

"As for the route," Daoist Chu continued, "it remains unchanged. We head south to the Southern Port City. From there, we take a teleportation array to the southern continent, then fly to the former capital."

"That sounds straightforward enough," Meng Bai said.

Elyon shook his head. "Straightforward, but slow."

Lin Mu looked at him. "Explain."

"This world does not have many teleportation arrays," Elyon said. "Far fewer than most immortal worlds. They cannot afford to build them everywhere, and they do not place them based on convenience. Instead, they build them only where natural leylines converge."

Daoist Chu nodded. "I heard the same. Using leylines reduces the operating cost significantly."

"By nearly ninety percent," Lin Mu added. "It makes sense. Operating teleportation arrays is expensive, especially long distance ones. But this also means the number of arrays will always be limited."

"And inconvenient," Elyon said dryly. "If you are unlucky, you might need to travel months just to reach the nearest array."

Meng Bai frowned. "That seems inefficient."

"It is," Elyon replied. "But this world has always been like this. Slow, decentralized, and content with stagnation."

Lin Mu glanced around the tavern. "It certainly feels that way. At least for us, we have Shrubby."

He then turned back to Elyon. "Did you find anything concerning while you were there? Beyond the incompetence."

Elyon’s expression grew more serious. "I did a rough assessment of this world’s overall strength."

"And?" Lin Mu prompted.

"It is far below our usual standards," Elyon said. "There is only a single Transcendent Immortal in the entire world."

Meng Bai’s eyes widened. "Only one?"

"Yes," Elyon replied. "And even that one is an anomaly. He is an independent cultivator, not tied to any major power. A hermit. According to rumors, he has not been seen for over five thousand years."

Daoist Chu stroked his beard. "A sleeping dragon, perhaps. Or a dead one."

"Either way," Elyon continued, "he does not influence the world’s affairs."

"And the rest?" Lin Mu asked.

"Most regions do not have immortals beyond the Third Tribulation Stage," Elyon said. "Fourth Tribulation Stage immortals are considered peak experts. They serve as generals, protectors, or supreme elders of kingdoms."

"And sects?" Lin Mu asked.

"There are several," Elyon replied. "But none are particularly noteworthy. The strongest is called the Ten Wings Martial Sect. Their strongest expert is a single peak Seventh Tribulation Stage immortal."

Cattaleya let out a dismissive snort. "That is it?"

Meng Bai, who had been listening quietly, finally relaxed. "That is... reassuring."

Lin Mu looked at him. "How so?"

"After all the powerful worlds we have been through," Meng Bai said, "this one feels peaceful. There are no hidden Transcendents lurking behind every corner. No ancient monsters sealed under every mountain."

Cattaleya rolled her shoulders. "Peaceful is not the word I would use. Boring fits better."

Meng Bai smiled faintly. "I will take boring over chaotic any day."

He hesitated, then added cautiously, "Also, people here seem... afraid of you."

Cattaleya raised an eyebrow. "Afraid?"

"Yes," Meng Bai said. "They keep running away."

Cattaleya frowned. "That did not happen in the Martial Fist King World. People there adored me."

Elyon chuckled. "They worshiped you because you kept breaking things in spectacular ways."

Cattaleya clicked her tongue. "At least they had taste."

Meng Bai shrugged. "Here, you look like a walking calamity to them."

Cattaleya turned slowly to look at him.

Meng Bai stiffened.

"So," she said calmly, "you are saying they are weak."

"That is not what I meant," Meng Bai replied quickly.

Cattaleya stood up.

"Come," she said, grabbing him by the collar. "You have not sparred today."

Meng Bai yelped. "Wait, here?"

Cattaleya was already dragging him toward the door. "Of course not. I am not a barbarian."

The tavern patrons stared in stunned silence as Meng Bai was hauled outside.

Lin Mu watched them go, shaking his head slightly.

"At least some things never change," he said.

Daoist Chu smiled into his tea. "Indeed."

Elyon glanced toward the door, then back at Lin Mu. "Shall we follow?"

"In a bit," Lin Mu replied. "Let him survive first."

Outside, Meng Bai’s distant protests echoed faintly.

The tavern returned to its quiet calm, as if nothing unusual had happened at all.