A faint shimmer marked Lin Mu's return to the immortal world.
One moment, he stood within the formless void that had become the crucible of his ascension. The next, he found himself standing at the heart of the ancient sword-carved chamber nestled deep within Mount Sky Sever.
His boots touched solid ground again, but the silence was thick—almost suffocating.
There was no thunderous welcome.
No blinding radiance or ceremonial chant.
No elders waiting with eager smiles.
No Daoist Chu, no Meng Bai.
No beast companions sniffing the air.
Just... stone and stillness.
Lin Mu furrowed his brows. He turned, scanning the vast chamber. Sword marks still lined the stone walls, still brimming with the weight of the ancient intent that had once shaped them. The lingering edge in the air was familiar, like the whisper of a memory.
And yet, everything else felt… off.
He raised his hand to check his jade slip—to reach out to someone, anyone—when a sharp gasp broke the silence.
