Daoist Chu glanced up at Lin Mu.
"The fragnted record ntioned the Taowu Imperial Order. Alongside several others. From what I read, they were destroyed long ago—by a combined force of the Immortal Court, various orthodox sects, and even so unorthodox ones. It took nearly everything to eliminate them."
Lin Mu's face darkened. "According to the Saintess, they weren't the only ones."
Daoist Chu tensed. "What do you an?"
"There were four," Lin Mu said. "The Taowu Imperial Order. The Qiongqi Imperial Order. The Taotie Imperial Order. And the Hundun Imperial Order."
Daoist Chu looked stunned.
"The Hundun…?" he whispered. "But… but the Indigo World Hegemony—"
"They're part of it," Lin Mu confird. "The Hundun still exist. The other three… less so. Taowu beca the current Taowu Order. The other two are basically gone, scattered to dust."
"And this can be spoken of?" Daoist Chu asked warily. "Even ntioning the Hundun causes karmic backlash from what I've heard…"
"The Saintess said the other three Orders' karma has faded. It's been too long. Their weight on the world is no longer active."
Daoist Chu looked shaken, but also thoughtful.
"This… this must be reported to the Court," he said. "They must be made aware that remnants of the Taowu still exist. Especially if they possess sothing like the Ephera Tree."
Lin Mu nodded. "I agree. But let's wait until we leave this place. I don't want that ssage to be intercepted by ghosts or worse."
"Of course," Daoist Chu said.
The three sat in silence for a while longer, each consud by their thoughts. Eventually, the fire faded entirely, and only the soft light of protective formations remained.
They decided to rest.
No one wanted to stay here longer than they had to. The valley was steeped in death and deception, its shadows long and its whispers unending.
The next morning, they broke camp without delay.
By unanimous decision, they began their journey out of the Shadow Whisper Valley. No more detours. No more explorations. Just a straight path out of the haunted land.
It took them a full week.
Even with Little Shrubby's and Lin Mu clearing the obstacles in the way, they had to move cautiously. The valley seed to resist their departure—more than once, strange echoes tried to lure them back into the depths.
But they didn't falter.
At the end of the seventh day, they crossed the threshold of the valley's corrupted boundary.
And on the other side, sunlight greeted them like a forgotten friend.
Fresh air filled their lungs. Birds chirped. The land was alive again.
They had escaped.
From here, their direction was clear.
"West," Lin Mu said, gazing at the horizon. "Toward the Xian Sword Sect."
Daoist Chu adjusted his robes, now less dusty and torn. "It's been a long ti since I walked that way."
ng Bai stretched and gave a satisfied groan. "As long as there aren't any ghost trees trying to eat us, I'm happy."
They shared a laugh—brief, but welco.
The shadow of the past still lood behind them.
But the road ahead was open.
And they walked toward it—together.
After leaving behind the ghost-infested Shadow Whisper Valley, the trio moved westward. The journey ahead was long, but for the first ti in a while, there was no rush.
The oppressive pressure of the ghosts no longer weighed down their spirits, and even Daoist Chu seed to breathe easier. Lin Mu, ng Bai, and Daoist Chu traveled with calm and purpose, taking their ti. As cultivators, they didn't need rest like mortals, but the mind and soul needed their own monts of respite.
Thankfully, with Little Shrubby carrying them, they could rest plenty on his back.
They passed through several cities and towns, each with its own distinct character and flavor. So bustled with trade caravans bringing spirit and immortal herbs from the southern jungles. Others were tranquil border towns nestled beside flowing rivers and bamboo groves. The sight of mortals living in peace was, in its own way, a kind of dicine.
In one city, the group rested at a local inn known for its moonflower wine and peach blossom rice cakes. ng Bai, having not eaten proper food in a while, devoured several plates while trying—and failing—to appear reserved.
"I thought you were going to be to be restrained," Lin Mu teased with a half-smile. "Especially with the girls around."
Along the way, Daoist Chu had been teaching ng Bai about won and one of the things he taught him was to be composed and cool around them.
"I am restrained," ng Bai said defensively, crumbs stuck to his cheek. "This is restrained gluttony, thank you very much. Plus, won like n who eat with gusto."
Daoist Chu chuckled. "Let him eat. He nearly got turned into a ghost fodder two weeks ago. There's plenty of won anyways."
They also visited several scenic spiritual locations—ancient waterfalls that were once cultivation sites, mountain paths that wound through clouds, and even a lone temple built at the edge of a sheer cliff. There, Lin Mu stood in silent contemplation for a full day while Daoist Chu offered a stick of incense to the heavens.
The air in those places seed to carry fewer burdens.
But not all stops were peaceful.
In one border town, they encountered a band of rogue cultivators preying on rchant caravans. ng Bai insisted on confronting them, and Lin Mu humored the idea, allowing the young man to test his growing strength. ng Bai fought well, his formation runes glowing as he unleashed a defensive counter spell that shattered enemy weapons.
When it was done, Daoist Chu and Lin Mu took care of the remaining rogues without fanfare. The grateful townsfolk tried to reward them, but Lin Mu refused, telling them simply to "live well."
Ti flowed.
Three months passed in the blink of an eye.
Each of them used the travel ti wisely. Lin Mu practiced integrating his Burdenless Dominator Physique with his Dao Embryo, pushing the harmony between the two as well as learning more about it.
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