Riding atop Little Shrubby’s massive back, Lin Mu, Daoist Chu, and ng Bai sped across the sky like a low-hanging cot, cutting through layers of cloud and wind.
The beast’s long mane fluttered wildly behind them, and the steady beat of his paws against the air kept a comforting rhythm as the landscape below rolled by in a blur of green mountains and misty valleys.
The sun had just begun its descent into the western horizon, casting long golden streaks across the world. ng Bai, leaning slightly forward to catch the wind, turned his head curiously toward Lin Mu.
"master," he asked, "what kind of place is the Verdant Ash Basin? I’ve heard the na before, but never the details."
Lin Mu’s gaze shifted toward the horizon where a faint sea of smoke clouds seed to rise—still hundreds of kiloters away, but ever-present. His voice was calm, steady, carrying the weight of knowledge earned over many paths traveled.
"It used to be a fertile plain," he began, "nestled next to an ancient volcano that once stood as tall as any peak in the region. That volcano erupted thousands of years ago and then... went silent. So say it was sealed by ancient cultivators, others that the world itself smothered its fury. Whatever the case, it’s extinct now."
ng Bai blinked. "But if it’s extinct, why is it still dangerous?"
"Because the land didn’t die with the volcano," Lin Mu explained. "The entire basin is layered with rich, dense volcanic ash—deep enough to bury entire forests. That ash beca fertile ground, not just for plants, but for Earth-aligned spiritual energy. The problem is, it’s not stable."
He pointed ahead, and ng Bai followed his finger to see a brief flicker—a plu of greenish-golden fire that rose from the ground like a ghost and vanished in a blink.
"The Earth Flas," Daoist Chu added grimly. "One of the most temperantal elental energies. They rise without warning, burn through formations, and even burn away spiritual sense. Unlike lava, they’re not bound by the physical—they’re raw elental fla, a manifestation of Earth and Fire in chaotic union."
ng Bai whistled. "So it’s like trying to walk across a field that might explode beneath your feet?"
"Exactly," Lin Mu confird. "Even high-level cultivators avoid lingering too long. The ash might seem soft and calm on the surface, but one misstep, and you might be swallowed whole."
Daoist Chu furrowed his brows. "And yet, it’s also a haven for rogue powers. Mineral veins rich with fire-essence, rare herbs that grow only in the nutrient-rich ash, and the ever-present danger keeps official sects from patrolling it. Perfect for those who don’t wish to be found."
ng Bai’s eyes glead. "So that’s why we think soone from the Ephera Sect—or perhaps even one of the missing elders—might’ve ended up there."
"Exactly," Lin Mu nodded. "If soone needed to hide, the Verdant Ash Basin is the perfect veil. It’s also roughly halfway between the Xian Sword Sect territory and the Darkhan Dynasty’s border, so it’s a natural crossroads for smugglers, assassins, rogue alchemists, and worse."
ng Bai leaned back, thoughtfully staring at the sky.
"How long until we reach it?" he asked after a pause.
"A little over a month," Lin Mu said. "We’re traveling fast, but we’ll need to stop and rest Little Shrubby regularly. Plus, I want to scout a few points along the way where there might be signs of the two High elder’s activity. Just in case."
"Oh yeah, there should be a few settlents on the path too, right?" ng Bai asked, rembering the map he had seen.
"Yes. I want to stop there and see if there’s been any suspicious activity of the Ephera Sect there too. and hopefully we’ll find the High Elder’s traces there sohow too.
ng Bai let out a long breath and patted Little Shrubby’s broad back. "Sounds like we’re heading into a real ss."
Little Shrubby let out a low growl—half in agreent, half in pride.
"But," Lin Mu added with a faint smile, "we’re more than ready. With the three of us, not to ntion Ashy, Xiao Yin, Xiao Yang, and the others on standby, we’ll handle whatever cos."
As if sensing its na, Ashy—the small dark bird with pitch black feathers—stirred from its nap atop Daoist Chu’s shoulder and yawned lazily, before letting out a short chirp. Ashy had eaten a large al of Sword Horn Beetles before leaving the sect and was now busy digesting them.
Xiao Yin and Xiao Yang, the twin serpentine shadows curled around Lin Mu’s waist like living belts, slithered slightly, their tongues flicking the air as if tasting the direction of danger.
"And don’t forget," Daoist Chu added, "you’re carrying sothing now that even the Patriarch hesitated to comnt on."
Lin Mu glanced at the Sword Cradle Divine Sheath on his back. It sat there silently, like a sleeping beast, but he could feel the low thrum of its presence. Even without touching it, he knew it was gathering qi, nurturing his twin blades, and... watching.
The wind picked up, rustling Lin Mu’s robes and making the sheath hum ever so faintly.
"Yes," he said softly. "And sothing tells it will be needed soon."
The trio lapsed into silence for a while, each contemplating the journey ahead. The sky above was darkening, the stars beginning to glimr like scattered fragnts of sword steel.
They flew through the air with unhurried grace, Little Shrubby padding forward across invisible pathways of wind. Below them, the land grew more wild and sparse—forests thicker, rivers broader, and the signs of civilization fewer and far between.
The deeper they traveled, the more Lin Mu could feel it—an undercurrent in the world, a stirring of sothing ancient and hidden. As if the earth itself was holding its breath.
Soon, they would enter a place where secrets were buried not just in ash, but in ti, fate, and death.
And Lin Mu would uncover every single one.
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