Walker Of The Worlds

Chapter 2978: Offering The Chance To Be A Celestial

Lin Mu stabbed Afternoon Pine into the ground.

"My sword is not a burden. It is not a title. It is not a name etched in history."

"It is my path."

The light erupted from the blade, flooding the plaza.

The phantom Lin Mu dissolved, eyes finally closing in peace.

And the names on the floor? They faded—freed.

A final voice whispered through the light:

"Then go, walker of swords. Write your legacy with every step. Be forgotten or remembered—but never lost."

Lin Mu stood alone again.

No plaza. No monolith.

Only a single step forward, and a faint light.

His eyes were calm. Focused.

"So this is the Path of the Sealed Sword..." he murmured. "It’s not just a trial. It’s a mirror."

He took a breath.

And walked onward.

Lin Mu emerged from the fading light of the previous trial, stepping into what felt like a new realm altogether.

The air here was pure—too pure.

Each breath he took was invigorating, almost euphoric.

The very qi in the atmosphere was so rich it felt more like liquid essence than vapor. A warm wind brushed his face, and in the distance, divine mountains floated weightlessly across the sky, surrounded by endless clouds of multicolored energy.

There was no tension here.

No hostility. No sword intent.

Just... peace.

And at the heart of this paradise stood a solitary pavilion, its roof tiled with jade, its pillars carved from starlight.

Sitting at a low table, sipping from a porcelain cup, was an old man.

He looked ancient—his white beard flowing past his knees, skin wrinkled yet glowing faintly with golden luster. His eyes, however, were the first thing Lin Mu noticed. They held the weight of eras. Eons, even.

Lin Mu’s steps slowed.

The pressure this old man exuded wasn’t the overwhelming kind that threatened to crush him—it was a refined pressure, like a mountain hiding behind mist. No killing intent. No presence of sword qi.𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

And yet, Lin Mu instantly knew.

This man was stronger than any Immortal he had ever seen.

"A Celestial..." Lin Mu murmured under his breath.

The old man chuckled.

"Correct," he said warmly. "You’ve sharp senses, boy."

He gestured for Lin Mu to sit.

"Come. Sit. No tricks, no traps. Only conversation."

Lin Mu didn’t lower his guard, but he complied, settling across from the man. The pavilion had a strange sense of permanence, like it had been built at the beginning of time and would endure until the end.

The old man refilled his cup.

"I’ve watched your progress," he said. "From the first slash to the last conviction. You’re proud, and rightly so."

He paused.

"Would you like to become my disciple?"

Lin Mu’s eyes narrowed slightly.

"...What do you mean?"

"I mean exactly that," the old man said, smiling. "I am one of the Celestials who once walked this Path. I left behind a portion of my will, to one day pass down my legacy to someone worthy."

He raised a finger, and with the gentlest flick, the sky parted.

A thousand constellations bent. Energy spiraled. A sword formed in the clouds, vast enough to split stars.

"This," the old man said, "is the Astral Severance Sword. A sword art that does not require a blade. A technique that once wielded, allows you to cleave through dimensions, destiny, and even karma itself."

With another flick, the vision vanished.

"Learn it," he said, eyes glinting, "and you will become a Celestial the moment you master its first stance."

There was no deception in his tone. No rush. Just an offer. One that came with no conditions. No bindings. No hidden costs.

Lin Mu could tell it was real. He could feel it in his soul. That was no emotion, no illusion and certainly wasn’t fake. It was something that contained nothing but truth, a truth so powerful that it would allow him to ascend instantly the moment he accepted it.

It was the kind of opportunity that a hundred thousand million Immortals would sell their souls to receive.

Lin Mu stayed quiet.

The temptation was real.

The power was real.

And yet—

He shook his head.

"No."

The old man blinked. "No?"

"I already have a master," Lin Mu said softly. "One I haven’t even learned from in full, but whose teachings have guided me through the darkest moments of my life. I don’t need another to show me the way."

Lin Mu didn’t need the old man and his legacy. Sure the old man was a powerful celestial, but he had Xukong who was far beyond what any Celestial could dream to ever be.

Why would he go for a chest of treasure when he had the entire gold mine to himself already?

He stood up.

"Besides... if I must become a Celestial by stepping onto another’s path, then it’s not truly mine, is it?"

"I will reach that realm—on my terms."

A heavy silence followed.

The old man looked at Lin Mu for a long moment. Then—he laughed.

It wasn’t mocking.

It was delighted.

"Well said."

His face shimmered, cracking like porcelain. In an instant, the pavilion crumbled into motes of light. The sky faded. The old man himself began dissolving.

"This was a test," he said. "A Trial of Temptation."

"To walk the sword path is to be offered shortcuts. Power. Prestige. The names of ancient heroes whispering in your ears, begging to live again through you."

"But those who take their legacy without earning it... become echoes. Not swordsmen."

As the last of his form disappeared, the old man’s voice lingered like an echo:

"You pass, Lin Mu. Walk forward. And may your sword carve a legacy that others someday kneel before—not as disciples, but as witnesses."

It was another step further.

Lin Mu stood alone again.

But now, the path ahead was clearer.

The darkness receded like mist, revealing another light. He exhaled slowly.

"They really do test everything here," he muttered. "Will, skill, heart... now even greed."

He smiled faintly.

"Good."

He walked forward, shoulders square.

The next trial awaited.