Walker Of The Worlds

Chapter 3624: The Volunteer

Lin Mu gave a slight nod.

"Understood."

With that, he continued his work.

By the fourth day, the results were finally significant. Lin Mu stepped back slightly, observing the Beast Qi container. It was no longer nearly empty. The energy within it pulsed faintly, dense and concentrated, occupying roughly twenty percent of its total capacity.

Lin Mu exhaled slowly.

"Twenty percent..."

It was far from full.

But...

It was enough.

More than enough.

"For one foxkin,this should suffice," he thought. "Perhaps even for several."

He had prepared far beyond the minimum requirement, driven by caution and the need to account for unforeseen variables.

But now...

He realized something.

A slight frown formed on his face.

"This will not last forever."

The Beast Qi would be consumed.

Gradually.

Inevitably.

And when it was gone...

There would be no easy way to replenish it.

Lin Mu’s thoughts moved quickly.

The Flame Fur and Frost Fox tribes had around three thousand individuals combined.

The other tribes...

Millions.

The scale was vastly different.

Even if his method worked...

How would they sustain it?

What would they do after he left?

The question lingered.

And then... A voice spoke.

Soft and calm.

Yet unmistakable.

"You are thinking too far ahead."

Lin Mu’s eyes shifted slightly.

The Saintess.

Her presence was not visible.

But her voice echoed clearly.

"You do not need to prepare for all of them," she continued.

Lin Mu frowned slightly.

"What do you mean?"

"The foxkin do not need every individual to recover," she said. "They only need enough."

Lin Mu stilled.

"Enough... to restore their ability to propagate."

The words settled deeply.

Lin Mu’s thoughts shifted.

He had been calculating based on total population.

Total coverage.

Total resolution.

But that was not necessary.

"They need a stable breeding population..." Lin Mu murmured.

"Yes," the Saintess replied. "Once that is established, the rest can follow naturally."

The realization clarified everything. It was not like this was a process every future foxkin would have to go through. If luck was in their favor, this would be a one time process.

The burden lifted and the scale adjusted.

Lin Mu gave a slight nod.

"I see."

The Saintess’s presence faded as quietly as it had come.

Lin Mu remained where he was, his thoughts reorganizing.

"This changes the approach," he thought.

The Flame Fur and Frost Fox tribes were the priority.

The others...

Were not yet critical.

And even within the primary tribes...

Not everyone needed to undergo the process.

"The younger generation," Lin Mu said softly.

They would carry the future.

They would determine whether the race continued or not.

Lin Mu made a mental note.

"I will inform the ancestors."

With that settled, Lin Mu turned back to the chamber.

He reviewed everything once more.

The pool.

The containers.

The arrays.

The energy reserves.

Everything was prepared.

Everything was stable.

It was finally time.

Lin Mu raised his jade slip and sent out a message.

"Bring the volunteer."

The message spread instantly.

And just as before...

The response was swift.

Not even five minutes passed before the doors of the hall opened.

Three figures appeared.

Huoyang.

Yinglei.

And a third.

Lin Mu’s gaze moved to her immediately.

A Flame Fur foxkin woman.

Her presence was steady, her aura strong and well-contained. Though her appearance suggested youth, Lin Mu’s perception revealed more. She was not young in the conventional sense.

She was in her prime.

At the peak of her vitality.

Her cultivation base confirmed it.

Fourth Tribulation Stage.

A level that required immense discipline and resilience.

"She is suitable," Lin Mu thought.

The ancestors had chosen carefully. She was strong enough to endure the process and stable enough to minimize risk.

Huoyang stepped forward.

"This is Li Chang," he said.

"One of the strongest members of the Flame Fur tribe," Yinglei added.

Li Chang stepped forward.

Then bowed.

Deeply.

Her movement was respectful, but not hesitant.

"Senior Lin Mu," she said.

Her voice was clear.

Steady.

"I thank you for everything you have done for our people."

Lin Mu observed her quietly. There was no fear in her eyes. Only determination and acceptance.

Li Chang straightened.

"Whatever happens from this point forward," she continued, "is mine to bear."

Her gaze did not waver.

"No matter the outcome."

The hall fell silent.

Lin Mu held her gaze for a moment.

Then nodded.

"Understood."

There was no need for further words.

The weight of the decision had already been accepted.

Lin Mu turned slightly, gesturing toward the central pool.

"Then we will begin."

The first true trial...

Was about to commence.

Lin Mu stood at the edge of the newly formed pool, his expression calm and focused as he prepared to begin the first true application of his method on a living being.

The air within the hall felt heavier than before, not with stress, but with anticipation. Every element had been prepared, every calculation made, every precaution layered into the system he had constructed.

He turned his gaze toward Li Chang.

"Enter the pool," Lin Mu said.

His voice was steady, leaving no room for doubt.

Li Chang nodded once, then stepped forward without hesitation. Her movements were controlled, her composure unwavering as she approached the edge. The surface of the pool was still empty, its interior formed of smooth, living wood that pulsed faintly with life.

She stepped in.

The moment her feet touched the base, Lin Mu raised his hand.

SHUA

Nature Energy responded.

It surged.

From the vast expanse of the Heart Tree, from the countless roots and branches that spread through the Mother Forest, an immense current of energy flowed into the chamber. It poured into the pool like a silent tide, filling it rapidly yet without turbulence.

The transformation was immediate.

The empty pool became a reservoir of vibrant green energy, dense and luminous, swirling gently around Li Chang’s body as it rose to her chest, then her shoulders, until she was fully immersed.

Huoyang and Yinglei watched.

And froze once more.

This time, it was not Lin Mu’s presence that stunned them.

It was what he was doing.

Their senses clearly perceived the nature of the energy.

Nature Energy.

Pure, abundant and unfiltered.

And Lin Mu controlled it effortlessly. Not through dedicated arrays of the sanctum, or through some mystical rituals, but directly. Like it was a natural extension of himself. The two ancestors felt their understanding shake.