Walker Of The Worlds

Chapter 3020: The First Stop On The Way To Verdant Ash Basin

A couple of days had passed since Lin Mu, Daoist Chu, and Meng Bai had left the Xian Sword Sect, riding atop Little Shrubby’s broad back.

The change in the landscape had been stark and steady. Verdant grasslands and forested hills had slowly given way to dry, cracked plains coated in a powdery veil of gray. The air carried a dry mineral scent, and even the clouds above seemed tinged with soot, as though the sky itself remembered the fire that once raged here.

The group now traveled over lands that were barren and silent. Small plants occasionally poked through the ash, resilient herbs with thick stalks and dull green leaves, but they were sparse. What life remained was tough, half-hidden, or cloaked in colors that mimicked the ash itself.

Meng Bai had been unusually quiet for most of the morning, but eventually, he broke his silence. "Master Lin Mu..." he began, brushing some of the fine ash from his shoulder. "How massive must that volcano have been to cover this much land with ash? We’ve traveled for days and it’s still here."𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

Lin Mu looked down at the endless carpet of gray stretching in all directions. "I can’t say for sure," he replied honestly. "But if the ash still lingers after thousands of years and reaches this far, it must’ve been a giant among mountains. A true ancient terror of the earth."

Daoist Chu added in his usual scholarly tone, "Some records speak of a ’Heaven-Spitting Flame Throne’—a volcano so large its smoke and fire could be seen from the outer space. No one knows if it refers to this one, but... it fits."

The conversation trailed off as the horizon shifted. Ahead of them, the vague silhouette of a city began to emerge—dark and solemn against the gray sky. They picked up their pace, and within an hour, they descended toward its gates.

Ash Crown City.

It was the northernmost settlement of the Verdant Ash Basin and one of the few urban strongholds resilient enough to survive on its volatile edge. Even from afar, it was clear the city had its own character—formed not by artistic ambition, but by a hardened will to endure.

The city’s walls were tall, thick, and matte-gray, but unlike stone or brick. Upon closer inspection, they shimmered faintly with a dark luster—each block fused from layers of compressed volcanic ash and reinforced with binding metals.

Time had given the material strength akin to tempered steel, and the city’s defenders often boasted it could resist not only siege weapons but also the unexpected eruptions of Earth Flame that sometimes struck the outskirts.

Lin Mu and the others passed through the main gate after a brief inspection. The guards here wore ash-gray armor with a dull bronze trim, their helmets shaped like jagged mountain ridges.

They didn’t ask many questions—no one did in Ash Crown City. It was a haven for travelers, merchants, rogue cultivators, and mercenaries, but also a place where discretion was valued.

Inside, the city unfolded like a monochrome tapestry.

Buildings lined the streets with slanted roofs made from volcanic slate, their walls the same deep ash-black brick. Some structures stood tall with narrow spires, while others were squat and wide like earthen bastions. Everything was built to endure heat, tremors, and sudden upheaval from below.

The streets were paved in dark stone that occasionally revealed small glowing lines—thin veins of Earth Flame energy channeled beneath the city. These lines snaked through the stone like molten rivers frozen in time and converged at tall iron lampposts spaced every twenty meters.

The lampposts flickered with a strange golden-orange glow. Each bore a glass orb that captured Earth Flames from the subterranean flow. These orbs not only lit the streets at night but also served to regulate the elemental pressure under the city, subtly releasing energy so it didn’t build up dangerously beneath their feet.

Ash Crown City wasn’t large, but it was dense. Marketplaces were tightly packed with stalls shaded by heavy cloth canopies, their goods varied and exotic—Immortal ores, rare herbs with ash-dusted leaves, beast parts scorched by elemental fire, and even worn-out weapons blackened from long exposure to Earth Flame.

A low but ever-present hum ran through the city. Not of voices or footsteps, but of pressure. Earth Flame pressure. It gave everything a faint vibration, like the city was constantly breathing, slowly, from its deep-burning lungs.

The people matched the city in resilience. Rough-spoken miners, stern-faced cultivators, robed alchemists with soot-stained hands, and traders with hawk-like eyes made up the majority.

Their clothing was dark, practical, and layered—designed to repel ash, heat, and wind. Most wore scarves or half-masks, and many bore talismans etched with fire-resistant formations.

Children played in alleys with ash-formed marbles, occasionally daring each other to stand closer to the glowing Earth Flame vents that peeked out in certain districts. Meanwhile, mercenaries lounged outside inns, their weapons visibly displayed as warnings or invitations—depending on who was looking.

"It’s like the entire city was born from the volcano," Meng Bai muttered in awe, looking at a nearby forge where flames danced with no visible fuel, only a vent of natural heat beneath the stone floor.

Daoist Chu nodded. "And it likely was. This place doesn’t just resist the basin—it thrives on it."

Little Shrubby padded along the street calmly, drawing a few glances but no alarm. Immortal beasts were not unheard of here, and any creature that dared tread in Earth Flame territory was assumed to be more than it seemed. Plus, he was in his kitten form so no one was suspicious.

Lin Mu’s eyes moved carefully over the people and buildings.

He could already sense several cultivators hiding their presence, watching the newcomers. The air was thick with secrets, and though this was only the outskirts of the Verdant Ash Basin, it already carried the weight of danger.

There were many pairs of eyes looking at them, and Lin Mu pretended as if he didn’t know. But the Sword Intent that had now become part of him could sense every wisp of hostility that was directed towards them.