Walker Of The Worlds

Chapter 3021: The Ember Hollow Hall

While Lin Mu could feel several hostile presences around him, he didn’t know why they were hostile.

’Is this just normal due to the kind of region it is?’ Lin Mu wondered.

He reckoned it might be like that and decided to monitor it for now. He couldn’t just go and question them right away when they hadn’t done anything yet, after all. Before he did that, he decided they needed to establish a temporary base here.

For that, he quickly found a place.

"This will be our first stop," Lin Mu said. "We’ll gather supplies, information, and ask about any strange movements in the past year or so. If the missing elders passed through, someone might’ve seen something."

Meng Bai looked around with visible excitement, while Daoist Chu’s expression remained calm and cautious. They slowed down as they reached one of the larger inns—The Ember-Hollow Hall, its sign carved in charcoal-black wood with molten letters pulsing gently in rhythm with the Earth Flame below.

Lin Mu stepped through the doors, the scent of fire-roasted herbs and ash-smoked meat greeting him. His eyes scanned the faces inside—mercenaries, prospectors, rogue cultivators, all warming themselves by elemental hearths.

"Why’re they sitting near the hearth when its so warm here?" Meng Bai couldn’t help but ask in a low voice.

The entire area had a higher temperature than normal, being around 30 to 40 Celsius. Of course as cultivators, that much temperature wouldn’t bother them much, but for comfort, one would still like to stay at an optimum temperature.

"They aren’t there for the warmth." Daoist Chu spoke. "They’re absorbing the energy from the flames." Daoist Chu informed. "Look at the hearth, or rather beyond it." he spoke.

Lin Mu also focused and saw that there was actually an array hidden within the hearth.

"Oh? Is the hearth converting the energy of flames into qi?" Meng Bai raised a brow.𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

"Indeed." Lin Mu confirmed it as well.

"No wonder." Meng Bai couldn’t absorb Immortal qi so hadn’t felt it.

But Lin Mu and Daoist Chu felt it right away.

’To provide Qi Enriching Array like this for free... This place is quite something.’ Lin Mu thought as he took a proper look around.

The Ember Hollow Hall was one of the largest inns in Ash Crown City, and though not as luxurious as the high-end establishments in great capital cities, it was a fortress of comfort amid the gritty, ashen wilderness of the Verdant Ash Basin.

The moment Lin Mu stepped through the heavy stone doors, he was greeted by the warm scent of smoked meat, charcoal-grilled spices and simmering herbs. Inside, the main hall was lit by gently glowing Earth Flame lanterns set into basalt walls.

The floor was of polished obsidian tiles, and the ceiling was supported by thick wooden beams, each charred and treated to withstand the ambient elemental pressure.

The inn bustled with activity—mercenaries laughed over drinks, black-robed alchemists bartered over powdered monster bones, and cloaked travelers nursed cups of fire-wine in private booths. Though many glanced curiously at Lin Mu and his companions, no one caused trouble; everyone here knew to respect power, and Lin Mu’s presence carried the weight of it even when silent.

As they approached the front desk, Lin Mu was about to speak to the receptionist when Daoist Chu smoothly stepped in.

"One high-grade courtyard, please. The best you have," Daoist Chu declared with a smile.

Lin Mu blinked. "Just a place to sleep would be fine—"

"Bah," Daoist Chu interrupted, waving a hand. "You’ve gotten too used to living like a wandering monk, Lin Mu. You’re an immortal now, a cultivator with status, power, and dignity. Don’t cheapen yourself."

He grinned. "Besides, it would be criminal to make someone like you stay in anything less than the best this city has to offer."

Lin Mu rolled his eyes, but couldn’t stop a chuckle from escaping. "Fine, fine. You win."

Meng Bai’s eyes also lit up at that thought.

The receptionist, a sharp-featured woman with a black iron badge on her robe, beamed at the request. "It would be our honor. Please follow me, sirs."

She led them through the rear halls of the inn, past fortified doors and ash-glazed corridors, until they emerged into a small courtyard enclosed by high black walls. The air was warm, and faint Earth Flame lines glowed in the walls, creating a calming ambiance.

The courtyard residence, though not extravagant by imperial standards, was more than comfortable for the region. Stone and wood merged seamlessly into the design, and the doors were reinforced with glassy volcanic jade to help resist temperature shifts. There was a central pavilion, several private rooms, a meditation hall, and a side wing that appeared to house something unique.

"This," the receptionist said, gesturing to the side hall, "is the Earth Flame Room. The crown jewel of the Ember Hollow Hall. It draws directly from a natural Earth Flame vein beneath the city. Ideal for cultivators with Earth or Fire affinity."

She then gave a polite bow and added in a more serious tone, "Please be cautious. The controls can regulate the intensity to a point, but if one lacks compatibility with Earth or Fire elements, even mild exposure can result in damage to the meridians."

"Understood," Daoist Chu said, already walking toward the tea hall.

Meng Bai bounced after him like an excited pup. "This place is way better than I thought it would be!"

Once the staff had departed, Lin Mu turned his gaze toward the Earth Flame Room.

The door was made from layered stone and inscribed with runes that shimmered faintly. As he opened it, a rush of warm, dense energy flowed out, brushing against his skin like the breath of a deep cavern.

The chamber inside was dim, the only light coming from a pool of glowing crimson magma-like essence at the center of the room. However, this was no ordinary lava—it was Earth Flame: an elemental energy that was a perfect fusion of Earth and Fire.