Walker Of The Worlds

Chapter 3301: Granite Crown Kingdom

Hearing Elyon’s words, Meng Bai looked around curiously. "Why that name?"

"You’ll see soon enough," Elyon replied, motioning for them to follow.

They left the teleportation building and stepped outside. Immediately, the reason became obvious.

In the distance, towering mountains surrounded the city like protective walls. Their peaks were sharp, their surfaces streaked in shades of gray and black. When the sunlight struck them, they glimmered faintly, reflecting metallic light.

"Immortal Scale Granite," Elyon said, gesturing to the range. "The mountains here are made entirely of it. The kingdom’s economy depends on mining it. They are the only suppliers of Immortal Scale Granite in the entire world."

Meng Bai whistled softly. "That explains the name."

Cattaleya grinned. "So the king wears a crown made of stone instead of gold?"

Elyon nodded. "Exactly. The royal family started as miners. Poor, ordinary miners who discovered a way to refine Immortal Scale Granite for use in high-grade arrays and constructs.

They built their wealth on it and eventually founded the kingdom itself. Their first king wore a crown carved from the same granite that made them rich. It became their symbol of perseverance."

Cattaleya nodded approvingly. "A rags-to-riches story. I like that."

Daoist Chu chuckled. "Poetic, in a way. A crown of stone for a people who built their lives from it."

As they continued down the street, Lin Mu’s eyes lingered on the distant quarries visible beyond the city walls. He could feel the faint pulse of spiritual energy in the rocks. Immortal Scale Granite was indeed a unique material.

He turned to Elyon. "This is the place where the dwarfs were sighted, isn’t it?"

Elyon’s expression brightened. "That’s right. Some independent dwarfs live in the mining settlements north of the capital. They’re said to help with specialized metalwork and refinement forges."

Lin Mu nodded thoughtfully. "Good. We’ll finish the escort mission first, then return here to look for them."

"Agreed," Elyon said. "The Shanan Clan comes first. We’ll head to their island after we check at the local mercenary guild and stock up on supplies."

The group continued down the main avenue, the faint ring of blacksmith hammers echoing from distant workshops. The air shimmered with heat and spiritual energy, and Lin Mu felt a growing sense of anticipation.

There were stories waiting to unfold here... about a forgotten clan, a kingdom of stone, and perhaps, the dwarves who still carried the secrets of the forge.

The sun had climbed high into the sky by the time Elyon returned from the Mercenary Guild. The group had spent the morning exploring the capital of the Granite Crown Kingdom, taking advantage of the short break to gather supplies and restock on essentials.

Lin Mu, of course, had taken the opportunity to indulge one of his habits.

By the time Elyon arrived, Lin Mu’s spatial storage ring was brimming with local ingredients — dried stone herbs, powdered Rock Scute Beetle Shells, deep granite salts, and something the merchant had called "crystal kelp," a translucent seaweed that glowed faintly when soaked in Qi. He also carried several large bags of local Immortal beast meat, preserved in salt and local spices.

Daoist Chu had merely shaken his head when Lin Mu handed him a jar of "fermented Lightning Claw Crab paste."

"Every world we visit, you find something stranger to eat," Daoist Chu had commented dryly.

Lin Mu smiled faintly. "You never know when something could serve both as food and cultivation aid."

Meng Bai had been less reserved. He had sampled half the things Lin Mu bought, coughing loudly after taking a bite of a spicy sea root that made his eyes water for several minutes.

Cattaleya had chosen to browse the weapon and armor stalls instead, while Daoist Chu stocked up on talismans and preservation seals.

By the time Elyon rejoined them in their chosen spot at a tavern, everyone was ready to depart.

The wolfkin mercenary set down a rolled-up map on the granite table. "I got the directions," he said, his golden amber eyes reflecting the sunlight. "The coast is about half a day’s flight from here. After that, it will take around six days of sailing to reach the Shanhu Coral Clan’s island."

Meng Bai’s expression fell instantly. "Six days? We only have a week before the island submerges again!"

Before Elyon could respond, a low, rumbling growl echoed beside him.

The sound was unmistakable.

Lin Mu turned slightly, and with a flicker of red light, a familiar figure appeared beside him, a large feline with sleek crimson fur and streaks of lightning running along his body. His furry tail flicked lazily, and his eyes glowed with quiet power.

"Little Shrubby!" Meng Bai exclaimed, grinning in relief.

The beast yawned, his sharp fangs flashing. "So we’re traveling again, finally!"

"Looks like it," Lin Mu replied, smiling. "We have quite a distance to cover, but with your help, we can make it in time."

Elyon chuckled. "I should have known. Six days by ship for common immortals, half a day for you."

Meng Bai scratched the back of his neck sheepishly. "Right... I forgot we had Little Shrubby. Guess we’ll be fine then."

Lin Mu nodded. "Let’s not waste time. We should leave the city first before we let him grow to full size. The last thing we need is people panicking about a massive fire and lightning beast appearing out of nowhere."

"Agreed," Daoist Chu said, adjusting his robe. "The local guards might think we’re under attack."

The group made their way through the city streets. Fortunately, the Granite Crown Kingdom did not have any restrictions on flight. After ten minutes of walking past bustling markets and towering granite buildings, they reached the open plains beyond the city walls.

The landscape stretched endlessly in shades of gray and dark green. The soil here was dense and heavy, almost metallic in texture. Despite its color, life thrived; hardy trees with greyish silver bark and deep-green leaves grew in clusters, and the air was thick with Immortal qi.