Chapter 3143: Future Destinations
Cattaleya leaned back against the smooth stone, raising the wine jar to her lips and draining it in a single, long pull.
She didnât even pause before reaching for another, popping the seal off with a casual flick of her thumb and taking another deep swig. The sharp aroma of immortal-grade liquor filled the night air, mingling with the faint fragrance of the lake water.
Lin Mu, sitting beside her with his legs crossed, watched with faint amusement as she downed two whole bottles without a break.
Her bronze-toned throat worked rhythmically as she swallowed, her flushed face a picture of stubborn determination. Only after finishing did she sigh loudly, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.
"Phew... thatâs better. Needed to burn away all that tension," she muttered, setting the empty jar aside with a clink.
Lin Mu raised an eyebrow. "Cattaleya, is it fine drinking like that? Wonât you stumble into the lake again if you get drunk?"
Her eyes narrowed playfully as she leaned toward him. "Please. I was only acting like that because of the bombs you dropped on me. Donât flatter yourself."
Lin Mu chuckled. "Mm, if you say so."
She waved her hand dismissively, then after a pause, glanced at him from the corner of her eye. "You know... my friends and family donât call me Cattaleya. They call meCatt. If weâre going to be drinking together like this, you might as well call me that too."
Lin Mu tilted his head slightly, then nodded. "Alright then. Catt."
A grin spread across her face. "Better. Much better."
The two sat in companionable silence for a few moments, the night air cool and refreshing after the heavy warmth of the banquet. Eventually, Catt broke the quiet, swirling the last drops of her third jar.
"So, tell me, Lin Mu," she said casually, "where are you going once youâre done dealing with all that Ephemera Sect shit?"
Lin Mu pursed his lips, his gaze drifting toward the rippling surface of the lake.
His fingers tapped against his knee in thought. "To be honest, I donât have an exact destination yet. At least not for the time being. I suppose I can go anywhere."
"Anywhere, huh?" Catt twirled the empty jar on her finger, curiosity sparkling in her slightly hazy eyes.
Lin Mu leaned back, resting on his hands. "I have a few places in mind. The Immortal Court, perhaps. Or the Great Kang ClanâI still have some matters tied there. Iâve also thought of visiting my friend Ziran. Heâs on a demonic world. Oh, and Daoist Chu asked me to stop by the Zenith Dao Sect at some point. So thatâs another option."
Catt gave an approving hum, nodding with every option. "Not bad. All sound like good destinations. I havenât been to the Immortal Court either, so that would be new. A Demonic World also sounds fun, Iâve been to a few. Demons are really nice sparring partners.
As for the Zenith Dao Sect... They have a presence in the Celestial world too, so it might be interesting to see how they fare in the Immortal realm." She thought over the options.
"But then again, I donât really have limits on where I go, so I wouldnât mind any of those. Butâ" she leaned closer, squinting at him with a teasing grin, "you saidfor the time being. What did you mean by âItâ can change?"
Lin Mu was silent for a few heartbeats, then exhaled slowly. "Iâm searching for something. A part of a legacy. But I donât know where it is. So my path may change depending on the clues I find."
Her playful expression melted into one of interest. "A legacy? What are you looking for exactly?"
"I canât say everything," Lin Mu admitted, "there are restrictions at play. But I can tell you this muchâitâs a vault. A vault once held by theVirtuous Calamity Daoist."
The name made Catt frown instantly.
She set down her jar, her brow furrowing as memory stirred. "Virtuous Calamity Daoist... Iâve heard of him. A great immortal of the Immortal Court... but branded a traitor long ago. His name was whispered like both a curse and a warning." She shook her head. "Unfortunately, even I donât know where his vault might be. If it still exists at all, itâs hidden far too well."
Lin Mu nodded calmly. "I expected as much. Itâs not easy to find. Iâve already asked Lady Kang of the Great Kang Clan to help me locate it. But even with her resources, itâll take time."
A thought came to him then, and his expression shifted slightly. "Ah, speaking of Lady Kang... I also have a commission from her. To find her clanâs Seal. But that, too is on hiatus. She needs to determine where it was lost long ago before I can act."
Catt gave a long, low whistle, eyes widening slightly. "You sure have a lot on your plate."
Lin Mu smirked faintly, glancing at her. "More than most, yes."
She laughed, tossing her empty jar into the grass. "Well, I canât say youâre boring, Lin Mu. Traveling with you is going to be like walking straight into the storm or perhaps finding some hidden paradise."
They two continued to chat as the night passed over a few more drinks.
The earlier tension melted away as if it never existed, and the two grew closer as friends. Lin Mu also had a lot of fun talking with Cattaleya, or rather Catt, as she was someone he could talk about things he could not talk to with Daoist Chu and Meng Bai.
Things such as matters related to the Celestial realm. There were immortal realmâs restrictions in place, but since Cattaleya was from the Celestial realm, Lin Mu could at least talk about some relatively âcommonâ matters.
While he could of course talk with his Master Xukong or even the Saintess, both werenât exactly people he could talk to regularly. Xukong was deep in cultivation, and the Saintess was someone Lin Mu didnât wish to bother unless necessary.