Chapter 3664: Fated To Meet

"What stage are you at now?" Lin Mu asked.

"Second Tribulation Stage," Jing Wei answered.

Lin Mu nodded slowly.

"That is still fast," he said. "Less than a hundred years after ascension."

Jing Wei shrugged lightly.

"They acknowledge that," he said. "It is one of the reasons they accept me."

A brief silence followed as both of them absorbed the weight of everything that had been said.

Then Jing Wei looked at Lin Mu.

"Now," he said, a faint smile forming, "your turn."

Lin Mu exhaled softly before beginning.

His story unfolded steadily, beginning from the moment he arrived in the Rust Sky World, a remote and unfamiliar place that tested him from the very start.

He spoke of the Haima tribe and how he had freed them, of the alliances he had formed, and the people he had met along the way. He mentioned Crown Prince Shirong and Crown Princess Shang, along with Daoist Chu, Monk Hushu, Lady Kang, and many others who had walked beside him.

Jing Wei listened without interruption.

Lin Mu continued, speaking of the battles he had fought, the enemies he had faced, and the dangers he had survived. He spoke of Yao Changying and the Withered Spirit Daoist, recounting the intensity of those encounters and the narrow escapes that had followed.

Then he moved on to the Silent Lotus World, describing the events that had unfolded there, the trials he had endured, and the growth he had achieved.

Hours passed as he spoke.

The noise of the banquet faded into the background as the two of them remained immersed in the conversation.

By the time Lin Mu reached the present, explaining how he had tracked the dwarves and eventually arrived at the Runweld Barren World, Jing Wei’s expression had changed.

There was a quiet understanding in his eyes.

A recognition of the path Lin Mu had walked.

"No wonder..." Jing Wei muttered softly.

Lin Mu looked at him.

"No wonder you grew so strong so fast," Jing Wei continued.

Lin Mu smiled faintly.

"I did not expect it either," he said. "But I suppose... it was necessary."

Jing Wei nodded.

"It always is," he said.

Lin Mu lifted his mug slightly.

"Still," he added, "it seems fate had its own plans."

Jing Wei raised his mug as well.

"Indeed," he said.

Their mugs met with a firm clink before both of them drank deeply.

The warmth of the liquor spread through them, carrying with it a sense of familiarity that neither had expected to feel again.

For a while, they spoke more casually.

Old memories surfaced. Moments from the Xiaofan World. Battles, training, conversations that now felt distant and yet vividly present.

Then Jing Wei leaned forward slightly.

"There is something I have been wondering," he said.

Lin Mu raised a brow.

"What is it?" he asked.

Jing Wei smiled faintly.

"Who do you think will ascend first?" he asked. "From our home world."

Lin Mu thought about it for a moment.

"If we consider all creatures," he said slowly, "it will likely be a beast. Their growth can be unpredictable, and some evolve rapidly under the right conditions. Before I left I already knew of several beasts that were at the peak of the Dao Treading realm, most of them were aquatic beasts."

Jing Wei nodded.

"That makes sense," he said.

"But if we are speaking of humans," Lin Mu continued, "then it will probably be one of the Sect Patriarchs. They already stand at the peak."

Jing Wei considered that.

"True," he said.

Lin Mu leaned back slightly.

"Whether or not we will meet them..." he added.

Jing Wei let out a soft chuckle.

"That is another matter entirely," he said.

Both of them understood the reality.

The immortal realm was vast.

Paths rarely crossed twice.

Still, the fact that they had met again...

That alone felt like a miracle.

"Makes sense," Jing Wei said finally.

They continued to drink, the conversation flowing naturally between them as the hours slipped away unnoticed.

Around them, the banquet carried on with roaring laughter, clashing mugs, and the deep voices of dwarves echoing through the hall.

Yet at their table, time seemed to slow.

Two old friends, reunited after decades across worlds, sharing stories beneath the glow of fire and forge.

The banquet had stretched far longer than anyone had initially expected, turning from a simple gathering into a roaring celebration that echoed through the halls of Mantleheim.

By the time it finally came to an end, the once orderly hall had transformed into a scene of complete chaos. Heavy stone tables were pushed aside, shattered barrels lay scattered across the stone floor, and the air was thick with the lingering scent of ale, liquor, and roasted meats.

Dwarves were sprawled across every available surface.

Some lay slumped against pillars, others rested atop tables, and a few had simply collapsed where they stood. Their deep snores rumbled like distant thunder, creating a strange harmony that filled the hall.

Even the most seasoned among them had clearly reached their limits.

Cattaleya, who had entered the drinking contest with a confident grin and unshakable determination, was no exception. She had held her ground for hours, matching dwarf after dwarf without faltering.

Her tolerance had stunned even the most hardened Fireforge elders, and her ability to down barrel after barrel without slowing had earned her loud cheers and booming laughter.

Yet even she had limits.

Now she lay sprawled against a massive barrel, one arm draped loosely over it as if she had claimed it as her final victory. Her breathing was steady, though her expression held the faintest hint of exhaustion. Strands of her hair clung to her face, and the faint flush on her cheeks spoke of just how far she had pushed herself.

She had defeated dozens upon dozens of dwarves in succession.

But facing hundreds had been a different matter entirely.

Even so, the respect she had earned was undeniable.

Not a single dwarf present would forget her performance.

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