Chapter 3891: A Hill And A Bridge

The entire bridge continuously swayed as every powerful gust pushed it several meters sideways before it slowly settled again. Its length alone proved astonishing, as nearly a full kilometer separated the rocky hill from solid land.

Despite its age the bridge somehow remained standing.

Lin Mu quietly blinked.

’...Wait.’ His thoughts suddenly stopped. ’Can’t I simply leave?’

He instinctively checked his surroundings and saw that there were no restraints or chains on him anymore. Nothing bound his body at all. He quietly extended his senses and sensed nothing like guards or cultivators.

There was only the sound of the wind and waves.

Lin Mu slowly frowned. ’That is far stranger.’

The woman had clearly stated people would be waiting. She had even requested an hour to prepare them. And judging from how long he had waited at the office and at the jail cell, almost exactly one hour had passed.

Everything should have been ready.

Yet, nobody appeared. The place seemed abandoned. But his caution increased rather than decreased. An empty prison often proved more dangerous than a guarded one. Still remaining motionless accomplished nothing.

Lin Mu quietly began walking toward the bridge.

The closer he approached, the older it appeared. Individual planks creaked beneath the relentless wind, while several hung loosely from broken ropes and some had entirely vanished, leaving dangerous gaps.

The ropes themselves had become rough and faded with age.

A few strands had already snapped while the remaining fibers somehow continued supporting the immense structure.

"It truly looks abandoned." Lin Mu quietly muttered.

He estimated the bridge’s condition. Ordinary mortals would probably refuse to cross. Even cultivators would hesitate as most would simply fly.

Lin Mu, unfortunately... Could not.

Little Bull possessed no such ability and jumping hardly solved the problem. The distance exceeded anything Little Bull could reasonably accomplish. Even Lin Mu himself questioned whether a single leap would suffice while maintaining his disguise.

He also lacked confidence regarding the bridge itself.

’Would it even support my body?’ Lin Mu wondered.

Little Bull’s physique weighed considerably more than ordinary cultivators. His physical density had long surpassed common understanding. Still there appeared little alternative, so Lin Mu slowly lifted one foot.

Another step and he would reach the first wooden plank.

But before he could...

WHOOSH!

An overwhelming force exploded directly before him. The invisible impact struck Little Bull squarely in the chest and his body flew backward for five full meters. Only after sliding across loose stone did he firmly plant both feet upon the ground.

His expression remained one of honest confusion.

Lin Mu immediately looked toward the bridge and saw a barrier. It had not existed a heartbeat earlier. And now, a transparent wall stretched from one cliff edge to the other. while countless formation runes shimmered beneath its surface before disappearing once again.

The bridge remained visible and the land beyond remained visible. Only an invisible prison now separated both sides.

Lin Mu slowly exhaled.

’I see.’ His earlier suspicion finally proved correct. ’No wonder they weren’t worried.’

Escaping had never been as simple as crossing a bridge. The barrier itself represented the true prison. Lin Mu quietly examined it as the formation possessed astonishing concealment. Even his Spatial Perception had failed to notice it while inactive.

Only after attempting to leave did it awaken.

It was a cruelly elegant design. The prisoner believed freedom remained only steps away. The prison simply waited until hope appeared. Then, it reminded them otherwise.

Lin Mu continued studying the barrier as breaking it remained possible... Eventually.

But doing so immediately would expose everything.

WHOOSH!

WHOOSH!

WHOOSH!

Before he could continue examining the formation, several new presences suddenly appeared.

Figures floated high above the rocky hill and Lin Mu instinctively looked upward only to see seven cultivators. Every one of them wore identical dark brown robes. The robes carried no embroidery, no sect symbols or identifying marks.

Their sleeves remained wide while their hoods concealed most of their heads. Each face disappeared behind smooth featureless masks that were plain without any eyes or mouths. Only tiny openings allowed vision.

The masks transformed every cultivator into an anonymous silhouette.

Lin Mu quietly observed them. ’No insignia, or identifying features. Even their cultivation fluctuations are intentionally suppressed.’

Their appearance felt almost manufactured. It was clear this was a group of professional and disciplined experts.

His thoughts immediately returned toward the mysterious woman. ’Are these her people?’

The possibility seemed likely as whoever they served clearly preferred anonymity. Lin Mu considered speaking. Perhaps Little Bull could ask questions. But he never received the opportunity.

The seven cultivators acted simultaneously.

WHOOSH WHOOSH WHOOSH

Their coordination appeared flawless as each extended one arm and several thick ropes shot downward. Unlike ordinary ropes, these radiated powerful Immortal qi. The material itself appeared alive.

Lin Mu immediately recognized them. ’Immortal Binding Ropes.’

Seven ropes descended like enormous serpents and Little Bull barely managed to blink.

WHIP!

One wrapped around his arms, another secured his legs, two more encircled his waist and additional ropes wound themselves around his shoulders and torso. Within moments little Bull disappeared beneath countless layers of bindings.

The ropes tightened together until he resembled an enormous cocoon. Only his face remained partially visible. Even that quickly vanished beneath another wrapping.

Lin Mu quietly tested the bindings and found them to be remarkably strong.

’These ropes are almost high grade binding immortal tools.’ Lin Mu estimated.

The masked cultivators never wasted words. One briefly inspected the cocoon while another produced a jade slip before recording something.

Finally, one of them spoke.

The voice emerged strangely distorted beneath the mask. "New prisoner captured."

Another nodded. "Identity confirmed."

The first cultivator calmly raised one hand. "Prepare for transport."

The remaining six immediately began making formation seals. Everything proceeded with astonishing efficiency as there was no unnecessary conversation or even the bare minimum curiosity regarding their prisoner.

They didn’t even mock Little Bull like Taegong.

To them, Little Bull appeared to be nothing more than another delivery awaiting transportation.

Hidden within the cocoon of ropes, Lin Mu quietly closed his eyes.

As the deeper he ventured into this conspiracy, the larger it continued becoming. And he had the growing feeling, he still had not reached its true center.

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