Chapter 210: Sect Leader Mei Fu
Rovel bypassed the main roads, heading straight for the Lotus Sect—the martial faction situated closest to Mount Wang. Renowned throughout the martial world for their lethal hand-to-hand combat and treacherous hidden weapons, the Lotus Sect stood proudly as one of the five major sects. They were also notoriously exclusive, accepting only female disciples into their ranks.
The current Sect Leader, Mei Fu, was a woman of considerable reputation. She had recently participated in the [Holy Fire Assembly], though her involvement had been cut short. Before she could even ascend the mountain to crusade against the demonic forces, Rovel had already decapitated the threat by killing Yan Shiluo and leaving the area. In the aftermath, it was Mei Fu who took charge, ensuring the remaining zealots of the Holy Fire Cult were swiftly subjugated or thrown into the dungeons.
"Halt! This is the Lotus Sect's restricted area. Men are strictly forbidden from entering!"
A figure clad in the sect's signature robes dropped from the snow-dusted branches above, landing gracefully to block his path. Her hand rested warily on the hilt of her blade.
"Greetings," Rovel replied, his tone perfectly even as he offered a formal martial salute. "I am the second disciple of the Taixu Sword Sect—Fang Ruobai. I have come specifically to seek an audience with Sect Leader Mei Fu to inquire about a few pressing matters."
"The Taixu Sword Sect?!" The woman's eyes widened, the hostility in her stance instantly shifting to shock. "Fang Ruobai?! The... The Butcher of the Demonized?!"
She stumbled back half a step, her voice trembling as she hurriedly added, "T-There are no demon-possessed within our mountain gates! We are clean!"
"I haven't come to hunt the demon-possessed," Rovel sighed, his mouth twitching slightly. 'Butcher of the Demonized'... seriously? Couldn't these martial world gossips come up with a cooler title? "I merely have some questions for Sect Leader Mei Fu. Please relay my request to her."
"Whew..." The guard let out a long, visible breath of relief, the tension leaving her shoulders. "Alright. Please wait here for a moment."
She turned and sprinted up the mountain steps to report his arrival.
Before long, she returned, offering a respectful gesture of invitation. Rovel followed her through the outer gates.
It was the absolute peak of winter. Perched high in the mountainous terrain, the Lotus Sect was blanketed in a pristine layer of white. Sparse snowflakes drifted lazily from the leaden sky, catching on Rovel's eyelashes. The continuous mountain range rolled out like a frozen ocean, while the bluestone steps beneath their feet wound upward, disappearing into the thick, freezing mist that cloaked the heart of the sect.
Soon, the grand vermilion mountain gate loomed through the fog. A massive wooden plaque hung above it, bearing the elegant calligraphy of the [Lotus Sect].
"Please, right this way," the guide instructed.
As the heavy wooden doors groaned open, the inner courtyard revealed itself. Dozens of female disciples paused their morning training drills, their wooden practice swords lowering as they cast curious, lingering glances at the newcomer. Given their strict isolation from men, Rovel's sudden appearance was a rare spectacle.
The guide led Rovel deep into the main hall. There, Sect Leader Mei Fu sat cross-legged on a woven futon, her eyes closed in quiet meditation.
Rich purple hair cascaded down her back and pooled over her chest. Despite the loose, conservative cut of her martial robes, her voluptuous figure was impossible to conceal. Thanks to her deep cultivation base, she showed absolutely no signs of aging, looking far younger than her nearly forty years.
"I wonder for what reason Young Hero Fang has graced our halls today?" Mei Fu opened her eyes. A fleeting hint of disgust rippled through her gaze as she took in the sight of a man standing in her sanctum.
Rovel easily picked up on her hostility, though he kept his expression neutral. Considering the Lotus Sect's strict anti-male policies, her reaction was entirely expected. If he hadn't introduced himself as Fang Ruobai of the Taixu Sword Sect, he would have been chased off the mountain without a second thought.
"Greetings, Sect Leader Mei," Rovel began smoothly. "Some time ago, Mount Wang was thrown into turmoil when the ancient demon beast, Huodou, made its appearance. I want to know exactly what happened up there."
"Huodou was slain by Celestial Redkite," Mei Fu replied, her tone clipped. "Why do you not ask your own master? Why come all the way here to interrogate me?"
"My master is naturally unwilling to speak of the incident, which is precisely why I am here," Rovel explained, taking a slow step forward. "Among the five major sects, the Lotus Sect is geographically closest to Mount Wang. Whenever a disturbance occurs on that peak, your scouts are the first to know. I ask you, Sect Leader Mei, to tell me the truth of what transpired that day."
Mei Fu remained silent for a moment, her gaze calculating. Finally, she spoke. "...On that day, the Beast of Yang, Huodou, descended upon the mortal realm. Celestial Redkite brought another woman with her to face the creature. The battle raged for an entire day and night. The ambient temperature on Mount Wang became so scorchingly oppressive that my disciples were physically incapable of ascending the peak to provide support."
She paused, smoothing out the fabric over her knees. "What exactly happened at the summit remains unknown to us. However, rumors among the locals suggest that someone saw that accompanying woman carrying Celestial Redkite down the mountain to seek emergency medical help. I know nothing beyond that."
"Thank you, Sect Leader Mei Fu." Rovel nodded thoughtfully. While she hadn't provided a detailed blow-by-blow, her account confirmed his worst fears: Redkite had been critically injured in the clash.
Injured so severely that... even the regenerative properties of the Garuda Meta-Morph Genes couldn't easily repair the damage.
"By the way," Rovel added, his tone dropping a fraction of an octave, "has Sect Leader Mei Fu ever learned anything else regarding this Beast of Yang?"
In the next instant, Mei Fu's expression fractured. A deeply complex emotion twisted her features, her brows knitting together sharply before she forcibly smoothed her face back into a mask of indifference.
Though the slip lasted barely a fraction of a second, Rovel caught it.
"I have not," she stated flatly, clearly struggling to suppress the turbulent emotions churning beneath her calm exterior.
"Is it related to Yan Shiluo?" Rovel pressed, completely ignoring her dismissive tone.
"Lianfang, see our guest out," Mei Fu suddenly barked, her voice echoing off the high ceiling.
Hearing the command, the guide from earlier hurried into the hall. "Young Hero Fang, please come with me."
Rovel didn't budge an inch. He stood rooted to the floorboards, his gaze locked onto Mei Fu, silently demanding an answer.
"Does the Taixu Sword Sect believe they can bully my Lotus Sect just because we are a sect of women?!" Seeing his refusal to leave, Mei Fu abruptly stood up. A suffocating, imposing aura exploded from her figure.
Dense True Qi radiated from her body, pressing down on Rovel like a physical weight.
"Leave the Taixu Sword Sect out of this. I, Fang Ruobai, simply want an answer." Rovel crossed his arms, his own aura flaring to meet hers.
He had already deduced that Mei Fu knew far more about Huodou's existence than she let on. More, she likely had a direct connection to Yan Shiluo.
As Rovel scrutinized her face, a strange sense of familiarity washed over him. He was absolutely certain he had never met Mei Fu before today, which meant this familiarity had to stem from someone else he knew.
Combined with those exceedingly rare purple tresses, the puzzle pieces rapidly snapped into place.
Could it be...? Is she the biological mother of Jiang Wanxi and Jiang Wanru?
And did she have them with Yan Shiluo?
"Arrogant junior!" Mei Fu sneered, her patience entirely depleted. "Do not think that just because you managed to kill Yan Shiluo, you are invincible under the heavens! Today, I shall teach you a lesson on behalf of Celestial Redkite!"
Condensing her True Qi into her palm, she lunged forward, striking out at Rovel with devastating force.
"Teach me a lesson on my master's behalf?" Rovel's eyes cooled. "You aren't worthy."
He didn't even uncross his arms. Extending a single hand, he tapped the empty air in front of him. Instantly, an invisible, razor-sharp barrier of sword qi materialized.
Mei Fu's True Qi palm strike slammed into the barrier, shattering into harmless wisps of energy before it could even brush the hem of Rovel's robes.
Startled by his effortless defense, Mei Fu gritted her teeth and attacked again. With a flick of her wrists, several poisoned hidden weapons shot out from her flowing sleeves, whistling through the air as they targeted Rovel's forehead, neck, heart, and other fatal pressure points.
Clink! Clink! Clink!
The projectiles deflected off the sword qi barrier, dropping uselessly to the wooden floor.
Hearing the explosive sounds of combat, the Lotus Sect disciples outside drew their weapons and swarmed into the hall.
"Attack him!" Mei Fu ordered without a second of hesitation.
Dozens of female disciples rushed Rovel, hurling a blinding storm of hidden weapons and throwing knives at his position.
"Taixu Sword Qi, Form of Guard: Bamboo!"
Rovel extended his index and middle fingers, forming a sword gesture. With a casual flick of his wrist, he drew a horizontal line through the air.
VMMMMM!
The very fabric of the world seemed to split in two. A towering, impenetrable wall of sword qi erupted from the line he had drawn. Every single disciple, every flying blade, and every ounce of hostile True Qi was violently repelled, completely blocked by the sheer magnitude of his defense. No matter how fiercely they battered against it, the barrier held firm, unyielding as a mountain.
Such terrifying, overwhelming strength caused Mei Fu's eyes to widen in absolute disbelief.
"Sect Leader Mei Fu," Rovel said, his voice calm and echoing clearly over the chaos. "I respect you as a senior of the martial world, which is why I have not taken offensive action against you. All I seek is an answer. But if you insist on speaking with blades and blood, I am more than willing to oblige."
With a light push of his palm, the sword qi barrier surged forward. The concussive wave of energy harmlessly swept the Lotus Sect disciples out of the hall, slamming the heavy vermilion doors shut behind them with a resounding THUD.
Mei Fu stared at Rovel's impassive face. He clearly wasn't bluffing. Her expression shifted rapidly as she calculated the massive gulf in their power. Finally, her shoulders slumped, and she helplessly sat back down on her meditation futon.
She wasn't a fool. She knew that Rovel hadn't launched a single true attack. If he had turned that defensive sword finger into an offensive strike, the entire Lotus Sect would have been annihilated in the blink of an eye.
Is this... is this the true strength of the Taixu Sword Sect?
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