Chapter 209: Su Mei Tests Her Sword, A Sudden Change
Young Ma Yanqing was, admittedly, rather adorable. With his soft features and delicate frame, he looked more like a pretty little girl than a budding swordsman. Because of that, Rovel never felt the need to hold back his teasing.
Whenever the boy marched up, puffed out his chest, and called him 'Second Senior Brother'—a blatant provocation instigated by Su Mei—Rovel would simply reach out, pinch those squishy cheeks, and stretch them until the kid surrendered.
"Silly child," Rovel sighed, dryly amused. "You don't even realize your Third Senior Sister is using you as a blunt instrument. I have no idea what rattles around inside that head of yours."
Ma Yanqing's cheeks were flushed bright red, glossy tears pooling in his large eyes. He looked incredibly pitiful, sniffling quietly. But Rovel was entirely immune to the puppy-dog routine.
Su Mei, the actual mastermind, had long since vanished into the bamboo groves. Only Ma Yanqing was gullible enough to follow her orders to the letter.
This kid already has the makings of a hopeless simp, Rovel mused. Does Su Mei really have that much charm?
He certainly didn't see it. To Rovel, Su Mei was just a chaotic little witch whose sole purpose in life was turning Mount Taixu upside down. Though, he had to admit, her antics breathed a fair amount of life into the otherwise quiet peak.
Despite knowing the grim future—that these very disciples might one day plunge their blades into their master's back—Rovel hadn't distanced himself. On the contrary, he treated them as family. If you knew someone was destined to walk a dark path, would you still offer them a hand? Rovel didn't have a philosophical answer, but his actions spoke volumes.
If someone had already succumbed to the Honkai and lost their humanity, he would strike them down without a second thought. But Lin Chaoyu, Su Mei, and the rest? They were just kids right now. He believed the script of this world could be rewritten. He still wasn't sure if the original tragedy occurred because Red Kite had truly succumbed to the Honkai, or if it was born of the disciples' own selfish desires. For now, he was a bystander watching the gears of fate turn.
And right now, Su Mei was still just a bright, mischievous girl who brought laughter to the mountain.
"Senior Brother. Practice sword."
Cheng Lingshuang's flat, emotionless voice pulled him from his thoughts. Rovel nodded, drawing his wooden blade to run through the Taixu Sword Qi stances with her.
Shortly after, Red Kite returned with Lin Chaoyu. The master's sudden announcement caught Rovel off guard.
"Su Mei," Red Kite's calm voice echoed across the courtyard. "Tomorrow, you will follow me down the mountain to test your sword."
A Blade Trial. Su Mei's Sword Heart had finally broken through to the Dustless Realm. While she hadn't completely mastered the Sword Forms, she had memorized the katas. It was time for practical application.
Su Mei blinked, her usual playful smirk vanishing into a rare look of surprise, before she bowed deeply. "Yes, Master."
The next day, Su Mei followed Red Kite down the mountain path. Rovel, unusually, did not continue his sword practice. He sat on the porch, his gaze drifting toward the horizon.
Even the notoriously dense Cheng Lingshuang noticed his lack of focus during their drills.
At dinner, Lin Chaoyu smiled, a rare teasing glint in her eyes. "Junior Brother Rovel, are you that worried about Junior Sister Su Mei?"
Jiang Wanxi chimed in, resting her chin on her hands. "Oh my. Could it be that even though Senior Brother Fang and Third Senior Sister bicker all day, they actually care deeply for one another?"
Jiang Wanru nodded sagely. "I believe the texts refer to this dynamic as 'childhood sweethearts,'or perhaps'quarreling lovers.'"
Cheng Lingshuang ignored them all, methodically eating her rice. She was probably reciting the Sword Heart Mantra in her head.
Ma Yanqing, however, froze. His chopsticks hovered in mid-air, his watery eyes locked onto Rovel in sheer panic.
Rovel didn't even blink. He took a calm sip of his tea and delivered a deadpan response. "If anyone actually develops feelings for that menace, I will laugh at them for the rest of my life."
"Don't be so absolute," Lin Chaoyu chuckled, assuming he was just saving face. "After all, Su Mei loves pestering you more than anyone else."
Jiang Wanxi tapped her cheek. "I remember reading about this behavior... what was it called..."
"Seeking attention from the one you like by acting out," Jiang Wanru finished smoothly.
Cheng Lingshuang set her empty bowl down, stood up without a word, and walked out to practice her sword forms in the moonlight.
Ma Yanqing looked like he was about to burst into tears.
Rovel just scoffed, shaking his head. Seeing his utter lack of romantic interest, the girls dropped the joke. It was best not to push it. Or perhaps, they thought, he was just incredibly good at hiding it.
Su Mei and Red Kite were gone for three full days.
As the hours dragged on, the tension on the peak thickened. Even Lin Chaoyu began to pace. Whenever he had a free moment, Ma Yanqing would sit by the ancient pine tree at the edge of the cliff, staring down the mountain path, praying for Su Mei's silhouette to appear.
Finally, two figures emerged from the mist. A collective breath of relief washed over the disciples, but as they drew closer, Rovel's eyes narrowed.
Red Kite's pristine white robes were ruined. Three massive, jagged tears ripped across her back—the unmistakable mark of a massive beast's claws. Yet, the pale skin exposed beneath the shredded fabric was completely smooth. Not a single scratch marred her flesh.
Then, Rovel looked at Su Mei. The vibrant, chaotic spark in the girl's eyes had been snuffed out. She kept her head bowed, her shoulders slumped under an invisible weight. A hollow, bone-deep exhaustion radiated from her.
"Master, what happened?" Lin Chaoyu rushed forward, her composure breaking at the sight of the torn robes.
"We passed through Mount Wang," Red Kite replied, her tone perfectly even. "We encountered an accumulation of residual True Qi that had awakened a sealed ancient beast, Huodou. It took some effort to slay it."
Some effort. Rovel studied them. Judging by the heavy atmosphere, it clearly took more than just 'some effort'.
"Senior Sister, are you okay?" Ma Yanqing trotted up, his small face scrunched in worry.
Su Mei forced a weak, brittle smile. She reached out, her hand trembling slightly as she patted the boy's head. "I'm fine, Junior Brother. Thank you. I'm just... very tired. I need to rest. Master, please rest as well."
Bowing stiffly to Red Kite, Su Mei dragged her feet toward her quarters, looking like a ghost of her former self.
An ancient beast? Huodou. Was it an Emperor-class Honkai Beast? A Judgment-class? Rovel's mind raced. Even a Judgment-class beast shouldn't have been able to push the current Red Kite to the brink.
Unless... Red Kite had taken a direct hit to protect Su Mei.
Before anyone could press for details, Red Kite dismissed herself, leaving the disciples exchanging uneasy glances in the courtyard.
From that day on, Su Mei transformed. The pranks stopped. She threw herself into cultivation with a grim, relentless intensity, perfecting every Sword Form until her hands blistered. She stopped calling him 'Second Senior Brother'in jest, respectfully addressing him as'Senior Brother Fang'. She morphed into the reliable, mature Third Senior Sister the younger disciples needed.
But Rovel noticed something else. Whenever Su Mei looked at Red Kite, a dark, complex emotion flickered in her eyes.
Is this it? Rovel thought. Is this the catalyst that changes everything?
"Master," Rovel approached Red Kite a few days later. "I would like to descend the mountain for a few days."
Red Kite looked up from her tea, her piercing gaze unreadable. "For what reason?"
"Nothing in particular. I just need to clear my head."
A brief pause. "...Do you require my accompaniment?"
"Master's injuries haven't fully healed yet," Rovel said smoothly, watching her reaction. "It is best you rest for a while longer."
Red Kite's eyes flickered. A microscopic shift in her stoic facade. After a moment of heavy silence, she gave a slow nod. She knew Rovel's strength; even if he encountered corrupted beasts, he would not be the one running.
Her agreement confirmed Rovel's theory. Red Kite hadn't performed her morning sword routines for days. For someone as disciplined as her, that was impossible—unless she was secretly recovering from severe internal injuries, using her mastery over True Qi to project an illusion of perfect health.
He packed his blade. He was going to Mount Wang. He needed to see exactly what happened on that peak.
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