Chapter 88: Gu Fei
Chapter 88: Gu Fei
Bullying a Little Girl and stealing secret manuals?
Zuo Meng set down his wine cup, gradually piecing together the story from the drinkers’ chatter. During his absence, the Liuhe Sect had suffered multiple internal strifes. Being a temporary merger of six minor clans, infighting was inevitable. Five of these clans had been devoured by the strongest faction—the Headmaster’s main peak. Disobedient disciples from branch peaks clashed violently with main peak followers, leaving countless dead.
After consolidating power, the main peak abolished the elder system. True Disciples under the elders were demoted to Outer Sect status. One female disciple from an elder’s lineage stabbed a law enforcement elder in protest. She was captured, stripped of her martial arts, and vanished without trace—the “bullying a Little Girl” incident mentioned by the crowd.
“The other main peaks are gone?”
Zuo Meng recalled his nominal Master, Zuo Han Sheng. That cunning old fox had long wormed his way into the Earthly Lord’s circle. The Taiyuan Sword Sect likely meant nothing to him now. Zuo Meng suspected his “Master” had never truly been the Taiyuan Sword Sect’s Headmaster—just a schemer who infiltrated to manipulate multiple clans for his own ends.
“I’ll check on Junior Sister first.”
Tossing silver onto the table, Zuo Meng headed toward the Liuhe Sect’s mountain.
“Halt! Show your disciple token!”
Guards now patrolled the mountain foot—a new development. Previously, only the main gate had Outer Sect Disciple guards. Zuo Meng recognized neither man.
“Disciple token? Since when?”
Having spent years in the Liuhe Sect, he’d never heard of such things. The guards looked ready to attack, so Zuo Meng simply walked past them.
The guards drew swords, then froze in confusion. When they blinked, the intruder had vanished.
“Why… why is my sword out?” One guard trembled, checking his blade as if haunted.
“Brother Luo, did someone pass by?”
The other guard stared blankly. Sunlight confirmed it wasn’t ghosts. Yet their drawn swords suggested… something.
“Must’ve imagined it.”
They sheathed weapons nervously, eyeing the empty path. Even lightness skills should leave traces.
Memory Alteration
A petty trick Zuo Meng had used often in the Dream World. With A Thousand Years of Inner Strength, he could briefly muddle memories—enough to slip past guards.
Sword scars littered the mountain path, remnants of recent battles. Zuo Meng ignored them.
“First, check on Junior Sister.”
The sect’s fate meant little. To him, this was just lodging. Only two mattered: Master Zuo Han Sheng and Junior Sister Zuo Qiu. Others’ lives? Irrelevant. He lacked the storybook hero’s urge to save sects or show off.
Reaching Taiyuan Peak, he found a green-clad girl with a sword sitting outside his thatched cottage. The other cottages stood abandoned.
“You?”
Zuo Meng vaguely recognized her—the only sect member besides his Junior Sister who’d interacted with him. A talented disciple he’d sparred with during training. Ma Wutong had once dragged him into schemes involving her family. Ma Wutong… that snake probably still schemed against Master Zuo Han Sheng.
“Who’s there?!”
Gu Fei leapt up, sword drawn.
“Zuo Meng?!”
It took moments to place him. Though two real-world years had passed, his aloofness stood out—unlike fawning sect brothers.
“You’re alive?!”
Zuo Meng almost laughed at her phrasing, then realized: the recent purge must have hit Taiyuan Peak.
“Where’s my Junior Sister?”
Names didn’t matter. Answers did.
“Inside. Now!”
Gu Fei yanked him into the cottage.
Formation
Chaotic flags covered the floor—a crude sound-blocking array using basic Extraordinary Power. Knowledge from consumed spirits identified it. But why was Gu Fei here… in his home?
“Did anyone see you return?” Gu Fei shut the door, trusting her Formation.
“Why come back?”
To her, it made no sense. The Liuhe Sect simmered with conflict—Headmaster versus rebellious elders. Daily bloodshed continued. She hid here to survive… which involved Zuo Qiu’s fate.