Peerless Bodyguard of a Stunning Beauty-Chapter 45 - 41 Tao Hua, a beautiful woman with a face like a peach blossom
Tomorrow was the day of the duel between Zhao Rong and Wang Jingang. However, despite cultivating for two consecutive days, Zhao Rong was still stuck at level ten. He recalled what Huang Mao had told him—if he didn’t at least reach level eleven, facing the level-fifteen Wang Jingang would be incredibly dangerous.
No matter what, I have to cultivate tonight and level up.
With this resolve, he went alone to the cultivation hall of the Quanzhen Martial Sect, prepared to spend the entire night cultivating to enhance his True Qi.
However, just as Zhao Rong walked into the hall and sat down to meditate, a fairy-like woman with a face as lovely as peach blossoms sat down beside him. Looking at Zhao Rong, who was meditating with his eyes closed, she said gently, "Sorry to disturb you, but are you the legendary Zhao Rong?"
Hearing the word "legendary" from the beautiful woman’s lips, Zhao Rong immediately opened his eyes. "Miss, I’m just an ordinary bodyguard and a low-level cultivator. There’s nothing legendary about me."
Hearing his modesty, the woman smiled sweetly. "If you really are just a low-level cultivator, then how were you able to see through the Fudi Mo and kill it?"
At the mention of "Fudi Mo," Zhao Rong was startled. "What Fudi Mo? Have you been watching ’Harry Potter’?"
At this, the woman looked completely baffled. "Hero Zhao Rong, do you not know? On your very first day at the Quanzhen Martial Sect, you killed the Fudi Mo, which had long taken human form, in the first-year class one classroom."
Zhao Rong thought for a moment. "I don’t remember killing any demon."
What Zhao Rong didn’t know was that the bald man he had so casually killed was, in fact, the Fudi Mo in human form. The woman had approached him precisely because she admired his Eyes of Golden Flame and his single, deadly strike.
The girl looked at him, her expression filled with admiration. "Everyone says you’re low-key and humble, and it’s true. You actually killed the Fudi Mo but still deny it."
Zhao Rong scratched the back of his head. "So the bald guy in the first-year classroom was this so-called Fudi Mo?"
The woman nodded. "Hero Zhao Rong, you’re right. That demon took on human form and infiltrated the Quanzhen Martial Sect, biding its time for an opportunity to assassinate the Sect Leader, Yizhen Mage."
Zhao Rong was stunned. "No way. That bald guy didn’t look like a demon at all. If what you’re saying is true, then does that mean I actually saved Sect Leader Yizhen Mage’s life?"
The woman nodded again. "That’s right, Hero Zhao Rong. You are the expert who saved Yizhen Mage’s life. Because of this, Sect Leader Yizhen Mage is planning to hold a sect-wide assembly tomorrow to praise you publicly before the entire sect."
Hearing about a commendation assembly, Zhao Rong looked at her and asked, "No way, it has to be tomorrow? Can it be postponed? I’m scheduled to duel Wang Jingang in the arena tomorrow." 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶
When she heard he was going to fight Wang Jingang, the woman’s face filled with worry. "Hero Zhao Rong, how can you duel with someone who fights so dirty?"
Puzzled by her choice of words, Zhao Rong asked, "What do you mean? Is he going to cheat in the duel?"
The woman explained, "Before you came to the Quanzhen Martial Sect, Wang Jingang had already dueled at least five other disciples. Without exception, all five of them lost their lives."
Zhao Rong couldn’t believe it. "No way, is Wang Jingang really that strong?"
Evidently, Zhao Rong hadn’t expected that the same Wang Jingang he had once beaten so badly had undergone a complete transformation since joining the Quanzhen Martial Sect.
The woman informed him, "Yes, didn’t you know? Wang Jingang is the star disciple of our sect’s second-in-command, Erzhen Mage."
Hearing that Wang Jingang now had the backing of the second-in-command, Zhao Rong couldn’t help but sigh. No wonder Wang Jingang, whom I’d beaten so badly before, suddenly became so powerful. It turns out he had help from someone important.
He looked at the woman and said, "So you’re saying if I duel Wang Jingang tomorrow, I’ll definitely die?"
She nodded grimly. "Exactly. Not only will you die, but it will be an extremely ugly death."
Zhao Rong was taken aback. "Then what should I do?" he exclaimed.
The woman told him, "If you want to defeat Wang Jingang, you have to get the backing of someone even more powerful than Erzhen Mage."
Without a moment’s hesitation, Zhao Rong replied, "In the entire Quanzhen Martial Sect, the only person more formidable than the second-in-command is the Great Sect Leader himself."
The woman nodded. "Right. So, you must go see Sect Leader Yizhen Mage tonight."
The suggestion made Zhao Rong hesitate. "I’m just a nobody. Even if I go to see him, would the great Yizhen Mage grant me an audience?"
The woman simply smiled. "Follow me. As long as I introduce you, Yizhen Mage will definitely see you."
Hearing that she had such influence, Zhao Rong looked at her with renewed curiosity. "Miss, we’ve been talking for a while, but I still don’t know your name."
"Just call me Tao Hua," she introduced herself.
With that, Tao Hua led Zhao Rong toward the deepest part of Mount Shu. The mountain was vast and serene. Along the way, the only sounds Zhao Rong heard were the calls of distant birds and beasts.
Soon, they arrived at the door of Sect Leader Yizhen Mage’s room. Seeing how small the room was, Zhao Rong asked Tao Hua doubtfully, "Are you sure this is where Yizhen Mage lives?"
Tao Hua chuckled. "Absolutely."
Seeing her confident expression, Zhao Rong said, "Alright, since Yizhen Mage is in there, I’ll knock."
But before his knuckles could even touch the wood, the door swung open and Yizhen Mage himself stepped out. He looked at Zhao Rong and said, "Young man, I’ve been waiting for you."
By the dim light from the doorway, Zhao Rong saw that Yizhen Mage was an old man who looked vaguely familiar. Just as he was trying to place the face, Yizhen Mage grabbed his arm and pulled him inside.
"Zhao Rong, don’t you recognize me?"
Hearing this, Zhao Rong was shocked to realize that the Great Sect Leader of the Quanzhen Martial Sect was none other than the old gatekeeper from the management training center he had once attended. His jaw nearly hit the floor. "The old man from the gatehouse! Weren’t you guarding the gate at the training center? How did you suddenly end up here at the Quanzhen Martial Sect as the Sect Leader?"
Yizhen Mage’s expression was pained. "Zhao Rong, you don’t know the half of it. Being the Sect Leader here is a high-risk job. That’s why I found a body double to take my place while I went to your training center to watch the gate."
Hearing him describe the position so fearfully, Zhao Rong asked, confused, "Then if you were doing just fine as a gatekeeper, why did you suddenly come back to be the Sect Leader again?"
With a face full of worry, Yizhen Mage explained, "The Fudi Mo killed my body double. If I hadn’t come back, the second-in-command, Erzhen Mage, would have taken over as the new leader. I had to return to protect my position."
Tao Hua, standing nearby, chimed in, "After Yizhen Mage returned, he investigated for a long time but couldn’t find the Fudi Mo hiding in the sect. But then, who would have thought that you, Zhao Rong, would kill the demon for him on your very first day. That’s why he asked me to bring you here. He wants you to join his team to stand against Erzhen Mage."
Listening to Tao Hua, Zhao Rong finally understood that she had sought him out on Yizhen Mage’s orders. Since he had already known the old man from his time at the training center, he didn’t feel any sense of distance or awe now that the gatekeeper stood before him as the powerful Sect Leader.
So, Zhao Rong nodded. "Sir... oh, I mean, Yizhen Mage. Since I came to the Quanzhen Martial Sect to learn, of course I’ll join your side. I just never imagined the rivalry between you and Erzhen Mage was so intense."
Yizhen Mage sighed. "Zhao Rong, what you don’t know is that Erzhen Mage has wanted to be Sect Leader for a long time. The only reason he isn’t is because I’m here."
Tao Hua added, "So, when the real Yizhen Mage returned, Erzhen Mage started forming his own faction, rapidly building his power and preparing for the day he can drive Yizhen Mage out and become the Great Sect Leader himself."
Yizhen Mage continued, "With Erzhen Mage’s faction growing stronger every day, I can’t afford to be idle. I have to build my own team as well."
Zhao Rong felt that Yizhen Mage’s approach was correct. He said, "Yizhen Mage, since you’re the Sect Leader, you must have recruited quite a few supporters by now, right?"
As a Sect Leader, he should at least have a hundred or so people under his command, right? Zhao Rong thought.
To his surprise, however, Yizhen Mage said, "Ah, Zhao Rong, you’re not aware. I only just got back, while Erzhen Mage has been deeply entrenched here for a long time. So, compared to his faction of hundreds, even thousands, I’ve only managed to gather two people... you and Tao Hua."
Hearing that the mighty Sect Leader of the Quanzhen Martial Sect had only managed to recruit two people, Zhao Rong gasped. "Yizhen Mage, don’t worry! I have three other people I can bring to you tomorrow."
Yizhen Mage’s face lit up. "Including me, we’re only a team of three right now. If you bring three more, we’ll have six! It seems the day I can finally stand against Erzhen Mage is close at hand!"
Hearing this, Zhao Rong felt a pang of guilt. Even if we get six people, only two are men, and the other four are women. Besides, the three girls I’m bringing tomorrow are ordinary people with no cultivation at all.
He said sheepishly, "Yizhen Mage, the three I’m bringing tomorrow are girls who have never cultivated before. I hope you don’t mind."
Yizhen Mage replied earnestly, "It’s no problem if they haven’t cultivated. My daughter, Tao Hua, can guide your three friends and teach them."
It was only then that Zhao Rong realized Tao Hua was Yizhen Mage’s daughter. How could a man as plain-looking as Yizhen Mage have a daughter as beautiful as Tao Hua, with a face like peach blossoms?
Just as the three of them were deep in conversation, a dark shadow suddenly flashed past the back of the room.
"Oh no, an intruder!" Tao Hua shouted abruptly. "He must have overheard our conversation!"
With that, she leaped out of the house in pursuit of the eavesdropper.
