As Han Yu observed the place he sensed something.

Each flower seemed perfectly cultivated and each rose radiated a faint energy. Han Yu did not reach out to touch them. He simply observed.

’Certainly her tastes,’ he thought.

There was something almost obsessive about it. The density, the precision, the sheer variety. It was not merely decoration. It was an extension of identity. A domain shaped by preference.

A reflection of its master.

Han Yu continued forward, his footsteps quiet against the soft ground. The deeper he went, the more he became aware of the complex nature of the environment. This was not just a forest. There were arrays woven into the very soil, hidden beneath the roots and petals, forming an intricate network that he could not fully decipher.

He could feel them.

But he could not understand them.

And that made them dangerous.

Han Yu’s expression remained composed, yet his vigilance rose to its peak. In a place like this, even a single misstep could trigger consequences that he might not be able to escape from.

This was not the sect grounds where he had influence.

This was not his peak where he held control.

This was someone else’s territory.

And not just anyone.

Lady Rot Rose was not a recent Legacy Disciple like him. She had stood at that position for over a thousand years. Her experience, her knowledge, and her methods were things he could not measure easily.

Han Yu’s fingers twitched slightly at his side before relaxing.

He would not show tension.

Not here.

Not now.

The forest gradually thinned, and the path opened up as he emerged toward the lake. The surface of the water stretched out before him, still and pristine, reflecting the sky above like a flawless mirror.

At its center stood the pavilion.

A narrow bridge extended toward it, hovering just above the water.

Han Yu paused at the edge of the bridge.

His gaze lingered for a moment, scanning everything he could perceive. The water, the air, the structure itself. He searched for distortions, for inconsistencies, for anything that might reveal a hidden mechanism or concealed threat.

He found nothing.

Which made it worse.

’Too clean,’ he thought.

He stepped onto the bridge.

Each step was deliberate, controlled, his senses stretched to their limits. The environment remained calm, almost unnervingly so. No ripples disturbed the water beneath him, no sound echoed across the lake.

It was as if the entire realm held its breath.

Han Yu walked steadily, neither rushing nor slowing, until he reached the opposite end.

The doors of the pavilion stood closed before him.

He did not touch them.

Instead, he waited.

A heartbeat passed.

Then another.

And then, without any visible force or movement, the doors opened on their own.

CREAK

Han Yu stepped inside.

The transition was seamless.

What greeted him within was a vast open space, elegantly arranged without the clutter of partitions or excessive decoration. The floor was polished to a reflective sheen, and faint patterns etched into its surface shimmered under the ambient light.

The atmosphere here was different from the forest.

Denser.

More controlled.

More... intimate.

At the center of the pavilion, placed with deliberate prominence, was a lounging seat.

And upon it reclined a woman.

Han Yu’s steps halted for the briefest fraction of a second.

Mistress Love Wine was beautiful.

But this woman was something else entirely.

Lady Rot Rose.

She lay in a relaxed posture, one arm resting lazily against the side of the lounger, the other holding a slender smoking pipe. Wisps of red smoke curled upward from it, drifting slowly through the air before dispersing into nothingness.

Her appearance was striking in a different way.

Where Mistress Love Wine overwhelmed with radiance and allure, Lady Rot Rose commanded attention through contrast. Her beauty carried an edge, something sharp beneath the surface, something that hinted at danger even before one became aware of it.

Her eyes settled on Han Yu the moment he entered.

And she smiled.

It was not a wide smile.

Just a slight curve of the lips.

But it was enough to change the entire atmosphere.

Han Yu felt it immediately.

A subtle shift.

A tightening.

As if the space itself had acknowledged her focus.

His gaze met hers, steady and controlled, though he was fully aware of the layers hidden behind that simple expression. There was curiosity there. Amusement. Perhaps even something more. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

The red smoke continued to drift between them, creating a faint haze that softened the edges of the scene without obscuring it. At that moment, Han Yu’s gaze drifted downward and caught the deep revealing cleavage of Lady Rot Rose.

More particularly his eyes settled on the Black Rose Tattooed between her vast peaks. His gaze lingered for longer than he had liked though he did not know if it bordered on offense.

He forced himself to look away and at the face of the tantalizing woman, only to see her smile widen.

Seeing that she had not been offended and actually seemed a bit pleased, Han Yu stepped forward.

One step.

Then another.

Until he reached a respectful distance.

He stopped.

And bowed.

"This disciple greets Lady Rot Rose."

His voice was calm, measured, carrying neither arrogance nor submission beyond what was appropriate. It was the tone of someone who understood the hierarchy, yet did not forget his own standing.

Lady Rot Rose observed him in silence for a moment.

Her gaze moved over him slowly, as if assessing something deeper than his appearance.

Then she shifted slightly on the lounger, the movement unhurried, deliberate.

"So," she said softly, her voice carrying a faint, almost melodic quality beneath its surface, "you are Ju Fan."

The words were simple.

Yet the weight behind them was anything but.

Han Yu straightened, meeting her gaze once more.

"I am," he replied.

Her smile deepened ever so slightly.

"Interesting," she murmured.

And though she did not move any further, Han Yu could feel it clearly.

The real gathering had begun.