An Jiu pondered the reason for her unexpected comfort with Hua Rongjian’s touch.
Hua Rongjian, carefully applying the mask, noticed her expression. “What are you thinking about?”
An Jiu didn’t respond.
Hua Rongjian didn’t press further, focusing on adjusting the mask for a while before straightening up with a sigh. “Done!”
“Let me see,” An Jiu said.
“One moment.” Hua Rongjian left briefly, returning with a basin of water. “The owner here has an unsightly appearance and never uses mirrors. Let’s use this water to look.”
Suddenly, the man’s voice rang out again, “You bastard! I curse Mei Fourteen to become your sister-in-law.”
“Lu Danzhi, why don’t you choke on your wine!” Hua Rongjian, known for his temper, grabbed a wooden box and hurled it at the sound-transmitting bowl on the ceiling beam.
With a loud clang, the copper bowl fell.
The water’s surface rippled, and An Jiu stared at the reflection of an unfamiliar young man.
The human skin mask made expressions slightly stiff, but given An Jiu’s naturally limited expressions and cold eyes, it looked remarkably fitting – a cold, taciturn young man.
“How is it?” Hua Rongjian asked.
“It’s good,” An Jiu turned and grasped his hand again, feeling the warmth. “Have you ever met me in another guise?”
Hua Rongjian was momentarily stunned. “Never.”
His warmth felt like sunlight – inexplicably comforting and familiar. But An Jiu could detect no deceit in his expression, so she changed the subject. “How do I remove this?”
“Just rub oil on the adhesive areas for a while,” Hua Rongjian explained, selecting two more masks and placing them with adhesive in a silk bag. “Keep these. You can use them later.”
An Jiu accepted the bag, hesitating slightly. “Where’s the privy?”
“Turn left outside, then take the second path westward,” Hua Rongjian smiled. “I’ll prepare some food and wine. We can eat and enjoy the view from the hilltop.”
“Mm,” An Jiu casually acknowledged.
Hearing her footsteps fade, Hua Rongjian tidied the table before heading to the kitchen to prepare some dishes, which he carried to the pavilion atop the hill.
Though only about 50 meters high, the hill offered a sweeping view. Nearby houses were dilapidated and crowded, while in the distance, bustling prosperity was submerged in a sea of pink and white apricot blossoms – a stark contrast of sceneries.
Hua Rongjian poured wine into a pot, warming it on a stove.
“She slipped away,” the bearded Lu Danzhi entered.
“I know,” Hua Rongjian sat by the window, toying with an engraved silver wine cup. “Her patience to stay for half a month was already beyond my expectations.”
“You sincerely want to marry her,” Lu Danzhi sat opposite him, curious. “What do you see in her?”
“She’s beautiful,” Hua Rongjian said earnestly.
“Tch, don’t play coy with me,” Lu Danzhi popped a piece of spiced beef into his mouth, chewing noisily. “It’s just skin. I could make you a heavenly beauty if you wanted. Why go through all this trouble? You’d be better off finding a skilled, seductive woman in a brothel. I could make her a face identical to Mei Fourteen’s.”
Hua Rongjian raised an eyebrow noncommittally, pouring himself a drink.
“Your silence means you agree,” Lu Danzhi said.
“Danzhi, I came to you for a reason,” Hua Rongjian changed the subject.
Lu Danzhi snatched the wine pot, rolling his eyes. “When don’t you have a reason?”
“Is your elder brother, Cui Huling, truly dead?” Hua Rongjian asked.
Lu Danzhi’s hand trembled, spilling wine across the table and onto his clothes, though he hardly noticed. His voice was calm but barely concealing excitement, “What… do you mean?”
His original name was Cui Huya, born to the Cui family of crane controllers. After fleeing the Cui clan, he changed his name to Lu Danzhi, living in anonymity for thirteen years.
“I just had some suspicions, so I came to ask for details,” Hua Rongjian took the wine pot and refilled Lu Danzhi’s cup.
Lu Danzhi drained the cup with shaking hands. As the strong alcohol hit his stomach, he gradually calmed down. “As much as I wish he were alive… it’s impossible.”
Three years ago, news of Cui Huling’s fatal injury spread. Lu Danzhi had thought his brother was faking death to lure him back as the Cui clan’s guardian, so he observed from nearby for over a month, until the funeral. The Cui, being a foreign clan, cremated their dead instead of burying them. Shocked and grieving, Lu Danzhi had risked disguising himself to join the funeral procession, seeing his brother’s body with his own eyes.
“The cremated body was his. I couldn’t have been mistaken,” Lu Danzhi said decisively.
Hua Rongjian, serious now, looked completely different from his usual self. “We’ve learned that Elder Zhi of the Mei clan is secretly imprisoned. The reason is that during the Crane Control Army’s recruit trials, one of the attackers was a water-element master archer, very similar to your brother.”
“My brother had only practiced archery for two years before his death, merely as a hobby. He could hardly be called skilled,” Lu Danzhi said. “Why not suspect Wei Yunshan?”
At the mention of Wei Yunshan, Hua Rongjian’s expression changed slightly. He spoke slowly, “Wei Yunshan’s inner power was taken, and he’s imprisoned in Piaomiao Manor.”
“Really?!” Lu Danzhi was shocked, having never heard of someone capable of taking a master’s inner power. It was terrifying news.
But as he thought it through, he felt a chill run through his body.
Rumors in the martial world spoke of a secret technique to steal others’ cultivation, taking both inner power and spiritual energy – a great temptation for martial artists.
However, this method was difficult to use. Even among masters of equal skill, forcibly taking another’s inner power was nearly impossible, and even if successful, there was a high risk of backlash.
If Wei Yunshan could be controlled with drugs for about 15 minutes, unable to resist, and two or three people attempted to take his power simultaneously, it would be much easier. The only people who could approach Wei Yunshan and make him lower his guard were likely just two – Wei Chuzhi and Wei Yuzhi.
“Wei Yunshan valued loyalty and righteousness all his life, only to raise two vipers!” Lu Danzhi downed more wine, finally feeling some warmth. He grumbled, “I knew that Wei Chuzhi was no good when he established an assassin’s den upon entering the jianghu!”
“So I wonder…” Hua Rongjian said, “Could your brother also have…”
“Impossible!” Lu Danzhi’s words were certain, but his face showed a hint of doubt.
“Hmm?” Hua Rongjian inquired softly, seeing Lu Danzhi deep in thought.