Lan Ling glanced at Suo Lun’s corpse after it had been skinned, and a violent shudder ran through him. He said, “So that’s where the skin from the body went?”
“It was peeled off. This way, you truly become him. Completely beyond proof. The face I change must be flawless.” The mysterious sorcerer replied.
Lan Ling let out a breath of relief. As long as this face was not made from Suo Lun’s actual skin, it was fine.
He lay down. The sorcerer gently lifted the mysterious crystal mask and placed it lightly on Lan Ling’s face.
Immediately, he felt an itchy sensation, because the mask was flowing. It was seeping in.
Yes, it was completely penetrating into Lan Ling’s face. Because it could flow, it gradually altered his features bit by bit. This mysterious mask truly was alive.
His nose became a little higher, the outline of his lips more refined, the corners of his eyes more upturned, his eyebrows more dashing, and his eyelids gained an even more seductive charm.
The flowing of the Phantom Mask continued for a full quarter of an hour, perhaps even longer, until Lan Ling became dazed and felt as though he were about to fall asleep.
Finally, everything stopped. Lan Ling felt nothing on his face. He could not help reaching up to touch it. Apart from noticing that his skin had become finer and smoother, there was no sense of separation at all. The sensation remained incredibly clear and sensitive. Even the stubble of every whisker was still there. It truly felt as though he were not wearing a mask at all, as though this were his own face.
He even began to wonder whether it had failed. How could he feel no trace of the mask at all?
But when he opened his eyes and saw the shocked expressions on the faces of the Ye Jingyu sisters, he knew the transformation had succeeded.
The sorcerer placed a mirror in front of Lan Ling.
The mirror was made of crystal and was almost as clear as those on Earth. Every detail was perfectly reflected.
When he saw himself in the mirror, Lan Ling was instantly stunned.
…
Lan Ling realised he had completely changed. Although he still bore about seventy percent resemblance to his original self, this face was now three parts more handsome. It was identical to Suo Lun’s, without the slightest flaw. Even the frivolous and flirtatious aura was perfectly matched.
On appearance alone, no one would ever detect anything wrong.
This was truly too profound. To actually achieve such perfect identity. Although the sorcerer’s price was high, her skill was truly divine.
Lan Ling asked, “Then, if in a few years I want to change back to my own face, what should I do?”
The sorcerer replied, “Come find me again. Still one thousand gold coins. However, once this Phantom Mask is removed, it is completely destroyed and cannot be restored.”
Then the sorcerer pointed at Ye Jingfeng. “This girl stays. The two of you may leave.”
Ye Jingfeng’s eyes reddened. She said, “I… may I see my sister and him off?”
The sorcerer nodded.
…
Ye Jingfeng held her sister tightly, refusing to let go for a long time. Although she did not cry aloud, she kept sobbing quietly. Ye Jingyu did not cry, but her eyes were blood-red.
The two said nothing. They were twins, their hearts connected as one. There was no need for words of farewell or parting instructions.
After releasing Ye Jingyu, Ye Jingfeng hugged Lan Ling and said, “Lan Ling, from now on you are our young master. Please do your best to revitalise the Suo clan, alright? Please protect the young miss well, alright?”
Lan Ling’s eyes reddened. If not for this pure and kind girl, he would probably have been killed by Ye Jingyu with a single slash. In truth, she was his true saviour. And now, for the sake of revitalising the Suo clan, she had agreed to stay in this terrifying manor for three years. She had never once been apart from her sister.
Instantly, Lan Ling felt a heavy sense of responsibility settle upon him.
“In three years, I will come to fetch you.” Lan Ling said softly.
“It is a promise.” Ye Jingfeng replied, extending her little hand.
“It is a promise.” Lan Ling hooked his little finger with hers.
“Alright, you should go now. The young miss must be anxious.” Ye Jingfeng said. Then she turned and ran back into the castle.
In this way, the highly skilled yet innocent and timid Ye Jingfeng remained in the castle, accompanying the strange and reclusive mysterious sorcerer.
…
Carrying immense sorrow, Ye Jingyu and Lan Ling left the mysterious sorcerer’s manor.
Suo Lun’s corpse could no longer be taken back. It had been completely destroyed, with all the skin peeled away. On the journey, it would certainly rot. So it had to be burned, and only the ashes brought back.
Ye Jingyu placed Suo Lun’s corpse on a flat stone slab, poured a bottle of fiery red liquid over it, then handed the torch to Lan Ling and said, “Now you are the young master. You are the only man left in the clan. You light it.”
Lan Ling was stunned. He took the torch, suddenly feeling its weight. Not the physical weight of the torch, but the weight of Ye Jingyu’s words.
Gazing at Suo Lun’s corpse on the stone slab, Lan Ling said softly, “I do not know whether I can do it well, but I will do my utmost.”
Then he lit Suo Lun’s corpse.
“Boom…” Instantly, blue flames surged upwards. Under the mysterious accelerant, Suo Lun’s body was swallowed by the flames in an instant and burned fiercely.
Less than a quarter of an hour later, the flames died out. Suo Lun’s body had completely vanished, leaving only a layer of unburnable ashes.
Ye Jingyu carefully swept up all the ashes from above and placed them into a box.
“Let us go. Back to the count’s residence in the royal city.” Ye Jingyu took one last look in the direction of the sorcerer’s manor, drew a deep breath, then mounted her horse.
Lan Ling entered the carriage. Ye Jingyu rode her fine horse and drove the carriage, galloping northwest towards the royal city of the Raging Wave Kingdom, Zhi Capital!
…
Five days after leaving the sorcerer’s manor, the carriage entered a city in the Raging Wave Kingdom.
Looking out through the window at these cities, Lan Ling clearly felt one phrase: a fusion of East and West. There were ancient Eastern-style carved railings and jade inlays, pavilions and towers, as well as Western-style castles, arenas, and sculptures. These cities were all extremely prosperous. The closer they got to the royal city, the more flourishing they became.
On the tenth day, a magnificent and enormous city stood before Lan Ling. The royal city of the Raging Wave Kingdom had arrived.
The Raging Wave Kingdom was the hegemon of the southern part of the Central Plains world, stretching across thousands of li with more than thirty million people.
The capital, also known as Zhi Capital, had a population of one million. It was not only the largest city in the Raging Wave Kingdom, but also one of the five most famous cities in the world.
The walls of Zhi Capital stretched six or seven dozen li in circumference. Standing before them, one was utterly awed by their grand and majestic presence.
Whether on top of the walls or below them, soldiers in bright armour were everywhere.
Moreover, Lan Ling even saw dozens of black shadows in the sky.
Upon closer look, they were warriors riding griffins, patrolling the skies. This world even had an aerial force of exotic beasts.
The three open city gates ahead were already enormous, yet countless crowds still pressed and jostled at the entrances waiting to enter. Lan Ling noticed people of all races: mostly yellow-skinned, with a smaller number of white-skinned, brown-skinned, and others.
Ye Jingyu showed a jade token, then rode straight through the central gate without any exchange with the officers. This was the privilege of nobility.
Once inside the city, a vast metropolis and surging crowds rushed towards them.
“Royal city, I have arrived!” Lan Ling could not help murmuring softly.