Yes, how should one repay a life-saving debt?
Lan Ling was immediately speechless. He could not possibly say something like owing it for now and repaying it a hundredfold later. That would sound far too insincere.
The woman in black continued, “Moreover, I do not need money, nor do I need anything else. What I want is for the Suo clan’s foundation to continue being passed down.”
Lan Ling asked, “If I do not agree, will the Suo clan’s foundation really perish?”
“Yes.” The woman in black replied, “Young Master Suo Lun was the sole heir. The royal family has long eyed Tianshui City’s territory with greed. They have been waiting for years, always looking for a chance to reclaim it and turn it into a directly governed commandery. With Young Master Suo Lun dead and no heir left in Tianshui City, the royal family now has sufficient justification to take back the territory.”
Lan Ling fell silent.
The woman in black said, “If you agree, you will not only be repaying me for saving your life, but also saving a clan that has been passed down for two hundred years.”
Lan Ling replied, “I truly want to repay you for saving my life, but I really want to be myself.”
The woman in black said, “Three years. Is that acceptable? You only need to impersonate Young Master Suo Lun for three years to help the Suo clan weather this crisis. After three years, if you wish, you can return to being yourself.”
…
After a full half hour, Lan Ling finally nodded with difficulty and said, “Fine. I agree. I will impersonate Suo Lun for three years. Just three years!”
“It is a deal.” The woman in black let out a long breath of relief.
The twin sister beside her seemed about to say something, but was silenced by her sister’s cold glance.
“My name is Ye Jingyu. My sister is Ye Jingfeng. Once your body has recovered, we will immediately take you to a place to change your face.” The woman in black, Ye Jingyu, said.
“Change face?” Hearing those words, Lan Ling was instantly startled.
“Do not worry. There is no danger, and it can be reversed later.” Ye Jingyu said, “Rest well for now. We will continue travelling to find a place to stay.”
With that, Ye Jingyu pulled her sister out of the carriage, urged the horses forward, and continued on their journey.
“Sister, the young miss has not agreed to this. How can you decide on your own?” The younger sister, Ye Jingfeng, asked in a low voice.
Ye Jingyu replied, “The young miss will agree. What I am doing is for her sake, and for the sake of the Suo clan.”
…
Over the next few days, Lan Ling remained inside the carriage recovering from his injuries. Ye Jingyu took him to see a mysterious sorcerer to change his face.
His body was truly heaven-defying. Not long ago he had been pulled back from the brink of death, yet only a few days later he was completely healed. He truly had no idea what this mysterious energy inside him actually was.
The three of them kept travelling. They covered more than a thousand li over five full days. The road grew increasingly remote and desolate, with hardly any signs of human life.
On this day, the three finally reached their destination: the castle manor of a certain mysterious sorcerer.
This manor was located deep in uninhabited mountains. It was impossible to imagine how it had been built here.
Although the manor was not large, it was exquisitely beautiful.
The castle itself was entirely black, while the garden was vividly colourful, creating a strangely contrasting effect.
This sorcerer must be extremely wealthy. This was deep in the wilderness, with no human habitation for a hundred li around, yet he had built such a manor here.
Ye Jingyu and Ye Jingfeng dismounted. Lan Ling stepped out of the carriage. The three of them walked into the manor.
The entire manor was empty, like a ghost town. Yet the trees in the garden had all been meticulously trimmed.
Once inside the castle, Lan Ling clearly felt the temperature drop several degrees.
Every corner inside the castle was decorated with luxurious splendour, yet the lighting was extremely dim. The combination of opulence and oppression made Lan Ling feel as though he had stepped into a vampire’s castle from a horror game.
The castle remained empty of people, but every piece of furniture and every inch of carpet was spotlessly clean.
Although Ye Jingfeng possessed high martial skill, she had a rather timid nature. Unaccustomed to the atmosphere here, she secretly tried to hold her sister’s hand. She had never been to this place before.
Ye Jingyu led the two of them up the stairs. After climbing who knows how many flights, they finally reached the top floor of the castle.
In front was a large door. The black door was inlaid with golden threads. Ye Jingyu stepped forward and knocked, but there was no response from inside. As though blown by a gust of wind, the door slowly opened.
What lay behind the door gave Lan Ling a huge fright.
The entire castle was luxurious and refined, yet this top-floor room was completely like hell. At first glance, Lan Ling saw countless human heads, countless eyes, countless severed limbs, and organs of various colours. Smoke drifted through the air, carrying a strange and eerie smell.
Moreover, some of the severed heads belonged to humans, while others belonged to various creatures. Astonishingly, the eyes on some of the severed heads were still moving.
This was a laboratory. Behind a massive table sat an emaciated figure draped in a large black robe and wearing a pointed hat. At first glance, it looked as though there was no one inside the robe, only a wooden frame. The person was so thin that the hands protruding from the sleeves were long and sharp, like tree branches.
This must be the owner of the manor, the mysterious sorcerer.
“What is it?” The sorcerer asked. The voice was as dry as dead wood, impossible to tell whether it belonged to a man or a woman.
“Change face.” Ye Jingyu replied.
…
“To change faces, the two must have very similar appearances, with almost identical facial bones.” The sorcerer said.
“They are extremely similar.” Ye Jingyu replied, then opened the coffin.
As though carried by a gust of wind, the gaunt, ghostly sorcerer instantly appeared in front of Lan Ling. Only then did Lan Ling see the face beneath the black hood.
It was a woman, so old that her age could not be determined. Her face was so thin it was nothing but skin stretched over bone. One could tell she was a woman because her lips were painted a vivid red. Moreover, she was blind. Both eye sockets were empty hollows, like dried-up wells.
She extended a hand like a chicken claw and touched Lan Ling’s face. Instantly, every hair on his body stood on end. It truly felt as though a ghost had touched him.
She touched with extreme care, as though not missing a single millimetre. Then she moved to touch the face of Suo Lun’s corpse inside the coffin.
A quarter of an hour later, she spoke. “It can be done. One thousand gold coins.”
Lan Ling did not understand the economy of this world and had no idea whether one thousand gold coins was a lot or a little. But the younger sister, Ye Jingfeng, let out a soft exclamation.
Ye Jingyu said, “We did not bring that many gold coins. Could we do the face change first and pay the remaining amount in one month?”
“No.” The sorcerer replied.
Lan Ling said, “Then we could go back to get the money and return for the face change.”
Ye Jingyu shook her head. “There is no time.”
The sorcerer said, “Either do it now, or I will never do it again in the future.”
Ye Jingyu said, “But we truly did not bring that many gold coins.”
The sorcerer asked, “How much do you have?”
Ye Jingyu replied, “Only ninety-eight coins.”
Ninety-eight versus one thousand. The gap was far too large. Moreover, this sorcerer clearly had no intention of bargaining. For a moment, Lan Ling did not know whether to feel fortunate or disappointed for the two sisters.
Ye Jingyu said, “Is there really no other way? Changing faces is truly very important to us.”
“That has nothing to do with me. I only want money.” The mysterious sorcerer replied.
Lan Ling finally understood why her manor was so luxurious and opulent. She really was wealthy.
“There is another way.” The mysterious sorcerer suddenly said.
Ye Jingyu said joyfully, “Please tell us.”
The mysterious sorcerer pointed at the younger sister, Ye Jingfeng, and said, “I like her very much. If she stays with me for three years, I will waive the remaining nine hundred and two gold coins.”
As soon as those words were spoken, Lan Ling and Ye Jingyu almost said in unison, “No.”
After several days of interaction, Lan Ling had come to like Ye Jingfeng very much. Her martial skill was higher than her sister’s, yet she was innocent and romantic, with a timid nature. She had always followed her sister’s lead.
For Ye Jingyu, her younger sister had been inseparable from her since childhood, like conjoined twins. Although her sister’s martial skill was higher, Ye Jingyu had always been the one protecting and caring for her.
To separate them for three years would be like cutting them apart alive with a knife. Not to mention leaving her sister in this terrifying castle. She could not accept it at all. Ye Jingfeng was so innocent and timid.
“If you do not agree, then leave.” The mysterious sorcerer said coldly.
For a moment, Ye Jingyu stood frozen in place, not knowing what to do. Lan Ling was extremely unwilling.
“Fine. I agree.” Ye Jingfeng suddenly stepped forward and said firmly.
“Sister.” Ye Jingyu cried out in shock.
Ye Jingfeng said, “Sister, it was the master who raised us. The young miss treats us like her own sisters. I cannot watch the clan be destroyed like this. For the sake of continuing the clan’s foundation, what is this small sacrifice of mine?”
Ye Jingyu’s eyes turned red. She said, “Can you really do it? You have never been apart from me.”
“How will we know if we do not try?” Ye Jingfeng replied, “Sister has taken such good care of me that I am still like a child now.”
Ye Jingyu closed her eyes in pain, took a deep breath, then opened them and said, “Fine. I agree. Let my sister stay here with you for three years. You will not make her do anything terrifying, will you?”
“Of course…” The mysterious sorcerer gave a sinister chuckle, then said, “Very well. I am going to do the face now. You may leave.”
The mysterious sorcerer opened a box and took out a living creature. It was completely transparent, like a mass of water. When removed, it let out a terrified shriek. She was actually going to use this living thing to make a face?
They could only watch this much. After that, Ye Jingyu and the other two left the laboratory.
…
Only two hours later, the laboratory door slowly opened.
Lan Ling’s first glance fell on Suo Lun’s corpse. It was now completely unbearable to look at. Not only was the entire face gone, but the skin over the whole body had disappeared.
On the stand at the table lay a mask.
It was completely different from what Lan Ling had imagined. This was not a human skin mask. It was like a thin layer of semi-liquid crystal, about two to three millimetres thick. It had the outline of a human face but was entirely transparent, and it constantly flowed, as though alive.
“Lie down. Time to change face.” The sorcerer said.