Zhou Zishu shook his head and murmured, “I was just saying that this miss has a beautiful character; even if your looks are ordinary, your beautiful qualities are difficult to hide. Why be obsessed with physical beauty, and end up with something inferior? I had a friend who once said that a person’s looks are casted by heaven--one looks exactly like how she should, and once there’s any slight change to them, others can spot it, and that gives her away. From what I see, this miss’ techniques are considerably skilled, yet, how do you not know of these doctrines?”

The beautiful woman’s expression turned frosty. “Was your intent in following me to humiliate me?”

Zhou Zishu shook his head, and said gently. “This humble one did not have that intention.” --Outsiders to the craft of disguise could not discern anything off the mark, but craftsmen of the trade knew plenty of tricks. Zhou Zishu was used to observing people; one look, and he could tell that although this woman was elegant and graceful, she was no longer young. But her face and neck, and even the colour of her hands, were extremely natural, so natural that they seemed real without the slightest flaw. Of the techniques in the world, the only one that could achieve this sort of standard...was the unparalleled, signature set of skills only imparted by the Four Seasons Manor in the past--although it was unknown where she had learnt it from.

The beautiful woman chuckled coldly, and said, “Sure, I’ll let you know, then.”

She took out a silk handkerchief and a small bottle of ointment from her robes, poured the liquid onto the handkerchief, and started rubbing at her face. That face as beautiful as a picture flaked off bit by bit with her actions, her skin fading in colour, her features changing in shape. From the left side of her face, she peeled off a human skin mask as thin as a cricket’s wing, exactly like the painted skin[13] of the myths.

Zhou Zishu held his breath. This woman originally was not ugly; although she wasn’t as earth-shattering a beauty like she had painted herself to be, she could definitely be considered a beautiful woman--if it weren’t for the lumpy, sinister burn scar across the left side of her face.

In that moment, he knew who this woman was, and the words leapt out of his mouth. “You are...Green Vixen Liu Qianqiao?”

Green Vixen Liu Qianqiao was nothing pleasant; rumour had it that she had a thousand painted skins, and was well-versed in the art of beguilement. She loved to transform herself into a beauty to seduce young men, absorbing their spiritual essence[14] until they died. She had been the cause of countless cases, but her repertoire of disguises was too diverse for anyone to arrest her.

Liu Qianqiao chuckled coldly. “Now, you understand why I must have the Lapis Armour, don’t you?”