Having paid respects to the Immortal Emperor and received the imperial decree, Li Fan's tribute mission was considered complete. Unfortunately, there were no dramatic episodes like receiving a token of royal favor, the only minor incident being a brushing past the portrait of the deity.
Oh yes, this mask was also a magical artifact. In the secret vaults of the Ziwei Enclosure, its spirit-inhibiting conditions prevented it from functioning, but once smuggly taken out of the palace, Li Fan noticed the mask gradually absorbing Taoist essence and activating. The deity's face on the mask shifted from a pallid dryness to a glossy and vibrant rosy hue, looking almost lifelike. Moreover, a peculiar, eerie fragrance began to emit from the skin.
It was somewhat like agarwood, yet also somewhat like musk, but it seemed not to be made through the infusion of spices or perfumes. Could it be that the deity also had a body fragrance…?
