After resting on the stone for over ten minutes and regaining his strength, Qi Xiu got up and walked over to the bodies of the two bizarre Daoists.
He looted the corpses. Commonly known as picking up gear.
Looking at the Daoists' bodies, covered with densely-packed, pus-oozing holes, Qi Xiu grimaced, his stomach churning.
In case anything lingered on the corpses of these two, Qi Xiu picked up the skin-peeling knife and used the blade to rummage through their bodies.
Tsk, poorer than me.
Finding nothing on the two bodies, Qi Xiu turned his attention to the bamboo basket and satchel that the Daoists had carried on their backs.
The bamboo basket was woven from slender and flexible bamboo strips, wrapped around with a piece of cloth to prevent anything from slipping out through the cracks.
What are these things?
After prying open the lid of the bamboo basket, Qi Xiu picked out a few odd items with a puzzled face.
A lump resembling cow dung, which smelled even more like cow dung.
Two bloodstained twines, interwoven with some kind of black hair.
Three porcelain bottles capped with red cloths, and two bellybands embroidered with peonies.
Looking at the items from the bamboo basket and then at the bodies of the Daoists, Qi Xiu had a complex expression. After a long moment, he clicked his tongue. "They were into some wild stuff."
Throwing away the cow dung and bellybands, Qi Xiu curiously picked up the three porcelain bottles.
Not knowing what was inside, he didn't rashly open them.
He shook them next to his ear, and they made a rustling sound, probably some kind of pills.
I'll just keep them for now.
He put the porcelain bottles and the twine back into the bamboo basket and picked up the satchel that the Red Birthmark Taoist had been carrying.
Two scriptures and a box of palm-sized dark green incense sticks.
Flipping through one of the scriptures, Qi Xiu glanced over it, and his expression suddenly became stunned. He turned and spat towards the corpse of the Red Birthmark Taoist. "PTUI! Stinky Taoist, have some decency, carrying around a pornographic book!"
Tucking away the unwholesome book, Qi Xiu then opened the second one.
"The Art of Refining Magical Instruments III: Hundred Faces"
"Hmm?"
His interest piqued, Qi Xiu narrowed his eyes.
The scripture wasn't very long, totaling just fifteen pages.
But the recorded scripture throughout emanated a strong sense of eeriness.
Each character looked normal at first glance.
However, when these characters were strung together, they seemed to suddenly come to life, wriggling and rolling on the pages, squirming around like tadpoles.
At this moment, Qi Xiu suddenly felt an itch on his face. Touching his chin, he found his skin had unexpectedly cracked open.
The skin on his entire face felt as though it was about to peel off.
There's something about this book!
With a solemn expression, Qi Xiu quickly bit his finger, using his blood as ink to inscribe a "Suppress" Character on his forehead.
As soon as the "Suppress" Character was completed, the unbearable itching and pain on his face disappeared, and the peeling, cracked skin sealed back together.
He really is an Evil Daoist; even the scriptures he carries are imbued with strangeness.
Using his finger as a brush, Qi Xiu snorted coldly and wrote three "Suppress" Characters on the cover of the book of refining magical instruments.
The "Suppress" Characters shimmered with golden light.
The scripture suddenly curled and shrank as if it were being scorched over a fire.
Threads of dark red fine strands emerged, twisting into ash as they burned away.
The maggot-like threads were suppressed, and the scripture returned to normal.
No longer invaded by that eerie influence, the contents of the book could be read properly.
After carefully reviewing the content of the entire book, Qi Xiu rolled it up and turned to look at the pure white face mask lying on the ground.
The content of the entire scripture was quite specific. It basically described how to control and refine the Magic Artifact named "Hundred Faces Mask."
This Magic Artifact was tricky to refine.
Each use required feeding it blood and flesh, combined with the spells inscribed on the mask, to suppress its ferocity.
Without proper refinement, using it would contaminate the spirit with its malevolence, turning the wearer into a puppet of the mask, forever unable to find peace.
Furthermore, it was necessary to pay constant attention to the state of the mask with each use.
If there were signs of the mask's malevolent nature reviving, it must be immediately removed.
Otherwise, one would be eroded and controlled just the same.
Feed it blood and flesh? I barely get to eat meat myself, and I'm supposed to feed this thing? Rolling his eyes, Qi Xiu got up and picked up the Hundred Faces Mask.
The ancient, mottled mask resembled tanned leather.
Its surface was uneven, mimicking the contours of a human face.
The edges were inscribed with a line of extremely small, fly-head-sized bizarre runes, which must be the spell that suppressed the mask.
According to the refining method described in the text, this Hundred Faces Mask possessed two abilities.
The first was as the Red Birthmark Taoist had used it before: sacrificing blood and flesh to transform oneself into a green-faced Evil Ghost using the mask.
The scripture recorded that a hundred demons and Fierce Ghosts were sealed within the Hundred Faces Mask.
However, releasing each one came at a great cost.
So far, only the green-faced Evil Ghost had been unleashed.
Upon reading this, Qi Xiu couldn't help but snort derisively. "If this Magic Artifact were really that powerful, that Daoist wouldn't have been beaten into such a pathetic state by me."
He seriously suspected this claim was just the scripture's author boasting.
But what truly interested Qi Xiu was the mask's second ability.
This Hundred Faces Mask could modify the wearer's voice, appearance, and physical characteristics, essentially imparting the skill of face-changing.
Turning the Hundred Faces Mask over in his hands, a glint of fascination sparkled in Qi Xiu's eyes.
He currently had many enemies, with knives practically at his back. There was Qian Yuchuan, who bore a grudge as if to the death, yet whose mind hadn't quite caught up with the situation. The mysterious Wu, master of the Jade Buddha. And now, these two Evil Daoists who had clearly come with some sort of mission.
Hiding out in Lu Family Village isn't a long-term solution. I have no idea how tight-lipped Qian Yuhan can be.
Plus, the amount of supplies I've had the villagers buy on my behalf isn't small. Anyone intent on finding me would only need to pay a little attention to notice something amiss. They could trace it back to me.
If I can master and control this mask, I can change my appearance and return to Baoho County. Then, I'll make it look as if someone is living in Qian Yuhan's secret residence.
Heh, the darkest place is under the candlestick. A double layer of security like this is the only way to be truly safe.
With a pleased smile, Qi Xiu, who was now well-versed in the art of... no, the way of prudence and endurance, felt refreshed.
Not having to hide in the Deep Mountain Forest is indeed a great feeling!
Having planned everything, Qi Xiu turned to deal with the bodies of the two Evil Daoists.
Mastering and controlling the Hundred Faces Mask would take some time.
Before that, he had to continue his cultivation practice in this place.
Although the cold weather prevented the bodies from decaying quickly, these Evil Daoists had fed insects with their own bodies; who knew if their corpses harbored any peculiarities.
Pushing the tattered corpses of the two Evil Daoists together, Qi Xiu set them ablaze.
The orange glow of the fire reflected on his cheeks.
As ashes whirled around him, his eyes gradually became peaceful.
...
「Qingtan Mountain, Yuhua Temple.」
The ethereal Wu, with a smile, brought Qian Yuzhe before a pill furnace about a zhang high. Gently shaking his horsetail whisk, he said, "Young Master Qian, please look. This furnace contains the Rejuvenation Medicine. In ten more days, we can open the Pill Furnace. If Mr. Qian takes this medicine, he will be fully recovered."
"If you, Daoist, can cure my father, Yu Ze will never forget this great kindness and will repay it like a continuously flowing spring." With eyes full of intense anticipation, Qian Yuzhe clenched his fists as he stared at the brightly lit Pill Furnace before him.
"Saving lives with compassion is the duty of those who have renounced the mundane world. Young Master Qian..."
He was interrupted mid-sentence as a secret, minuscule insect, entirely bright red, flew in from outside and burrowed into Wu's ear.
"Damn it!"
"Ah? Should I die?" Qian Yuzhe looked bewildered.
With his complexion suddenly turning ashen, Wu's eyes darted around as he struggled to compose himself before finally saying, "I have important business to attend to and must excuse myself."
Hurriedly dropping those words, Wu left, leaving a thoroughly confused Qian Yuzhe standing there, full of unanswered questions.