Chapter 115: Chapter 107: Facial Massage, Human Skin Mask, Journey to Shuzhou

Feng Bei’s home.

Zheng Xiu stayed until late at night.

He was constantly experimenting with the effects of the [Danqing Painting Skill].

What puzzled Zheng Xiu was that, for now, the [Danqing Painting Skill] really did seem to be useful only for painting.

Zheng Xiu readjusted to the various Attributes of his Zheng Shan Incarnation and finally succeeded in using the Purgatory Dual Sabers to draw a picture in the snow—a scene of Feng Bei stroking Xiaofeng’s head.

Of course, this scene could never actually happen.

Because if Feng Bei petted the Orange Cat, the Orange Cat would drop dead on the spot.

But just drawing it wouldn’t hurt anything.

Painting, naturally, required a bit of imagination.

Zheng Xiu could even draw other things.

All in all, Zheng Xiu drew Feng Bei in the snow more than ten times.

Feng Bei was truly worthy of being the newly-crowned Treasure Queen; she and the Mighty Man who had just glimpsed the Path of the [Painter] were like a perfect match, made for each other. In just one night, his [Danqing Painting Skill] had advanced to "Expert Skill."

The [Danqing Painting Skill], even after reaching the "Expert Skill" realm, didn’t exhibit any special Miracle Technique.

His paintings of Feng Bei were faster, more lifelike, and more vivid.

But the Feng Bei in the paintings was still just a painting; she couldn’t transform into the real Feng Bei.

It was as if even at the end of the [Painter] Path, one would still just be a painter, unable to birth some kind of Extraordinary Ability.

’Just a painter?’

Zheng Xiu felt it didn’t make sense.

’There’s no way.’

Finally, while clearing away the traces of his drawings in the snow, Zheng Xiu sat at the entrance of Feng Bei’s home and stared blankly at the Chain Sabers extending from the bones of his palms.

His painting tools were two Large Curved Sabers.

Naturally, they were awkward to use.

’As a Painter, how can I not have a brush?’

’Can this Jiazi Deceitful Object transform into a paintbrush?’

Swinging the two Large Curved Sabers, Zheng Xiu watched the black flames igniting on them. Filled with feelings of unwillingness, bewilderment, and doubt, he canceled his [Divine Travel] and returned his consciousness to his Main Body.

His consciousness returning to the dungeon, Zheng Xiu couldn’t help but sneak a peek at the four people shackled to the wall.

He saw that their clothes were soaked through, but they had fallen silent and were completely still.

’Are they dead?’

At first, Zheng Xiu was startled by the four motionless young women, thinking things had gotten too intense and he’d actually done them in. It wasn’t until he looked closer and saw Pingping’s chest rising and falling, still breathing, that he relaxed and left them hanging on the wall.

「The next day.」

The sun was high in the sky. Zheng Xiu had slept soundly.

Having not dreamt of a strange and bizarre Feng Bei last night, Zheng Xiu’s spirit today was far better than the day before.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK.

Someone was pounding on the door early in the morning. Zheng Xiu rubbed his eyes and opened it to see Zheng Erniang walking in with a strange expression, carrying a large pot of soup.

"How can you be so reckless? Taking on four in one night, aren’t you afraid your body can’t handle it?"

’Taking on four women in one night?’

’My body can’t handle it?’

Zheng Erniang’s face was slightly flushed. She chided him with her words, but the sly smirk at the corner of her mouth betrayed her true thoughts.

At first, Zheng Xiu didn’t react at all. But then he curiously lifted the lid, stirred the contents a few times, and saw all sorts of expensive medicinal herbs like Deer Horn Glue, goji berries, Yangqi Stone, Snow Ginseng, and epimedium stewed with pig stomach, Deer Antler, and eggs in the golden broth. The potent medicinal aroma made Zheng Xiu break out in a cold sweat. ’I’m screwed!’ he thought.

He shoved Zheng Erniang out of the room, flipped a mechanism, and rushed straight for the dungeon. The moment he released the four panting women from their shackles, Zheng Xiu knew his reputation was ruined!

The aroma of the "Nine God Elixir for Potency" that Zheng Erniang had been brewing since early morning was so strong that the entire Zheng Family had probably smelled it!

After a chaotic scramble, it was time for breakfast.

Zizi, Bobo, Pingping, and Lily kept their heads down, silently eating pastries without a word.

Feng Bei stood with her arms crossed, her expression abnormally calm as she looked at Zheng Xiu.

Zheng Erniang ladled a full bowl of the "Nine God Elixir for Potency" for Zheng Xiu and urged him enthusiastically, "Master, have a few more bowls."

Zheng Xiu covered his face. "If I told you that last night, we just stayed in the room, talking by candlelight, knee-to-knee, until dawn... would you believe me?"

Hearing this, Feng Bei didn’t say she disbelieved him. She simply rose to her feet, gave a cool salute to Master Zheng, and said, "Feng Bei is going to find the Young Master Zheng. We have matters to discuss."

The other three "Golden Flowers" kept their heads bowed, the tips of their ears red. Only Pingping brazenly pointed at the bowl of Nine God Elixir for Potency. "Second Lady, that smells so good! Can I have a sip?"

The gluttonous Princess from the Persian clan had fallen into Master Zheng’s hands years ago precisely because of this bad habit.

"What’s the rush!" Zheng Erniang smacked Pingping’s hand away. They used to be as close as sisters, but now that the Master had ’devoured’ them all, the relationship had to change. She pulled Pingping aside to whisper, "I’m telling you girls... I know you’ve wanted to become Madam Zheng for a long time, but how could you... sigh! Young people, you can’t be so hasty!"

Pingping wanted to say, ’Let me explain,’ but then she had a second thought. ’Wait, this isn’t right... what is there for us to explain? Isn’t this a happy coincidence!’

So, Pingping feigned shyness, lowered her head with a soft whimper, and whispered a guarantee in Second Lady’s ear that she would never let the second young master of the Zheng Family go hungry in the future.

Zheng Xiu looked at the chaotic scene and knew there was no way to explain himself out of this one. It was like getting glue on your crotch with a tissue lying right next to you—if you then claimed you just accidentally spilled some milk, no one would believe you.

Helpless, he quickly took a couple of bites, told Second Lady not to overthink things, and was about to switch to his alt account to figure out how to explain things to Feng Bei. Just then, someone arrived at the door—it was the facial massage master that Zheng Erniang had arranged for that morning.

Facial massage was a rather popular trade, commonly known as "face grooming" or "face opening," but to put it bluntly, it was an ancient form of cosmetology. The old saying went "men get shaves, women get facial massages," but the facial massage masters of the Daqian Dynasty handled both, providing shaves as well as massages. Zheng Erniang had already arranged quite a few things for the morning.

The facial massage master, Xu Di, was also an old hand in the Zheng Family’s service, having worked in their facial massage shop for over a decade. He was over fifty and had been in the trade for a full thirty years. He was known as the number one facial massage master in the Imperial City—and of course, he was one of the Zheng Family’s own people.

Legend had it that his father’s generation had once given a facial massage to the previous emperor—Old Wei’s father—while he was on an incognito tour, an act glorious enough to bring honor to his ancestors.

It was obvious that Feng Bei wouldn’t be able to find Zheng Er even if she dug three feet under the entire Zheng Residence, so Zheng Xiu had no choice but to obediently accept Second Lady’s arrangements.

Getting a facial massage for Master Zheng had two implications. First, Zheng Erniang thought Zheng Xiu was finally ready to start a family and was taking four concubines—of course, Zheng Erniang never imagined any of the four "Golden Flowers" becoming Zheng Xiu’s primary wife. In Second Lady’s heart, the only one worthy of being Zheng Xiu’s primary wife was either a current princess or a foreign princess. Only someone of that level could be a proper match for the Marquis Zhonglie’s household.

Second, the Master was about to return to prison, and Master Zheng was a man of refined tastes who maintained his dignity no matter where he went.

Reclining in a chair, Zheng Xiu watched the facial massage master wield a sharp razor, precisely trimming his sideburns, beard, and facial hair. Feeling the cool blade glide across his skin and seeing Master Xu’s practiced movements, Zheng Xiu couldn’t help but ask in a low voice, "Master Xu, may I ask about your special technique?"

"Isn’t this it?" Xu Di’s eyes crinkled into crow’s feet as he chuckled, revealing a row of large, tobacco-stained yellow teeth.

"We’re both insiders!" Zheng Xiu winked at Xu Di. "If you don’t want to talk about it, then never mind. My apologies for being forward, Master Xu!"

"Not at all! You’re too kind, Master! Old Xu’s little parlor trick is nothing worth mentioning! Watch closely!" Xu Di clearly had no intention of hiding his skill. His razor flashed faintly. Zheng Xiu’s vision blurred, and he felt a coolness on his face, as if something had been scraped off.

When he looked again, Xu Di was holding a Human Skin Mask, as thin as a cicada’s wing!

"This is..." Zheng Xiu touched his own face. It was smooth and delicate, even more so than before. It didn’t feel like a layer of skin had been scraped off.

"A Human Skin Mask, but it only lasts for an hour." In front of the Master, Xu Di rubbed the Human Skin Mask into dust, showing that he wouldn’t be keeping the Master’s mask. This was to put the Master at ease and prevent any misunderstanding.

Silently marveling at the mysterious Miracle Technique of the [Facial Massage] Path, the facial massage process came to an end.

Zheng Xiu looked in the mirror. The facial massage technique was ridiculously good—he couldn’t even see his pores.

Having completed the facial ’spa treatment’ as if it were a quest, Zheng Xiu couldn’t be bothered with the chirping laughter and teasing coming from the dining hall. Rushing in to explain now would only make things worse. Helpless, Zheng Xiu entered the dungeon, switched to his Evil Child alt, and began searching the entire Zheng Residence for Feng Bei.

Feng Bei was currently sitting alone by the lotus pond. The winter lotuses had long since withered. Feng Bei sat in silence, tossing pebbles into the water, creating circles of ripples.

"You’re here."

Seeing the boy, Feng Bei stood up and asked, "Where’s your father?"

"Ahem, I was just passing by. My cousin, Zheng Xiu, he said that what happened last night was truly a huge misunderstanding." Zheng Xiu himself knew the topic change was incredibly awkward, but he forced himself to say it.

’Wait, why am I acting so guilty in front of Feng Bei?’

But Feng Bei just shook her head. "It has nothing to do with me." She gave the boy another strange look. "And what does it have to do... with you?"

"The Zheng Clan’s character has always been pure! How can we allow it to be misunderstood!" Zheng Xiu said with a pained heart.

Feng Bei shook her head again and smiled. "Never mind." She seemed completely uninterested in Zheng Xiu himself. Her two words, "Never mind," ended the topic. Instead, she asked with a smile, "Where’s your father? I mean... Senior Zheng Shan."

Seeing that Feng Bei didn’t want to bring him up, Zheng Xiu felt torn. On one hand, he was relieved; on the other, he felt a faint sense of disappointment.

He was relieved that Feng Bei was no longer connecting his two alts to Zheng Xiu.

But he was disappointed because it seemed that in Feng Bei’s eyes, Tycoon Zheng’s reputation had been severely damaged.

’Tragic.’

After arranging with Feng Bei for his alt, [Zheng Shan], to meet her downstairs from her home... no, beside the main road at the foot of the mountain, Feng Bei said her goodbyes to the members of the Zheng Family and left the residence in the blink of an eye.

Yue Yan and Dou Xie were already waiting at Ye Weiyang’s private Post Station, their bags and the Black Box packed, a Raven perched on their shoulders.

What Yue Yan and Dou Xie couldn’t understand was that this time, Feng Bei had requested a carriage. Dou Xie would drive it, while Yue Yan rode one horse and led another. Including the horse pulling the carriage, they left the Imperial City with a total of three fast horses.

Their next destination—Shuzhou.