Fairy, Don't Be Afraid, I Am Blind

But she clearly never felt anything wrong with wearing a mask before; instead, it made her feel safe, always separated from others by a layer of disguise.

What caused her thoughts to change?

Watching her fellow disciple offer pastries she can’t bring herself to eat; seeing the rouge and powder he gifts that she cannot use; watching fellow disciples kiss secretly, something she can never do...

Seeing the darkened eyes of her fellow disciple, she couldn’t help but worry. If he could see one day, would he wish to know the face beneath her mask?

"Why do you help me?"

This girl, always without desires, for the first time, bears such intense longing, hesitating in the face of it.

"The Pure Heart cannot deceive; I speak only truth from my heart."

The Venerable Qianhua slightly bowing, showing enough respect:

"First, of course, is to see Fairy Wangshu’s beauty reach its pinnacle, which is the most simple wish of a tailor who makes beautiful clothes for women; secondly, is hope that Fairy Wangshu can collaborate with my Qianhua Pavilion. Because of your fellow disciple’s antics, Qianhua Pavilion’s reputation hasn’t been great lately, but if Fairy Wangshu removes her mask, she could turn things around, even securing the land."

"What about Bihua Pavilion then..."

"Let’s speak plainly, I can stop making stockings, leaving that business to them forever, but they must stay in line; that’s my limit of concession."

"But I can’t..."

Wangshu is facing the greatest temptation of her life. Though she doesn’t inherently hate evil, her education tells her those creatures are enemies of all life in the Five Continents.

"Fairy Wangshu need not worry, the evil of the Thousand-Faced Spot is faint, even the Exorcism Order can’t detect it once covered... With just eyes alone, it can’t be seen as an evil, no one will discover it..."

As the Venerable Qianhua continued his tempting words, Wangshu felt she could almost hear the mask on her face shattering. This mask was her guard against the world, now beginning to crack.

"Can it really... succeed?"

"Fairy Wangshu, please trust my skill; I can shape any face you desire. Imagine the moment you take off your mask, everyone will be dazzled by your face, women envious, men enamored—what a glorious sight it will be!"

The Venerable Qianhua continued his grand speech while observing the young girl’s eyes, unable to hide emotions.

She could see clearly, the girl didn’t seem interested in the picture she painted.

Suddenly, she understood something. As the Pavilion Master of Qianhua Pavilion, she was adept at stirring customers’ emotions, she shifted her words:

"But those are mere roles, a woman wears colorful clothes not only for the world but for the one in her heart. With one word of affirmation from that one, the world’s praise means nothing. When he sees the beauty beneath your mask, he will be so shocked, so in love with you!"

Wangshu looked naively upward, into the greedy eyes of the Venerable Qianhua.

She knew his words carried ulterior motives, yet she felt unable to refuse, her hand already resting on the edge of the Jade Rabbit Mask.

"Do not blame yourself, do not fear. You’re not using the Thousand-Faced Spot to harm anyone; you simply don’t kill it... You just want a face! You haven’t harmed anyone! What fault is there?"

"No one can criticize or stop you! None of them have the right!"

Golden glasses reflected a strange light in the Venerable Qianhua’s eyes, finally prying open the defenses of this innocent girl’s heart.

But in the next moment, that strange light turned to shock, a shock that pierced the soul—because Wangshu had removed her mask.

Underneath wasn’t the ugly or disfigured face the Venerable Qianhua imagined, but... no face at all.

It was a shapeless chaos, with two blue eyes floating like stars in the hollow chaos.

This is not a "human" face!

The shock in the Venerable Qianhua’s eyes transformed instantly into greater excitement; they uncovered an incredible secret!!

"I will give you... a perfect face!"

The Venerable Qianhua excitedly and confidently spoke to himself.

Wangshu recalled the expression when he said this, distinctly sensing a deep malice from his heart.

Since childhood, her master taught her to keep a respectful distance from those with malice, a lesson she always adhered to.

Why, this time, did she choose to ignore this malice?

Perhaps because from the moment she removed the mask, return was no longer an option; and perhaps she didn’t wish to return, just to obtain this face.

"Fairy Wangshu, the Pavilion Master and the artists are ready."

The maid whispered outside the door.

The maid seemed somewhat excited; as a cultivator from Zhongyuan Continent, who hasn’t heard of Fairy Wangshu’s fame?

Everyone covets the true face beneath her mask, and she is willing to remove it for Qianhua Pavilion.

What the Pavilion Master did... no one knows...

But it doesn’t matter; she only knows she’ll be among the first to witness Fairy Wangshu’s true form—a moment worthy of anticipation!

Once the portrait is completed, the face described by the Pavilion Master as "astonishing" will be forever tied to Qianhua Pavilion!

This maid of decent appearance suddenly felt a sense of shared honor, as if that face would grow upon her own.