My Arts Evolve When Perfected

"His name is Bai Mo. He’s been like this since he was born from the Yin Yang Summoned Life. It’s nothing serious, and he can already speak. He might be a bit smarter than the average person..."

Bell Fish introduced Jiang Qiu to her other disciples. At the same time, she pointed out and introduced a few particularly talented and eager disciples to Jiang Qiu.

After the introductions, word quickly spread that a new disciple named Bai Mo had been brought back by his master, Bell Fish, from the Yin Yang Summoned Life.

Unbeknownst to Jiang Qiu, he was already being called the "handsome young man."

"Elder Bell Fish, why is everyone wearing a mask?"

On the way to his private residence, Jiang Qiu looked away from the others and asked again, his curiosity piqued.

He couldn’t see anything special about the masks. After all, he could see through anyone’s Cultivation with a single glance—at least, that was true for everyone he’d met so far. This meant the masks didn’t serve to hide one’s level of Cultivation.

But since everyone he had seen wore one, it would be very strange if they served no unique purpose at all.

"The masks?" Bell Fish’s delicate, pink nails tapped against her own. TAP TAP. "Everyone wears one after coming of age. They not only conceal one’s true appearance but also shield one’s thoughts. As long as you’re wearing one, it’s very difficult for others to pry into your mind."

"When facing enemies, they can defend against certain special Secret Techniques, and sometimes even intimidate Cultivators from the Exotic Realms.

When people can’t guess what’s hidden beneath the mask, they become wary."

"Then do I have to wear one, too?"

Jiang Qiu frowned, still not quite understanding the need for them.

"Of course. If you want your Cultivation of my techniques to go smoothly, then today you must choose a mask you like, put it on, and never take it off again," Bell Fish explained patiently, her voice warm and approachable. "In fact, many start wearing them as infants. Even if you walk through Sunset City, you won’t see a single person’s face."

"Hmm..."

An image of a city full of masked people walking the streets flashed through his mind. Jiang Qiu nodded, the corner of his mouth twitching.

The two of them continued to talk, with him asking questions and her answering, covering many topics.

CREAK—

As the gates to a palace swung open, a cool, gloomy energy washed out, like stepping into an icehouse. Jiang Qiu narrowed his eyes and looked up. A wide path led to a silent, still pool of water.

"This is my Cultivation ground, Liyu Palace. You’ll be living here from now on, and you will also pursue your Cultivation with me here. If you need to contact me for any reason, you can call for me with your thoughts."

As she spoke, Bell Fish extended her slender right index finger and gently touched the center of Jiang Qiu’s forehead. A strand of purplish-black light seemed to follow her thought, flowing into his mind.

It was as if a strand of Spider Silk had been drawn out, connecting to Jiang Qiu’s consciousness. If he willed it, he could directly transmit information to her.

"This is called the Yin Net. I have just taught you how to use it. In the future, if you meet someone you wish to connect with, you can link them to the Yin Net after getting their permission."

This time, the voice didn’t come from Bell Fish’s mask but popped directly into Jiang Qiu’s mind, seemingly accompanied by a little humming tune.

’It was a bit like a voice call on Blue Star.’

’In reality, the Yin Net’s functions were quite extensive. It seemed to have a video-call feature, allowing one to share their field of view, as well as functions for adding notes to contacts and creating group-like communication channels.’

’You could even directly apply to join the Hundred Ghosts Sect "group chat." The Yin Net contacts for all the Elders were there too, though it was generally best not to disturb them.’

’Yep. It felt like a social media app from Blue Star connected directly to his brain.’

"Alright, let’s go choose a mask now."

As soon as she finished speaking, Bell Fish led Jiang Qiu deeper into the palace. As they passed the pool, Jiang Qiu glanced into the water. There was no reflection, only a layer of gloomy energy swirling within.

The palace was quite spacious, and a few masked servants were cleaning inside. When they reached the mask storeroom, a handmaiden named Snow was there to guide them inside.

The handmaiden wasn’t tall, looking to be about ten years old. Her head barely reached his chest. She walked with a prim and proper gait, but her voice was somewhat deep.

He glanced at her, and his gaze lingered. He thought he sensed a familiar aura, but it also seemed different, a far cry from the figure he remembered.

"Can you take off your mask?"

The moment the words left his mouth, Bell Fish stopped in her tracks and turned back. The handmaiden also turned to face him, her pure gaze meeting his through the eyeholes of her green mask with its white flower design.

After a brief silence, the handmaiden looked to Bell Fish, the eyeholes of her mask glinting with a clear light. "Master, I... should I take off my mask?"

Jiang Qiu was stunned. ’It’s just taking off a mask,’ he thought, ’not some heinous crime. Does she really need to ask for permission for that?’

"There’s no need," Bell Fish said, placing a comforting hand on the handmaiden’s shoulder. She sighed softly and looked at Jiang Qiu, her gaze growing distant. "Bai Mo, in the future, do not casually ask others to remove their masks. Once a mask is put on, it cannot be removed. Otherwise, your true form will be revealed, and your life will be shortened."

"Shorten my life?"

Jiang Qiu’s frown deepened. He had a growing sense that this world operated under some special Laws... or perhaps, that it was fundamentally flawed.

’How could not wearing a mask shorten your life?’

"Yes. Every life created by Yin Yang has an incomplete true form, which is why we are born in the Yin Realm. This incompleteness causes our lifespan to ebb away at an accelerated rate. Only by wearing a mask to deceive the Celestial Secret can we maintain a normal lifespan.

This is also why all of us Cultivators wish to enter the Yang Realm. It is said that if we can get to the Yang Realm, we can complete our true forms and inherit Yin Yang’s infinite lifespan.

So, you see, you must never again tell someone to take off their mask. For them, to remove the mask is tantamount to a death sentence.

To demand that someone remove their mask is the same as a declaration of war."

Having explained all this in a grave tone, Bell Fish led Jiang Qiu and the handmaiden deeper into the mask storeroom.

"To remove a mask is to declare war, because it’s the key to deceiving the Celestial Secret and preserving one’s life... But if it’s just a mask, a powerful person could easily tear it off, couldn’t they?"

Jiang Qiu asked another question.

’A mask is worn close to the skin, but it shouldn’t be that hard to bypass in a fight. A single swipe from a claw could shatter it along with the face beneath.’

’If removing the mask means death, how exactly is it attached to the flesh?’

’Or is there some special technique that keeps it safe?’

"It’s not that easy," Bell Fish chuckled. "Feel for yourself."

She bent down, took Jiang Qiu’s right hand, and slowly pressed it against her own mask. His fingers sank in slightly, as if he were touching a real face. It felt cool to the touch, yet it seemed as if only a single layer of skin separated his hand from the warm blood flowing just beneath.

In that instant, Jiang Qiu’s pupils locked.

’The mask *is* the face?!’