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"Xie Xuan accidentally entered the mountains. If this matter comes to light, it is indeed Jin Se who has sown the seeds, so she must taste the bitter fruit herself!"
"Is it me?" Jin Se asked softly, lowering her head. "I don't understand what the Daoist means! I have never met Young Master Xie and did not intentionally lead him into the mountains. If I had known what would happen later, I would have driven him away."
"Miss Jin Se has misunderstood; Poor Daoist did not say that you led him into the mountains," Mo Must Have said, lowering his gaze. "Do you still remember what you were doing when Xie Xuan accidentally entered the mountains that day?"
"Me?" Jin Se shook her head.
"You were practicing the Mountain Spirit Technique!" Mo Must Have explained. "The reason why the Mountain Spirit is referred to as the Mountain Deity by the Mountain Dwellers is not only because they reside in the mountains and their physical characteristics differ from humans, but also because they can summon clouds and rain when casting spells."
"So you mean that while I was practicing my technique, the clouds and rain caused Young Master Xie to lose his way?" Jin Se suddenly understood. "Yes, that's right! When Young Master Xie came to my home, he was indeed drenched all over. He must have encountered heavy rain on his way home and lost his sight, which is why he wandered into the mountains. So it was my fault after all!"
Jin Se began to cry softly, covering her eyes, but because her eyes had been gouged out by the Oni Beast, two streams of blood tears flowed down instead. Xing Ruyi couldn't bear to watch and returned to the fox's side, poking it with her hand and asking, "Can you put Jin Se's eyeballs back? I feel sad seeing her like this."
The fox nodded, picked up two eyeballs from a plate, walked over to Jin Se, and gently placed them back into her eye sockets. However, since the eyeballs had been out for a long time, they were not as functional as before; she could see things but everything appeared somewhat blurry.
Fortunately, Jin Se had half of the Mountain Spirit bloodline. For her, not being able to see was not a big deal; as long as she diligently practiced her techniques, everything in the mountains could become her eyes and ears.
"Thank you, Young Master Yin. But having these eyes or not makes little difference," Jin Se expressed her gratitude, yet her face was filled with sorrow. "Even with eyes, I am still blind and cannot discern the truth. In fact, without these eyes, my heart remains a bit clearer."
"The human heart is difficult to gauge; it has always been this way. Miss Jin Se was born and raised in the mountains and is not accustomed to seeing through people's hearts like common folk. Being deceived for a moment is nothing to blame yourself for. Moreover, this matter was originally orchestrated by someone else; why should you take all the blame upon yourself?" Xing Ruyi comforted Jin Se while glaring fiercely at Mo Must Have.
Mo Must Have was taken aback for a moment before shaking his head and smiling.
"Xie Xuan was originally on his way home but happened to pass through that mountain forest and encountered Jin Se practicing her techniques due to the heavy rain, which led him astray. Later, he was discovered by Jin Yu and invited back to their home. Although Xie Xuan comes from a wealthy family and does not place much importance on women, he unexpectedly felt pity for Jin Se upon seeing her. Thus, he not only carried the aura of a Mountain Spirit but also some romantic entanglements.
I had some complicated feelings towards the Xie family; that day I happened to be invited as a guest at their home. When I saw Xie Xuan's red luck star moving yet entangled with Mountain Spirit energy, I knew he had encountered some issues along the way. After some inquiry, I learned that he had met Jin Se and her brother Jin Yu, which led to subsequent events.
The construction site at the bottom of the mountain has long been abandoned by me; however, the new location is not very suitable for a Fox Demon and requires extremely fierce objects for suppression. Among the four ancient fierce beasts still remaining in this world today is only the Oni Beast, making it my top choice.
It is well-known that Oni Beasts love to eat; however, few know where these gluttonous creatures hide. I am well aware that this mountain forest is extraordinary; coupled with the changes caused by my underground construction work and the presence of Jin Se and her brother, it becomes an interesting place for the Oni Beast."
"Your ultimate goal is the Oni Beast!" Xing Ruyi concluded. "So, whether it's Xie Xuan or Jin Se and her brother, they are merely tools you have used."
"While that may be true, one cannot speak of it that way. Those who achieve great things must make sacrifices. Besides, isn't the current outcome exactly what everyone wanted before? I promised the Xie family to help Xie Xuan sever his romantic ties with the Mountain Spirit, and I have done so. If Xie Xuan still has feelings for Miss Jin Se now, after this incident, she probably won't have any good feelings for him anymore. Xie Xuan once asked me to assist Jin Yu in ending his painful life and returning to where he belongs, and I have accomplished that as well. Although the process wasn't very pleasant, at least the ending is perfect. As for Miss Jin Se, she is a descendant of the Mountain Spirit, possessing half of its bloodline, which prevents her from living like a normal human. Now that her Mountain Spirit heart has been taken by the Oni Beast, she can gradually return to being a normal girl in the future. Isn't that the best outcome?"
Mo Must Have pointed at Jin Se, and they saw her black-green complexion gradually fading away, her skin becoming fairer. Aside from her eyes, she looked almost like any other girl. Of course, Jin Se was more beautiful than most.
"Jin Se, you've changed!" Xing Ruyi exclaimed excitedly.
"Have I changed?" Jin Se looked at her hands; they indeed didn't look as dark as before.
"You've changed! You've really changed! And you look so beautiful!" Xing Ruyi said as she quickly pulled out a mirror from her pocket and handed it to Jin Se. "Quick, take a look at how you look now; you're simply the most beautiful woman in the Golden Tang Dynasty!"
The mirror in Xing Ruyi's hand was the one Mo Must Have had gifted earlier at the armory. As for what was special about this mirror, Xing Ruyi still hadn't discovered it; it was indeed lightweight and portable, which was why she kept it with her.
Having gotten used to mirrors from later generations, this was the only one from the Golden Tang Dynasty that she could adapt to. It reflected clearly and even made common people look better, having some beautifying effect.
Jin Se did not take the mirror but instead glanced into it. Just one look made her cover her face with her hands.
"My face—"
"It's turned white! And it's whiter and more beautiful than mine!" Xing Ruyi exclaimed, turning around with a pout towards the fox. "What should I do? I've discovered another beauty who is even more beautiful than me!"
"And then? Are you going to marry her?" The fox crossed its arms and raised an eyebrow at Xing Ruyi. "It's a pity you're a woman yourself!"
"Though I can't marry her, you can!" Xing Ruyi said with a smile in her eyes. "How about I bring Jin Se back to Rouge shop to be your wife? After all, none of the men down here compare to you!"
"No way!" The fox replied simply and clearly.
"Why not? A beauty like Jin Se is hard to find. Are you really not tempted?"
The fox glanced at Jinse and said, "She is beautiful, but she is not as good-looking as I am! Besides, the only one I have my eye on is you, Wife!"
The Nine-Tailed Fox Clan is known for their beauty, and in this regard, the fox indeed has the confidence to be proud. But what does the latter part of his statement mean? Could it be that beauty is in the eye of the beholder?
Xing Ruyi poked at him and asked, "Do you think I’m prettier than Jinse?"
The fox shook his head.
"Hey! Stinky Fox, what do you mean by that?" Xing Ruyi instantly transformed into a furious figure, hands on her hips, cheeks puffed out as she angrily questioned him.
"The fact is, you are not as pretty as Jinse. Jinse has half of the Mountain Spirit bloodline. While the Mountain Spirit may not compare to the Nine-Tailed Fox Clan in beauty, their women are still among the best. You are a mortal; your looks are just above average among mortals—not stunning enough to compare with Jinse, who possesses the Mountain Spirit bloodline."
With each word from the fox, Xing Ruyi's anger grew. She felt frustrated, thinking that everything he said was just criticizing her. Just as she was about to storm off and declare that she would kick him out publicly, she heard the fox say, "While it’s true that you’re not as beautiful as Jinse, I have never liked you for your looks."
"What is it then?" Xing Ruyi asked curiously, her anger dissipating by half.
The fox blinked: "Mortal men often favor beauty; even if they don’t like it, they will be attracted to it because beautiful people are rare in the mortal realm. Especially those who are stunning—either hidden in royal courts or highborn families, or perhaps concealed in remote mountains. But I am different from Qingqiu; being a member of the Nine-Tailed Fox Clan, I have seen enough beauty to grow tired of it. If I only liked faces, I might as well stare at myself in a mirror all day. Fox Demon, remember this: I like you simply because you are you! You don’t need to compare yourself with anyone else; no one can compare with you!"
"What should I do? Fox, I feel so touched!" Xing Ruyi sniffled and directly leaped into the fox's embrace, completely disregarding the gazes of those around them.
Moxuyou shook his head; Jinse turned her face away with a slight blush; Oni Beast looked outside as if searching for the Python he had just kicked away.
The previously tense atmosphere lightened due to Jinse's change in complexion and the display of affection between Xing Ruyi and the fox. With her cheeks flushed and eyes sparkling like stars, Xing Ruyi nestled in the fox's arms for a moment before poking her head out and saying to Oni Beast, "Just now Moxuyou wanted to catch you. As one of the ancient four great beasts, what does Mr. Oni Beast think about that?"
"Just him?" Oni Beast snorted coldly, glancing at Moxuyou from the corner of his eye. "I’m right here; let’s see how you plan to catch me."
"Catching? When did I ever boast like that? I vaguely remember that my new chosen place needs someone extremely fierce to suppress it, and Brother Oni Beast is my top choice."
"Isn't that just catching me?" Xing Ruyi chimed in to fan the flames at just the right moment.
"Not capture, but invitation!" Mo Must Have smiled, and when facing the Oni Beast, his attitude became exceedingly respectful. "In this world, not everything can be resolved through force. In my place, all I need is for Brother Oni Beast to stay for three to fifty years, which would be but a blink of an eye for you. In return, I will treat Brother Oni Beast to the finest delicacies in the world. This is both a transaction and a business deal; since Brother Oni Beast is opening an Inn here, it counts as a business venture as well. Whether it's worth it, you will surely measure in your heart. That said, with my current Daoist practice, if Brother Oni Beast is unwilling, I have no other options."
The Oni Beast let out a slight hum, indicating his acknowledgment of Mo Must Have's words.
At that moment, Xing Ruyi suddenly thought of the Human Skin and asked, "Where did the map on the Mountain Dweller come from? Was it not drawn by you, Mo Must Have?"
"Do I have such a necessity? That construction was built by my people; no one knows the underground structure better than I do. What use do I have for that map? Am I going to treasure hunt in the future?" Mo Must Have raised his eyes. "If I'm not mistaken, that map was likely drawn by those workers who built it. Fearing that I would discover it, they separated the drawings and passed them down through generations. Those Mountain Dwellers are mostly descendants of those workers. They just didn't realize that the construction was only half-finished and then abandoned; there are neither imperial tombs nor treasures within—at most, it's just a maze for children to play in."
After finishing his explanation, Mo Must Have glanced at Xing Ruyi again and added, "Since ancient times, human hearts are hard to fathom; the hearts of mortals are even more difficult to understand. Those workers measured me with their hearts, thinking I would kill them after achieving my goals. They never expected that I not only spared their lives but also settled their wages and sent them home."
"Are you not afraid that those workers will reveal your secrets?" Xing Ruyi pressed.
"If they reveal it, who would believe them? Even if someone believes them, can they find it? Even if they could find it, with this map, they wouldn't be able to escape!" Mo Must Have waved his hand; the Human Skin Maps rose and fell in layers before ultimately turning into countless fragments. "If my construction were as simple as it appears on the surface, I wouldn't have survived until now!"
"Mo Must Have, who exactly are you?"
"Ruyi seems quite obsessed with this question. However, who I am is not important; what matters is that I have never intended to harm you or this young gentleman beside you. To be honest with you all, I have some connections with Qingqiu; otherwise, how could I have obtained that Blazing Grass? There’s no need for you to ask further; I won’t say more. When the time comes and fate arrives, everything will naturally be revealed."
"Then can you tell me how old you are? Are you still human?"
"If I were to ask you back at this moment—are you still human? How would you answer? You are human yet not human; not human yet human. Peng Zu lived for eight hundred years; compared to him, I still have room for improvement!"
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