C503 Changing His Appearance

On the deck of the Sea Wanderer, Yu Yuan casually leaned against the railing, his gaze drifting over the heads of several people to the two sisters from the Nightbane Sect.

The sisters frequently glanced upward, their attention fixed on the fourth-floor window of the room arranged for Yuan Lianyao by the Skyreach Consortium.

Thanks to the finely crafted mask gifted by the Consortium, Yu Yuan had transformed his appearance into that of an unremarkable man in his late thirties or early forties. His skin took on a sallow hue, and a smattering of pimples made him blend seamlessly into the background.

Descending from the fourth floor, he had made his way to the first-floor deck, mingling with the low-level rogue cultivators. Many others, having emerged from their accommodations on the first and second floors, joined him on the deck, including Zhang Manman and Zhang Miao, who thought nothing of his presence.

Concealed behind the mask, Yu Yuan observed the sisters for a long while amidst the crowd. Zhang Manman shot him a fierce glare, her eyes seemingly mocking him as if a toad lusted after swan meat. Zhang Miao, on the other hand, hadn't spared him a single glance from start to finish.

Clearly, the Skyreach Consortium's mask was no ordinary disguise, as even with the sisters' level of cultivation, they couldn't peer through it to recognize him.

Two days later, the Demon's Scar Island began to emerge, a bit larger than Rosy Cloud Island, adorned with three dormant volcanoes and a blanket of vibrant red flowers. Nestled among the volcanoes were various buildings, some tall, some short.

"Whoosh!" From the fourth-floor window, Yuan Lianyao stepped onto a red lotus and gracefully floated out. Bathed in the morning sun, her sleeves shimmered with fiery light as she made her way toward Demon's Scar, resembling a goddess of flames.

Many eyes followed her departure, filled with a sense of longing and regret.

"This fiery red lotus heads to Demon's Scar. Alas, such a ravishing woman has favored a mere pretty-faced lad," someone lamented.

"To never experience her grace is truly a lifelong regret."

With that, they bid farewell.

As she departed for Demon's Scar, numerous rogue cultivators who had been entranced by her beauty let out soft sighs.

Lee Qi, the fortunate one, was of little concern to them. They believed that the stunning mayor would soon tire of him and cast him aside like an old shoe.

Lee Qi was handsome, but he lacked the talent for cultivation and the superior realm necessary to be her equal, so naturally, he wasn't fit to accompany her.

That was the consensus.

Yu Yuan, mingling with the rogue cultivators, overheard their murmured conversations and couldn't help but smile wryly to himself.

He observed that as Yuan Lianyao soared towards Demon's Scar, the two sisters practicing the Nightbane Mystique were scanning the area, seemingly in desperate search of something.

This only reinforced his suspicion that he was indeed Zhang Miao's target, and she had discovered his true identity.

"Did Tong Laoqian spill the beans?" he wondered.

While pondering this, he caught sight of Tong Laoqian peering out from a fourth-floor window, his beady eyes flickering with confusion, also searching.

Clearly, he was looking for Yu Yuan as well.

"Does Tong Laoqian know about the incidents in the Embers Sea?" Yu Yuan mused. "Is the big devil connected to the Nightbane Sect, aiming to strip the Crucible of Evil and the Sunsorrow from me through those sisters?"

The suspicion was unavoidable.

Both the Crucible of Evil and the Sunsorrow were exceedingly rare treasures. Yu Yuan's past dealings with Tong Laoqian in the Forgotten Ruins hadn't fostered a close bond.

Knowing Yu Yuan's identity and the treasures he possessed, it wouldn't be surprising if Tong Laoqian harbored greedy intentions.

"Even Tong Laoqian, with his Spirit Walk prowess, couldn't detect me on the deck amidst the crowd. The Skyreach Consortium's mask really is effective."

Feeling more at ease, Yu Yuan waited until the Sea Wanderer had covered a good distance before he and a few other rogue cultivators leapt into the sea.

With his Veil Breaking cultivation, no Bracelet of Holding in sight, and only a storage bag at his waist, he was utterly unremarkable.

As he descended into the depths, his presence went completely unnoticed by all.

Zhang Miao and her sister remained fixated on the window long after Yuan Lianyao had departed, lost in thought, as if they feared he was still lingering there.

It seemed they believed that Yuan Lianyao had left the now-vacant room for him after her departure.

Half an hour later.

Tong Laoqian stood before the room's door, gently knocking as he called out, "Brother Lee Qi, Brother Lee Qi?"

There was no response from within.

At the top of the stairs, Zhang Miao and Zhang Manman, the sister duo, quietly emerged. They watched Tong Laoqian knock, but the door remained unopened.

Tong Laoqian's face darkened with a foreboding sense, and he began to suspect something was amiss.

...

On Demon's Scar.

After a leisurely swim in the sea, Yu Yuan surfaced near the rocky shore to find Yuan Lianyao already there, greeting him with a smile. "Nobody noticed, right?"

Touching the mask on his face, Yu Yuan chuckled, "This mask from the Skyreach Consortium is top-notch. It fooled everyone, from those sisters to even the big devil, Tong Laoqian."

He climbed onto the island, shedding his damp, greenish-gray robe, revealing a physique honed and balanced in shorts.

"Now that's the look of a man."

Yuan Lianyao's lips curved into a smile, her eyes sparkling as she continued to gaze at him.

Bathed in sunlight, Yu Yuan's face might not have been remarkable, but his body, sculpted by the Evil Body Refining technique, was a testament to strength and aesthetic muscle definition.

Yu Yuan retrieved a fresh set of clothes from his storage bag and dressed. "Did the Ruby Hand ask you anything?"

"You're a friend I met on my journey," Yuan Lianyao said with a hint of amusement. "The Ruby Hand members on this island have never met me before. They only know of my less-than-stellar reputation. So when I mentioned a male friend was visiting, nobody found it odd—it seemed completely natural to them."

Yu Yuan was taken aback.

"Don't worry about it; let's move on," Yuan Lianyao said, leading the way. They headed towards the structures nestled between the three dormant volcanoes, built by the Ruby Hand. "My name is recorded in the sect's genealogy, and I have a token from Lord Faang Yao. So, I can choose a residence here that befits my status."

As she walked, she offered explanations.

Yu Yuan, however, was only half-listening. He was already familiar with the customs of the various sects on the Sundering Isles and didn't need Yuan Lianyao to elaborate.

"I'll be staying on Demon's Scar for a few days. Wherever you go, I'll be by your side."

Yuan Lianyao spoke with ease, showing neither boredom nor impatience.

Eventually, she led Yu Yuan to a spot between three dormant volcanoes, where curious onlookers quickly turned their attention to the red rock structures.

It reminded him of the Sea Wanderer from the Skyreach Consortium.

"The mayor of Asvetaesi City, the Hellbreed, and Faang Yao's favored one is truly stunning. However, the companion she's chosen seems somewhat less discerning."

An elderly woman was perched on a large drum on the balcony of a three-story pavilion, flames flickering across its surface.

Seated atop it, she was refining the drum with her vital essence, her face etched with deep wrinkles and her bloodshot eyes suggesting many sleepless nights.

She shook her head, seemingly in pity for Yuan Lianyao.

Others, too, were watching with interest, driven by curiosity about Yuan Lianyao, and they cast odd glances at Yu Yuan as well.

But no one spoke up, careful not to upset Yuan Lianyao.

Members of the Ruby Hand, they were all aware that although Yuan Lianyao was new and had yet to visit the sect's main headquarters, her reputation was already growing within the sect, thanks to the Hellbreed and Faang Yao's endorsement.

Many of the sect's disciples and elders recognized that Yuan Lianyao's standing within the sect was set to rise swiftly.

Few were willing to risk openly offending her and causing displeasure.

"Thank you for your kind words, Sister Pei, though I hardly feel worthy," Yuan Lianyao replied with a gentle smile, offering a bow to the old woman. "I'll be staying on Demon's Scar for a few days. I hope you won't find it too troublesome."

Pei Zhen nodded. "I bear you no malice; it's just that I find your situation regrettable."

The Ruby Hand had assigned her to oversee this island. Should she choose to enforce the rules, Yu Yuan, as an outsider, would only be allowed on the fringes and not here in the heart of the island.

Contrarily, her scrutiny of Yu Yuan was due to her high regard for Yuan Lianyao, a junior member of their sect. Upon realizing that Yu Yuan had only reached the Veil Breaking Realm, her tone turned sour.

Yuan Lianyao's notoriety within the Shadowlight Empire was something she met with skepticism, but ultimately, the truth of the rumors was of little concern to her.

Her true wish was for Yuan Lianyao to advance into the Lunar Spirit Realm with the aid of the sect's resources. She hoped Lianyao would appreciate the sect's investment in her and dedicate herself more earnestly to her cultivation, rather than to distractions involving men—especially not to unremarkable men like Yu Yuan.

"I understand," Yuan Lianyao said with a smile, guiding Yu Yuan through the watchful eyes of the Ruby Hand disciples to the two-story red stone building Pei Zhen had arranged for her.

Yu Yuan remained composed, neither arrogant nor humble, disregarding the disdainful and peculiar stares from those around him. His indifference stemmed from his lack of intention to remain on Demon's Scar for long; he planned to stay only a day or two before departing quietly.

"Huh!" A peculiar gaze caught his attention, prompting him to glance toward a similar two-story building to his right. There, a young girl with a melon-shaped face gazed back at him, her eyes wide with confusion.

Yu Yuan took a brief look and quickly averted his gaze, noting the coincidence. He had seen this melon-faced girl before, during his time in the Embers Sea, where she was a fellow trial-taker alongside Hou Tianzhao. He only vaguely remembered her and couldn't recall her name.

"After altering my appearance, Zhang Manman, Zhang Miao, and even Tong Laoqian failed to recognize me. She shouldn't be able to either," Yu Yuan thought, frowning slightly.

The confusion in the young Ruby Hand girl's eyes suggested she was harboring doubts about something, which Yu Yuan found peculiar.

"Xiao Yun, come here," Pei Zhen called out.

After Yu Yuan and Yuan Lianyao had entered the building, Pei Zhen beckoned, and the oval-faced Ruby Hand girl, Xiao Yun, was pulled through the air to her side.

"Do you recognize that man with the sallow complexion?" Pei Zhen inquired.

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