My lord, spare his life!

"After so many years, I don't even recognize any old acquaintances?"

Xiao Sui smiled and teased, and the man seemed to hear a sound of joy blooming in his heart, causing his heart to pound uncontrollably in his chest.

"Oh, no, it's not..."

The man's cheeks were flushed and hot, and his forehead was sweating.

So nervous that his tongue started to tie itself in knots, he stammered for a long time before finally letting out a soft murmur: "Xiuying, my classmate."

His thoughts were complicated.

"I'm just passing by on business. Is it intrusive of me to come here?"

"What are you saying, classmate? Your presence is an honor to my humble abode." The man gathered his chaotic thoughts and raised his hand to welcome Xiao Sui into the house. The latter seemed to possess an inexplicable attraction, repeatedly drawing his gaze. Even if he restrained himself from looking away, he would be drawn back in the blink of an eye, a jumble of thoughts swirling in his mind.

He admired young women.

Who hasn't been moved in their youth?

Xiao Sui was exceptionally talented and beautiful, naturally becoming the goddess of the Luo River in the hearts of young students, and even men were not immune to this. Unfortunately, his heart fluttered with love, but it ended with the demise of the "Goddess of the Luo River" as she descended upon the world. The goddess, with her ethereal beauty, lost her radiance, her peerless face rotted away, and her fragrant scent was completely masked by an indescribable stench, like a withered and decaying peony.

He privately felt sorry for her plight and thought that he admired her noble soul rather than her physical appearance.

He wanted to comfort the goddess.

Tell her that even if the goddess loses her stunning beauty, she is still a goddess.

My love for her will not change because of her appearance.

My heart is as firm as a rock, unyielding.

Unexpectedly, upon seeing the real person, he swallowed these words back down. The goddess Luo in his eyes had lost the amazement he had felt at first sight, and the ethereal aura that distinguished her from mortals was gone; all that remained was an ugliness that terrified him and made him want to run away.

Even though her demeanor remained elegant and proper, and her speech remained refined and witty, he was filled with despair and shame to find that he could no longer feel affection for her, nor did he feel any excitement or trepidation when he saw her. All he felt was a calm indifference towards the painted-skin ghost.

This is a painted-skin ghost.

She is not the goddess Luo.

So the man quickly made an excuse to leave.

Unexpectedly, many years later, the Goddess of the Luo River suddenly appeared.

While Xiao Sui was undeniably beautiful in her youth, she also possessed a certain naiveté. Even by his current standards, her appearance wasn't entirely flawless; upon closer inspection, several imperfections were apparent. However, his lack of experience at the time, coupled with the embellishment of his memories over the years, made the goddess of the Luo River appear so perfect in his mind. This was his prevailing opinion until his reunion with Xiao Sui.

Why are you looking at me like that?

Xiao Sui's voice brought him back from his reverie. He snapped out of his reverie and realized that he had neglected his distinguished guest, so he quickly apologized.

But an uncontrollable thought surfaced in my mind—

The goddess of the Luo River is indeed the goddess of the Luo River.

The sight of Xiao Sui before him, without any embellishment from his memories, stirred ripples in his heart. If there truly was a goddess like Luo, she must look just like this. Despite his emotions, some questions remained. After careful consideration, he asked, "It seems that my classmate Xiu Ying is…"

He didn't know whether he should utter those three words.

Xiao Sui: "A painted-skin ghost?"

Her candid utterance of those three words caught the man completely off guard. His throat tightened, and suppressing the infatuation in his eyes, he asked, "I've learned a bit about the Painted Skin Ghost over the years. The human skin my classmate is using now, it's not yours, is it?"

Yes—

This sentence quickly cooled down his mind.

The Painted Skin Ghost doesn't have a human skin; he uses someone else's. The Xiao Sui he sees now belongs to another person—someone who looks similar to Xiao Sui's original appearance, but is even more outstanding.

He felt a mix of emotions.

Xiao Sui did not expose his veiled accusation.

She smiled faintly, "Of course it's mine."

"this--"

The man clearly didn't believe it.

Xiao Sui: "It was quite an extraordinary encounter."

Upon hearing this, the man wisely refrained from pressing the matter further.

The return to reason also made one question sharp and impossible to ignore—was Xiao Xiuying really just passing by to visit his classmate?

I'm afraid they wouldn't come to the temple unless they had a reason.

He harbored suspicions, but Xiao Sui's composure was astounding, and he couldn't find out anything. After all, they had been classmates for many years, and as the host, he had an obligation to treat her well. So Xiao Sui stayed at his residence, causing a commotion in the backyard.

Upon hearing that a stunningly beautiful woman with ethereal beauty had arrived at their home, how could the wives and concubines remain idle? Naturally, they tried to subtly inquire about Xiao Sui's background. Some subtly asked the men about her origins, while others bribed the servants in the guest quarters to try and find out more about her. Xiao Sui observed all these actions. She made no attempt to conceal her presence and went out to visit friends the next day, showing no awareness whatsoever of being a guest.

Within a day, all the wealthy families in the area knew that a young woman from the prestigious Xiao family had arrived at the man's home. Although the Dou Kingdom was in decline, the Xiao family possessed a deep-rooted influence, and the arrival of a member of the Xiao family caused a stir among scholars and literati. In no time, countless petitions were presented to Xiao Sui.

They either want to get closer to me or want to become familiar with me.

Xiao Sui picked out the ones she found pleasing to the eye to meet.

Those with inside information were shocked to learn that this woman from the Xiao family was none other than Xiao Sui from back then—Xiao Sui losing her status as the clan leader due to the calamity of the stars was a sensational old story—but now, looking at Xiao Sui, there was no trace of her former destitution.

Drinking with her at the same table, one could smell the rich fragrance of orchids, not the faint, rotten stench unique to the Painted Skin Demon. Her face was like polished jade, with delicate skin, eyebrows like distant mountains shrouded in mist, serene yet spirited, and eyes like autumn waters pooling in still water, with clear pupils.

His demeanor was gentle and dignified, like the moon reflected in spring water, serene and elegant. Occasionally, when he raised his eyebrows or nodded, he exuded the noble and composed air of a scion of a prominent family.

Even the most beautiful spring scenery pales in comparison to hers.

With such a face, how could it be a masked demon who cannot see the light of day?

When pressed for details, she only said that she had had a strange encounter.

Xiao Sui enjoyed making friends during her college days. She could become a close friend to anyone, regardless of gender, if she wanted to. Visitors arrived in high spirits and left thoroughly satisfied. Xiao Sui even suggested hosting a banquet and asked to borrow the venue from the host family.

The man naturally agreed to such a small request.

Xiao Sui was, after all, a guest, and might not be able to command the servants of his household. So, she shamelessly asked the man's wives and concubines for help. The man naturally agreed, but his wives and concubines exchanged bewildered glances upon hearing the request. As the man's bedmates, they could clearly see that he viewed Xiao Sui with the same masculine gaze one would give a woman. Even though Xiao Sui showed no reciprocation, they couldn't help but feel jealous and saw her as a formidable rival. Now, the person they so despised was asking them for a favor?

If I don't agree, I'll become a laughingstock.

I agreed, but I felt uneasy.

This matter was then pushed onto the man's legal wife.

"...I'll have to trouble you with these things, Madam. I'm already inconvenienced by your presence here, and I certainly can't let the host spend any more money." The pomp and circumstance Xiao Sui wanted was no small sum; it would cost several hundred taels of gold to complete, which made the man's wife secretly gasp at the extravagance.

Keep in mind that her children only receive three to five gold coins a month.

Even a small gathering of sisters at home only costs around ten taels of silver.

They spend hundreds of dollars on a single banquet.

She said, "Your Majesty, what are you saying? Your Majesty and the Lord are classmates, from the same school, and your bond is extraordinary; it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call us family. Since we are family, how can you be so formal?"

"That's exactly right, and we need to be even clearer about it."

The banquet invitations, written in his own hand, were all distributed.

Those who received the invitations were amazed by the slender, bold, and sharp handwriting on the invitations, and all readily accepted. Even if they were unavailable themselves, they made sure their spouses attended to avoid any impoliteness.

On this day, Xiao Sui attended the event in full regalia, which made her exquisitely sculpted face even more stunning. The slight conversations at the banquet fell silent instantly, and all eyes were on her.

The man, lost in thought, murmured, "The Goddess of the Luo River..."

Praise poured down from the others as if it were free. Xiao Sui listened intently, a faint smile on her face, but inwardly she squinted her eyes with satisfaction. Where there is admiration, there is also envy.

Those subtle, dagger-like gazes seemed to want to cut open her skin to see the bloody flesh beneath.

Xiao Sui ignored them all.

During the gathering, some people subtly expressed their admiration for her, hoping to have a brief affair with her, but Xiao Sui skillfully deflected all their advances.

In her youth, she had no shortage of admirers and suitors, but all of them were fleeting affairs, nothing more than physical intimacy—typical behavior of a spoiled brat from a prominent family. As the eldest son of the family, her marriage was already planned out, and she was unlikely to truly open up to anyone and engage in deep romance.

Afterwards, the stars descended in wrath, and those who admired him avoided him like the plague.

She was simply tired of this primitive human behavior of reproduction and seeking pleasure.

Now that someone else is trying to woo her, she finds it all rather uninteresting. Not just anyone is qualified to be her lover, and she naturally cannot accept such a veiled declaration of love.

The person who was rejected did not feel ashamed or angry.

Xiao Sui came from a very high social standing, so her refusal was perfectly understandable.

Besides expressing love, there are also various ways to show goodwill.

Xiao Sui dealt with them one by one.

He seems more like the master of this place than the male head of the household.

During the meal, Xiao Sui received an unsigned note. The handwriting immediately told her that she had caught the fish she was looking for. She knew that forcing things wouldn't work; she wanted her clients to come begging, begging for her mercy and giving her money.

"Ms. Xiao said that your restoration of your appearance was due to a fortuitous encounter?"

Xiao Sui arrived during a break in the banquet and immediately caught a whiff of a stench she had known for years. She frowned and covered her nose with a handkerchief. This small gesture made the owner of the stench shudder, her body trembling slightly beneath the covering.

"yes."

"I have a request to make."

"Ask me for this miraculous encounter?"

"……yes."

Xiao Sui chuckled, "You're a fake ghost too, you should know better than anyone what you're asking—this is a secret concerning my life and death, how could I easily tell others? Don't you find it ridiculous? Or do you think you have the power to force me to talk?"

"Absolutely not!"

The man in black who came to the appointment was a man.

Judging from his voice, he doesn't sound old, probably around thirty.

"Since you didn't intend to, why bother with all this?"

"I beg Your Majesty's mercy, save me!" Seeing Xiao Sui turn around without hesitation, he became anxious and spoke rapidly, "We are both demons in disguise, and we know better than anyone the pain of demons in disguise. As long as Your Majesty is willing to speak, I will grant any request!"

"I, the dignified Xiao family—humph—"

The man in black turned pale and apologized without thinking, "I spoke recklessly, please do not be angry, Your Majesty."

Yes--

If he can cause trouble, can't the Xiao family handle it?

Isn't this a curse wishing the Xiao family a short-lived one?

This isn't asking for help; this is offending someone.

Xiao Sui raised an eyebrow: "You really want to know?"

Seeing that Xiao Sui seemed to be relenting, he breathed a sigh of relief.

With unwavering resolve: "I do! I hope Your Majesty will have the mercy to inform me!"

Xiao Sui lowered her beautiful eyes and looked down at him.

Suddenly, she said, "Six thousand gold coins."

"What?"

He didn't hear clearly.

Xiao Sui said, "Six thousand taels of gold."

The man in black stared at her dumbfounded, seemingly unable to believe that the person asking for six thousand gold coins was the goddess in front of him.

"May I ask, Your Majesty, why, why—"

The Xiao family doesn't seem like the kind of people who need six thousand taels of gold.

Xiao Sui said in a cold voice, "Back then, I heard a divine oracle in a dream and donated six thousand gold pieces, which led me to obtain this unique human skin. You mortals don't have that opportunity..."

The man in black trembled, quickly crawling two steps forward on his knees, and pressed on, asking, "May I ask, Your Majesty, where and where is the six thousand gold pieces to be donated?"

"You have not received a divine message."

The subtext is that giving alms is futile.

The man in black didn't actually believe in these things, but a demon in disguise resided within him. He gritted his teeth and pleaded, "I implore Your Majesty to help me obtain a divine decree and inquire whether I am destined for good fortune."

Xiao Sui did not answer.

But her indifferent expression spoke volumes.

"You asked about a miraculous encounter, and I've already told you. If you're sincere, then wait for it yourself; perhaps one day you'll be blessed. How can you force someone to do something they don't want to do?"

After saying that, Xiao Sui got up and left.

The man in black was left running around in a panic, like an ant on a hot plate.

After the banquet, Xiao Sui announced that she would be leaving soon, as she had official duties to attend to and could not stay in Tianjiang County for long. Upon hearing this, the guests felt only regret and reluctance to see her go. Privately, several invitations were sent to her door, hoping she would attend.

Xiao Sui politely declined all offers.

Two days later, the man in black arrived at the door with six thousand taels of gold.

He immediately bowed deeply to Xiao Sui.

Xiao Sui dodged to the side, and he then stood up and bowed again.

"What are you doing? It is not the behavior of a gentleman to force someone to do something against their will."

"I'm at my wit's end, my life is in danger, I'm neither human nor ghost, how can I be a gentleman?" the man in black pleaded desperately, hoping to move Xiao Sui even slightly with the six thousand gold coins and his pleas. Xiao Sui only felt impatient. The man in black's heart sank to the bottom.

In despair, he even said he would commit suicide there.

Unable to bear his entanglement any longer, Xiao Sui intervened to stop him from committing suicide, saying helplessly, "Fine, fine, you—sigh, I'll ask around for you. Come back at this time tomorrow. If it works out, great; if not, you can't bother me anymore. Okay?"

The man in black wanted nothing more than to bow down in worship.

Xiao Sui told him to take the six thousand gold coins back first.

The man in black refused, noticing the impatience on Xiao Sui's brow, and felt uneasy. This six thousand gold coins were naturally beneath Xiao Sui's notice, given her family's background; her eagerness to beg was tantamount to coercion.

He waited anxiously all night.

The next day, I waited at the door before dawn.

We just stared at each other for a while, wasting time.

The man, unaware of the black-clad man's collaboration with Xiao Sui, felt a pang of bitterness. Xiao Sui was staying at his home, yet she rarely spoke more than a few words to him; he could only catch brief glimpses of her through the crowd.

They tried to subtly inquire about the man in black's purpose, but he remained tight-lipped.

Until the agreed-upon time arrives.

Xiao Sui's bodyguards called him over.

"Try this human skin."

"However, this human skin has an ordinary appearance. If you want to restore your original appearance, you will need to make an additional donation, the amount of which is up to you."

The man in black blinked, as if he were dreaming.

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