The Inverted Dragon's Scale

Chapter 347: You are the carriage driver!

Li Muyang did not know whether to laugh or cry.

He never expected that his one word would inadvertently anger this woman. If he had known, he would have followed Li Shinian, acting foolish and pretending to be well behaved.

It was now too late to take his words back now.

Li Muyang looked straight at the old woman’s stubborn eyes, saying: “Miss Hong Xiu, I actually did not notice the flaws in your makeup. I just heard Uncle Lu calling you Miss, so why I followed addressing you as Miss——My little sister always taught me that when guessing the age of a woman I should guess lower as much as possible. When a woman should be called Aunt, I should call her older sister. When a woman should be called Granny, I should call her Aunt. Which woman doesn’t like being praised young-looking, don’t you think so too?

The old woman giggled, her laugh was sharp and clear, like a crow’s cry.

Paired with her grey hair and wrinkled face, it sent one’s body into immediate shivers.

The confusion within Hong Xiu’ eyes faded, her bright eyes staring at Li Muyang, “you said you did not notice the flaws in my makeup, then that proves you know it’s a disguise——Then, I am more and more interested in Little Gongzi. If you don’t speak honestly, I will not help you today.”

“How can you break a promise? You just said that even if I can’t tell you, with uncle Lu interceding for me, you will not refuse——”

“Because I’m a woman.” Hong Xiu stated calmly. “Which woman does not change her thoughts easily? Besides, my job is to change. What’s wrong with that?”

She turned to look at Li Shinian, “Little girl, don’t you agree?”

“It makes sense.” Li Shinian nodded seriously. “Women should be fickle. Woman like that has charm.”

“What a good girl” Hong Xiu seemed to really like Li Shinian. She once again reached out to pat her head.

“Thank you Granny.” Li Shinian smiled a sweet smile.

Lu Qingming was very enjoying the look on Li Muyang’s face as Hong Xiu was giving him a hard time. Perhaps in his eyes, as long as he was with Li Muyang, no matter what Li Muyang does, he was willing to watch.

Is this the so-called happiness of a family reunion?

Lu Qingming looked at Li Muyang saying, “Muyang, since Miss Hong Xiu sincerely asked you, then tell her what you noticed. So that she could pay attention to such points in the future and improve.”

Li Muyang had no choice but to agree. Looking at Hong Xiu he said: “Step down the stairs again.”

“What?”

“Come down the steps like you did before.”

“What do you mean?”

“You’ll know when you’ve done it.” Li Muyang said.

“Let’s see what tricks you’re playing.”

Although she was getting a bit impatient, but to know how Li Muyang saw through her disguising technique, she had to come down the steps again like how she did before.

While she was walking down the steps, she pretended to be unsteady as before, and her body staggered forward.

“Stop.” Li Muyang yelled.

Hong Xiu maintained her posture, looking up at Li Muyang, waiting for him to solve the puzzle.

“Have you seen a real person fall before?” Li Muyang asked.

Hong Xu gave it a brief thought, then said irritably, “What do you want to say?”

“When I was living in Jiangnan city, there were many old people in the alley. When I was young, I often followed them to learn how to walk like them. So, sometimes I’d pretend to fall like them.”

“You dressed up as an old person and wanted to seem like your legs were unsteady when you’re going down the steps. However, when real old people encounter such steps, they will be extremely careful, slowly and cautiously take the first step——Don’t you think you were too impatient and too fast? There was no hesitation or fear in the face of such steps. It doesn’t fit the nature of a doddering old person.”

Hong Xiu thought for a moment then asked. “With only this, you can guess I was pretending?”

“Obviously not. At that time, I didn’t think much of it at all. Just when you were about to slip and fall, I noticed some clues. I know that there are many powerful people in this Moon reaching park, if you are also a powerful person then you would not fall so easily. This set of little steps, naturally is nothing to you, right? But if you are just a normal person, why was your body under extreme control when you were staggering?”

“What do you mean?”

“Your impending fall was not really going to fall, your physical instability was not real instability. Everything was in your control. You had ultimate control over your own body. So, that was when I started to suspect, what kind of person needed to do something like that? To set such a puzzle, just what is her purpose?”

Li Muyang turned to Lu Qingming, smiled and said: “Luckily Uncle Lu called you Miss Hong Xiu, that was when I understood that this is only your cover-up.”

“Hahaha——” Lu Qingming laughed. “Hong Xiu, it seems that some of your disguising skills needs to improve.”

“You’re smart.” Hong Xiu humphed loudly, glowering at Li Muyang, and pulling Li Shinian away by the hand.

Li Muyang rubbed his nose, saying to Lu Qingming in a very gloomy tone of voice, “She asked me to say it. Now she doesn’t like it when I did.”

“No matter.” Lu Qingming grabbed Li Muyang’s hand. “Let’s go inside and take a look at your present.”

Li Muyang was not quite used to holding a man’s hand, but with Lu Qingming clutching him like that he felt bad to shake his hand away and had no choice but to say, “Uncle Lu slowly, be careful of falling.”

There was a study in the room, and in the study was a hollow wall. The bookshelf unfolded on both sides revealing a black hole in the middle.

Lu Qingming pulled Li Muyang into the cave, and the stonewall automatically closed behind them.

The insides of the cave were hung with dozens of big and small heads.

The faces of those heads were lifelike, as though they were severed off from real people.

But Li Muyang knew that these were fake. Because the bottom of the heads was supported on a stone platform, and also there was no bloodstain at all.

This was clearly Hong Xiu’s personal workshop.

Li Shinian came in first, and under the guidance of Hong Xiu, mixed up a strange ointment.

When Li Muyang stepped inside, Hong Xiu pointed to a wooden chair. “Sit down.”

Li Muyang obediently sat down.

Hong Xiu stretched out her hand tucked inside her sleeve and stroked along Li Muyang’s facial profile.

“Soft skin and tender flesh, but have a vicious, sharp tongue.” While examining Li Muyang’s face, Hong Xiu grumbled. “

“I——“

“Shut up. Don’t talk.” Hong Xiu scolded. “When you speak, I can’t measure the shape of your facial features.”

“——” Li Muyang knew that it was her revenge

After a while, Hong Xiu turned and said to Li Shinian. “Apply the ointment on his face. Apply it evenly.”

“Me?” Li Shinian exclaimed, then hurriedly added, “I can’t.”

“It’s ust some cleaning ointment, don’t worry.” Hong Xiu said.

“Okay.” Li Shinian carried the bowl of ointment over and used a small brush to smear it across Li Muyang’s face.

Li Muyang felt his face was smeared with honey, sticky and thick, and somewhat uncomfortable. But it didn’t smell of anything.

While Li Shinian was brushing the ointment, Hong Xiu was already busying away on the workbench.

From those dangling heads she found one that resembled Li Muyang’s, then ripped off the face of the head and began cutting it with a blade, and then covered Li Muyang’s face with the seemingly bits of skin.

Li Muyang could only close his eyes, letting her torment his face for a long time. She kneaded and pinched his face, and also quite forcibly. It looked as though she had some sort of hatred against Li Muyang.

After a long while, Hong Xiu said loudly in front of Li Muyang, “Okay, you can open your eyes.”

Li Muyang obediently opened his eyes, and before he could open his mouth to speak, seeing the look of astonishment across Li Shinian’s face and her saying “Heavens, too amazing. This is——who is this?”

Lu Qingming was also admiringly studying the face of Li Muyang in admiration, “The disciple of Thousand face poison king is indeed extraordinary. In such a short period of time, you could create a new face, like a real one, it is amazing.”

Li Muyang was anxious to see his own face, “Pass me a mirror. Give me the mirror and let me see.”

“I don’t have a mirror here.” Hong Xiu stated.

“——”

After Li Muyang returned home, he finally saw his new self from the bronze mirror.

His complexion was yellow, like a young alcoholic who had injured his liver from drinking.

The shape of his face was a little wider than before, as well as wilder and rougher.

He had stubble, which indicates the shaving method that the owner of this face used was very rough.

The Li Muyang now, had become a stranger to himself.

“This is pretty good.” Li Muyang grinned. Although the present mask did not have the good looks of his real self, but, for survival, everything other things were insignificant.

Besides, hasn’t he had uglier days?

Clang——

Li Shinian forcefully pushed open the room door.

Li Muyang with a helpless expression said to Li Shinian. “When will you learn to knock on the door first before entering someone else’s room?”

Li Shinian went straight back out, and banged on the door, shouting: “Brother, Can I come in?”

“——Come in.”

Clang——

The door was again vigorously pushed open once again.

“——“ Li Muyang was thinking that it would had been better if she hadn’t knocked on the door. This could have prevented the door suffering a calamity again.

Li Shinian again charged in and pulled Li Muyang’s arm. “Brother quickly, quickly come.”

“Go where?” Li Muyang asked.

“Big sister Xiaoxin is at the door, you’re coming to Thousand Buddha Temple with us.”

“That won’t be too good——” Li Muyang quickly refused. He still hasn’t figured out how to face Cui Xiaoxin.

“Don’t worry.” Li Shinian explained while dragging Li Muyang outside. “You’re not my brother, you’re just my carriage driver.”

“——”