Section One.

She pursed her lips and smiled, a little shyly. While she was laughing, she was also carefully searching for flaws. From his hairline to his jaw, and then to behind his ears, she looked at every possible point of connection. Strangely, she didn't find anything unusual. So, is this face real...? It is real, but how can it remain unchanged for a hundred years? Or is it recorded in history that emperors manipulate it, and the dynasty requires him to live as long as the heavens? Then he must be immortal.

She stood aside, unable to help much, just watching him busy. When she was bored, she looked around and found several large wooden boxes under the stone table. The corners of the boxes were inlaid with silver cloud patterns, and they were not locked. She didn't know what they were used for.

He noticed that she avoided him, his hand stopped in mid-air, neither retracting nor making any further movements. He just looked at her, waiting for her to reflect on herself, to sit up straight again, and place her face in his hands.

She was ignited by her own whimsical thoughts, filled with a desire to explore the boxes below. Licking her lips, she cautiously moved over, trying to reach for the lock on that cloud-shaped box. Just as she touched the edge, the national teacher turned around. Her heart skipped a beat, but she remained calm, retracting her hand and casually strolling away.

He stands there, actually very close, yet separated by a vast expanse. The lotus lamp is uncertain whether to approach, in case it disturbs his meditation, will it make him unhappy?

Upon hearing this, Lian Deng's face immediately flushed. She had been entrusted by an old friend and was afraid of letting down Apu. In reality, she found her burdensome and wanted to send her away as soon as possible! She bit her lip and lowered her head. In the past, she might have stubbornly resisted and would rather be held captive than ask for help. But now, the situation forced her to restrain herself. She could only do her best to endure and leave as soon as the mask was ready. She bit her lip and lowered her head. In the past, she might have stubbornly resisted and would rather be held captive than ask for help. But now, the situation forced her to restrain herself. She could only do her best to endure and leave as soon as the mask was ready.

There are many places in the Divine Palace that she has never been to, such as this pavilion built among the rockeries, surrounded by mountains on three sides and facing the sun on one side. The north wind is blocked by the rocks, making the noon sun particularly warm. She took a deep breath and sighed that it was a good place to spend the winter, but unfortunately the National Teacher was stationed here, and ordinary people probably wouldn't dare to come. The young man who accompanied her left after dropping her off, and she walked forward alone. When she arrived at the pavilion, she saw him leaning against a pillar with his eyes closed, basking in the sun. She took a deep breath and sighed that it was a good place to spend the winter, but unfortunately the National Teacher was stationed here, and ordinary people probably wouldn't dare to come.

The lotus lamp stared at the box, unsure if it was due to the environment or the ritual's resemblance to shamanism, but her heart was pounding with anxiety. She looked up at him, his expression unchanged, "Are you afraid of bleeding? If you don't want to, we can skip this step and I'll cast the mold for you directly."

He nodded and didn't say much, then turned and walked into the cave behind the pavilion. The lotus lamp hurried to catch up, only to hear him say slowly and calmly, "To make a mold, you need such good weather. It won't work on cloudy days. You'll have to stay in the Supreme God Palace for another two months."

Tanu and Zhuanzhuan are not here. She feels a little lonely by herself, but luckily there is the deer. It seems to have been waiting for her for a long time, always wandering around the boundary. When it sees her coming back, it leaps to her and rubs its small antlers affectionately against her, as if old friends are reunited after a long separation.

She lifted her robe and ascended the steps, bowing to him in respect, "I dare not disturb the esteemed master. It is rare to have such good weather, yet I must trouble the esteemed master with my trivial matters. The lotus lamp feels deeply ashamed."

She stole a glance at the national teacher, and a strange idea popped into her mind. His youthful appearance for over a hundred years, could it be that the real person has long been gone, and successive generations have taken over his name and appearance? In fact, have they been living with masks all along?

She hesitated for a moment, gritted her teeth and said, "I am not afraid of the cold, and I can endure hardship. Please help me change my appearance, Master."

She certainly hopes for continuous improvement, shedding a little blood is nothing, but before meeting him, she unloaded her weapons and can only rely on biting to draw blood.

She lingered for a while, but didn't meet anyone who could inquire. The rules here are very strict, and everyone has their own responsibilities. Unauthorized movement is not allowed, so the huge palace often appears desolate and empty. She looked around, feeling a bit confused in her mind, not knowing where she was or how to get back. Worried that she might have entered some kind of formation, she didn't dare to continue forward. After thinking about it, she decided to turn back to the palace gate and return to the Linlang Realm the way she came.

Just as I was about to comb my hair with a comb, I heard footsteps outside the door. It was my husband bringing a lunchbox. When he reached the bottom of the stairs, he called out to her, "Madam... Madam, are you there?"

She remained silent. He turned his head and glanced at her. A torch was burning inside the cave, and the deeper they went, the more gloomy it became. She was probably feeling cold, huddling and rubbing her arms. He turned away, his face expressionless, and said, "If the severe winter cannot kill, how can we expect to see the spring? If you can't bear this little cold, let's go back to Dunhuang earlier."

The lotus lamp was pulled a bit painfully. Feeling confused, I rubbed my forehead and almost forgot about it. It wasn't until I saw the two crimson bird wings fall onto the cushion that I realized I was making a fuss for no reason. They didn't mean anything else. After removing the unnecessary burden, I was able to help her improve her facial features.

She nodded, "But earlier I saw the national teacher walking by in official attire, afraid that the national teacher might be busy and not have time to see me."

I wonder if it understands her words, its big round eyes staring straight at her. She smiled, looked up at the birds flying across the sky, and remembered the mermaid pearl given to her by the national teacher, still sitting in the plate. She then entered the room and sat on the cushion, propping up her cheeks to observe carefully.

He led her to the stone table, gesturing for her to look at the wooden box on the table. "Although the mask is lifeless, once it covers your face, it becomes a part of your body. You need to communicate with it spiritually in order to achieve a seamless fit." There was a shield-shaped groove at the top of the wooden box, and he pointed to it, "Drip two drops of blood into it, nurture it, and it will surely be loyal to you."

So, will the jellyfish pearl become soft when it encounters saliva? She looked out of the window in surprise. The deer at the boundary looked back at her, proudly twisted its neck, and ran away. Lotus Lamp knew that she had wrongly accused it. It didn't want to steal food, it just wanted to help. But she couldn't understand why this deer was so human-like, it was simply amazing.

She went to search for tools in the package. When she came back holding a needle, she found that the mermaid pearl in the plate was missing. She stared at the empty plate for a long time, confirmed that she had not touched it, and then turned her gaze to the deer.

I am night blind and didn't see anything.

The Lotus Lantern Festival is good. With ample time, I changed my clothes and tied up my hair solemnly. I waited quietly until the end of the hour of the Snake, and then followed my companion to the Tao Ran Pavilion.

The lotus lamp walked out from the inner room. Only a few disciples entered the door. While arranging things, they asked her, "Madam, there is a noon appointment with the national teacher. Please don't forget."

After he listened, he looked at her indifferently, turned his gaze away, and walked slowly with his hands behind his back. When he arrived in front of a stone gate, he waved his sleeve, and the gate opened on its own. Only then did Lian Deng see that there was a hidden world inside. It was somewhat similar to the caves on the Mingsha Mountain, but this artificial rockery was even colder.

She was somewhat restless and eager to go and see what was happening. However, the location was not right after all. There were some restrictions in the Divine Palace. If she accidentally offended the National Teacher, wouldn't it be like putting a knife to her own neck?

She stopped in her tracks, crossed her arms, and waited silently. After about the time it takes to brew a cup of tea, she finally heard him let out a soft sigh and glanced at her, saying, "Why didn't you say anything when you arrived?"

However, what kind of person or event could make him treat it so seriously? The funeral in the lower realm has just ended, and there is no news of a grander celebration. After three days of snow, it cleared up today. It doesn't seem like a natural disaster, and there is no need for the national teacher to pray to the heavens for anything. So, if I'm not mistaken, someone from the Daming Palace must have arrived. The only person who could make the national teacher greet them with such respect, besides the emperor, is none other than the crown prince.

She looked at the wet pearl, feeling both angry and amused. She picked it up and found that the surface was not as hard as it used to be. With a needle, it easily pierced through.

She tentatively asked him, "Master, are you feeling cold?"

He was busy preparing the mold material. Upon hearing her, he paused for a moment but had already anticipated her confusion. He casually replied, "Wearing less clothing."

She sat down as he wished, and he brought a piece of mud to her, with his sleeves still rolled up high after being busy. Lian Deng saw his strong arms, which were completely different from what she had imagined as weak. He squatted down to carefully observe her face, and the two were very close, close enough for their breaths to mingle. This proximity made Lian Deng very uncomfortable, but she forced herself to endure it, thinking it would pass quickly, but it paused for a long time. Then he raised his hand and reached towards her eyes.

After he finished listening, a faint smile slowly appeared on his face, "Indeed, it's very good-looking."

She felt a little embarrassed and awkwardly smiled at him, "My friend put it on for me before she left. She said it would look better with a little touch-up..."

The National Teacher did not stay, only glanced briefly and went to the other end of the corridor. The boat hastily bowed to her, "I have something to attend to, so I must leave first. Madam, please return to the Linglang realm alone. We will continue our conversation when I have the time to find you." With a gentle smile, his eyes seemed to hold a thousand words. Unfortunately, he could not stay any longer. He displayed his figure, leaped over the hook fence, and disappeared at the end of the corridor in the blink of an eye, his robe fluttering in the wind.

It is said that carrying it with you can make you immune to all poisons. It's really a good thing! She skillfully twirled the beads in the plate, thinking about where to keep them safe. She was afraid of losing them if she put them in her purse, so she decided to hang them around her neck!

She raised her finger to her lips, but he pulled her wrist over and made a cut on her fingertip with ease. Blood gushed out and flowed into the groove. The box was like a bloodthirsty beast, which made a crisp cracking sound after being satisfied. Lian Deng felt scared and looked at him tremblingly. He lowered his eyes and looked calm, but his hand was so cold, a bone-chilling coldness that spread from her wrist to the deepest part of her body. Lian Deng felt scared and looked at him tremblingly. He lowered his eyes and looked calm, but his hand was so cold, a bone-chilling coldness that spread from her wrist to the deepest part of her body.

The lotus lamp had the intuition to avoid it, and leaned back slightly, but hindered by his identity, he ultimately did not dare to have too much of a reaction. She is now in need of him, her fate is in his hands, let him decide.

Zhenzi smiled and said, "It's already done. Young master has sent a message, asking madam to meet at Taoranting at noon. If madam doesn't know the way, young master will come to escort madam in a while. Madam, please have a meal first."

The lotus lamp has never seen such a fair-skinned man. Not to mention those rough and uncultured people from the Western Regions on the Silk Road, just look at Wang Apu. Even wind and sun have taken away his original color. The national teacher leads a peaceful and leisurely life, and all his luxuries are fully reflected in his face. In the snowy field, he can compete with the snow, and when the sunlight shines on his head, his skin becomes translucent like gelatin.

Not much blood was taken, only about half a cup, but Lian Deng felt a bit dizzy. He applied medicine to her wound, with a hint of a smile on his lips, "You can't even handle a little blood, it seems that your body is weak and incapable of accomplishing great things."

Still with eyes as clear as mountain springs, it quickly wagged its tail as it approached her. The lotus lamp ignored its fawning behavior and asked in a deep voice, "Did you take the Mermaid's Tear? You can still return it now."

The lotus lamp looked in the direction they left, suddenly feeling a little melancholy. Looking up at the sky, it should be almost the ninth hour. Yesterday, the national teacher asked her to come see him at noon. If she couldn't resolve her current affairs quickly, she was afraid it would be delayed until today.

The Lotus Lamp did not expect to receive his praise. I always feel that he is not the kind of person who would condescend to deal with things. If he says something is good, it must be truly good.

Originally, Fangzhou was still joking and laughing, but as soon as the national teacher appeared, a look of awe immediately appeared on his face, and he seemed like a different person from the moment before.

She carried the jiao pearl and looked at it, without any unusual reaction. She poured clear water to rinse it, and as soon as it touched the water, it immediately became cold and hard like iron. If it weren't for that deer, I'm afraid no matter how much effort she put in, she wouldn't be able to pierce it! It's just that she wants to slaughter it and offend it. The next time they meet, it's definitely impossible to speak kindly.

She went to the bronze mirror, tied a knot and wore it around her neck. There were also flower hairpins stuck to her, which looked very fresh and beautiful when she looked at them. It's natural for girls to love beauty. In fact, she is not much different from ordinary girls.

Lotus Lamp squatted down and hugged its neck. It leaned against her meekly. She stood up and crossed the wooden bridge, and it followed her closely without leaving for a moment. She glanced at it and sighed while sitting on the steps, "I will leave the temple in a few days. We are so close, and it will be inevitably sad when we part. It's better to be strangers from the beginning!"

She seems a bit nervous. Her eyes under the light are shining brightly, staring at him with wide eyes, worried that he might eat her up in one bite? His lips slightly sink, he moves his fingers and directly tears off the flower hairpin.

She is a girl. Girls like to hear nice words, and she is no exception. In the past, when she didn't have clean clothes on the Mingsha Mountain, Wang Apu always said she was sloppy, which made her feel very distressed. Later, she exchanged a Hu costume with a few pieces of yellow sheepskin. When he saw her, he squinted his eyes and said it was passable. The national teacher was the first man to compliment her on her looks. Although this compliment may only refer to her hairpin, she was already very happy.

She couldn't hide her curiosity, wondering if there were masks filling the inside. It's quite scary to think about, with all kinds of faces and all kinds of lives. This cave is like a workshop for creating people, where one can confidently walk on the vast land of history with a new face.

The suspicion in his mind was quickly dismissed, he was indeed dressed lightly. The answer sounded reasonable, but she knew deep down that it was definitely not the case. Even in the cold, the basic body temperature can still be maintained. If this limit is exceeded, not only will it be difficult to move, but even breathing will become a challenge. However, further questioning was not possible, it was better to pretend to be ignorant about certain matters. Everything in the Supreme God Palace is a puzzle, and it seems that it would take three days and three nights to solve it. Even in the cold, the basic body temperature can still be maintained. If this limit is exceeded, not only will it be difficult to move, but even breathing will become a challenge. However, further questioning was not possible, it was better to pretend to be ignorant about certain matters. Everything in the Supreme God Palace is a puzzle, and it seems that it would take three days and three nights to solve it. She was originally just a passerby, digging too deep would only lead to a dead end. In order to live a long life, it is better to remain silent!

It blinked its eyes, obviously not understanding what she said. So she straightened her back and muttered to herself, "There are so many deer in the shrine, no one would notice if one is missing. I know for sure that you ate it. Let's open up your belly and see, then the truth will be revealed." As she spoke, she actually pulled out a dagger from her ankle boots. The deer's eyes became filled with fear, and it spat the pearl back into the plate before fleeing without looking back.

Lotus lamp complains in the dark, not because she is physically weak, but because her brain was frozen by him. Where in the world can there be such a person? Is he made of ice? She almost suspects whether he is a living person at all, why doesn't he have any human warmth.

He certainly noticed her small movements, but didn't say anything and gestured towards the mat.