Elementalists can't create fire but Fan Shuangxi can. Hm, what a surprise. She rolls her eyes.

She plays with the flame hovering on her hand. How many abilities have the original hidden in her sleeves? That woman is strangely gifted in many aspects, almost a winner in life except for her doomed fate. Her foundation in the Divine Arts can also be considered to be strong plus she has many surprising techniques and arts that Fan Shuangxi is slowly finding out these days.

A small part of her feels guilty for reaping the harvest the original has planted. Maybe, it is time to sit down and review the original's past memories in detail?

Two days have passed after the Eve of Freedom and here she is, still traveling to the city. Fan Shuangxi lounges on the tree branch that afternoon, resting as Shen Qian demanded. The flame dancing on her palms camouflaging with the warm palette of sunset.

Fan Shuangxi fists her hand and the flame vanishes with it. She crosses her arms behind her neck and closes her eyes.

The original grew up in Shuixian Palace with only her parents as companions and the three were the last Fan clan members. At the age of nine, her father died and her mother lasted until the original Fan Shuangxi turned thirteen before succumbing to her illness. By that age, the original Fan Shuangxi is on the fourth stage of cultivation.

Her lashes flutter as Fan Shuangxi opens her eyes. It's been on her mind lately how it became possible for the original to cultivate in Shuixian Palace while the current Fan Shuangxi has to leave to cultivate.

She pouts, if possible, she too will love to cultivate in Shuixian Palace and never leave that place.

Granny Fan, Fan Shuangxi calls out inwardly while holding the Mind Conveying Jade, also known as Donald, the walkie-talkie.

A thin, vertical line appears signifying a connection.

Yes, my lady? Granny Fan's clear and respectful voice echoes in Fan Shuangxi's head.

Fan Shuangxi pauses for a minute. This...doesn't sound weird as she had initially expected. If she can compare, it is similar to having earphones on except she has no earphones and instead of the ear it is in the head...

Fan Shuangxi shakes her head.

Granny Fan, how come the original me was able to cultivate back then in Shuixian Palace when I was a child?

Fan Shuangxi unknowingly holds her breath, waiting for Granny Fan's response despite not hearing any kind of background noise.

During that time, this old one was already asleep and I can only speculate that Shuixian Palace must be near the vicinity of the Imperial Belt, my lady.

Oh, that explains it.

In the Earthen Realm, the top three continents ideal for cultivation due to its high concentration of the great airs are Shancha, Fengxinzi, and Yuanwei. These three superpowers also happen to be neighbors, thus, the name Imperial Belt came into existence.

If the original Fan Shuangxi grew up under these three's waters then it is possible for her to cultivate while never leaving Shuixian Palace. Infernal and Supernal air, after all, permeate any space; they cannot be contained by anything.

Fan Shuangxi thanks Granny Fan and disconnects.

There is also that matter of the Fan clan's version of the Path. The normal Path of Ascension reveals that mortals need to step on the third stage to start sensing qi but in the Fan clan's version, qi must be sensed in the first stage.

Maybe that is also why the original is able to reach the fourth stage early? Her inner self speculates. She doesn't need to go through the rough labor of gathering inherent energy and building her own spirit ocean because it's already present.

Won't that make the first three stages as bonus stages and the real hard work is only at the fourth and fifth stage? Fan Shuangxi softly nibbles her lip.

Man, shall I rejoice of this shortcut or despair that the Fan is way more special than a special snowflake? Is that even possible? Her inner self rambles. And speaking of spirit ocean, let's check our progress! 

Fan Shuangxi focuses and concentrates on the densest part of her qi. It takes a while for Fan Shuangxi to visualize an ocean and another minute to truly enter that vision.

Sweat trickles down her temple.

Visualizing one's spirit ocean is akin to learning a new action; it takes repetition to master the act. Similarly, the more proficient she is in visualizing it, the easier it becomes to enter later on.

Her body may be an expert but the mind is still an amateur.

Studying was never as hard as this, Fan Shuangxi cries while she floats above the giant crater that is her infernal spirit ocean.

She surveys the trickling water on the bottom of the infernal spirit ocean and turns up her head to compare the pitiful amount to the magnitude that is her supernal spirit ocean. Its gleaming surface, the glow of pure amber, and the mere fact that it hasn't fallen due to gravity put an expression of awe in Fan Shuangxi.

Kirei! Fan Shuangxi coos. 

The reason why there's a clear boundary between the two spirit oceans is solely due to the Vessel Shell Seal. Her real body contains the infernal spirit ocean while her doll holds her supernal spirit ocean at the same time, the doll serves as the connection that harvests infernal qi and transfers it to the original body.

The moment this doll disappears, the spirit oceans inside her real body has attained balance.

With the two oceans as a comparison, Fan Shuangxi's mood deflates. She glares at her infernal spirit ocean.

I thought my progress will increase somewhat but I don't see it at all. Ai, my ghost army is so slow! Fan Shuangxi harrumphs. 

As if you're helpful either, her inner self scolds. 

Fan Shuangxi is quiet

I really need to leave this backwater country as soon as possible!

The thicket below her rustles.

The racket snaps Fan Shuangxi from her concentration.

Fan Shuangxi's gaze drops down and surveys the disturbance from her high perch.

If it is a bear and then I get eaten will I regenerate inside the animal's stomach? She wonders offhandedly.

The bushes shake continuously, inciting a feeling of excitement from a bored Fan Shuangxi.

If it's an animal, please, please, be cute and furry! She prays.

Drum roll!

Fan Shuangxi holds her breath and waits...and waits.

Huh? Is someone messing with me? Fan Shuangxi frowns as the activity below her stills.

She shrugs when nothing happens. Fan Shuangxi turns away and resumes what she's doing.

Rustle.

Tsk!

“Hey, someone's busy here!” Fan Shuangxi scolds loudly.

Rustle intensifies.

Fan Shuangxi's eyebrows furrow and she impatiently glances down. With no sign of the noise dying down, she jumps off the branch.

Okay, if you're a rabbit, I'll roast you. If you're a bear, I'll skin you. If you're a...human, I'll...

“Fuck! Sadako is that you?” Fan Shuangxi sputters when she sees a bloody hand crawling out of the thick cluster of plants.

She backs away while squinting.

Finally, silky black hair breaks out from the foliage, the head and the twigs having a tug-of-war with the head losing pitifully.

Sadako, did you transmigrate too? I don't mind having you as a partner, her inner self jokes, laughing her ass off while Fan Shuangxi watches the struggle of man against nature.

The head slumps, defeated by the twigs.

Ah.

Did someone just die while she's being entertained?

Welp, I was never a good citizen anyway, her inner self inserts.

Fan Shuangxi observes for another minute and slowly approaches the prone form. She pokes the head.

“Is it dead?”

“Yes.”

Fan Shuangxi releases a squeak and jumps away, her hands on her chest. She sees Shen Qian bending down to inspect the corpse but it isn't long before he freezes on his spot and backs away.

“What's wrong with it?” Fan Shuangxi instinctively follows his move.

“He..hel..p.” Deep, raspy, and breathy.

Fan Shuangxi sucks in a breath as her eyes bulge at the moving, talking corpse.

Zo..zombie?

Shen Qian motions for Fan Shuangxi to help the person. She walks stiffly and roughly drags the body out in the open.

The onyx hair covers the person’s entire face while the chest, a man’s chest, Fan Shuangxi realizes, is covered with scratched marks. It moves up and down signifying that the man is alive, not dead as she previously thought.

Shen Qian bends and inspects the injured man. His hand glowing with blue light hovers above the body.

Fan Shuangxi quietly waits at the side as Shen Qian performs a few healing arts. After his first aid, the man’s labored breath died down to a relieved sigh and his twitching body relaxes.

“Is he asleep?” Fan Shuangxi whispers.

Shen Qian nods. “I’ve done what I can with my capabilities but he still needs to be treated by a doctor.”

“What happened to him?” She asks out loud. Shen Qian stares at the body for a moment before raising his head to meet her curious gaze.

“He died.”

Fan Shuangxi blinks, “huh?”

Don’t tell me, her inner self exclaims, he was resurrected?

“But how?” Fan Shuangxi blurts with an incredulous gaze.

“Even with your assistance, he’d still die,” Shen Qian reveals, hinting at her passerby action not too long ago. Fan Shuangxi coughs.

“He was fatally injured and he truly died but something happened that brought him to life again,” Shen Qian explains as he starts to busy around and begins a fire.

He summons a bluish water and covers the man with it as it acts as some sort of comfortable bedding, a literal waterbed.

Fan Shuangxi glances at the body once in a while and wonders what brutal fate this man has fallen to that he died without any gaping wounds and only surface scratches. She voices out her confusion to an invisible Shen Qian.

“Overstimulation.” Shen Qian materializes and offers a crisp reply.

“What do you mean by overstimulation?” She tilts her head to a Shen Qian that calmly sits. He looks at the dancing flames.

“It happens when there is forced intake of primal air,” he nods at the man, “in his case, it is the infernal air.”

“Any cultivator’s cultivation hinges on their spirit ocean’s capacity to produce qi and this capacity is unique to an individual. Taking less than or even more than the limit they are inherently set in causes imbalance and if left unchecked, can cause death.”

Shen Qian’s explanation reminds Fan Shuangxi of her own predicament. Balance is clearly always a factor no matter if the person has one or two spirit oceans.

“So, his body gave up on him but why is he alive now?” She grasps her chin.

“That is the mystery,” Shen Qian murmurs. He stands up and approaches the sleeping man, his long fingers grazing the man’s forehead and sweeping away the hair that covers the man’s face.

Wait, wait! What is this? Is Shen Qian a Male Lead? Fan Shuangxi’s inner self gapes as she mentally staggers.

Oh my god! By any chance is this a BL encounter? She screeches at her imagined world. Outwardly, Fan Shuangxi only shows a raised eyebrow at Shen Qian’s somewhat intimate gesture.

And here I thought this is my own encounter of my male lead, huhu.

Ai, stop these theatrics, her inner self slaps her imagined self.

On the other hand, Shen Qian maintains his serene expression.

“As I thought.”

“What is it?” Fan Shuangxi hastily stands and peers behind the druid. What she sees makes her gasps.

“What the? He has no face?” Fan Shuangxi squeaks. Her wide eyes reflect the smooth face of the man. He has no eyebrows, lips, or anything at all! Just a blank, creamy white surface, flawless and absolutely creepy!

She backtracks and almost falls to her butt.

Shen Qian is unperturbed but he glances at the terrified Fan Shuangxi and assures her with his miraculous mist.

“This is a human mask.”

Fan Shuangxi relaxes. She heard a lot about human masks since, in novels, they are a commodity many MCs use to disguise their overpowered selves.

A reminder to self, please be respectful to everyone,  is her inner self’s solemn caution.

“Do you know how to remove it?” She sidles to Shen Qian while her eyes are already looking for signs of a boundary between the fake and the real skin.

Shen Qian shakes his head. “This is a high-grade human mask and seems to be pasted with the highest locking mechanism. Only the wearer has the ability to remove it.”

“Interesting. Is this man strong?” Maybe if she can befriend him, she can have another ally by her side. She does not have much ambition in her stay here but she does have the goal of being as safe as possible. The more trump cards she has in her hand, the more secure she is.

“Argh!” The man suddenly groans and without a mouth to accompany the sound of pain, the visual result is ghastly. Fan Shuangxi shudders.

This is a romance world, right? This is not horror, right? Right?

Mr. No Face starts to convulse and within the water bubble he is enclosed in, his limbs thrash around, the water not spilling despite the chaos of movement. Fan Shuangxi glances at Shen Qian. The druid is truly useful and his water bending skills even more so.

She observes what Shen Qian will do next but after a while, the druid only stares.

“Uh, are we not doing anything?” Fan Shuangxi feels the need to ask.

“I don't know.”

“...”

Shen Qian hides his arms on his sleeves. “We are not made to cure physical bodies.” The way he delivers the words with impassioned tone causes Fan Shuangxi to break out in cold sweats. It isn't because of his delivery per se, nor the words, but the implication that he is useless as a physician, meaning Fan Shuangxi silently thanks Granny Fan that this body is external-injuries-proof or else, she'll be like Mr. No Face here, unattended.

“If he dies again, it's not our fault, right?”

Shen Qian, “...”

Fan Shuangxi's reaction at Shen Qian's reaction, “...”

Fortunately for Mr. No Face, the two clueless individuals are not so heartless after all. Since they are near enough to the capital city's gate, Fan Shuangxi resolves to get him medical attention and this decision was immediately seconded by Shen Qian.

At the moment, Fan Shuangxi is carrying the man on her back as she skips from branch to branch, acting like the ninja she so admires. To her surprise, the man doesn't weigh heavier than she perceived at first glance. Taller than her by a head, broad shoulders and a well-built musculature but weighs like a feather, weird.

Fan Shuangxi remembers she had carried objects way heavier than him such as piled hardbound books, filled water jugs, even a dumbbell. At that line of thinking, Fan Shuangxi's next step on the branch digs further and she heard a crack.

What? Did he become heavier?

Fan Shuangxi quickly flies to another branch and lurches forward, Mr. No Face's weight pushing her forward. Her body instinctively reacts and both arms hug a thick branch, saving her from splatting less than twenty feet down below.

That was close!

Fan Shuangxi pulls her body up with its precious cargo and blows a relieved breath. She pats the man's head. “Mister, if this investment is a flop, you'll be bait for male leads out there, I swear,” she huffs and leaves with a high jump, her figure once again becoming a blur among the trees.

Her quick steps shortly bring her to the outskirts of the entrance of Jin City. That's when Fan Shuangxi is presented a problem as she observes the line of people entering the city.

She casts a glance at the man behind her and bites her lower lip. After debating inside, she finally sets him aside and opens Google.

“An identity card?” She reads out loud after asking Google what the requirements for entering Jin City.

Jin Country isn't an empire and more like a commercial country. Not only that, they do not require much when people are passing through, just an ID to note the various persons coming and going which if you don't have one, you can request it in the city's City Hall. There's also the alternative of paying an extravagant fee upon the absence of said identity card.

“Ugh, 100 silver coins, that's expensive.”

Fan Shuangxi had familiarized herself of the monetary system of this universe and to her surprise, it wasn't complicated as she had feared it to be. Simply put, 1 copper coin equals to a penny, 100 copper coins equal to 1 silver coin while 1,000 silver coins are equal to a gold coin. To compare to the modern world, 1 silver coin is 1 American Dollar. So, in this situation, she needs to pay an equivalent of 100 USD per head.

Fan Shuangxi isn't a stingy woman. However, this generous side of hers only applies to the people she loves and sad to say, Mr. No Face here who is barely an acquaintance, is not one of them. Not to mention, Fan Shuangxi really can't think that she'll love him in the future, not with that blank face of his.

She suddenly finds herself thinking what if in the most unlikeliest impossible events that will make her his bride, what will their children look like? In her head, Fan Shuangxi sees a scene wherein a nurse approaches her and congratulates her, holding a pink bundle in her arms. In that scene, the nurse smiles and hands the bundle to her, telling her the child is a girl! Ah, what joy and then when Fan Shuangxi peers to look at her daughter's face, there is nothing but skin!

Fan Shuangxi starts to have goosebumps so she quickly erases the imagination from her head.

“Wait, how do I hide that he has no face? Shen Qian, Shen Qian!” She panics while Google is still open on her hands.

“There is no need to disguise his face.” Shen Qian's voice echoes while his physical form is nowhere to be seen. “Anyone below the fifth stage of the Path cannot perceive his appearance. To others, his face is simply a blurry visage.”

“Oh.”

Fan Shuangxi's eyebrows clash when she discovers that she too can perceive his blank appearance but to be sure. “Shen Qian, can you see a face?”

“I see what you see.”

The same blank face then but the confusing part is, is she already on the fifth stage?

“Shen Qian, am I a fifth stage cultivator?”

“That is unusual. Don't you know?”

She startles and blinks at an empty space. “I just want to know what stage you see when you look at me.”

She gulps inside. Fan Shuangxi, you should be less trustful, okay?

She completely forgot that Shen Qian is not privy to her secrets. It seems her level of comfort with the druid is as close as with Granny Fan, no, even more in fact. She is beginning to treat him as an authority she can follow.

Fan Shuangxi caresses the golden bell on her left ear. Unbeknownst to her, she has grown dependent on this bell too.

“More than the fifth stage.”

“More than the fifth? Then, then, a Saint?” This time, Fan Shuangxi can't hide her gasp.

This, she didn't hear this from Granny Fan! A Saint! Her supernal ocean has already reached Sainthood.

Maybe this is why the rebound was so great?

No, that's not what she's supposed to be thinking. Think of why you can't determine your stage and why you can't determine Mr. No Face's stage.

Fan Shuangxi narrows her eyes. Indeed, it is a topic worthy of an investigation because cultivators with high cultivation can perceive the cultivation of others below them and likewise, those who are of higher cultivation cannot be easily perceived by those whose cultivation is lower.

She, on the other hand, can only sense a cultivator's spirit ocean but not their specific stage. It doesn't align to the ability of a Saint if she is indeed a Saint. Fan Shuangxi remembers the dancer cultivator a few days ago and compared her with Mr. No Face. On the former, Fan Shuangxi is able to sense that the dancer is a beginner cultivator simply because of the dancer's lack of spirit ocean but dense enough inherent energy while with Mr. No face here, indeed, she knows he is a cultivator because he has a working spirit ocean, albeit currently in need of repair, but that's all she knows.

“Xi Shuang, let us move.” Shen Qian's reminder pulls her from her abundant thoughts. She nods and pulls up Mr. No Face to carry him and get him finally treated, completely forgetting her abnormal reaction. Nevertheless, Shen Qian does not inquire.

Xi Shuang. It is the final name Fan Shuangxi decided to use a few weeks back. She notified Shen Qian about her alias and from that day forward, he never mentioned her real name. It also made Fan Shuangxi adjust faster to the name which will make her future interactions and her disguise more convincing.

With the money that comes from the Treasure Space, Fan Shuangxi is able to enter without any trouble. She experiences a mini anxiety attack when the inspectors' gaze lingers on Mr. No Face longer than she expects but it ends with them letting out a frown at the poor guy.

“Is a clinic open at this hour?” The time is past dinner but Fan Shuangxi hopes some altruistic person keeps up all hours.

“A clinic you say?” One of the inspectors repeats. “Clinics are already closed at this hour but Cloud Ink Inn has a resident doctor there, maybe he can help you?”

Her left ear does not chime.

Fan Shuangxi sends him an amicable smile. “Thank you. Can I trouble you to point us to the place?”

“Well, you don't need to know much, see that tallest building westward?” he points. “That's the place. It accepts all kinds of guests as long as you can pay.”

Fan Shuangxi repeats her thanks while in her mind she gives him the side-eye. She wonders if this Cloud Ink Inn pays him for the referral.

She then meanders numerous pathways to get to the said building and when she arrives, she gapes at its impressive storefront and gapes even more, though it's in her head, at their exorbitant price.

She does not lack in coins but being raised as a frugal person, she still bleeds for the money she pays especially when it's not for herself.

I'll definitely hound you for this, Mr. No Face, her inner self vows.

The inn quickly summons their doctor and Mr. No Face is thankfully treated by an experienced hand inside their suite. Mr. No Face also hasn't exhibited any of his convulsions. Now, his wounds are bandaged and he is breathing easily. Hopefully, that series in the forest will not happen again.

Fan Shuangxi sighs as she leans on the wooden balcony in their room. She begins to sweep her gaze on the scenery outside. Not much is seen but orange lights and the twinkling stars.

After taking her fill, Fan Shuangxi brings out Google and starts her entry for the day. It is a long one.

She scribbles and scribbles, her head glancing at Mr. No Face from time to time but near the end, her pen pauses.

Hey, isn't one of Google's function gathering info from touch? Say, if we do it on Mr. No Face will we know his life?

Fan Shuangxi hesitates. The idea can help her garner an image of who this man is but the price is Mr. No Face's privacy.

Human Rights says that a person has a right to privacy and as a believer of human rights, Fan Shuangxi is in a dilemma.

Shall she read his life or not?