Chapter 117: Reforging the Flesh

“Ah! Then you share the same suffering as me. Does your heart still ache?” Shen Yuqin tilted her head, looking at Yi An with eyes tinged with emotion. She wanted to comfort him but didn’t know where to begin.

She had endured the sorrow of parting by death. Even now, whenever she recalled those past memories, they remained unforgettable.

Yi An sighed softly and said, “You’ll get used to it. The dead cannot be brought back. We have to look forward. If we keep dwelling on the past, life will be unbearable.”

“But... forgetting the past is easier said than done. Scenes from before always linger in the heart.” Shen Yuqin’s eyes dimmed. She understood this truth well, but putting it into practice was always far more difficult than merely speaking of it.

“In the future, you still have me.” Yi An spoke plainly, without hesitation, revealing the thoughts stirring in his heart.

Perhaps he had hesitated at first, but just now he told himself that since he could not deceive himself, why not follow his true feelings and act boldly?

To march forward fearlessly—that was the spirit a man should possess. To shrink back, hesitant and cautious, was not the way of a true gentleman.

As for what came next, that was for another time; no one could predict the future.

Eyes might deceive, but one’s heart never lies.

Yi An thought this and made a firm decision, speaking straight from his heart.

“Hmph, we’ll see how you perform in the future. I never said I’d marry you.” Shen Yuqin turned and walked ahead. Her eyes, clear as rippling waters, radiated a gentle warmth. The curve of her lips was perfect like a crescent moon. Perhaps Yi An’s words had dispelled all the shadows in her heart.

Yi An smiled and sighed inwardly. Women were truly contradictory.

...

Yi An followed Shen Yuqin back home. It was worth mentioning that outside the door, they encountered Madam Wang again, who still wore that eager, enthusiastic expression.

However, Yi An and Shen Yuqin were not fooled by such appearances. The other’s feigned kindness probably masked a deeper, more sinister plot.

As for the “Makeup Pavilion,” Yi An planned to have Yan Chixia keep watch there. After much thought, he could think of no better solution. Since Mu Lan’s whereabouts were uncertain, keeping an eye on the “Makeup Pavilion” was the only way.

“Brother Yi, are you thinking of turning this act into reality?” Yan Chixia eyed Yi An suspiciously. He wasn’t sure if it was just his imagination, but he felt something was amiss between the two. After Shen Yuqin returned indoors, he couldn’t help but ask.

They were already overwhelmed as it was; now was not the time for complications.

This was just his intuition, a warning to Yi An.

Yi An smiled and patted his shoulder. “Though it sounds unbelievable, you guessed right.”

In truth, not only Yan Chixia but even Yi An himself felt as if in a dream.

“But... you and she come from different worlds—human and ghost. When it’s time to sever ties, sever them. Don’t get too deeply involved.” Yan Chixia paused, then looked at him strangely.

He hadn’t anticipated this outcome. What he said was common knowledge; Yi An couldn’t be unaware. This puzzled him greatly.

“There are always more solutions than difficulties. Brother Yan, have you heard of the method to reconstruct the body?” Yi An asked.

Reconstructing the body did not mean possession or the like. It involved rare heavenly materials combined with secret techniques to condense a new physical form.

For example, during the Age of Deities, after Nezha’s body was destroyed, his master, Taiyi Zhenren, rebuilt his body from lotus roots.

Of course, Yi An would never use lotus roots or radishes. His method was derived from an ancient technique developed by a great sage long ago when one of his disciples was reduced to a mere wisp of spirit.

That sage created a method to reconstruct the body by borrowing a strand of primordial essence. Yet human flesh was mysterious and complex. Though Yi An understood the essentials of the technique, it was his first attempt, and any mishap would spell catastrophe.

Thus, he must prepare thoroughly before proceeding.

Moreover, his current cultivation was shallow; in short, the time was not yet right.

Yan Chixia was stunned upon hearing this but then suddenly understood. “So that’s how it is. I thought you weren’t so reckless.”

“Well then, the matter at the Makeup Pavilion is entrusted to you.” Yi An quickly explained everything, including Mu Lan’s appearance and precautions.

Although the chance of a slip-up was slim with the opponent unsuspecting, they had to be cautious. As Yan Chixia said, at such a critical moment, there could be no mistakes; everything must be flawless.

Yan Chixia had no objections. He had said all he could. Even if Yi An insisted, he could only advise from the sidelines.

But it seemed he had worried unnecessarily.

...

The next morning, Yan Chixia set out early. He only needed to watch during the morning and afternoon. By evening, Mu Lan would no longer appear.

As for why not simply wait outside the Luo family residence, Yi An had his reasons. First, the Luo family had many henchmen. If Yan Chixia appeared too often, it would attract unwanted attention.

Second, Mu Lan didn’t just visit the Makeup Pavilion. Following her everywhere would be exhausting and risky.

It was better to wait outside the Makeup Pavilion from the start, ready for her arrival.

On the first day, Mu Lan did not appear. Yi An had anticipated this. Though she frequented the Makeup Pavilion, cosmetics were not essential. Even someone obsessed would not visit daily. Coming once every few days already showed extreme infatuation.

When Yan Chixia returned, night quickly fell. Yi An knocked on Shen Yuqin’s door.

Seeing her graceful silhouette, Yi An felt an inexplicable joy.

Only when Shen Yuqin spoke did he come back to himself and smiled. “Yuqin, I need to go out for a while. If nothing goes wrong, I’ll be back by tomorrow morning.”

Yuqin looked puzzled. “It’s so late already. Can’t this wait until tomorrow?”

At the same time, a hint of worry crept into her heart. A woman’s intuition was accurate; she sensed Yi An’s trip concealed some deeper secret.

The Miao Book House