Chapter 302: Nine-Death Ageless Crème
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Yun Yang’s gaze was dark as he listened to Ji Lingxi patiently; he had not shown any overly unusual reactions throughout her narrative but had stored everything in his heart.
Yue Rulan was more astute than Ji Lingxi. She clearly saw that there were glints of chilling anger in Yun Yang’s eyes that spelled savage, murderous intent.
For a moment, goosebumps racked her inwardly, as she could not help but tremble. Yue Rulan, who came from a transcendent family, knew that it was an extremely well-honed and deeply surging killing intent!
It was obvious – Yun Yang did not say anything, but he was not as nonchalant as he appeared to be when hearing of the provocation that came with this matter.
He had obviously made an extreme and unreserved decision!
"I was thinking of… never mind. You’re only Ji Lingxi and Yue Rulan from now on; the Residence of Yun is your only home!" Yun Yang smiled and said, "I’d like to see who it is who actually dared to do this..."
His chuckle almost belied the surging, murderous intent within him.
Ji Lingxi felt a sudden warmth, instinctively assuming that her crush was angered because she was harassed, being forced into a marriage and hunted down; she beamed like a blooming flower and said, "Alright, we’ll stay here from now on. Secluded and simple. They won’t find us again."
Yun Yang smiled and patted Ji Lingxi’s head before he said, "Lingxi, you must listen to Sister Lan well in the future. Don’t be mischievous. I will go buy some herbs to nourish you both. You must have suffered much in your journey."
As he spoke, he stood up and smiled gently before leaving.
Ji Lingxi was totally dumbfounded!
Yue Rulan’s eyes bored straight at Ji Lingxi’s head where Yun Yang had patted; she was similarly stupefied, unable to produce a word even after a long while had passed.
The two girls did not even notice when Yun Yang had left.
What – what had just happened?
Ji Lingxi touched her own head; bewilderment swirled in her big, beautiful eyes.
After a while, the two pairs of eyes met each other; their stares were filled with disbelieving astonishment. What was that?
What was going on? What was the situation here?
Being patted on the head, asked to be good and to listen to Sister Lan in the future?
Was she a three-year-old for him to speak with such tones?
Yue Rulan finally came to her senses and burst out laughing.
"Hahaha…"
Ji Lingxi’s hand was still on her head with exasperation leaking from her entire being as she murmured her curses, "This piece of log, his head is muddled again! Does he know what he’s saying? Has water gone into his brain? It must have!"
It had been a long time since Yue Rulan had guffawed to her heart’s content. She slapped the bed and said, "Lingxi, is this really your crush? It’s terribly hilarious! Are sure he’s your crush? Not your grandfather, perhaps?"
Ji Lingxi’s face was twisted as she stared at her speechlessly; suddenly, she said, "I don’t know if he is my elder but he’s certainly treated you like one, that's for sure. Congratulations on being the log’s elder, Sister Lan!"
Yue Rulan was brought up short by Ji Lingxi's words. It was true – Yun Yang had pampered Ji Lingxi like a child but to her… he was as respectful as facing an elder!
Do I look that old? I’m only a little older than Lingxi!
Yue Rulan’s delight was gone, replaced by lingering melancholy.
Anyone of the following; appearance, age, and youth was a woman’s irreconcilable enemy at any time!
…
In the afternoon of the same day, Yun Yang had gotten the herbs he needed and was down to work, stewing medicinal herbs.
He had obtained some green elements that were full of spiritual air of vitality and a fragrance that reinvigorated one's self if sniffed.
"Apply this to your face before drinking the medicinal herb. Not only can this refresh your mind," Yun Yang said, "It can also enhance your beauty."
He went back to stewing herbs after that.
Enhancing beauty.
Even Yue Rulan, who was hopeless about finding Ji Lingfeng, could not resist such temptations – what more, Ji Lingxi who wanted to be beautiful for the person she liked?
"Will I need such a thing?"
Ji Lingxi pouted. "That idiot hasn’t seen my real face yet. Let me wash my face and get rid of the disguise, we shall see if this lady will enchant him to no end!"
Yue Rulan chuckled. "Since you don’t need it, give them all to me. Sister Lan is old and wrinkly now, I old enough to be treated as an elder! I need this to enhance my beauty!"
Ji Lingxi shuddered at once, quickly dividing the green substance into two equal parts in fear of Yue Rulan taking them all.
Yue Rulan pursed her lips and continued her teasing, "If Young Master Yun saw what you’re doing, he might pat your head again and say, ‘Girly, grow up quickly. Don’t let me worry too much, okay…’."
Ji Lingxi stared darkly at her companion. "If he dares do that again, I’ll… I’ll…"
She repeated "I’ll" a few times but did not complete her sense, an internal sense of worry asserting itself, "This piece of log, he has always been ignorant of romance. He doesn’t even understand a girl's heart. If I did say so… that would be so embarrassing!"
She washed her face with water, taking the disguise away and applied the green liquid on Yue Rulan’s face as well as her own. They endured the wrinkly feeling for half a quarter of an hour while closing their eyes.
Yun Yang had said that the herb was only effective when masking the face for at least one eighth of an hour. It was best to close the eyes during the process and condition the eyelids too so that it would work seamlessly.
When it came to matters of beauty, the girls were very obedient.
Ji Lingxi and Yue Rulan wholeheartedly trusted Yun Yang now, not daring to deviate from his instructions in the slightest.
Half a quarter of an hour later, Ji Lingxi opened her eyes and saw Yue Rulan looking at her with an expression divided between laughing and crying.
"Sister Lan, why are you looking at me like this… Argh! Your face!" Ji Lingxi exclaimed suddenly.
Yue Rulan's face had turned dull and yellow! Even her crystal-clear eyes had turned lackluster and muted. Her hands, neck, ears… basically, her entire expanse of skin that was visible had all turned into this dull shade! Her unmatched beauty was only ordinary now, less than ordinary even.
The only thing unchanged was her features.
Anyone who saw her now would not have believed this was the ever graceful Yue Rulan! It was like she was a different person altogether.
"Argh!"
Even as she was shocked by Yue Rulan’s change in appearance, Ji Lingxi thought of something else and bolted to the mirror with a cry.
Immediately, Ji Lingxi felt her limbs growing cold.
Her skin was the same shade as Yue Rulan's!
Whatever the eyes saw, it was as if she was born that way; there was no trace that it was an applied color.
Anxiously, Ji Lingxi rubbed her face and washed it vigorously with water but it was a futile effort.
The dull, withered color stayed on her pretty face, an innate part of her physical features – as if she had been born with it.
"Arghh!!!"
Ji Lingxi felt an upheaval of emotions and was frozen on the spot.
How could she enchant Yun Yang, looking like this now? What had happened to her appearance?
"Yun Yang, I’m going to kill you!"
Ji Lingxi was ready to slaughter anyone on sight, but she was also tearful without a single drop to spare. "This bastard, what herbs has he given me to disfigure me so?"
Thinking of the forced marriage proposal, being hunted down and attacks aimed at her face, she had struggled so hard and fought for her life… She had survived each time, escaping and managing to live on to fight again.
Now, she had thought that all the sufferings had come to an end – she and Sister Yue were safe! It was during this moment of relief that her most prized appearance had been destroyed by Yun Yang!
Perhaps this was not exactly disfigurement, and there might be a way out but by looking at how stubbornly the color had stayed on her face, it would not be corrected any time soon.
It was a sudden thunderbolt that struck Ji Lingxi, rendering her senseless.
Yun Yang entered with herbs and looked at them fondly as he said gently, "What are you doing shouting and crying aloud about being a lady? Lingxi, you have to change this habit of yours; otherwise, how are you ever going to find in-laws?"
Stunned could hardly describe both Ji Lingxi and Yue Rulan's expressions.
Why was he speaking in such a grandfatherly tone to them?
Yun Yang put the medicinal herbs on the table and explained, smiling, "The cream on your face is a spiritual medicine that I found with much effort. Although your paramount beauty has been covered, it has not actually changed your appearance. Besides, this spiritual medicine’s effect doesn’t last very long; it can only retain its potency for three years."
Three years!
Only?
How many years could there be to a girl’s most dazzling, youthful beauty in her life? You are taking three years off it, just like that?
The girls’ faces fell, their gazes on him turned pitiless like they were about to maul him to death.
"Why such dour expressions? Allow me to explain, this medicated cream is the legendary Nine-Death Ageless Crème."
Yun Yang spoke with a smile, "Legend has it that there was a man who trekked the world’s mountains and valleys in search of a spiritual medicine to fulfill his wife’s wish of remaining beautiful forever. He adjusted the formula consistently and has experienced nine trips to death’s door for this medicine. That was how the cream was formulated and brought home."
Yun Yang sighed and said, "However, the vicissitudes of life are unpredictable… He had spent too long in his search for the medicine and adjustment of the formula that when he came home, his wife, who had been waiting all the while, no longer looked youthful. Her hair had turned grey and she had become an old lady full of wrinkles… No matter how magical the Ageless Crème was, it could not recover her beauty. "
"All that was left to do was to sigh."