Chapter 118: The Fox Mask

Upon reaching the bustling Exalting Sanctum, Ms. Welt stopped in her tracks. She turned, her gaze slowly sweeping over the three of them.

Chen’s eyes were unfocused, his mind clearly wandering off to some distant, private world.

March 7th had his cheeks puffed out in a pout, his arms crossed as he radiated a distinct air of reluctance.

Qiong stood silently beside Chen, her fingers subconsciously clenching and unclenching at her side, as if still savoring the fluffy, soft sensation from earlier.

Ms. Welt pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose, a knowing smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

“It seems the three of you are still in good spirits.”

“In that case…”

“The Xianzhou is vast, and it’s not every day you get to visit. There’s no need for you to keep following me around. Go wherever you’d like. Buy some snacks, go shopping, or just enjoy the scenery.”

A brilliant light sparked in March 7th’s eyes. “Really?! Auntie Welt, you’re not coming with us?”

Ms. Welt nodded. “Young people should have some time to themselves to play!”

She then fixed Chen with a meaningful look. “Especially you. Don’t go causing any more… accidents for me.”

Chen scratched the back of his neck, offering a sheepish laugh. “Absolutely not! We’ll just stick to shopping, I promise!”

Ms. Welt observed the trio’s distinct reactions, the amusement in her eyes deepening. She said no more, simply giving them a final nod before turning and walking down another street that led toward the Sky-Faring Commission, her figure soon swallowed by the vibrant night.

“Awesome!”

March 7th let out a whoop, bouncing on the balls of his feet. His eyes darted around, taking in the dazzling array of shops and stalls. “Free time! Free time! Chen, Qiong, where should we go first? Look, they’re making sugar paintings over there! And those sparkly lanterns! Ah, and whatever’s cooking over there smells incredible!”

Chen didn’t answer him right away. ‘Where should we go…’ he mused.

He rubbed his chin, his gaze roaming the lively street before finally settling on an inconspicuous stall tucked away in a corner. It wasn’t large, just a simple wooden rack hung with all sorts of masks. There were carved wooden Nuo masks and half-masks painted with traditional Xianzhou patterns, alongside a few cute and quirky animal masks.

The stall owner was a white-haired old man, leisurely carving a piece of wood with a small chisel, paying no mind to the passersby.

“Come on,” Chen said, nudging Qiong with his shoulder and tilting his chin toward the stall. “Let’s go check that out.”

“Masks?” March 7th followed his gaze. “Looks like fun! Let’s go, let’s go!”

The three of them made their way over to the stall. The old man glanced up, gave them a brief nod of greeting, and then returned to his work, shavings of wood curling away from his blade.

Chen picked up a half-mask painted with a delicate blue lotus pattern. He held it up to his own face and turned to Qiong. “How about this one?”

Qiong studied it for a moment before giving a slight shake of her head.

Undeterred, Chen switched to a cute-looking tanuki mask. He put it on, and his voice came out muffled. “What about this one?”

A small laugh escaped Qiong’s lips, but she still shook her head.

Chen wasn’t discouraged in the slightest, continuing to sift through the collection. Finally, his fingers brushed against a simple white fox mask. It covered only the upper half of the face, its lines sleek and elegant. The corners of the eyes were outlined in shimmering gold powder, curving upward to give the mask an air of cunning and mystery.

“This one,” Chen said, holding the mask out in front of Qiong. “Isn’t it beautiful?”

Qiong’s gaze fell upon the mask, then lifted to meet Chen’s. She hesitated for a heartbeat before reaching out and taking it from him. She didn’t put it on immediately, instead holding it in her hands, her fingers tracing its smooth surface as she examined it closely.

Seeing her reaction, Chen knew he had a winner. He turned to the stall owner with a smile. “Sir, we’ll take this mask.”

The old man paused his carving and quoted a price. Chen paid readily.

“Want to try it on?” Chen urged her.

Qiong looked down at the mask, then up at Chen’s expectant eyes. Finally, she gently placed the mask over her face. The pristine white concealed the upper half of her features, leaving only her soft jawline and her faintly pursed lips visible. The gilded lines at the corners of the eyes lent an indescribable charm to her normally somewhat vacant expression, transforming it into something enigmatic.

“It looks great!” March 7th immediately chimed in. “With that on, Qiong, your whole vibe has changed!”

Chen grinned, his hand moving on its own. He naturally reached out and helped her adjust a small part of the mask’s edge that wasn’t sitting quite right against her temple.

“Yeah, the size is just right,” he nodded with satisfaction, withdrawing his hand.

As Chen was admiring the sight, the old stall owner suddenly spoke.

“Young friend, you have quite the eye to have chosen that fox mask.”

“Oh?” Chen turned to the old man. “Is there a story behind this one?”

“Nothing major,” the old man said, leisurely resuming his carving. “It’s just that the pattern on this mask is based on one from several hundred years ago. It was modeled after a Foxian woman who used to frequent the Exalting Sanctum. That woman was lively and loved a good crowd, but she had a kind heart and helped many people. Later, for some reason, she simply disappeared.”

A flicker of interest sparked in Chen’s heart, and he was about to press for more details. But before he could open his mouth, March 7th, unable to wait any longer, tugged insistently on his sleeve.

“Chen, Chen, I want one too! I want that Nuo mask with the bells!”

“Alright, alright, I’ll buy it for you.” With a put-upon sigh that fooled no one, Chen pulled out his wallet again. It wasn’t like he was short on cash, anyway; the sum Asta had given him was more than generous.

March 7th happily put on the Nuo mask, which was decorated with several small, brassy bells. He shook his head back and forth, delighting in the crisp jingling sound it made.

“Where to next?” he asked, his voice slightly muffled by the mask.

Chen looked at Qiong, who stood quietly to the side, her own fox mask hiding her expression. He then glanced at the crowded, lantern-lit streets of the Exalting Sanctum.

“Since we’re all wearing masks now,” he laughed, a hint of mischief in his voice. “Then let’s… explore to our hearts’ content?”

He took the lead, striding deeper into the streets where the lights were denser and the voices of the crowd were louder.

March 7th followed cheerfully, the bells on his mask jingling with every step.

Qiong looked down at the mask she was holding, then at Chen’s retreating back. She carefully adjusted her own mask, securing it over her face, and followed them into the heart of the festival.

[Elysian’s Note:

Having a good time with the story?

Every single bit helps immensely:

Thanks a ton for making this journey possible!]