The Nine Cauldrons

Chapter 48 Optical Illusion

“Clang” As the sound of the heavy armors clashing together rang, the bag was opened.

Teng Qingshan grabbed the heavy armor out and scrutinized for a moment.

“Normally, the army only brings a very small number of extra heavy armors, since the extras are only used if the heavy armor is damaged during the fight and the soldier still has the energy to fight. There was one that was too big. This suit of heavy armor should the closest in size to Commander, but it’s still slightly smaller.” Tian Dan said helplessly. It was rather difficult to find a suitable one.

Teng Qingshan smiled when his whole body suddenly emitted a cracking sound.

“This...this.....” Tian Dan asked in shock, “What is this unique skill?”

“Tian Dan, now you are inexperienced.” Qinghu laughed.

After Teng Qingshan changed his body shape, he immediately wore the heavy armor, which fit perfectly well. Not too big and not too small.

“Old Brother Tian, help me find a standard long spear.” Teng Qingshan said, “I will put my Reincarnation Spear a saddlebag later.”

“Okay. That’s easy.” Tian Dan nodded.

“Also, it would be good if you could find me a mirror,” said Teng Qingshan.

“Mirror?” Tian Dan was slightly puzzled.

“Yes, mirror.” Teng Qingshan responded.

Tian Dan replied helplessly,”Commander, if it was a long-term battle, some soldiers might bring mirrors and other cumbersome things.....but this time, we came to the Great Yan Mountain in haste, and it’s obvious that we would only be in the Great Yan Mountain for one to two days, thus, I don’t know who brought mirrors. Oh right, maybe Lady Qing brought one. She is a girl after all.”

“She didn’t bring one.” Qinghu sighed and said, “Lady Qing is wholeheartedly worried about Qingshan’s life. She has no time to care about mirrors.”

“Lady Qing didn’t even bring.....I am afraid no one brought mirrors in the army. Commander, why do you need a mirror for?” Tian Dan looked towards Teng Qingshan.

Teng Qingshan shook his head and said helplessly, “If there’s no mirror, then find something that can be used as a mirror.....like trenchant battle sabers. Just find a sword that’s bright enough to be a mirror. If you can’t find a good one, then find me a bucket of water.” Using a bucket of water as a mirror at night wasn’t very effective. Even if Teng Qingshan had good eyesight, the reflection on the water’s surface wouldn’t be clear.

“A battle saber......Yes, I remember a brother, the centurion of the second team. His battle saber is very bright and kills people without getting stained by blood. He brought that saber when he joined the Black Armored Army, and it saber could be effectively used as a mirror. Commander, if you didn’t mention it, I wouldn’t recall this battle saber.” Tian Dan hastily said, “I will go borrow it. However, I can’t borrow it for a long time. I must return it later.”

“I just need the saber for a while.” Teng Qingshan smiled.

After Tian Dan left the camp, Teng Qingshan took some pieces of charcoal from the firepit in the general’s tent. Teng Qingshan even drew on the rock with the pieces of charcoal and chose six pieces in the end.

Soon, Tian Dan borrowed the battle saber and brought it here.

Indeed. Although this battle saber was not as good as a first-grade mirror, it was as good as a normal copper mirror. Holding the battle saber, Teng Qingshan immediately used the uneven colored charcoals to paint his face. Although it seemed simple, the result depended on the person’s ability.

An expert in doing makeup could still change something rotten into something magical.

Teng Qingshan’s makeup ability, which he had specially trained in his previous world, could even deceive some scientific instruments. If he was given enough time to find some makeup materials, even if the result wouldn’t be as effective as a human skin mask, the difference wouldn’t be great.

A few minutes later.

Teng Qingshan and Tian Dan only saw Teng Qingshan draw gently on his own face with the very ordinary charcoal and occasionally blending the colors with his fingers. Only a few moments had passed when Teng Qingshan’s face changed before their eyes.

“Why..why is it like this?” Teng Qinghu and Tian widened their eyes in shock,

“Qingshan.” Teng Qinghu also couldn’t believe it, “I saw you draw it with my own eyes. How......did the distance between your eyes shrink? Also, it’s not right....The eyes are still the same eyes, the nose is still the same nose, and the mouth is still the same mouth. It’s just your skin color became slightly darker. However, why did the appearance change when you look at the eyes, nose and mouth together?” Teng Qinghu didn’t understand.

Tian Dan widened his eyes. He was astonished as he bombarded Teng Qingshan with questions, “The eyes, nose and mouth didn’t change? But why did the eyes, nose, and mouth change when they are together?”

Qinghu and Tian Dan didn’t understand at all. If the smiling Teng Qingshan in past iwa considered delicate and , then the current smiling Teng Qingshan seemed so vicious and fierce. The distance between his eyes seemed very close, and even his aura changed completely.

“This disguising makeup actually has a single principle——deceiving other people’s eyes.” Teng Qingshan said with a smile, “It’s just like a picture before your eyes. Actually, this picture is flat, but it seems to be alive in your eyes. This is a way of deceiving the eyes. Do you two understand?”

The two shook their heads in response

Teng Qingshan smiled and did not explain any further.

In the society if his previous life, some places like parks would build something like a “Weird House.” At first glance, this house would seem very strange. In reality, it was just the various shades of color, etc. deceiving the eyes, causing the person to see wrongly and thus achieving the effect that the designer wanted. Teng Qingshan’s makeup skill was based on this principle.

By changing the shades of the face color, it would produce the effect of an optical illusion.

The entire face, eyes,nose, and mouth had not changed, but the whole effect was different. It might sound simple, but only the professional makeup artist in his previous life could achieve such effect through a few charcoal sticks within such short time.

“Unfortunately, there’s not enough materials. If it’s someone who knows me well, they might be able to notice of they looked carefully.” Teng Qingshan shook his head. Because of the conditions, otherwise.....he could change his entire appearance. Even painting himself into a woman is a piece of cake.

“Enough already. I just don’t believe that anyone can figure out who you are.” Teng Qinghu laughed, “Even I was surprised.”

Teng Qinghu immediately recalled something and hastily said, “Qingshan, the Sovereign is at the frontline. He is talking to Gu Yong, the Island Lord of Qing Hu Island. They seemed to have talked for quite a while.”

“Oh?” Teng Qingshan narrowed his eyes. The Teng Qingshan after the makeup looked like a venomous snake with his eyes narrowed.

......

In front of the Black Armored Army and the Silver Dragon Army, the Sovereign of Gui Yuan Sect and the Island Lord of Qing Hu Island stood shoulder to shoulder as they talked.

The Black Armored Army and the Silver Dragon Army were alert, constantly prepared to kill under command. Teng Qingshan, who wore the heavy armor of a ordinary soldier, was among the Black Armored Soldiers. He followed Tian Dan and stood behind many soldiers. Through the crowd, Teng Qingshan saw the two figures in the distance.

It was Zhuge Yuanhong and Gu Yong. The men of the Ying Family, the Mani Temple, the Shooting Sun God Mountain, and the Hong Tian City actually gathered nearby. Every one of them was laughing and chatting.

The distance wasn’t too far. With Teng Qingshan’s hearing, if he listened carefully, he could hear the conversations.

Teng Qingshan sneered coldly, “Despite the fact that the Ying Family, the Mani Temple, and the Shooting Sun God Mountain each obtained two cauldrons, no one would hate having more Elixir of the North Sea....... As for the Hong Tian City and the Snow Hawk Hall, they didn’t even obtain any Elixir of the North Sea. It was obvious that those people wanted to profit from this.

At this moment, Zhuge Yuanhong’s voice suddenly became loud.

“Gu Yong, you are filled with anger. I understand that Qing Hu Island could only be satisfied after that Qin Lang is killed. But.......why are you so sure that it was done by my disciple, Qingshan? I already said that Qingshan isn’t here. He is training peacefully in the Gui Yuan Sect,” Zhuge Yuanhong said.

“Not your disciple? If he’s not your disciple, how could he be so powerful that he could find the entrance of the Bottomless Pit in the midst of so many military tents?” Gu Yong was so angry that he started laughing, “Plus, the Ying Family, the Snow Hawk Hall, and many other experts saw with their own eyes.”

“That is true indeed.” Ying Haojiang, who was nearby, said in a clear voice, “That Qin Lang is Teng Qingshan disguised by a human skin mask.”

“Haha.......”

Zhuge Yuanhong guffawed, “ The human skin mask? Although there are very few in this world who know how to make a human skin mask, there are still quite a few! For instance, Xiao Yao Palace’s Martial Ancestor was famous for venturing the world with a free spirit and his millions of identities. That Ghost Fox Sima Qing was also skilled at making human skin masks. I heard that Ying Haoyan, an extraordinarily talented person of the Ying Family, was very adept in these weird skills. If a murderer can wear the human skin mask that showed Qin Lang’s appearance, why can’t he wear another human skin mask that showed Teng Qingshan’s face? To purposely frame Teng Qingshan?”

Many people nodded to themselves as they listened.

“The truth is false, and the false is the truth.” Zhuge Yuanhong smiled calmly as he said, “When you saw the human skin mask fall off and when the true appearance is revealed, you didn’t know that you have already been tricked. Also.....Ying Haojiang, let me ask you. Did you guys peel the human skin mask off Qin Lang’s face?”

“Well, no.” Ying Haojiang shook his head in response.

“That’s right then. If the human mask wasn’t peeled off by others, how would it fall off? Therefore, he must have purposely made the human skin mask fall off.” Zhuge Yuanhong smiled calmly, “Everything is simple now. He purposely revealed his so-called ‘true appearance’ and only fled after someone saw his face. His vicious intentions are self-evident!”

Zhuge Yuanhong’s words caused many listeners to nod their head.

“That was the first point. The second point is: My disciple Teng Qingshan is only seventeen years old! Although Teng Qingshan is extremely talented, has reached the Innate Realm, and is a genius second to Xiang Fanchen from thousands of years ago......that Qin Lang could kill a True Dan innate expert. According to what you guys said, that Tie Jiu of the Snow Hawk Hall was killed with one move, and Wu Xiu fled without even fighting. Do you guys think Teng Qingshan possesses such ability? Do you guys think he could reach the Emptiness Dan Innate Realm from the Postliminary Realm and reach the True Dan Innate Realm from the Emptiness Dan Innate Realm within one month? Do you guys think that within this one month, he could have the power to kill a True Dan innate experts with one move?”

“Yes.” The long-browed old monk nodded and said, “That makes sense.”

“Most importantly, the third point!”

Zhuge Yuanhong looked towards Gu Yong and said, “Gu Yong, as far as I know.....only Qing Hu Island possessed Emperor Yu’s Treasure Map, but......why did someone spread the news which stated that Qing Hu Island came to the Great Yan Mountain to dig Emperor Yu’s Treasure when you guys just arrived the Great Yan Mountain! Why did the news leak this fast?”

“It’s obvious that there’s a conspiracy behind this!” Zhuge Yuanhong looked at the crowds as he spoke with a smile, “If it wasn’t because of this news leak, I would have had no idea that Gu Island Lord led the army here to obtain Emperor Yu’s Treasure. In fact, since the beginning of this search for Emperor Yu’s Treasure.....someone had planned a trap! Gu Yong, Qing Hu Island has suffered great losses. The real murderer is the one who devised this conspiracy, and is also the person disguised as Qin Lang and Teng Qingshan.

“The spreading of the news was one treacherous move, and sending someone in disguise was another treacherous move. Showing Teng Qingshan’s appearance in the end was also a treacherous move! The intention is self-evident. The worse result is Qing Hu Island killing my disciple Qingshan and both sides losing many men during the process. The worst result would be both sides battling fiercely, causing the Gui Yuan Sect to be obliterated and greatly undermining Qing Hu Island’s constitution. I am afraid by that time......” Zhuge Yuanhong spoke with confidence and composure while Gu Yong remained silent.