A Mask Worn Too Long Makes You Forget Who You Are

The Angel Temple of Spirit City stood at the highest point of Consecration Mountain.

Few people were allowed to enter this place on ordinary days.

A massive statue of the Six-Winged Angel stood in the center of the temple, its golden wings spread wide as holy radiance slowly descended from its surface.

Qian Qinghe stood before the statue.

Today's training differed from the past.

She was not cultivating Soul Power or honing her swordsmanship. Instead, she sat behind a long table, reading through thick records on the Heaven Dou Imperial Family.

Xue Ye.

The Heaven Dou Empress.

The various princes.

The empire's nobles.

Xue Clan etiquette.

Rules for palace banquets.

Every document had to be memorized thoroughly.

Ci Xue Douluo stood beside her, correcting her conduct and mannerisms.

"Xue Qinghe has a gentle temperament and treats others humbly. He does not stare at people for too long."

"Make your stride smaller when you walk."

"The way you held the teacup just now carried Spirit Hall habits. The Heaven Dou Imperial Family uses a different set of etiquette."

Qian Qinghe repeated the exercises again and again.

Her movements gradually went from awkward to natural.

The expression on her face also became increasingly gentle.

From appearances alone, it was already difficult to see any trace of Qian Renxue's original self.

The training continued until evening.

After Ci Xue Douluo left, Qian Qinghe sat alone on the temple steps.

She did not remove the Disguise Soul Bone.

Over the years, to prepare for her future mission, she had spent increasingly more time appearing as Qian Qinghe.

Upon waking each morning, she adjusted her voice first.

When walking, she controlled the length of her steps.

When speaking with outsiders, she had to remember her male identity.

Even after returning to the Worship Hall, she rarely restored her true appearance.

At first, it had felt novel.

Later, she gradually became accustomed to it.

Now, she sometimes even forgot instinctively which voice she was supposed to use.

Footsteps sounded behind her.

Qian Qinghe did not turn around.

"Didn't we agree to practice swordsmanship today?"

Chu Jin walked over to the steps with the Heavy Halberd resting on his shoulder.

"You didn't come."

"I had training at the last minute."

"So I came to take a look."

Qian Qinghe shifted slightly to the side.

Chu Jin set the Heavy Halberd on the ground and sat beside her.

After finishing a day of training, Xiao Jin was so exhausted that it lay asleep on Chu Jin's shoulder, its head gently swaying with each breath.

The two sat quietly for a while.

The setting sun sank in the distance, its golden light reflecting off the Angel Temple.

"What did you learn today?"

Chu Jin asked.

"Heaven Dou Imperial Family etiquette."

"Does a collateral branch of the Qian Clan need to study imperial etiquette too?"

Qian Qinghe turned to look at him.

Chu Jin's expression remained calm.

It sounded like an ordinary question.

Yet she understood that Chu Jin had never believed her supposed identity as a collateral branch of the Qian Clan.

"It may be useful in the future."

Qian Qinghe gave a vague reply.

Chu Jin did not press further.

"Do you want to learn it?"

"Is whether I want to important?"

"It is."

Qian Qinghe smiled.

The smile still belonged to the gentle Qian Qinghe.

"Everyone in Spirit Hall has their own responsibilities."

"Grandfather is the Grand Consecrator. He must protect the Angel Temple and maintain the balance between the Worship Hall and the Papal Hall."

"The Pope must handle all of Spirit Hall's affairs."

"The elders are responsible for branch halls across the land, hunting Soul Beasts, and supervision."

"My surname is Qian. I have things I must do as well."

Chu Jin lowered his head and stroked Xiao Jin's wings.

"Was that responsibility your own choice, or something others arranged for you?"

Qian Qinghe fell silent for a moment.

"Is there a difference?"

"Of course there is."

Chu Jin looked toward Spirit City in the distance.

"With responsibility you choose yourself, no matter how hard it is, you know why you persist."

"With responsibility arranged by others, no matter how well you do it, what you gain in the end may not be what you wanted."

Qian Qinghe's eyes shifted slightly.

It was the first time she had heard someone speak of responsibility this way.

In the eyes of Qian Daoliu and the others in the Worship Hall, possessing the Seraphim Martial Soul, inheriting the Angel God's divine position, and strengthening Spirit Hall were duties she had been born with.

No one had ever asked whether she was willing.

Because everyone believed that, naturally, she would be.

Qian Qinghe said softly, "What if doing this could help Spirit Hall reduce many enemies, or even gain an empire with ease?"

Chu Jin had completely confirmed it.

Her study of Heaven Dou Imperial Family etiquette was surely connected to a future infiltration plan.

"Gain an empire with ease?"

"It's just an example."

"Then let's continue with the example."

Following her line of thought, Chu Jin said, "One person changes into another identity, enters an empire, spends ten years or even longer, and eventually ascends the throne."

"Is that really easy?"

Qian Qinghe's heart jolted.

She suddenly turned to look at Chu Jin.

Chu Jin was still gazing into the distance, not meeting her eyes.

A brief fluctuation of Soul Power stirred within Qian Qinghe.

"How much do you know?"

"I guessed a little."

"Since when?"

"Since the first time I met you."

Qian Qinghe's fingers slowly curled tight.

"Then why didn't you say anything all this time?"

"Because you never harmed me."

Chu Jin's tone was ordinary.

"If you wanted to hide your identity, that was your business."

"I only look at what you do."

Qian Qinghe stared at him for a long time.

The wariness in her heart gradually faded.

She had thought that once Chu Jin discovered her identity, he might report it to Qian Daoliu, question her purpose, or perhaps become angry at being deceived.

Yet Chu Jin had simply gone along with her, pretending not to know.

"Do you think this plan is bad?"

"That depends on the specific goal."

"If the goal is to control the Heaven Dou Empire through ten years of infiltration, I don't think it's worth it."

Qian Qinghe frowned.

"A direct war would kill many people."

"Who said there has to be a war immediately?"

Chu Jin turned to face her.

"Spirit Hall has the most Soul Masters on the continent, the most branch halls, and it also controls Martial Soul awakenings among commoners."

"Over ten years, train Soul Masters, eliminate Evil Soul Masters, expand the influence of branch halls everywhere, and build forces truly loyal to Spirit Hall."

"Once all that is done, even if the Heaven Dou Empire still exists, it will not dare become Spirit Hall's enemy so easily."

"If you truly want Heaven Dou, wait until you are strong enough, then walk in through the front gate."

Qian Qinghe looked at him.

"Walk in through the front gate?"

"Mm."

"Heaven Dou Imperial City has armies, sects, and many powerful people."

"Then let them come at us together."

Chu Jin gripped the Heavy Halberd beside him.

"Win first, then we can talk."

The heaviness in Qian Qinghe's heart was washed away somewhat by those words.

"You make it sound easy."

"Of course it can't be done now."

Chu Jin was utterly frank.

"So we cultivate."

"When we are strong enough, many things that seem possible only through schemes today can be solved directly in the future."

Qian Qinghe fell silent.

The setting sun gradually sank below the horizon.

The golden radiance before the Angel Temple also dimmed.

"Chu Jin."

"Mm?"

"Have you ever thought that if I keep using this identity, I might truly become the emperor of an empire someday?"

"I have."

"Don't you think that would be wonderful?"

"If that is what you want, then of course it would be wonderful."

Chu Jin looked at her.

"But if what you truly want is something else, the longer you wear this mask, the more you will lose."

"A mask can help you accomplish one thing."

"But if you wear it for more than a decade, it may make you forget who you originally were."

Qian Qinghe's breathing paused slightly.

Those words fell into her heart like a stone dropped into still water.

She lowered her head.

What she saw were Qian Qinghe's robes, hands, and body.

Her true appearance had not seen sunlight for a long time.

"Do you think I'll forget?"

"I don't know."

Chu Jin stood and lifted the Heavy Halberd back onto his shoulder.

"I only know that habits are frightening things."

Xiao Jin was startled awake by the movement and groggily opened his eyes.

Chu Jin turned and headed down the mountain.

"Are we practicing swordsmanship tomorrow?"

Qian Qinghe watched his retreating back.

"We are."

"Don't be late."

"I know."

After Chu Jin had completely left, Qian Qinghe remained seated on the steps.

A long while later, she raised a hand to touch her cheek.

The Disguise Soul Bone's power slowly faded for an instant.

Long golden hair slid over her shoulders.

A pair of violet eyes reflected the last trace of the setting sun.

She returned to her original appearance for only a moment before becoming Qian Qinghe again.

The Angel Rite would take place in seven days.

She needed to enter the Angel Sacred Pool to undergo baptism.

The Disguise Soul Bone could not remain active within the Angel Holy Light.

On that day, Chu Jin would truly see what she originally looked like.