With one scratch, Hu Xiaotian rubbed away a large patch of the black skin on his face, exposing flesh as white as jade. Against the surrounding black skin, the contrast was even more striking. Seeing Liu Yucheng's astonishment, Hu Xiaotian hurried to the water jar in the corner and peered inside. Even he felt his scalp tighten at his bizarre appearance. He rubbed his face a few more times, and great patches of black skin peeled away.
Liu Yucheng took him to his room and had someone bring in a tub of hot water. Hu Xiaotian stripped and climbed in. After soaking, the black skin came off with a simple rub. Before long, he had scrubbed away the entire layer and regained his former appearance, though he seemed considerably fairer than before. Once that black skin was gone, he became a handsome young man with a face like polished jade and a radiant bearing. His whole body felt relaxed, his mind clear and refreshed. He put on the clothes Liu Yucheng had prepared and went outside.
Unaware of what Hu Xiaotian had experienced the previous night, Liu Yucheng assumed he really had used some sort of Disguise Technique. He praised him, saying, "Brother Hu, your Disguise Technique is truly wondrous. Other people only change their faces, but you can actually change the color of your entire body."
Hu Xiaotian was rather speechless. This was no disguise at all. Still, he could only let the misunderstanding stand for now. Fortunately, he had recovered his old appearance, becoming even more of a fair-faced pretty boy than before. Tanning this skin would probably take some effort.
After bidding Liu Yucheng farewell and stepping outside, Hu Xiaotian considered the clues he had. The Black Hu warrior Lahan had also taken part in pursuing him