Volume 1, Chapter 11 – The Feminizing Mask

“You… what’s wrong?

Li Fen was startled. Her future daughter-in-law’s reaction was far more extreme than she had anticipated.

‘Why did my voice turn out like this? Is it because my Adam’s apple disappeared?’

Huang Qi was in complete disarray, barely registering his mother’s words.

“Daughter-in-law… daughter-in-law…”

Li Fen’s face twisted with worry, prompting her to call out softly.

Finally snapping back to reality, Huang Qi pushed aside his own concerns—his grandfather’s condition took precedence. He wanted to ask for details but feared exposing his identity.

‘Wait, my voice is already like this—what’s left to hide?’

He quickly realized the absurdity of his hesitation. As much as he hated to admit it, his voice wasn’t just feminine—it was the sweet, melodious tone of a young girl in full bloom.

“Um…”

Testing his voice first to confirm he wasn’t imagining things, Huang Qi abandoned pen and paper and spoke directly:

“So… what exactly is wrong with Grandfather?”

The moment the words left his lips, he heard it again—that clear, delicate voice, worlds apart from his original rough tone. The sheer strangeness of the experience made his skin crawl.

“Oh! So she was just worried about Huang Qi’s grandfather. What a kind-hearted girl!”

Li Fen’s face brightened with understanding.

“Don’t worry, child. What I meant was that Huang Qi’s grandfather is getting on in years. His health has been declining lately, and we want him to come home for a visit while he still can.”

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Huang Qi let out a deep breath of relief. He had feared some terminal illness.

“You know how it is—birth, aging, sickness, death, it’s the natural order. The old man is already seventy. In times like these, living this long is a blessing. Please don’t take it too hard.”

Li Fen comforted him gently.

“Mm. I understand.”

Huang Qi felt slightly better and responded in that disturbingly lovely voice. He knew his mother wasn’t lying.

“It’s late. You should rest.”

Li Fen turned to leave but hesitated, then finally asked:

“Daughter-in-law… forgive me for asking, but… are you at least sixteen?”

Huang Qi’s mind, already tangled in chaos, short-circuited briefly before he grasped her meaning—she’s worried her son might be involved with an underage girl. In the Western Radiance Dynasty, that was a serious crime.

“Mm.”

Not knowing how else to respond, Huang Qi nodded vaguely.

“Good! That’s good!”

Li Fen exhaled in relief and finally left.

Alone in the quiet room, sleep was the last thing on Huang Qi’s mind. His thoughts swirled around his grandfather’s limited time. Death was inevitable, but this was his grandfather.

“Like Mother said, he doesn’t have long. Wouldn’t it be cruel to tell him now that his granddaughter-in-law is fake?”

The memory of the old man trembling with joy at the sight of him flashed in his mind. He couldn’t bear imagining the heartbreak the truth would bring.

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“As his grandson, how could I let him die with regrets?”

He asked himself this with painful clarity.

“No. Absolutely not. Even if I must come clean, it’ll be after Grandfather passes.”

Decision made, Huang Qi’s conscience settled slightly. Though deceiving his family weighed on him, letting his grandfather die unhappy would haunt him forever.

With his mind somewhat at ease, he prepared for bed.

Stripping off his outer garments, he untied the makeshift padding and immediately grabbed the bronze mirror from the table. The morning’s departure with a normal throat and evening’s return with a smooth neck had him paranoid—was the mask spreading further?

Honestly, a prettier face and smoother skin weren’t that hard to accept. But this mask came with bizarre side effects—his Adam’s apple vanishing, his voice turning girly…

“This is outright feminization.”

Huang Qi wasn’t stupid. He quickly deduced the mask’s true nature, forcing him to confront an even graver issue:

“If this mask consumes my entire body… will I turn into a woman?”

A violent shudder wracked him. While women held high status in this world, that didn’t mean he wanted to become one.

“But what can I do besides resign myself?”

He laughed bitterly. Despite his resigned words, he did care. Lying down, he kept the mirror close, periodically checking his chest under the dim oil lamp—if the mask spread there next…

“What if I wake up tomorrow with… bigger breasts? Would I become some half-man, half-woman freak?”

The more he thought, the more terrified he grew. His eyes stayed glued to his reflection, but eventually, practicality won out. His family wasn’t wealthy—this lamp oil had been scraped together for his grandfather’s birthday. There was barely any left.

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Reluctantly, Huang Qi blew out the lamp. Instead, he kept a hand on his chest, occasionally feeling for changes.

As time crawled by, exhaustion gradually overpowered him. Despite his stubborn vigilance, the day’s journey had drained him. Unknowingly, he drifted into sleep.

And once again—he dreamed.

Huang Qi became that little girl again, cradled in her mother’s arms inside a jostling carriage. Seated beside them was the girl’s father.

From the sounds outside, many others traveled the same mountain path. The parents spoke in hushed tones.

“Husband, how much longer to the Honghua Sect?”

The mother’s voice was anxious. A veil covered her face, likely hiding the red birthmark. Her body trembled slightly—from fear, perhaps.

‘So they’re heading to the Honghua Sect. Probably taking their daughter for testing.’

Huang Qi guessed. The little girl—his current body—also wore a small veil, though hers was to conceal beauty, not flaws.

“Relax, my love. This is the official road from the prefecture to the Honghua Sect. Cultivators often pass by—no ghosts would dare linger here. Besides, we’re traveling in a group. With so much yang energy, no evil spirit would approach.”

The father’s reassurance calmed his wife.

After another bumpy quarter-hour, someone outside suggested a rest. The mother carried Huang Qi’s small body out of the carriage.

The scene outside clarified—this was the main road to the Honghua Sect. A dozen or so carriages lined the path, their passengers mingling.

Then, hoofbeats approached.

Everyone turned as several riders galloped into view—four or five men and women in uniform robes, silver tokens and swords gleaming at their waists.

‘Honghua Sect disciples.’

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Huang Qi recognized the attire instantly.

The crowd, familiar with decorum, hastily moved aside, bowing their heads in deference. None dared even breathe too loudly.

Just as the riders seemed about to pass, one abruptly wheeled around and halted before Huang Qi.

“Well, well—Senior Brother Cheng Yuan? Ten years apart, and I almost didn’t recognize you.”

The immortal on horseback addressed the girl’s father with a smirk.

“Junior Brother Wei. It has been a while.”

Cheng Yuan—the father—replied stiffly, discomfort plain on his face.

“Where are you headed?”

The Wei disciple’s tone dripped with false curiosity.

“Just taking my family to visit the Honghua Sect.”

A blatant lie.

“Oh?”

Wei’s gaze slid to the veiled mother and daughter. “Today’s the sect’s disciple recruitment day. I thought you might be bringing your child for testing. But really—why bother? Cultivation depends on bloodline. You of all people should know that.”

‘This body’s father… was once part of the Honghua Sect too?’

Huang Qi’s shock was profound.