Skinwalker Belle – Chapter 337 – The Perfect Stand-in

The death knell of Border Dragon City tolled for an entire day.

Black elegiac scrolls hung from every corner of the city lord’s estate. Long Teng—that once-arrogant seventh-rank peak powerhouse who had made countless Collateral Dragonkin tremble in fear—had, according to the “official announcement,” shed his last drop of blood defending the city.

What a moving story.

Inside the council hall, the atmosphere was so oppressive it felt almost viscous.

Dozens of heavily armored city guard commanders and several stewards who controlled the city’s economic lifelines all kept their heads lowered, not daring to breathe too loudly.

But beneath that seemingly obedient facade, many pairs of eyes were darting furtively about.

Long Teng was dead.

The anchor that had held Border Dragon City down for over a decade had snapped.

The current city lord was a young girl who had just come of age, pampered and sheltered her entire life.

Granted, she was Pureblood. Granted, she held a noble status. But in a world that only recognized strength, whose respect could that status command?

Moreover, most of those present had lived through that incident years ago. They knew that although Long Wu was a Pureblood Dragon Clan member, the Pureblood Dragon Clan behind her would never lift a finger on her behalf.

“I’ll speak plainly.”

A one-eyed elder with a face full of coarse flesh and a blind eye was the first to break the silence.

He was the deputy commander of the city guard, the most senior member of the Long family’s collateral branch. On ordinary days, aside from Long Teng, he gave face to no one.

He casually toyed with the helmet in his hands, offering not a kneel but only a careless cupped-fist salute.

“Young Miss… ah, no, I suppose it’s City Lord now. Though the Demonic Dragon is dead, the world outside is far from peaceful. You’re still young and have never experienced war. I think it’s better if us old-timers handle the heavy responsibility of city defense on your behalf. You can just stay in the estate and enjoy a life of comfort—and if you ever wish to marry, we’ll help you vet the candidates.”

At those words, a few barely audible snickers rippled through the hall.

A power grab.

A blatant coup.

Lin Fan, seated in the high position, wore the black mourning dress that accentuated her figure. She propped her chin on one hand, not even lifting an eyelid.

She simply gazed quietly at the one-eyed elder, as if looking at a dead man.

“Are you done?” Lin Fan’s voice was soft, even carrying a hint of languor.

The one-eyed elder froze for a moment, then puffed out his chest. “This subordinate only has Border Dragon City’s best interests at heart, after all—”

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Boom!

Before he could finish.

A terrifying pressure erupted without warning from that slender frame.

It was not sixth-rank. It was not ordinary seventh-rank either.

It was a seventh-rank mid-stage pressure fused with the Bloodline of the Progenitor of Life, bearing the traits of the “Lord of All Spirits”!

For these collateral kin whose veins ran with diluted dragon blood, this pressure was a dimensional strike—an absolute suppression from a superior existence, reaching into the very depths of their souls.

Crack!

The one-eyed elder didn’t even have time to scream. His kneecaps shattered instantly, and his entire body was slammed into the floor tiles as if crushed by an invisible giant hand.

Blood burst from his seven orifices, staining the floor before him crimson.

The snickering in the hall ceased abruptly.

Everyone looked like ducks with their necks seized, eyes bulging in terror as they stared at the black-robed girl on the dais, who seemed like a demon god.

“Who gave you the right to speak to me standing?”

Lin Fan rose slowly to her feet. Those golden vertical pupils held not a trace of emotion—only suffocating, bone-chilling cold.

She stepped down the stairs in her high heels. With each step, the pressure grew heavier.

Thump! Thump!

In the great hall, those commanders and stewards who had still harbored hopes—even the fifth-rank experts among them—could no longer control their bodies. Their legs gave way, and they dropped to their knees in unison, a forest of kneeling figures.

That fear born of bloodline made them tremble all over, not daring to raise their heads.

Lin Fan walked over to the one-eyed old man who had collapsed into a puddle of mud, raised her foot, and ground it against that blood-covered face.

“My father’s death doesn’t mean you can turn the world upside down.”

“I am Long Wu.”

“The sole master of Border Dragon City now.”

“Do you understand?”

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Her voice was soft, yet it pierced clearly into everyone’s ears.

“U-Understood! This subordinate swears to serve the City Lord unto death!”

“Long live the City Lord!”

In an instant, the sound of kowtowing filled the hall. Even as foreheads split open and bled, no one dared to stop.

That’s right.

In this world, reasoning was the behavior of the weak.

The strong only needed to display their power.

…

Night fell.

Having dealt with all the trivial matters, Lin Fan returned to her bedchamber.

She casually closed the door and laid down a layer of Mental Barrier around herself.

That aloof, queenly demeanor vanished in an instant, replaced by exhaustion and disgust.

“Playing a role is exhausting.”

Muttering to herself, Lin Fan skillfully unzipped the black gown she was wearing.

The silk slid off, revealing Long Wu’s young, vibrant, perfect body.

But she felt not a trace of reluctance.

With a thought, the System Space opened.

A skin-suit emitting a faint purple glow, brimming with mature charm, materialized out of thin air.

Mythic-grade Skin-suit—[Long Xuan].

“This one’s more exciting.”

Compared to a loli figure, she preferred mature allure.

Lin Fan took a deep breath and, as if putting on clothes, slipped into this “skin.”

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That tight, enveloping sensation returned, followed by a surge of immense Mental Strength that instantly flooded her entire Sea of Consciousness.

Lin Fan walked to the mirror.

The youthful, beautiful girl in the reflection was gone, replaced by a seductive, purple-haired beauty with a teardrop mole at the corner of her eye.

She raised a hand and gently caressed her current face.

Fifty years of age—in the long life of the Dragon Clan, this was the prime of one’s years. That mature charm accumulated over time existed purely to seduce men.

“Yui, Yuzuru, come in.”

Lin Fan transmitted her voice through the door.

The door was pushed open softly.

The two sisters entered with heads bowed, respectfully.

However, when they looked up and saw the unfamiliar purple-haired woman in the room, they were visibly taken aback.

“L-Lady…?”

Yui hesitated, her nose twitching slightly.

Though her appearance had completely changed, her aura was entirely different, and even the pressure of her life level had shifted.

But.

That “scent” etched into the depths of their souls, that bond of faith that made them want to submit and worship—that could never be wrong.

“Good eyes.”

Lin Fan—now Long Xuan—lounged lazily on the soft couch, twirling a strand of purple hair around her finger, her voice now somewhat husky and magnetic. “I’m glad you still recognize me.”

Thump.

Without any hesitation, the two sisters knelt prostrate on the ground.

“No matter what form you take, you will always be our one and only master.”

This was not flattery.

Having drunk the raw Holy Water so many times, Lin Fan’s Psychic Imprint had long been etched into their souls.

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Even if they changed their skin, even if they turned to ashes, these two sisters would still recognize him.

“Rise.”

Lin Fan waved a hand, his gaze falling on Yui, who knelt on the left.

“Yui, come here.”

Yui obediently rose and walked before Lin Fan.

Lin Fan reached out, tilting Yui’s chin up, looking into those clear eyes. “Though you’re still weak now, only able to conjure clothes or inanimate objects, I want to test your limits.”

Yui’s gaze was resolute: “Please command me, Master. As long as Yui can do it, even if it means death—”

“Death won’t be necessary. If you died, where would I find such a useful maid?”

Lin Fan smiled, pointing at his reflection in the mirror.

“I want you to become Long Wu.”

“Transform your face, and your body, completely into the likeness of ‘Long Wu.'”

Yui froze.

Transform herself… into another person?

This wasn’t merely a change in appearance—it meant reorganizing her muscles, bones, and even skin structure at the molecular level.

The difficulty and pain involved were far greater than conjuring a piece of clothing.

But she didn’t flinch in the slightest.

“Yes.”

Yui closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

Hum—

A strange ripple erupted from within her.

It was the power of rules.

“…I am Long Wu… I am that noble, proud princess of the Dragon Clan…”