Opening the bag, the heavy armor clattered with a metallic whoosh. Teng Qingshan snatched them out and examined them closely.

“The army generally carries very few spare sets of heavy armor, since it’s only used if the primary set is destroyed while the soldier still has fighting strength. One set here is too large; this one should fit your frame closest, Commander.

However, it is still a bit small.” Tian Dan said with resignation; finding a suitable fit was proving difficult. Teng Qingshan smiled, and a faint crackling sound emanated from his body.

“This, this…” Tian Dan was deeply startled. “What kind of profound technique is this?” “Tian Dan, your experience is clearly lacking,” Qing Hu chuckled.

After altering his physique, Teng Qingshan immediately put on the heavy armor; it fit perfectly, neither too big nor too small. “Brother Tian, find me a standard-issue long spear as well,” Teng Qingshan instructed.

“Later, place my Reincarnation Spear in the horse’s saddlebag.” “Right, that’s simple enough,” Tian Dan nodded. “Also, if you could find a mirror,” Teng Qingshan added.

“A mirror?” Tian Dan looked slightly bewildered. “Yes, a mirror,” Teng Qingshan confirmed.

Tian Dan sighed, “Commander, for actual campaigning, perhaps some officers carry trivial things like mirrors for long-term operations… but this time, our rush to Great Yan Mountain was extremely urgent. And clearly, we’ll be back from Great Yan Mountain in a day or two.

I don’t know who would have brought a mirror. Oh, perhaps Miss Qing might have one; she is a lady.” “She didn’t bring one,” Qing Hu sighed.

“Miss Qing is so focused on whether Qingshan lives or dies, how could she bother with a mirror?” “Even Miss Qing didn’t bring one… I doubt anyone in the army carries a mirror. Commander, why do you need a mirror?” Tian Dan looked at Teng Qingshan.

Teng Qingshan shook his head helplessly. “If there’s no mirror, then find something that can serve as one… for example, a sharp battle blade; find one bright enough to function as a mirror.

If we can’t find a good one, then find a basin of water.” At night, using a basin of water as a mirror yielded very poor results. Even with Teng Qingshan’s excellent vision, the surface reflection was simply inadequate.

“A battle blade… hmm, I remember a brother, a Centurion in the Second Battalion. His blade is remarkably bright, and it’s said to take no blood—he brought it when he first joined the Black Armored Army.

That blade could absolutely serve as a mirror. Commander, if you hadn't mentioned it, I wouldn't have thought of that battle blade.” Tian Dan eagerly continued, “I’ll go borrow it, but I can’t keep it long; I’ll definitely have to return it soon.” “A little while will suffice,” Teng Qingshan smiled.

After Tian Dan left the military tent, Teng Qingshan took some charcoal from the small fire pit inside the tent, drew on a piece of stone, and finally selected six pieces of charcoal. Soon, Tian Dan returned with the borrowed battle blade.

Indeed, while the blade’s surface wasn’t as perfect as a high-grade mirror, it surpassed even an average bronze mirror. Immediately, holding the battle blade, Teng Qingshan began applying a rudimentary ‘make-up’ to himself using the six pieces of charcoal, which varied slightly in shade.

Although the conditions were crude, the result depended entirely on the skill of the artist. A master of disguise can turn decay into magic.

With the specialized cosmetic training he received in his previous life, Teng Qingshan could deceive scientific instruments if given ample time and materials. Even if the effect wasn't quite as good as a human skin mask, it wouldn't be far off.

In moments. Teng Qinghu and Tian Dan only watched as Teng Qingshan lightly smeared the very ordinary charcoal sticks across his face, occasionally blending the pigment with his fingers.

In mere seconds, the face of Teng Qingshan before them had utterly transformed. “How, how can this be?” Both Teng Qinghu and Tian Dan’s eyes widened in disbelief.

“Qingshan,” Teng Qinghu couldn’t believe it, “I watched you apply it with my own eyes, how… how did your two eyes suddenly shrink? And, wait… the eyes are still eyes, the nose is still the nose, the mouth is still the mouth.

You’ve only become slightly darker. But how is it that when they are all together, the entire face changes?” Qing Hu was confused.

Tian Dan also stared, mouth agape, utterly stunned: “The eyes, nose, and mouth haven't changed? But how does it change when they are viewed together?” They didn't understand at all.

If the past Teng Qingshan looked somewhat refined when he smiled, the current Teng Qingshan appeared sinister even when smiling. His eyes seemed much closer together, and his entire demeanor had shifted.

“This art of disguise and makeup fundamentally relies on one principle—deceiving the observer’s eyes,” Teng Qingshan said lightly. “A painting before you is flat, yet it appears alive.

That is deception of the eye. Understand?” The two shook their heads.

Teng Qingshan smiled and said no more. In his previous society, places like parks sometimes featured ‘Wacky Houses.’ At first glance, these rooms seemed bizarre, but it was all due to subtle variations in shade and contrast deceiving the eye, creating visual disorientation to achieve the designer’s intended effect.

Teng Qingshan’s makeup skill operated on this exact principle—subtly adjusting the shading on the face. Creating a visual displacement!

The eyes, nose, and mouth remained physically unchanged, yet the overall effect was completely different. It sounded simple, but achieving this result with just a few charcoal sticks in such a short time was something only a makeup master from his past life could manage.

“It’s a pity I don’t have more materials. For someone who knows me well, they might still see through it upon close inspection,” Teng Qingshan shook his head.

Given the constraints, he could have completely altered his appearance—turning a man into a woman would have been child’s play. “It’s good enough; I refuse to believe anyone will see through this,” Teng Qinghu laughed.

“I was startled just now.” Teng Qinghu then recalled something. “Qingshan, the Sect Master is right at the formation front, speaking with the Island Master of Green Lake Island, Gu Yong.

It seems they’ve been talking for quite some time now.” “Oh?” Teng Qingshan narrowed his eyes. With his makeup applied, a narrowing of his eyes made him resemble a viper.

… At the front lines of both the Black Armored Army and the Silver Flood Dragon Army, the Sect Master of the Returning Origin Sect and the Island Master of Green Lake Island stood side-by-side, engaged in conversation. The soldiers at the very front lines of both armies stood alert, ready to receive the order to fight.

Among the Black Armored Army soldiers, Teng Qingshan, wearing common soldier's heavy armor, stood with Tian Dan, positioned behind many other troops. Peering through the crowd, Teng Qingshan could vaguely see two figures in the distance.

They were Zhuge Yuanhong and Gu Yong. Not far away, the innate experts from various factions—the Ying Clan, Manichaean Temple, Sun Shooting Divine Mountain, and Hong Tian City—were gathered, chatting and laughing amongst themselves.

The distance wasn't great, and with Teng Qingshan’s hearing, he could just manage to catch snippets of the dialogue. Teng Qingshan sneered internally: “Although the Ying Clan, Manichaean Temple, and Sun Shooting Divine Mountain managed to acquire two tripods, no one dislikes having more Northern Sea Spiritual Essences… As for Hong Tian City and Snow Eagle Cult, who gained none, they desire them even more.

These people truly aim to reap the benefits of others' conflict.” Just then, Zhuge Yuanhong’s voice suddenly grew louder. “Gu Yong, your heart is burning with anger.

I understand that your Green Lake Island seeks Qin Lang’s immediate demise. But… on what grounds do you insist it must be my disciple Qingshan?

I already told you, Qingshan is not here; he is cultivating peacefully within our Returning Origin Sect,” Zhuge Yuanhong said gravely. “Not your disciple?

If he’s not your disciple, how could he be so formidable as to find the entrance to the Bottomless Pit among so many tents?” Gu Yong laughed in fury. “Moreover, innate experts from the Ying Clan, the Snow Eagle Cult, and others witnessed it firsthand.” “That is indeed true,” Ying Haojiang stated loudly from nearby.

“That Qin Lang was Teng Qingshan disguised in a human skin mask.” “Hahahaha…” Zhuge Yuanhong laughed heartily. “A human skin mask?

While few in this world can craft such things, there are several who can! For instance, the founding ancestor of the Carefree Palace was famous for wandering the world and creating countless duplicates.

That Ghost Fox Sima Qing is also adept at making human skin masks. I hear the Ying Clan also has a prodigy, ‘Ying Haoyan,’ who is skilled in these strange arts.

If this culprit could wear a human skin mask of Qin Lang, why couldn’t he wear another one, that of ‘Teng Qingshan’? A deliberate frame-up?” Many present nodded secretly at these words.

“To speak of the solid as ethereal, and the ethereal as solid,” Zhuge Yuanhong mused with a faint smile. “When you see a human skin mask fall away, revealing the true face, you don't realize you’ve already walked into a trap.

Furthermore… Ying Haojiang, I ask you, was this human skin mask peeled off the face of that Qin Lang by you?” “That is not the case,” Ying Haojiang shook his head. “Precisely, if it wasn't peeled off by someone else, how would the mask simply fall off?

Therefore, it was deliberately dropped,” Zhuge Yuanhong said calmly. “It’s all quite simple—he intentionally exposed the so-called ‘true face,’ and as soon as someone saw it, he fled.

His malicious intent is self-evident!” Zhuge Yuanhong’s argument led many in attendance to nod in agreement. “That is the first point.

The second point: My disciple Teng Qingshan is seventeen years old! While his talent is extraordinary, reaching the Innate realm, making him the greatest genius next to that Xiang Fanchen in a millennium, the Qin Lang you describe could kill a Solid Core Innate expert.

According to you, the Iron Vulture of the Snow Eagle Cult was killed in one move, and Wu Xiu fled without a fight! Do you truly believe Teng Qingshan possesses such strength?

To advance from Post-Natal to Innate Void Core, then to Innate Solid Core, and now capable of killing a Solid Core Innate expert in one move, all within a month?” “Yes,” the long-browed old monk nodded. “That makes sense.” “The most important third point!” Zhuge Yuanhong looked at Gu Yong.

“Gu Yong, as far as I know… this Emperor Yu Treasure Map originated with your Green Lake Island. No one else possessed it.

Yet, why was the news that you were excavating the Emperor Yu Treasure here spread the moment you arrived at Great Yan Mountain? Why such swift intelligence leaks?” “This is clearly a conspiracy!” Zhuge Yuanhong surveyed the crowd and continued with a faint smile.

“If this news hadn’t spread, I would never have guessed that Island Master Gu led his army here to seize the Emperor Yu Treasure. This entire treasure excavation operation was a trap set from the very beginning!

Gu Yong, your Green Lake Island has suffered great losses this time; the true culprit is the mastermind who designed this scheme. The one who disguised himself as Qin Lang, and also as Teng Qingshan!” “The initial spread of news was one sinister move.

Sending someone to infiltrate in disguise was another. Finally, deliberately exposing Teng Qingshan’s face was yet another sinister move!

His objective is obvious: at best, your Green Lake Island kills my disciple Qingshan, and in the process, both our sides suffer heavy casualties. At worst, it incites a conflict between us, leading to the destruction of my Returning Origin Sect and further devastating your Green Lake Island beyond its current weakened state.

I suspect that…” Zhuge Yuanhong spoke fluently, leaving Gu Yong in complete silence.