Before the bronze mirror, my ordinarily plain middle-aged face began to twist and reshape. I pictured Everett Li's appearance — azure robes worn with easy grace, the hint of a smile at the corners of his eyes, the unhurried bearing that came naturally to a Core Formation cultivator. In the next instant, the "me" in the mirror had become Everett Li entirely, down to the habitual slight curl of his left lip, reproduced without a single flaw.

"This..." I touched the face in the mirror — familiar yet foreign — and when I spoke, my voice carried Everett Li's distinctive clear resonance. "Even the voice is a perfect replica?"

The system chime sounded: Ding! Congratulations, Host. Proficiency in [Art of Disguise] has reached 100%. Ability [Thousand Faces, Seamless] unlocked: instantly replicate any target's appearance, voice, bearing, and spiritual energy fluctuations. Duration is influenced by the Host's own cultivation realm and the target's realm. Disguise across realm boundaries lasts a maximum of two hours.

I tried shifting into Elder Kai's form — the hunched back, the deep-carved wrinkles on his face, even the slight angle at which he leaned on his walking staff. The moment the transformation was complete, a knock came from the stone door of the hidden chamber, and Elder Kai's voice drifted through the gap: "Young Ethan, are you in there? I brought you something to eat."

Something stirred in me. A perfect chance to test the Art of Disguise. I restored my true appearance and opened the stone door. Elder Kai stood there holding a basket of dripping-wet kelp. "What is it? Studying that secret correspondence again?"

"Just came out of seclusion." I took the kelp and let a trace of weariness show on my face. "Elder Kai, I'll just go wash my hands."

I turned and walked into the inner room. In an instant I channelled the Art of Disguise and walked back out wearing Everett Li's face.

Elder Kai was sitting on a stone stool, polishing his dragon-headed staff. At the sight of me, his head snapped up. The cloth in his hand dropped to the ground with a soft thud. His pupils contracted sharply. He stared at me, hard, his throat working as he struggled to find words.

"Elder Kai. It has been a while." I mimicked Everett Li's manner — a smiling bow, hands cupped — and even produced his habitual gesture of lightly brushing his sleeve.

Elder Kai's staff struck the ground with a heavy crack. Spiritual energy escaped his control and radiated outward, shattering the teacup on the stone table into fragments.

"Deputy Hall Master Li — what are you doing here?" His gaze was sharp as a blade as it swept over me. "No, wait. Your spiritual energy fluctuations... Foundation Establishment?"

I felt a quiet surge of satisfaction, though I kept Everett Li's composure perfectly in place. "Elder Kai jests. I am Ethan Lu, your junior. I merely have a passing grasp of disguise arts." With that, I released the illusion and returned to my own face.

Elder Kai stared at me for a long moment before stooping to pick up the cloth. He gave a rueful smile. "You little devil — you gave this old man quite a fright! That disguise art of yours... even I nearly fell for it. If you were to take the form of a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, I daresay you could fool anyone."

I rubbed my nose, a little embarrassed.

Elder Kai was quiet for a moment. "If you use this ability wisely, you might truly accomplish something remarkable."

He nodded. "Very well. If you have decided to go to the Xuanmen Bureau headquarters in Yanjing, I have a letter here for an old friend of mine. He runs a shop in Yanjing — he may be able to help you find your footing there."

"Many thanks, Elder Kai. But before I go to Yanjing, I need to return home first." I gazed out at the moonlight beyond the window, and thought of Jade Lin and River. "There are things I need to settle with my family."

Elder Kai let out a quiet sigh and patted my shoulder. "That is as it should be. A wife and child at home — they are your greatest tie to this world. Remember: no matter what happens, Listening-to-the-Tides Residence will always be your refuge."

Three days later, I bid farewell to Elder Kai and set out on the road home. The scenery beyond the high-speed rail window blurred and streaked past, but I had no interest in watching it. I simply ran through the Art of Disguise again and again — shifting into the likenesses of one passenger after another, then snapping back to myself in an instant. With proficiency at one hundred percent, the technique responded like a finger to a thought, and with every repetition my confidence grew.

End of Chapter 58: The Art of Disguise, Mastered