Chapter 930: So You’re a Flirt?

Sister Hong’s words lacked confidence. However, the taiji circles indeed had substance.

“I did a quick divination. A ghost parade will come tonight. Your Treasure Pavilion is in grave danger,” Ye Wenxin warned them.

It wasn’t an exaggeration. In a few days, the wandering spirits in the area would grow in numbers and become more aggressive.

“Do you know how to deal with them, Celestial Master Ye?” Everything Ye Wenxin had done that day had already half-convinced Sister Hong, so she asked her how to resist the evil spirits.

“Evacuate everyone at least a hundred meters away from the Treasure Pavilion,” Ye Wenxin answered.

“How could we do that?” argued Qian Duoduo. “This building is full of treasures. If someone with ill intent were to take advantage of the situation, my Treasure Pavilion would suffer an enormous loss.”

The owner didn’t understand the threat. Seeing how young Ye Wenxin was, he remained skeptical.

“Heh. Only if they could get out alive,” Ye Wenxin said. Qian Duoduo underestimated malevolent spirits, which was normal for someone who hadn’t seen such things firsthand. That was why she had made her preparations.

“It doesn’t matter.” Ye Wenxin put away her golden pen and waved Liuli over. “If things get too out of hand, just step into one of the glowing circles. They will keep you alive. But I have limited spiritual power. These eight circles can only hold eighty people.”

The lanterns swayed excitedly as if finally sensing she was about to leave. The candle flames danced, and a chill crept up from the floor. Ye Wenxin could already see over a hundred ghosts.

“You only need to hold out for one night. Once Xiao Wang arrives tomorrow, you should last for another month.” Ye Wenxin reassured the visibly worried Sister Hong. Then, pulling Liuli close, she quietly told the young woman, “Don’t wash off the character on your forehead, Sister Hong. It will protect you even if you’re outside the circles.”

Sister Hong nodded gratefully but then looked uncomfortable. She whispered, “Celestial Master Ye, I can’t go without washing my face every day. Could you write it somewhere less noticeable?”

Ye Wenxin felt annoyed, but Liuli tugged on her sleeve again.

“Fine, fine,” she sighed resignedly. “I’ll do it for Liuli. Come with me.” They went into a side room.

She had assumed that Sister Hong’s idea of a “less noticeable place” might be somewhere unspeakable. Instead, Sister Hong extended her wrist.

“That’s it?”

Sister Hong glared at her. “Where did you think I wanted you to write it?”

“Oh, somewhere like the thigh,” Ye Wenxin replied bluntly. They would have no more dealings after parting ways today anyway, so she didn’t bother being polite.

Sister Hong stared at her in disbelief and gritted her teeth. “Celestial Master Ye, I never would’ve guessed you were such a flirt.”

“I’m not. I just thought the thigh wouldn’t be as easy to wash off by accident.”

This was what Ye Wenxin believed. A mark on the arm was far more likely to get washed away while bathing. The leg, though, could be carefully avoided.

She put on a serious expression. “I’ll be honest with you. Xiao Wang might not be able to resolve this problem.”

“It’s that serious?” asked Sister Hong.

“Yes.” Ye Wenxin rewrote “Scram” on her arm. “I suggest you ask Her Highness the Eldest Princess for help to get rid of the problem for good.”

First, Long Qingyue was the ruler of the Golden Age Dynasty. Second, if something beyond reason was happening right under her nose, chances were high that it had something to do with her.

While this issue wasn’t difficult to resolve, its complexity was staggering. According to the memories Ye Wenxin inherited, the process would take three months of continuous work. She didn’t have that kind of time. She only helped Sister Hong now because she found her likable.

However, Sister Hong seemed reluctant to involve the Eldest Princess.

“Ah, so you’re with the Emperor’s faction,” Ye Wenxin quickly concluded. Did Long Qingyue’s younger brother finally have enough of being bullied by his sister, so he created an artifact to counter her?

Ye Wenxin’s interest grew, and Sister Hong looked like she was hiding something.

“Regardless, you’re a good person, Sister Hong. Liuli seems to think well of you, too. I’ll be staying at the XX Inn for the next few days. Find me there if you need the mark reapplied. But let me be clear: I’m only helping you. Don’t drag me into any royal family infighting.”

Ye Wenxin added a final note, planning to watch the situation from a safe distance.

Who knew? Maybe the Emperor had come up with something to mess with Long Qingyue. And if it worked, Ye Wenxin could swoop in to save her, and Long Qingyue would stop holding a grudge for getting stood up. Then their bond would grow so strong that the peach blossom demon couldn’t pose a threat to their friendship despite having Immortal Lord Taohua’s face and memories.

But Long Qingyue’s unpredictable temperament still left Ye Wenxin uneasy. “I just hope what we had isn’t fake,” she muttered, inadvertently speaking her thoughts aloud.

Liuli glanced at her in confusion. They had already exited the Treasure Pavilion and could still see Sister Hong in the distance, watching them leave.

Thick clouds hid the moon tonight, and the ominous sight was disquieting. Ye Wenxin walked down the road, pulling Liuli along. They brushed past several evil spirits. These spirits ignored Ye Wenxin, drifting toward the Treasure Pavilion.

“Master, when can we wear the bells?” Liuli couldn’t hold back her eagerness. She knew Ghost Mother would hog Ye Wenxin once they returned.

“Let me see… We can do it over there.” Ye Wenxin had wanted to pick an auspicious time when the moon and stars were visible. But who knew how long this eerie weather would last? So she decided to hand over the silver chains now.

“Alright,” Liuli cheerfully agreed and split into eight furballs. Yellow was the most impatient among them. She bumped and nudged against Ye Wenxin before dashing off to the open space. The other furballs happily followed. Their adorable appearances clashed with the eerie atmosphere.

Ye Wenxin took the consecrated silver chain out from her bag of holding, reinforced the rest, and began stringing the bells onto the furballs. Each bell had an engraved character representing the furball’s name.

The overjoyed furballs circled Ye Wenxin. As a devoted cat lover, nothing could bring her more contentment than being surrounded by these fluffy cuties. Ye Wenxin sat there, letting their warmth and softness envelop her until she nearly dozed off.