Chapter 925: I’m the Plot Device

“An honored guest, huh? What, I don’t count as one?”

Ye Wenxin fished out her Intermediate Alchemist badge. She had been too busy to upgrade her alchemist rank or show off her skills in pill refining. She didn’t expect the first time she’d bring this badge out would be for something like this.

“Intermediate Alchemist? That does make you an honored guest, but it’s still a no.”

The two guards shook their heads regretfully, though they held some respect for Ye Wenxin—a young yet accomplished alchemist.

“What about an Azure Wings Sect badge?”

Ye Wenxin pulled out the token Jin Xiaoqin had given her. The guards shook their heads again.

Ye Wenxin was getting annoyed. She kept digging around and found a token she had swiped from Shura Hall a few years ago. “A token from Shura Hall?” she tried.

The guards looked wary before she could even take it out.

“Hahaha, I’m kidding. Let’s see what other tokens I’ve got.” Ye Wenxin quickly stuffed the Shura Hall token back and continued rummaging through her things.

Soon, she found the Secret Guard badge Xiao Zhang had given her in the past.

“So you’re a Secret Guard. Unfortunately, Secret Guards are not permitted to interfere in this matter.” Upon seeing the Secret Guard badge, the guards still didn’t let her through.

Ye Wenxin surmised that whatever was happening in the Treasure Pavilion this time might be unrelated to Long Qingyue.

“Then what token would get me in?” Ye Wenxin sighed. She planned to have Liuli handle these two Nascent Soul cultivators and then stroll right in.

The guards hesitated after seeing all the high-status identifications Ye Wenxin pulled out. After a moment, one said, “I can inform the Pavilion Master if you have skills in exorcism.”

Ye Wenxin froze for a second. Were they seriously asking about her third side gig now? However, she couldn’t prove her identity as a Celestial Master or have the absent Ghost Mother and Sword Ghost to vouch for her.

Wait. Ye Wenxin suddenly remembered a nearly-forgotten token. “Yes, yes, I do!”

The two guards had strange expressions as they watched her pull out a gilded token from her robes, engraved with “One Short Sect”.

“One Short Sect!” The guards gaped at the token in shock.

“Yes, I’m a One Short Sect disciple.” Because Celestial Master Zhong had pushed the responsibility onto her, Ye Wenxin had somehow become the sect’s Grandmaster. Priest Wang gave her the token before she left Yangzhou City.

Ye Wenxin never expected to have collected so many different tokens over the years.

“How should we address the master?” The guards’ tone completely changed.

“My surname is Ye, and my given name… knowing it won’t do you much good.” Ye Wenxin said this in a deliberately mysterious tone. But in truth, she was worried they’d realize she owned the Cozy Pavilion.

The Treasure and Cozy Pavilions were similar businesses, which made them rivals. Ye Wenxin figured it was best to keep a low profile.

“This way, please, Master Ye.” After confirming the One Short Sect token was genuine, the guards led Ye Wenxin inside.

A strong fishy stench hit Ye Wenxin as she stepped through the door. Liuli pinched her nose, disliking the smell. Oddly, no one else seemed to notice.

Had Ghost Mother’s rampage yesterday drawn in other sinister forces?

As Ye Wenxin wondered if Ghost Mother’s breakthrough had triggered a butterfly effect, a woman quickly approached. Ye Wenxin glanced at her. She appeared to be in her thirties with above-average looks. But her face was bloodless, as if she were physically and mentally exhausted.

Her eyes were also clouded and dark. Ye Wenxin could tell bad luck plagued this woman even without checking. The woman, however, didn’t seem hostile toward Ye Wenxin. She only inquired about her identity anxiously.

“Master, did the One Short Sect send you?”

“No, I’m just passing through,” Ye Wenxin replied honestly.

She had heard from Fatty about the Treasure Pavilion’s inner workings and its threat to Cozy Pavilion’s status. However, the Treasure Pavilion only specialized in trinkets and custom-made jewelry. Since Liuli liked bells, Ye Wenxin wanted to make one for her.

But she didn’t think a casual visit would turn into something bigger.

“Just passing through? I’m terribly sorry, but our Treasure Pavilion isn’t receiving guests these days,” said the woman. She seemed to be the manager here. Upon learning Ye Wenxin wasn’t the expected guest, she looked disappointed and tactfully signaled for her and Liuli to leave.

Ye Wenxin sensed that the lurking spirit wasn’t fierce but a hassle to deal with. She temporarily gave up on making Liuli’s bell. Ye Wenxin intended to offer her thanks and leave when the woman suddenly collapsed.

Ye Wenxin quickly caught her and noticed the malevolent energy around her had intensified. Still, it was a low-level ghost. Considering she had been polite to them, Ye Wenxin pulled out her golden pen and wrote “滚” (scram) on the woman’s forehead.

She wrote it in Mandarin, so she wasn’t worried about people thinking it was a prank.

“Master Ye, will Sister Hong be alright?” a guard asked.

“She’ll be fine. It’s just a little ghostly mischief,” Ye Wenxin replied, waving her hand dismissively.

Sure enough, within three breaths, the woman called Sister Hong opened her eyes. Realizing she was in someone’s arms, Sister Hong panicked. But upon seeing it was another woman, she exhaled in relief and immediately apologized to Ye Wenxin.

“It’s fine. The little ghost can’t get near you as long as you don’t wipe off that word,” Ye Wenxin said. She suddenly felt a sense of fulfillment as a Celestial Master. Now that Ghost Mother wasn’t around, being a Celestial Master had its perks.

“Word?” Sister Hong was confused. Ye Wenxin gestured at her forehead. Sister Hong quickly bowed her head and thanked Ye Wenxin. She was glad she hadn’t looked down on this girl who claimed to be “just passing through.”

But that spirit that no priest or monk in the city could deal with was nothing more than a “little ghost” in this girl’s eyes?

Sister Hong glanced at Ye Wenxin a few more times. Ye Wenxin looked back, quietly debating whether to use the favor she just earned to get Sister Hong to help her make the bell.

Suddenly, Liuli tugged on her sleeve. Ye Wenxin followed Liuli’s gaze and saw a few unruly little ghosts flying nearby, making faces at them while mumbling something.

“Liuli, can you understand what they’re saying?” she asked.

“If it were divine weapons or sword spirits… But ghosts are Ghost Mother’s specialty,” Liuli replied with a mix of helplessness and resignation.

These little ghosts hadn’t gained the intelligence to speak human language. While Ye Wenxin considered trying out the Ghost King bracelet she’d gotten yesterday, Sister Hong walked over.