Chapter 941: I’m Teasing You~ (Ghost Mother)

The moon shone softly tonight. Looking out the open window, a scene of the entire imperial city sprawled out. Gazes shifting downward, they could see a sideshow troupe performing in the distance and, farther off, the red-light district.

Ye Wenxin had better eyesight and could even make out a man and woman conversing in some hidden corner. Sister Hong quietly observed Ye Wenxin. Ye Wenxin had no idea what she was looking for.

“No weird dark cloud today. Feels strange, huh?” Noticing how quiet everyone had gotten, the storyteller tried to liven things up by telling a ghost story before the ladies.

Ye Wenxin’s expression became a little awkward. She glanced at Ghost Mother, worried that Ghost Mother might release another skull-shaped cloud to humor the storyteller.

Ye Wenxin: Don’t you dare!

Because Ye Wenxin had ignored her earlier, Ghost Mother did the opposite of what was told. Her gaze turned toward the window. There was a flicker of dark green light. Dark clouds instantly gathered, and a skeleton much larger than the last emerged.

“Ahhh! It’s back!”

People outside screamed while those in First Under Heaven could see the upper half of a giant skull. It was hideous, radiating an overwhelming sense of menace as it crept forward, peering into the tall building. Perhaps to avoid revealing her identity, Ghost Mother didn’t directly try to frighten the others.

But this scene was enough to scare the storyteller half to death. He dropped to the floor, pale as a sheet, unable to get a single word out.

A startled Sister Hong instinctively moved closer to Ye Wenxin. Ye Wenxin suddenly realized that Sister Hong had climbed into her lap, arms wrapped tightly around her neck. There had been a respectful distance between them, but Ghost Mother’s rebellious antics erased that.

Ghost Mother became enraged. Her dark green eyes flashed again as she considered having the skull kill Sister Hong.

Ye Wenxin shot her a glare before saying, “Sister Hong, don’t worry. That skull is just an illusion.”

She gently patted Sister Hong on the back. Maybe Ye Wenxin’s words had brought her back to her senses, but Sister Hong suddenly noticed where she was sitting. Even though they were both women, it was still incredibly embarrassing for her.

She quickly apologized, then scrambled down in a fluster, her cheeks faintly pink. Young Master Lü looked like he wanted to laugh, but given how fierce his eldest sister could be, he sensibly kept his eyes fixed on his teacup.

Once Sister Hong had regained her composure, she turned to Ye Wenxin and asked about the skull that had been appearing for the past few days.

“It’s an omen,” Ye Wenxin said.

“Omen?”

“Yes. A change is about to occur within the Golden Age Dynasty.”

Ye Wenxin thought of the sealed object on the Treasure Pavilion’s top floor and the emperor’s intention to wrest power from Long Qingyue. Even if the skull was an illusion, it was true that the heavens were about to shift.

Sister Hong paled while the others looked puzzled and surprised. Smiling faintly, Ye Wenxin raised a finger and pointed into the air.

The skull suddenly disintegrated into ash as though pierced by something. Ye Wenxin hadn’t done anything, of course. Ghost Mother had dispersed the skull cloud herself.

“Celestial Master Ye truly is remarkable,” Sister Hong said. No one knew it was a trick Ghost Mother used to scare people when she was in a bad mood. Their respect for Ye Wenxin only deepened.

Ye Wenxin silently wondered why First Under Heaven was taking so long with their food. Not a single dish was here yet. She doubted she could keep bluffing much longer without a meal to distract the others.

The doors finally opened, and the waiter brought in the dishes.

“Thank you for waiting, esteemed guests.”

First Under Heaven’s reputation was well earned. The dishes were a feast for the senses—beautifully presented, fragrant, and delicious. Ye Wenxin was content with the roast duck, in particular.

Before long, once everyone had eaten their fill, Sister Hong spoke again.

“By the way, are you all satisfied with that inn?”

Sensing a trap, Ye Wenxin calmly replied, “It’s very comfortable.”

She suspected Sister Hong had started harboring ideas about her after she showed that move.

Naturally, those ideas centered on her talent in exorcism.

Visibly disappointed, Sister Hong nudged Young Master Lü with her foot. He jolted upright and quickly added, “Master Ye, didn’t you say your room was cold? My sister knows many people. She would have no trouble finding you better accommodations.”

“Yes, yes.” Sister Hong nodded. “And no need to worry about the cost. My brother will cover it.”

Young Master Lü subtly grimaced but gave no argument. His sister had him completely under her thumb.

Ye Wenxin was a little tempted. Sharing a room with Han Shanxue made her uneasy enough. On top of that, Ghost Mother’s unpredictable moods made her worry her twitchy hands would lose control and send Ghost Mother’s soul scattering.

The only thing holding Ye Wenxin back was the price. She didn’t have the time to resolve the root problem at the Treasure Pavilion.

“Sister Hong, I know you need something from me. However, I’m afraid I might not be able to manage it,” Ye Wenxin warned her up front with a troubled tone.

Seeing Ye Wenxin softening, Sister Hong’s eyes gleamed. “It’s nothing too troublesome, Celestial Master Ye. You don’t need to worry,” she said.

It seemed she wasn’t asking Ye Wenxin to solve the entire problem but to lend a hand.

Ye Wenxin fell silent and then noticed everyone’s hopeful expressions.

“Alright, I’ll try, but I can’t promise to meet your expectations.”

Sister Hong’s eyes lit up as if she’d just received a priceless treasure. Excited, she threw her arms around Ye Wenxin.

Ye Wenxin stiffened, unused to such overly passionate women. After all, most cultivators tended to be reserved. Even Jin Xiaoqin usually kept up a façade for the public.

Mortal women, though, were different. Their time was short, so they strove for everything with all they had.

“I’m so sorry, Celestial Master Ye. I got a little carried away,” Sister Hong apologized.

“It’s fine.”

Sister Hong started to look embarrassed, too. However, she was beautiful, so Ye Wenxin didn’t hold it against her.

“That’s settled, then. I’ll help you check out at the inn and show you to your new housing,” Sister Hong continued.

No one objected. The group soon returned to the inn, checked out, and followed Sister Hong.

When Young Master Lü saw the familiar building, he suddenly realized what was happening. He knew finding an inn with a room available for everyone during recruitment season was impossible. He sighed. “Sis, don’t tell me you want them to stay at our house.”