Chapter 104 - 94: I Thought You Were a Daoist, but You’re a Fist Master?
Mr. Lu sighed. "Younger Brother Chen, this is a small token of my sincerity. Please, I’m begging you to help me overcome this crisis!"
"You jest, Master Lu." A faint smile touched Chen Ye’s lips, but he didn’t reach for the stacks of Oceans. "I’m just an opera singer. What happened last night was just me scrambling in a moment of panic. It wasn’t real skill. For matters like catching ghosts and vanquishing demons, you’d best find a true expert."
He spoke politely, but his refusal was unmistakable.
’Are you kidding me?’
This whole affair reeked of something sinister. There was a Fierce Ghost capable of possessing the living and creating disorienting illusions, and a furtive Daoist Nun from the Celestial Empress Palace who had deliberately set this whole thing up.
Neither of them was to be trifled with.
Though Chen Ye wasn’t one to shy away from trouble, he had no desire to provoke such a massive headache for no reason.
Hearing this, the smile on Mr. Lu’s face froze, melting into a look of bitter desperation.
"Younger Brother Chen, you can’t just stand by and watch me die!" He grabbed Chen Ye’s sleeve, his voice cracking with a sob.
"Before that female ghost left, she said she was going to kill my daughter! I only have this one precious child. If anything happens to her, I won’t go on living!"
As he spoke, he moved as if to kneel before Chen Ye.
Chen Ye frowned and sidestepped the gesture, his tone turning colder. "Master Lu, you can’t force something that isn’t meant to be. The circumstances surrounding your situation are complicated. I’m truly powerless to help."
"I understand, I understand!" Mr. Lu nodded frantically. He was a shrewd man and knew that mere pleas wouldn’t sway the young expert before him.
Gritting his teeth, he pushed the stacks of Oceans forward again, then pulled a silver note from his robes and slapped it down on top.
"Younger Brother Chen, this is a deposit of five hundred Oceans. I’m not even asking you to get rid of that... thing. Just investigate. Whether you succeed or not, the money is yours!"
"And if... if by some chance you actually resolve this, the Lu Family will offer another Hundred taels of Gold, plus three storefronts in the southern district!"
A Hundred taels of Gold and three storefronts!
An immense offer, to say the least!
Chen Ye’s mind raced.
Most importantly, Mr. Lu’s request was flexible—success wasn’t guaranteed.
This meant he would be in control and could back out at any time.
After a moment of contemplation, Chen Ye finally gave a slow nod.
"Since Master Lu is this sincere, I suppose I can give it a try."
Mr. Lu was overjoyed. He bowed repeatedly with his hands clasped. "Thank you, Younger Brother Chen! Thank you!"
Mr. Lu left.
Chen Ye fell into deep thought. The case was bizarre through and through, but the source was clear: the Celestial Empress Palace.
So, Chen Ye decided to visit the Celestial Empress Palace first.
...
The Celestial Empress Palace in Sea Guardian Guard was always bustling with activity. Even on an ordinary day, a steady stream of worshipers came and went.
Chen Ye changed into plain clothes and blended in with the crowd. He soon discovered that seventy to eighty percent of the worshipers were women.
They came in small groups or alone, and most wore troubled expressions.
Chen Ye found a corner and observed discreetly.
He soon noticed something strange.
Many of the women didn’t leave immediately after praying to the statue. Instead, they would go to a side hall and whisper a few words to a young female Daoist Child standing guard there.
The young Daoist Child would then lead them through a side door toward the rear courtyard.
He didn’t know what they did back there, but when these women emerged from the side door again, the worry on their faces was gone. Though they weren’t exactly beaming, they were clearly much calmer.
Once might be a coincidence, twice an accident.
But after Chen Ye saw seven or eight women do the same, he knew something was up.
’There’s something wrong with the rear courtyard of this Celestial Empress Palace.’
He wanted to follow them in and investigate, so he strode toward the side hall.
But as soon as he approached, the female Daoist Child stopped him.
"Sir, please stop." The young Daoist Child performed a Daoist salute and said expressionlessly, "The rear courtyard is a place for quiet cultivation and only receives female guests. We ask for your understanding."
Chen Ye had been rebuffed, but he didn’t argue. He just nodded and backed away.
But he didn’t give up. After a moment’s thought, he turned and headed back to the Lu Mansion.
The Opera Troupe’s entire set of costumes was still there, along with some everyday women’s clothing that hadn’t been packed away. Chen Ye hesitated for a moment, then gritted his teeth and began to put on a disguise.
Thanks to the power of his Soul-Stealing Diva Professional Talent, Chen Ye could now convincingly portray any role.
Cross-dressing was common in opera, so it didn’t take long for a "woman" with bright eyes, pearly teeth, and what could only be described as peerless beauty to appear in the mirror.
Chen Ye touched his cheek, blinked, and fell silent.
’Damn, who could possibly resist this?’
Fortunately, Chen Ye took a deep breath and forced the distracting thoughts from his mind before heading to the Celestial Empress Palace once more.
This time, Chen Ye attracted even more attention on his way out. The difference was that before, it was mostly women who stared at him; now, it was men.
Half an hour later, Chen Ye was back in the main hall of the Celestial Empress Palace.
He was actually feeling quite apprehensive.
After all, in two lifetimes, this was the first time he’d ever done something like this.
However, when he entered the main hall, he saw that people only gave him looks of stunned admiration, with no hint of suspicion. Only then did he finally relax.
A few young male worshipers even stared, completely spellbound, as if their very souls were about to leave their bodies.
’What a sin,’ Chen Ye thought to himself. He collected his Heart Spirit, gathered his emotions, and instantly put on a tearful, pitiful expression that would move anyone to compassion. Then, he walked slowly toward the side hall.