The Access Token

With several long sighs, he pushed all responsibility onto Huaisang, completely absolving himself and Taiqing Pavilion.

The other mandarin orange in Song Yao's hand softened from her grip, and a hint of mockery flickered in her eyes.

From the information she had pried from Ye Chang'an earlier, it was clear that he had been beaten by Wen Tang, rejected the marriage proposal, and then, angered, gone home to complain. Taiqing Pavilion had then pressured the Wen family to send Wen Tang away. Now, it had become Wen Tang suffering a qi deviation and seeking help from Taiqing Pavilion.

Which statement was true, and which was false?

Ye Chongguang continued, “From the looks of it, both the Family Head Wen and Huaisang were unable to control Wen Tang and fell victim to her poisonous hand.”

He shook his head, his face full of regret. “Although those who bring trouble upon themselves cannot live, two lives have already been lost, their bodies gone without a trace. I ask everyone to be lenient where leniency is due.”

Zhu Zhao scoffed.

“Leniency where leniency is due,” indeed.

Ye Chongguang looked at Wen Yu, his gaze even softer, carrying a hint of a senior's concern. “Young Mistress Wen, rest assured, my Taiqing Pavilion indeed bears some responsibility in this matter. If the Wen family needs any assistance in the future, just say the word, and Taiqing Pavilion will spare no effort to help.”

He then turned to the cultivators beside him and said, “I heard that others were also attacked and poisoned. Send some medical cultivators to specially care for them; do not neglect them.”

The cultivators responded in unison, “Yes.”

The Nine Saints Hall disciples exchanged glances, then looked away.

The dead were the best shield.

The responsibility now lay entirely with Huaisang. Ye Chongguang had saved face, making it difficult to press the issue further today.

Otherwise, if a fight broke out, Nine Saints Hall would be at a disadvantage in terms of reputation.

Zhu Zhao remained silent for a moment, then asked, “Where is Wen Tang now?”

Ye Chongguang shook his head, the regret on his face receding slightly. “Since I didn't know what Huaisang was doing, how would I know where he hid Wen Tang? But even he couldn't control her, which shows how dangerous that child is now. Rest assured, Taiqing Pavilion will spare no effort in tracking her down and will definitely capture Wen Tang.”

With the conversation at this point, there was nothing more to ask.

Ye Chongguang stood up, straightened his robes, and resumed his usual calm and indifferent expression, as if his earlier flush had never appeared. “I have other matters to attend to, so I will take my leave first.”

As he reached the door, he suddenly stopped, turned back, and said to the Third Elder, “Oh, and it's been a long time since I've seen Hall Master Fusheng. I heard he was somewhat affected by that Sword Demon earlier. Is he doing well now?”

The Third Elder's expression remained unchanged as he cupped his hands. “The Hall Master is doing well, no need for Pavilion Master Ye to worry.”

Ye Chongguang smiled. “In that case, on the ninth day of the eleventh month, my son will marry the Saintess of Beiyao Sect. Hall Master Fu and those personal disciples, please do me the honor of coming for a few drinks.”

With that, he turned and stepped out the door. His white robe flashed at the doorway, and he was already gone.

Several Taiqing Pavilion cultivators sheathed their swords and followed in single file, their footsteps gradually fading away.

The room was quiet for a moment.

The Third Elder stood up, nodded slightly to Wen Yu, and walked out.

Everyone from Nine Saints Hall followed behind him.

Once the hall was empty, Wen Yu suddenly relaxed and slumped to the ground, silent tears streaming down her cheeks.

A figure slowly approached her, reaching out to pat her head. “Little Wen Yu, you did it, didn't you?”

“You did very well.”

Feeling the warmth on her head, Wen Yu looked up through her tears, seeing a beautiful, smiling face. For some reason, she felt like smiling too.

How absurd.

She was such a grown woman, yet she was being comforted by a child stroking her head.

But it was also the first time someone had treated her this way, stroked her head, and called her Little Wen Yu.

She had barely left the Wen family, constantly surrounded by cold, distant people.

A cold mother, a cold maternal grandfather, cold cousins, and cold collateral branches of the Wen family.

She didn't understand why everyone was so cold. She always thought about acting foolishly to attract attention, sometimes even deliberately doing something strange and bizarre to make them laugh.

But no one in the Wen family would laugh.

The Wen family members would only give her a strange look, then turn and leave.

Though her mother doted on her, giving her everything good in the world, she constantly compared her to Wen Tang.

She had to cultivate faster than Wen Tang, be smarter than Wen Tang, and be more capable than Wen Tang.

Later, Wen Tang went to Nine Saints Hall. When she returned, she was different from everyone else in the Wen family.

Wen Tang always smiled. When she deliberately acted foolish, Wen Tang's eyes would curve into crescents, and she would pull her along to talk about Nine Saints Hall and that Second Senior Sister all night long.

At the time, she always dismissed it.

Wen Tang had gone there as a hostage.

What good could come from being a hostage?

Nine Saints Hall was just a sect.

What good could Nine Saints Hall possibly have?

But now, she looked up, her vision filled with the bright, sparkling eyes of this Junior Sister from Nine Saints Hall.

Suddenly, she felt that Nine Saints Hall was indeed very good.

—

Outside the Wen family's front hall.

The Third Elder instructed, “First, bring those afflicted with dark poison back to Nine Saints Hall for temporary placement. Have someone from the Wen family who understands dark poison assist them, lest the poison flares up and becomes uncontrollable. Ah Zhao, you stay behind and see what the Wen family plans to do next.”

“They are poison cultivators. If they wish to practice such arts without being besieged by cultivators from across the land, they must establish a new contract with us.”

Zhu Zhao replied, “Yes.”

The Third Elder added, “Also, Ye Chongguang might not truly be unaware of Tangtang's whereabouts. Ah Zhou, send people to keep an eye on him and thoroughly investigate Tangtang's trace.”

Xie Zhou nodded slightly.

The Third Elder wanted to give a few more instructions, but then he turned and saw Song Yao slowly walking out of the front hall, playfully fiddling with a black iron token. He paused, startled. “Isn't that the Wen family's access token? Did you… did you fight someone for it?”

Song Yao casually tied it to her waist, where it clinked against the peace jade given by her Fourth Junior Brother. “No, Young Mistress Wen gave it to me.”

The Third Elder said, “She… she gave it to you?”

The Wen family had strict rules and was extremely exclusive, considered a semi-reclusive minor clan.

How could they give an access token to an outsider?

Song Yao nodded. “Maybe because I'm Fifth Senior Sister's junior sister.”

She didn't usually try to sweet-talk everyone she met, but Wen Yu was Wen Tang's cousin, and she had heard about her a few times from Wen Tang. Meeting her, she felt a sense of familiarity.

Plus, this girl hadn't done anything terribly wrong, so she couldn't help but talk to her more.

Somehow, Wen Yu ended up giving her the access token.

The Third Elder: “…”

This Young Mistress Wen was indeed somewhat different from her mother; she was young and naive. Fortunately, the token was given to a child like Lin Mu, so it wouldn't cause any trouble.

He changed the subject, saying, “Alright, everyone go about your business. Little Wood, you and Ming Ran prepare to return to the sect with me. If we don't go back soon, your master will start missing you…”

Halfway through his sentence, his voice lowered.

He looked incredulously as Xie Zhou walked over, approached Little Wood, cast a spell to remove the access token, and then handed it back, saying indifferently, “Put it in your spatial pouch. It would be very troublesome if you lost it.”