A Pawn's Passage

As Zhang Yuelu and Qi Xuansu walked through the bustling Taiqing Square, Zhang Yuelu suddenly asked, “Tian Yuan, you mentioned you were short on money. If you don’t mind me asking, how much do you make each month? It’s fine if you don’t feel comfortable sharing. Just forget I asked.”

Qi Xuansu did not intend to hide this from her. He replied, “I probably have less than 200 Taiping coins in savings at the moment. Since I’ve never held a position in the Daoist mansions, I don’t have a regular income.”

“No regular income? Why haven’t you taken a position in a local Daoist mansion?” Zhang Yuelu was slightly surprised. She looked astonished at the fact that Qi Xuansu did not have an income from the Daoist mansions, but in reality, she was surprised by his honesty.

Qi Xuansu knew that Zhang Yuelu was no ordinary person, so checking his past records should not be difficult for her. If he lied and tried to evade the question, it would only make matters worse.

Thus, he replied with some hints of truth. “My master was killed in an ambush many years ago. To this day, I still don’t know who did it. I suspect that the person who dared to attack a distinguished fourth-rank Daoist master is likely a big shot within the Daoist Order. Although I was lucky enough to escape at the time, I feared that I would get hunted down. That was why I have been wandering about all these years, afraid to take up positions in the Daoist mansions.”

“Aren’t you afraid now?” Zhang Yuelu raised an eyebrow.

Qi Xuansu laughed bitterly. “Somewhat.”

“What do you mean by that?” Zhang Yuelu inquired.

“I’m afraid that I’ll end up like my master, dying under mysterious circumstances.” Qi Xuansu’s voice was calm. “But I’m also not afraid of death because death is inevitable, and I must avenge my master.”

Zhang Yuelu spoke bluntly. “Well, at least you’re brave enough to want to avenge your master. Otherwise, I’ll look down on you, and we can’t be friends anymore.”

Qi Xuansu coughed awkwardly. “I’m not afraid of death itself, but I fear dying without knowing the reason, like an ignorant fool.”

Zhang Yuelu probed further. “Do you have any clues?”

Qi Xuansu shook his head. “No. When my master died, I was still too young to understand his social connections. I also knew very little about my master’s past. To be frank with you, life has been difficult for me since my master’s death. I’m just a seventh-rank Daoist priest with no power or influence. The incident happened so many years ago, so where would I find those clues?”

He continued, “That’s why I think that the best way for me to avenge my master is to make a name for myself. There’s a Confucian saying that it is never too late to seek revenge. Coincidentally, I heard that Tiangang Hall has a recruitment drive, so I decided to use half of my savings to find some connections to get a position. That way, I can advance to a sixth-rank Daoist priest.”

“Connections, huh?” Zhang Yuelu looked at Qi Xuansu with a smile that did not quite reach her eyes.

Qi Xuansu felt uncomfortable because of Zhang Yuelu’s gaze. He sighed helplessly. “Please don’t look at me like that. It’s just human nature.”

“I don’t like this kind of nature.” Zhang Yuelu frowned. “This type of behavior damages the reputation of the Daoist Order and undermines its foundation.”

Qi Xuansu sighed. “I know, but there’s nothing I can do about it.”

Zhang Yuelu did not stand on a moral high ground to criticize Qi Xuansu. This was one of her strengths. She would never judge others by her own standards.

Being favored by the Great Sage Lunzhi allowed her to climb the ranks without compromising her integrity, but that did not mean others had the same opportunity as she did. If she were to impose her standards on those still struggling, she would be an unempathetic person.

Zhang Yuelu asked, “So, does that mean ‘human nature’ is also the reason you rose to the seventh rank even without taking a position in a local Daoist mansion?”

Qi Xuansu’s heart skipped a beat. He could vaguely sense why Zhang Yuelu was paying special attention to him. However, he put on a helpless, guilty, bitter, and shameful expression as he explained to her using Madam Qi’s words to him.

“I don’t have a choice. If I want to be a third-rank Daoist master someday, I have to climb the ladder step by step. Falling behind even once will mean permanent stagnation. If I can’t rise to the sixth rank by the age of 30, then my chance of getting to the third rank in this lifetime is slim to none.”

Zhang Yuelu clearly understood this rule, so she did not comment on it. She simply said, “I get it. You want to avenge your master. That’s why you aim to become a third-rank Daoist master. But because you’re afraid of your hidden enemies, you didn’t dare take a position in a local Daoist mansion.

“You earn money by providing your services, and in turn, you use that money to buy connections. But this method will only get you to the seventh rank. That’s why you plan to seek a position in Tiangang Hall now to make some achievements and get promoted.”

Qi Xuansu nodded. “Exactly, Miss Tantai. I hope you won’t—”

“Don’t worry.” Zhang Yuelu eased her doubts about him and softened her tone. “I won’t tell anyone about this. After all, we’re friends.”

Qi Xuansu smiled. “Right, friends.”

However, Qi Xuansu was no longer the naive young man he once was, especially after traveling the world on his own for many years. He received teachings from Madam Qi, so he developed his own cunning and tact. He did not easily believe in Zhang Yuelu’s promise but acted hesitant.

Sure enough, Zhang Yuelu noticed Qi Xuansu’s hesitance and said gently, “You might as well speak your mind.”

Qi Xuansu said, “Since we’re friends, may I ask which hall or Daoist mansion you serve in, Miss Tantai?”

Zhang Yuelu smiled and said, “Well, it’s quite a coincidence. If you manage to get into Tiangang Hall, we’ll be colleagues in the future. That way, we’ll be able to meet often.”

Qi Xuansu was taken aback. “What a coincidence indeed!”

Zhang Yuelu did not answer Qi Xuansu’s question directly. “Regardless, I thought you were never going to ask.”

Qi Xuansu said jokingly, “I didn’t get the opportunity to. To me, you’re a formidable presence, like a fierce tiger or a mighty dragon. So, I dare not act recklessly around you.”

Zhang Yuelu chuckled instead of getting angry. She lightly punched Qi Xuansu’s shoulder. “Hah! Is this your roundabout way of calling me a termagant?”

Qi Xuansu quickly waved his hands in denial. “Absolutely not!”

This scene attracted the attention of many passersby. The older pedestrians smiled knowingly, while the younger pedestrians could not hide their envy.

Meanwhile, Qi Xuansu found himself in a complex situation.

At first, Miss Tantai’s intentions seemed unfriendly, so he felt like he was walking on thin ice. Then he gradually relaxed, realizing in hindsight that Miss Tantai was actually a beautiful young woman of his age. Her every move carried a faint fragrance that subtly enticed his senses.

Qi Xuansu was a young man in his prime. Over the years, the only person of the opposite gender he had interacted with was Madam Qi, who was a motherly figure to him. Thus, he had no experience dealing with women of his own age.

For a moment, Qi Xuansu found himself somewhat intrigued by Miss Tantai.

Qi Xuansu, who had been through the dangers as a traveling swordsman, remained composed and swiftly suppressed this unusual emotion. He changed the topic and asked, “Miss Tantai, since you are serving in the Tiangang Hall, will you explain what some of the responsibilities are in that hall?”

Zhang Yuelu replied, “The main responsibility of the Tiangang Hall is to suppress secret societies, criminals, occultists, demons, and ghosts.”

Qi Xuansu asked, “What’s the difference between them?”

“There’s not much of a difference, but the main focus varies.” Zhang Yuelu casually explained it to him.

“Recently, the Great Sage Lunzhi issued a decree to further suppress all secret societies. Consequently, Tiangang Hall’s priority will be to combat these secret associations. Then it would be criminals, such as pirates, which typically fall under the jurisdiction of the Imperial Court, but we do assist from the sidelines from time to time. There are also the occultists, who are often intertwined with secret societies. Some secret societies are essentially cults.

“As for demons and ghosts, we don’t adhere strictly to the policy of extermination without distinction. They must be discerned first, but there are differing opinions within the Daoist community. Some advocate for the complete eradication of demons and ghosts, while others argue for a more nuanced approach.”

Qi Xuansu continued to inquire, “If some secret societies are cults, does that mean not all secret societies are cults?”

Zhang Yuelu nodded. “Yeah. Some secret societies aren’t cults, like the Qingping Society, the Inn, the Eight Tribes, the Seven Treasure Pavilion, and so on. They’re not cults, but they have numerous ties to the Daoist Order.”

Qi Xuansu was startled. “Do they?”

Zhang Yuelu sneered. “It’s not surprising. Without the indulgence and support of influential figures within the Daoist Order, how could these secret societies have thrived until now? But I’m just an insignificant and powerless minion, so I can’t change anything for now.”

Qi Xuansu did not dare to underestimate Miss Tantai. As a member of the Qingping Society, he had only glimpsed the tip of the iceberg in the organization. He also had a hunch that Madam Qi intentionally asked him to join the Tiangang Hall with a hidden agenda.

Zhang Yuelu sighed. “Everything is intertwined, and that’s where the problem lies. With influential figures from the Daoist Order secretly supporting these societies, we won’t be able to exterminate them no matter how hard we try in another 10 or 20 years. So, the Daoist community’s biggest problem has never been external. It’s right here, on Yuxu Peak, within our own Ancestral Court.”

Qi Xuansu sighed along with her. “In that case, these secret societies are just shadows of the Daoist Order. The real masterminds are hiding behind the scenes, invisible and untouchable.”

“That’s one way to put it.” Zhang Yuelu felt a little dismal. It was evident that Qi Xuansu’s words were the source of her worries.

Qi Xuansu hesitated to delve further into the topic. “Have we perhaps delved too deep into our conversation?”

Zhang Yuelu waved her hand dismissively. “There’s no such thing as going too deep when the moment is shared with a like-minded friend.”

She paused and asked, “Do you think that we’re incompatible in conversation?”

“Of course not!” Qi Xuansu hastily denied it.

Zhang Yuelu jokingly remarked, “Let’s not talk about such disheartening matters for now. We can discuss how we can reform the Daoist community when I become the Grand Master one day.”

Qi Xuansu looked around warily and whispered, “Miss Tantai, please be cautious with your words.”

Zhang Yuelu laughed. “These words are meant for your ears only.”

Qi Xuansu was taken aback by her response and could not help but chuckle.

It turned out that Miss Tantai was not completely fearless after all.

Having read Qi Xuansu’s thoughts, Zhang Yuelu rolled her eyes at him. “I’m not dumb, you know. But I know that day will come.”