A Pawn's Passage

Qi Xuansu and Zhang Yuelu boarded the flying ship and headed to Longmen Prefecture together.

Although Qi Xuansu had only purchased standard tickets, the flying ship’s superintendent still arranged for them to stay in a first-class suite that was typically reserved for second-rank Taiyi Daoist masters.

The reason was simple. One of them was a Deputy Hall Master, while the other was a Superintendent. Both of them were under 30 years old, which signified their boundless potential.

Whether they liked it or not, there would always be people eager to extend special courtesies so as to form good ties.

Neither of them had a moral aversion to such gestures, so they accepted this free upgrade.

Compared to the standard cabins, which could only accommodate a single bed and table, the room for a second-rank Taiyi Daoist master was downright luxurious.

It was a suite with a small reception area, a study, and a bedroom.

This was one reason many Heavenly Beings preferred to travel by flying ship.

After all, flying through the skies on their own not only exposed them to harsh winds and the cold, but it would also drain their energy. Nothing could beat the comfort of a flying ship. If they had official duties, they could even handle those in the well-equipped suite.

Since neither of them had official tasks at the moment, Qi Xuansu suggested a game of the Holy Xuan Cards. However, Zhang Yuelu took out two jade slips and handed them to him.

Qi Xuansu took the jade slips and asked, “What are these?”

Zhang Yuelu replied, “The Divine Calculation Technique and the Qi Observation Technique.’”

Qi Xuansu was stunned. These were two of the mystical abilities for Rogue Cultivators in the Holy Embryo Realm. In particular, the Divine Calculation Technique was one of the core mystical abilities for Rogue Cultivators. He had wanted to learn it for a long time but had not had the opportunity.

First, his cultivation level was not high enough. When he finally reached the Holy Embryo Realm, he became too preoccupied with escorting Liu Hu to Bohai Prefecture. Then he had to join the investigation in Jinling Prefecture, leaving him no time to study.

Now that he was on the verge of becoming a Heavenly Being, he still had not learned these Guizhen-stage mystical abilities. He had almost forgotten about it himself, but Zhang Yuelu had not.

At this moment, Qi Xuansu realized that Zhang Yuelu had returned to Jade Capital specifically to retrieve these jade slips.

Thinking of this, Qi Xuansu was beyond touched, momentarily at a loss for words.

Zhang Yuelu turned her face to look out the window. “We’re not the overly sentimental type, so let’s skip the theatrics. Just learn the techniques and remember to return the jade slips to me. When we head back to Jade Capital, I’ll need to return them to the Daoist Canon Division.”

Qi Xuansu stopped wasting time. He reached for the jade slip labeled ”Divine Calculation Technique” and immersed himself in it.

The advantage of jade slips compared to traditional books was that the content could be directly imprinted into one’s mind, making the process highly efficient and easier to understand.

They perfectly addressed the challenge of conveying abstract concepts that were difficult to articulate.

The downside was that every time a jade slip was imprinted, it suffered wear and tear, causing the recorded content to fade until the slip was rendered completely useless. Additionally, crafting jade slips was not cheap.

Using the jade slip also had a minimum required level of cultivation. If one’s cultivation level was insufficient, it could impact their soul. At best, one would experience dizziness or nausea; at worst, one would lose their soul.

Now that Qi Xuansu had reached the ninth level of the Guizhen stage and possessed partial abilities from the Diviner lineage, he was capable of withstanding the impact of the jade slips.

In some ways, using a jade slip was somewhat similar to merging with the Xuan Jade. In fact, jade slips could be considered a simplified version of the Xuan Jade. For Qi Xuansu, this was already familiar territory, so Zhang Yuelu did not need to provide any further guidance.

After Qi Xuansu entered his meditative state, Zhang Yuelu did not sit cross-legged but casually leaned against the small central table on the Luohan daybed. She closed her eyes and formed a mudra with her thumb, index, and middle fingers, sitting motionless as her spirit wandered outside her body.

The journey passed in silence. By the time the flying ship reached Longmen Prefecture, Qi Xuansu had just barely begun to grasp the basics. What he had to do next was practice and familiarize himself with these mystical abilities until he mastered them thoroughly.

The flying ship descended slowly, and the surrounding mist brought a refreshing coolness to the port.

The ramp was lowered, and the passengers began to disembark in turn. Zhang Yuelu woke from her meditation on time and called Qi Xuansu, who was still in a trance.

Since the special suites for Sages were on the upper floor of the flying ship, Qi Xuansu and Zhang Yuelu were among the last to disembark.

Taking advantage of the time while the others lined up to leave the ship, the two leaned against the railing and gazed out.

The lake where the flying ship was docked was called Xingye Lake. Under the starlight, its surface reflected the night sky, creating a dreamlike and ethereal view.

Not far from this lake was a scenic spot belonging to the Wanxiang Daoist Palace, called the Star Observation Deck. The hill was not high but offered a wide range of views. It was said that an astronomer once observed the stars here to calculate the world’s great events, hence the name.

During the three major Daoist festivals, the Wanxiang Daoist Palace would organize celebrations and moon-watching gatherings for the Daoist disciples.

Looking farther out, one could see the majestic Wanxiang Daoist Palace, which covered such a large area that it resembled a city in itself.

Qi Xuansu was suddenly overwhelmed with emotion, but for a moment, he did not know what he should say.

Zhang Yuelu immediately sensed the subtle change in Qi Xuansu’s mood and asked softly, “What are you thinking about?”

Qi Xuansu did not hide his thoughts and spoke honestly. “This time last year was the first time I took a flying ship. So much has happened in just one short year that it all feels like a dream. At the same time, it also feels just like yesterday when I first went to Jade Capital with my master.

“These memories are still vivid in my mind. I’ve spent two decades in the Wanxiang Daoist Palace, so the memories I accumulated there in my relatively short life are certainly unforgettable. Logically, I should be very familiar with this place, but now it seems somewhat strange to me.

“If I had to describe it, those carefree days at the Wanxiang Daoist Palace feel like a lifetime ago. I never would have imagined that I’ve experienced so many of life’s ups and downs in just a few short years after graduation.”

Qi Xuansu’s tone was extremely calm, as if he were narrating someone else’s story. Zhang Yuelu listened intently, without a trace of impatience or disdain.

Qi Xuansu continued, “When I used to travel the world alone, I once encountered a maritime trader. He’s not a big merchant, but someone who bought a bit of goods and hitched rides on other people’s ships.

“He told me many stories. Among them, one of the quotes in a Western story about a beheaded queen left a deep impression on me. It went something like, ‘She was still too young to know that life never gives anything for nothing, and that a price is always exacted for what fate bestows.’

“I often think about that quote. If the saying holds true that all gifts come with a price, then all the opportunities I’ve had—being with you, obtaining the Xuan Jade, and being valued and promoted by Sage Lei and Sage Pei—must be debts I’ve borrowed. I wonder what price I will have to pay to settle them in the future.”

“Speaking of meeting you, I was actually quite scared of you the second time we met. I felt like there was this aura about you, like you’re a sun hanging high in the sky, and I was this little ghost who didn’t dare show my face.

“Back then, I didn’t even dare to think about being able to stand side by side with you. All I wanted was to stay far away from you. But I never expected that you would end up being my direct superior—there was no escaping then.”

Zhang Yuelu could not help but smile at this point. “You make me sound so unattainable, like some kind of saint. I’m just an ordinary person with selfish desires, who occasionally bends the rules. As for that aura you mentioned, I don’t think I have any. If you insist I do, it’s probably just because of how others make me seem by comparison.

“My background isn’t exactly humble. I’ve never experienced the hard life, nor have I had much exposure to the struggles of the common folk. I have also received many of those gifts of fate. Perhaps because of this, I have no interest in people like Li Tianzhen—not just because we walk different paths but because I also have what they have, and I can do what they can.

“I don’t need someone to shield me from the wind and rain, nor do I need anyone to give me a so-called sense of security. I don’t need someone to depend on. What I want is a companion to walk alongside me.

“I’ve always let things take their course. As we journeyed together, faced countless dangers, supported each other, and even experienced life and death together, there was no need to make any deliberate decisions by the time we reunited. Everything happened so naturally, as it was meant to.”

At this moment, Qi Xuansu’s heart was calm yet unsettled.

Zhang Yuelu’s words deeply resonated with him.

Neither possessed the other. Instead, they had found each other.

Zhang Yuelu was not his subordinate, nor was he hers. They were companions journeying side by side along the arduous road of life.