A Pawn's Passage

Past the main gate was the Upper Palace of the Wanxiang Daoist Palace.

The main gate was connected to a long, straight bridge that was as wide as the steps outside, with waist-high railings on either side. Leaning against the rail and looking down, one could see a stretch of rooftops and treetops, along with roads laid out like a chessboard, where tiny figures could be seen walking—that was the Lower Palace.

The bridge was about 30 meters high. From below, it resembled a celestial bridge in the sky. This was also why Qi Xuansu had never been to the Upper Palace before; he simply could not get up there.

The Daoist Order preached equality (at least on the surface), so the terms “Upper Palace” and “Lower Palace” did not denote rank but actually referred to their literal elevation. The Upper Palace was built at a higher level, while the Lower Palace was on flat ground, hence their names. It was straightforward, with no deeper symbolic meaning.

In the past, Qi Xuansu could only stand below and look up at this bridge. Now, he was finally walking across it.

As such, the complex emotions—nostalgia, awe, melancholy, and countless others—stirring within him at the moment were something Zhang Yuelu could never fully understand.

For Zhang Yuelu, it was more of visiting old grounds. It had only been a few years since she studied at the Upper Palace, yet little had changed.

At the end of the bridge was the main structure of the Wanxiang Daoist Palace—the Hall of Enlightenment, also known as the Ming Hall.

It towered 100 meters high, spanned 100 meters in all four directions, and was divided into three levels. The lowest level symbolized the four seasons—spring, summer, autumn, and winter. The middle level represented the hours of the day, topped with a dome supported by nine dragon statues. The upper level embodied the 24 solar terms, also capped with a dome, upon which stood a 3-meter-tall golden phoenix statue. At the center of Ming Hall was a massive wooden pillar that served as the core support for the beams.

From the times of the Wanxiang Divine Palace, which was built by Empress Mingkong, to the Wanxiang Academy under the Confucian School, to the current Wanxiang Daoist Palace, the outer buildings have changed repeatedly over the centuries.

The only place that did not change was the Ming Hall, which had witnessed the vicissitudes of time in Longmen Prefecture. Many great heroes had come and gone, yet in the end, all faded into history.

Qi Xuansu gazed at the Ming Hall at the end of the long bridge, silent for a long time. Though he had looked at the majestic hall countless times before, this was his first time seeing it from the front angle. It was like glimpsing at the profile of an exceptionally beautiful woman but never really seeing her full face. Now, he had finally gotten his wish.

Zhang Yuelu also paused to admire the hall for a moment. She did not come here frequently. Since it was a semester break, she was granted entry. But after June 15th, the gates would be sealed off, and she would have to wait outside.

The opportunities to see Ming Hall were rare. In fact, she had visited the Golden Tower in Jade Capital more times than she had visited Ming Hall.

Zhang Yuelu said, “The last time I was here, I ran into Yan Mingchen, who was also here for training. Do you remember him?”

“Of course, I remember. I shot him once on Yunjin Mountain.” Qi Xuansu made a gun-firing gesture. “Since the Daoist Order’s revival under the Holy Xuan, five out of six generations of Heavenly Preceptors were from the Zhang family. The only exception was one from the Yan family. The Zhang and Yan families are considered allies.”

Zhang Yuelu added, “I never had any feelings for Yan Mingchen. Due to our families’ long-standing relationship, we were just regular friends. But somehow, my mother found out and immediately started arranging a marriage alliance.

“Back then, I hadn’t yet been officially recognized as my master’s successor, and my weight in the Daoist Order was far less than it is now. With my current standing, my mother won’t even consider that marriage. So, in a way, she’s quite grateful to you for saving her the trouble of having to deal with Yan Mingchen.”

Qi Xuansu initially intended to follow up with a sarcastic remark but he suddenly felt something was off. He cautiously asked, “Qing Xiao, what are you trying to say?”

Zhang Yuelu glanced at him with a faint smile. “I mean to say that you should refrain from any romantic entanglements for the next three months and keep yourself in check.”

Qi Xuansu clutched his chest exaggeratedly, pretending to be hurt. “Qing Xiao, how could you not trust me?”

“I do trust you,” Zhang Yuelu replied calmly. “I’m just warning you. Back then, plenty of people saw value in my status. Even though I wasn’t easy to approach, they still tried to get close to me with ulterior motives. The same applies to you now.

“You’re a young fourth-rank Jijiu Daoist master, so you’ll attract attention even if you do nothing. Previously, only fourth ranks could come here for training, and most were already middle-aged. But now, with the inclusion of fifth-rank Prospective Mages and sixth-rank Apprentice Mages, there will be plenty of young women.

“They may be considered outstanding, but compared to you, there’s still a huge gap. So it’s natural for some to want to get involved with you. Whether you fall for them yourself or have been framed, once things escalate and a woman uses their innocence as leverage to make a scene, you’ll have only two options—either lose your reputation or choose her as your Daoist companion.”

Qi Xuansu’s expression turned serious.

This was not an unfounded fear. It was a very real possibility.

One would be classified as an Apprentice Mage if one could reach the sixth rank before the age of 30. If one could reach the fifth rank before 35, one would be considered a Prospective Mage. In other words, an Apprentice Mage in their late twenties and a Prospective Mage in their early thirties would still be considered promising talents. But compared to Qi Xuansu, a fourth-rank Jijiu Daoist master under 30, the gap was immense.

Even if someone were of the same age, there was still a huge disparity, as very few had been granted an exception to the tenure system and promoted like Qi Xuansu and Zhang Yuelu.

Just as many assumed Qi Xuansu had climbed the ranks by being Zhang Yuelu’s kept man, plenty of women would not mind offering themselves to him for the sake of their own futures. Some might even scheme to become the legitimate wife of a rising young talent because that was far quicker than climbing the ranks on their own.

The idea of changing one’s fate through marriage was still a dream for many women. They were not looking for a man; they were looking for power.

With the Daoist Order’s stringent moral expectations, men could not easily shirk responsibility. Once a woman made a public spectacle of things—unless one had the backing like Li Tianzhen—most men would have no choice but to comply or face complete ruin.

If Qi Xuansu had any thoughts of indulging in casual flings, his reputation would go down the drain once he was caught in a scandal. In the worst case, he would even lose his bright future, and Zhang Yuelu would completely sever ties with him.

This was no laughing matter.

Qi Xuansu tightened his collar. “I never thought I’d become such a hot commodity one day. It looks like I’ll have to be extra careful to preserve my pure and virtuous self for my lady.”

Zhang Yuelu could not help but laugh. “You’re definitely getting bolder by the day. Back then, you were like a tortoise with your neck tucked in when you talked to me. But now, you’re like a peacock fanning out your tail feathers. You even want to perch on my head and make a nest, huh?”

Qi Xuansu smirked and defended himself confidently. “The most skilled hunter often appears as prey. If I hadn’t cowered and acted small, how could I have lured in a big fish like you?”

Zhang Yuelu just laughed and did not bother arguing with him.

If Qi Xuansu had spoken so frivolously when they first met, Zhang Yuelu would surely have been repulsed by him. But after everything they had been through together, their relationship had changed. Now, she would not get angry and even enjoyed such banter.

Moreover, despite Qi Xuansu making it sound like he had planned everything from the start, Zhang Yuelu was not completely ignorant. When they first met, Qi Xuansu had no strategy at all. It was actually she who had been more proactive between them. She simply chose not to call him out on it.

As they spoke, the couple crossed the one-kilometer bridge and arrived before the Ming Hall.

At this moment, the main gate was wide open, allowing a clear view inside. The original dragon throne was no longer there because the Confucians had replaced it with a statue of their sage. Later, the Daoists removed it and replaced it with a statue of the Primordial Daoist Ancestor.

Besides this, the Daoists had made some structural modifications. In addition to the main entrance, they had opened three other doors in different directions that connected to various areas. Thus, this hall was more of a central hub.

Zhang Yuelu said, “Sage Pei isn’t wrong when he mentioned that this training is just a formality. Many aspects of it are meaningless. It’s basically just a group of knowledgeable elders lecturing young Daoists. The content is similar to Confucian teachings on loyalty and filial piety, mainly instructing us to be loyal to the Daoist Order.

“But most of these privileged disciples don’t take it seriously. Your issue isn’t with loyalty since you grew up in the Lower Palace. After two decades of immersion, your sense of belonging to the Daoist Order should be strong. Your problem is that you lack respect for certain rules and some high-ranking Daoists.”

Qi Xuansu coughed lightly. He had to admit that Zhang Yuelu was perceptive. If he had no sense of belonging or recognition toward the Daoist Order, he would not have tried so hard to leave the Qingping Society. However, certain individuals within the Daoist Order and their deeds—such as people like Shen Yuzu and the Jiangnan case—had deeply disappointed him.

Zhang Yuelu led him to a registration office in the southwest corner. This was where arrivals were recorded. Qi Xuansu presented his insignia and ivy paper given by Pei Xiaolou, and in exchange, he received a jade pendant.

This jade pendant was not worth much. It was mainly used as an identity token and to unlock student quarters. He would have to return it when he leaves.

After that, Zhang Yuelu led Qi Xuansu out through the east gate of Ming Hall, which was connected to another much shorter bridge. A stretch of interconnected courtyards lay at the bridge’s end, resembling a floating complex.

From an aerial view, the entire Wanxiang Daoist Palace resembled three nested squares. The innermost small square was the Ming Hall, surrounded by the middle square, which was the Upper Palace, connected to Ming Hall’s second level by bridges. The outermost large square was the Lower Palace, which was at the ground level, so it did not require bridges and was directly connected to the first level of the Ming Hall.

Due to this layout, the Wanxiang Daoist Palace appeared like a three-tiered mountain when viewed from the front.

This area was the student quarters. As a fourth-rank Jijiu Daoist master, Qi Xuansu would no longer have to squeeze into a shared room like he did in the Lower Palace, nor would he be limited to a single room like the sixth-rank and fifth-rank Daoists.

Qi Xuansu finally had his own suite with a small courtyard outside, along with a bedroom, a study, and a living room. It was quite a comfortable arrangement.