A Pawn's Passage

After settling in, Qi Xuansu discovered a map of the Upper Palace hanging in the study. Taking advantage of it, Zhang Yuelu began explaining the entire layout of the Upper Palace to him.

The Ming Hall was originally built by Empress Mingkong, while the Lower Palace retained the layout of the Wanxiang Academy constructed by the Confucian School. After the Daoist Order transformed the Wanxiang Academy into the Wanxiang Daoist Palace, they further expanded the Upper Palace above the Lower Palace, following the design of the Taiping Sect’s Zhenjing Courtyard and connecting it to the second level of the Ming Hall.

Zhenjing Courtyard, also known as Eight Sceneries Courtyard, was arranged in the shape of the Eight Trigrams when viewed from above, hence the name.

Similarly, the Upper Palace of the Wanxiang Daoist Palace was divided into eight sections, with seven gardens and one gate named after the Eight Trigrams: Qian, Kun, Kan, Li, Zhen, Gen, Xun, and Dui.

To the east was Zhen Garden, which served as the residence for fourth-rank Jijiu Daoist masters. It was connected to the east gate of Ming Hall’s second level.

To the west was Dui Garden, which housed the senior instructors of the Wanxiang Daoist Palace. It was connected to the west gate of Ming Hall’s second level.

As the building followed the traditional south-facing layout, the south gate served as the main gate, also called the Li Gate. It was connected to the south gate of Ming Hall via a one-kilometer bridge.

Kan Garden was connected to the north gate, which was the primary area for lectures and lessons.

Except for the Li Gate, the seven gardens functioned independently yet remained interconnected, allowing movement between them without passing through Ming Hall.

In the northeast, Gen Garden was connected to Zhen Garden and Kan Garden. It served as the library of the Upper Palace. Although it could not compare with the Daoist Canon Division in Jade Capital, it still boasted an extensive collection of over a million volumes, ranking among the greatest repositories of knowledge in the world.

Xun Garden was situated in the southeast and was connected only to Zhen Garden. It was originally a training ground—the only place in the Upper Palace where physical combat was allowed. However, it had since been repurposed as the residence for Prospective and Apprentice Mages.

Unlike fourth-rank Jijiu Daoist masters, those in the fifth and sixth ranks did not have private courtyards but shared communal ones. Though each of them had a separate bedroom, they lacked a private study or living room. It was still a vast improvement over the Lower Palace, where multiple people shared a single room.

Qian Garden was located in the northwest. It was connected to both Kan Garden and Dui Garden. This area featured a vast White Jade Square and a grand ceremonial hall used for hosting major events.

Lastly, Kun Garden was located in the southwest and connected solely to Dui Garden, situated across from Li Gate and Xun Garden. This section housed the residences of the Palace Master and other high-ranking figures of the Wanxiang Daoist Palace.

The Upper Palace and Lower Palace were connected via Ming Hall. The Upper Palace was linked to the second level of Ming Hall, where one could descend to the first level and exit directly into the Lower Palace. To reach Xingye Lake and the Star Observation Deck, one must pass through the Lower Palace. Only Heavenly Beings could fly there directly.

After listening to Zhang Yuelu’s explanation, Qi Xuansu sighed in admiration. “So this is what the Upper Palace is like.”

Zhang Yuelu asked, “Have you not come up through Ming Hall before?”

Qi Xuansu shook his head and replied, “The Lower Palace has many restricted areas, and Ming Hall is one of them. We weren’t allowed to approach it.”

“Then how did you find your instructors?” Zhang Yuelu asked again.

Qi Xuansu explained, “The instructors responsible for the Lower Palace are all low-ranking Daoist priests. They also live in the Lower Palace, but they are allowed to enter and leave freely, including accessing the restricted areas.”

Zhang Yuelu nodded without commenting further.

Although she was from a minor branch of the Zhang family and faced some discrimination within it, she had never experienced such restrictions outside of her family. Thus, she found it difficult to relate to the complex emotions of the orphans from the Wanxiang Daoist Palace who could only look up at the Upper Palace from afar.

That was why she would not share Qi Xuansu’s sentiment of marveling at the Upper Palace in awe.

After his moment of reflection, Qi Xuansu suddenly thought of something and asked, “By the way, where did you stay the last time you were here in the Upper Palace?”

Zhang Yuelu also felt a little nostalgic, so she led Qi Xuansu to her former residence, which happened to be near where he was currently staying.

Unexpectedly, the residence already had an occupant. As they arrived at the courtyard entrance, they saw a young woman standing with her hands clasped behind her back, gazing at a small pond within the courtyard.

Upon hearing their footsteps, the woman turned to look at them.

The woman was about the same age as Zhang Yuelu. Though neither was an unparalleled beauty, both of them possessed distinctive auras that made them unforgettable at first glance.

However, their dispositions were vastly different.

Zhang Yuelu carried an air of authority, with a touch of sapience. As she aged and gained more experience, this commanding aura only strengthened. One could only imagine that by the time she reached 60 years old, she would be exuding an effortless gravitas that would leave younger disciples too intimidated to even breathe loudly in her presence.

Before outsiders, Zhang Yuelu never showed the slightest hint of weakness. She carried herself with composure, decorum, and a touch of valiance. She resembled a thunderbolt cutting across the sky.

However, in her daily life, especially before those she was close to, she would reveal her softer, more feminine side. Her attire had always adhered to traditional feminine aesthetics, creating a balanced blend of gentleness and strength.

As for the woman before them, her attire alone was vastly different from Zhang Yuelu’s. While Zhang Yuelu occasionally wore men’s clothing for disguise or convenience when traveling, she mostly dressed as a woman.

This woman, however, was wearing simple men’s garments, devoid of any unnecessary adornments. The only accessory on her was a jade pendant hanging from her waist—likely an identity token. Her hair was tied up in a bun and secured by a single ebony hairpin.

Her demeanor showed not the slightest hint of authority. She appeared easygoing, yet there was an air of detachment and indifference, as if nothing in the world could concern her or hold her interest, reaching the point of coldness.

If Zhang Yuelu was like thunder (a yang wood element), then this woman was like a gentle yet unpredictable wind (a yin wood element).

A difference in demeanor was nothing unusual, but what came across as striking was how this woman stood before Zhang Yuelu without yielding in the slightest, almost as if they were evenly matched. This was a rare sight indeed.

After all, Zhang Yuelu was now a Heavenly Being and held a high-ranking position as the Deputy Tiangang Hall Master. Even if she did not deliberately assert her presence, only a few could stand on equal footing with her.

Two women—one yin, one yang—stood there, staring at each other. It was evident that they were not the same type of people.

A strange thought crossed Qi Xuansu’s mind. These two will never be close as sisters. Perhaps even being friends will be difficult. It’d be a blessing if they did not become rivals.

The woman paid little attention to Qi Xuansu, merely observing Zhang Yuelu before taking the initiative to speak. “Are you Deputy Hall Master Zhang from Tiangang Hall?”

Zhang Yuelu was also sizing up the woman. Upon hearing this, she replied, “A pleasure to meet you. I am Zhang Yuelu of Tiangang Hall. May I ask for your name?”

The woman spoke softly. “So you are the famous Qing Xiao. I have long heard of your reputation. I am Yao Pei, currently without an official position and merely affiliated with the Chongyang Palace of Immortality.”

Qi Xuansu felt a jolt in his heart.

No wonder this young woman carried such a strong presence and barely regarded him. She was none other than Yao Pei, the prodigy of the Quanzhen Sect who stood on equal footing with Zhang Yuelu.

In the Ruyi Leaderboard published by the Qingping Society, Zhang Yuelu was only ranked fifth before she became a Heavenly Being. The first place belonged to Li Changge of the Taiping Sect, while the second place was taken by Yao Pei of the Quanzhen Sect.

Yao Pei was a Banished Immortal and a disciple of Sage Donghua.

There was a saying within the Daoist Order that while Sage Cihang, Sage Donghua, and Sage Qingwei vied for the position of seventh-generation Grand Master, Zhang Yuelu, Yao Pei, and Li Changge were already seen as competitors for the position of eighth-generation Grand Master.

Though not set in stone, this demonstrated their exceptional status. Yao Pei was a formidable contender for the next Grand Master. Whether in terms of talent, background, or factional influence, she was not to be underestimated.

Come to think of it, this woman shared a last name with Madam Qi. Given the special relationship between the Qingping Society and the Quanzhen Sect, could Yao Pei possibly be a relative of Madam Qi?

Zhang Yuelu was not surprised. It was as if she had anticipated this. She merely asked, “Daoist Yao, your reputation precedes you. May I ask for your courtesy name?”

Yao Pei cupped her hands in response. “My courtesy name is Su Yi.”

The name, Su Yi, meant plain white robe, which symbolized a pure and untainted moral stance. It signified integrity and refusal to compromise with corruption.

Zhang Yuelu asked again, “Su Yi, are you also here in the Upper Palace for further studies?”

Yao Pei replied, “I am ashamed to say so. Years ago, I heard that you had already completed your training at the Upper Palace, becoming the youngest fourth-rank Jijiu Daoist master in decades. By the time I achieved the same rank, you have already advanced to the third rank.”

“I wouldn’t dare accept such praise,” Zhang Yuelu said solemnly. “Speaking of which, it’s quite a coincidence. When I first came to the Wanxiang Daoist Palace, I stayed in this very courtyard. I never expected that you would be residing here today as well. It seems we are fated to meet.”

Yao Pei said indifferently, “It’s not entirely due to fate. From what I know, this courtyard has the best view and the most favorable location. It is the quietest place and closest to the library in Gen Garden.

“As such, the Wanxiang Daoist Palace only assigns it to the most outstanding disciples. If there are no worthy candidates, they would rather leave this place empty. In fact, Sage Cihang, Sage Donghua, and Sage Qingwei have all resided here before.”

“I didn’t know there was such a tradition.” Zhang Yuelu was slightly taken aback.

Yao Pei turned her gaze to Qi Xuansu. “You must be Tian Yuan, the one who risked his life to save Qing Xiao.”

Qi Xuansu finally had Yao Pei’s attention. Given the chance to speak, he said humbly, “I wouldn’t say I saved her. Even without me, Qing Xiao would not have been in grave danger. I certainly didn’t risk my life. After all, I’m still here, alive and well.”

From the beginning, Yao Pei’s face remained expressionless—not arrogant, not amiable, not cold as ice, nor warm as a summer breeze. She simply embodied the word, “detachment.”

Even if someone were good at concealing their emotions, they still possessed emotions. But this woman seemed as if she had none at all, making it impossible to gauge her thoughts through her expression.

Yao Pei spoke again. “Tian Yuan, you are certainly an interesting person. It’s no wonder my master, Sage Donghua, has taken notice of you. However, compared to Qing Xiao, you still fall a bit short. After all, Qing Xiao has caught the eye of the Earthly Preceptor.”