A Pawn's Passage

After the speech concluded, the crowd began to exit in an orderly manner.

Qi Xuansu and Yao Pei, who were seated in the front row, had no choice but to leave last.

Many instructors shared the same row as the fourth-rank Jijiu Daoist masters. Given that their official rankings were not too different, they were not quite master and disciple, nor did they have a significant distinction.

Just as Qi Xuansu stood up, preparing to leave, a female instructor passed by him and flashed a demure smile.

Qi Xuansu was not exactly flattered, but he was surprised. In the past, these refined women had mostly treated him as if he were invisible. It was a reality he had long grown accustomed to. Yet today, he noticed that quite a few of them were willing to smile at him.

He roughly understood why men never wore makeup. That was because a man’s best cosmetic was power, status, and wealth. Whether a man was handsome had little impact on their desirability, but not nearly as much as those other factors. That was why so many in the Daoist Order wanted to convert their cultivation into tangible authority, rather than simply pursuing immortality in seclusion.

Currently, Qi Xuansu had neither wealth nor great authority, but he did possess a certain status, which meant that the other two would inevitably follow sooner or later.

As a result, he had become eye-catching and no longer just an ordinary figure.

Qi Xuansu returned a polite smile. Their gazes met briefly before they passed each other without any further interaction.

This time, those attending the Upper Palace training, including both Apprentice and Prospective Mages, totaled around 200 people. Thus, they were divided into three batches according to their rank, with different areas of study.

After the ceremony concluded, Qi Xuansu and the others headed toward Kan Garden, the main area for lectures and teachings.

At first glance, Kan Garden did not appear too different from an ordinary academy. It was filled with various classrooms. The fourth-rank Jijiu Daoist masters occupied the largest and finest lecture halls, each with their own desk, complete with ink, brush, and books. The seating arrangement was perfectly aligned in rows and columns, forming a grid pattern akin to a chessboard.

This scene reminded Qi Xuansu of his elementary studies in the Lower Palace, feeling as if he had returned to his youth. In truth, the orphans in the Lower Palace were not so different from those attending private schools. During lessons, the instructors would lecture at the front, while the children below would whisper among themselves.

During the most tedious classical literature lessons, Qi Xuansu would often find some thin, transparent paper, overlay it onto the textbook’s illustrations, and trace them one by one. At a glance, the instructors would mistake him for diligently taking notes.

What was the point of taking notes? He would not look at them or understand them even if he did, making them a waste of effort.

At the moment, 32 fourth-rank Jijiu Daoist masters each took their seats. Since they were no longer children, there was no need for an instructor to assign their spots. They simply found their own places. If they wanted to switch, they would have to negotiate among themselves.

Qi Xuansu chose a spot neither at the front nor at the back. Looking around, he noticed that aside from himself and Yao Pei, most of the others were over 30. Some even had graying hair, having endured who knew how many years before finally sitting among these younger peers as classmates.

On the other hand, Yao Pei sat in a corner, resembling a lazy student, completely unmotivated and looking as if she might doze off at any moment.

A moment later, a female instructor walked in. It was the same one who had exchanged glances with him earlier. She appeared to be in her early thirties, with delicate features. She was also a fourth-rank Jijiu Daoist master. Though she could not be compared to Zhang Yuelu or Yao Pei, she was still considered a promising talent.

The female instructor introduced herself as Ning Yuqing. She was not responsible for lecturing. Instead, she oversaw the students’ daily lives. If they encountered any difficulties or inconveniences, they could come to her.

By now, Qi Xuansu could easily deduce a person’s background just from their last name. Simple cases, like Zhang Yuelu and Li Changge, were obvious because the Zhang and Li families were the two most powerful in the Daoist Order.

Slightly more difficult cases, such as Yao or Pei, indicated origins in the Quanzhen Sect. Though not as prestigious as the Zhang or Li families, they were still formidable. Yao Pei’s name sounded like a product of intermarriage between two influential families. This was also why many people mistakenly assumed Qi Xuansu came from the Quanzhen Sect’s Qi family.

The last name Ning, combined with her presence in the Wanxiang Daoist Palace, immediately made him think about Ning Yi, the first Wanxiang Daoist Palace Master who was a legendary figure born into the Confucian School. His grandfather had been a Grand Libationer who oversaw the Wanxiang Academy.

At the time, the Confucian School was the dominant force in the world, yet Ning Yi resolutely chose to follow the Holy Xuan. After the Daoist Order defeated the Confucian School and converted the Wanxiang Academy into the Wanxiang Daoist Palace, Ning Yi was appointed as its head, continuing the legacy in a different form.

Furthermore, Qi Xuansu’s former superior—the previous Tiangang Hall Master—was named Ning Lingge. It was highly likely that they were from the same family.

Qi Xuansu even speculated that this female instructor might be Ning Lingge’s daughter.

He could not help but sigh. She was yet another noblewoman from a powerful family. With generations of her lineage ruling over a single domain, the place was likely impenetrable, allowing no outsiders in.

For an ordinary man like him to rise up, his own skills were only a small part of the equation. More than anything, Qi Xuansu owed his success to luck and the favor of some influential benefactors.

There was a saying that smooth sailing in officialdom required three parts ability, six parts luck, and one part the support of powerful figures. In his case, Madam Qi accounted for five parts of the luck, and Zhang Yuelu for one part. Pei Xiaolou, Pei Xuanzhi, and Lei Xiaohuan were his benefactors. His own struggles, relentless fights, grievous injuries, and hardships only accounted for three parts of the whole equation.

Had he been born into a prestigious family, he could have replaced five parts of his luck with pure family influence, making up for a lack of ability, mediocre luck, and minimal connections. Even if he were not particularly ambitious, he still would have risen to prominence.

However, family background was not something one could force, nor was it something to envy. Besides, Qi Xuansu had already used up all his luck. Envying others for their noble lineage seemed unreasonable at this point. Maintaining a calm and detached mindset was the right approach.

After Ning Yuqing introduced herself and exchanged formal pleasantries, she asked everyone to introduce themselves one by one, starting with Yao Pei.

Yao Pei was unique, but she had one commendable trait—she followed the rules. She never shirked responsibilities nor put on unnecessary airs. She was the first to stand and introduce herself. Just as she had done with Qi Xuansu and Zhang Yuelu before, she stated that she currently held no official position and was nominally affiliated with the Chongyang Palace of Immortality.

This was no secret because Yao Pei’s reputation was well-known, so no one found it surprising.

The others followed the same format for their introductions. Most held positions in various Daoist mansions, while only a few served in the Nine Halls.

When it was Qi Xuansu’s turn, he stood up and announced, “I am Qi Xuansu from the Quanzhen Sect, currently serving as a fourth-rank Superintendent of Ziwei Hall.”

As soon as he spoke, whispers spread through the classroom.

A fourth-rank Jijiu Daoist master at such a young age was already remarkable, but to be appointed as a Superintendent in Ziwei Hall—the best of the Nine Halls—was another level entirely.

For years, Ziwei Hall had been firmly controlled by the Quanzhen Sect under Sage Donghua’s leadership, making it nearly impossible for outsiders to gain entry. Even Yao Pei had not been assigned there. Who exactly was this Qi Xuansu?

Many had never heard of Qi Xuansu’s name before. Like what he had done earlier, they began analyzing his last name.

Could he be related to Qi Jiaozheng, the Shuzhou Daoist Palace Master? The Qi family was a powerful faction within the Quanzhen Sect, not much inferior to the Pei or Yao families.

For a moment, several people looked at Qi Xuansu with newfound seriousness.

Qi Xuansu paid no mind to their speculative glances. If they thought he was a member of the Quanzhen Sect’s Qi family, so be it. If they assumed he was from the Yao family, that was fine too. Even if they mistook him for Zhang Yuelu’s matrilocal husband, that was not a problem either.

A reputation was nothing but hearsay. At the very least, it was a convenient banner to wave when needed. After all, a little borrowed prestige never hurt.

The rather long-winded opening ceremony finally came to an end, so everyone exited the classroom.

Qi Xuansu was the last to leave, choosing to head to Gen Garden instead of Zhen Garden.

As soon as he arrived, he unexpectedly ran into the female instructor, Ning Yuqing. Both of them were slightly surprised.

Ning Yuqing thought that Qi Xuansu was probably another prodigy like Yao Pei, someone who came to the Upper Palace merely to go through the motions. She had not expected him to actually be here for serious study.

Out of courtesy, Qi Xuansu took the initiative to greet her. “Instructor Ning.”

“Superintendent Qi,” Ning Yuqing responded with a slight smile. “What a coincidence.”

Qi Xuansu remained composed. “It is indeed.”

Ning Yuqing pondered for a moment before saying, “By the way, there’s a welcome banquet tonight at the first hour of sundown. If you’re not sure where it is, I’ll be waiting for you at the entrance of Gen Garden. We can go together.”

With that, Ning Yuqing left first, leaving behind a suggestive smile.