A Pawn's Passage

“It was the sixth-generation Grand Master,” Sun Hewu said in a flat tone.

Qi Xuansu grew even more perplexed. During the sixth-generation Grand Master’s tenure, the Zixiao Palace was at its weakest, barely better than its current fragmented state and far from the prominence it held during the era of the fifth-generation Grand Master.

Sun Hewu noticed Qi Xuansu’s confusion and took the initiative to explain, “It’s true that the sixth-generation Grand Master was considered weak, but only in comparison to the other Grand Masters. Compared to anyone else, including the three Deputy Grand Masters, not a single one of them could match him.

“After all, the sixth-generation Grand Master was still the most revered figure in the Daoist Order and possessed the cultivation of an Immortal. Who would dare defy his direct command? If he wanted the Tianshui Core Tower sealed, then of course we had to obey.”

Based on the Daoist Order’s hierarchy, Sun Hewu was of the same generation as the Grand Master and had even worked with him in the past, so his tone lacked excessive reverence.

Qi Xuansu cautiously asked, “Sage Sun, what kind of person was the sixth-generation Grand Master?”

Sun Hewu was cautious. He glanced around, set up a soundproof barrier, and replied, “In terms of talent in cultivation, no one can surpass him, not even the current prodigies like Li Changge, Yao Pei, or Zhang Yuelu. One of the reasons he became Grand Master was that he was the youngest among all the Immortals in the mortal realm. He became an Immortal before the age of 50 and became Grand Master at 55.”

Qi Xuansu clicked his tongue in amazement. “I’d already be satisfied if I could become a Heavenly Being by 30. Becoming an Immortal by 40 is something I wouldn’t even dare dream of!”

Sun Hewu continued, “He was an exceptional man, a true gentleman—modest, courteous, and never arrogant despite his talent. There are 4 kinds of people on this earth. The best kind are capable but have no temper. Second-rate humans are capable, but they have rough tempers. Third rates have neither capability nor temper. Lastly, fourth-rate humans have no capabilities but a huge temper.

“By that standard, the sixth-generation Grand Master was undoubtedly a first-rate person. Back then, the entire Daoist Order praised him unanimously. That’s also the second key reason he became Grand Master. Without those two qualities, even if the three Deputy Grand Masters had wanted to support him, they would not have been able to.

“Now look at these youngsters. They’ve barely learned any real skills, but their arrogance is fully developed. The moment they gain a bit of talent, they respect no one. If you ask me, that Li family brat who’s been making waves recently is at best a second-rate human. He is no doubt capable, but his temper is horrid.” Sun Hewu scoffed.

Qi Xuansu smirked. “I must be third rate then—no talent and no temper.”

Sun Hewu chuckled. “Then grow some talent and strive to be first-rate.”

Qi Xuansu asked, “If the sixth-generation Grand Master was so remarkable, how did things end up in such a mess?”

Sun Hewu sighed. “One who is kind but ineffective, who loves but cannot command, and who faces disorder but cannot govern is like a spoiled child that cannot be relied on.

“The merciful should not command armies, and the righteous should not manage wealth, let alone hold a position as powerful as the Grand Master. The Holy Xuan left behind an amazing reputation, but in order to unify the Daoist Order, he made many ruthless decisions.

“As the later disciples would say, the Holy Xuan had the heart of a Bodhisattva but the means of a Thunder God. This sixth-generation Grand Master did not have the Holy Xuan’s means, foundation, and prestige, so he was in no position to play the benevolent man while taking office as the Grand Master.”

Qi Xuansu was left speechless.

Sun Hewu was an academic, but his experience and outsider’s perspective allowed him to see things more clearly. “A kind-hearted man cannot be a Grand Master, and a Grand Master cannot be kind-hearted. Yet, after much compromise and political maneuvering, the three Deputy Grand Masters still placed him in that seat.

“He knew he was not suited to be the Grand Master and tried many times to decline the position. But in the end, he succumbed to peer pressure. The earnest hopes of the Golden Tower Sages and the collective trust of hundreds of thousands of Daoist disciples overwhelmed him, so he reluctantly took office.

“But after becoming Grand Master, he became indecisive—unable to continue the policies of the fifth-generation Grand Master, yet without a vision of his own. He even naively sought to rectify the chaos, such as stripping the Zixiao Palace of its authority and allowing the Golden Tower Council to dominate. In the end, he couldn’t even hold the situation together, leading to further division among the three Daoist sects.

“As if that wasn’t enough, after spending his life as a benevolent man, he then chose to make a final, impulsive decision. Upon realizing the situation was out of control, he flew into a rage and hastily ascended, abandoning the mortal world and leaving the position of Grand Master vacant.

“While it’s true that many of the decisions by the three Deputy Grand Masters were questionable and that the Daoist Order’s current state cannot be blamed solely on the sixth-generation Grand Master, he played a big role in it. How could he treat it like child’s play? His name will not be remembered kindly in the long annals of the Daoist Order.”

Only now did Qi Xuansu understand why the sixth-generation Grand Master was deemed weak and ineffectual.

Sun Hewu lamented, “His virtue did not match his position. What a pity...”

Qi Xuansu asked, “Why did the sixth-generation Grand Master seal the Tianshui Core Tower?”

Sun Hewu paused for a moment before replying, “Strictly speaking, I shouldn’t be telling you this. But at this point, it’s an old and forgotten matter. I think it’s nothing worth hiding. The reason the Tianshui Core Tower was sealed was because a great demon was imprisoned inside.”

Qi Xuansu was taken aback. “A great demon?”

“You find it unbelievable too, don’t you?” Sun Hewu scoffed and shook his head. “So many rare books painstakingly gathered by the Confucian scholars...trapped in there for who knows how long. While there are copies, they can never replace the originals. The mere thought of all those precious tomes sharing a space with a beast is absurd! What a waste!”

Qi Xuansu then asked, “Sage Sun, why imprison a demon in a library? I recall that Yunjin Mountain has a dedicated Demon Suppression Tower for such creatures.”

Sun Hewu explained, “There are two main reasons. First, this great demon is no ordinary creature. Trying to transport it safely to the Demon Suppression Tower would be extremely difficult.

“Let me give you an example. Imagine you discover a rat in your house. You close all the doors and windows, trapping the rat inside. However, you wouldn’t dare recklessly open the door to catch it, because it could easily escape.

“Second, why not just kill the great demon? That again is because of the sixth-generation Grand Master’s orders. He gave a long-winded speech about the heavens’ virtue of cherishing all life and how the demon’s crimes did not warrant death. In short, he forbade its execution and ordered its temporary imprisonment in the Tianshui Core Tower for later judgment. Thus, the Zixiao Palace issued the command for us to seal the library.”

Qi Xuansu’s doubts grew. “So the sixth-generation Grand Master started relying on the Zixiao Palace again?”

“It was too late,” Sun Hewu replied bluntly. “By the time he realized the need to reinstate Zixiao Palace’s power, its original system had already been dismantled by the three Deputy Grand Masters. During the fifth-generation Grand Master’s era, the Nine Halls were entirely controlled by the Grand Master’s faction. However, after the sixth-generation Grand Master stripped the Zixiao Palace of its authority, control of the Nine Halls gradually shifted to the three major sects. At that point, even if he wanted to appoint the Nine Hall Masters as Deputy Zixiao Palace Masters, they would only feign obedience.

“Although the Grand Master has the power to appoint and dismiss officials, replacing all key positions in the Nine Halls with his own people was not something that could be done overnight. It required careful planning, strategic execution, and the right timing. Acting rashly could destabilize the situation, leading to internal strife and inviting external threats. But did he have the skills for that? Could he shoulder such a responsibility?”

Qi Xuansu could not help but sigh. “So even the Grand Master isn’t all-powerful.”

Sun Hewu continued, “After the sixth-generation Grand Master’s abrupt ascension, the so-called ‘future judgment’ was never carried out. The Golden Tower Council was too busy fighting over the Grand Master’s vacant seat to care about this demon anymore.

“Meanwhile, the Wanxiang Daoist Palace dared not act rashly either. If we accidentally released the great demon, someone would surely seize the opportunity to hold us accountable in the future. We couldn’t afford such a risk, so we had no choice but to keep the place sealed.”

Qi Xuansu recalled Sun Hewu’s analogy about the rat and asked again, “So this great demon was actually captured inside the Tianshui Core Tower?”

Sun Hewu immediately perked up, speaking in a tone as if discussing an interesting anecdote. “It’s quite an unbelievable story. This demon took on a human form and disguised itself as a Daoist disciple. It infiltrated the Upper Palace not to steal treasures or devour people, but to secretly learn our Daoist longevity techniques.”

“A perfected method?” Qi Xuansu asked in surprise.

Sun Hewu nodded. “Exactly.”

“Then how was it discovered?” Qi Xuansu grew even more curious.

Sun Hewu explained, “To be honest, this demon seemed audacious but was actually meticulous in its planning. It had a formidable level of cultivation and executed its scheme flawlessly. No one managed to see through its disguise.

“However, what it didn’t anticipate was that the Tianshui Core Tower was connected to the Daoist Canon Division in Jade Capital. Coincidentally, the sixth-generation Grand Master had come to borrow books, and the two happened to run into each other. While ordinary people couldn’t see through the demon’s illusion, the sixth-generation Grand Master was an Immortal. With a single glance, he saw through the deception and immediately subdued the demon.”

Qi Xuansu quickly pieced the events together. “After interrogating the demon and learning of its intent, the sixth-generation Grand Master judged that its crime was not deserving of death. Thus, he sealed it within the Tianshui Core Tower and forbade anyone from approaching, intending to deal with it later.”

Sun Hewu nodded. “That’s exactly how it happened. Now, it seems like that seal will hold for a long time, at least until the seventh-generation Grand Master takes power, stabilizes internal and external conflicts, and has the time to address such matters.”

Qi Xuansu expressed some concern. “Could this great demon break through the seal and escape?”

Sun Hewu reassured him, “Don’t worry. Even if the sixth-generation Grand Master placed the seal without prior planning, this seal could last for at least a few decades. After all, it’s the work of an Immortal.”

Recalling the terrifying remnants left by the Holy Xuan at Yunjin Mountain, Qi Xuansu was convinced by this reasoning. He then asked one last question, “By the way, what kind of demon is it? Could it be from the Qingqiu Mountain lineage?”

“The Qingqiu Mountain lineage can enter openly, so why would they need to sneak in?” Sun Hewu clasped his hands behind his back and gazed toward the direction of the Tianshui Core Tower. “It’s a dragon.”