A Pawn's Passage

After they sat down, an attendant served tea. Qi Xuansu then presented the gift from Yao Pei and began the customary pleasantries.

Zhang Juyan was merely Zhang Yuelu’s distant relative, not a direct uncle. He had no interest in interfering with Zhang Yuelu’s marriage and had no influence over it. Thus, he was more than happy to form a friendship with Qi Xuansu.

Under Qi Xuansu’s deliberate flattery, their conversation became quite enjoyable. They first talked about Yunjin Mountain and Jade Capital, then gradually shifted the topic to Wanxiang Daoist Palace. Qi Xuansu mentioned his training in the Demonic Blade and naturally followed up by saying that as a child, he had dreamed of becoming an unparalleled Sword Immortal—free to roam the world without restraint.

Although he had chosen the Demonic Blade, he still deeply regretted not learning swordsmanship.

Zhang Juyan responded to this topic without any unusual reaction. He even took the initiative to discuss several of the major sword techniques of the Daoist Order, offering his own insights and critiques.

Qi Xuansu did not directly ask about the Beidou 36 Swords. Instead, he asked about various swordsmanship concepts that were not too advanced, but not overly basic either.

For a Heavenly Being who truly mastered swordsmanship, these concepts would have been ingrained into their very being—as instinctive as breathing. If someone was not a dedicated sword instructor, it would be difficult for them to immediately distinguish between basic techniques and advanced techniques. They might even mistakenly treat profound techniques as basic ones, which could easily expose inconsistencies.

Additionally, someone who had merely dabbled in swordsmanship but lacked real combat experience would have a completely different understanding and way of speaking about it. This could also be identified through conversation.

After all, what was gained from books could not compare to what was gained through practice.

Qi Xuansu’s first goal was to confirm whether Zhang Juyan was a true swordsman. Only then would he consider other possibilities.

Very quickly, Qi Xuansu was able to determine that Zhang Juyan had only a superficial understanding of swordsmanship. His knowledge was theoretical, not practical, and he was no sword master.

If Zhang Juyan was actually pretending and had truly deceived him, then Qi Xuansu would have no choice but to acknowledge his defeat. Having confirmed that Zhang Juyan was not a skilled swordsman, Qi Xuansu chose not to press the topic further. He smoothly transitioned the conversation to Qi Jianyuan’s death and prepared to take his leave.

Just then, Zhang Juyan casually remarked, “I am far from proficient when it comes to swordsmanship, but Instructor Hu is a master swordsman.”

“Instructor Hu?” Qi Xuansu’s heart stirred. “Who is this esteemed expert?”

Zhang Juyan answered, “Instructor Hu’s full name is Hu Jiaode. Like me, he is a Special-Rank Jinzi Instructor in the Wanxiang Daoist Palace. He is rather solitary by nature. All I know is that he is a Heavenly Being, but beyond that, his background is a complete mystery. I only discovered his swordsmanship by accident two years ago during the Mid-Autumn Festival.

“I was at Xingye Lake with a few friends, drinking a jar of Dreaming Death while admiring the moon. We didn’t use our cultivation to dispel the aftereffects, so in our intoxicated state, we lost our way and stumbled into Xun Garden. Back then, Xun Garden had not yet been converted into residences for the Apprentice and Prospective Mages. By sheer chance, we witnessed him practicing swordsmanship. Only then did I realize that he was a true expert.”

Feigning curiosity, Qi Xuansu asked, “What sword technique does Instructor Hu practice?”

Zhang Juyan frowned and thought for a long moment before replying hesitantly, “I know it’s definitely not the Cihang Sword Sequence, the Zhang family’s Dragon Tiger Sword Technique, or the Taiyin 13 Swords. I vaguely recall that his sword qi was sharp and oppressive, filled with killing intent. It was either Tribulation Defiance or the Beidou 36 Swords.”

Qi Xuansu felt a surge of excitement in his heart, but outwardly, he feigned surprise and asked, “High Mage Zhang, are you certain you weren’t mistaken? As far as I know, practicing the Beidou 36 Swords significantly shortens one’s lifespan. Who in their right mind would willingly practice it?”

“I’m not very sure...” Zhang Juyan replied, trying his best to recall.

Qi Xuansu did not find it odd that a Heavenly Being had a poor memory. Rather, Zhang Juyan had been drinking Dreaming Death, so he was barely conscious. Naturally, his recollection of that night would be fragmented.

After a moment, Zhang Juyan added, “It’s most likely the Beidou 36 Swords. I recall that Instructor Hu’s movements were ghostly and unpredictable, constantly shifting and resembling the Star Shift Technique. Although the Nandou 28 Swords also has a Star Shift Technique, it is far more balanced and refined, lacking sharpness and aggressiveness.”

Qi Xuansu sighed. “I never expected someone would actually practice the Beidou 36 Swords. But then again, people even train in the Taiyin 13 Swords, so it’s not that surprising.”

Zhang Juyan nodded. “Now that I think about it, Instructor Hu does appear rather aged. He has prematurely grayed hair—perhaps that’s an aftereffect of practicing the Beidou 36 Swords.”

Qi Xuansu exchanged a few more casual pleasantries before taking his leave.

However, Qi Xuansu did not immediately seek out Yao Pei. Instead, he first made a trip to the archive tower in Gen Garden before returning to his own residence. He only went to meet Yao Pei when the sky turned dark.

By this time, Yao Pei had returned from investigating Deputy Palace Master Yao. As expected, she had gained nothing useful. In this regard, Yao Pei was far superior to Qi Xuansu because she was adept at detecting micro-expressions and subtle reactions, whereas Qi Xuansu relied more on instinct and experience.

After Qi Xuansu recounted his findings, Yao Pei fell into deep thought. “It looks like we have two prime suspects—Hu Jiaode, who appears to practice the Beidou 36 Swords, and Zhang Juyan, who voluntarily provided this clue.”

Qi Xuansu agreed. “That’s what I thought too. Either we got extremely lucky and hit the target immediately, or Zhang Juyan is deliberately misdirecting us, trying to lead us astray. He has a motive to do so.”

Yao Pei lightly tapped her fingers on the table and said, “Since you didn’t detect any flaws in Zhang Juyan, we’ll test Hu Jiaode first. We’ll find out one way or another.”

Qi Xuansu mused. “But how exactly do we test him?”

Yao Pei pulled out Hu Jiaode’s profile from the register and said bluntly, “I’m not from Beichen Hall, so I won’t bother with complex strategies. We’ll just confront him directly.”

“Fine.” Qi Xuansu retrieved the special waist belt used by Tiangang Hall, designed for carrying multiple weapons, including the heavy Dragon Painting Pistol.

As always, Yao Pei carried nothing—a sign of her supreme confidence.

The two of them left Zhen Garden together and headed straight for Hu Jiaode’s residence.

The location was quite remote, but more importantly, it was not too far from the deceased female instructor’s residence. Thus, it was entirely possible that he had arrived at the scene of Qi Jianyuan’s death before anyone else.

Without wasting a single word, Yao Pei stepped forward and knocked on the door, but there was no response.

Yao Pei, still expressionless, remarked, “The information on the register is quite accurate. This man is a recluse. He refuses the assigned attendants and does not accept lower-ranking Daoists as aides. He prefers to keep to himself.”

Qi Xuansu asked, “So, what should we do now? Do we force our way in?”

“Great idea!” Before Qi Xuansu could react, Yao Pei had already moved. With a single motion, the double doors disintegrated into dust. A warding formation was triggered, but before it could take effect, Yao Pei pulled out a command token and forcefully halted the activation of the formation.

Qi Xuansu exclaimed, “You forged Sage Sun’s token again?!”

Yao Pei did not even glance at him. She kept her eyes fixed on the pitch-black courtyard and explained, “This isn’t a counterfeit. It’s the real token. Sage Sun lent it to me and authorized me to act as needed.”

As they spoke, a shadowy figure emerged within the courtyard, silent as a ghost, his cold gaze locking onto them.

This was the Star Shift Technique from the Beidou 36 Swords.

The man appeared to be in his fifties, his hair streaked with white. His thin and frail frame made him look far older than his actual age.

Yao Pei put away the command token and spoke in a flat, unwavering tone. “Hu Jiaode, your crimes have been exposed, so surrender now. If you cooperate, there is still a chance for survival. But if you resist and refuse to repent, you will be punished without mercy.”

Qi Xuansu had assumed that Yao Pei’s earlier claim of lacking experience was just false modesty. Now he realized she meant every word. She truly had zero experience in negotiating a surrender.

Before she even finished speaking, Hu Jiaode’s sword flashed. Without a single word of rebuttal, he lunged straight at Yao Pei. His attack was utterly ruthless.

Yao Pei did not draw her Staff of Merit. Instead, she gracefully retreated and lifted her hand. Two streaks of cold light shot forward, striking Hu Jiaode’s shoulder and his thigh.

The blade of the flying daggers sank completely into his flesh, with only the hilts visible. Yet, Hu Jiaode seemed entirely unfazed. In the blink of an eye, he had already closed the distance, standing before Yao Pei again.

Yao Pei’s expression remained utterly unchanged. She continued retreating, each hand gripping a flying dagger—held at the ready but not yet thrown.

At that moment, Qi Xuansu slashed his blade horizontally, blocking Hu Jiaode’s path.

Whether Yao Pei could overpower Hu Jiaode was another matter. Qi Xuansu could not just stand by and watch, as Qi Jianyuan’s downfall was a fresh lesson for them. Victory would come faster only if they worked together.

As soon as Qi Xuansu clashed with Hu Jiaode, he sensed that something was terribly off. Setting aside the fact that the Beidou 36 Swords was far more lethal than the Nandou 28 Swords, the real problem was Hu Jiaode’s fighting style—it was utterly suicidal. Every single move was aimed at trading a life for a life.

Qi Xuansu was shocked because he only resorted to life-risking tactics in desperate situations. Who would start fighting that way immediately? Due to this, Hu Jiaode’s sheer ferocity put immense pressure on him. Qi Jianyuan was nothing in comparison.

In barely a dozen exchanges, Qi Xuansu had already fallen into a clear disadvantage. If this continued, his only option would be to fully unleash the Demonic Blade. However, the Demonic Blade was not something he could control at will, and once it was activated, it recognized no allies, making it dangerously unpredictable in a fight with multiple combatants.

Fortunately, he was not fighting alone. Yao Pei flicked another flying dagger toward Hu Jiaode’s heart, forcing him to raise his sword to block. This gave Qi Xuansu a brief moment to catch his breath.

Qi Xuansu’s right hand trembled slightly as he gripped his blade. With his left hand, he drew the Dragon Painting Pistol and shouted, “Hu Jiaode! Are you truly choosing to defy the Daoist Order?”

Hu Jiaode did not respond. It was clear he understood that he could not overpower these two. Since brute force had failed, he did not hesitate for even a moment before fleeing.

Yao Pei frowned slightly and launched another flying dagger, which struck squarely in Hu Jiaode’s back. However, the middle-aged man did not falter in his steps. Instead, he used the force of the impact to propel himself forward.

In the blink of an eye, he vanished into the vast darkness of the night.

Qi Xuansu did not immediately give chase. Instead, he frowned, feeling puzzled. “He’s trying to escape? With Wanxiang Daoist Palace sealed shut, where exactly can he run?”

Yao Pei was also considering the situation. “He didn’t even try to defend himself. Yet now he flees in such haste. There’s something off about this...”