A Pawn's Passage

The carriage came to a halt in front of the Taiping Inn branch by Penglai Pool. Normally, this would not draw much attention, but the circumstances were different now. The Taiping Inn had closed its doors to outsiders, and Daoist personnel were prohibited from using Western-style carriages. Under such conditions, this particular carriage stood out too much.

Two Spirit Guards on duty immediately stepped forward, ready to question the visitors.

That was when Qi Xuansu stepped out of the carriage and gestured for the guards to stand down.

The two guards recognized this young man, who was closely associated with the leader of the Golden Tower Council’s delegation, so they quickly saluted him. “Superintendent Qi.”

Qi Xuansu ordered, “This is Princess Chiying, a guest of Acting Deputy Hall Master Li. Please report her arrival to him.”

The two Spirit Guards froze briefly, puzzled. They knew a bit about the higher-ups. For instance, Superintendent Qi had close ties with Deputy Hall Master Zhang and was rumored to be riding on her coattails. He was also a former classmate of Deputy Palace Master Yao. Zhang Yuelu and Yao Pei seemed to get along on the surface, perhaps due to political pressure, but they certainly were not close like sisters. After all, two tigers could not share one mountain—unless they were mated.

Then there was Acting Deputy Hall Master Li, who was courteous to everyone yet distant from all, including Qi Xuansu. This had everything to do with the power struggle among the three sects.

So, when had Qi Xuansu managed to cozy up to Acting Deputy Hall Master Li as well? This man was truly something. While most would struggle to ride two boats, he seemed to be sailing three! With these thoughts swirling, the two Spirit Guards quickly went inside to inform Li Changge.

Qi Xuansu led the pair into the main hall of the Taiping Inn, where the attendants promptly served tea.

A short while later, it was not Li Changge who appeared, but Yao Pei.

“Tian Yuan, when did you grow so close to the royal family? Prince Jin invited you for a drink, but you came back in a princess’s carriage,” Yao Pei said expressionlessly.

Qi Xuansu explained, “We met by chance and happened to be heading the same way. Where’s Acting Deputy Hall Master Li?”

“Deputy Hall Master Li went to meet Mansion Master Li. Deputy Hall Master Zhang went to the Nether Prison, and I’m in charge here,” Yao Pei replied.

Princess Chiying rose and asked, “Are you Daoist Yao?”

In her usual stoic mode, Yao Pei always came across as emotionally distant. She replied concisely, “Yes.”

Qi Xuansu did not want to be caught between the two women. Since Princess Chiying was not here for him, there was no need for him to shoulder everything. After all, it was not worth it to get himself involved and potentially upset Zhang Yuelu.

Thus, he took the opportunity to excuse himself. “You two go ahead and chat. I’ve got other things to do.”

But Yao Pei grabbed his sleeve, her dead-fish eyes locking onto him. “You brought her here, and now you’re walking away?”

“She didn’t come to see me. I was just hitching a ride. Besides, you’re the one on duty, not me. Hosting guests is your responsibility. What’s it got to do with me?” Qi Xuansu tugged and jerked his arm free, already employing his Demonic Blade techniques to do so.

However, Yao Pei countered with the Heavenly Blade techniques, anticipating his every move.

The two remained rooted to their spots. Their upper bodies were still. Only their hands were flickering so fast they seemed blurred to the eye.

However, Qi Xuansu still lacked a piece of the Xuan Jade to become a Banished Immortal, and Yao Pei’s Heavenly Blade was bolstered by the Taishang Emotionless Sutra. As such, he quickly fell behind and failed to break free.

Eventually, Yao Pei struck his wrist with a single finger. A numbness shot through his arm, freezing it momentarily. She then reversed her grip and seized his wrist, so he could not run away.

“Let go!” Qi Xuansu could only use his words to threaten her now.

Yao Pei remained silent and willful. Her meaning was clear—Qi Xuansu brought the princess over, so he had to deal with her.

Princess Chiying found the situation amusing. However, she also felt helplessly self-conscious. Am I really that unlikeable that they have to push back and forth like this?

These so-called Daoist prodigies were truly odd. They could not be judged by normal standards. She had heard of this Superintendent Qi, who was reputedly fierce and bold enough to offend even Prince Liao’s men. Yet here he was, being thoroughly subdued by Deputy Palace Master Yao.

The old man from the Xuanhui Court looked solemn. Their brief clash had been lightning-fast, albeit for different reasons, but no weaker than his own strikes. It confirmed that the young man had not gone all out against him earlier. Yet, Yao Pei still outmatched Qi Xuansu. She certainly lived up to her reputation. Among the younger generation of the Daoist Order, Qi Xuansu might be ranked fourth at best.

Just as Qi Xuansu and Yao Pei were locked in their silent standoff, the main character finally appeared.

“Chiying? How did you end up here?” Li Changge entered, dressed in the full uniform of a fourth-rank Jijiu Daoist master, immediately drawing everyone’s attention.

Qi Xuansu immediately struggled again. “How long are you planning to hold me?!”

This time, Yao Pei let go without a word, turned around, and walked away to do heaven knows what.

Qi Xuansu noticed the finger marks on his wrist and suddenly felt like their roles had been reversed. He, the grown man, had just been manhandled like some weak young maiden. This had nothing to do with gender, only strength. The so-called “frail maiden” or “delicate woman” was not about being female, but being weak. Qi Xuansu was the one lacking in strength. He wondered if he would still have been subdued by little Miss Yao Pei after he became a Banished Immortal.

At that thought, Qi Xuansu lightly clenched his fist, and the deep mark on his wrist vanished without a trace.

In that moment, Li Changge had finished his polite exchange with Princess Chiying. He turned to Qi Xuansu, cupping his hands in gratitude. “Sorry to trouble you, Superintendent Qi.”

“It’s no trouble at all.” Qi Xuansu returned the gesture.

Qi Xuansu had imagined meeting this exalted prodigy long ago. He had always assumed Li Changge would be arrogant or scheming. What he had not expected was Li Changge being courteous, modest, and kind, so much so that if he had not known who this man was, he might have mistaken Li Changge for a humble Daoist trying to curry favor with him.

In truth, it was Qi Xuansu who needed to curry favor. They were both fourth-rank Jijiu Daoist masters, but there was a big difference between the two. Qi Xuansu had been in the Imperial Capital Daoist Mansion for a month and still had yet to meet the Mansion Master, while Li Changge could see her at will. So this was what it meant to honor the worthy regardless of rank.

Qi Xuansu could not help but feel a twinge of awe. No wonder people said this man had the bearing of the Holy Xuan.

Still, Qi had no intention of reciprocating Li Changge’s goodwill. They were clearly rivals. Qi Xuansu had already intercepted two Xuan Jades that should have gone to Li Changge—one from Fengtai County, the other from True Lord Siming.

There was also no such thing as having enough Xuan Jades. The more Xuan Jades one had, the better off one would be. That was because Xuan Jades could boost cultivation and complete one’s lineage. For example, Qi Xuansu could not form a body spirit because he needed another Xuan Jade of Life to supplement his Martial Arts Practitioner lineage. Each progression would require another Xuan Jade, so just this lineage could take several jades. So even if he obtained the Xuan Jade of Immortality, he would still be far from a fully realized Banished Immortal.

Qi Xuansu excused himself. As soon as he exited the hall, he spotted Zhang Yuelu and her entourage walking into the courtyard. If someone did not know better, they would think the deputies coordinated this. Not even half an hour apart, and they all turned up one after another.

He walked forward to greet her.

“Tian Yuan, how was the banquet today?” Zhang Yuelu asked with a smile.

Qi Xuansu patted the Flying White Shadow at his waist.

Zhang Yuelu gave it a glance and warned, “Don’t step out of line.”

“Of course. It’s all documented and approved by my superior. If there’s any trouble, I won’t be the one to blame.” Qi Xuansu asked, “How did your investigation go?”

Zhang Yuelu waved her subordinates off and said, “I was just about to tell you. I’ve confirmed the cause of Gao Mingyin’s death.”

Qi Xuansu had handled this case himself, so he was aware of the details. He asked, “The coroner from the Arrest Office said that Gao Mingyin’s Dantian and meridians ruptured from the inside, not due to external force. I concluded it was murder, but I couldn’t explain the cause of death. How exactly did Gao Mingyin die?”

Zhang Yuelu replied, “I’ve read the file you left behind. The coroner’s conclusion was accurate. The method was simply too clever. Gao Mingyin died from a Mini Spirit Pill.”

The Mini Spirit Pill was a less potent version of the Spirit Pill Zhang Yuelu consumed to become a Heavenly Being, but it was also more accessible. What this meant was that a true Spirit Pill or Elixir could only be consumed by Heavenly Beings in the Wuliang stage or even the Zaohua stage. If taken rashly, the overwhelming medicinal power could cause the user to implode.

This was one of the reasons why some of the emperors of the Great Xuan Dynasty had died young. While the Huasheng Hall could practically bring people back from the dead, many of their techniques were brutally intense. Without sufficient cultivation, a patient could not endure them. So if an emperor’s cultivation was lacking, not even Huasheng Hall could save him. Even procedures like implanting an Auxiliary Heart had risks of failure. However, the Longevity Stone Heart belonged to another category of immortality elixirs, which could not be compared directly.

Zhang Yuelu continued, “A Mini Spirit Pill is not a poison. When dissolved in water, it’s nearly undetectable. It’s meant to help juniors lay their foundation, with an elder guiding them and gradually releasing the medicine, like a lotus seed slowly blooming into a flower. But if the medicinal power is forcibly released all at once...”

She mimed a lotus blooming. “Then you get the death scene you saw, Dantian destroyed and meridians shattering from the inside. That’s because the Mini Spirit Pill’s medicinal power had already transformed into innate qi. So there is no trace of it left behind. It’s like a murder committed with a blade of ice. Once the ice melts, the weapon vanishes, leaving no evidence.”