A Pawn's Passage

By noon, Qi Xuansu returned to his office and spoke via his mind voice. “Elder Lin, where was the original exit of the underground palace that you were in? I’ve been rethinking it—that Yin-Yang Gate in Qian Xiangyun’s study must have been modified by her. After all, people from your era didn’t have that many cannon models. How did she enter the underground palace before that?”

Lin Yuanmiao replied, “There were originally two exits from the underground palace. One was destroyed, severing all connection to the surface. The other is the Yin-Yang Gate you came through, which was originally a back door. If you know the exact location, you can connect a temporary Yin-Yang Gate to the underground palace’s permanent one. As for how Qian Xiangyun knew how to open it, I’m not sure. But I’m certain she only knew the surface mechanism. She couldn’t open the Yin-Yang Gate on her own, so she must have had a formation diagram. The cannon models on the shelves were merely used to hide it.”

Qi Xuansu understood. It was similar to when he opened the Ghost Kingdom’s Yin-Yang Gate. The Ghost Kingdom’s location was fixed, but the other end of the temporary gate could vary. He could open one outside the Jinling Prefecture or outside the Imperial Capital.

The so-called formation diagram was essentially a large talisman. It was the true key to the gate, functioning like an address, much like Madam Qi’s sigil.

The cannon models were a decoy used to obscure the diagram. Since Qian Xiangyun fled in a hurry, she could not take the diagram with her.

Qi Xuansu thought that next time, he might retrieve the formation diagram and claim a whole underground palace for free.

Of course, he could also turn it over to the Daoist Order. But Qi Xuansu did not have that kind of selfless spirit.

If he were truly upright, he should have dug out the Longevity Stone Heart and returned it to Madam Qi. While he was at it, he could report her too. Then he would go confess his crimes, admit to being a member of a secret society, and end up imprisoned beneath the Demon Suppression Tower, perhaps even accompanying Yue Liuli. Or he could just kill himself in guilt.

However, Qi Xuansu could not do it.

Besides this underground palace left by Sage Changchun, there was also the Tongzhen Palace left by Master Tongzhen Daling, Lin Lingsu.

Most of the old cultivator caves had already been excavated by the Daoist Order. Some were even open to the public for disciples to worship and tour. But Qi Xuansu had never heard of Tongzhen Palace, which meant it had slipped through the net.

If it could evade the Daoist Order’s discovery, it likely held powerful restrictions. If so, Qian Xiangyun might not be able to handle it alone. Therefore, Qi Xuansu and Zhang Yuelu did not need to rush to Nanyang. They first had to settle the situation at the Imperial Capital first.

Speaking of the situation of the Imperial Capital, Su Li had been diligently handling the case, so the matter at Oriental Autumn Villa was nearing conclusion. Those deserving punishment were punished, and fines were assessed.

Thus far, South City and North City had already been swept clean. Next would be the East and West Cities.

Qi Xuansu deeply disliked this kind of task, as it was exhausting and easily offended people. Not to mention, it was not impressive, even in hindsight. He could only persuade himself that he had to start small, with sayings that even great generals started as foot soldiers.

Grand principles existed for moments like this. In helpless times, they worked like a dose of anesthesia.

Qi Xuansu had once discussed a topic with Zhang Yuelu in their leisure time about the role of novels and operas. They both believed that these arts were an essential remedy in life. But where Zhang Yuelu saw them as a cure for suffering, Qi Xuansu saw them as an anesthetic. That was because these stories did not resolve any real problems. They merely soothed, numbed, and helped one temporarily escape the harsh realities of the world, much like drinking.

Why did so many people love to drink? It was because one good, dreamlike stupor could melt a thousand sorrows.

However, it cured nothing. Upon waking, one still had to face life and its miseries. What must be faced remained, and what hurt would still hurt.

This revealed the differences in their foundational experiences. Zhang Yuelu was not some cloud-dwelling celestial untouched by the mortal world. She was more grounded compared to Li Changge and Yao Pei. But even so, she had never limped through mountain roads for hours under the cover of night, nor did she deal with street peddlers or laborers. Though she came from a minor branch of the Zhang family, she had never lacked food or clothing or been covered in mud. She only knew the difficulty of entering doors, not the hardship of surviving life.

Qi Xuansu sat behind his desk and flipped through the files Su Li had her subordinates deliver.

Lin Yuanmiao finally revealed his figure. He was sitting quietly in a chair by the nearby wall. Since he had been silent for centuries, he had developed an inner calm.

A thought stirred in Qi Xuansu. A Three Corpse incarnation was like another person who held the host’s memories. Since it had those memories, it would inevitably be influenced by them, making their temperaments quite similar in many ways.

Although Lin Yuanmiao did not possess all of Lin Lingsu’s memories since the other two of the Three Corpse incarnations had been killed, he had once been an Immortal. Moreover, his original self was likely the First-Tribulation Immortal, True Lord Qingxu Yuanmiao. As such, Lin Yuanmiao surely knew secrets beyond the common man and would certainly have insights regarding the situation at Wuxing Mountain.

With the Inner-Demon Oath binding them, Qi Xuansu did not have to fear leaks.

So Qi Xuansu composed his thoughts and called out, “Elder Lin.”

Lin Yuanmiao immediately focused his drifting gaze on Qi Xuansu. There was no pressure or arrogance, just a simple, questioning look. After all, he was not the arrogant and overbearing Imperial Preceptor Lin Lingsu of the Jin Dynasty.

In many cases, a Three Corpse incarnation was the complete opposite of its original body. If one were to crudely categorize people into good or evil, then True Lord Qingxu Yuanmiao was a good person, his Three Corpse incarnation—Lin Lingsu—was evil, and Lin Lingsu’s Three Corpse incarnation—Lin Yuanmiao—might be a good man.

Of course, people were not that simple, so “good” and “evil” could not fully define them. This was just a rough measure. At the very least, Lin Yuanmiao was clearly easier to deal with than Lin Lingsu.

Qi Xuansu briefly explained the situation regarding Wuxing Mountain, then asked, “What’s your opinion, Elder Lin?”

Lin Yuanmiao did not immediately answer. Instead, he asked back, “Are all Daoist disciples this bold nowadays?”

Curious, Qi Xuansu followed up. “Why do you say that?”

Lin Yuanmiao replied, “Seeking immortality is already an act against Heaven. But there are degrees to such defiance. Creating immortals through mortal effort is the gravest taboo of all, yet the Daoist Order today seems to treat it as routine.”

Qi Xuansu knew the answer. First, this came from the ethos of the Holy Xuan’s generation, where Daoists believed humans could overcome fate, so they never feared divine retribution. That belief led to the revitalization of the Daoist Order. Second, the end of the era was imminent. Since there would be no more immortality afterward, what was left to fear?

However, Qi Xuansu did not elaborate and merely said, “Precisely because it’s a grave taboo that we must stop it.”

Lin Yuanmiao pondered aloud. “At least two Pseudo-Immortals are overseeing it.”

Qi Xuansu nodded. “Yes, a Yin-Yang Person and a Martial Arts Practitioner.”

Lin Yuanmiao said, “As for strategy, I’ve long been absent from the mortal world, so, like a child, I’m ignorant of its currents and can offer little in schemes. But I do know a bit regarding the Northern Dragon, since I once served as the Jin Dynasty’s Imperial Preceptor.”

Qi Xuansu’s eyes lit up. “Please enlighten me, Elder Lin.”

Lin Yuanmiao explained, “The Jin Dynasty relied on the Southern Dragon, while the Qi Dynasty relied on the Central Dragon. Both were severed when the Golden Horde entered the Central Plains. The once-glorious Shaozu Mountain became the decaying Laozu Mountain, beyond saving. Thus, the decline of Longmen Prefecture and Xijing, which used to be the old capital, was inevitable. The Southern Dragon was inherently deficient, so retreating to Jiangnan was a temporary refuge that was unsustainable. Only the Northern Dragon remains.

“The Northern Dragon’s terrain was vast and majestic, flowing eastward from Kunlun Mountain, passing through Nanshan, Zhongyue, with surrounding peaks embracing it to form a series of auspicious lands and blessed grounds. On its west, rivers flowed into the Longmen West River. On the east, they flowed through Youzhou to the sea. Beimang Mountain is part of the Nanshan Mountain Range, making its feng shui excellent. As such, generations of emperors and nobles have chosen to build tombs there. In theory, the Daoist Order could simply block any of the Northern Dragon’s upper nodes to disrupt its earth qi, and whatever plans those people have at Wuxing Mountain would collapse. Most of those mountain ranges are within the Quanzhen Sect’s jurisdiction, so it should be feasible.”

Qi Xuansu shook his head. “The Daoist Order is not unified in opinion. Doing this would be tantamount to openly defying the Imperial Court. Unless absolutely necessary, we cannot go that far.”

Lin Yuanmiao nodded slightly and continued, “It doesn’t matter. Earth qi is difficult to control, and that of a Dragon Vein is even harder still. If it were easy, the Daoist Order would not need the position of the Great Earthly Master. The Northern Dragon has six nodes—three of them relatively easy, while the other three are difficult. The three difficult nodes are the originating point in Kunlun, the Dragon Eye at Yanjing Prefecture—now the Imperial Capital—and the Reverse Scale at Wuxing Mountain. The dragon is a creature that may be tamed and ridden. But beneath its throat lies a reverse scale—touch it, and it kills. Rulers are the same. If you can speak without touching their reverse scale, then you are close to success.”

Qi Xuansu’s expression did not change, as if he understood. But he still asked, “What do you mean?”

Lin Yuanmiao patiently explained, “It means the earth qi at Wuxing Mountain is the most restless and hardest to control. If something changes there, it could trigger a chain reaction along the entire Northern Dragon Vein. So I suspect these Pseudo-Immortals are stationed there to suppress the earth qi, not to fend off enemies.”

Qi Xuansu mused, “In other words, they may not be free to fight.”

Lin Yuanmiao continued, “From your standpoint, their advantage is being able to build a formation based on Wuxing Mountain, using it for defense. But their disadvantage is needing to suppress the earth qi. If someone were to attack from the outside and agitate the ley lines, the Pseudo-Immortal might survive, but the Immortal still in gestation would surely perish.”

Qi Xuansu said, “So if the Pseudo-Immortals are focused on suppressing the earth qi, the main actors on the battlefield will be Heavenly Beings.”

Lin Yuanmiao reassured Qi Xuansu. “I’ll do my best to keep you safe. If you can restore me to the Zaohua stage, I can even guarantee your safety.”

Qi Xuansu chuckled. “If I had that many Taiping coins, I’d give every last one of them to Madam Qi. She can protect me just as well. At least that way, the wealth stays in the family. After her hundred years are up, it’s still mine.”

Lin Yuanmiao did not know who Madam Qi was, but he understood the message: Qi Xuansu had no money.

Noticing this, Lin Yuanmiao said nothing more.