A Pawn's Passage

When Qi Xuansu was preparing to leave Jade Capital for the Imperial Capital, Sage Donghua personally summoned him for a talk. When Zhang Yuelu was preparing to leave, not only did Sage Cihang speak with her, but even the Heavenly Preceptor granted her a private audience.

In the 42nd year of the Jiushi Era, the Imperial Preceptor served as the Great Sage Lunzhi from January 1st to June 30th, holding the authority of the Grand Master. From July 1st to the end of the year, the Heavenly Preceptor took over as the Great Sage Lunzhi. Since the year had not yet ended, the Heavenly Preceptor was still in Jade Capital, making it easy for Zhang Yuelu to meet him.

To be fair, the fact that Zhang Yuelu was overlooked within the Zhang family did not mean she was overlooked by the Heavenly Preceptor. Due to his unique bloodline, the Heavenly Preceptor Zhang Wushou had never married and had no children. To him, whether someone was from the main branch or minor branch of the family made little difference, as none were his direct offspring. They were all his grandnieces with his last name.

Thus, Zhang Yuelu often had access to the Heavenly Preceptor, not just during annual festivals. The fact that she was privy to matters like peeking into the end of the era was telling enough.

However, the main branch of the Zhang family had vast influence. Due to his own bloodline, the Heavenly Preceptor had lingering concerns about the legitimacy of his position. His rise to become the Heavenly Preceptor had not been smooth, relying heavily on the support of the three Deputy Grand Masters under the fifth-generation Grand Master’s rule. Thus, he was reluctant to crack down harshly on his kin, lest he stir more trouble. He would not reignite conflict with the main branch for Zhang Yuelu’s sake either.

Had it been the Great Heavenly Preceptor Zhang Jingxiu, he would have had no such scruples and would have ruthlessly suppressed the main branch of the Zhang family. However, even Zhang Jingxiu was counterattacked by the main branch after his ascension, overthrown by the deposed Great Heavenly Preceptor Zhang Jingchen, who forcibly seized the top position as he was backed by the main branch. Neither the first-generation Heavenly Preceptor Zhang Luanshan nor the second-generation Heavenly Preceptor Yan Feiqing could match this elder figure.

After taking power, Zhang Jingchen brazenly overturned Zhang Jingxiu’s north-south reconciliation policies, opposed the unification of the Daoist Order, and reignited conflict with the Taiping Sect. His reckless actions ultimately led to the Holy Xuan personally arriving at the Dazhen Mansion to sever Yunjin Mountain’s ley lines.

Since the north-south reconciliation had enabled the unification of the Daoist Order, Zhang Jingxiu held an exalted place in Daoist history, honored as Patriarch Zhang. Had the Holy Xuan not intervened to restore order, then under Zhang Jingchen’s reign, which had the support of the main branch of the Zhang family, Zhang Jingxiu’s successors would have been pushed out, and his legacy utterly erased.

But the Holy Xuan was no longer around.

If Zhang Wushou were only 70, with another 30 years ahead, he would gladly support Zhang Yuelu, letting her mature so that when he ascended, she could smoothly succeed his position and withstand internal opposition.

But the reality was that Zhang Wushou did not have much time left. After all, they had an entire generation in between them. If the Heavenly Preceptor position were passed across generations, it would stir doubts among the Zhang family.

In 10 years, when Zhang Wushou ascended, Zhang Yuelu would only be in her early thirties. Achieving the second rank by then would already be a lofty feat, but she likely would not even be an Omniscient Sage yet. How could she possibly shoulder the Heavenly Preceptor’s mantle? How could she hold her ground against the influential main branch? That would only be setting her up for the main branch’s inevitable counterattack, like roasting Zhang Yuelu over the fire, putting her very life at risk.

If Zhang Wushou had simply left Zhang Yuelu be, there would be no enmity. After all, even if she was from the minor branch, she was still family. The main branch would not actively move against her. With her abilities, backed by the Zhang family and supported by the Cihang lineage, she would have a promising future.

So the choice did not seem all that difficult.

Zhang Wushou could oversee things for a while, but not forever. Even Immortals could not control everything, as they were not omnipotent. It was simply not worth risking his own posthumous reputation and Zhang Yuelu’s future and life.

Time waited for no one. Unwilling to repeat past mistakes, Zhang Wushou could only compromise with the main branch. The tragedy was that Zhang Yuelu simply did not have a capable father.

Yet despite withholding his official support, Heavenly Preceptor Zhang Wushou still viewed this grandniece, whom he had personally named, with special affection. He would occasionally bring her close for personal instruction.

However, this instruction was not about mystical abilities or spells, since Zhang Yuelu followed the Cihang lineage. It was also not about current affairs. Instead, he spoke more of the interesting stories of the past and present. Sometimes, he would narrate without commenting, and sometimes, they would simply discuss the facts.

Thus, many of Zhang Yuelu’s unusual insights were learned from the Heavenly Preceptor himself.

Their most recent meeting had been a rare occasion when they spoke of serious matters. At the time, Zhang Yuelu had not understood its significance. But now, she realized it had all been laying the groundwork for today.

After stressing the importance of traveling to the Imperial Capital, Heavenly Preceptor Zhang Wushou had not stated his point outright. Instead, he spoke first of his sister, Zhang Wuhen, then of their parents, especially his father, the legendary son of an Ancient Immortal.

At the time, Zhang Yuelu had not thought much of it, assuming it was just the musings of an old man nearing ascension. Thus, it was natural for his mindset to shift and for him to reminisce about the past and lost loved ones.

Finally, the Heavenly Preceptor had given Zhang Yuelu a bracelet—one his father had once gifted his mother. It was originally part of a pair, but the bracelets had eventually been divided between the brother and sister.

Zhang Yuelu did not know what happened to Zhang Wuhen’s bracelet. But by tradition, Zhang Wushou’s bracelet should have been a mother’s gift to a daughter-in-law. But Zhang Wushou had never married and had no children. Most of his nieces, nephews, and grandchildren were disappointments, like Zhang Yuyue. She was not only incompetent, but she also lacked discernment in judging people. Zhang Wushou could not even be bothered to mention her, let alone meet with her.

Thus, this bracelet had remained in Zhang Wushou’s possession for decades.

In the end, when Zhang Wushou considered all options, only his grandniece Zhang Yuelu was worthy of this bracelet. Fortunately, the Zhang family still had hope. Zhang Wushou could still brag to the Earthly Preceptor about his grandniece.

Luckily, no one else was present when the Heavenly Preceptor gifted Zhang Yuelu this bracelet. If anyone from the main branch had known, they would have been green with envy, especially the women. They would whisper behind closed doors that the old man was playing favorites.

In a sense, this bracelet was a symbol of the Zhang family’s matriarch, akin to the Empress’s phoenix seal.

Zhang Yuelu destroyed the cipher, rolled up her sleeve, and revealed the jade bracelet on her wrist.

This jade bracelet was unlike ordinary ones. It resembled a jade dragon, its head and tail connected. Every scale was exquisitely detailed.

If Zhang Yuelu could not grasp the Heavenly Preceptor’s intent by now, she would be unworthy of her title as the youngest third-rank Youyi Daoist master. This bracelet was not just a keepsake or a symbol—it was a critical item.

At the time, Zhang Yuelu had simply accepted it out of respect and had not examined it closely. But now, upon careful inspection, she sensed something unusual.

She gently stroked the jade bracelet while circulating her true essence.

Where her fingers passed, the greenish hue gradually faded, revealing a rich purple glow.

Her expression shifted slightly as she continued channeling her true essence.

The bracelet, previously veiled by a subtle illusion spell from the Heavenly Preceptor, gradually revealed its true form.

Its entire body was now a shimmering purple, with radiant light flowing across it.

Zhang Yuelu extended a finger and lightly tapped the dragon’s head. A brilliant light burst forth, enveloping the whole room in a purple glow as visible purple ripples spread outward, casting shifting light and shadow across Zhang Yuelu’s face.

She even felt as if the jade dragon coiling around her wrist stirred, as if a real flood dragon had been startled awake from a long slumber by her tap, drowsily rolling over without fully rising.

Upon closer examination, she saw that the dragon’s fine scales were engraved with intricate, unintelligible talismanic patterns, layer upon layer, densely packed, crafted with exquisite skill. These markings pulsed with shifting light, their positions subtly changing with the dragon’s movement and the flow of radiance, like rising waves or rhythmic breathing.

Zhang Yuelu could not help but murmur in awe, “This is a top-tier treasure.”

If the pair of bracelets were united, they might form a semi-immortal object.

At the same time, Zhang Yuelu noticed something strange. It was not surprising for the Heavenly Preceptor to possess a semi-immortal object. But his father, the son of a Godly Immortal, had been heavily restricted. His daily life was closely monitored, his cultivation firmly controlled by the Daoist Great Sages, all to prevent him from becoming another Ancient Immortal. As a result, Zhang Wushou’s father had never reached immortality.

Under such circumstances, where could he have obtained a semi-immortal object?

For a man, apart from inheritance from his master, his only sources would be from his father, mother, or wife’s family. The Zhang family had semi-immortal objects, but they would not give one to the son of an Ancient Immortal. His wife’s family was an ordinary household that did not even have treasures, let alone semi-immortal objects. That left only his mother, the legendary True Lord Ziguang.

Was this a token left by True Lord Ziguang for her son?

As Zhang Yuelu studied the bracelet, she roughly understood how she should contact the Ziguang Society.

From this perspective, this mission could only be handled by Zhang Yuelu.

As she left her residence, Zhang Yuelu thought, I wonder if Zhang Wuhen had ever been in touch with her grandmother, True Lord Ziguang.

She was not entirely sure what contacting the Ziguang Society would look like. If it triggered even a small-scale Divine Descent, that would be a real spectacle. If she really did summon an Ancient Immortal to the Imperial Capital as the Deputy Tiangang Hall Master, not even the Heavenly Preceptor could protect her.

After all, some things could only be handled under the table. Putting them in the open was fatal.

Zhang Yuelu left the Taiping Inn’s branch, exited Haosheng Southeast District, passed through the South City, and made her way out of the Imperial Capital.

There were numerous densely populated villages and towns beyond the farmlands outside the Imperial Capital. But here, there were no more Heavenly Beings from Tianchen Division or the Divine Central Guards, only regular Black Robes, the local Green Phoenix Guard outposts, and Daoist temples under the jurisdiction of the Imperial Capital Daoist Mansion.

This naturally meant there were risks in establishing contact with a secret society. But Zhang Yuelu trusted the Heavenly Preceptor, who had surely considered this. Since he had not given her any special warnings, it likely meant there would not be major problems.