A Pawn's Passage

Since Li Minghuang and Li Changsheng had a tight schedule, they would depart by flying ship that very evening after the auction. They had a few hours to kill until then.

As the auction drew to a close, Qi Xuansu and Zhang Yuelu, ranked fourth and second, respectively, were invited to step forward and say a few words.

Having mingled among the Qingping Society, Qi Xuansu was not fond of the spotlight. But he was not stage-shy either. He did carry a trace of Madam Qi’s wit, but typically reserved it for those close to him. To outsiders, he upheld a serious image. For instance, in the Imperial Capital, no one thought of Superintendent Qi as someone easygoing or soft-spoken.

Such was the multifaceted nature of people. Even a ruthless butcher could be a gentle father before his children.

Zhang Yuelu was even more at ease in such situations. As someone who was aiming to become the Grand Master, she had no fear of public speaking. Today, she was merely speaking in the hall of Shangqing Palace. But if she were the Grand Master one day, she would be speaking in the Golden Tower Council and the Zixiao Palace, addressing three Deputy Grand Masters, multiple Great Sages, 36 Omniscient Sages, and numerous ordinary Sages.

Qi Xuansu’s speech was decent and proper, not remarkable, but not flawed either. In essence, it was official jargon—uninspiring but without any missteps.

A hundred right words were not as good as silence. If one must speak, then it would be better to use official clichés—words that sound like much but say little. That way, one would not be a slave to their words.

Zhang Yuelu’s remarks were far more pointed. “When you handle lard, you’re bound to get greasy hands. This doesn’t just apply to today’s auction at Shangqing Palace but to all such events. At their core, these are good deeds. But whether they truly reach their intended effect is, unavoidably, a question mark.”

People in the Central Plains traditionally did not use question marks in writing. This was a Western convention that was later adopted by Daoist circles through cultural exchange. That was why Zhang Yuelu used it in this context.

Zhang Jucheng followed up by saying, “This matter deserves real attention. Both the auction and the follow-up coordination with Duzhi Hall should have transparent accounting. A solid and reliable oversight system should be established, with representatives from both sides auditing all accounts. We must not let a good deed become someone’s opportunity to profit.”

Finally, Zhang Wuliang, representing the Heavenly Preceptor in today’s event, closed the session.

The auction finally came to an end.

“This Deputy Hall Master Qi is rather interesting,” Li Minghuang murmured as he rose to leave.

“I’ve heard that Qi Xuansu has little connection to the Qi family of Shuzhou,” Li Changsheng remarked. “Instead, his ties run deep with the Yao and Pei families.”

Li Minghuang said, “That’s only to be expected. Without solid backing and strong roots, he couldn’t have reached this position at his age even with heaven-shaking merit.”

Li Changsheng reminded, “Never underestimate the Yao family. Though the Zhang and Li families wield great influence, much of their inner workings lie in plain view for those with discerning eyes. Take the Zhangs, for example, their main branch rose to power illegitimately and is wary of the minor branches. Our Li family has a rotating leadership, which has led to frequent conflicts. But the Yao family is truly mysterious. People say the Yaos are the third most powerful Daoist family after the Zhangs and Lis, yet who truly knows their internal structure? When have you ever heard of internal strife within the Yao family?”

Li Minghuang paused, then suddenly realized that the Yao family truly was shrouded in mystery. They were unreadable and far more discreet than the conspicuous Zhangs and Lis. Often, the Lis’ gaze remained fixated on their longtime rival, the Zhangs, inevitably overlooking the Yaos.

Li Minghuang murmured, “When two dogs fight over a bone, the third dog runs away with it. We must not let down our guard against the Yao family.”

Li Changsheng nodded. “That’s true, but habits built up over centuries aren’t easily reversed. Elder Situ and the Holy Xuan once worked to ease Zhang-Li tensions, but Elder Situ died prematurely, and the deposed Heavenly Preceptor Zhang Jingchen grievously wounded the Holy Xuan’s wife, making their efforts futile. After the revitalization of the Daoist Order, both the first and second generation Heavenly Preceptors passed away in succession, so the Zhang and Li families naturally reverted to their old hostilities. Meanwhile, the Quanzhen Sect had long laid its groundwork. The first generation Earthly Preceptor even married into the Zhang family. They’ve been setting chess pieces generations ahead. It’s not just us who know how to lay traps far in advance.”

Li Minghuang asked again, “Then what about the Zhang family? What seeds have they planted?”

“True Lord Ziguang and the current Heavenly Preceptor are two of them,” Li Changsheng replied. “As for others—I don’t know.”

The two walked out of the hall side by side.

Just then, a figure darted out, blocking their path.

It was Zhang Yuyue.

Li Changsheng’s white brows twitched slightly, but he said nothing.

He was an elder and a guest, so there was no reason to quarrel with a junior. Besides, this was the mess that Li Minghuang had made. Naturally, Li Minghuang had to handle it himself.

“What brings you here, Miss Zhang?” Li Minghuang stepped forward. Since this was Zhang territory, and the Li family now sought reconciliation, he refrained from using her pet name from when they were intimate, opting instead for the polite address.

Zhang Yuyue had a thousand things to say. She was ready to rain down curses on him and wished she could skin him alive. But now that she stood before Li Minghuang, those words were stuck in her throat, unable to come out.

The most embarrassed of all was Dong Baijing. As her husband, he should have stood up for his wife. But he would only be humiliating himself by going against Li Minghuang. After all, if he truly had the power to suppress Li Minghuang, he would not have to endure Zhang Yuyue’s scorn. They would then have lived in equality like Qi Xuansu and Zhang Yuelu.

Dong Baijing was merely a matrilocal husband, so no one would blame him, since such men were never expected to uphold the family and shield their wives from the storm.

Yet after a brief hesitation, Dong Baijing still stepped up to Zhang Yuyue’s side, standing shoulder to shoulder with her.

Li Minghuang frowned, visibly displeased.

Most men shared a common flaw—possessiveness.

Though Li Minghuang had already discarded Zhang Yuyue, deep down, he still regarded her as his woman. If given the chance—say, after he had soared to power—he would like to rekindle their past romance. But now that Zhang Yuyue had married someone else and was no longer his alone, he felt an unbearable discomfort. This man, who had taken her, became a glaring eyesore.

A flicker of darkness flashed through Li Minghuang’s eyes.

Seeing Zhang Yuyue remain silent, Dong Baijing took the initiative and said, “Li Minghuang, you owe my wife an apology.”

Calling someone by their given name to their face was taboo unless one held a significantly higher rank or seniority. Clearly, Dong Baijing had no such standing.

In that instant, Li Minghuang resolved to teach this insolent fool a lesson. Even if questioned afterward, the Zhang family would have no grounds to object. After all, Dong Baijing was rude to a guest first.

Li Minghuang’s expression remained calm, but his right hand within his sleeve slowly clenched into a fist.

Li Changsheng noticed but made no move to intervene.

It was best to end this swiftly. Zhang Jucheng clearly did not want to dredge up his daughter’s disgraceful past, as he did not want family scandals aired in public. If this minor altercation dragged those matters back into the light, forcing Zhang Jucheng to address them, it would not be reconciliation but outright provocation, and their entire trip to Yunjin Mountain would be a complete failure. Thus, it was better to snuff it out in the bud.

The next moment, Li Minghuang lunged forward.

Dong Baijing had no time to react, but someone did.

Just as Li Minghuang’s fist was about to strike Dong Baijing, a hand reached out from the side and seized the attacker’s wrist, halting it mid-air.

Even so, the sheer force of the fist’s wind sent Dong Baijing’s hair and clothes flaring backward. The skin of his face rippled, and his lips curled back, exposing his gums.

A calm voice questioned, “Daoist Li, why are you so worked up?”

Li Minghuang squinted at the speaker.

It was not Zhang Yuelu, but Qi Xuansu.

Li Minghuang was a Wuliang-stage Heavenly Being, with rumors swirling that he was soon to be promoted to a second-rank Taiyi Daoist master. That made him a level above Qi Xuansu in every sense.

So, it was not easy for Qi Xuansu to intercept that punch. He had to muster the full might of three combined lineages—the Shaman’s Golden Body Realm, the Martial Arts Practitioner’s Divinity Realm, and the Rogue Cultivator’s Cicada Shedding Realm. He activated his divine power, body spirit, physical force, and innate qi in tandem, along with the element of surprise, to neutralize Li Minghuang’s punch.

Qi Xuansu knew full well he could not show weakness. Thus, he did not show any sign of strain. Instead, he put on a calm and relaxed front, as though he still had strength to spare.

“This man called me by my given name to my face, so this punch was well deserved. Daoist Qi, are you planning to take his punishment on yourself?” Li Minghuang threatened.

Qi Xuansu chuckled. “Isn’t that a bit much? We’re all fellow Daoists here. Why not let it go, Daoist Li? Surely, your magnanimity can allow it.”

“What if I don’t want to let it go?” Li Minghuang retorted, unyielding.

Just then, Zhang Yuelu arrived and said, “Then let me be the one to receive this punishment, Deputy Hall Master Li.”

Li Minghuang laughed. “You both are taking turns to take me on? Why not just come at me at once?”

Zhang Yuelu was about to speak again, but Qi Xuansu raised his other hand to stop her. “Qing Xiao, since Daoist Li has said as much, let me face him alone.”

Zhang Yuelu did not object.

Li Minghuang said, “There’s no enmity between us, Daoist Qi, so let’s limit it to three moves.”

“Three moves it is.” Before he finished his sentence, Qi Xuansu struck.

His right hand still gripped Li Minghuang’s wrist, while his left launched a punch—the Cosmos Loop, one of the signature techniques from the Tantai Fist Intention.

Though this punch could not compare to Yao Pei’s Staff of Merit, and time itself did not truly slow, Li Minghuang’s senses were affected, slowing his perception.

Still, Li Minghuang was a whole cultivation level above Qi Xuansu, so the distortion did not last long.

At the final moment, Li Minghuang spread the fingers of his right hand and blocked the punch, preventing it from landing squarely on his face.