A Pawn's Passage

Qi Xuansu had intended to continue the conversation. Just then, the voice transmission talisman inside the vault lit up with a flickering glow.

Since the vault was sealed off from the outside world, it made direct entry and exit inconvenient. Thus, a fixed voice transmission talisman had been installed for internal communication.

Manager Hu quickly stepped forward to answer the call. After a brief exchange, his expression changed slightly. He turned to Qi Xuansu and said, “Second Deputy Qi, it’s for you.”

Qi Xuansu approached the glowing talisman. On the other side was none other than Spirit Guard Ding Chou.

Before Qi Xuansu could even speak, Spirit Guard Ding Chou’s urgent voice came through, “Second Deputy, we have urgent news from Deputy Palace Master Xu that Great Sage Lan is in trouble.”

Qi Xuansu’s heart sank. “What happened?”

His shock was understandable, as it was unthinkable for Great Sage Lan to be in danger. As the highest-ranking figure in the Poluo Daoist Mansion, a Longevity-stage Earthly Immortal and bearer of an immortal object, Great Sage Lan was the embodiment of the Poluo Daoist Mansion’s supreme strength.

Moreover, Great Sage Lan had not been traveling in some remote outpost either. He remained at the very heart of Sheji Palace in Thanglong Prefecture, the Poluo Daoist Mansion’s headquarters. So to hear that the Great Sage was in trouble was like saying that the three Deputy Grand Masters in Jade Capital were in danger.

If Great Sage Lan had truly been harmed, then the entire Poluo Daoist Mansion would be in grave peril.

This made Qi Xuansu think of the still-raging Fenglin War. If the Sonno-joi faction had resolved to eliminate the Fenglin Daoist Mansion Master, Great Sage Zhang Qihan, at the war’s outset, it would have been a terrifyingly effective strike.

Even Spirit Guard Ding Chou’s usually steady tone wavered. “They say it was an ambush by an Ancient Immortal. It was sudden, without warning. Fortunately, the Great Sage is only injured, not in critical danger.”

Qi Xuansu immediately recalled the King of the Yu Kingdom’s strange dreams. “Could this be connected to them?”

“It’s not clear yet,” Spirit Guard Ding Chou replied gravely.

Qi Xuansu pressed on, “Has this been reported to the Golden Tower Council?”

Spirit Guard Ding Chou hesitated before answering, “Not yet. From what Deputy Palace Master Xu implied, it was the Great Sage’s own decision.”

Qi Xuansu fell into deep thought. His mind raced.

Though Great Sage Lan was not in critical danger, there was a strange, deliberate silence surrounding the matter, a secrecy that hinted at something far more ominous.

This clearly showed that Great Sage Lan’s condition was far from ideal, perhaps so serious that he could no longer attend to his duties. For a man of his stature to suffer injury, the disturbance could not have been small. Thus, it was impossible to hide it completely from prying eyes. Still, for the time being, outsiders knew little beyond rumors and suspicion. Most were held in check by Great Sage Lan’s long-standing prestige, not daring to act rashly.

But such a situation would not last long. Each day that Great Sage Lan failed to appear, suspicion would grow heavier. Soon enough, people would begin to test the waters. This was merely a temporary delaying tactic.

Great Sage Lan most likely refused to report the matter to the Golden Tower Council due to personal honor and reputation. It was a common practice across all regional Daoist Mansions that if a crisis could be resolved internally, it was best not to trouble those in Jade Capital, lest one’s record be tainted.

Though Great Sage Lan was elderly and had no ambition for further advancement, he still cared for his posthumous name. Many had died for reputation, as no one wished to be remembered in shame. Thus, such matters were suppressed if possible and concealed if necessary. Only when there was truly no other choice would one report the problem to the Golden Tower Council.

Spirit Guard Ding Chou’s voice drew Qi Xuansu back from his thoughts. “Second Deputy Qi, shall we—”

Qi Xuansu interrupted, “Alright, I’m leaving the vault. Let’s speak in person.”

Manager Hu and Zhou Yonghe both turned toward him, startled.

Qi Xuansu steadied his tone. “I have an urgent matter to attend to, so I must leave Lion City earlier than planned. Manager Hu, please open the gate.”

The two men sensed that something was amiss, but neither dared to ask.

Manager Hu went at once to unseal the heavy vault door.

Before leaving, Qi Xuansu cast one last glance at Zhou Yonghe. “I’ll entrust the ledgers to you, Assistant Manager Zhou.”

Once outside, Qi Xuansu found Spirit Guard Ding Chou already waiting for him.

He asked straightaway, “What does Deputy Palace Master Xu intend for us to do?”

Spirit Guard Ding Chou replied, “Deputy Palace Master Xu asks that you cut your trip short and return to the Daoist Mansion immediately to take charge and guard against the unforeseen.”

Though Spirit Guard Ding Chou outranked Qi Xuansu in the official ranking system, she was not a Daoist priest. Spirit Guards could not intervene directly in administrative matters, hence why they ranked below the Second Deputy Mansion Master despite their battle prowess.

With Great Sage Lan wounded and his condition uncertain, the two Spirit Guards could return to protect him, but they could not intervene in internal governance. Though Xu Jiaorong held the title of Deputy Palace Master, all her standing and authority came from Great Sage Lan. While he was around, she was the second-in-command. But should he fall, she would be nothing more than a regular third-rank Youyi Daoist.

The two Spirit Guards were known as Great Sage Lan’s left and right hands, while Xu Jiaorong was his chief secretary. Together, they formed a triangle of power, their fates bound tightly around the Great Sage.

Thus, in this matter, their stance was unanimous. Qi Xuansu must return at once to take command of the situation before it spiraled beyond control.

Although Qi Xuansu’s official rank was not particularly high, his position carried weight. He was the Second Deputy Daoist Mansion Master, and more importantly, the envoy of the Golden Tower Council. That status gave him the right to speak, and those senior officials loyal to Great Sage Lan were willing to listen to him.

This was similar to when an old emperor suddenly passed away, and the weight of the crown fell on the crown prince even if he was just a boy. What everyone truly feared was a vacuum of succession. When no one knew what to do, the court would descend into chaos.

Understanding this principle, Qi Xuansu asked calmly, “Has Spirit Guard Jia Yin been notified?”

Spirit Guard Ding Chou replied, “He has been informed. He’s mobilizing the Spirit Guards as a precaution.”

Qi Xuansu nodded. “We can’t take the standard flying ship. Have Spirit Guard Jia Yin dispatch a Yinglong Warship armed with heavy artillery. I’ll take full responsibility if there are any issues.”

Spirit Guard Ding Chou was startled. This order bordered on taboo, skirting dangerously close to a show of force against one’s own superiors. However, she could not help but admire Qi Xuansu’s decisiveness. In times like these, hesitation and timidity could spell disaster.

She obliged. “Understood. I’ll inform him immediately.”

Qi Xuansu turned to Ke Qingqing and instructed, “Tell Han Yongfeng to remain here in Lion City. Have him monitor the situation in Thanglong Prefecture through the Nanting Protectorate’s channels. Once the situation stabilizes, he may return. But if things turn dire, he is to head immediately to the Lingnan Daoist Mansion and report it to Sage Zhang.”

By now, Qi Xuansu was well aware that Zhang Yuelu had taken up the post of Second Deputy Mansion Master in the Lingnan Daoist Mansion. Their bond went far beyond that of Daoist companions. They were comrades-in-arms, allies who advanced and retreated together. Across the entire Daoist Order, Zhang Yuelu was the one Qi Xuansu trusted most.

Ke Qingqing bowed and left swiftly to carry out the order.

Out of both prudence and political instinct, Qi Xuansu chose not to rush a report to the Golden Tower Council.

That was because the situation remained unclear. Any report to the Golden Tower Council now could only state that Great Sage Lan had been attacked, which was precisely what the Great Sage did not wish exposed. Since Great Sage Lan had forbidden Xu Jiaorong from reporting his injury, it meant he still believed the matter was salvageable. If Qi Xuansu went over his head, and Great Sage Lan later recovered, would the old man not think that Qi Xuansu had betrayed him?

Moreover, as the Golden Tower Council’s envoy and a member of the Poluo Daoist Mansion, Qi Xuansu had to walk a fine line. If he sent every matter up the chain, he would look timid and incapable. This crisis was a chance for him to stand on his own. If he could shoulder it, it would prove his composure and capacity in an emergency situation, showing that he was capable of more. But if he faltered or shrank back, he would be deemed unfit for major responsibility.

Put bluntly, if every problem required the Golden Tower Council’s intervention, what was the point of sending Qi Xuansu into the field? He had been given authority, resources, and status to solve problems. Now that a crisis had come, he would have to step up.

In practice, local Daoist Mansions would not take the initiative to report any mishaps. Usually, the Golden Tower Council would catch wind of trouble through other channels and choose to intervene.

Even if a city was lost or a territory was abandoned, local authorities would almost never report it immediately. Their instinct was always to fight first and reclaim what was lost before anything else. If they succeeded, they could still negotiate their punishment. But if they failed despite giving their all, and the situation collapsed entirely, then the officer in charge would often choose to end his life and accept his fate.

If Qi Xuansu were to report to the Golden Tower Council, Jade Capital could not ignore such news. They would be forced to take a clear stance, which might escalate tensions within the Poluo Daoist Mansion and alert the enemies before Sage Donghua’s broader strategy was ready. In the worst case, Qi Xuansu’s report would backfire, making it seem as if he were forcing Sage Donghua’s hand from below.

For Qi Xuansu personally, reporting to the Golden Tower Council was not a wise move, but rather a last resort.

Thus, after much deliberation, Qi Xuansu decided to rely on his own strength to handle this crisis.

He pondered for a moment and tried to contact Madam Qi. However, the connection failed because Madam Qi was out of range in the Central Plains.

Qi Xuansu felt no particular disappointment. He left the Taiping Bank’s Nanyang Branch Headquarters and walked out of Lion City, making his way to the coast to wait for Spirit Guard Jia Yin’s arrival.

The old Port Pacification Commission Office was only a short distance from Lion City, separated by a few small islands. Thus, they were close enough to be called neighbors.

Since Spirit Guard Jia Yin was traveling by flying ship, he arrived swiftly.

One Yinglong Warship escorted by three Purple Flood Dragon flying ships carried a total force of 3,000 Spirit Guards.

The Nanting Protectorate had already received news of this incident but saw no need to panic or mobilize defensively.

The Purple Flood Dragon escorts hovered in the air, while the Yinglong Warship descended slowly from the clouds. Spirit Guard Jia Yin, fully armored with his face guard lowered, stood at its prow.

Qi Xuansu thought to himself, I can’t stir up much of a wave by myself. But now, there are two first-rank Spirit Guards and 3,000 elite troops at my command.