A Pawn's Passage

Qi Xuansu was quite interested in the spells listed in The Taiping Essential Arts, which also had far less elaborate spells.

For instance, the Golden Light Leap allowed one to transform into a streak of golden radiance and escape.

The Nine Breath Inhalation restored one’s magical power through nine cycles of breathing. The Shadowless Spell enabled one to become invisible and formless for a brief period, immune to nearly all attacks.

There were also minor spells similar in principle to the Golden Touch, like Steel Touch, which turned soil into steel, blocking blades and preventing Earth Escape Methods. There was also the Stone Melting Spell, which turned stone to soil. The Daoists used this spell in Fenglin to dig tunnels spanning hundreds of kilometers.

There was no shortage of auxiliary spells in the book, such as Piercing Sight, which dispelled illusion and even saw through physical obstructions to reveal hidden things. It was comparable to the Banished Immortals’ Eye of Providence.

The famed Taiping Talisman Water allowed one to infuse energy into water. During the Yellow Turban Uprising, the Taiping Sect relied heavily on this method to contend with the Wei Dynasty’s army. This Talisman Water varied in function. Some were used to heal wounds, while others granted protection from blades and arrows. However, such effects would not last long. Once the magical power within dissipated, the effects vanished.

Other spells like Bean Soldier, Yellow Turban Warrior, Five Elements Escape Methods, Five Ghost Transport Method, and the like were not exclusive to the Object Creation Realm. Qi Xuansu had simply never delved into the Diviner lineage before this.

But now that his Diviner lineage had leaped to the Wuliang stage, he learned them all at once. Many low-threshold spells were nearly instant for him to master.

Moreover, the Object Creation Realm had a tremendous advantage, which was to manifest objects from nothing. Thus, he no longer needed mediums like talisman paper or beans. He could even conjure altars, ritual platforms, and incense burners as disposable objects.

These spells were not especially useful in direct combat, but in certain scenarios, they were irreplaceable, capable of producing miraculous results. This was something fist-swinging Martial Arts Practitioners could not compare with.

Of course, not everything in The Taiping Essential Arts was a minor spell. There were plenty of complex spells as well.

For example, the Heaven-Earth Formula created a crushing force with heaven above and earth below. But it had an elaborate ritual, like erecting a ritual platform about 10 meters tall, burning incense, drawing talismans, and performing set steps for two hours. But given an equal cultivation level, a Martial Arts Practitioner could kill a Diviner multiple times over during the time it took to cast this spell. However, if the Diviner completed the spell, no Martial Arts Practitioner would be able to withstand such pressure.

With the Dragon Painting spell, one could paint two talisman dragons and dot their eyes for the dragons to become real creatures. However, the drawback was the extended time.

Shadow Puppet would allow one to manipulate a person’s silhouette by casting a shadow of the person from a lamp, then cutting the shadow free. With this, one essentially controlled the person, turning them into a puppet.

Beauty Painting was to paint the portrait of a beautiful woman, who then became flesh and blood that had real emotions, indistinguishable from a real person until the magical power faded.

Moreover, once a Diviner’s yin spirit was separated from the physical body, both spell potency and casting speed increased dramatically. At the Yangshen Realm, the improvement was exponential.

Thus, when a Manly Immortal and a Ghostly Immortal fought, one would reveal the true form, while the other let the spirit out.

There were also spells that Qi Xuansu could not master in a short time, so he set them aside for now.

Between welcoming Great Sage Jiang, attending the councils, absorbing the Xuan Jade, and studying the spells, Qi Xuansu lingered in Thanglong Prefecture for three days before beginning his journey back to Lion City.

On the road, Qi Xuansu first contacted Zhang Yuelu.

During these three days, Lion City encountered no major trouble with Zhang Yuelu overseeing matters. Li Zhuyu actually made considerable progress too.

However, Zhang Yuelu tossed a troublesome issue to Qi Xuansu—Little Yin.

Since Qi Xuansu had to attend formal events while receiving Great Sage Jiang, Little Yin could not accompany him. He also had Spirit Guard Jia Yin’s protection, so he simply left Little Yin in Lion City.

Zhang Yuelu was busy with countless matters and had no time to look after her. No one else dared or was able to manage this little ancestor.

The girl went completely wild, like an unleashed stray, living freely and without restraint, treating Lion City as though it were the Ghost Kingdom. She was never seen during the day, and rumors of hauntings had begun to circulate in the city.

Thus, Zhang Yuelu assigned a task to Qi Xuansu. Before handing over duties or returning to Tianfu Palace, he must first retrieve Little Yin. If left to her own devices, who knew what chaos the little imp would cause? If they actually lost this little ancestor, neither of them could possibly explain it to Master Yin.

Qi Xuansu only felt that he was about to experience what it would be like to be a fatherly figure.

As soon as the flying ship landed, Qi Xuansu did not return to Tianfu Palace. Instead, he immediately began searching for Little Yin’s whereabouts.

For this, he even deployed several of the accompanying Spirit Guards.

Fortunately, Little Yin had not bothered to hide on purpose and was found quickly.

Qi Xuansu never imagined she would be in Lion City’s largest opera house. This little girl was cheering and shouting with the crowd, hopping up and down while slapping the railing. She even tipped the actors, throwing out dozens of Wuyou coins each time.

Seeing this, Qi Xuansu grabbed her by the back of the collar and carried her out of the opera house against her will. Her little legs flailed helplessly as he asked, “Where did you get the money?”

Qi Xuansu even felt a twinge of fear. He had just said Wang Jiaohe’s weakness was his family. He could not afford for Little Yin to become his weakness. Someone unable to get at him or Zhang Yuelu might try to get to Little Yin instead. If she unknowingly accepted dirty money, Qi Xuansu would not be able to execute his moral purge in Nanyang. What could he say? The child didn’t know any better and took it for fun?

Little Yin pulled several Ruyi coins out of her pocket, then rubbed them between her palms and turned them into Wuyou coins. The characters on the coins were not like the actual Wuyou coins, but no one checked carefully during tipping, so she had gotten away with it.

Qi Xuansu was speechless for a long time.

He himself had only just learned the Golden Touch spell, yet Little Yin was already applying the principles with flair.

Qi Xuansu sighed. “If you’re short of money, tell me, or at least Second Deputy Zhang, since she has money. Don’t take money from others, and don’t use these trickster methods.”

Little Yin pouted. “Easy for you to say. What if Second Deputy Zhang doesn’t give me any?”

Qi Xuansu replied, “As long as you use it properly, why wouldn’t she give it? She’s not stingy.”

Little Yin puffed her cheeks. “What counts as ‘proper’? Watching opera probably doesn’t count to you guys.”

Qi Xuansu said helplessly, “Watching opera is fine. Just don’t tip so much. You barely earn any money, yet you’re giving it away as tips?”

Little Yin replied righteously, “Without patrons, no artists can survive. I’m just being a good patron!”

Both amused and exasperated, Qi Xuansu snorted. “Where did you even hear that?”

Little Yin swayed her head like a storyteller. “Stories and opera teach the way of life.”

Qi Xuansu scoffed. “So, the classics of the Three Religions can’t teach you, but opera can? What’s next? Are you going to learn how to behave from cheap novels?”

Little Yin’s eyes widened. “How did you know?”

Qi Xuansu smacked her little head. “Stop being cheeky. I’m warning you—Second Deputy Zhang is really angry this time. She’s the one who sent me to find you. If I can’t find you, she won’t let me return to Tianfu Palace. You’d best figure out how to explain yourself.”

Little Yin held the back of her head with both hands, looking guilty. “What should I do...?”

“How should I know?” Qi Xuansu replied indifferently. “When Second Deputy Zhang gets angry, even the Heavenly Preceptor compromises. I didn’t provoke her. Whoever caused the trouble should deal with it.”

Little Yin grabbed his sleeve. Her eyes instantly welled up, and she even let out a sniffle. “Old Qi, you have to save me... I don’t want to go back to the Ghost Kingdom!”

Qi Xuansu cast a sidelong glance at her. “So will you do this again?”

Little Yin used his sleeve to wipe her tears and snot as she muttered, “I promise I won’t dare again.”

Qi Xuansu pressed down on her head and shoved her away, staring in disgust at his sleeve. “I just changed into a new hechang!”

Little Yin pretended not to hear a word.

Qi Xuansu flicked his sleeve and said, “I can plead for you with Second Deputy Zhang, but you must remember—don’t take other people’s money, and don’t casually accept favors. Those are weaknesses others can use against you.”

Saying this, Qi Xuansu could not help feeling a touch of irony. How well had he himself followed the rule of not casually accepting favors?

Little Yin nodded vigorously, swearing up and down that she would never dare do this again.

As for how credible that vow was, Qi Xuansu felt it was about as reliable as Wang Jiaohe’s oath during the council.

While they were speaking, the opera session concluded, and the crowd dispersed.

Little Yin leaned in sneakily. “Old Qi, I really love listening to Master Yun sing. Can you please help me ask him for an autograph?”

Seeing Qi Xuansu’s expression darken, she quickly added, “It’s not for me! Those little nuns at the Daoist Mansion wanted it. I already promised them. If I go back on my word, how can I remain as their boss? My reputation is at stake, and I won’t be able to lead the group anymore.”

Qi Xuansu sighed, beckoned Chen Jianchou over, and instructed, “Go. Help our Boss Yin to get Master Yun’s autograph.”

Chen Jianchou accepted the order and left.

Little Yin shouted after the secretary’s departing figure, “Six copies! Not one less!”