A Pawn's Passage

When Qi Xuansu asked how much cultivation Quan still had left, anyone with even a bit of experience could hear his malintent.

Although Quan had been asleep for many years and knew nothing of the changes in the outside world, she had once been a high-ranking figure in the Wuist Sect. She was not an innocent child and still retained a basic level of vigilance.

The change in Qi Xuansu’s attitude was due to Wu Luo.

Qi Xuansu was not killing everyone connected to Wu Luo simply because of his grudge. Rather, he sensed a flaw.

Wu Luo was not actually dead. Many years ago, Wu Luo had already established contact with her followers and subordinates through the Zhuyou Spell.

If Quan were a subordinate of Wu Luo, then after awakening, she would already know that Wu Luo was not dead. Yet she still feigned ignorance and asked Qi Xuansu about the fall of the Eleven Ancestral Witches. Even after Qi Xuansu gave a misleading answer, Quan not only failed to expose him but pretended to be misled, lulling Qi Xuansu into a false sense of security. What was her motive? If Quan were not a subordinate of Wu Luo, then why would she claim to be one?

This was precisely where Quan had miscalculated. In the Ancient Wuist Era, the Five Immortal lineages had not yet been complete. Wu Luo’s methods were novel and extremely concealed. Therefore, Quan believed that Qi Xuansu did not know about her connection with Wu Luo. But after so many years, what was once novel had become old, and what was once a secret had become public knowledge. Persisting in acting based on outdated assumptions would inevitably lead to great losses.

Thus, after Quan revealed that she was Wu Luo’s follower, Qi Xuansu immediately realized the loophole.

As a result, the already scarce trust between the two of them collapsed completely.

Quan had deceived Qi Xuansu, who had also returned the favor to a certain extent.

The two told no outright lies, but neither did they tell the whole truth. They held something back to deliberately misdirect the other. After all, Quan had only asked whether the Eleven Ancestral Witches had fallen.

This would trap the two of them in a chain of suspicion, unable to determine whether the other’s intentions were good or malicious. To ensure one’s own safety, the best option was to strike first. After all, this was not the outside world. There were no powerful constraints of reason or rules, nor any guarantees. Genuine communication was difficult to achieve, and no one could know whether seemingly frank dialogue was merely a deliberate facade meant to numb the opponent. It was like a pitch-black, deserted jungle where the only law that prevailed was the strong devouring the weak.

In such circumstances, even goodwill would turn into malice, unless there were a third party to serve as a bridge and guarantor for honest communication between the two.

Simply put, one party might be good, but neither party understood the other. So naturally, the passive one would be at a disadvantage. Thus, in such situations, one would have to strike first for survival.

Holding Green Cloud in his hand, Qi Xuansu stepped back a few paces. “If you still had the cultivation of your prime, I might not have been your opponent. But I’m afraid you are no longer at your peak.”

Quan did not deny this and spoke again through the mind voice. “The aura within you is not only from the Ancestral Witches but also from the Elixir of Immortality. If I can obtain it, I will be able to return to my peak and perhaps even go a step further.”

Qi Xuansu let out a laugh. “So you’re done pretending, huh? Fine by me.”

In the next instant, Qi Xuansu surged forward, charging straight toward Quan.

Although Qi Xuansu wielded a weapon, his greatest advantage at this moment was his Martial Arts Practitioner’s physique. Quan was clearly more inclined to the Shaman lineage. When a Martial Arts Practitioner fought a Shaman, close combat was the best option, as it was using his strength against the opponent’s weakness.

Quan raised the serpent staff in her hand and pointed it at Qi Xuansu.

In an instant, Qi Xuansu’s movements became extremely sluggish. He still maintained the posture of rapid advance, yet his actual forward speed was slower than walking.

Obviously, the serpent staff in Quan’s hand could not be compared to the Staff of Merit, but it had similar functions.

Seizing this opportunity, Quan calmly retreated backward, while ghostly blue flames appeared in her other hand.

Some described the path to attain immortality as rowing upstream. If one did not advance, retreat was inevitable. Immortals were like a lake that did not experience any dissipation of cultivation.

In other words, those below the level of Immortals experienced “leakage,” like a pool of water that was constantly drained and filled at the same time. Cultivation itself was akin to filling the pool, while the natural dissipation was the draining. Only when the inflow exceeded the outflow would the water level rise, elevating one’s cultivation.

Although Quan’s cultivation had severely dissipated after more than a thousand years of erosion, she had been in a state of suspended animation with minimal consumption. Thus, the drainage valve was turned to the lowest level. Thus, Quan was not to be underestimated even though she was no longer at her peak.

The blue flames landed on Qi Xuansu’s body, stimulating the blood qi within him, producing sizzling sounds.

Manipulating time was indeed formidable, but such methods were difficult to sustain for long.

After a moment, the slowing effect on Qi Xuansu faded away.

Qi Xuansu gathered his blood qi and used the Diviner’s Shadowless Spell. He turned invisible, causing the scorching blue flames to fall upon empty space.

This was an excellent defensive technique of Diviners, second only to the Banished Immortal’s Joyous Cloud Shield. It could not only withstand tangible attacks like firearms but also resist the fist intention and blood qi of Martial Arts Practitioners, unless the Martial Arts Practitioner shattered the void, damaging space itself.

Qi Xuansu shifted his position, solidified his form once more, and activated his Celestial Phenomena Spiritual Body, with Himiko as the primary manifestation. He summoned the True Solar Fire and aimed it at Quan.

Both of them exercised great restraint. Although the temple was extremely solid and had stood firm for a thousand years, it was no longer what it once was and might not be able to withstand their full power. If they truly reduced the hall to ruins, they would not be able to take shelter from the Blood Moon.

The True Solar Fire spread and burned in all directions.

Quan used some unknown Wuist technique to isolate herself from the flames. At the same time, she extended her left hand to grasp Qi Xuansu from afar.

A pitch-black, giant hand emerged out of thin air, seizing Qi Xuansu and lifting him up.

Qi Xuansu swung Green Cloud, slashing the giant black hand into fragments.

After a round of probing exchanges, Qi Xuansu had a rough understanding of his opponent. If it truly came down to a life-and-death battle, Qi Xuansu would still hold the advantage, and he would survive, though it certainly would not be easy.

At her strongest, Quan could probably match a Daoist Pseudo-Immortal. But in this weakened state, she still barely maintained a Zaohua-stage cultivation, on the same level as Qi Xuansu. Even if Qi Xuansu was somewhat stronger, it would not be an easy victory.

The road ahead toward Lingshan was certainly long and arduous for Qi Xuansu, full of unknowns. He did not want to start off by fighting someone to the death and severely damaging his vital energy.

At this moment, Qi Xuansu suddenly thought of a clever plan.

During their earlier conversation, Quan seemed extremely wary of the Ancestral Heavenly Preceptor, who had destroyed the Ancient Wuist Sect, to the point that she dared not speak his name directly.

Quan certainly knew the Ancestral Heavenly Preceptor’s name. After all, when the two sides had become archenemies, a high-ranking member of the Ancient Wuist Sect would definitely know the name of their opponent’s leader.

That left only one possibility. Quan did not dare to say it, believing that uttering that name would trigger some unpredictable consequences.

However, Qi Xuansu was not afraid. After all, he was the Zhang family’s son-in-law, considered a member of the family by marriage.

Thus, after breaking free from the giant hand’s grip, Qi Xuansu calmly uttered the Ancestral Heavenly Preceptor’s name. “Zhang Dao—”

Before he could say the full name, a sudden change occurred within Lingshan Paradise, as if this name was some kind of trigger.

A massive heavenly thunder descended from the sky, splitting the dense blood-red moonlight and piercing through the dome of the temple hall, completely unstoppable.

Its power was no less than the thunder techniques wielded by the Heavenly Preceptor himself.

Even after more than a thousand years and the Ancestral Heavenly Preceptor’s departure from this world, his techniques still possessed such terrifying power.

On second thought, this was also perfectly reasonable.

The Ancestral Heavenly Preceptor was extremely adept at creating cycles. For example, the Demon-Vanquishing Cave that he constructed would draw upon the cultivation of the prisoners within it to replenish its losses, powering the formations inside the pocket realm. Presumably, the restrictions he left in Lingshan Paradise had a similar function, constantly drawing upon the power of the paradise to sustain their existence. Although so many years had passed, they had not actually been triggered many times, so the loss was minimal, and they still retained tremendous power.

However, this bolt of heavenly thunder charged straight toward Qi Xuansu, the one who dared to say this sacred name.

Seeing this scene, Quan immediately retreated far away and dared not take advantage of the situation, for fear that he might get implicated and bring disaster upon himself.

However, Qi Xuansu had already anticipated this.

This heavenly thunder was not a living being and could not distinguish Qi Xuansu’s identity as the Zhang family’s son-in-law, and hence would not show him any mercy. However, he was holding the Ancestral Heavenly Preceptor’s Green Cloud.

Back then, the Ancestral Heavenly Preceptor had used his Twin Swords to kill the four Ancestral Witches and conquer Lingshan Paradise. The heavenly thunder he left behind in Lingshan originated from the Five Thunder Celestial Heart Method and would inevitably resonate with Green Cloud, which shared the same origin.

Qi Xuansu raised Green Cloud high, allowing the heavenly thunder to strike the blade. This violent bolt of lightning immediately turned gentle, coiling around the sword without spreading further onto Qi Xuansu’s body.

It turned out Green Cloud could also function as a lightning rod.

Since the position of Heavenly Preceptor was hereditary, and the Twin Swords were a family heirloom, whoever wielded them had to be a descendant of the Zhang family. From the Ancestral Heavenly Preceptor’s perspective, it was only natural that the heavenly thunder restrictions he left behind would show leniency toward his own descendants.

Under Quan’s astonished gaze, Qi Xuansu exerted all his strength, twisting his waist and pointing Green Cloud straight at the witch.

The heavenly thunder clinging to the sword instantly changed direction and surged toward Quan.