A Pawn's Passage

True ability showed precisely when things got difficult. When something was easy enough for anyone to accomplish, doing it well would not count as merit. It was merely fulfilling one’s duty, at best earning a token acknowledgment for one’s effort. It would only truly count as merit when someone accomplished what others could not.

After careful deliberation for quite some time, Qi Xuansu still concluded that no matter how troublesome it was, he had to step forward.

As a member of the Quanzhen Sect, Qi Xuansu naturally had to consult Sage Donghua’s opinion, even if only symbolically.

Of course, Qi Xuansu could have chosen not to report it. No one had formally required him to do so. In terms of official rank, he was not strictly subordinate to Sage Donghua. However, since factional struggle was involved, every move he made would be interpreted by others. If he did not report it, people would interpret it as Qi Xuansu harboring other intentions, perhaps preparing to switch allegiances. Even if Sage Donghua himself did not think so, others certainly would, which would cause chaos.

Sage Qingwei telling Qi Xuansu that there was no rush to answer and to think about it carefully implied that he should report and consult his elders.

Thus, Qi Xuansu met Sage Donghua again and reported this matter in detail, recounting his conversation with Sage Qingwei word for word.

This was also why he had deliberately changed the subject earlier when Ziwei Hall was mentioned. If he had openly agreed with Sage Qingwei at that moment, then he would have had to omit that part. In matters of loyalty, anything less than absolute was equivalent to disloyalty.

After hearing Qi Xuansu’s report, Sage Donghua showed no surprise. After all, if even Qi Xuansu had heard the rumor, there was no reason Sage Donghua would not already know about it.

Sage Donghua asked, “At the time, was it just you and Zhi Qing?”

Qi Xuansu answered, “Yes. Sage Qingwei’s secretary, Shen Yuqing, was standing guard outside the door.”

Sage Donghua fell silent for a moment, then asked, “When did you receive the notice?”

Qi Xuansu replied, “Early this morning. It was quite sudden...”

Qi Xuansu deliberately paused, yet Sage Donghua did not respond. The silence in the office became unsettling, and an inexplicable pressure spread.

But Qi Xuansu was no longer the seventh-rank Daoist he had once been. He remained silent and simply endured the pressure.

The silence lasted for quite a long time.

Sage Donghua was not angry. Instead, he revealed an approving smile and broke the silence himself. “You are certainly composed, as someone who has faced life and death. That’s good. Let me tell you something off topic. I once asked Qi Jianyuan the same kind of question. The first time I remained silent, it lasted only a few breaths before he could not endure it and began speaking on his own. I said nothing again, then he poured out everything like beans spilling from a container. In the Daoist Order, one must learn to remain calm and to keep things unsaid. Matters that should be known by only one person must not be told to a second. Speak what should be spoken, and let what should not be spoken rot in your heart. Do not reveal everything simply because someone is an elder or superior. That won’t be wise.”

These were words of experience that went beyond the normal relationship of superior and subordinate. Qi Xuansu responded solemnly, “I will remember it, Sage.”

Sage Donghua continued, “Sage Qingwei’s proposal is a double-edged sword. My attitude lies somewhere in between. The key is still your own thoughts about this.”

Qi Xuansu said, “I think...although the risk is great, it is worth trying.”

“Even if you gamble your future?” Sage Donghua looked at him.

“The word ‘gamble’ doesn’t sound very nice, but that’s essentially what it is,” Qi Xuansu said, lightly tapping the table once. “I’m placing my stake down, betting on my own fate and in the direction of the greater tide. In this world, who can truly achieve complete certainty? If something has a 50% chance, it’s already worth attempting.”

Sage Donghua smiled slightly. “Just like competing for the position of Grand Master, no one has absolute certainty. You don’t even need 50%. Even with a 30% chance, it’s already worth trying.”

Qi Xuansu asked tentatively, “So does that mean you agree, Sage?”

“I have no other objections,” Sage Donghua said, leaning back against the chair and waiting for Qi Xuansu to continue. This time, there was no pressure, only the reserved composure of an elder.

Qi Xuansu did not persist in silence any longer and said, “After I accept Sage Qingwei’s proposal, I will also formally report to him regarding Qi Haoran’s identity.”

Sage Donghua nodded slightly. “Very well. Go and report it.”

There was no need to spell everything out. The reason Sage Donghua agreed so readily was precisely that he needed Qi Xuansu to approach Sage Qingwei and report Qi Haoran’s matter. Only after passing this hurdle could the rest proceed smoothly.

Qi Xuansu rose and took his leave.

He then met Zhang Yuelu and informed her of the situation. Just as Zhang Yuelu had said, what she personally thought was irrelevant. What mattered were the attitudes of the Omniscient Sages.

Now that Sage Qingwei and Sage Donghua had both made their positions clear, the outcome was effectively decided. Therefore, this was merely reporting a result rather than seeking her opinion. Strictly speaking, Qi Xuansu had already asked for Zhang Yuelu’s view before meeting Sage Qingwei, and she had indeed given her thoughts, so there was no need to ask again.

Zhang Yuelu had already anticipated this outcome and simply said, “Since you’ve decided to go to the New Continent, you must make thorough preparations. Everything else is secondary. Your safety and survival are what truly matter.”

After going through all these rounds, Qi Xuansu went to see Sage Qingwei again the next day and expressed his willingness to take on this heavy responsibility.

Sage Qingwei naturally offered a few words of praise, saying that Qi Xuansu understood the broader situation and prioritized the greater good.

Taking advantage of the moment, Qi Xuansu formally reported Qi Haoran’s matter to Sage Qingwei by submitting a written document. He had stayed up the entire night writing it, carefully weighing every word. In the end, he even had Zhang Yuelu review it, and the two of them studied it together for a long time, striving to make it completely airtight. They spent the entire night scrutinizing a report and debating every phrase, going through more than a dozen drafts. It sure was an unconventional kind of Daoist romance.

At the same time, Qi Xuansu sent a copy to Sage Donghua as well. Since the matter involved Daoist priests and not just secret societies, it normally required a joint investigation by Ziwei Hall and Beichen Hall, though Beichen Hall usually took the lead.

This way, there would be official records within Ziwei Hall and on Sage Donghua’s side as well, eliminating the possibility of Sage Qingwei denying the matter later. Although the chance of that happening was small, it was still wise to guard against it.

The timing of the report might not have been perfect, but it was still fairly good. After all, Sage Qingwei had just decided to employ Qi Xuansu and had even praised him. It would hardly be appropriate to turn hostile immediately.

Often, it was better to appear wise yet foolish. If everyone knew one was shrewd, that might not be true cleverness. It could instead become a burdensome and negative label. Great figures were especially mindful of this.

After reading Qi Xuansu’s report, Sage Qingwei was not surprised.

Since Beichen Hall was also responsible for part of Jade Capital’s security, what could possibly happen in or around Jade Capital without Beichen Hall knowing? Especially with the Grand Master lineage weakened, Beichen Hall’s real power had expanded even further.

A report about Qi Xuansu’s nighttime intrusion into the Requiem Division had already been placed on Sage Qingwei’s desk. Although Xu Jiaorong had warned the Daoists of the Requiem Division not to leak a word of what happened, she was ultimately only a powerful figure within a regional Daoist Mansion. That was nothing compared to Beichen Hall’s authority over the matter. If Beichen Hall wished to investigate, there was nothing it could not uncover.

However, Sage Qingwei did not know that Qi Haoran’s grave was actually empty, nor did he know about the Liberation Method. He only knew that Qi Xuansu had dug up a grave and opened a coffin for examination.

Even so, Sage Qingwei did not make an issue of it because he did not know the result of this coffin examination. Unless absolutely necessary, Beichen Hall could not simply dig up graves to verify it. Moreover, Sage Qingwei still intended to employ Qi Xuansu and had no desire to create trouble. His silent response to the report made many Beichen Hall officials, who liked to interpret the intentions of their superiors, hesitate to take action.

At any time, one should never try to be overly clever nor take matters into one’s own hands under the pretense of solving problems for one’s superiors before truly understanding their intentions. Even if one did understand the superior’s stance, there was still no need to show off unnecessarily unless it was to curry favor. After all, without written authorization, one would have to bear the responsibility should anything go wrong.

Now that Sage Qingwei had finished reading Qi Xuansu’s report, he understood the details. He also understood that by submitting the report, Qi Xuansu had patched up this loophole, leaving others with no opportunity to make an issue of it.

However, Sage Qingwei did not regret not making an issue of this earlier. It was, in itself, a kind of exchange.

Sage Qingwei set down the written report and, in front of Qi Xuansu, wrote a sentence on it with a vermilion brush. “Please have the Left Supervisory investigate and clarify this as soon as possible.”

Then, he signed and dated the document.

Sage Qingwei called Shen Yuqing inside and handed the report to him. “Archive the original, send a copy to Deputy Hall Master Lu, and handle it promptly.”

“Yes, Sage.” Shen Yuqing responded and withdrew with the report.

This was undoubtedly a clear statement of Sage Qingwei’s attitude.

What followed was for Sage Qingwei, as the Beichen Hall Master, to recommend to the Golden Tower Council that Qi Xuansu be appointed Chief Deputy Beichen Hall Master. After discussion and approval by the Golden Tower Council, Qi Xuansu would formally be relieved of his position as Chief Deputy of the Poluo Daoist Mansion and officially appointed as the Chief Deputy of Beichen Hall.

Since these formal procedures would take some time, all Qi Xuansu had to do was wait calmly for the official notice.