A Pawn's Passage

Qi Xuansu had no idea what was happening in New Port. After leaving New Xijing, he first traveled to Cusco and then to the Paititi pocket realm.

This was Qi Xuansu’s final duty in the Southern Continent. He had to wait for Madam Wu to emerge from seclusion, confirm her condition, and notify Great Sage Jiang. Only after completing this task could he consider his responsibilities fulfilled.

Failing to rebuild the intelligence network in the Northern Continent was not his fault. Someone within the Daoist Order had deliberately obstructed him, so no one could blame Qi Xuansu for not trying hard enough.

Not long after Qi Xuansu entered the Paititi pocket realm, Ixchel appeared once again.

“Sage Qi, it has been a long time since we last met,” Ixchel said with a smile.

Qi Xuansu responded with the same courtesy. “Has it? I don’t think it’s been that long.”

“I heard that you recently ventured out to sea to the humanoid insects’ Blue Cloud Island and even slew an old flood dragon,” Ixchel said flatteringly. “That’s an amazing show of martial prowess, Sage Qi.”

Qi Xuansu replied, “You flatter me, Moon Goddess. I hardly deserve such praise.”

The two walked side by side among the palaces of the Paititi pocket realm, much like when they had first met. Kulkulkan’s divine kingdom still stood on the distant horizon, but Kulkulkan himself was nowhere to be seen, and even the karmic fire had been extinguished.

Ixchel abruptly changed the subject. “Sage Qi, I can sense the power of another Moon Goddess within you. Besides me and True Lord Taiyin, there is the power of a third Moon Goddess.”

Qi Xuansu was somewhat surprised by the sharpness of Ixchel’s perception, but after giving it some thought, he realized that it was only natural.

Ixchel had reunited with Chak Chel and obtained Itzamna’s divine authority of night, making her a Quasi-First-Tribulation Immortal, no weaker than Kulkulkan had once been. Qi Xuansu could not even compare to her in terms of cultivation level. Moreover, Ixchel herself was a Moon Goddess, making their powers similar in origin. It would have been stranger if she had failed to notice.

However, Qi Xuansu had no intention of revealing everything outright. Instead, he said, “What, are you jealous? I’m not one of your followers. There is only one faith in my heart.”

Ixchel burst into laughter, her entire figure swaying gracefully. She was certainly among the most beautiful women Qi Xuansu had ever seen. In this regard, the Daoist Order was at something of a disadvantage because they prohibited excessive rejuvenation of one’s appearance.

Even the stars and moon filling the heavens seemed to pale in comparison to that smile.

Qi Xuansu shifted his gaze away, choosing not to test his self-control more than necessary.

Such was the way of things in this world. One did not have to become personally entangled in something to know whether it was right or wrong. If one already knew something was wrong, then there was no reason to try it. Yet some people were simply too curious and insisted on trying anyway, always overestimating their own willpower while underestimating the complexity and difficulty of the situation. In the end, they only doomed themselves beyond redemption.

After laughing, Ixchel did not allow Qi Xuansu to brush the subject aside so easily. She continued, “I wouldn’t call it jealousy. After all, you’re not Itzamna. I’m simply curious. This Moon Goddess’s aura is very different from that of other moon deities. According to the Daoist Order, the moon represents the Supreme Yin, which is why moon deities mostly manifest as women. Yet even among Moon Goddesses, this one embodies the purest and truest form of yin.”

Qi Xuansu said, “You’ve once controlled the humanoid insects, so you know about the Blue Cloud Island. Besides, Utu should have already reported the matter to you. Aren’t you asking a question you already know the answer to?”

Ixchel smiled. “Utu did indeed tell me about the Yin Moon, but he doesn’t know what exactly you’ve experienced inside it.”

Qi Xuansu considered the matter carefully. Since Ixchel had already noticed something, trying to deceive her with lies could easily backfire. It would be better to tell her the truth, though he still could not reveal everything and had to hold something back. He would not tell the whole truth, but neither would he tell any lies.

Thus, Qi Xuansu said, “There is a Toad Palace on the Yin Moon, quite similar to True Lord Taiyin’s Palace of Cold Light. A Daoist Immortal once stole a one-meter-long spirit talisman from the Toad Palace and used it to refine a high-grade elixir. I suspect that the Foundation Building Elixir that gave rise to the humanoid insects was merely a by-product of that spirit talisman. However, that Moon Goddess is no longer in the mortal world. Another being later took possession of the Toad Palace and spread the Foundation Building Elixir throughout the mortal world, thereby giving rise to the humanoid insects.”

Ixchel pondered briefly. “So there were actually two so-called Insect Queens. One was the Insect Queen who created the Foundation Building Elixir, while the other was the Insect Queen who used the Foundation Building Elixir to create the humanoid insects. That means the Moon Goddess’s aura on you must come from the latter, correct?”

Qi Xuansu said nothing, tacitly confirming her deduction.

Ixchel said, “I more or less understand Sage Qi’s concerns. Rest assured, no third person will ever learn of what we discussed today.”

Qi Xuansu glanced at Ixchel and asked, “How are things with Death God Ah Puch?”

Ixchel replied, “Everything is under control. Still, I sincerely hope that Sage Qi can rise to power soon and lend me a hand in resolving this matter once and for all.”

Qi Xuansu gave no definite response.

Their conversation might have sounded rather cryptic, but the situation was not actually that complicated. Qi Xuansu had originally set out to resolve two matters—the problem of blood sacrifices and the humanoid insects. Both could be considered resolved, yet neither had been completely settled.

There was little need to elaborate on the humanoid insects. The Blue Cloud Sect no longer existed, but He Luo God remained and had even become deeply bound to Qi Xuansu. Although this outcome was not considered particularly bad, it had certainly strayed from Qi Xuansu’s original intentions.

The same was true of the blood sacrifices. On the surface, Ixchel had explicitly abolished the practice, but deciding to do something and fully implementing that decision were two different matters. Setting aside questions of how the policy was enforced and how forcefully it was implemented, there was also the problem of resistance. In fact, these issues were often intertwined, manifesting as excessive enforcement and outward compliance coupled with covert defiance.

Such problems were clearly present in the process of abolishing blood sacrifices, with the main internal resistance coming from the Northern Death God, Ah Puch.

In the past, the reason the Northern Death God Ah Puch had been so close to Kulkulkan was that the two shared the same predilection for blood sacrifice. Although the Northern Death God had been forced by circumstances to support the abolition of blood sacrifice, he was unwilling at heart. Thus, he secretly obstructed the policy in various ways. Sometimes, he incited his followers to enforce the ban excessively, going so far as to forbid even the slaughter of pigs and cattle, thereby stirring widespread discontent. At other times, he paid lip service to the policy while continuing to conduct blood sacrifices in secret.

Ixchel was deeply dissatisfied with the Northern Death God’s actions, but for the sake of maintaining stability, she refrained from acting rashly.

This round of personnel reshuffling in the Southern Continent had already been somewhat too drastic. If it continued any further, the Steam Evangelical Sect might begin harboring ulterior designs.

Thus, Ixchel had temporarily set the matter aside and waited for a suitable opportunity.

Qi Xuansu keenly sensed this and guessed what Ixchel had in mind. She wanted to eliminate the Northern Death God Ah Puch and then support Utu, who likewise had the death god lineage, in taking his place. Utu was truly one of their own, and his ascension would still preserve the balance of power within the Divine Court.

However, Ixchel felt that this was beyond her ability to accomplish alone. They had only managed to eliminate Kulkulkan through the combined efforts of multiple parties, including the direct intervention of both the Daoist Order and the Western Daoist Order. Only then had they achieved such a resounding victory. It would not be nearly so easy for Ixchel to accomplish the same thing by herself. That was why she had said she hoped Qi Xuansu would lend her a hand.

Of course, the current Qi Xuansu could not do so. He was about to leave the Southern Continent, so she would have to wait until he rose to a higher position in the future.

Ixchel changed the subject. “Sage Qi, did you come here this time because of the altar?”

Qi Xuansu nodded. “I came to check on Madam Wu.”

Ixchel said, “It will probably take a few more days.”

Ixchel and Madam Wu could be considered old acquaintances. When the Western Daoist Order first established itself in the Southern Continent, both of them happened to be there and had dealings with each other even then.

Qi Xuansu nodded.

For Qi Xuansu, this was a major matter. Judging from what Great Sage Jiang had hinted, once Madam Wu became an Immortal, given her seniority, she would most likely be formally appointed as a Virtuous Great Sage. This was something the Qingqiu Mountain Fox Immortal and Zhou Mengyao could not compare with. After all, Madam Wu had personally met Elder Xu and the Holy Xuan and had even worked alongside Tantai Yun. In terms of seniority, hardly anyone in the Daoist Order could surpass her. Even setting aside her achievements, her many years of service alone were sufficient. It was not as though they were selecting the Grand Master, so the requirements were not nearly as stringent.

Once Madam Wu became a Virtuous Great Sage, she would subsequently enter the Golden Tower Council and assume an official post with real authority. This meant that Qi Xuansu would gain a powerful ally, one who would remain for a full century. Even after Sage Donghua, Madam Qi, and the others were no longer in the mortal world, and even after Qi Xuansu and Zhang Yuelu had reached the end of their own 100-year terms, Madam Wu would still be there. Her influence would be immense.

Qi Xuansu and Ixchel stopped walking and looked up.

The pyramid altar that had previously vanished had reappeared, faintly visible as it flickered in and out of sight.

The 49-day deadline was drawing closer. Naturally, the key to the altar was not in Qi Xuansu’s hands but in Great Sage Jiang’s. All Qi Xuansu had to do was wait until the appointed time, activate the Moon Mirror, and allow Great Sage Jiang to descend into the Paititi pocket realm.

After this period of cooldown, the Moon Mirror could be activated once again.

Qi Xuansu waited in the Paititi pocket realm for three days. Ixchel seemed to have plenty of free time and stayed there to keep him company.

Of course, Qi Xuansu did not think that the Moon Goddess had any romantic interest in him. He was not even a Pseudo-Immortal yet, but he could already perfectly control all manner of base desires through his body spirits. For an innate deity like Ixchel, who possessed only a golden body, such worldly desires did not exist for her. Thus, it was impossible for Ixchel to have somehow fallen for Qi Xuansu.

Qi Xuansu knew that he did not possess that kind of personal charm. Then again, there was certainly something attractive about Qi Xuansu when he wielded power.

Unsolicited attentiveness was rarely without ulterior motives.

At last, the agreed-upon 49th day arrived. Qi Xuansu activated the Moon Mirror, and Great Sage Jiang once again descended into the Paititi pocket realm.

By this point, the pyramid altar had also become almost completely solid.

Great Sage Jiang said nothing more. He took out the stone tablet that served as the key to the pyramid altar and reopened it.

In an instant, the entire pyramid was engulfed in dazzling radiance, becoming a pyramid of light.

At the summit of the pyramid, a sun slowly rose. The clouds filling the sky were illuminated by the ascending sun, turning brilliant red.