A Pawn's Passage

It was like making soup—putting all the ingredients into a pot, simmering them slowly over low heat, then lifting the lid when the time was up to see how everything had turned out.

If it was about ready, it could be taken off the heat. If it needed more time, then it could simply continue simmering. The only thing to fear was burning it, for that would truly be beyond saving.

Judging from the current situation, things seemed to have turned out rather well.

Great Sage Jiang sighed with emotion. “At last, it’s done.”

Hearing those words, Qi Xuansu finally put his mind completely at ease.

Madam Wu had succeeded. It was like studying diligently for ten long years before finally passing the imperial examination. Qi Xuansu had once read a story about someone who passed the imperial examination and actually went mad with joy. Hopefully, Madam Wu would not end up like that.

Ixchel smiled. “Congratulations.”

It was unclear whether she was congratulating Madam Wu, the Daoist Order, or perhaps Great Sage Jiang and Qi Xuansu.

Qi Xuansu suddenly remembered something and asked, “Would Madam Wu have to face a heavenly tribulation in her situation?”

Naturally, Qi Xuansu was not referring to the major heavenly tribulation that even Immortals feared, but rather the minor heavenly tribulation that demons underwent when transforming into human form.

Great Sage Jiang considered it briefly. “I think so. But for Madam Wu, it should hardly pose a problem. However, it will be somewhat different from the minor heavenly tribulation faced by demons. A demon’s heavenly tribulation is for taking human form, breaking down the old before rebuilding anew, essentially shattering everything and starting over. Madam Wu is separating herself from an immortal object to become an independent existence, somewhat akin to an innate deity. The main purpose of her minor heavenly tribulation will not be to break and rebuild her but to further temper and refine her. In essence, it is still a complete transformation, allowing her to shed the mundane and transcend the mortal.”

Qi Xuansu understood.

If that was the case, when Little Yin became an Immortal in the future, she would probably have to undergo something similar as well.

As the two were speaking, tribulation clouds began gathering above the Paititi pocket realm.

Tribulation clouds of this sort manifested in response to the person undergoing the tribulation. Wherever that person was, the clouds would form there, unhindered by the boundaries of a pocket realm. In this respect, they were quite different from a major heavenly tribulation.

A major heavenly tribulation was far more powerful, yet paradoxically easier to evade. Apart from hiding within pocket realms and divine kingdoms, there were many other methods of avoiding such tribulations. One had to perceive one’s true nature and understand one’s own mind, then make preparations to evade the tribulation beforehand. If one succeeded, one could enjoy longevity. If one failed, one’s life would end then and there.

Evading meant deceiving the heavens by passing off the false as true and escaping the “gaze” of the mighty Heavenly Dao. If one could accomplish that, then no major heavenly tribulation would descend.

Legend had it that there was once an Immortal who used supreme divine powers to reside within an ordinary person. Their relationship was like that of the sun and moon. When the sun appeared, the moon was hidden; when the moon appeared, the sun was hidden. The two would never appear at the same time. Through unfathomable divine powers, the Immortal lodged his existence and fate within the ordinary person. Most of the time, he was merely an ordinary person, but once certain conditions were met, he could transform into a Longevity-stage Immortal. The fates and lifespans of the two became intertwined and indistinguishable, thereby deceiving the Heavenly Dao and effectively evading the tribulation.

However, this also meant that the Immortal did not dare to casually intervene in worldly affairs. He was like a wanted fugitive constantly hiding from the authorities, which was the Heavenly Dao. Thus, this method was ultimately not the orthodox path.

Once the authorities discovered his whereabouts, the heavenly tribulation would descend. At that point, it was no longer a question of whether he could hide. His only choice would be to desperately fight his way out.

In other words, pocket realms and divine kingdoms were merely hiding places, concealing the Immortal from a major heavenly tribulation.

If one deliberately drew down a major heavenly tribulation, then no matter where one was, neither a pocket realm nor a divine kingdom could serve as a barrier. When a heavenly tribulation descended, it had no fixed direction, distance, or trajectory. It could cross every obstacle in its path.

Not every Immortal was reluctant to leave the mortal world. If someone wished to depart the mortal realm and ascend, such as the sixth-generation Grand Master, they did not need to wait until the end of their 100-year term. They could simply arrange an ascension ritual.

If an ascension ritual was activated but the Immortal did not ascend, then a major heavenly tribulation would naturally descend. This was what it meant to deliberately draw down a heavenly tribulation.

Although an ascension ritual was not particularly difficult, it was quite cumbersome and required time to prepare. Thus, there was no such thing as an Immortal drawing down a heavenly tribulation at the moment of death to perish together with an opponent. Likewise, an Immortal cornered by an enemy could not simply decide to ascend on the spot and escape. The exception was if there was an Ascension Platform, where the ascension ritual had already been prepared in advance. This had also been crucial to the ascensions of Elder Xu, Elder Zhang, and Wu Yang back then.

With a tremendous boom, thunder exploded across the entire pocket realm, stirring countless echoes. A continuous succession of thunderclaps followed as purple lightning intertwined overhead, displaying the overwhelming majesty of Heaven.

Qi Xuansu and Great Sage Jiang looked up. The tribulation clouds gathered above the pyramid altar and began to churn violently. Bolts of purple lightning coursed through the sea of clouds like flood dragons.

The next moment, a hole suddenly burst open within the tribulation clouds, and a bolt of lightning came crashing down, aimed at the sun above the pyramid.

The sun remained completely unmoved, allowing the purple lightning to strike it without suffering the slightest damage. Its crimson radiance surged brilliantly, causing the bolt of purple lightning to quickly dissipate into nothingness.

The thunder grew even more deafening. Then, a second bolt of heavenly thunder that was even more imposing than the first tore through the layers of clouds.

Facing the second bolt of heavenly thunder, the radiance of the sun gathered and transformed into an enormous pillar of light that surged upward against the descending lightning.

The heavenly thunder and the pillar of light canceled each other out, while the sun remained completely unharmed.

Qi Xuansu and Great Sage Jiang looked toward the sun. They could vaguely make out a human figure at its center, presumably Madam Wu.

Then, the third bolt of heavenly thunder descended.

The power of this bolt of heavenly thunder was equivalent to the previous two combined. Like a blacksmith hammering a mold into shape, the sun manifested by Madam Wu rapidly contracted. When the heavenly thunder finally dissipated, the sun surrounding Madam Wu also slowly faded away, finally revealing Madam Wu’s true form.

Madam Wu was still dressed as a female Daoist in a star crown and feathered robe, but compared to before, she appeared far more tangible. That faintly illusory quality that once made people wonder if their eyes were playing tricks on them was gone.

Demons and humans each had their own advantages and disadvantages. Humans did not have to undergo a minor heavenly tribulation, but they had to endure 49 long days of tormenting chronic illness during the rebirth. On the other hand, demons settled everything in one go. Once they survived the minor heavenly tribulation, it was over, making it more like an acute illness.

As a fan that had gained sentience, Madam Wu could be considered a demon.

However, now that Madam Wu had already separated from her original body and become an independent existence, it would also be reasonable to call her a type of innate deity.

The same applied to Little Yin. One could call her a willow-tree demon, or one could call her an innate deity.

Innate deities did not necessarily have to follow the Godly Immortal lineage, but it was the most suitable lineage for them. They could still follow other lineages. For example, True Lord Taiyin ultimately ascended through the Heavenly Immortal lineage.

This also meant that from now on, Qi Xuansu could no longer merge with Madam Wu. The two would never be able to share the same body again.

Qi Xuansu asked, “How many bolts are there in total?”

Great Sage Jiang replied, “It varies from person to person, just as the ailments one experiences during a major transformation differ in type and severity from person to person.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the tribulation clouds above Madam Wu changed once again. They turned pitch-black like ink and slowly revolved into an enormous vortex. The purple lightning surging within grew increasingly powerful.

The fourth bolt of heavenly thunder came crashing down.

Unlike the previous bolts of purple lightning, this heavenly thunder was deep purple in color. It did not descend particularly quickly, leaving a clearly visible trail across the sky.

At the same time, the radiance of the pyramid beneath Madam Wu’s feet rapidly dimmed, all of it surging into her body. Madam Wu’s aura rose steadily, already surpassing the limits of a Pseudo-Immortal.

Then, Madam Wu soared into the sky, taking the initiative to embrace the minor heavenly tribulation head-on.

The heavenly thunder exploded with a deafening roar. All Qi Xuansu could see was a vast expanse of white.

It was a truly spectacular sight.

When the lightning finally faded, Madam Wu’s figure appeared once more. Although she was somewhat weakened, she was indeed different from before. She now possessed a genuine physical body and an Immortal-level cultivation.

This could hardly even be considered an injury. She only needed to catch her breath for a while to make a full recovery.

Moreover, with Great Sage Jiang and Ixchel both here to protect her during the tribulation, Madam Wu would not end up in as sorry a state as Chen Shuhua had. This was the benefit of belonging to an organization that would protect her.

The Seven Feather Five Fires Fan had not disappeared. Instead, it was tucked into Madam Wu’s belt. In the past, Madam Wu’s range of movement had been restricted by this fan, preventing her from straying too far from it. Naturally, that limitation no longer existed. Madam Wu could now go wherever she pleased.

Great Sage Jiang shut down the pyramid altar, sending it into a lengthy period of recovery.

Madam Wu descended from the sky and came before the three people. She first politely thanked Great Sage Jiang and Ixchel for protecting her during the tribulation, then promptly grabbed Qi Xuansu. “You brat!”

Qi Xuansu swatted Madam Wu’s hand away in protest. After all, Ixchel was watching. He had to preserve his image as the dignified Sage Qi. There were too many people around right now, so it would be embarrassing. She could do whatever she pleased when there were fewer people.

Madam Wu had a rebellious streak in her bones, or perhaps she had picked up this bad habit from Tantai Yun. The more someone resisted her, the more determined she became. She simply hooked an arm around Qi Xuansu’s neck and snorted.

The scene looked remarkably like the bullying among children at the Wanxiang Daoist Palace. Qi Xuansu had never experienced it when he was actually studying there. But now that he was about to become the Wanxiang Daoist Palace Master, he finally got a taste of it.

Unable to resist, Qi Xuansu could only protest. “Madam Wu, this...this is hardly proper!”

Great Sage Jiang chuckled. “The Confucian Sage said, ‘At thirty, I stood firm. At forty, I had no doubts. At fifty, I understood the mandate of Heaven. At sixty, my ear was attuned. At seventy, I could follow my heart’s desires without transgressing the bounds of propriety.’”

Madam Wu said, “Did you hear that? Once you’re old enough, nothing you do transgresses the bounds of propriety.”

“What kind of interpretation is that?!” Qi Xuansu exclaimed. “The Confucian Sage meant that by the age of 70, all rules of propriety would have become instinctive. So even without consciously thinking about them, one would never overstep the bounds of propriety. It’s unlike your twisted logic.”

Madam Wu tightened her arm around his neck. “You don’t sound convinced.”

Qi Xuansu had not felt this aggrieved even when facing Zhou Mengyao. The problem was that he could not fight back, so he could only say, “Not at all. I believe whatever you say, Madam Wu.”

Only then did Madam Wu release Qi Xuansu’s neck. “That’s more like it.”

Qi Xuansu sighed. Although he had gained another ally and powerful backer, for some inexplicable reason, it felt as though he had gained another mother instead. He had no idea why.

Other people always seemed to attract cold ice queens, mischievous demons, dashing heroines, or mysterious witches. Yet he always seemed to attract oddballs like Madam Wu, Madam Qi, Little Yin, and even Zhang Yuelu.

Fortunately, Madam Wu quickly composed herself and began discussing serious matters with Great Sage Jiang. Her official appointment could wait. The key issue was the ownership of the Seven Feather Five Fires Fan.

Great Sage Jiang waved his hand dismissively. “Just keep it. Once you become a Great Sage of a Daoist Mansion, you ought to own an immortal object. The Seven Feather Five Fires Fan suits you best, and no one understands it better than you do.”