A Pawn's Passage

There were even more guests at the level of ordinary Sages, not to mention third-rank Youyi Daoists.

There were dedicated people assigned to receive these guests, so Qi Xuansu and Zhang Yuelu did not need to worry about any of it. At this point, the two of them were essentially being directed by everyone else on what to do.

Zhang Jucheng oversaw the entire affair, while Madam Wu was busy assigning tasks. Two additional attendants were temporarily added. Chen Jianchou was assigned to Qi Xuansu’s side with Yan Yongzhen, while Zhang Zhiyue and Xiao Yueru were on Zhang Yuelu’s side.

Madam Wu had lived for so many years that there was hardly any grand occasion she had not seen before. She repeatedly reminded the four attendants not to rigidly follow the rules but to know how to adapt to circumstances as they arose.

She also instructed Lin Yuanmiao to keep a close eye on Little Yin and not let the little troublemaker run around. If anything went wrong, he would be held responsible. Naturally, Lin Yuanmiao accepted the task solemnly.

Soon, the guests began taking their seats one after another.

The atmosphere was already lively. Normally, everyone was scattered across the world, and unless they happened to gather in Jade Capital for official deliberations, they rarely had the chance to meet. Now, however, this occasion gave them an opportunity to see one another again, so people could be seen catching up with old acquaintances.

Lin Yuanmiao and Little Yin were among those taking their seats as well.

None of today’s guests were ordinary figures, yet the pairing of Lin Yuanmiao and Little Yin still drew considerable attention because their cultivation was simply too high. Many of the guests had already noticed that Little Yin was not human, and yet she possessed Zaohua stage cultivation, which was truly astonishing. On the other hand, Lin Yuanmiao was unmistakably human, but the fact that he could effortlessly restrain Little Yin and keep her from running about meant that he could only be at the Pseudo-Immortal level. His cultivation was higher than that of most of the guests present, so people could not help but regard him with greater respect.

Huangfu Ji and his group were also extremely eye-catching.

Huangfu Ji was extremely close to being at the Immortal stage, while Hun Ahau and Utu were both Pseudo-Immortals. Their presence displayed the depth of the Western Daoist Order’s strength without appearing overly ostentatious.

More importantly, these people had come specifically for Qi Xuansu, which somewhat served to bolster his prestige. It also indirectly conveyed the Western Daoist Order’s position that they were clearly supportive of Qi Xuansu. This was undoubtedly unfavorable for Li Changge. At the very least, it demonstrated one thing. Even if Sage Taiwei, Qi Xuansu, was far away in Jade Capital, it would not be difficult for him to exert influence or make things happen on the Southern Continent.

With one foothold in Nanyang and another on the Southern Continent, it would not be an exaggeration to say that Qi Xuansu had already become a force to be reckoned with.

The higher a person’s status, the later they arrived.

The ordinary Sages took their seats first, followed by the Omniscient Sages.

Since it was a special occasion today, there was no need for excessive formalities. Even if someone saw a superior, they were not supposed to leave their seat and rush over to offer formal greetings, much less try to curry favor. They were simply to remain seated.

It was fine to remain seated and catch up with old acquaintances, but wandering around and leaving one’s seat was not acceptable.

If anyone broke the rules, they could not blame Zhang Jucheng for being harsh with them.

There was another interesting phenomenon. Among the upper echelons of the Daoist Order, men made up the overwhelming majority, with very few women. Yet today, nearly all the female members of the Daoist Order’s upper ranks were present, including Great Sage Yan, Sage Cihang, Li Ruoshui, Ye Qingshuang, Bai Yingqiong, Zhang Yuelu, Yao Pei, and Xu Jiaorong. Nearly everyone was here, enough to convene a formal meeting of the Female Daoist Association of Mutual Aid. The Earthly Preceptor had never joined the Female Daoist Association. In fact, for quite a long time, Qi Xuansu had not known that the Earthly Preceptor was a woman.

On closer thought, it was perfectly reasonable. Whether out of personal ties or propriety, both Sage Cihang and Bai Yingqiong were obliged to attend. Great Sage Yan had been invited only after the Zhang family went to considerable effort. Although Li Ruoshui and Ye Qingshuang were both Mansion Masters, their Daoist Mansions ranked near the bottom among all the Daoist Mansions. One governed the Imperial Capital Daoist Mansion, while the other governed the Sahul Daoist Mansion, neither of which could truly be described as overwhelmingly busy.

Yao Pei was the same as ever, neither delighted by external circumstances nor saddened by her own situation. Great Sage Yan at least carried an intimidating air about her, but Yao Pei did not even have that. She simply seemed listless. Although she was only an ordinary Sage, no one dared underestimate her. She was seated beside Li Ruoshui and Bai Yingqiong. The three belonged to the Taiping Sect, Zhengyi Sect, and Quanzhen Sect, respectively. Setting seniority aside and considering only their ages, they also represented the old, middle, and younger generations.

Next came the Virtuous Great Sages of the Golden Tower Council.

Great Sage Jiang and Great Sage Shi both had the refined bearing of Immortals and wore warm, friendly smiles. They blended perfectly with the joyous atmosphere of the day and were entirely suited to the occasion. However, Madam Wu and Great Sage Yan wore aloof expressions. The latter even faintly radiated an intimidating aura.

It was not that Madam Wu had anything against Qi Xuansu. She was simply accustomed to behaving this way. The more strangers there were around her, the colder she became, naturally exuding an imposing authority that could be quite misleading. Great Sage Yan was similarly acting out of habit rather than targeting Qi Xuansu specifically. She treated everyone else the same way, including her own descendants.

Then came the four elders of the bride and groom.

The married couple Zhang Juqi and Tantai Qiong were unremarkable. But when Sage Donghua and Sage Cihang appeared together, it caused quite a stir.

Could the rumors from some time ago actually have been true?

Did Sage Donghua and Sage Cihang truly have that kind of intention toward each other? If that were really the case, then Sage Qingwei would be in danger. After all, two fists could hardly contend against four hands.

Some people looked delighted, while others appeared worried. Some simply found the whole thing entertaining and were more than happy to watch the drama unfold. Every conceivable reaction could be seen among the crowd.

Quite a few people had already begun conversing in hushed voices and exchanging meaningful glances.

However, no one had the nerve to openly question them.

Naturally, these two Omniscient Sages paid no attention to how others looked at them. Given their status and position, it had always been others who cared about what they thought. Since when did they need to care about what others thought of them?

Still, Sage Cihang faintly sensed that something was not quite right. But even if there was something amiss, it was already too late by this point.

Zhang Jucheng took all of this in and found himself even more satisfied with Qi Xuansu. Qi Xuansu was exactly to his liking. This boy had managed to pull off something the Zhang family had failed to accomplish.

These four were also among the main figures of the day.

Chiming Palace had a layout similar to the Golden Tower. Four chairs had been placed side by side at the position originally reserved for the person presiding over deliberations, with no distinction of precedence or seniority.

Regardless of Daoist rank, everyone was equal today.

Zhang Juqi was filled with emotion. He had lived an unremarkable life and had never imagined that he would reach the pinnacle of his entire life on the day of his daughter’s grand wedding. If his luck was good enough, he might even be sitting at the same table today with the future Grand Master and the future Grand Master Consort.

Of course, if his luck were even better, he might end up with a son-in-law who became Grand Master and a daughter who became the Grand Master Consort. That would truly be the pinnacle.

Zhang Juqi and Tantai Qiong, as husband and wife, took the two seats on the right, while Sage Donghua and Sage Cihang sat on the left.

Another wave of commotion swept through the crowd. If what people had been thinking earlier was still only speculation, then this seating arrangement all but confirmed it.

The seat occupied by Sage Cihang was that of an elder on Qi Xuansu’s side, not Zhang Yuelu’s.

Everyone knew that Sage Cihang was Zhang Yuelu’s master, yet she had now taken the position of an elder on Qi Xuansu’s side.

So what exactly was Sage Cihang’s role at this moment? It was certainly thought-provoking.

At last, the auspicious hour arrived, and the main couple made their entrance.

Strictly speaking, this was not an ordinary marriage but the formal establishment of a Daoist companion bond. Thus, customs such as the bridal sedan chair were omitted.

Qi Xuansu entered from the left, while Zhang Yuelu entered from the right.

Both wore purple hechangs embroidered in gold thread, with the sun, moon, and stars emblems. Each wore an unusually shaped golden purple lotus crown. An ordinary lotus crown was half-open, like a lotus already in bloom but not yet fully unfurled. The lotus crowns worn by the two of them today were completely closed, resembling flower buds. They appeared somewhat long and slender and were secured with hairpins.

When the two appeared, the guests could not help but be struck by the sight.

Zhang Yuelu had already reached the Zaohua stage. Given her age and current cultivation, she was certain to attain immortality in her sixties, or even her fifties. She was not far behind the Three Daoist Heirs, living up to her reputation as one of the Three Daoist Prodigies.

Yet compared with Zhang Yuelu, Qi Xuansu was not at all inferior. If anything, he seemed to be a step ahead.

There was no shortage of experts among the guests who were skilled at observing qi, and they could already tell that Qi Xuansu had entered the Pseudo-Immortal stage. Hearing about it was one thing, but witnessing it with their own eyes was another. After all, seeing was believing.

At this moment, many people thought of the Twin Peaks of the Daoist Order. It seemed that for the next hundred years, the Daoist Order would belong either to Sage Donghua or Sage Qingwei. One way or another, its future would lie in the hands of these two factions.

Qi Xuansu did not display any overwhelming sharpness at this moment. Instead, he deliberately restrained his edge.

Seated above, Sage Donghua and Sage Cihang took all of this in. Although they showed little expression, they were actually both delighted and deeply moved. Sage Donghua, in particular, made no attempt to conceal his approval. Having such a successor brought him great honor, and the future was full of promise.

Chen Jianchou and Yan Yongzhen walked on either side of Qi Xuansu, while Xiao Yueru and Zhang Zhiyue accompanied Zhang Yuelu. All four of them were unmarried men and women. They also wore specially made hechangs. However, their attire was clearly one grade below that of the newlyweds, and none of them wore crowns.

Qi Xuansu and Zhang Yuelu each also held a Ruyi scepter that had been prepared in advance.

Qi Xuansu’s scepter had a square head, while Zhang Yuelu’s had a rounded head. A faint radiance emanated from both scepters, making it obvious that they were no ordinary objects. The four attendants carried horsetail whisks and followed closely behind, one pace back.

The couple slowly approached from the left and right. After meeting in the middle, they proceeded side by side until they stood before their elders.

The Daoist Order had pursued a policy of removing Confucian influences, but the end result was simply that it took the Confucian customs, changed their appearance, and then continued using them.

Thus, the ceremony for becoming Daoist companions was largely the same as a traditional wedding, including the customary bows to heaven and earth. However, to emphasize equality, kneeling was omitted and replaced with the cupped-hand bow.

Holding their scepters, Qi Xuansu and Zhang Yuelu performed the cupped-hand bow. First, they paid respects to heaven and earth. Next, they burned incense and paid respects to the Primordial Daoist Ancestor. Then they bowed to the four elders. Finally, the couple turned to face each other and exchanged bows.

Their eyes met.

At this moment, Zhang Yuelu had no bridal veil covering her face, and for once, she had even applied light makeup. Her pair of phoenix eyes shone brilliantly, making her look like a celestial maiden descended from the heavens.

Qi Xuansu had thought that, after being together for so long, he would already be used to her. Yet at this moment, he was unexpectedly struck by how stunning she looked, as though he had returned to that night in Taiqing Square, to that glance she had cast him after getting drunk.

Everything else seemed to recede into the distance—the lights of Jade Capital, the stars filling the sky, and even the statue of the Primordial Daoist Ancestor all blurred away. Only those phoenix eyes remained clear.

Qi Xuansu felt his emotions surge so fiercely that he could barely contain himself, yet he did not know how to describe what he was feeling.

Even though Qi Xuansu was no longer the young man he had once been, he still found himself dazed and momentarily lost in a trance.

For a moment, Qi Xuansu was utterly captivated by Zhang Yuelu.