A Pawn's Passage

Under the command of Lingquanzi, the Tiangang Hall Daoist priests successfully blew up Fort Cimut before returning to Wugeshanli. After Zhang Yuelu recovered, they set off for the Western Region Daoist Mansion in Daxue Mountain, where they would leave from Jade Pond to take the flying ship back to Jade Capital.

After this journey, everyone had renewed impressions of Zhang Yuelu and Qi Xuansu. Zhang Yuelu, being the Deputy Hall Master, had the highest position and the highest level of cultivation among them, but she was also the most seriously injured one. Thus, no one could say anything negative about her.

Qi Xuansu also proved himself on this journey. Although he was only a seventh-rank Daoist priest at the Kunlun stage, he had slain the demon leader, and the act was witnessed by Superintendent Lingquan and Chief Bishop Arthur from the Holy Court. Everyone knew about Qi Xuansu’s achievements after Shangguan Dun relayed the message.

That was how Qi Xuansu’s reputation improved. He was no longer a pretty boy who relied on favoritism to rise to the top. Instead, he was someone with real abilities. However, they could only imagine what abilities Qi Xuansu possessed to be able to kill Desmond because they did not witness it themselves.

Since Arthur had completed his mission, he had to return to the Holy Court. That day, he specially went over to bid goodbye to the Daoist priests.

Although Qi Xuansu delivered the final blow that killed Desmond, Arthur also played a crucial role in slaying the demon. If Arthur had not used himself as bait to make Desmond consume the Superior Black Blood, the outcome would have been unpredictable.

In fact, the credit for killing Desmond was not entirely attributed to one person. It took the collaborative efforts of the entire team, including the many Daoist priests. If they had not drained the yin energy and blocked the earth’s energy from Night Mountain, stopping the Ravnos clan from using illusions, they would not have successfully exterminated this group of sinners.

Since they had fought side by side, all the Daoist priests had a good impression of the chief bishop of the Holy Court and saw Arthur off. Finally, Arthur privately said goodbye to Qi Xuansu. After all, besides Ai Li, Qi Xuansu was the one who communicated with Arthur the most. They also found that they had some things in common.

“Qi, look for me if you ever go to the Western Continent in the future.” Arthur handed an address to Qi Xuansu.

Qi Xuansu put it away and promised. “Certainly.”

Arthur left Wugeshanli and embarked on his journey home.

Just three days after Arthur left, the Daoist priests also left Wugeshanli for the Daxue Mountain Palace.

Before leaving, Zhang Yuelu presented Ai Li with the certificate of a fifth-rank Daoist Priest Kindred, as agreed, and brought Shangguan Dun along. Shangguan Dun got what he wanted. He was overjoyed when given a ninth-rank Daoist Priest Kindred title and left the Western Region with no regrets.

At the same time, Zhang Yuelu also sent a message to Mu Jin, telling them not to travel to Wugeshanli but to wait at the Daxue Mountain Palace. Compared with the miserable and solemn expressions everyone had when they first arrived, they were all in a good mood on their way back. Their horses galloped in the vast Gobi desert. Even if the road conditions were just as harsh as their journey before, they were in the mood to enjoy the scenery.

Zhang Yuelu had recovered from her injuries. She looked cool and carefree in her cloak and hood as she led the group of Daoist priests back to their homeland. Qi Xuansu was riding right behind her, but he was not as carefree as Zhang Yuelu.

Like Madam Qi, Zhang Yuelu was someone who drew a clear line between work and personal matters. Even though she was friends with Qi Xuansu, she was also his boss, who had assigned him the task of summarizing the entire journey in a report. Thus, on the journey back, Qi Xuansu was very distressed.

Although Qi Xuansu had learned how to write official documents back in Wanxiang Daoist Palace, he did not write much after traveling for so many years. He had swapped out a brush for a sword and had forgotten the basics. That was why he was worried about writing the report and used this time on the road to start drafting.

The group spent more than a month walking through the vast Gobi desert and finally came across a city. This was the former Juandu Kingdom, which was one of the 36 kingdoms in the Western Region.

The Western Region spanned from Wugeshanli to Xizhou, a territory of the Great Xuan Dynasty. Most of the Western Region was the Gobi Desert, with oases and cities that became city-states. Take Wugeshanli as an example. It was a city, but it could also be considered a country. Including the desert, Wugeshanli had a land area roughly equivalent to that of a state in the Central Plains. But excluding the desert, it was only as big as a county.

These kingdoms in the Western Region had no allegiance to any power. Back when the Central Plains Dynasty was at its peak, the kingdoms in the Western Region surrendered to the Central Plains. Thus establishing the Western Region Protectorate, Anxi Protectorate, and Beiting Protectorate in the Western Region. When the Central Plains Dynasty weakened, the kingdoms surrendered to the Golden Horde.

In the second year of Emperor Shenjue’s reign, the Juandu Kingdom belonged to the Western Region Protectorate. However, during the Empress’s reign, it was placed under the jurisdiction of Shulei Commandery. Later, during the decline of the Jin Dynasty, the Western Region was surrendered to the Golden Horde.

In the final years of the former Wei Dynasty, the Imperial Court even lost Liangzhou to the Western Region. Therefore, all the kingdoms in the Western Region surrendered to the Golden Horde. However, due to the internal strife within the Golden Horde, they were lax about control over the Western Region kingdoms.

Thus, the kingdoms in the Western Region remained autonomous. Many Golden Horde nobles had also fled to the Western Region to avoid war. All these factors made the Western Region a melting pot of cultures.

It was not until the Great Xuan Dynasty regained Xizhou that the Juandu Kingdom returned to the jurisdiction of the Central Plains. Thus, Juandu County was established.

Juandu County was situated at the intersection of Daxue Mountain and Kunlun Mountain. Daxue Mountain was also known as White Mountain in the past due to the constant snow all year round. The Golden Horde called it Jeloman Mountain, which was about 7300 meters high, 2500 kilometers long, and 300 kilometers wide. The highest peak was Tomur Peak, and the Daxue Mountain Palace was located at the base of this peak.

The Tiangang Hall Daoist priests left Jade Capital in late August. After fifty days of traveling thousands of kilometers, it was early October by the time they arrived in Juandu County.

Everyone was tired from the journey, especially with the wind, snow, and biting winds. Xiantian Beings were not affected by common diseases, and they could endure the cold. The only thing was that most of them were tired of eating the Army Pill for sustenance. Fortunately, they managed to replenish their provisions in Wugeshanli. If they ran out of Army Pills, then their last resort would be the rock-hard dry rations for emergencies.

That was why Zhang Yuelu decided to stop over in Juandu County for a few days before setting off for the Daxue Mountain Palace. When the group entered the county, they did not attract much attention. After all, this county was not far from the Daxue Mountain Palace and was considered the core sphere of influence of the Western Region Daoist Mansion. Since many Daoist priests often passed by this county, it also had a Daoist temple that doubled as a post station.

The abbot of the Daoist temple was named Xu Huiqian, who was a seventh-rank Daoist priest. He was holding a gaiwan and sipping on hot tea. It was freezing cold in the winter, but because this temple was under the jurisdiction of the Daxue Mountain Palace, they had plenty of money and charcoal, so the room was well-heated.

At this moment, a young ninth-rank Daoist priest pushed open the door and came in, reporting, “Abbot Xu, dozens of people have arrived.”

“Dozens? Could they be from Tiangang Hall? What’s going on this year? Is the Shamanistic Sect still not done kicking up a fuss?” Xu Huiqian hurriedly put down the gaiwan, stood up, and went out to greet the group.

When Xu Huiqian came to the gate of the Daoist temple and saw dozens of people in uniformed cloaks riding on horses with the logo of the Kunlun Daoist Temple, he knew that the group had to be from Tiangang Hall. Xu Huiqian glanced at them, trying to figure out who was in charge.

A young man said, “We are Daoist priests from Tiangang Hall heading to the Daxue Mountain Palace. Please arrange a place for us to stay and have a meal.”

When Xu Huiqian heard Tiangang Hall being mentioned, he confirmed his guess and hurriedly said, “Of course.”

The young man added, “This is our Deputy Hall Master Zhang and Superintendent Lingquan. They are both fourth-rank Jijiu Daoist masters, so please prepare their rooms accordingly.”

Xu Huiqian was shocked. Another Deputy Hall Master? Two Deputy Hall Masters from Tiangang Hall have already gone to the Western Region Daoist Mansion. Why are they sending another one now? Is the Daoist Order planning to go on a full-out war with the Shamanistic Sect?

Thinking of this, Xu Huiqian looked in the direction of the fourth-rank Daoist masters. One was an older, middle-aged man, and the other was a young woman. Thus, Xu Huiqian assumed that the middle-aged man was the Deputy Hall Master and the young woman was the Superintendent.

He saluted Lingquanzi and said, “Greetings, Deputy Hall Master Zhang.”

Then he saluted Zhang Yuelu. “Greetings, Superintendent Lingquan.”

At this moment, everyone laughed out loud. Even the ever-so-serious Lingquanzi had a smile on his face.

Zhang Yuelu had no intention of correcting Xu Huiqian. Instead, she ordered, “Deacon Qi, please help make the arrangements.”

In front of others, they still addressed each other by title. For some unknown reason, Zhang Yuelu had made it a habit to leave everything to Qi Xuansu, as if he were at her beck and call. This only made others think that Zhang Yuelu and Qi Xuansu had a special relationship.

Qi Xuansu was used to being bossed around by Madam Qi, so he did not think much of it and casually agreed. After that, Zhang Yuelu and her entourage entered the Daoist temple. Qi Xuansu stayed behind and explained to Xu Huiqian, “Sir, you were mistaken. The young woman just now is Deputy Hall Master Zhang.”

Xu Huiqian exclaimed. “What?! I didn’t know there was such a young deputy hall master.”

Qi Xuansu said, “The Deputy Hall Master is a member of the Zhang family of Shangqing Prefecture. She is a fourth-rank Jijiu Daoist master, recently appointed by the Great Sage Lunzhi as the Deputy Hall Master of Tiangang Hall.”

Xu Huiqian’s heart trembled when he heard that Zhang Yuelu was from such a prestigious family and was even promoted by the Great Sage Lunzhi at such a young age. She truly had a bright future. Perhaps she would even secure a position on the Golden Tower Council in the future.

He suddenly felt uneasy as he wondered if he had just offended Zhang Yuelu.

Qi Xuansu read his expression and comforted him. “Deputy Hall Master Zhang is not a petty person. She wouldn’t take this to heart. Please arrange our accommodations accordingly. There is also a sixth-rank priest in the group. The rest of us are seventh rank.”

Xu Huiqian noted it down carefully for fear of making another mistake. After Qi Xuansu finished explaining, Xu Huiqian told his subordinates to prepare the rooms.