A Pawn's Passage

Zhang Yuelu did not go out of the city alone. In fact, she had a personal bodyguard whom Sage Cihang had assigned to her—the second-rank Spirit Guard Xu.

Previously, Spirit Guard Xu had returned to Jade Capital by flying ship. However, as the Golden Tower Council officially established a seven-member investigation team, Spirit Guard Xu came to Jinling Prefecture by flying ship with the other Daoist superintendents. His sole responsibility was Zhang Yuelu’s safety.

However, Spirit Guard Xu stayed hidden whenever Zhang Yuelu was in the bustling old city area. Not to mention, Zhang Yuelu was only one step away from a Heavenly Being and had a semi-immortal object, so she had the power to fight against another Heavenly Being if need be. Thus, Spirit Guard Xu only followed Zhang Yuelu when she decided to leave the city.

As expected, nothing happened when they left the city.

Against Zhang Yuelu and Spirit Guard Xu, it would take at least three Heavenly Beings to secure a victory. However, the fight between these five people would certainly alert anyone who was not blind or deaf. Not to mention, Lei Xiaohuan, Pei Xiaolou, and the Jiangnan Daoist Mansion were just within reach, so they would not turn a blind eye to such a fierce fight.

If things were to escalate, Sage Donghua and Sage Cihang would have had an excuse to intervene and make a big fuss about the matter. This was what the other party did not wish to see.

However, on the way back to the city, they encountered an unexpected figure.

It was purely a coincidence as Zhang Yuelu was walking past the Qinhuai River.

This person was Marshal Wind.

That day in Jiangling Prefecture, Marshal Thunder was in charge of silencing Yuan Chongzong and razing the Yuan Residence, while Marshal Wind was in charge of killing Yuan Shangdao and Yuan Fengchan outside the city.

Therefore, Zhang Yuelu had not seen Marshal Thunder but had met Marshal Wind.

At this time, Marshal Wind was drinking wine on an ornate boat, accompanied by two scantily dressed beauties.

Heavenly Beings were not saints. Even if they had a higher level of cultivation, they still had human desires and vices.

The Wind and Thunder Marshals had quite the reputation for being inseparable. They were biological brothers who had no wives and children of their own, so they were exceptionally close.

Just because they did not marry and have children did not mean that they did not like women. Although Marshal Wind was old, he was lustful, ruining countless innocent women. In Nanyang, he kept multiple mistresses, changing women like he would outfits.

This time, he certainly could not remain abstinent with the world-renowned Ten Miles of Qinhuai situated in Jinling Prefecture. Thus, he spent a considerable sum to rent out an ornate boat. That was how Zhang Yuelu spotted him while he was immersed in debauchery.

Heavenly Beings were not slaves or warriors trained since childhood, nor were they Spirit Guards whose cultivation was controlled by the authorities. They were powerful people equivalent to the Sages of the Daoist Order.

In secret societies, they were considered high-ranking individuals who could obey orders without compromising on their comfort. As one of the leaders in Heavenly Court, Marshal Wind did not have to abide by rules that were meant for the minions. It was good enough that he did not deceive his superiors or fill his own pockets. So they turned a blind eye to what he did in his leisure.

This was like the various rules of a wealthy family. Only the servants and maids had to abide by them. How often would their masters follow mundane rules? The master only established rules to better control their subordinates.

In fact, whether it was the Daoist Order or a secret society, they could not impose too much; all they asked was for these high-ranking individuals not to cause trouble.

That was because Heavenly Beings were not ordinary people. When push comes to shove, they would rebel.

The Daoist Order had many precedents, like a faction forming the Eight Tribes just because they were dissatisfied with the various decisions about the creation projects. The secret societies were not any better in this regard.

After Zhang Yuelu spotted Marshal Wind, she quickly sent a message to Zhenwu Temple and leaped onto the ornate boat with Spirit Guard Xu, wanting to capture that Heavenly Court member.

Marshal Wind was stunned to see two people attacking him out of the blue.

Spirit Guard Xu was wearing a second-rank Spirit Guard Armor, so his identity was clear at a glance.

Marshal Wind also recognized Zhang Yuelu. Although the young lady was not yet a Heavenly Being, she was certainly close. Thus, she could stand a chance against him in a head-on fight.

At this time, Marshal Wind knew that his chances of winning against these two formidable opponents were slim to none. Therefore, he did not linger and fled without hesitation.

However, he dared not fly high in the sky. After all, this was Jinling Prefecture, one of the most important cities in the world. There were at least a dozen Heavenly Beings in this city, so if he were spotted by one of them, he would not have a chance to escape.

Thus, he chose to stay close to the ground, using the bustling streets and countless buildings and alleyways as his cover.

Marshal Wind leaped onto the shore in the blink of an eye and flew just a few centimeters off the ground.

Zhang Yuelu was self-aware that she would not be able to catch up with Marshal Wind, so she ordered, “Spirit Guard Xu, leave me here and chase after him. Don’t let him escape!”

Spirit Guard Xu did not hesitate and pursued Marshal Wind.

Zhang Yuelu could only follow them from a distance, using the spiritual pendant as a guide.

This spiritual pendant was similar to a jade pendant, but it was used to determine one’s position. It came in a pair, similar to the mother-child talisman.

Since Spirit Guard Xu was responsible for Zhang Yuelu’s safety, he had to know her whereabouts at all times to protect her. Therefore, they each carried a spiritual pendant, allowing them to determine each other’s position.

However, such things were still relatively rare. Otherwise, Zhang Yuelu would have wanted to give one to Qi Xuansu.

They chased Marshal Wind to the outer city, passing through the Shence Gate and arriving near the Shangyuan Gate.

Jinling Prefecture had a population of nearly two million people, making it the largest and most populous town in the entire Jiangnan region. It was also a trade hub, so there were many businessmen, missionaries, and explorers from foreign lands, most of whom lived near the Shangyuan Gate.

When Zhang Yuelu arrived, she saw Spirit Guard Xu standing outside a church, hesitating.

The function of this church was similar to a Daoist temple. It was a place where Western Holy Court believers worshipped their God.

The architectural style of this church was different from typical buildings in the Central Plains.

This church had a towering spire, an arched dome, and stained glass window panels, which seemed to form intricate pictures. In front of the main building of the church was a wide square with white stone pavement and a fountain in the middle. Two human-looking statues with a high nose, deep-set eyes, and a pair of wings, were placed on the left and right sides of the fountain.

The whole church was filled with a faint golden light, like a layer of light mist.

At this time, many blond-haired and blue-eyed believers were entering and exiting the church. There were barely any Central Plains people.

Zhang Yuelu could not help but frown.

On the surface, the Daoist Order and the Holy Court maintained a relatively peaceful relationship. The Daoist Order allowed the Holy Court to set up churches in several important cities. However, the Daoist Order did not allow the Holy Court to preach their beliefs to the civilians. These churches were only meant for visitors from the West, so almost everyone who gathered here was Colored-Eyed.

In exchange, the Holy Court also allowed the Daoist Order to set up Daoist temples on their territory, invoking the same rules. In fact, the Holy Court was strict about guarding against other religions setting up places of worship on their territories.

The reason the Daoist Order was exempted was due to their power and their lack of interest in preaching. The Daoists generally had an unbothered attitude about getting people to convert.

In this regard, Daoists could not compare to Buddhists and Confucians. Needless to say, Buddhism was not native to the Central Plains and was later introduced, but the number of believers has grown considerably since. Confucians also liked to educate “barbarians” on etiquette and cultural values, inspiring people to be virtuous.

The church was a sensitive location. If not necessary, Daoists would not enter rashly to avoid any disputes.

At this time, many Colored-Eye believers stared at Spirit Guard Xu, who was decked in full armor, with horrified expressions.

Spirit Guard Xu reported, “Deputy Hall Master Zhang, that man has entered the church.”

“The Holy Court is also involved, huh?” Zhang Yuelu took a deep breath and strode forward.

A chief bishop in white robes took the initiative to greet them, speaking in fluent Mandarin with a slight Jinling accent. “This is the Holy Church. Unless you are a believer, you are not allowed to enter without permission.”

Zhang Yuelu took out her license and said, “I am a fourth-rank Daoist priest, Deputy Hall Master of the Daoist Tiangang Hall. Please relay a message to your archbishop that I would like to meet him.”

The chief bishop’s expression changed slightly.

Comparing the positions in the Holy Court and Daoist Order, the chief bishop was equivalent to a fifth-rank Daoist priest, and the archbishop was equivalent to a fourth-rank Daoist priest. Thus, Zhang Yuelu’s request was reasonable and irrefutable.