A Pawn's Passage

Yue Liuli quickened her steps and took the initiative to greet them, seemingly humble.

The others also gathered outside the entrance of the Taiping Inn.

This honor, of course, was not solely for Qi Xuansu but was mostly due to Zhang Yuelu.

Zhang Yuelu was the grand-niece of the Heavenly Preceptor, the favored junior of the Earthly Preceptor, the successor of Sage Cihang, the youngest Deputy Hall Master of the Daoist Order, the Junior Tiangang Hall Master, a guaranteed future Omniscient Sage, and a strong contender for the eighth-generation Grand Master in decades to come.

With such impressive connections and credentials, who would not want to build a good relationship with her?

As for Qi Xuansu, most viewed him as Zhang Yuelu’s subordinate, or what some would call a freeloader. While they would not dare say it out loud, deep down, many looked down on him. What was so impressive about clinging to a woman’s skirt?

Some maintained a calm facade while muttering under their breaths, while others let their bitter expressions show blatantly. However, apart from Qi Xuansu and Yue Liuli, none present were fifth-rank Daoist priests. Moreover, in Zhang Yuelu’s presence, no one dared to say anything.

To Yue Liuli’s surprise, Qi Xuansu neither acted domineering nor glared at her coldly. Instead, he smiled warmly and even greeted her. “It’s been a while since we parted at Shangqing Palace. How have you been?”

Thanks to Madam Qi’s tutelage in the performance arts, Qi Xuansu could converse calmly even with an enemy. An outsider might have thought Qi Xuansu and Yue Liuli shared a close bond back at the Wanxiang Daoist Palace. However, Yue Liuli only thought that Qi Xuansu was hiding daggers behind his smile.

Yue Liuli smiled and responded. “I should be asking about you, Tian Yuan, since you have just experienced the calamity in Jinling Prefecture—a true life-and-death ordeal.”

After speaking, Yue Liuli greeted Zhang Yuelu, while Qi Xuansu exchanged greetings with Pan Cuiqing.

Pan Cuiqing looked at Zhang Yuelu. “Deputy Hall Master Zhang, the last time we met was at Wuxu Palace. But after the Purple Immortal Mountain case and the calamity in Jinling Prefecture, our meeting feels like a lifetime ago.”

Zhang Yuelu nodded. “Deputy Palace Master Pan, I have brought the files of the case you are referring to. We can discuss it further if you’d like to.”

Qi Xuansu remarked pointedly, “We must give Old Wan justice so that he can rest in peace.”

Yue Liuli froze for a moment. After noticing the peculiar gazes of several classmates, she quickly realized what he was implying, her face turning bright red.

Qi Xuansu’s words struck her heart, implying that Wan Xiuwu died with unresolved grievances. Coupled with the rumors of Yue Liuli’s ambiguous relationship with Pan Cuiqing after Wan Xiuwu’s death, it was hard not to associate her with his demise.

Since ancient times, gambling and theft had always been closely linked crimes, as were adultery and murder. Killing due to adultery was not uncommon, whether it was conspiring with a lover to kill one’s spouse or a spouse killing the adulterer and the unfaithful partner in a fit of rage.

Even Shi Yu and Mo Qingdi gasped in sudden realization. Mo Qingdi had even begun considering how he should incorporate this storyline into his own novel.

Yue Liuli was seething with anger, but she could not lash out in public, which left her feeling extremely aggrieved.

Pan Cuiqing, however, remained unaffected. As the Deputy Wuxu Palace Master, his magnanimity and composure were unmatched. He said calmly, “Superintendent Qi, you’re absolutely right. Junior Brother Wan has not yet been buried. We must give him justice so he can rest in peace.”

Taking the opportunity, Yue Liuli adjusted her emotions and smoothed things over. “Today is our class reunion, so let’s put these matters aside for now and continue the chat inside.”

Somehow, eating was always tied to rituals, such as welcome feasts, farewell banquets, wedding receptions, and funeral repasts—everything revolved around food.

That was because food was the paramount concern of the people. Even worship and sacrifices essentially involved offering food to the deities.

Once everyone had gathered, the banquet began. The feast was arranged in an outdoor pavilion, with a cooling breeze blowing in from all sides. Light gauze curtains hung around the pavilion, swaying softly in the wind, creating a leisurely ambiance.

Though they had all graduated from the Wanxiang Daoist Palace, they were still young—not yet thirty. For the common folk, hitting 70 years old was rare, so 30 years old marked half a lifetime. But for Xiantian Beings, 30 was just the beginning. Their journey ahead was still long, so they were still considered youngsters.

The group took their seats, with Qi Xuansu, Zhang Yuelu, Pan Cuiqing, and Yue Liuli seated at the central table.

Pan Cuiqing, a third-rank Youyi Daoist master, took the initiative to pour a cup of wine for Qi Xuansu. Seeing this, Qi Xuansu did not act lofty and accepted the cup with both hands.

The Deputy Wuxu Palace Master proceeded to pour himself a cup and raise it at Qi Xuansu. “I propose a toast to you, Superintendent Qi.”

After that, Pan Cuiqing downed the wine and tilted the empty cup toward Qi Xuansu to show its bottom.

Qi Xuansu also drained his cup.

Only then did Pan Cuiqing say, “A while ago, I heard from Junior Sister Yue that she had some misunderstanding with you back at Wanxiang Daoist Palace.”

Qi Xuansu paused for a moment, then feigned ignorance and asked, “What misunderstanding?”

Pan Cuiqing’s eyes darkened slightly, but he continued, “It’s about the Dragon and Tiger Camp incident. She did not mean it at the time, but a moment of poor judgment nearly caused a terrible mistake. Fortunately, no harm was done, and you were alright. Junior Sister Yue is too shy to apologize directly, so as her senior brother, I will apologize on her behalf.”

After speaking, he filled Qi Xuansu’s cup again. “I hope you will be magnanimous and let bygones be bygones after drinking this cup of wine, Superintendent Qi.”

Qi Xuansu picked up the cup but hesitated to drink.

Pan Cuiqing’s gaze grew even darker.

By now, it was obvious to everyone that Qi Xuansu’s rapid rise in rank could only mean he had powerful backing that was not just because of Zhang Yuelu. The shortsighted might think Qi Xuansu owed his achievements to Zhang Yuelu, but as a Deputy Palace Master, Pan Cuiqing knew better.

While Zhang Yuelu’s potential was undeniable, her current influence was not sufficient to aid Qi Xuansu. Even Pei Xiaolou would not have had the capability to do so. This type of promotion had to be from a true heavyweight intervening.

After the calamity in Jinling Prefecture, six of the seven-person investigation team, along with Li Tianlan, returned to Jade Capital for questioning by the Golden Tower Council. Only Zhang Yuelu was exempted, reportedly due to a direct order from the Earthly Preceptor. This made Qi Xuansu’s and Zhang Yuelu’s promotions inevitable.

At this point, Pan Cuiqing no longer wanted to dwell on how Wan Xiuwu had died. After all, he and Wan Xiuwu were not close. They just shared the same master. Thus, there was no need to make an enemy of a promising young talent over a dead man.

After all, it was better to resolve enmity than to deepen it. If this incident could turn enemies into friends, it would be all the better.

Qi Xuansu suddenly set down his cup and asked, “What if I don’t drink this? Are we going to remove all pretense?”

Qi Xuansu was not a fool, so he understood what Pan Cuiqing meant. However, he did not want to let it slide so easily. His survival back then had been due to sheer luck, not because of mercy from Wan Xiuwu or Yue Liuli. Moreover, Yue Liuli’s apology lacked sincerity. Instead, it was laced with condescension and a hint of coercion.

Pan Cuiqing’s expression shifted slightly as he stared directly at Qi Xuansu.

Qi Xuansu remained unfazed as he attentively poured a cup of wine for Zhang Yuelu beside him. To others, it appeared as though he was a man content to stand quietly in a woman’s shadow.

After pouring Zhang Yuelu’s wine, Qi Xuansu smiled again. “I thought it was something serious. Since it’s just a misunderstanding and there’s no enmity, why apologize? If so, I won’t have to drink this cup of wine.”

Pan Cuiqing’s smile was completely gone.

The dishes on the table were still warm, but the atmosphere could not have been colder.