A Pawn's Passage

Sage Cihang was truly worthy of her reputation as a big shot. The sheer volume of secrets she knew was far beyond what a peripheral figure like Qi Xuansu could comprehend.

With all this information laid bare, the things Qi Xuansu had once struggled to understand suddenly made perfect sense.

However, Sage Cihang was not finished with her explanation yet. She added, “The Auxiliary Heart is indeed rare, but it’s still within reach for the true noble families. So why is it that, across the entire Daoist community, only Li Changge has managed to use the Xuan Jade to become a Banished Immortal?”

Qi Xuansu was shocked once again. He had already guessed what Sage Cihang was about to divulge.

Sure enough, Sage Cihang said, “That’s because the Auxiliary Heart was only a replica made by Huasheng Hall—it has form, but no essence. It can serve as a substitute for a heart in specific circumstances and even bring someone back from the brink of death, but it cannot fuse with the Xuan Jade. Only the original version—the Embedded Longevity Stone Heart—can do that.”

That was the crucial point.

Qi Xuansu placed a hand on his chest. He could not feel the slightest heartbeat, as if he were a dead person. But at the same time, his chest did not feel empty either. There was a solid heart in there somewhere.

Zhang Yuelu looked as if she wanted to speak, but she held back.

Sage Cihang glanced at her disciple and continued, “That’s right. The Auxiliary Heart in Tian Yuan’s body isn’t an ordinary replica made by Huasheng Hall. It’s one of the original Embedded Longevity Stone Hearts from the ancient creation projects. That’s why Tian Yuan was able to fuse with the Xuan Jade and ascend from the Kunlun stage to the Xiaoyao stage in just a year. That was the true purpose of the Banished Immortal Creation Program—to churn out powerful Heavenly Beings rapidly with human intervention. However, the cost was too high, so the project had to be discontinued.

“Still, with the remaining stock, they had just enough to produce two Banished Immortals—Li Changge and Qi Xuansu. Yuelu is blessed by heavens, and Yao Pei is blessed by her ancestors. Tian Yuan and Li Changge are favored by the lingering grace of our Daoist elders.”

Qi Xuansu wanted to smile but found himself unable to.

He had thought that after the calamity in Jinling Prefecture, he already knew all there was to know about Madam Qi. But now, after hearing this, Madam Qi’s face in his mind became shrouded in mist once more, her identity more blurred than ever.

Sage Cihang did not press Qi Xuansu any further. She knew he likely had no clear answers himself. Instead, she simply continued her explanation. “The Li family’s Longevity Stone Heart was already given to Li Changge. The Zhang family rarely dabbles in creation projects, as they’re more connected to Ancient Immortals, so they likely don’t have such artifacts. That leaves only the Quanzhen Sect, which has the deepest ties to the creation project.

“In the Quanzhen Sect, those who had access to core secrets were Great Sage Shangguan and Great Sage Yao. Great Sage Shangguan’s descendants were split into three branches—the Zhang family, the Shangguan family, and the Xu family. The latter two aren’t particularly prominent. Even the Zhang family descended from Great Sage Shangguan isn’t the same as the Heavenly Preceptor’s Zhang family.

“Besides, Sage Shangguan was only in charge during the early phases of the creation project. By the time the Banished Immortal Creation Program was proposed—right around the time when the creation projects were split between Tianji Hall and Huasheng Hall—Great Sage Yao had taken over.

“Today, the Yao family is the most prominent in the Quanzhen Sect, so they’re the most likely to have preserved certain artifacts from that time. If I’m not mistaken, the one who saved you is probably a Yao, isn’t it?”

Qi Xuansu had no words in response.

Noticing his expression, Sage Cihang smiled faintly. “Well, then I suppose I understand why Sage Donghua holds you in such regard. The Yao-Pei Alliance has become a term in our Daoist circles. These two families can essentially be considered as one. Even if Sage Donghua doesn’t care about you, he has to respect the force behind you.”

Qi Xuansu suddenly felt as if he was waking from a dream.

He had always seen himself as an orphan who grew up like a wild weed. Thus, he had always looked down on those who relied on family background. But in the end, was he just another scion of a noble lineage? Wouldn’t that be a complete slap in the face to everything he believed?

Still, deep down, Qi Xuansu understood. This was not a chaotic age that birthed heroes. It was a peaceful era, one where the class barriers were firmly in place. Without drastic upheaval, family support, or powerful backers, how was anyone supposed to rise to prominence? If ability alone was enough, then why did so many talented young men end up groveling to bad-tempered noble heiresses? They were certainly not looking to be mistreated. It was because they wanted the backing of their wife’s family.

Take Zhang Yuelu, for example. She was gifted and capable, yet her path was riddled with difficulty due to her lack of family support. If she had not had a good master, she would have died during the first major Jiangnan case. If she had not met the Earthly Preceptor, she would still be a Superintendent. Even now, she was clearly a step behind Li Changge and Yao Pei because she lacked the Zhang family’s full support.

That was the harsh reality. Unless the old order collapsed, those at the bottom would never rise.

If even someone like Zhang Yuelu could not break through this glass ceiling, then what chance did someone like Qi Xuansu have?

Of course, now Qi Xuansu understood that it was all because of Madam Qi, or to be precise, Mogul Yao.

Madam Qi was not exactly a goddess who could stir clouds with a wave of her hand, but she had elevated Qi Xuansu with a flick of her finger to a place he never could have reached on his own. Whether it was rank within the Daoist Order or his cultivation level, everyone now acknowledged that Qi Xuansu’s future was indeed boundless.

It was no wonder Madam Qi refused to let him leave the Qingping Society. This was not just about tens of thousands of Taiping coins.

This raised the question: why did Madam Qi choose him?

Surely, Madam Qi could not have been overcome with motherly instinct when she picked up a half-dead boy from the roadside, hence she treated him like her own son. That idea had a huge flaw. Though they had already spent years together and built a deep bond when she first told him about the Xuan Jade, they were complete strangers when she picked him off the roadside and implanted the Longevity Stone Heart into him. There was no emotional attachment of any kind at the time.

At this point, Qi Xuansu could not help but let his imagination run wild. My master was from the Qi family, while Madam Qi was from the Yao family. Both were from prominent lineages of the Quanzhen Sect, and they were roughly of the same age. Could there have been something between the two of them? Perhaps their relationship had been forbidden by both families, forcing Master to leave the Quanzhen Sect for the Zhengyi Sect, while Madam Qi left the Yao family to join a secret society. Then, when Master died, Madam Qi arrived too late and only managed to save me, so she transferred her deep feelings for Master onto his disciple. But judging by Madam Qi’s usual behavior, she seemed to have no knowledge of Master at all.

Or...could it be that Madam Qi is actually an Ancient Immortal, hell-bent on overthrowing the Daoist Order? Everything she has done is simply a move on a larger chessboard. Once I ascend to the upper ranks of the Daoist Order, will she finally reveal her true colors and force me to collaborate with her from within? But overthrowing the Daoist Order isn’t that easy. Nothing about Madam Qi’s day-to-day behavior hinted at such grand ambition. After all, who has ever toppled a regime just by hoarding wealth?

Of course, the simplest solution would be to ask Madam Qi directly. But she would likely lie, or worse, assume her motherly tone and gaslight him.

Qi Xuansu could already picture the scene. Madam Qi would wipe her tears, then question him, “What have I ever asked of you, aside from a few Taiping coins? Was it wrong of me to treat you well? Turns out you’re just another ungrateful child that I raised in vain!”

Those kinds of sharp-tongued guilt trips would come freely and without warning. Qi Xuansu did not even dare to keep thinking about it.

People were all the same. The more one lacked something, the more one cherished it. Qi Xuansu had no parents, and his master had died a tragic death. Thus, Madam Qi became closest to him, as she was the only elder who treated him like family even though they were not blood-related. So, there were many things he simply refused to think about too deeply because he dared not imagine the consequences.

It was not just Zhang Yuelu who was capable of self-deception—Qi Xuansu was too.

Just then, Sage Cihang’s voice interrupted Qi Xuansu’s spiraling thoughts. “The Zhengyi Sect and the Quanzhen Sect are now allies. Since even Sage Donghua has acknowledged you, I shouldn’t have said anything. During the flying ship crash, you were willing to risk your life for Yuelu, so there’s no questioning your character or intentions. Even if you are a descendant of the Yao family and cannot be a matrilocal son-in-law of the Zhang family, there’s a precedent of a marriage alliance like that between Great Sage Zhang and Great Sage Shangguan, so it’s not an issue. But—”

Qi Xuansu immediately sat up straight and turned to face her, waiting silently for what came next.

“There’s just one thing I ask for—don’t get too entangled with the secret societies. Though you two might argue that all three Daoist sects have some form of connection to these secret societies, those dealings are always kept behind closed doors and handled by designated insiders. Take the Heavenly Court, for instance—have you ever heard of Sage Qingwei and Li Changge, the public face of the Taiping Sect, being associated with them?

“If Yuelu truly wants to vie for that position, she must remain spotless, and those around are required to follow suit. Otherwise, it’s equivalent to handing people leverage against her. On this point, even the Heavenly Preceptor has suffered heavily.”

Qi Xuansu shuddered from the thought.

Zhang Yuelu looked like she wanted to respond, but Sage Cihang raised a hand to stop her.

The Omniscient Sage continued, “I know you’re thinking of Tian Yuan’s affiliation with Mogul Yao. But that’s not the real concern. If anyone’s reputation would be affected, it would be Yao Pei first, as she too comes from the Yao family, not Yuelu. The reason I bring this up is because of recent matters involving the Wanxiang Daoist Palace. What I’m explicitly telling you is this—don’t follow the same path as Zhang Wuhen by truly becoming a member of a secret society.”

Qi Xuansu felt a sudden tightness in his chest.

He did not know whether to be relieved or afraid. He had never revealed his affiliation with the Qingping Society to Zhang Yuelu. Other than Li Qingnu and a select few, no one knew that Wei Wugui was actually the Qingping Society’s Gold-Plated Knife.

But the first time Qi Xuansu met Sage Cihang had been by Cuowenbu Lake, the very place Shangguan Jing had gone to exterminate secret society members. Could Sage Cihang have guessed something based on that? Was she saying all this on purpose? If she had said it deliberately, then was this a subtle warning to cut ties with the Qingping Society while he still could?

Qi Xuansu felt utterly drained.

After going through so much, he always seemed to be going around in circles back to his main dilemma—leaving the Qingping Society.

His adoptive mother refused to let him go, and now his future mother-in-law insisted he must cut those ties.

Qi Xuansu would much rather discuss dowry and betrothal gifts—the much-dreaded topic of betrothed couples—instead.

Compared to Tantai Qiong’s sharp tongue and direct threats, Sage Cihang had not said a single harsh word. Her tone had been gentle throughout, yet the pressure she brought to Qi Xuansu was far greater than anything Tantai Qiong could muster.

Just then, a sudden gust of wind rose, its piercing howl surging from all directions into the hall. The two windows of Sage Cihang’s office slammed open, causing the curtains and gauze to flutter wildly, just like the turmoil in Qi Xuansu’s heart.