A Pawn's Passage

Since Qi Xuansu was trying to get familiar with the Imperial Capital, he decided to go out and explore alone. He figured he might see more that way because bringing a large entourage through the streets would likely draw attention and reveal nothing.

So Qi Xuansu took off his formal robes that symbolized his identity as a fourth-rank Jijiu Daoist master and changed into a popular type of everyday clothing that all social classes wore as casual attire. After giving a few instructions to Wang Chongnian and Ke Qingqing, he left Yuhuang Palace looking like a commoner.

On top of that, his years of traveling the world had given him a certain grounded and rugged look, making it hard to tell he was actually a Daoist. A flowerbed Daoist would still exude a typical Daoist aura even in plain clothes. That was because flowerbed Daoists often had a sense of superiority over non-cultivators. Thus, they were often disconnected and haughty.

Since Yuhuang Palace occupied all of the Xuanshang North District, stepping outside meant leaving the district altogether. The Imperial City was to the south, Wuliang Northwest District in the west, Duxian Northeast District in the east, and one of the four outer cities in the north.

Qi Xuansu chose to head to the North City.

There were distinctions among the outer cities. The South City was quite prosperous, while the North City was less so, as it was mostly home to poor folks. Low-rise buildings with messy and cluttered layouts stretched as far as the eye could see. There was even some sewage on the streets. Compared to the bustling inner city, the North City felt like a different world.

Even so, being right at the Emperor’s feet, the North City was far better than many other small cities that Qi Xuansu had seen in the past. This definition of “poor” was only in comparison to other residents of the Imperial Capital.

Qi Xuansu strolled along Xuanwu Street in the North City, quietly observing his surroundings. He tried not to act like an outsider, not because he feared being discriminated against by the locals, but because he did not want to draw unnecessary attention.

Among the passersby were not only locals but also travelers from all over the world, including merchants and missionaries from the Western Continent. That was not surprising because North City was near the Wuliang Northwest District, where wealthy merchants and foreigners gathered.

Qi Xuansu had not explored much of North City when he was suddenly stopped by two men.

Although the two men were dressed in plain clothes like him, Qi Xuansu still caught sight of a trace of green beneath their robes.

Qi Xuansu immediately knew who they were. “The Green Phoenix Guard?”

The two men’s expressions changed slightly. “This isn’t the place to talk. Let’s go somewhere quieter.”

Qi Xuansu had no objection. He followed the two men from the bustling Xuanwu Street into a quiet, deserted alley.

To ordinary people, the Green Phoenix Guards were harbingers of doom that had existed for four centuries across two dynasties, infamous for their ruthlessness. No one—from dukes and ministers to traveling swordsmen—dared take them lightly.

However, Qi Xuansu had never feared them. Back when he was a nobody in Fengtai County, he had already slain his fair share of Green Phoenix Guards, let alone now, when he was a high-ranking Daoist.

The two guards resembled the legendary Heibai Wuchang—two deities who escorted spirits in the underworld—because one of them wore a smile, while the other remained expressionless. The smiling one flashed a badge in front of Qi Xuansu and declared, “We’re Green Phoenix Guards handling a case. Please come with us.”

Qi Xuansu replied, “Officers, if you’re detaining someone, shouldn’t you at least state the reason? What law have I broken? What crime am I accused of?”

“Cut the nonsense!” The expressionless guard snorted coldly. “We’ve dealt with people like you before. If you’ve done nothing wrong, what’s the harm in coming with us?”

The one with the smile smirked. “We’re not arresting you. We just need you to come with us and assist in an investigation.”

“Investigation of what?” Qi Xuansu asked with interest. “What if I choose not to cooperate?”

The stern guard spat. “Then don’t blame us for being rough with you.”

The other guard remained smiling. “We know you’re a cultivator. That’s the only reason we’re being polite and asking you first. But if you try to resist, you will be charged with obstruction of justice. At best, that’s defying the Green Phoenix Guards. At worst, that’s rebellion against the court.”

Qi Xuansu clasped his hands behind his back and grinned. “Very well. I won’t fight back. Go ahead and try moving me.”

The two guards exchanged glances. “It looks like you want to be stubborn and insist on rough treatment.”

Qi Xuansu added, “But if you can’t move me, don’t blame me for disrespecting the Green Phoenix Guards.”

The two guards stopped speaking. They moved to either side of Qi Xuansu and grasped his shoulders.

Qi Xuansu did not move or dodge, allowing them to grab him. The guards pulled and pushed, but Qi Xuansu did not budge at all. It felt as if they were trying to move a boulder.

Unwilling to give up, the grim-faced guard twisted his torso and used his core strength, then swept a vicious kick at Qi Xuansu’s abdomen. Still, Qi Xuansu did not budge one bit. However, the guard’s shin snapped in two.

Though Qi Xuansu did not have a body spirit, the physique of a Heavenly-Being Martial Arts Practitioner was practically impervious to blades and weapons.

The smiling guard pulled out a compact crossbow and pulled the trigger. Since they were in a busy street, using firearms would draw too much attention. Thus, they chose a silent weapon, which was even deadlier than the standard-issue Jackdaw Crossbow.

The next moment, the smile on the man’s face completely froze.

That was because the bolt stopped a few centimeters away from Qi Xuansu, unable to move forward in the slightest.

Qi Xuansu casually reached out and caught the bolt.

The two Green Phoenix Guards were not fools. With years of experience judging people, they could tell Qi Xuansu was no ordinary man. Recently, they received orders from above to tighten security and root out all suspicious persons in the Imperial Capital. However, they had not expected to bump into a steel wall. Worse yet, they had dug their own grave by choosing such a deserted spot. Now, escape was nearly impossible. At this point, all they could hope for was that their identity as Green Phoenix Guards would make this man hesitate to take their lives.

Before they could plead for mercy, Qi Xuansu had already pulled out his new badge and waved it before them. “Recognize this?”

The two guards did not have high cultivation levels. But they had been in the Imperial Capital long enough to recognize many things. The smiling guard let out an awkward chuckle. “That’s the badge of a Superintendent from the Imperial Capital Daoist Mansion. Our apologies for failing to recognize your esteemed status, Mage. Please forgive us for offending you.”

Qi Xuansu raised the bolt in his hand. “Was it just a light offense? It seems like an attempted assassination to me. What punishment do you think that deserves?”

The two guards’ faces turned pale. “W-What do you mean by that?”

Qi Xuansu explained calmly, “One of you attacked me head-on, while the other tried to kill me with a crossbow. You two were caught red-handed. Even if we had a Diviner trace the earth’s energy with geomancy, they would come to the same conclusion. Don’t you think so?”

Since these two were seasoned operatives, they immediately caught on and quickly changed their tune. “Mage, if you have any instructions, just say the word. Let this be our humble way of making amends.”

Qi Xuansu no longer pressed the issue. “Good. At least you know when to yield. I’ve just arrived in the capital, so I’m still unfamiliar with many things. The Daoists in the Imperial Capital Daoist Mansion are generally not good at this kind of work—”

“We are more than willing to serve you, Mage!” The smiling man hurriedly offered his services. “We will speak freely on whatever you wish to know. We can also guide you wherever you wish to go. Just give the word!”

The stern-faced guard nodded repeatedly.

Qi Xuansu asked, “This won’t interfere with your duties, will it?”

“No, not at all, Mage.” The stern one quickly replied, “We’re just patrolling the streets.”

The smiling guard added, “This won’t interfere with anything. Of course, your orders will also be our priority.”

Qi Xuansu asked, “May I know your names?”

The smiling man answered, “I’m Song San.”

The stern one said, “I’m Wu Si.”

Qi Xuansu nodded. “Ah, so it’s Lord Song and Lord Wu.”

“No, no, we dare not accept such a title from you, Mage.” The two guards immediately assumed a humble stance, sweating profusely. “Please just call us Song San and Wu Si.”

Qi Xuansu crouched down, placed his hand over Wu Si’s broken leg, and infused some innate qi into it. “You two are the local bosses around here, so I trust we will be seeing each other often. In the future, I’ll be relying on you for some groundwork. If you do well, I’ll ensure that you’re well rewarded. You won’t be running errands for nothing. But if you do poorly, don’t blame me for reporting what happened today.”

The two men murmured their assent, not daring to object in the slightest.

Qi Xuansu stood up. “Try walking.”

With Song San’s support, Wu Si stood up and took a few steps. He did not dare put too much weight on it yet, but at least he could walk without issue now, so he quickly bowed in gratitude.

Qi Xuansu waved it off and asked, “Are there any villas in the North City?”

The two paused for a moment. Song San understood what Qi Xuansu meant and answered, “Mage, only the wealthy or noble can afford to visit villas. The North City is mostly occupied by ordinary folks, so there aren’t any villas here, only a few low-tier brothels.”

Qi Xuansu nodded. “Do you know if these brothels have any improper practices?”

The two exchanged glances, unsure how to respond.

“Answer truthfully,” Qi Xuansu commanded.

Wu Si replied, “Yes, Mage, there are probably some.”

Qi Xuansu asked, “Is it serious?”

“Rest assured, Mage. It’s mostly minor mischief. They wouldn’t dare do anything serious,” Song San quickly replied.

Qi Xuansu remarked, “We should only believe what we see to be true.”

The two guards dared not say a word. By now, they finally realized that this Mage was not looking for pleasure but was conducting a covert inspection.

Qi Xuansu pondered for a while before saying, “You two have done this job for a while, so I imagine you’re somewhat known around here. You probably deal with those people often and maybe even get benefits from them, right?”

The two guards were startled at this insinuation and quickly tried to defend themselves. “Mage, at most, we only get free drinks. That’s hardly a benefit. The real figures behind those brothels are the bosses in the shadows. So we are nothing to them—”

“Alright, no need to be defensive.” Qi Xuansu interrupted. “I only deal with matters of moral conduct, not whether you get free drinks or benefits.”

The two guards let out a breath of relief. Their foreheads were beaded with sweat from being so nervous. Though they were from the Imperial Court, it would not be difficult for this Daoist to punish them. The Daoists had always held sway over moral conduct, and getting caught over a few minor indulgences would be a most unfortunate fate.

Qi Xuansu instructed, “After nightfall, you two will take me there so I can see for myself. But let me make this clear—don’t you dare tip anyone off.”

“Yes, Mage,” they replied in unison.