A Pawn's Passage

Early in the morning, Qi Xuansu left his residence and headed to the office. Along the way, he encountered many Daoists of various ranks, all nodding to him in greeting with friendly smiles on their faces.

As he returned the greetings, Qi Xuansu could not help but sigh inwardly. Everyone suddenly became nice, courteous, and pleasant to talk to once his status was elevated, as if all the petty squabbles and backbiting had never happened.

Even the female Daoists no longer acted reserved, their gazes toward him borderline predatory. It was as if the once lofty goddesses had descended from their clouds and returned to being down-to-earth women.

Such was the benefit of power. It was no wonder that so many were obsessed with it, and why people said that power was the best accessory for a man.

There were people who sought immortality, but how many could truly achieve it and transcend the mortal realm? Aside from a rare few gifted by the heavens, most people did not join the Daoist Order for the elusive path to enlightenment. Most, like Mei Mei’s parents, had a simple belief that becoming a Daoist meant becoming someone above the masses. Just like Confucian scholars of the past, few truly aimed to bring peace to the world, and most were after official positions and wealth.

The human life spanned merely a century, with true immortality being out of reach for most. However, everyone had the Three Corpses that would only gain freedom after death, thus, these malevolent spirits constantly gnawed away at one’s lifespan. The higher one’s cultivation, the stronger one’s Three Corpses became. Some Pseudo-Immortals also succumbed to the Three Corpses and reached their end.

That was why even those with earth-shaking cultivation found it hard to cast away their mortal mindset. Even divine beings might not be wholly devoid of emotion and desire.

When Qi Xuansu arrived at the office, he found that Ke Qingqing was already there, tidying the desk, since ordinary attendants were not entrusted with cleaning offices that stored important documents. Everyone had to start somewhere. When Qi Xuansu was a deacon in Tiangang Hall, he had also taken turns cleaning Zhang Yuelu’s office with Mu Jin.

Qi Xuansu offered a word of appreciation for her hard work, then added, “If a kid named Zhou Qingshu comes looking for me later, bring him to me directly.”

Ke Qingqing nodded in acknowledgment.

He entered the inner room and opened the window.

It was late autumn, so only a few withered lotus leaves remained on the pond. Across the pond was Shi Bingyun’s office, separated by a decorative rockery that one could walk through. But this superior of his was often absent. At least for now, there was no sign of activity in her office.

Qi Xuansu sat back at his desk and took out the collector’s edition of the Holy Xuan Cards gifted by Li Qingnu, shuffling through them.

He had to admit that it was worth every coin. Made of pure talismanic material, the cards were waterproof, fireproof, and dust-repellent. Even non-cultivators who secreted body oils could not stain them. The material was so hard it could be used as a throwing knife. The calligraphy and illustration on the cards were also leagues better than standard ones, with an almost embossed effect.

“Hmm, this really is quality stuff. Next time I play cards, I’ll use this set,” Qi Xuansu murmured to himself. “And if I run out of money, I can always resell it.”

He had just flipped through most of the deck when the voice transmission talisman lit up. He stored the cards back into his magical receptacle, tapped the talisman, and answered, “Has Zhou Qingshu arrived? Bring him to the reception hall.”

Qi Xuansu headed to the reception hall. Not long after, Ke Qingqing arrived with Zhou Qingshu in tow. The boy was visibly nervous. Though the distance from the Yuhuang Palace gate to Qi Xuansu’s office was short, it had left him awestruck. The carved beams, painted rafters, pavilions, and towers exuded celestial grandeur, and everyone he saw looked like divine beings from a painting.

“Don’t be nervous. Sit and speak freely.” Qi Xuansu offered.

Zhou Qingshu carefully sat down, perched just on the edge of the seat.

A moment later, Ke Qingqing brought in tea, overwhelming Zhou Qingshu even more.

Qi Xuansu gestured for Ke Qingqing to stay and help take notes.

The deacon took a seat beside Zhou Qingshu, paper and brush in hand, while Qi Xuansu sat alone across from them.

The moment Ke Qingqing sat down, a faint fragrance wafted toward Zhou Qingshu, making his entire body tense up instantly. He did not even dare to breathe loudly, let alone turn to look at the pretty lady beside him.

Qi Xuansu went straight to the point. “Let’s continue from where we left off yesterday. When exactly did Mei Mei go missing?”

Zhou Qingshu had clearly come prepared. He answered immediately, “The 5th of October.”

Qi Xuansu had returned to Jade Capital on the 2nd of October, met Sage Donghua on the 3rd, departed with Shi Bingyun on the 6th, arrived at the Imperial Capital on the 7th, and officially assumed his post on the 8th. Today was the 9th.

Zhou Qingshu had encountered the old Daoist on the 6th.

“Describe Mei Mei’s appearance—as detailed as possible.” Qi Xuansu instructed.

Having grown up together, Zhou Qingshu remembered his childhood sweetheart vividly and described every detail with great care.

Being a Diviner, Ke Qingqing used her magical power to conjure a cloud. Based on Zhou Qingshu’s description, she shaped the cloud into a human head and adjusted it continuously per his input. This was similar to the portrait of missing persons that government officials provided. Though this lifelike model was worlds apart from those crude drawings.

This was the advantage of Diviners. Though not as formidable in combat as Martial Arts Practitioners, the former surpassed the latter in many other aspects. Martial Arts Practitioners were good for little besides brute strength, and they ate a lot. Heavenly-Being Martial Arts Practitioners could not practice the Fasting Technique because they still required large amounts of food to replenish their blood qi.

Qi Xuansu gave Ke Qingqing a summary of the situation and instructed, “Deacon Ke, this case involves someone impersonating the Wanxiang Daoist Palace to commit fraud. Since it concerns the reputation of the Daoist Order, it must not be taken lightly. Lead a team and accompany this boy to the Mei residence. Understand the situation in detail, and while you’re at it, check if other families might have been tricked as well.”

Ke Qingqing’s expression turned solemn as she acknowledged the order.

If it had merely been a case of a missing child, the Daoist Order might not have paid much attention and might have even pushed the matter onto the local government office. But since someone was using the name of the Wanxiang Daoist Palace to commit fraud, the Daoist Order had no choice but to take it seriously. That was why Qi Xuansu had emphasized impersonation rather than abduction. This ensured no one would treat the matter lightly, and it also made it easier to request help from other Superintendents.

Qi Xuansu then turned to Zhou Qingshu. “Bring Deacon Ke to Mei Mei’s home and follow her instructions.”

Zhou Qingshu did not try to kowtow again. Instead, he rose and bowed with cupped hands. “Thank you for your kindness, Mage. A great person like you will surely ascend to immortality.”

Qi Xuansu waved his hand. “As I said, this is merely our duty. Go along now.”

Only then did Zhou Qingshu follow Ke Qingqing out of the reception hall.

Qi Xuansu remained in the reception hall for a while longer before getting up and leaving as well.

As he exited the Yuhuang Palace, he saw two men standing nearby—Song San and Wu Si.

Qi Xuansu smiled as he walked over. “Did you two enjoy yourselves last night? I was just about to look for you, and here you are already. You’re great at reading minds!”

Song San chuckled shyly. “You flatter us, Mage.”

“Well, perfect timing—I need your help with something.”

Song San quickly responded, “Whatever you need, just give the order. We dare not claim to help you, Mage.”

Qi Xuansu said, “You two have been in the Imperial Capital for a long time, so I imagine you have quite a few informants under you, right?”

“Yes, Mage.” Song San admitted without hesitation.

Most Green Phoenix Guards maintained a network of informants who appeared no different from regular citizens but who would report any suspicious activity to them, acting as their eyes and ears. Though Song San and Wu Si acted submissively in front of Qi Xuansu, they held some status in the Imperial Capital’s underworld and commanded a fair number of informants. Thus, they usually lounged in teahouses and only took to the streets when they received intel.

Yesterday, they had received a report from an informant about a new face in town, which was why they had intercepted Qi Xuansu. However, their encounter turned out to be a blessing in disguise. They managed to latch onto the big tree that was Qi Xuansu, gaining a new and powerful backer.

Qi Xuansu continued, “Lately, someone has been impersonating personnel of the Wanxiang Daoist Palace to commit fraud in the capital. I imagine you’ve heard something. The Imperial Capital Daoist Mansion is undergoing some restructuring, so most of us—myself included—have just transferred from other regions and aren’t familiar with the local situation. So I’d like your help in gathering information. If you hear anything, don’t act rashly or alert the enemy. Just report it to me, and I’ll take care of the rest.”

As long as it did not involve risking their lives, Song San and Wu Si would gladly agree to anything. After all, it was the informants who would be doing the legwork. They just needed to pass along the orders.

Qi Xuansu pulled a large cash note worth 100 Taiping coins from his sleeve and handed it to Song San.

The Green Phoenix Guard quickly declined. “It’s just a small favor. We dare not accept this, Mage.”

Qi Xuansu chuckled. “My strongest impression of the Imperial Capital is how expensive everything is. As they say, living in a big city isn’t easy. These 100 Taiping coins aren’t much in the Imperial Capital, and they’re not all for you. This is actually for the people working under you—the runners doing the actual legwork. Since this isn’t an official Green Phoenix Guard assignment, we can’t let them exert themselves for nothing. Consider it a tea-time treat for your people.”

“If you insist, Mage. I’ll thank you on their behalf.” Song San finally accepted the cash note.

Of course, Qi Xuansu was not normally this generous. But since these were for official matters, he could reimburse this expense later from his superior, Shi Bingyun.

Qi Xuansu’s plan was simple. He would use the Imperial Capital Daoist Mansion’s authority to investigate openly, which would surely alarm the culprits. Meanwhile, he would also deploy the Green Phoenix Guards’ informants to probe in secret. As long as the criminals were spooked and made any move, the rats in the city’s underworld were bound to leak some information.