A Pawn's Passage

Master Yin turned around with a warm smile. “We meet again, my friend. Just as we hoped, you didn’t disappoint us. You’ve made it all the way to the Imperial Capital, so it seems your meteoric rise is just around the corner!”

“You flatter me, Master Yin,” Qi Xuansu replied sheepishly.

By now, Qi Xuansu had more or less figured out the intentions of the Three Yin Beings. They had no desire to break from the Daoist Order, nor did they seek to crown themselves as kings. What they wanted was to find an ally or a backer for the long road ahead, someone of their own in the upper echelons of the Daoist Order. What they were after was the indebtedness of a future leader.

Clearly, the Three Yin Beings already had a high status, but that came with limitations. Their positions were stable but stagnant. In contrast, many young Daoists held low ranks now, but their futures were boundless.

However, the Three Yin Beings’ peculiar identities made it difficult to approach the truly promising ones—figures like Zhang Yuelu, Yao Pei, and Li Changge. Though brilliant and full of potential, they were also highly visible and watched by many. Anything the Three Yin Beings offered might seem meager in comparison. Or worse, they might arouse suspicion from the powerful families behind those youths.

More importantly, those three prodigies lacked nothing. Even if they did want something, it was not what the Three Yin Beings could give. Embellishing something already perfect was easy, but helping someone in their time of need would be remembered forever. The returns were vastly different.

Thus, they chose to take a gamble and picked Qi Xuansu.

The most immediate reason was the Xuan Jade of Death. At the time, Qi Xuansu was unsure why they picked him. But after hearing the truth from Sage Cihang, the pieces finally fell into place.

The Three Yin Beings had lived for centuries, so their knowledge and insight were far beyond the average person. They understood the true secrets of the creation projects. Though they said they were impressed by the Xuan Jade of Death, what truly mattered to them was the Embedded Longevity Stone Heart. After all, anyone could acquire the Xuan Jade, but not just anyone could merge with it. The fact that Qi Xuansu could merge with it made him stand out. That was the real reason why they had chosen him.

They placed their hopes in the future. Helping Qi Xuansu now was an exchange, an investment of sorts.

Everything Qi Xuansu received now already came with a price tag, whether he realized it or not. It was all a form of credit.

Sometimes, Qi Xuansu could not help but wonder. Madam Qi was not just a successful businesswoman, but a truly powerful one. For all she had given him, what was the price she had marked on him in invisible ink?

There was a saying that one would profit tenfold for tilling the land and a hundredfold for selling gems and jewelry. But the returns in backing a founding emperor were boundless.

However, now was not the time to dwell on such thoughts. Qi Xuansu could not help but ask, “Master Yin, are they dead?”

“They’re not dead. I’m sure you’ve heard the saying that when a person dies, their light goes out. Both the Daoist Order and the Imperial Court have something called a life lamp. The idea is simple. They gather a bit of blood as oil and a strand of one’s soul for the wick, forming a lamp that is tied to one’s life. So long as the person lives, the lamp stays lit. If they die, it goes out. If I had killed them, their life lamps would’ve extinguished, and that might’ve brought you some trouble, young friend. So I took the liberty of sparing them for now. But if you truly feel they must die, it’s no trouble. I can deal with it.”

Qi Xuansu hurriedly said, “Master Yin, you’re thoughtful as always. It’s best not to kill them. Yes, it’s definitely better not to.”

Master Yin nodded. “Then I’ll invite them to be my guests in the Ghost Kingdom.”

Hearing this, Qi Xuansu grew curious. “Guests?”

“You’ll understand soon enough.” Master Yin pointed to the swirling portal into the Ghost Kingdom.

It was not Qi Xuansu’s first time entering the Ghost Kingdom, so he only hesitated briefly before following Master Yin through the portal.

Come to think of it, he had been to Master Wan’s residence, where a palace served as his stool, and to Madam Bai’s eerie Blood Lake and Emperor Willow. But he had never once visited Master Yin’s abode. The elder seemed to spend most of his time in the Ghost Pass and rarely returned to the Ghost Kingdom.

The Three Yin Beings rarely gathered together, which made sense. After two centuries of knowing each other, they were likely long sick of one another. Why meet if they didn’t have to? It was better to go their own ways and only gather when business demanded it.

But surely, Master Yin had a home in the Ghost Kingdom. After all, he was the strongest of the Three Yin Beings and their unofficial leader. Both Master Wan and Madam Bai had once been grievously wounded. But this millennial ghost remained whole.

Once through the portal, Qi Xuansu did not find himself inside the inner palaces, but among the bustling streets outside. It was the same area where he had once retrieved the Ghosthead Machete.

However, the marketplace here was vast. That day, he had been fleeing for his life and had not explored much. Thus, everything looked unfamiliar to him.

Looking around, Qi Xuansu saw no sign of Master Yin or the four captured Heavenly Beings. But in the distance stood a small courtyard, like a rural private academy, a home for the schoolteacher and a classroom for young children.

Qi Xuansu had a hunch that this was Master Yin’s home, so he stepped through the gate.

Sure enough, just past the gate, he saw a black horse wandering about the courtyard—Bu Yue, his old steed. He had nearly forgotten about Bu Yue after leaving it in the Ghost Kingdom. Once thin and ragged, this horse now gleamed with vitality. Its coat was so black it seemed to shimmer, and a faint mist clung to its body.

Bu Yue recognized its old master. It was stunned for a moment, then trotted over and rubbed its head affectionately against Qi Xuansu.

Qi Xuansu had never been particularly fond of horses. He gave Bu Yue a casual pat and continued deeper into the courtyard.

Pushing open the door, Qi Xuansu stepped into what looked like a children’s classroom. To his surprise, it was quite spacious, with enough room for about 50 students. The desks and chairs were neatly arranged, and the teacher’s seat at the front was currently empty.

That in itself was not odd. What was eerie was that most of the seats were filled—not by children, but by adults.

With a quick glance, Qi Xuansu counted roughly 20 people. Among them were the four White Robes, including Du Yuyan.

So this was where Master Yin had sent them after capturing them.

The four White Robes sat perfectly still at their desks, expressionless, like clay dolls or lifeless puppets. The sight sent a chill down his spine.

He looked again at the others. They too wore the same vacant expressions, as though their souls had been extracted and only the shell remained.

Some were dressed in Daoist robes; others resembled Confucian scholars; a few were bald monks; some looked like they were from the Golden Horde, the Western Region, and even the Western Continent. There was a strange mix of black-haired, blond-haired, and white-haired students with different appearances and clothes, but their dazed expressions were all the same, as if they had lost their souls.

A thought struck Qi Xuansu. He activated his Yin-Yang Eyes. In an instant, he saw thin, hairlike threads of darkness extending upward from each of the student’s crowns, vanishing through the ceiling into parts unknown.

They were turned into string puppets, as if an invisible hand above the ceiling was manipulating them by their strings.

Fortunately, that hand had no interest in putting on a show—for now. The puppets sat quietly, unmoving.

Qi Xuansu understood now. Master Yin did not immobilize people with his gaze alone. When he looked at someone, an invisible thread latched onto them, draining their soul and turning them into puppets.

The realization sent a shiver down Qi Xuansu’s spine. If he had not been an ally of Master Yin and had stumbled into this millennial ghost’s path by mistake, he would have stood little chance against such an uncanny, unfathomable power.

Just then, the door behind him creaked open.

Qi Xuansu nearly jumped out of his skin. He whirled around, only to see Master Yin’s granddaughter walking in.

“You’re a grown man, but you’re such a scaredy-cat. How shameful!” The little girl teased while making a silly face and tapping her cheek with a finger.

Qi Xuansu let out an awkward, dry laugh. “Where’s Master Yin?”

“Grandpa’s in the back,” Little Miss Yin replied as she scrambled into the teacher’s seat at the front of the room. She was not even tall enough to reach the seat properly, with her feet dangling above the ground.

Just then, she grabbed the wooden ruler on the desk and smacked it loudly against the table.

The once-silent classroom immediately sprang to life.

The soulless figures began swaying and reciting aloud, their voices rising in chaotic chorus as all of them chanted different Daoist classics.

The little girl reveled in her moment as the schoolteacher, clapping her hands with delight.

Qi Xuansu let out a breath of relief. It seemed Master Yin had no such odd hobbies after all. This bizarre classroom setup was likely just the little girl’s doing.

He made his way toward the rear of the courtyard and found Master Yin seated in a proper study.

Master Yin sat behind his desk, fingers interlaced and resting against his lower abdomen. He was surrounded by books on all sides, on the table and the tightly packed shelves.

However, these books, like the room itself, exuded a yin aura of death and decay. It was as if they were dust-laden relics of some long-forgotten age, entombed for centuries.

“Well, what do you think, my friend?” Master Yin asked.

“Honestly? It’s a little terrifying,” Qi Xuansu replied. “But thinking of Madam Bai and Master Wan’s true forms...I suppose it makes perfect sense.”

Master Yin chuckled warmly. “In that case, you’d best not see my true form. Out of us three, Madam Bai’s the only one who could be called presentable. At least her profile is decent. As for me and Master Wan...well, let’s just say we each have our distinctive features.”

Qi Xuansu gave a polite chuckle and then asked, “Did you take their souls?”

Master Yin shook his head. “That’s something only Ancient Immortals do. The Daoist Order doesn’t allow it. Don’t forget—I, too, am a member of the Daoist Order. All I’ve done is place them in a delusional realm. Barring the unexpected, they’ll sleep until heaven and earth fade.”

Qi Xuansu found himself at a loss for words. In a way, that is a form of death, isn’t it?

Master Yin offered, “Well then, allow me to send you back.”

Qi Xuansu nodded.

Master Yin did not open a portal this time. He simply waved his sleeve.

Darkness fell over Qi Xuansu. He felt like he was entering the Dream Meeting of the Qingping Society. When his eyes cleared again, he was standing within the shrine of an imperial mausoleum.