A Pawn's Passage

After finishing The Rise and Fall of the Eleven Witches, Qi Xuansu found himself with even more questions.

His dreams always ended with him falling into a crimson pool. If the towering figure he saw was truly Wu Xian, what did it mean? Was Wu Xian calling out to him for help?

It was evident that Wu Xian had died, but not completely. Even a flawed Elixir of Immortality would grant undying abilities. Having tested it on herself, Wu Xian could likely resurrect from the dead. That was why Wu Luo and the other four witches sealed Wu Xian in a tomb and submerged her beneath a river of blood.

Since Wu Xian existed in this bizarre state between life and death, she would not be subject to the once-a-century Heavenly Tribulation.

However, Qi Xuansu had no idea where the Nether Valley was. Since it was explicitly mentioned in the book, it implied the Daoist Order knew about this old history and likely had already explored the place. Perhaps they had even unearthed Wu Xian and brought her into their ranks, granting her a title of Great Sage like they did with True Lord Taiyin.

Even if the Daoist Order was unaware of the Nether Valley, Qi Xuansu knew he could not seek it out. The four Great Witches did not kill Wu Xian for power. They only killed her because she had gone mad. As the head of Ancient Wuism, Wu Xian had to be an Immortal at the very least. If Qi Xuansu encountered a deranged Immortal, his end would be tragic. At best, he would die immediately; at worst, he would become a zombie puppet, a fate worse than death.

Aside from the suspicion that the shadow might be Wu Xian, there was another thing Qi Xuansu could not make sense of.

If the eleven shadows in his dream represented the Eleven Great Witches, then what could it possibly mean when one corresponding witch appeared and merged with him every time he fused with a Xuan Jade? Did each Xuan Jade correspond to a different witch’s lineage?

That would make some sense. After all, the Longevity Stone originated from Ancient Wuism, and the Xuan Jade was a derivative of the later Longevity Stone Heart. So it was reasonable that the Xuan Jade was linked to the Great Witches. But then Qi Xuansu could not help but wonder—would a manmade Banished Immortal like him be considered a Daoist disciple or a Wuist one? Was Wuism originally Daoism? Or was Daoism once Wuism?

If the Daoist Order intended to integrate Ancient Wuism while pursuing the unification of the Three Religions, how would they be any different from the Heavenly Court, which claimed to have unified five religions? Also, did Li Changge experience the same strange dreams? Did Li Changge see the Great Witches approach him when he fused with the Xuan Jades?

What was clear now was that Li Changge’s Longevity Stone Heart did not come from the Lingshan Paradise. Instead, it was a relic passed down within the Li family. There was also a possibility that the Li and Yao families had each altered their own Longevity Stone Hearts, making the two hearts differ.

Qi Xuansu had an excellent relationship with Zhang Yuelu and a decent one with Yao Pei, but his rapport with Li Changge was lackluster at best. It would not be easy to ask him directly, so Qi Xuansu could only harbor doubts.

In truth, Qi Xuansu could also ask Madam Qi, but she most likely would not tell him the truth.

He had poured his heart out to her the last time they met in the Dream Meeting, but Madam Qi’s response had been ambiguous. Even now, he did not know whether what she said was true or just another fabrication.

Qi Xuansu’s head was already filled with questions. If he had to listen to another one of Madam Qi’s ramblings, he would likely end up with more confusion than clarity.

His mind was spiraling, turning into a muddled mess, when Zhang Yuelu walked in.

Qi Xuansu perked up. “What’s the result?”

Zhang Yuelu smiled. “Acting Deputy Hall Master Li, Special Envoy Han, and Superintendent Lu had no objections. They agreed to report it to the Golden Tower Council.”

Qi Xuansu followed up. “Acting Deputy Hall Master Li didn’t show any reaction? Since you and Yao Pei are both aware of these hidden secrets, he should also be privy to them as the young patriarch of the Li family, right?”

Zhang Yuelu pondered for a moment, then shook her head. “Acting Deputy Hall Master Li didn’t react at all. He didn’t even ask a question. It was as if he was just going through the motions.”

Qi Xuansu could not tell whether Li Changge had something up his sleeves or if he, too, had similar dreams, which would explain why he was not surprised by Qi Xuansu’s description.

“What’s wrong? You look worried,” Zhang Yuelu asked.

Qi Xuansu handed her the book that Yao Pei had given him and voiced several of his doubts.

After listening, Zhang Yuelu gave Qi Xuansu an unexpected answer. “As for your first question, I can answer with certainty that Wu Xian has already broken free. The Zhang family has clear records of this as well.”

That was the benefit of being a thousand-year-old clan. Their archives had never been interrupted.

Among the few surviving ancient noble clans, the Duke Yansheng’s lineage had been forced to migrate south due to wars in the north, splitting into the northern and southern branches, hence resulting in occasional gaps in their historical records.

The Li family was an even murkier case. Though they claimed to be descendants of the Primordial Daoist Ancestor and the royal family of the Qi Dynasty, the capital at the time was in Xijing Prefecture, while the Li family had established themselves in Donghai. Whatever had transpired in between was unclear. The Lis were either falsely claiming royal lineage, or they had fled and migrated repeatedly. With a clearly turbulent history, it was highly likely that the current Li family was not the main branch but a powerful offshoot. This was evident because the Li family was not counted among the Three Great Families that had been publicly acknowledged.

Only the Zhang family had continuously resided in Shangqing Prefecture of Wuzhou. From the Heavenly Sect to the current Zhengyi Sect, their lineage remained unbroken. Thus, their family records had never been interrupted. As long as one had the heart to study such matters, one could uncover many secrets unknown to outsiders.

Of course, not just anyone was allowed access to these records. Zhang Yuelu had a special identity. Although the Zhang family had not given her much tangible support, they would never obstruct her in these matters. She was even permitted to meet with the Heavenly Preceptor frequently and receive his personal instruction, so many of the secrets she knew came directly from him.

Zhang Yuelu explained, “Wu Xian never died because she had consumed the Elixir of Immortality. Due to the tomb’s suppression, she remained in a state of suspended animation and slumber. Many years later, someone broke into the tomb and awakened her. That person was extraordinary in their own right, known to the world as the Five Demon Sect Master, Zhang Luxu.

“According to the records, Zhang Luxu used clues left behind by Wu Gu to find his way into the tomb, where he met Wu Xian. By then, Wu Xian had regained partial awareness and struck a deal with him. She would help him become a Godly Immortal, and in return, Zhang Luxu would help her escape the tomb. A Godly Immortal was like a candle that would eventually burn out. The key to achieving immortality as a Godly Immortal lies in igniting the divine fire.”

Zhang Yuelu paused and asked, “Do you know what it means to light the heavenly lantern?”

Qi Xuansu replied, “I’ve heard of it. You carve a hole into a corpse’s abdomen, insert a wick, and use the body’s fat as wax, burning it like a candle.”

“Zhang Luxu was a madman—bold in thought and action,” Zhang Yuelu continued. “He used a similar method to lighting the heavenly lantern, with Wu Xian’s body as the wax and divine power as oil to ignite the divine fire. That was how he became a Godly Immortal in an incredibly short time. During the process, his divine golden body and Wu Xian’s corpse fused. Thus, he became a Godly Immortal, and Wu Xian was freed. However, whether this method is aligned with Wu Xian’s true intentions is hard to say.”

Qi Xuansu pressed further. “And then?”

“Then Zhang Luxu was subdued by the Daoist Order,” Zhang Yuelu replied. “After his death, the Yao family’s ancestor received Wu Xian’s lineage through some twist of fate. Some say she was the reincarnation of Wu Xian. At the time, the Daoists simply referred to her as the Great Witch.”

Hearing this, Qi Xuansu suddenly recalled an incident. When he went through the Ghost Pass with Yao Pei, they had met Master Yin briefly. Upon seeing Yao Pei, Master Yin had instantly exposed the truth about Yao Pei’s identity, calling out her witch’s bloodline. That explained why Yao Pei could subdue the Staff of Merit, as that relic originated from Ancient Wuism. Even the Holy Xuan would have needed to reach the Zaohua stage to be able to wield it freely, but Yao Pei could command this staff in the Xiaoyao stage because of her bloodline.

Yao Pei did mention earlier that the second-generation Earthly Preceptor was the last person to enter the Lingshan Paradise. Qi Xuansu also recalled the biography of that Yao family’s ancestor. Her tale was truly legendary. She had once been a mere noble’s daughter, yet seemingly overnight, she had become a figure of immense power within the Daoist Order.

Connecting the two, Qi Xuansu could not help but develop a rather shocking hypothesis.

The second-generation Earthly Preceptor did not merely inherit Wu Xian’s lineage, nor was she Wu Xian reincarnated. She was Wu Xian herself! If Wu Xian could merge with Zhang Luxu, why couldn’t she have merged with the Yao family’s ancestor?

That would explain why Yao Pei possessed the bloodline of a Great Witch and why the Yao family knew so many secrets about the Lingshan Paradise. Who else would understand the Lingshan Paradise better than Wu Xian, the former leader of Ancient Wuism?

It would also explain why the Quanzhen Sect, led by the Yao family, was distant from the Lingshan Witch Cult, unlike the Zhang family’s close ties to the Ziguang Society. The Heavenly Preceptor Zhang Wushou was a descendant of True Lord Ziguang, while Wu Luo was one of Wu Xian’s murderers. Since Wu Luo inherited Wu Xian’s position afterward, the former was likely the mastermind of the latter’s murder. Naturally, Wu Xian would no longer hold onto any sisterly affection for Wu Luo.

At this point, everything became clear to Qi Xuansu. His Longevity Stone Heart came from the Lingshan Paradise, and the Yao family’s ancestor was Wu Xian. The dark figure he saw in his dreams must be Wu Xian.

Qi Xuansu shared this theory with Zhang Yuelu in detail.

Zhang Yuelu was not surprised by this. “There have been such speculations in historical records, but since there’s no solid evidence, they’ve remained as mere conjectures. The only ones who know the full story are the Great Witch herself and the Holy Xuan.”

Qi Xuansu mused, “If only I could speak openly with Li Changge, I might get an answer...”

Zhang Yuelu suddenly said, “Tian Yuan, since you’ve already met my parents and my master, could I meet Madam Qi, your adoptive mother?”

Qi Xuansu’s expression froze. “Uh, well...”

“If it’s inconvenient, then forget it.” Zhang Yuelu played it coy.

Qi Xuansu had no choice but to say, “Madam Qi is as elusive as a dragon. I haven’t seen her in a while either. But when I see her next time, I’ll ask her what she thinks.”

“Alright.” Zhang Yuelu nodded, looking pensive.