A Pawn's Passage

Qi Xuansu finally took the bait and could not help but say, “This is even worse than the legendary severance of heaven and earth, when immortality will no longer be possible. Even magic and mystical abilities will vanish. That’s why Sage Donghua keeps going on about where to go from here in the post-Daoist era.”

Madam Qi replied, “Daoists don’t believe in reincarnation. When people die, their souls return to heaven and earth. But if we assume reincarnation is real, then this life will be your last chance to gain immortality. If you fail to attain immortality in this life, you’ll be trapped in this mortal realm for all eternity, never able to transcend.”

Qi Xuansu had not felt much at first. He was still young, after all. Though he had witnessed many deaths, most were violent or untimely. He had not really grasped the natural process of aging and dying.

But after hearing Madam Qi say all that, an inexplicable sense of urgency welled up in him.

Madam Qi continued, “As the paradises descend, the Ancient Immortals will return.”

Qi Xuansu was momentarily stunned. But thinking it over carefully, it did make sense.

Madam Qi explained, “Godly Immortals die three times. The first is when their golden body decays. The second is when their divine kingdom collapses. The third is when no one remembers them anymore. Many immortals have only died the first or second deaths, lying dormant while awaiting a chance to return. This era of uncertainty is exactly that chance.

“They no longer rely on incense offerings. Instead, they revive effortlessly through the surge of karmic fortune, the last burst of radiance before death. Once reborn, they secretly establish cults, gather incense power again, and rebuild their golden bodies and divine kingdoms, all in hopes of ascending before the end of the era.

“This is their last voyage. If they miss it, they will sink into the sea of suffering. Their golden bodies will rot, their divine kingdoms will collapse, and they will enter the second death, falling into eternal slumber with no hope of resurrection. Once they’re completely forgotten, they’ll enter the third death—their true and final death.”

Qi Xuansu finally understood why the Ancient Immortals were so desperate. This was truly a matter of life and death. Even if the Three Religions tried to stop them, they would still make the attempt since it was better than waiting around to die.

But a new doubt arose in him. “Madam Qi, these are undoubtedly monumental matters, earthshaking even. But still, they’re 100 years away, so what’s the rush? What do they have to do with what we’re doing right now?”

“Ugh, you blockhead! Shortsighted fool!” Madam Qi scolded. “He who doesn’t plan for the bigger picture cannot manage even a corner. He who doesn’t consider eternity isn’t fit to decide the moment. Did you come to the Imperial Capital just to get revenge for Drenched Green Robes? Need I remind you of the Northern Dragon?”

Qi Xuansu immediately understood. “Sage Donghua once said that if the plans of the Taiping Sect and the Imperial Court regarding Wuxing Mountain affect the Northern Dragon, it could even trigger the decline ahead of schedule.”

Madam Qi rolled her eyes. “Now do you understand why I’m telling you all this?”

Qi Xuansu began to seriously ponder.

Madam Qi had first talked at length about the long-extinct mind cultivators, then explained what the end of the era meant, and finally touched on the origins and motives of the Ancient Immortals.

First, the Northern Dragon was linked to the end of the era—destroying it might exacerbate that decline. This implied the Northern Dragon was a kind of path to the heavens.

Second, the end of the era was imminent because the mortal realm had become increasingly real as they were currently approaching the end of the Taiji period.

Third, the extinction of mind cultivators was also due to this increasing solidity since heaven’s will had become obscured and unreachable.

Fourth, this was the last radiant bloom before the end of magic and mystical abilities, a time of immense upheaval and karmic resurgence, powerful enough to resurrect even the long-dead Ancient Immortals.

Linking these four points together, Qi Xuansu formed a bold guess. “The Taiping Sect and the Imperial Court intend to use the Northern Dragon as a bridge to create an ancient mind cultivator, one outside the Five Immortal Lineages? That’s not so different from reviving an Ancient Immortal, right?”

This time, Madam Qi was genuinely surprised. She stared at Qi Xuansu for a while before finally saying, “Half the time, I have no idea what goes on in that pea brain of yours. But on the occasion you put your mind to it, you say things like this and actually manage to figure things out.”

Getting Madam Qi’s confirmation, Qi Xuansu was shaken. “What do they plan to do with this mind cultivator?”

“What do you think?” Madam Qi countered.

Qi Xuansu murmured, “Mind cultivators used to borrow heavenly power. But now in the Taiji period, that power’s probably unreachable, just like imperial edicts in a tightly run court. Even if someone had one, let alone a fake one, it might not work. If they could still borrow such heavenly power, the mind cultivators wouldn’t have perished. That means they’ll borrow human power instead. They won’t need to convert incense offerings into divine power and can directly wield the will of the masses. The Imperial Court already commands the people, so they certainly don’t have a problem with that.”

Madam Qi beamed with pride. “Now, that’s the son that I raised with my own hands.”

That was Madam Qi’s usual pattern. If Qi Xuansu did something impressive, like defeating Li Changge, she would proudly boast about having raised him and how nurture was more important than nature. But if he did something shameful, like losing to that flowerbed Daoist Qi Jianyuan, then he would suddenly become Qi Haoran’s disciple or Zhang Yuelu’s lover. Madam Qi was merely his savior and nothing more. Since she never married, where would she get a son? In short, everything dumb thing Qi Xuansu did was not her responsibility.

With a mother like that, it was no wonder Qi Xuansu turned out as such. More often than not, he learned by example. The Madam Qi who casually gave him Xuan Jades was the warm and gentle mother he yearned for, and the Madam Qi who snatched away his money was his wicked stepmother.

Madam Qi added, “The Three Religions are more alike than you think. Daoists’ strength cultivation and mind cultivation mirror the Confucian ideals of perfecting oneself in hard times and helping the world when one has power. Or the Buddhist concepts of Lesser and Greater Vehicles. The Lesser Vehicle saves the self, while the Greater Vehicle saves the masses. Ever since the decline of the Central Buddhist Sect, the Western Region Buddhist Sect has only retained the Lesser Vehicle, focusing on cultivating the self. Mind cultivation takes others into consideration; hence, it can harness the power of the people. In fact, three generations ago, Daoist elders cultivated both strength and mind.”

”Which Daoist elder?” Qi Xuansu frowned in thought.

This time, Madam Qi did not beat around the bush. “It’s the Daoist Master Nanhua, on the Discourse of the Sword.”

Qi Xuansu immediately recited. “The sword of the commoner—hair disheveled, hat drooping, long tassels swaying, short robes at the back, eyes glaring, tone fierce. When conflict arises, they slash at the neck and collar and tear apart the liver and lungs.

“The sword of the nobility—its edge is wisdom and valor, its guard is honesty and purity, its spine is virtue and talent, its pommel is loyalty and sanctity, and its hilt is forged of heroism and strength. When thrust straight, this sword faces no opposition; when raised, nothing is above it; lowered, nothing is beneath it; moved, it lacks no direction. It follows the heavens above and the four seasons below, harmonizing the people within. When wielded, it strikes like thunder.

“The sword of the emperor—it encircles the barbarians, wraps the seasons, sweeps the eastern seas, girds the southern mountains, is governed by the five elements, judged by law and virtue, opened by yin and yang, wielded through spring and summer, and moved in autumn and winter. This sword meets no opposition in any direction. It parts clouds above and severs ley lines below. When used, the world submits.”

Madam Qi said, “The emperor’s sword borrows heavenly power, the nobility’s sword borrows manly power. The sword techniques of strength cultivators, like the Beidou 36 Swords, Nandou 28 Swords, Taiyin 13 Swords, and Cihang Sword Sequence, are all merely part of the commoner’s sword.”

Qi Xuansu could not help but sigh. “The Li family is the best when it comes to wielding the fierce speech of the commoner’s sword. It’s no wonder they are masters of swordsmanship. The emperor’s sword severs the ley lines below, which tells us it counters earth energy. Formations today are all rooted in earth energy, so how could any formation stand against it? If the Imperial Court succeeds, even if they can’t wield the emperor’s sword and only use the nobility’s sword, ordinary Immortals wouldn’t be able to contend directly.”

As he spoke, Qi Xuansu recalled something and asked, “Aren’t mind cultivators emotionless and detached? How would the Imperial Court control such a person?”

“If it’s artificial, then normal rules don’t apply,” Madam Qi said nonchalantly. “What’s wrong with creating a puppet, like the manmade Sakka? Wouldn’t that be entirely within their grasp?”

Qi Xuansu pressed on, “But how could an artificial being comprehend the path of heaven?”

Madam Qi rolled her eyes again. “Mind cultivators comprehend heaven’s will, imitate it, and eventually become one with it. They mold their minds after heaven. In essence, the emperor is the Son of Heaven. A mind cultivator mimics the emperor, enters the palace, and pretends to issue decrees, thereby drawing heavenly power. To impersonate well, one must study its appearance, habits, and temperament. That’s what it means to comprehend heaven’s will. But if there’s a straight road into the palace, why bother with such effort?”

Qi Xuansu suddenly realized, “The Northern Dragon!”

Madam Qi nodded. “The Northern Dragon has six key nodes corresponding to the emperor’s six seals—Kunlun, Nanshan, Zhongyue, Wuxing Mountain, Imperial Capital, and Bohai Prefecture. The Imperial Capital and Bohai Prefecture are too densely populated and too disturbed to reach heaven’s will. Kunlun is the Daoist sacred ground, while Nanshan and Zhongyue lie within the Quanzhen Sect’s territory. That leaves only Wuxing Mountain, which is sparsely populated and close enough to the Imperial Capital.”

All of Qi Xuansu’s questions since arriving in the Imperial Capital had finally been answered by Madam Qi, but in their place arose a new doubt. “Madam Qi, how do you know all these secrets? Surely, only the Emperor and the Imperial Preceptor will have the full picture of schemes of this magnitude.”

Madam Qi gave the same old answer that Qi Xuansu had long grown tired of hearing. “The Qingping Society has great powers and is capable of anything. We will have a way, even if you want to become the Grand Master.”

Qi Xuansu had once half-believed that claim, but not anymore. “If the Qingping Society is so powerful, then how did Drenched Green Robes end up dead?”

Madam Qi could not even be bothered to argue. She replied dismissively, “It’s up to you whether you want to believe it.”

Qi Xuansu remained quiet for a while before suddenly blurting, “Li Changqi!”

Madam Qi did not react at first. After a while, she realized Qi Xuansu was speaking to her and asked, “Who’s Li Changqi?”

Qi Xuansu deliberately tested her. “Stop pretending. I already know that your real name is Li Changqi. You’re a spy the Li family planted within the Yao family.”

Madam Qi stared at Qi Xuansu with a complicated expression. After a long silence, she finally managed to say, “Are you delusional?”