A Pawn's Passage

After Gan Longchi left with Qin Hengde, Su Li was hesitant to speak. Clearly, she acknowledged Qi Xuansu’s determination to uphold the Dao, yet could not understand why he had compromised.

Qi Xuansu gave her a straightforward explanation. “The biggest reason is that I couldn’t beat Gan Longchi. We’re already evenly matched when he’s barehanded against my blade. But if he uses the Darkwater Armor, a top-tier treasure, I’ll surely lose. Then I’d have to call in the Spirit Guards to fight. Never mind how the Imperial Capital Daoist Mansion would punish us afterward, the battle itself would be disastrous, likely resulting in heavy casualties. These Spirit Guards are veterans of the Western Region frontier, so they shouldn’t die in vain here. If I were at the Wuliang stage like Gan Longchi, I’d knock him to the ground in three moves. Forget compromising, I’d have taken him down along with the rest.

“Moreover, the Imperial Court is not like the Daoist Order. They don’t have so many laws and regulations. Their people have always been daring to the point of recklessness. That’s why Jade Capital prides itself on being civilized and criticizes the Imperial Capital as barbaric. This man is a brute, not the kind who cares for reputation. If you push him into a corner, he’ll do anything. I suspect he had plans to silence everyone from the start. If I had refused a private duel, he would have donned the Darkwater Armor, charged in with his men, and killed everyone in the brothel amid the chaos. Later, both sides would tell different stories. We’d say he killed them, but he’d claim it was us or argue it was collateral damage during the fight. The Daoist Order and the Imperial Court would each protect their own, and in the end, this matter would be swept under the rug.”

Su Li recalled what Qi Xuansu had said earlier and could not help but repeat, “In this world, matters that seem resolved often end unresolved.”

“If I’d known, I should have brought some image recording stones to record his true face,” Su Li said regretfully. She was indeed obsessive, but not to the extent of Su Ran. She understood that if one could not win by force, one had to win by wit. In truth, even Su Ran’s approach had been strategic and well thought out. She simply had not accounted for Qi Xuansu as a variable.

Qi Xuansu replied, “Leaving aside how rare and costly image recording stones are, even if we had brought one, with his Wuliang-stage cultivation, he would’ve sensed it instantly. That would be pushing him over the edge and helping him make up his mind to silence us all.”

“How would he dare?” Su Li widened her eyes. “This is the Imperial Capital, the supposed pinnacle of civility!”

Qi Xuansu said, “Normally, the court would never allow him to act so recklessly. But special times allow for exemptions. The court might well turn a blind eye to this, and certain people in our own Daoist mansion would tacitly agree to gloss things over afterward, not pursuing it too harshly. Gan Longchi may be a thug in official robes, but he sees the situation clearly. So even though he played a risky game, it was a calculated risk.”

Su Li frowned. “Superintendent Qi, I’m getting more confused. What do you mean by special times? Who are the people in our Daoist mansion that you’re referring to? Why would they want to gloss things over?”

Qi Xuansu did not answer right away. Instead, he asked deliberately, “Superintendent Su, can I trust you?”

“Of course you can,” Su Li replied earnestly. “I can swear it upon the Primordial Daoist Ancestor.”

Only then did Qi Xuansu divulge some information. “We just weathered hardship together, so this hardly counts as sharing secrets with a stranger. I’ll tell you something confidential. The Imperial Court has deployed the Divine Central Guards to blockade Wuxing Mountain, and a powerful eunuch from Xuanhui Court is stationed there, planning something major. Wuxing Mountain is the reverse scale of the Northern Dragon, a critical location that affects the nation’s fate. The Daoist Order opposes this, so they sent over a five-person delegation. Officially, they’re here to investigate my case, but really, it’s to uncover the truth behind this matter. Thus, a hidden struggle between the Imperial Court and the Daoist Order is unfolding, and undercurrents stir in the Imperial Capital. That’s what I meant by special times.”

Su Li was visibly shocked, not at all feigned. Clearly, the Li family never intended to involve this little fox, whose mind was full of Daoist ideals, in such major affairs. The lesson from Purple Immortal Mountain had been harsh enough. Were it not for Su Ran, the Jinling incident would never have happened.

Qi Xuansu saw through it, which was why he chose to share this with Su Li.

He continued, “As for certain people within our Daoist mansion, I won’t name names since I have no evidence. But think about it carefully. We had just arrested the suspects in Oriental Autumn Villa, yet the Divine Central Guard arrived immediately after. What are the chances of that? Even if Oriental Autumn Villa had sent word the moment it happened, the Divine Central Guard couldn’t have gotten here so fast from their base. After all, not all Black Robes are Heavenly Beings. Someone timed it exactly and tipped them off in advance. Who would know our plans and routes in such detail?”

Su Li was not a fool. With just a bit of thought, she grasped the truth, and her expression changed dramatically. “You mean...the Mansion Master...”

Qi Xuansu cut her off. “I didn’t say anything. You can draw your own conclusions. Think whatever you want.”

Su Li kept quiet.

Qi Xuansu concluded, “As for why they’re covering it up, it’s because the Daoist Order isn’t of one mind. Some stand with the court, so they act from that perspective. We can’t even rule out the possibility that Gan Longchi received subtle signals from influential figures beforehand. That’s why he dared act so brazenly.”

“How despicable and infuriating!” Su Li fumed.

Qi Xuansu observed Su Li quietly. He thought that Su Li was someone worth using. As he prepared to build his own team of confidants, she was a suitable candidate.

This mindset mirrored how Zhang Yuelu once chose to promote him.

But Qi Xuansu had grown quickly. He was already transitioning from being part of Zhang Yuelu’s team to becoming her peer, perhaps even her superior one day, depending on fate.

Qi Xuansu said no more on the matter. He beckoned a few Spirit Guard leaders and instructed, “Send the wounded to the Huasheng Hall. Then take everyone here into custody for identification. Search both inside and out thoroughly. Don’t miss a single clue.”

“Yes, Superintendent!” The Spirit Guards acknowledged in unison.

Qi Xuansu then turned to Su Li. “Superintendent Su, you’ll oversee the process.”

“Of course.” Su Li agreed without hesitation. She had long wanted to uproot Oriental Autumn Villa completely. Now that her wish had come true, her enthusiasm was overflowing.

Qi Xuansu remained where he stood, feeling a bit emotional.

In the blink of an eye, it was nearly New Year. Last year, he spent an uneasy holiday at the Zhang family’s residence and received a grand “gift” from Wu Luo on New Year’s Day. This year, his New Year’s likely would not be much better in the Imperial Capital.

Qi Xuansu turned and left, entering an empty room where he took out the mother-child talisman.

Following Madam Qi’s instructions, he had reported the situation at Wuxing Mountain to Shi Bingyun. The next day, Shi Bingyun gave him three mother-child talismans that allowed direct contact with Sage Donghua.

Qi Xuansu hesitated only briefly before igniting one of the talismans.

Soon, the talisman turned into a light screen, revealing Sage Donghua still seated behind his desk, though not reviewing documents.

“Greetings, Sage Donghua.”

“Tian Yuan, I’ve received your report regarding Wuxing Mountain. You’ve done well, and your merit is acknowledged,” Sage Donghua said, his tone much gentler than in the past.

Qi Xuansu quickly replied, “It’s my duty, so I dare not claim merit.”

Sage Donghua said, “The matter of Wuxing Mountain is still under deliberation in the Golden Tower Council. We must await the final decision of the Heavenly Preceptor and Earthly Preceptor. For now, we are to support the preliminary strategies of the two Deputy Grand Masters by stabilizing the situation in the Imperial Capital and uncovering the truth behind Wuxing Mountain. Tell me about the current state of the capital.”

“Yes.” Qi Xuansu answered, summarizing the events and his own analysis, then pointed out a key concern he had not mentioned to Su Li. “Gan Longchi is not a serious threat, but his backer is Commandery Prince Langya, whose backer is Prince Qi. I fear that offending Commandery Prince Langya rashly might influence Prince Qi’s position and undermine the strategy of the two Deputy Grand Masters and yourself.”

That was also one of the reasons why Qi Xuansu had chosen to compromise. But it was not something he could openly admit to a devout guardian of the Dao like Su Li.

Sage Donghua fell silent for a moment before saying, “Prince Qi hasn’t had much interaction with the Taiping Sect. Overall, he has maintained a neutral stance, so your concern isn’t without reason. But you must also understand two things. First, Commandery Prince Langya and Prince Qi may not share the same views. From Gan Longchi’s demeanor, he has had dealings with certain members of the Imperial Capital Daoist Mansion, but those ties are shallow, not enough for an alliance. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have settled things with a private duel. So remember two distinctions—separate Commandery Prince Langya from those individuals, and separate Prince Qi from Commandery Prince Langya. Do not conflate them.”

“Yes,” Qi Xuansu responded.

Sage Donghua then asked, “Since they’ve created this situation, how do you plan to deal with it?”

Qi Xuansu was already prepared with a straightforward answer. “First, Oriental Autumn Villa must be shut down. The Daoist nuns’ scandal must be thoroughly investigated, though not widely publicized to avoid damaging the reputation and authority of the Daoist Order. Second, using the incident with Gan Longchi as a pretext, we should conduct an internal investigation within the Imperial Capital Daoist Mansion to find out who tipped off Gan Longchi. As you mentioned, they have had dealings but not deep ties, so I don’t believe it was any prominent figure personally delivering the message. They wouldn’t leave behind such evidence. It must have gone through intermediaries. Third, if today’s events have affected Prince Qi’s stance, perhaps a Sage close to him should personally explain the matter. If we let the Li family fan the flames—”

Just then, Sage Donghua suddenly interrupted Qi Xuansu. “Do not utter words that harm unity, and do not speak without evidence. The three sects are one body. We must unite closely around the Grand Master—that is the tripod upon which our Daoist Order stands. Why are you mentioning this family or that family, even naming names?”

Qi Xuansu was momentarily startled, but then he understood. Sage Donghua was not Zhang Yuelu. This was an official report, not a private discussion. Thus, certain sensitive topics should not be spoken of so directly. He immediately corrected himself. “I misspoke. I meant if some ill-intentioned individuals were allowed to sow discord, it might harm the greater good.”

Sage Donghua did not press further or rebuke him. He was more interested in reminding Qi Xuansu to be cautious with his words, so his tone softened again as he said, “I have some rapport with Prince Qi, so I will explain the situation personally. As for your first and second points, I generally agree. The second task will be handed to the five-member team. Maintain unity and be especially wary of any leaks that might cause a negative impact.”

“Understood,” Qi Xuansu replied softly.

With that, Sage Donghua ended the conversation.