A Pawn's Passage

Qi Xuansu gave a slight cough, unsure whether to say “you flatter me” or “I’m ashamed.”

In the end, he simply said, “Master Xie, please call me by my given name.”

Generally speaking, inferiors addressed superiors or peers using courtesy names. It was not considered disrespectful for elders to address juniors by their given names. But if a non-parent elder wished to show respect to a junior, they could also use the junior’s courtesy name.

Xie Linyuan smiled and did not put on airs. “I’ll address you by your courtesy name then.”

Among all the elders Qi Xuansu had met, few addressed him by his given name. Most used his courtesy name, since they were not his parents. As for Madam Qi, she would call him “Tian Yuan” when in a good mood and “brat” or “ingrate” when she was upset with him.

Qi Xuansu hesitated briefly before saying, “Master Xie, you may call me Tian Yuan.”

“Tian Yuan, given the sensitivity of our identities, we’d best return to the capital before dawn to avoid suspicion.” Xie Linyuan suggested.

Qi Xuansu nodded in agreement, then asked, “Could the people from The Inn be lying in wait around the capital?”

“That’s unlikely,” Xie Linyuan replied. “Of The Inn’s six top figures, three were already involved. The Server was wounded by Madam Qi, and the Accountant rarely takes part in such matters. Plus, the capital is vast, with 13 gates in the four outer cities. Unless the Owner personally takes action, they don’t have enough experts to lay an ambush around the capital. Still, we’ve been delayed here for a while. If we linger further, the Innkeeper and others may abandon the search and return to the capital.”

Qi Xuansu pondered, then asked, “What about the Divine Central Guard and the Green Phoenix Guard?”

Xie Linyuan replied, “They’re all imperial agencies. The Ministry of War can’t mobilize personnel from the Ministry of Justice. Though the Green Phoenix Guard has close ties with The Inn, they’re the Emperor’s personal troops. Without an imperial decree, they likely won’t act. The Divine Central Guards are stationed at the capital’s outermost edge and operate more freely. It’s possible they might intervene. After all, The Inn’s grudge with us stems from Prince Liao. Logically, he should make a move.”

Qi Xuansu felt a headache coming on. Those Divine Central Guards again.

Xie Linyuan added, “But Prince Liao wouldn’t dare to openly mobilize troops and block all 13 gates of the capital since that would indicate a coup. If he really did that, no matter how much the Emperor trusts him, the authority of the throne would demand a response. At the very least, Prince Liao would lose his position as the Director of the Divine Central Guards. So he likely won’t deploy a large force or heavy weaponry, only a few elite fighters.”

Qi Xuansu’s eyes lit up. “The elite forces of the Divine Central Guard are currently stationed at Wuxing Mountain. In the capital, matters are mainly overseen by the Commandery Prince of Langya. Prince Liao probably can’t dispatch too many elite fighters.”

Xie Linyuan narrowed his eyes. “You mentioned the elite troops of the Divine Central Guard have all gone to Wuxing Mountain?”

Qi Xuansu asked in return, “Didn’t you know that, Master Xie?”

“I’ve heard some rumors, but not the detailed inside story,” Xie Linyuan replied.

That was understandable. Much of what Qi Xuansu already knew was considered top secret to others. After all, his two main sources of information were Sage Donghua and Madam Qi—one from the Daoist Order, and the other from outside it. With both perspectives, he could grasp the Imperial Court’s scheme at Wuxing Mountain. Others only knew part of the truth.

Qi Xuansu did not know why Madam Qi had not told the full truth to the other Qingping Society members. But he was already accustomed to Madam Qi’s unpredictable actions.

Eventually, Qi Xuansu shared part of the truth with Xie Linyuan.

After listening, Xie Linyuan was only slightly surprised because it mostly confirmed his suspicions. After all, as a long-standing figure in the Imperial Cabinet, he could not have been completely unaware.

“The Emperor bypassed the Cabinet and is working with the Taiping Sect, leveraging the unique location of Wuxing Mountain and harnessing the Northern Dragon’s power to create something akin to the Daoist Order’s Sakka.” Xie Linyuan analyzed Qi Xuansu’s explanation before asking, “What is the Daoist Order’s stance on this? Or more specifically, the attitudes of the Quanzhen and Zhengyi Sects?”

Qi Xuansu answered truthfully, “Naturally, they’re trying to stop it at all costs. As for how, by force or otherwise, I don’t know yet. After all, I’m just a fourth-rank Jijiu Daoist master.”

Xie Linyuan commented, “An average fourth-rank Jijiu Daoist master wouldn’t know such insider secrets. This shows that Sage Donghua values you greatly and intends to promote you. If I’m right, this is also a test set by the Earthly Preceptor and Sage Donghua. If you can contribute meaningfully in this matter, you will truly earn their favor. At the very least, you’ll enjoy smooth sailing within the Quanzhen Sect.”

The first half of Xie Linyuan’s words sounded like the usual platitudes. Qi Xuansu already knew he was highly regarded and had a bright future. But the second half about the “test” carried a different, deeper implication.

If he could not pass this test, did it mean that no matter how quickly he rose now, he would still be stuck at some key threshold? After all, the promotion to the second rank was a selective process. Merit alone was not enough. He might not be delayed for long, but even 10 years would turn him from a prospective Great Sage into a potential Omniscient Sage. Add another 10 years, and he would be just a regular Sage.

At the fourth rank, Madam Qi and Pei Xiaolou could still assist Qi Xuansu. But once he advanced to the second rank, it would be much harder for them to help. If Madam Qi had continued her career within the Daoist Order, it might still be possible. But she was a free spirit. No matter how powerful, she could only exert influence indirectly through others. At that point, those who could truly help were the Great Sage and the high-ranking Omniscient Sages.

Cultivation level mattered, but it was not the only criterion. The Daoist Order could create manmade Immortals, so becoming a Heavenly Being was no longer anything extraordinary, unless Qi Xuansu could ascend to the level of a Pseudo-Immortal.

Qi Xuansu still trusted Xie Linyuan’s judgment. After all, people in high positions likely shared the same thoughts.

Xie Linyuan put his Saintly Peace mask back on and said, “It’s getting late. We shouldn’t linger here any longer.”

“What about your injury, Master Xie?” Qi Xuansu asked.

Xie Linyuan replied, “The backlash won’t subside in a short while. Let’s leave this place first and plan further later.”

Qi Xuansu nodded silently and also put on his Gold-Plated Knife mask.

The two left their hiding place. For a Qi Refiner and a Rogue Cultivator, flying or tunneling through the earth was not difficult for them. Unfortunately, they could not open a Yin-Yang Gate like a Diviner. Otherwise, they could have returned to the capital quietly without much effort.

After about an hour, the capital was already visible in the distance. The two did not encounter any ambush from The Inn. Perhaps The Inn feared Qingping Society’s reinforcements, or perhaps the Cook believed that Saintly Peace would not be able to counter the Imitation Shebishi Venom. That was indeed the case. Xie Linyuan had been helpless against the toxin and had no choice but to seek Madam Qi’s help.

Qi Xuansu asked, “How much strength does the Qingping Society actually have in the capital?”

Xie Linyuan did not answer directly. “If we’re only talking about A-rank members, honestly, not many. You must understand one thing—everyone has dual identities and is constrained by them. If you’re a superintendent in the Lingnan Daoist Mansion, you can’t just come to the capital for a revenge mission. Similarly, as a cabinet minister, I can’t go to the Western Region, Liaodong, or Jiangnan. If something happens there, other members must handle it. So while the Qingping Society has great powers, it’s somewhat like the Quanzhen Sect. We can’t easily concentrate all our strength in one place. In this respect, we’re far inferior to The Inn.”

Qi Xuansu nodded. He now understood why it was Drenched Green Robes who represented the Privy Council in handling affairs. It was not because he had the highest cultivation but because he was someone who liked to travel and was not tied to a fixed post. Though Saintly Peace was also a Zaohua-stage Heavenly Being, his identity prevented him from leaving the capital for long.

After Drenched Green Robes died, Madam Qi took over the position. During the calamity in Jinling Prefecture, it was Madam Qi who stepped forward. At that time, it was unclear whether Drenched Green Robes had already been ambushed and killed.

From Qi Xuansu’s perspective, the Head of Society likely also had dual identities. Since they could not manage both roles, the Privy Council was established to exercise most of the authority.

So far, Qi Xuansu had already uncovered the identities of two members of the Privy Council—Madam Qi, who was the Mogul of the Seven Treasure Pavilion, and Xie Linyuan, the Grand Scholar of Wenyuan Pavilion. Both hailed from the prestigious Yao and Xie families, elite clans in the Daoist and Confucian circles, respectively. So, who were the other four members? What about the Head of Society, who was above the Privy Council? Could they be one of the Daoist Order’s Great Sages?

The Daoist Order currently had seven Great Sages, a staggering number that had become the foundation of its overwhelming dominance in the world. The Wanxiang Daoist Palace Master was just one of them. The other six either guarded key regions or had retired from worldly affairs. Nevertheless, their cultivation levels and seniority granted them immense influence.

As for cultivation level, it went without saying that they were at least at the Pseudo-Immortal stage. Sun Hewu once said that if the Palace Master were present at the Wanxiang Daoist Palace, Zhang Wuhen would not be able to stir up any waves.

In terms of seniority, most Omniscient Sages were seventh-generation disciples in their prime, while a few were disciples toward the end of the sixth generation’s 24-year period. But the Great Sages were all among the early sixth generation. Some were even rumored to be legendary fifth-generation disciples.