A Pawn's Passage

Seeing Qi Xuansu fall into long, brooding silence, Shangguan Ya refrained from speaking rashly.

There were questions Qi Xuansu did not want to dwell on, yet could not avoid thinking about.

The inconsistencies in the matter were simply too glaring. So he could not deceive himself even if he wanted to.

Madam Qi’s words were not entirely false. They were always a blend of truth and lies. She claimed to have a son, but no one had ever seen that son, let alone one who resembled Qi Xuansu.

If her claim was false, then there had to be another deeper reason.

Though Qi Xuansu had long grown accustomed to being used as a pawn, it did not mean he liked it, and it certainly did not mean he wished to remain one forever.

That left him deeply conflicted. If he asked Madam Qi about it point-blank, she would surely refuse to answer. Qi Xuansu also could not go to the Earthly Preceptor. These two were always shrouded in an air of mystery. Sometimes, it felt as if their secrecy betrayed the truth they sought to conceal.

However, if not for Madam Qi, Qi Xuansu would not even be alive to complain about his situation. Without the Earthly Preceptor, he also could not rise through the ranks so quickly. Thus, Qi Xuansu owed them his life. How could he dare ask for more?

This placed him in a painful dilemma, and at times, he even suspected there was more to his birth than he knew. But his painfully mediocre aptitude was a constant reminder that he was just an ordinary man.

After all, a true incarnation of an Immortal would be like Izanami or the Heavenly Empress, able to attain immortality just as easily as breathing. Even the lesser Three Corpse incarnations, like Lin Lingsu and the Three Great Kami, had all shown early signs of transcendence.

This was how the Banished Immortal lineage came about. They had Immortal aptitude but were banished to the mortal world.

But Qi Xuansu was not talented. Without the Longevity Stone Heart, he was just a Kunlun-stage Xiantian Being in his twenties and would have long been categorized as having no hope of achieving immortality.

Moreover, Heavenly Immortals’ incarnations, upon reaching the Wuliang stage, would begin regaining fragments of their former memories, becoming vaguely aware of the purpose behind their descent to the mortal world. But Qi Xuansu showed no such signs. No new memories surfaced, nor any sudden realization.

No matter how he looked at it, he had nothing in common with either a Heavenly Immortal incarnation or a Three Corpse incarnation. He was just an ordinary man.

The speculation that he might be some exalted figure’s illegitimate child also made little sense. If he truly were someone’s son, why would they abandon him as a baby and let him fend for himself in childhood, nearly dying at the hands of Yue Liuli and Wan Xiuwu, only to later bestow upon him an unimaginable fortune, with no preparation or concern for whether he could even withstand it? Such behavior was too disjointed and illogical. Usually, one would either abandon a child entirely or nurture him from the start. There was no such thing as caring halfway.

Since Qi Xuansu could not make sense of it, he decided to stop thinking about it for now. Perhaps he would have to personally visit the Lingshan Paradise to uncover the truth.

For the moment, his priority was resolving the Poluo Daoist Mansion’s affairs. More specifically, he had to continue investigating the secret societies and the leakage of dragon qi through the Yu King.

Thus, Qi Xuansu returned to the main subject. “This time, I invited you through Madam Qi because I wish to ask for your help with something.”

Shangguan Ya replied, “I was the one who presumptuously spied on you earlier, so I would like to apologize for my offense. Logically, I should help you without any compensation as an apology. However, before I came, my leader specifically instructed me to bring back the Taiping coins that you two have already agreed upon. So I hope you will forgive me, Second Deputy Qi.”

Qi Xuansu nodded. “Yes, I made a deal with her.”

He took out an official cash note from his sleeve that he had already prepared. “Please verify it, Daoist Shangguan.”

Shangguan Ya merely scanned it briefly with her artificial eye before tucking it away. “Not a single coin missing. The leader said that once the payment is received, the Eight Tribes will provide our full support.”

The leader mentioned was referring to Madam Qi. Under her leadership, everything ran like a business transaction.

Qi Xuansu briefly recounted the situation, then said, “I want to know whether the Yu King’s illness is genuine or feigned. If it’s real, I want to know exactly what the illness is.”

Shangguan Ya mused, “So, you find it hard to tell if this King is loyal or not.”

Qi Xuansu nodded. “If he is loyal to the Dao, then I’ll have to trouble you to treat him as well.”

Shangguan Ya paused briefly, then agreed. “No problem. The Heaven Tribe has many healing arts, as we have studied the Longevity Stone relentlessly. Compared to the cautious approach of Huasheng Hall, we like to take the unconventional path. So we can certainly save those whom the Huasheng Hall cannot save.”

“That’s a bold claim! I hope you won’t disappoint me, Daoist Shangguan,” Qi Xuansu said with a faint smile.

Shangguan Ya made no further comment, her proud silence a testament to her confidence.

Qi Xuansu then produced two medical records from the Huasheng Hall and handed them to her. “We’ll enter the royal palace tomorrow.”

Shangguan Ya lowered her head and began reading through the case files.

The next morning, Qi Xuansu led his entourage to the royal palace of the Yu Kingdom.

After the Daoist Mansion Council and the incident involving Queen Dowager Yang E, the royal palace had fallen completely under Qi Xuansu’s control. Previously, with Chen Shuhua’s agents watching every move, it had been inconvenient to openly investigate certain matters. But now, things were far smoother.

Shangguan Ya blended in among Qi Xuansu’s entourage. Today, she was not wearing her signature black veil hat, as that attire was overly conspicuous within the Daoist Order. Instead, she wore a hooded cloak. Though such clothing was strange for the summer season, many cultivators were impervious to heat and cold, so it did not draw much attention.

Before long, Qi Xuansu reached the King’s residence. The palace was now heavily guarded without a single leak. However, Qi Xuansu had overlooked one detail—Chen Shuhua.

Although Chen Shuhua’s agents had been dismissed, she could still enter the royal palace. After all, she was the Yu King’s sister, so Qi Xuansu could hardly bar a woman from visiting her ailing brother. No matter what, appearances had to be maintained, and without solid proof, Qi Xuansu could not treat the King as a criminal. Moreover, Chen Shuhua was the Chief Deputy, nominally outranking Qi Xuansu.

Since Chen Shuhua had come in person, none of the Spirit Guards or Daoist priests on duty could stop her in Qi Xuansu’s absence. Even if Qi Xuansu himself were there, keeping her out would not be easy.

Chen Shuhua’s arrival was abrupt, just slightly earlier than Qi Xuansu. Even if someone wanted to send him word, it would have been too late.

That made Qi Xuansu suspicious. Had someone leaked his plans? Or did the royal family have their own network of informants? Or perhaps Chen Shuhua was simply being cautious, taking preventive measures as a matter of habit.

Qi Xuansu met Chen Shuhua in the King’s study, located between the outer and inner halls. She sat squarely in the chair behind the desk, composed and steady, as though she were the true master of this palace.

Seeing this, Qi Xuansu motioned for his entourage to remain outside. Soon, only the two of them remained within the hall.

Qi Xuansu initiated the conversation. “Chief Deputy Chen, may I ask where the Yu King is?”

Chen Shuhua smiled. She was far more composed than usual. “Second Deputy Qi, there’s no need to be so anxious. I’m sure you’ve already heard that His Majesty has suffered a serious illness. His life is not in danger, but his health is much weaker than before. He’s just taken his medicine and fallen asleep. I imagine you wouldn’t wish to disturb a patient, would you? So please wait for him to wake.”

She gestured toward a nearby embroidered stool and said, “Second Deputy Qi, no need to stand on ceremony. Please, sit.”

Sitting comfortably in the main chair while offering Qi Xuansu a stool was an obvious power move.

Naturally, Qi Xuansu refused to play along. He asked directly, “Chief Deputy Chen, what medicine has His Majesty taken? Who prescribed it? Has it been verified by the Huasheng Hall?”

Chen Shuhua replied, “Of course, the prescription has been reviewed by the Huasheng Hall. Though at the time, you hadn’t yet arrived in Poluo.”

Qi Xuansu continued, “May I have a look at that prescription?”

“Of course,” Chen Shuhua said with a faint smile. “But I have one small request. I’ve heard that you carry a semi-immortal blade. May I have a look at it? Consider it an exchange.”

Qi Xuansu hesitated for a moment, then nodded. “Sure.”

Chen Shuhua produced the prescription and a pill.

Qi Xuansu’s eyes flickered with intent as he drew his blade, the Pure Bodhi, and handed it to her.

The two exchanged their respective items.

Chen Shuhua drew the Pure Bodhi from its sheath. In an instant, its gleam illuminated her face. As the Chief Deputy Mansion Master, she had seen countless famed blades, yet even she could not help but linger on this one for a while.

When the blade was fully unsheathed, a piercing chill brushed across her skin, clearing her mind entirely. She saw her own reflection on the blade’s clear surface, clearer even than the imported glass mirrors from the West.

Traditionally, mirrors in the Central Plains were made of polished bronze, so reflections were dull and hazy. But the Western glass mirrors reflected sharp and flawless images to the smallest detail. Thus, they had become highly prized among the women of noble families. They replaced the old seated dressing mirrors with towering full-length ones, framed and based in gold, inlaid with pearls and gemstones.

The fact that Pure Bodhi’s blade could rival the glass mirror and far surpass bronze mirrors spoke volumes of its craftsmanship.

Chen Shuhua extended a slender finger and tapped the blade lightly. It was as though a pebble had fallen into a still lake. The ripples spread outward, blurring her reflected face upon the steel.

Her expression turned contemplative. It’s not this semi-immortal object. Could Qi Xuansu truly possess a third semi-immortal object?