A Pawn's Passage

The moment the Spirit Guards helped Wang Jiaoying to his feet, it was as if a spark had fallen into a powder keg. Blazing flames erupted instantly.

Startled, the guards hurriedly let go of Wang Jiaoying.

Upon closer look, they could see faint wisps of smoke seeping from Wang Jiaoying’s orifices. Beneath his exposed skin, it looked as if tiny snakes were writhing restlessly.

Qi Xuansu did not press his advantage. With his hands clasped behind his back, he stood calmly, silently watching Wang Jiaoying.

He intended to win righteously in a decisive match. Thus, he did not use any semi-immortal artifacts, nor any external aids, leaving room for restraint and preserving his composure.

After quite some time, Wang Jiaoying finally caught his breath. His face was still twisted and livid as he said, “Chief Deputy Qi...well played.”

Qi Xuansu did not respond.

The Longevity Stone Heart functioned much like a heart, allowing Qi Xuansu to withdraw and release his power at will. In the earlier exchanges, Qi Xuansu chose to withdraw his power, leaving Wang Jiaoying with nothing to draw in. But in the final strike, Qi Xuansu turned the tables and chose to release his qi, allowing Izanagi’s demonic fire to be absorbed by Wang Jiaoying.

Izanagi’s demonic fire was a sinister technique on par with the Xiaoyao Six Void Tribulations. Ordinary people would flee from it. Even Wu Guangbi had suffered greatly from it.

Since Wang Jiaoying had actively absorbed it in large amounts, he was instantly subdued by the demonic fire. He came perilously close to being forcibly demonized.

This was also the reason Qi Xuansu could not strike a killing blow under so many watchful eyes. Had he disregarded everything and chosen to kill, Wang Jiaoying would already be lying dead on the ground, with no chance of survival.

Wang Jiaoying naturally understood that Qi Xuansu had shown him mercy. With the demonic fire raging inside his body and tormenting him unbearably, he did not dare suggest another round. He feared that provoking Qi Xuansu further would lead to another clash, one where no one else would dare intervene. By then, Qi Xuansu might truly kill him.

However, Wang Jiaoying could not bring himself to abandon his sister.

While Wang Jiaoying hesitated, caught in a painful dilemma, Qi Xuansu was already walking toward him.

Wang Jiaoying tried to move, but the demonic fire within restrained him. Qi Xuansu pressed a single hand onto his shoulder, rendering him completely immobile.

In that instant, many people held their breath, thinking if Chief Deputy Qi was about to strike a lethal blow.

Qi Xuansu had not gone so far as to openly kill a Deputy Mansion Master. With his hand resting on Wang Jiaoying’s shoulder, he swept his gaze across the crowd.

However, no one dared meet Qi Xuansu’s eyes. All of them lowered their heads.

Although this was the Wang family’s estate, it felt as though Qi Xuansu was the true master of the place.

Qi Xuansu finally spoke. “The Nanyang United Trading Company did not grow overnight. After all these years rooted in Nanyang, did you truly notice nothing amiss? Over these years, how much of the Daoist Order’s property has the Nanyang United Trading Company swallowed up? I’m sure you know that better than I do.”

While suppressing the demonic fire with great effort, Wang Jiaoying forced out a reply. “What do I know? You’re simply forcing a charge on me!”

Qi Xuansu gave a cold snort. “Forced charges? The Daoist Order has always believed in innocence until proven guilty. Without concrete evidence and catching someone in the act, there is no crime. Do you think I’m taking Wang Jiaoyan away today on an unfounded accusation? Why do you think that Zheng Jiaohe and Sun Jiaofeng chose suicide? I was still in Lion City when they ended their own lives. You can’t say they were scared of me. I didn’t even realize I wielded such terrifying authority.”

Wang Jiaoying clenched his teeth and said nothing.

Qi Xuansu continued, “The Sun family and the Wang family are closely connected. You and Wang Jiaoyan are kin. Now that the Sun family members and Wang Jiaoyan have been arrested, how long do you think you can remain free? What exactly is the relationship between the Wang family and the Nanyang United Trading Company? I may not yet have sufficient evidence today, but there will come a day when the evidence is complete and the truth fully revealed. The Daoist Order will not spare the monstrous culprits hiding behind the Nanyang United Trading Company!”

Wang Jiaoying’s face turned pale.

The faces of the Wang family members paled as well.

The Spirit Guards who had come with Wang Jiaoying were likewise alarmed.

Whether from pain or terror, Wang Jiaoying’s body trembled slightly. “Qi Xuansu! How dare you fabricate charges and frame a fellow official?!”

Qi Xuansu replied calmly, “I was still in the Imperial Capital last year, and I’ve only just arrived in Poluo from Fenglin. Go back another ten years, and I was still studying at the Wanxiang Daoist Palace. Did I fabricate the fact that the Nanyang United Trading Company embezzled assets from the Daoist Order? Do I own the Nanyang United Trading Company? Or are you suggesting that back when I was studying at the Wanxiang Daoist Palace, I could already remotely command the Nanyang United Trading Company?”

The entire residence fell into a deathly silence.

Qi Xuansu exerted a little more force in his palm. “Deputy Mansion Master Wang, based solely on your defiance of orders and obstruction of an official investigation today, I can already report to the Golden Tower Council for your duties to be suspended.”

Wang Jiaoying’s face turned deathly pale. Beads of sweat the size of soybeans seeped from his forehead, and he could not utter a word.

Qi Xuansu extended a hand toward Zhang Yuelu, who took out a document and handed it to him.

This was the arrest warrant jointly issued by Xu Jiaorong and Zhang Yuelu, the two Second Deputy Mansion Masters who oversaw legal matters in their jurisdiction. Wang Jiaoyan was just a wandering Daoist, so arresting her did not require deliberation by the Daoist Mansion Council. The authority of a Second Deputy Mansion Master was sufficient.

Qi Xuansu kept one hand pressed on Wang Jiaoying’s shoulder while raising the document before his eyes with the other. “Do you know what this is?”

Wang Jiaoying said with difficulty, “I already said—it has to be reviewed by the Mansion Master...”

Qi Xuansu cut him off. “I asked what this is, not who reviewed it.”

Wang Jiaoying fell silent again.

Qi Xuansu was not in a hurry. “Second Deputy Zhang, it seems Deputy Mansion Master Wang here doesn’t know what this is. Since Second Deputy Xu isn’t here, I’ll have to trouble you to enlighten him.”

Zhang Yuelu said, “This is an arrest warrant issued separately by two Deputy Mansion Masters. It has been stamped and carries full legal effect. Second Deputy Xu and I have both signed it and taken responsibility for it.”

Qi Xuansu looked at Wang Jiaoying and raised his voice slightly. “Deputy Mansion Master Wang, is that clear enough?”

Wang Jiaoying blanched, not knowing how to respond.

Qi Xuansu pressed lightly on Wang Jiaoying’s shoulder, pushing the latter’s body into the ground and leaving only the portion above his knees protruding, like a tree rooted in the earth.

Qi Xuansu asked again, “Deputy Mansion Master Wang, what is an arrest warrant?”

At last, Wang Jiaoying was forced to speak. “An arrest warrant is...a formal document issued by a Second Deputy Mansion Master.”

Qi Xuansu pressed down on Wang Jiaoying again until his entire lower body sank into the ground, leaving only his upper body exposed.

Qi Xuansu asked in a heavier tone, “Since it’s a formal document, why did you obstruct its execution?”

Wang Jiaoying said with great difficulty, “I didn’t obstruct it.”

Qi Xuansu pressed down yet again. This time, only the parts above Wang Jiaoying’s chest remained exposed. He then continued, “If you’re not here to obstruct us, why didn’t you take your people away?”

Wang Jiaoying roared in fury, “This is my home! Do I need your permission to return to my own house? Qi Xuansu, I’ll fuck your mother!”

Qi Xuansu pressed down one last time until Wang Jiaoying’s head remained above the ground. The surface of the earth looked completely intact, as though Wang Jiaoying had been forcibly nailed into it, like a spike.

Expressionless, Qi Xuansu stomped viciously on Wang Jiaoying’s head. “I don’t know who my biological parents are because they never raised me. Still, I’m grateful to them for bringing me into this world. I’m very displeased that you’re insulting them.”

Qi Xuansu stomped again. “But I have an adoptive mother who saved me and gave me a second chance at life. I’m deeply grateful to her and hold her in the highest respect, so I’m furious that you dare insult her!”

No one dared step forward to stop Qi Xuansu, including Zhang Yuelu.

There was only a chilling silence.

Anyone could see that Qi Xuansu was truly enraged.

One stomp after another—a true, merciless trampling.

Somehow, people from the Central Plains liked to center on others’ mothers when cursing them. The more one lacked something, the more one longed for it.

Qi Xuansu had no parents growing up, so he cherished hard-won bonds all the more. Thus, the depth of his fury needed no explanation.

These stomps shattered Wang Jiaoying’s crown, making him appear disheveled as his hair spilled loose.

Wang Jiaoying’s neck was already broken.

At first, Wang Jiaoying could still make faint sounds. Soon after, there were none at all.

By the time Qi Xuansu finally stopped, Wang Jiaoying’s neck had shrunken, leaving him with only a single breath.

Everyone who witnessed the scene felt a chill run down their spines.

Qi Xuansu took a deep breath. “You should be grateful that I cannot kill right now and am sparing your life.”

In the end, Qi Xuansu was not one of those flowerbed Daoists. He had a Jianghu background, so he always had a streak of ferocity in his heart. He could be magnanimous and tolerant, but he could also be petty and repay the slightest grievance a hundredfold.

Qi Xuansu crouched down, grabbed Wang Jiaoying by the hair, and forced the man to look up at him. “But remember this. This matter isn’t over. You’re marked for death. Not even the Primordial Daoist Ancestor will be able to save you. I’m a man of my word.”

With that, Qi Xuansu stood up, pointed at Wang Jiaoyan, and roared, “Take her away!”

This time, no one dared to block the Spirit Guards.

Anyone could see that Chief Deputy Qi was in an extremely foul mood. Whoever lacked enough sense to provoke him at this moment would be courting death.

After Wang Jiaoyan was taken away, the Spirit Guards who had followed Wang Jiaoying instantly became flustered. Their leader stepped forward and asked cautiously,“C-Chief Deputy...what should we do?”

Qi Xuansu did not even look at him. “Go back to where you came from. I don’t want to see anything like this ever again.”

“Yes, Sage!” The Spirit Guard hurriedly relayed the order. “Form up! Retreat!”

The group of Spirit Guards withdrew like a receding tide, leaving behind only Wang Jiaoying’s head still protruding from the ground.