A Pawn's Passage

Xu Jiaorong and Yao Pei had already returned from East Shakya. The former was the Second Deputy Mansion Master overseeing legal affairs in Poluo, while the latter was a Deputy Hall Master representing the Fengxian Hall. Their involvement meant that this was merely an internal disciplinary matter within the Daoist Order, not yet escalating to the level of defection or collusion with foreign foes. But if the Beichen Hall had been dispatched instead, the nature of the matter would have become far more complicated.

Qi Xuansu was deliberately leaving some room for maneuver.

There was an overlap in the responsibilities of Beichen Hall and Fengxian Hall. The reason Beichen Hall ranked among the Three Great Halls was not only because of its broader authority and scope of duties, but also because it directly controlled a portion of armed forces. Although its numbers were far smaller than those of the Tiangang Hall, it faced far fewer restrictions, making it even more flexible than the Tiangang Hall in non-wartime situations, and thus, more formidable in normal times.

The Fengxian Hall did not command armed forces. However, in the vast majority of cases, it did not need force when making arrests. Very few people dared to resist with violence; most simply submitted without struggle.

Strictly speaking, the Fengxian Hall’s primary responsibility was adjudication rather than arrest. These two functions were originally meant to be separate. Yet over time, circumstances changed. Trials became increasingly perfunctory, and the Fengxian Hall began conducting arrests. Correspondingly, the Beichen Hall would also directly pronounce guilt.

Often, what existed on paper and in public was one thing, while actual operations beneath the table and in the shadows were something else entirely.

Of course, if one were to strictly follow procedure, the arrest was to be carried out by the Daoist Mansion, represented by Second Deputy Xu. This was also the reason Qi Xuansu did not appear personally. His role as the Chief Deputy did not include such responsibilities.

Moreover, this time was different. Wang Jiaoying was not someone who would submit quietly, so it was necessary to rely on the Daoist Mansion’s armed forces to encircle and arrest him.

This was precisely why Qi Xuansu had dispatched a Tiangang Hall branch manager and a second-rank Spirit Guard to monitor Wang Jiaohe, as they could conduct the arrest as soon as he gave them the signal.

Although it was already very late, Qi Xuansu was not the only one still awake. In fact, most people within the Daoist Mansion were awake, as all of them could sense the tension permeating within Thanglong Prefecture.

Chen Jianchou arrived at the Water Palace and met with Xu Jiaorong.

Before Chen Jianchou even spoke, Xu Jiaorong already knew his purpose. For someone who had once served as a chief secretary, reading intent through circumstances was a basic skill.

Xu Jiaorong asked, “Has Chief Deputy Qi made up his mind?”

Chen Jianchou nodded.

Xu Jiaorong stood up. “Then let’s go.”

Yao Pei was also in the Water Palace.

Wang Jiaoying was planning to flee Thanglong Prefecture, and he was doing so in great haste.

The most direct reason was that Wang Jiaohe and Sun Heyu were no longer in Thanglong Prefecture. He did not know whether his elder brother had escaped ahead of time or had met with some misfortune, but he understood one thing very clearly. The situation had reached a critical point. He could either leave or sit and await death.

Waiting passively for death was not his style. That left only one option—to leave.

Whether he could get away was something he would only know by trying.

Wang Jiaoying did not choose to leave Thanglong Prefecture by flying, as that would have been far too conspicuous. Thanglong Prefecture was currently teeming with powerful figures, and Great Sage Jiang had not yet departed, so he chose to leave on foot.

Gradually, the city gate drew closer. In the darkness, he could vaguely make out the towering gatehouse, like a massive crouching beast.

As a Deputy Mansion Master stationed in the Yu Kingdom, Wang Jiaoying had operated in Thanglong Prefecture for many years and naturally had many trusted confidants. Even as the Wang family teetered on the brink of collapse, Wang Jiaoying still had people he could rely on. The person in charge of this city gate was one of his people, and he had already made arrangements to exit the city from here.

When Wang Jiaoying arrived at the gate passage, the city gate did not open as he had expected. Noticing this, Wang Jiaoying’s heart sank.

Immediately afterward, firelight flared atop the city wall.

A second-rank Spirit Guard clad in pitch-black armor stepped out from the shadows of the gate passage. “Deputy Mansion Master Wang, it’s so late. Where are you headed?”

At the same time, the Tiangang Hall branch manager appeared atop the city wall. Clustered around him were numerous Spirit Guards, their long rifles already aimed downward at Wang Jiaoying.

“Wang Jiaoying, you’re surrounded now. Why don’t you surrender?”

Wang Jiaoying realized he had been outmaneuvered and shouted angrily, “You think you can arrest me? I am a Deputy Mansion Master!”

Another voice followed immediately. “What if I have the Golden Tower Council’s order? Would that be enough to arrest you?”

Xu Jiaorong appeared, and beside her was a young female Daoist—Yao Pei.

The two of them blocked Wang Jiaoying’s line of retreat.

In the blink of an eye, Wang Jiaoying was surrounded on all sides.

Wang Jiaohe held great power and status as an Omniscient Sage, so killing him would have far-reaching consequences. As such, Wang Jiaohe still had a chance to preserve his life and spend the rest of his days in the Demon Suppression Tower.

Wang Danqing was a wastrel who neglected his career, and it was precisely this lack of ambition that saved him. Whether it was official duties or the family’s business, Wang Danqing had not been deeply involved in any of them. His culpability was therefore limited. At the very least, he did not commit a capital offense.

Although Wang Danqing had offended Qi Xuansu personally, Qi Xuansu had no intention of damaging his own reputation over such petty matters and would instead handle the case impartially.

This was also why Wang Jiaohe had proactively handed Wang Danqing over to Qi Xuansu. If Wang Danqing had fallen into someone else’s hands, those people might have taken it upon themselves to deal with him in order to curry favor with Qi Xuansu. Only by falling into Qi Xuansu’s hands could Wang Danqing keep his life.

Wang Jiaoying was not an Omniscient Sage, and he had been deeply involved in the Wang family’s various schemes, including the attempted usurpation. Since someone had to take the blame, he was certainly doomed.

Moreover, during his attempt to take over power in the Sheji Palace when Great Sage Lan went into seclusion, he had thoroughly offended Xu Jiaorong. Now that he had fallen into her hands, how could there possibly be any path to survival?

Thus, Wang Jiaoying did not have the slightest hope of mercy and immediately began fighting like a cornered beast.

Yao Pei had long been prepared for this. Naturally, she would not allow Wang Jiaoying to have his way. With a sweep of her sleeve, a Go board flew out, rapidly expanding to over 30 meters across as it descended on Wang Jiaoying.

Under normal circumstances, Wang Jiaoying would have been able to evade it, but surrounded, he had nowhere to dodge.

When Wang Jiaoying came to his senses, he found himself standing on the Go board together with Yao Pei. They were as small as the playing pieces. Looking out, he saw the 19 vertical and horizontal lines stretching far into the distance. No other people were visible, and Thanglong Prefecture was nowhere to be seen. Wang Jiaoying knew he had fallen into a small world and could only steel himself and wait for the next move.

At this moment, the entire board rumbled violently.

Yao Pei and Wang Jiaoying began to rise, allowing them to look down and survey the entire board. At the same time, a jar appeared beside each of them, divided into black and white pieces.

This board was called Splendid Realm, a semi-immortal object of the Quanzhen Sect. Once drawn into this game, unless one could shatter the small world, the only way to leave was by determining victory or defeat. The loser would have to accept punishment.

Yao Pei reached out and grasped a handful of white chess pieces. “Guess for the first move.”

With no other choice, Wang Jiaoying drew a black piece, indicating that if the number was odd, he would take black. If it was even, he would take white.

Yao Pei opened her hand, letting three white pieces fall from her palm. Since it was an odd number, Wang Jiaoying would take black and move first.

Wang Jiaoying was not some uncouth brute who did not know the rules of Go. After a brief moment of thought, he took out a black piece and placed it onto the chessboard beneath his feet. The piece was no larger than an ordinary stone when it left his hand, but as it descended, it continued to expand. By the time it landed on the board, it was already as large as a millstone.

Yao Pei pinched a white piece between two fingers and placed it down.

The two continued placing their pieces until a white dragon and a black dragon took shape on the board. Two enormous dragons likewise manifested above the board, glaring at each other with bared fangs and claws.

The dragons on the board were born in response to the two players and thus were bound to them in mind and spirit. If one dragon were slain, its master would likewise suffer grievous injury.

While standing on the board, the pieces in the jar were manifestations of their own cultivation. The number of pieces also corresponded to one’s cultivation level. The player with the lower cultivation would have fewer pieces than their opponent. Whoever had no moves left would naturally lose. Moreover, if the pieces placed on the board were surrounded and captured, the player would lose their cultivation. As such, in the event of a crushing defeat, the loss of cultivation could be severe enough to endanger one’s life.

This semi-immortal object was targeted against Wang Jiaoying, denying him any chance of mutual destruction and forcing a direct contest of cultivation and Go skill. In terms of cultivation alone, Wang Jiaoying’s level was sufficient to complete an entire game without being dragged into a position where he had no moves left. The fact that Yao Pei dared to use Splendid Realm against him showed her immense confidence in her Go prowess.

Although Wang Jiaoying knew how to play Go, he could hardly be called a master. In casual games during his leisure time, he lost more often than he won. Thus, when facing Yao Pei, he was unlikely to win.

As the two continued to place their pieces, the number of stones on the board increased, and the two dragons hovering above grew ever more powerful. With the fierce struggle unfolding on the board, the dragons began to tear into each other relentlessly.

Yao Pei remained expressionless throughout, save for the complete whitening of her eyes.

The reason she had chosen this semi-immortal object was that she had employed the Heavenly Calculation Technique, and no one could rival her under these conditions.

The first 80 moves between the two were nothing particularly remarkable. But after the 80th move, Yao Pei began to steadily apply pressure, killing intent filling the board. By the 180 move, Yao Pei had already secured an overwhelmingly favorable position, firmly in control as she moved to close the game.

Above the board, the black dragon representing Wang Jiaoying was covered in wounds and no longer capable of fighting. Bound to it, Wang Jiaoying himself suffered the consequences, his aura weakening.

Wang Jiaoying’s face turned ashen, and he could only concede by casting down his pieces.

In that instant, the black dragon symbolizing Wang Jiaoying shattered completely, leaving only the white dragon representing Yao Pei hovering above the board.

Immediately afterward, clouds and mist billowed above the chessboard, with faint flashes of lightning within. The white dragon’s form began to grow until its enormous head emerged from the clouds. Its golden pupils, each as large as a human head, fixed their gaze upon Wang Jiaoying, while its whiskers drifted gently. Wisps of white breath leaked from between its teeth.

Yao Pei descended upon the white dragon’s head as the escaping white aura grew denser. The dragon’s body rose higher, revealing a massive claw, its scales sharply defined.

The white dragon let out an earth-shaking roar that echoed across the skies. The surrounding clouds churned violently like raging waves, gathering around the dragon in layers.

A fierce gale arose as the white dragon opened its jaws and expelled a torrent of white breath that condensed into a colossal pillar. Then, the white pillar plunged from the heavens, crashing straight down on Wang Jiaoying.