A Pawn's Passage

After leaving Beichen Hall, Qi Xuansu returned to the small home he shared with Zhang Yuelu while their mansion was still under renovation. Before coming to Jade Capital, Zhang Yuelu had given him the key to her house.

In fact, the two of them owned 4 properties in total—the Taishang Place mansion purchased with Madam Qi’s money, the medium-sized Taishang Place residence that came as part of the Zhang family’s dowry, the small Taishang Place house gifted by Zhang Yuyue, and the small Xuan City residence next door to Sage Cihang.

Since he was alone, the smaller house was actually more comfortable. Moreover, the two of them had stayed here not long ago, so there was still a lingering sense of human presence.

By the time he arrived, it was already dark. Though the house was small, it was covered with formations. After activating the corresponding mechanism, lines of talisman script across the floors, walls, and ceiling lit up in succession, illuminating the entire house.

Only then did Qi Xuansu take out the Seven Feather Five Fires Fan and place it on the tea table.

It was made from seven kinds of bird feathers—phoenix, great argus, roc, peacock, white crane, swan, and owl. They each had different colors, forming a brilliant array. It could also conjure five types of fire—sky fire, stone fire, wood fire, Samadhi fire, and mortal fire.

Strictly speaking, it was also a person, yet she was confined and restricted within a single object, which was somewhat tragic.

Though Little Yin was a spirit of the Emperor Willow, she was more like a seed or child of the mystical tree, a completely separate entity. Thus, she could run about freely.

The Seven Feather Five Fires Fan, however, was different. Its spirit shared a body with the fan, forming a single entity.

For these reasons, the Seven Feather Five Fires Fan could not be free, while Little Yin could move freely.

Of course, the Daoist Order also played a role here. It would never allow the Seven Feather Five Fires Fan to roam freely, since it was an immortal object. However, the Daoist Order’s attitude toward Little Yin was simply to let her be and allow things to follow their course.

After Sage Qingwei handed the Seven Feather Five Fires Fan to Qi Xuansu, he immediately sensed a special connection, similar to the feeling when the Earthly Preceptor granted him Jianxiu Mountain’s Class-A access. This could be considered a form of Zixiao Palace authorization.

This was likely part of the Daoist Order’s complete system of restrictions, involving the two fundamental methods of talismans and formations. Since the Daoist Order could even control the Sakka—a creation comparable to an Immortal—controlling an immortal object was hardly difficult.

In short, this newly-granted Zixiao Palace authority gave Qi Xuansu the qualification to use the Seven Feather Five Fires Fan.

At this moment, the Seven Feather Five Fires Fan was still in a dormant state, so Qi Xuansu used his authority to awaken the fan.

In an instant, the feather fan seemed to come alive. Streams of spiritual aura spread outward, and a majestic presence filled the air.

Five-colored flames burst forth, first sketching the outline of a human figure, then gradually filling it to form a fiery silhouette. At last, the flames faded away, revealing a tall Daoist nun. Her attire was rather dated.

With a beckoning gesture, the Seven Feather Five Fires Fan flew into her hand.

Qi Xuansu took the initiative to speak. “Greetings, fellow Daoist.”

The Daoist nun glanced at Qi Xuansu. “So you are Qi Xuansu. You are indeed remarkable for carrying immortal objects. Someone who didn’t know better might think you were from the Zhang family.”

Qi Xuansu was speechless because that remark was true. Both the Heavenly Preceptor’s Green Cloud and the Guizang Lantern were currently in his possession. To any observer, it would look like he was a favored grandson.

However, Qi Xuansu did not wish to pursue that topic and instead asked, “May I ask how I should address you, fellow Daoist?”

The Daoist nun had no intention of probing further. She said, “My name is Seven Feather Five Fires Fan. But it’s a rather long name, so you can call me Madam Qi[1].”

Qi Xuansu froze for a moment, then said after a pause, “You’re also called Madam Qi?”

“Is that strange?” The Daoist nun asked in return.

“No...” Qi Xuansu replied, shaking his head.

It was common for people to be named after their birth order, just as Yao Qi was the 7th sibling.

Although the Seven Feather Five Fires Fan had no actual siblings to determine a birth order, her name contained numbers, so she simply adopted the first number in it.

Qi Xuansu said, “To be honest, my adoptive mother is also called Madam Qi.”

The Daoist nun fell silent for a moment, then said, “I don’t particularly care about the form of address. In that case, you may call me Madam Wu[2].”

That was the advantage of having two numbers in one’s name. It allowed for flexible adjustments.

Qi Xuansu naturally agreed. “Very well, Madam Wu.”

Madam Wu asked, “I hear we are going to the New Continent?”

Qi Xuansu replied, “I’ve heard it’s something like your second hometown.”

“That’s an interesting way to put it.” Madam Wu chuckled. “You could indeed say that. I spent roughly 60 years there, so the memories run deep.”

Qi Xuansu nodded in understanding. “No wonder Great Sage Jiang chose you. You’re practically half a local.”

Madam Wu replied, “After more than a century of changes, my experience may no longer be reliable.”

“That’s only natural,” Qi Xuansu said, then added, “In that case, you must have some old acquaintances in the Western Daoist Order.”

Madam Wu shook her head. “No need to hope for that. They’re all long gone from this world.”

Qi Xuansu was not particularly disappointed since he had expected this.

Madam Wu examined Qi Xuansu closely. “Reaching such a high level of cultivation at your age is no small feat. Now, you have also been appointed as Chief Deputy of Beichen Hall. Your future looks bright. Perhaps one day you will become my true wielder.”

Qi Xuansu was currently only authorized to borrow the Seven Feather Five Fires Fan. Its true wielder would be the Grand Master.

“I wouldn’t dare claim that,” Qi Xuansu replied. He was not as optimistic now, especially after the shocking revelation that his master might not be truly dead.

As he spoke, Qi Xuansu also observed Madam Wu carefully. Although she appeared to have taken a human form, she did not truly possess an independent physical body. She was more like the Banished Immortal’s Three Corpse Incarnation, unable to exist independently. Little Yin, on the other hand, resembled Lin Lingsu, the Imperial Preceptor of the Jin Dynasty—she had her own body and was a completely independent being.

Madam Wu holding a fan was actually an illusion, similar to Qi Xuansu’s Spiritual Statue.

Madam Wu noticed Qi Xuansu’s gaze and asked, “What are you looking at?”

Qi Xuansu said, “I think some matters are better discussed openly in advance. Our trip to the New Continent will not be smooth sailing. There may well be many hardships and dangers ahead. As you can see, my cultivation is at the Zaohua stage. Though it isn’t exactly low, in the context of wars between nations, it’s nothing particularly remarkable. So I’d like to ask, roughly what level of cultivation are you at now?”

Madam Wu was not particularly surprised by the question. “First, it depends on the wielder. If an Immortal personally wields me, I will merely provide assistance, as everything depends on the Immortal’s cultivation. Your current cultivation is still far from that level, so if no Immortal wields me, I can act on my own. In that case, I would roughly be equivalent to a Pseudo-Immortal. I could hold my ground briefly against a true Immortal, but I would not be their match.”

The hallmark of a Pseudo-Immortal was the ability to fight back when facing a true Immortal. Though victory was impossible, at the very least, Pseudo-Immortals could not be killed with a casual strike. For example, when Madam Qi faced Chen Shuhua, she could still stall for a time rather than being defeated in a single exchange.

A difference of cultivation level did not necessarily mean that the inferior one would be defeated. After all, the stronger one could still be outnumbered.

Madam Wu continued, “In the past, I once crossed hands with Elder Xu. I could only withstand his first stage of the Taiyi Supreme Technique, and I suffered some injuries.”

Qi Xuansu was still somewhat astonished.

The Taiyi Supreme Technique possessed the greatest killing power among the Five Innate Tais. Great Sage Lan had been able to fight two Ancient Immortals alone thanks to the Taiyi Supreme Technique. The fact that Madam Wu could fight Elder Xu and ultimately withdraw with some injury showed that her combat ability far exceeded that of ordinary flowerbed Daoists.

Still astonished, Qi Xuansu probed. “It has been more than 200 years since Elder Xu was alive. Have you not been able to advance any further in that time?”

Madam Wu replied helplessly, “It’s an innate limitation. This is already the limit, so I can’t advance further. But it’s not just me. Over these 200 years, have the Three Yin Beings advanced any further?”

Qi Xuansu had no answer to that.

This was indeed the truth. Compared with creations forged afterward, naturally born beings held the advantage of unlimited potential. However, creations made by human hands had a ceiling.

1. This Qi means the number seven. ☜

2. This Wu means the number five. ☜