A Pawn's Passage

Chapter 1356: Sinicization

After Qi Xuansu entered the Southern Continent, someone quickly came forward to receive him.

It was none other than Lu Yujue. With such a major incident unfolding and the Chief Deputy Beichen Hall Master personally entering the battlefield, he dared not remain safely in the rear. Instead, he came directly to the frontline camp. As soon as Qi Xuansu arrived, he could appear before the Chief Deputy immediately and strive to leave a good impression. If Chief Deputy Qi arrived and he was still hiding in the rear, what would his superior think?

Li Mingzhen, as the Beichen Hall Branch Manager of the Northern Continent, was still at his station.

Lu Yujue led Qi Xuansu into the main camp and briefed him on the current situation. The Western Daoist Order and the Tawantin Court had amassed troops along the border, and Gong Fu, the second-in-command of the Western Daoist Order, was personally leading the forces. However, Gong Fu was not currently in the camp.

As if on cue, at that very moment, the Divine Shuttle arrived.

Since Huangfu Ji was injured, there was little time for formal greetings. Gong Fu quickly arranged for Huangfu Ji to be taken away for treatment.

Qi Xuansu met Huangfu Ji briefly. Though there was no time to speak, the two were already kindred spirits and had even cooperated from afar, stirring chaos across the Northern Continent. Thus, Qi Xuansu held a very favorable impression of the Western Daoist Order’s future leader.

After Huangfu Ji departed, Gong Fu finally took the time to carefully examine Qi Xuansu.

Ordinary people might not see it, but Gong Fu was a true Immortal, so he could discern Qi Xuansu’s nature and was visibly surprised. A Liberation Incarnation at the top-tier Pseudo-Immortal level was exceedingly rare. If he had not already confirmed Qi Xuansu’s identity, he might have thought it was the incarnation of some Virtuous Great Sage.

At that moment, Qi Xuansu split into two, and Madam Wu appeared before Gong Fu.

Gong Fu immediately understood and took the initiative to bow. “Greetings, Madam Qi.”

After Tantai Yun’s ascension, she had made prior arrangements for many items—including the Seven Feather Five Fires Fan—to be returned to the Daoist Order, formally initiating the Western Daoist Order’s reintegration. Gong Fu was not yet present at that time, so he had never met the fan’s spirit. However, he was aware of her existence, as she was considered a senior figure of the Western Daoist Order. Though Gong Fu was an immortal and Madam Wu only a Pseudo-Immortal, the tradition of respecting elders was still deeply ingrained in these Daoists.

Madam Wu waved her hand. “Apparently, someone has taken the name ‘Madam Qi,’ so I’ve changed mine to Madam Wu.”

Gong Fu did not mind and readily adapted. After all, it was just a name.

“It is a great honor for the Western Daoist Order that Chief Deputy Qi and Madam Wu have returned to our land,” Gong Fu said politely.

Although he was a Great Sage and was considered a sixth-generation disciple, the Three Yin Beings and Madam Wu were all ancient figures from the founding era of the Daoist Order.

Moreover, Qi Xuansu’s visit was not only in his capacity as Chief Deputy of Beichen Hall but also as a special envoy of Jade Capital. Therefore, Gong Fu could not assume the posture of an elder and instead chose to interact with him as an equal.

This was the advantage of having a great power as a backing. The Daoist Order was formidable, and with its support, Qi Xuansu held a high status. If Qi Xuansu were instead an envoy of the Western Daoist Order visiting Jade Capital, he would not dare expect to engage the Three Deputy Grand Masters as equals.

In addition, Gong Fu had other considerations. Qi Xuansu himself was a strong contender for the position of the eighth-generation Grand Master. So it was better to be safe than sorry. If he offended Qi Xuansu and the boy later rose to power, it would be highly disadvantageous. One should not underestimate the authority of the Grand Master. The Western Daoist Order had been unable to meaningfully influence decisions in Jade Capital precisely because a single decree from the fifth-generation Grand Master had shut them out entirely.

Otherwise, Gong Fu would likely hold the title of Virtuous Great Sage with access to the Golden Tower Council.

In short, Gong Fu accorded Qi Xuansu very high honors. That very night, he hosted a banquet in the main camp. Aside from Huangfu Ji, all senior figures were present, including many high-ranking generals of the Tawantin Empire.

These people were highly sinicized. Apart from slight differences in appearance, their speech, behavior, and habits were almost indistinguishable from those of Central Plains people. Even their accents were the official court dialect of the Central Plains. If Qi Xuansu closed his eyes, he might have thought he was drinking with a group of Great Xuan officials.

This was the result of reform and strengthening guided by the Western Daoist Order.

After the collapse of the three great native empires of the New Continent, many perceptive individuals began seeking ways to reform and strengthen their nation. The West had conquered the New Continent, making it psychologically difficult to emulate them. In contrast, the Easterners had helped rebuild the Tawantin Empire, making them natural allies. Thus, the Tawantin Court embarked on a path of emulating the East to achieve national strength and prosperity.

Under the guidance of the Western Daoist Order, the Tawantin Empire began a process of sinicization, especially within the military, which became thoroughly transformed. Many generals even declared allegiance to the Dao. However, resistance remained, particularly from the royal family and religious institutions, which retained their traditional practices.

The military was the most sinicized. The royal and bureaucratic systems were half-sinicized and half-traditional, while the religious institution remained the most conservative, resisting sinicization entirely.

This was also rooted in practical realities. Having nearly faced annihilation at the hands of Western forces, the Tawantin military could not cling to tradition and wait for death. They had to change. The royal family, on the other hand, needed to maintain balance and accommodate all sides, hence their mixed approach. In truth, they enjoyed many aspects of Central Plains culture. The priests, however, had no choice but to remain conservative. If they embraced sinicization, their very purpose would disappear, as Daoist priests would fully replace them. Thus, they had to resist it, forming a kind of balance with the fully sinicized military. Such was the situation in the Tawantin Empire.

At present, Qi Xuansu was mainly interacting with the military, and it gave him a strong sense of familiarity with Nanyang. Though their appearances differed slightly, everything else felt remarkably similar.

Audrey also attended the banquet. Qi Xuansu had initially not intended for her to appear in public, seeking to remain discreet until he rooted out all traitors. But upon consideration, after causing such a commotion, many had already seen them. So trying to hide her now would only arouse suspicion. Thus, it was better to present her openly.

Furthermore, Qi Xuansu intended to set an example. The famous Northern Continent actress, Audrey Ale, had defected to the Southern Continent. This would invite further reflection among the masses.

Of course, in the eyes of some, this was simply another romance story of a beauty admiring a hero. Chief Deputy Qi was young, talented, and powerful, naturally attracting admirers. Though he already had a family in the East, it was nothing unusual for a great man to have multiple wives and concubines. He could simply maintain another household here—one in Jade Capital and one in the Southern Continent, each separate.

This was also common practice among many Daoists. Whenever they traveled somewhere, their wives could not accompany them, so they would find a temporary companion. During that time, this companion would fulfill all the roles of a wife, including attending private banquets. When the Daoist departed, the temporary arrangement would be settled properly, ending on amicable terms.

This time, Chief Deputy Qi had not even brought a secretary, clearly indicating the need for a temporary companion, and Miss Audrey Ale seemed a perfect fit.

However, Qi Xuansu had never been particularly interested in women. Even if he had not met Zhang Yuelu, it did not mean he would have sought relationships with others. Moreover, he had always lacked familial affection, so he treasured Zhang Yuelu.

Qi Xuansu was a rather reserved man, so she had little emotional capacity to give to others.

Moreover, Qi Xuansu was at the center of political turbulence, unlike those aging figures with no further prospects. Even maintaining personal integrity could become a point of criticism, so how could he possibly expose such a vulnerability for others to exploit?

But if others insisted on thinking that way, he could not stop them.

After the banquet ended, Qi Xuansu went to visit Huangfu Ji, who was recovering from his injuries.

Huangfu Ji was truly bold. Not only did he blow up the Evangelical Ministry, he even dared to challenge the second-in-command of the Steam Evangelical Sect. Though defeated, it was an honorable loss.

More importantly, Huangfu Ji had shared a great deal of Qi Xuansu’s burden. For that alone, Qi Xuansu owed him gratitude.

At this moment, Huangfu Ji was being tended to by members of the Huasheng Hall.

The Western Daoist Order, having reformed in imitation of the Daoist Order, also established Nine Halls, but with an added prefix of “Western” if discussed together. For example, the Ziwei Hall became the Western Ziwei Hall. However, there was one exception. The Western Daoist Order did not have a Beichen Hall. Instead, it had a Juesheng Hall. While Beichen Hall oversaw global operations, Juesheng Hall was primarily focused on opposing the Holy Court, with entirely different priorities.

In other words, Beichen Hall had a presence across the New Continent, the Central Plains, Nanyang, and beyond, whereas Juesheng Hall was confined to the New Continent.

The elite forces led by Huangfu Ji mostly came from Juesheng Hall, with some from the Western Tiangang Hall. Huangfu Ji himself was the Juesheng Hall Master. In theory, he ranked above Qi Xuansu, who was a Chief Deputy, but everyone knew the latter had more potential.

This was also an interesting aspect of the Western Daoist Order. It had nine Sages recognized by the Daoist Order, each nominally in charge of one hall, with the three great families controlling the Three Great Halls. However, this was largely in name only. Huangfu Zhao was the Western Ciji Hall Master, yet in reality, he outranked Huangfu Ji and stood as the third-in-command in the Western Daoist Order.

Compared to the Daoist Order, many of the Western Daoist Order’s organizational structures were largely nominal.

After the two men met, it was inevitable they would exchange compliments. Both had mutual respect for the other and enjoyed each other’s company.