A Pawn's Passage

Qi Xuansu gave Unulatu 15 days, but that did not mean he intended to sit idle and wait. Having learned from the example of the Yu Kingdom, Qi Xuansu intended to strike first this time.

Tantai Ying was responsible for New Paititi, while Hun Ahau was tasked with ensuring the stability of New Xijing and Cusco. These were the three largest cities in Tawantin. Unlike the military strongholds along the borders, they were the most prosperous urban centers. Once the new port was fully established, it might even surpass Cusco. There was no need to worry about that area either, as Huangfu Ji was personally overseeing it.

As for the other military strongholds, they were still technically under wartime conditions and heavily garrisoned. Even if the Steam Evangelical Sect launched an attack, there was no guarantee they could capture them. There was little chance of unrest breaking out there.

Once the 15-day deadline expired, a thunderous strike would follow, resolving these problems once and for all. It would no longer be a matter of merely pressuring Unulatu.

In other words, these 15 days were an opportunity that Qi Xuansu was offering her. If Unulatu was willing to stop, he could let her off the hook.

But if she still refused to stop after 15 days, then Qi Xuansu could hardly be blamed for what followed.

At that point, Unulatu would be guilty of treason and undermining stability, and she would be punished according to the law. If any ancient god dared to interfere, the Daoist Order could intervene to discipline that deity. If Emperor Manu Tancha responded with irrational actions, then they would simply replace him with an emperor who possessed sufficient reason.

Huangfu Xi could even be pushed to become emperor, since the Daoist Order had always preached equality, as long as they wholeheartedly supported the Daoist Order and obeyed its leadership.

When Huangfu Xi gracefully bowed to Qi Xuansu inside the carriage, her sincerity was genuine. It was not Qi Xuansu’s personal charm that inspired it, but rather the allure of power.

She would rather hold the absolute power than give it to someone else. Once she became the emperor, she could have any man she wanted. Empress Mingkong even had male favorites in her seventies.

However, eliminating Unulatu would not solve every problem. There was still the matter of the Shadow Tide. According to reports from Juesheng Hall, sporadic Shadow Tide incidents had continued to occur recently, though they had been temporarily set aside.

Unfortunately, events rarely unfolded according to Qi Xuansu’s plans.

By the fifth day, despite Qi Xuansu’s repeated insistence on secrecy, it was impossible to conceal such a large-scale operation entirely. Moreover, there were likely informants within the Western Daoist Order itself. As a result, the Tawantin authorities learned of the situation.

Most likely, Unulatu learned of the developments and informed Manu Tancha. The Emperor sent someone to confront Qi Xuansu and demand an explanation, asking whether Qi Xuansu was planning a coup.

Qi Xuansu’s series of actions had genuinely frightened Manu Tancha. A single envoy of the Daoist Order could issue one command and set the stage for a complete upheaval. The Western Daoist Order tacitly acquiesced, while the ancient gods seemed to have vanished into hiding. It was not the envoy himself they feared, but the Daoist Order standing behind him.

Even within the Tawantin Court, undercurrents were beginning to stir.

The ministers led by Princess Masi—also known as Huangfu Xi, who was backed by Huangfu Zhu—had also become increasingly active. Such behavior clearly indicated that Huangfu Xi now had confidence and a powerful supporter behind her. This backer was Qi Xuansu.

The atmosphere throughout New Paititi suddenly became tense.

Qi Xuansu replied to Manu Tancha’s envoy. These were necessary measures to maintain Tawantin’s stability, and he hoped that His Majesty would not overthink the matter. At the same time, Qi Xuansu reminded both the Emperor and the Empress that only 10 days remained of the 15-day deadline. If those connected to the Heron Society were not apprehended soon, the Spirit Guards of the Western Daoist Order would certainly enter New Paititi. The choice was theirs.

That very night, Huangfu Xi became the target of an assassination attempt. Her entire princess residence was nearly wiped out. By sheer luck, she had been away meeting with Hun Ahau, who had only recently arrived in New Paititi, and thus escaped disaster. The assassin pursued her relentlessly, intent on leaving no survivors, only to encounter Hun Ahau instead. Hun Ahau was a veteran Pseudo-Immortal who was not someone to be underestimated. The two immediately engaged in battle.

Hun Ahau was always exceedingly humble in front of Qi Xuansu, but that did not mean he was incompetent.

The two fought all the way to the city walls, smashing through a large section before continuing outside the city. Even then, the battle showed no signs of stopping. Shockwaves spread in every direction, kicking up sand and stones, as if a flood dragon were wreaking havoc on land.

Hun Ahau sent the assassin flying with a single punch. Like a meteor, the assassin crashed into the city wall. The already breached wall emitted another deafening sound of destruction, as though it had been cut in half, crumbling into shattered fragments in a shocking display.

As dust billowed into the air, the assassin rose once more. His clothes showed surprisingly little damage, though they were now coated in dust, giving him a somewhat disheveled appearance.

The assassin was not of the Martial Arts Practitioner lineage but rather the Shaman lineage. At this moment, he had manifested his Spiritual Body, a pitch-black form that seemed capable of devouring all light.

Pressing his advantage, Hun Ahau rushed forward. But this time, he failed. The assassin casually blocked him with an outstretched hand, sending Hun Ahau flying backward instead. He crashed heavily into the ground, raising clouds of dust.

Their exchange resembled two ancient primordial beasts locked in brutal close combat, creating an immense commotion and a terrifying, destructive power. Yet apart from looking somewhat battered, neither had suffered any serious injuries.

Hun Ahau forcefully halted his retreat and drew in a deep breath. The 365 acupoints across his body lit up one after another. In an instant, he grew to over 5 meters tall. This was the Manly Immortal True Form.

The assassin charged forward like a bolt of thunder, leaving behind a trail of afterimages that had no time to fade. His fist shot directly toward Hun Ahau’s face.

Although Hun Ahau’s body had grown enormous, his agility remained completely unaffected. At the critical moment, he forcefully blocked the punch.

The assassin’s punch far exceeded Hun Ahau’s expectations. Although Hun Ahau remained standing, he was driven backward nearly 300 meters in one continuous retreat.

Along the path of Hun Ahau’s retreat, dust billowed into the air, and an entire stretch of rainforest was split in two. Fortunately, the battle had already moved outside the city. Had they still been within the city walls, countless innocent people would have suffered.

The assassin lunged forward once more, his assault leaving behind countless afterimages.

Hun Ahau refused to yield and met the assassin head-on.

Every exchange between them caused the ground to tremble violently. Had anyone been observing closely, they would have seen pebbles constantly bouncing upon the earth, while fine cracks spread like serpents across the ground, resembling the precursors of an earthquake.

After several hundred exchanges, the assassin finally seemed to suffer a lapse in divine power, creating a brief opening that Hun Ahau could exploit.

Seizing the opportunity, Hun Ahau unleashed a full-powered punch. The 365 body spirits within him struck in unison, shaking heaven and earth with a force that seemed capable of moving mountains.

The assassin was blasted backward by the punch and crashed to the ground 100 meters away. His body bounced and skidded uncontrollably across the earth before finally slamming into a hill.

Even after delivering that punch, Hun Ahau maintained his towering Manly Immortal True Form because he knew full well that a single strike like this would not be enough to truly defeat the assassin.

Sure enough, after a brief silence, the hill suddenly exploded, sending rocks raining down in all directions.

The assassin slowly rose from the dust. A fist imprint 10 centimeters deep marked his chest, leaving the entire area caved inward in a horrifying sight. Within the imprint, fist intention lingered, as though an enormous boulder had been forcibly pressed into his chest.

Yet the assassin paid it no mind, because the fist imprint was rapidly fading until it disappeared entirely.

The assassin brushed the dust from his clothes, leaped into the air, and then brought a foot crashing down from above.

Hun Ahau crossed his arms above his head to block the kick.

Even so, the force of the stomp drove half his body directly into the ground.

The assassin followed up with a forward kick, sending Hun Ahau plowing across the earth and carving a deep trench several meters long.

With a furious roar, Hun Ahau leaped out of the trench and planted his feet firmly upon the ground once more.

The assassin’s fist came again, exploding forth like a thunderclap.

This was not the fist intention of a Martial Arts Practitioner, but a punch empowered by divine power—a Divine Fist.

At the same time, a divine domain unfolded. The surroundings turned grayish-white as mist rolled in. The aura of death that resembled the netherworld surged forth, completely suppressing Hun Ahau’s blood qi.

Under the assassin’s relentless assault, Hun Ahau was forced backward step by step, his blood qi wavering. His Manly Immortal True Form became riddled with pits and scars, which were caused by the corrosion of this deathly divine power.

The assassin stuck to him like a shadow and threw another punch directly at Hun Ahau’s face.

Hun Ahau was lifted off the ground at once. Before he could land, the assassin slammed his shoulder violently into him.

Hun Ahau shuddered as though struck by lightning.

Yet the assassin showed no intention of stopping and continued his attacks, forcing Hun Ahau into constant retreat.

However, Hun Ahau’s physique was equally formidable. As long as his body spirits remained unharmed, even the gravest injuries amounted to little more than flesh wounds.

After enduring nearly a hundred punches head-on, Hun Ahau finally seized an opportunity and threw a punch of his own, shattering the void.

In an instant, the divine domain shattered, and the Spiritual Body became distorted. The assassin suffered severe injuries, leaving him no choice but to retreat.

Hun Ahau had likewise suffered heavy losses to his blood qi and dared not pursue. Instead, he escorted Huangfu Xi to the Beichen Hall Daoist temple and met with Qi Xuansu that very night.

After listening to Hun Ahau’s report, Qi Xuansu asked, “General Hun, were you able to determine the assassin’s identity?”

Hun Ahau replied gravely, “I dare not say with certainty. It’s only a guess.”

Qi Xuansu said, “Everyone here can be trusted. Speak freely.”

“This assassin wielded divine power, so he was clearly not Long Yazi, whom you encountered. I believe that this assassin was very likely the chosen servant, Utu.” Hun Ahau said softly.

Qi Xuansu pondered for a moment. “It seems Unulatu has finally lost her patience and made up her mind. She has no intention of backing down and intends to fight me to the very end. Relying on the support of the ancient gods, she wants to test her strength against mine.”

Tantai Ying asked, “Chief Deputy Qi, should we have the Spirit Guards enter the city immediately?”

Qi Xuansu replied, “Their massacre at the Princess Residence has given us the perfect justification. There is no need to wait for the 15-day deadline anymore. Have the Spirit Guards enter New Paititi in batches immediately and ensure the city’s stability.”

Tantai Ying accepted the order and departed at once.