A Pawn's Passage

Qi Xuansu watched with his own eyes as the sun descended upon the pyramid.

At the summit of the pyramid stood an altar. The sun settled upon it as though returning to its rightful throne.

Qi Xuansu slowly rose into the air as well, ascending above the pyramid so that he could observe the unfolding scene from a commanding height.

Ixchel and Chak Chel kept one another in check, leaving neither willing to act first, while the Death God Ah Puch and the Rain God Chaac wavered between both sides, intending to support whichever emerged victorious. However, Madam Wu showed no hesitation whatsoever and was already rushing toward the pyramid at top speed.

Just as Ixchel had said, for the sake of maintaining the balance and stability of power, neither the Daoist Order nor the Western Daoist Order would permit Itzamna’s resurrection.

A First-Tribulation Immortal could certainly exist—for example, the Holy Xuan.

But any other First-Tribulation Immortal would be eliminated while still in their weakened state, such as the Golden Horde Imperial Preceptor of the Shamanistic Sect.

Not long ago, the resurrected Izanagi, who had likewise reached the First-Tribulation stage, had already perished.

Even the Holy Xuan and Elder Xu, who were both First-Tribulation Immortals of the Daoist Order, had not remained in the mortal world for very long.

All of these examples pointed to one conclusion. The Daoist Order did not wish to see new First-Tribulation Immortals emerge. That was because power on that level was capable of overturning the existing balance of authority.

In a matter like this, there was no need to seek instructions from the Golden Tower Council, nor even to convene a discussion. Itzamna’s resurrection had to be stopped at all costs.

Even if the matter were brought before the Golden Tower Council, the discussion would only concern how to stop it, not whether it should be stopped.

Before entering Kukulkan’s palace, Qi Xuansu had asked Madam Wu whether it was possible to contact Great Sage Jiang, and, if necessary, whether Great Sage Jiang himself could come to their aid. At the time, Madam Wu had given no clear answer.

Yet from Madam Wu’s scattered remarks, it was obvious that Great Sage Jiang had entrusted her with additional instructions.

Though Madam Wu usually joked and bantered with Qi Xuansu, she also bore the responsibility of supervising and restraining him. She had once said that Jiang Hedao entrusted her with ensuring his safety.

Clearly, whether it was Great Sage Jiang personally or the Daoist Order as a whole, they had never been completely comfortable entrusting all authority to Qi Xuansu. After all, he was a young man who possessed more than enough courage and boldness but was still somewhat lacking in caution and experience.

Had Great Sage Jiang gone in person, he would have had full authority, and no one would have presumptuously imposed unnecessary restraints upon him.

With Qi Xuansu, however, an additional safeguard had to be left in place. Should he make an incorrect judgment due to lack of experience, someone would be there to stop him in time.

Without question, Madam Wu was the ideal choice. She possessed deep ties with the Western Daoist Order and could communicate with them directly. Her wealth of experience allowed her to assist Qi Xuansu in making important decisions. At the same time, she also served as the contingency plan. If an unexpected situation arose, such as a battle between gods, Great Sage Jiang’s cultivation would be sufficient, whereas Qi Xuansu’s certainly would not. In such cases, Madam Wu would step in.

In truth, Qi Xuansu had never acted on his own. He had discussed nearly every major decision with Madam Wu beforehand, so this safeguard had never truly needed to come into play.

Though it had never been used, it did not mean it did not exist.

As the Daoist Order’s insurance policy, Madam Wu naturally had a trump card in reserve.

However, just before Madam Wu arrived, a great abyss suddenly appeared beneath the pyramid, as though it led directly into the netherworld, its bottom nowhere in sight.

Qi Xuansu looked down into the abyss and saw a faint glimmer of light emerging from its deepest depths.

The tiny golden glimmer grew larger and larger, like a gigantic golden eye slowly opening. Before long, it filled the entire abyss, then surged upward with astonishing speed like a towering tidal wave.

Qi Xuansu instinctively retreated.

The next instant, the golden torrent burst upward from the abyss, transforming into a massive pillar of golden light that connected directly to the pyramid above.

The pyramid of Paititi floated high in the sky, no less than 300 meters above the ground. This pillar of light resembled a golden column supporting the heavens, linking the pyramid to the abyss below and lingering for a long time without fading.

Even Qi Xuansu, despite not facing the pillar directly and being brushed only by the aftershock of its immense power, was forced backward. He retreated more than 30 meters from where he had been standing before finally managing to steady himself.

After a few minutes, the pillar of light gradually dissipated.

Above the pyramid, a colossal golden Spiritual Statue slowly manifested. It wore the attire of the Southern Continent native people, adorned with a feathered headdress, while countless golden rays of light circled around it.

The towering Spiritual Statue that seemed illusory hovered above the pyramid, standing 100 meters tall. Beneath its feathered crown, its eyes were utterly cold and emotionless as they gazed down upon all living beings.

Around the Spiritual Statue, waves of golden radiance rose and fell like an endless sea, with immense divine might.

The Spiritual Statue then began to shrink until it condensed into a 5-meter-tall figure. It seated itself upon the altar atop the pyramid, like an emperor ascending his throne.

As the golden radiance gradually faded, it revealed the true appearance of the deity, which was a remarkably imposing middle-aged man. Rather than a god, he looked more like a worldly emperor.

No introduction was necessary. Qi Xuansu immediately recognized him as the second-generation King of Gods, the Lord of Day and Night, the Sun God, the Sky God Itzamna.

Itzamna had climbed out of the abyss, overcome death, and been reborn.

However, at present, he was only the Sun God. He could not yet truly be called the Sky God nor the Lord of Day and Night.

His divine authority over the night still resided with Chak Chel. Only by returning to his own divine kingdom could he truly reclaim his divine throne and once again become the Sky God Itzamna.

At that very moment, Madam Wu finally arrived.

Without the slightest hesitation, Madam Wu raised a mirror high above her head. Its surface, made from some unknown material, was even clearer than glass itself. The edge of the mirror was carved into the shapes of countless blossoms, as though flowers of every kind bloomed upon a winding vine that perfectly encircled the mirror.

The mirror suddenly radiated brilliant light. From afar, it looked as if Madam Wu were holding a full moon in her hands.

The mirror then slipped free from Madam Wu’s grasp, rising slowly into the air and growing ever larger, like the moon ascending into the sky.

After reaching the zenith, ripples spread across its surface, and within them, a blurred figure gradually emerged.

Through her actions, Madam Wu answered Qi Xuansu’s earlier question. Not only could she contact Great Sage Jiang, but she also had a way to bring Great Sage Jiang to this place.

This mirror was called the Moon Mirror. Like the Heavenly Preceptor’s Twin Swords, the mirror was divided into two halves. One half was called Flower in Mirror, and the other Moon in Water. If two people each held one half, they could establish a Yin-Yang Gate that would not be disturbed by ordinary external forces.

In other words, Flower in Mirror and Moon in Water were Yin-Yang Gates solidified into physical objects. They could bridge space itself, while the maximum distance between the two depended entirely on the cultivation level of their respective holders.

For this reason, although the Moon Mirror had mystical properties, it was also subject to considerable limitations.

Later, recognizing these shortcomings, the Daoist Order completely redesigned the Moon Mirror. Since the Daoist Order could create Immortals through human effort, creating an immortal object by human hands was hardly an impossible feat. The Longevity Stone Heart itself was a product of the Daoist Order, and there were three of them. Not to mention, the Moon Mirror had originally been a semi-immortal object, which gave it an exceptionally solid foundation to build upon.

After the Daoist Order’s refinements, the Moon Mirror had undergone a complete transformation and became a true immortal object. Its effective range had been greatly extended, while the cultivation level required to use it had been significantly reduced. However, the Daoist Order kept this strictly confidential. The overwhelming majority of Daoists remained unaware of the upgrade and still believed the Moon Mirror to be only a semi-immortal object.

In truth, the Daoist Order had upgraded many semi-immortal objects. However, because resources were limited, weapon-type semi-immortal objects, like the various swords, sabers, and the like, were not a priority. Instead, the Daoist Order focused on those with strategic value, such as the Moon Mirror, the Haotian Mirror, and similar treasures. Such semi-immortal objects were of little use in one-on-one combat, but in large-scale warfare, they often produced astonishing results.

Once these semi-immortal objects had been upgraded into immortal objects, proper use of them could turn the tide of battle at a critical moment. For that reason, the Daoist Order had always kept them secret, intending to catch its enemies completely off guard.

Since the Daoist Order intended for Madam Wu to serve as Qi Xuansu’s ultimate safeguard, she naturally needed adequate military backing. No protection was more reliable than an actual Immortal. Thus, Madam Wu carried Moon in Water, while Flower in Mirror remained in the hands of Great Sage Jiang. If necessary, it could allow Great Sage Jiang himself to travel here directly.

Although Itzamna knew nothing of the Moon Mirror, he could still sense that the powerful being who was about to cross space into this place would pose a genuine threat to him. After all, he had yet to return to his divine kingdom and reclaim the divine authority of night. Without the slightest hesitation, Itzamna struck with his full strength, determined to shatter the gateway before the descent could be completed.

The methods of an Immortal were clearly far beyond ordinary external forces.

A golden spear, condensed from sunlight, took shape in Itzamna’s hand. The spearhead shone with blinding brilliance as countless rays of light converged upon it.

Then Itzamna hurled the golden spear straight at the mirror.

The golden spear left behind a long trail of radiant light as it streaked forward like a comet, carrying the terrifying momentum of something capable of piercing the entire world. Everywhere it passed, space itself began to warp. That was merely the aftershock.

At the same time, every ray of light along its path was drawn into the spearhead, leaving behind only a dark void stripped of all light. The ultimate expression of light was darkness itself, perfectly embodying the divine authorities of day and night while coinciding with the Daoist transformation between yin and yang.

Should anyone be grazed by its spearhead, the consequences would be unimaginable.

A First-Tribulation Immortal was indeed formidable. Even though Itzamna had yet to fully recover, he already possessed the strength of a Quasi-First-Tribulation Immortal. Even an ordinary Immortal would not dare show the slightest carelessness when facing this spear.

At this moment, Great Sage Jiang had not yet descended and naturally could not intervene to stop it.

The corners of Itzamna’s mouth curled upward into a smile of complete confidence.

But in the very next instant, that smile froze.

At the critical moment, Madam Wu threw herself in front of the mirror, using her own body to intercept the spear.

Qi Xuansu’s Corpse Liberation Incarnation collapsed instantly, and immediately afterward, Madam Wu’s true body was pierced clean through by the spear.