A Pawn's Passage

Qi Xuansu had naturally considered all of this before.

Objectively speaking, Zhou Mengyao might excel at strategy, but she was certainly no master of divination. Too many things had caught her by surprise. She had been deceived by Madam Qi and had her plans intercepted by the Heavenly Preceptor. In the end, everything had fallen apart.

If that was the case, then Zhou Mengyao was unlikely to have laid her plans far in advance. Or rather, even if she had prepared beforehand, the arrangements could not have been particularly meticulous. They were more likely hurried improvisations.

After all, Zhou Mengyao could not possibly have known long beforehand that Qi Xuansu would come to these waters. She did not possess the Heavenly Preceptor’s or True Lord Ziguang’s abilities.

Had it been either of those latter two, Qi Xuansu would inevitably have wondered whether they had foreseen everything years ago, spent years weaving their schemes, accounted for every possibility, and already cast an inescapable net around him.

Of course, both the Heavenly Preceptor and True Lord Ziguang would have told Qi Xuansu that things were not so simple. The past was fixed, but the future remained uncertain, containing endless possibilities. Even if one glimpsed a fragment of what was to come, it could not be trusted blindly.

That was the greatest difficulty of foreseeing the future. One could only see isolated fragments, with neither beginning nor end. Everything else had to be guessed.

For example, Qi Xuansu foresaw a scene in which Zhang Yuelu killed him with a single sword strike. There was no context or conclusion, only that one moment. He would naturally begin to suspect her, straining their marriage. Yet when he finally reached that point in time, he might discover that the “Zhang Yuelu” he had seen was actually Zhou Mengyao in disguise. That was why the secrets of Heaven were unfathomable.

Judging from every indication, Zhou Mengyao was not skilled in divination. Her time had been extremely limited, making elaborate long-term preparations impossible. She could only adapt as events unfolded. After all, Qi Xuansu’s decision to come here had been somewhat spontaneous.

If this truly was a trap, could Zhou Mengyao really have earned the trust of a cunning old flood dragon in such a short time? A flood dragon that had nearly died at the hands of the Daoist Order?

At first glance, the old flood dragon seemed to have every reason to seek revenge. In reality, however, it probably wanted nothing more than to stay as far away from anything related to the Daoist Order as possible.

Zhou Mengyao was a Daoist Immortal, while Qi Xuansu was one of the Daoist Order’s carefully cultivated successors.

The old flood dragon would not become entangled in the Daoist Order’s internal struggle. That was because regardless of who won or lost, it would inevitably become the perfect scapegoat.

If both sides ultimately chose compromise, then sacrificing the old flood dragon would be the explanation that satisfied everyone.

The Daoist Order would never let it go.

The old flood dragon also would have nothing to gain. Qi Xuansu did possess many valuable treasures, but they all belonged to the Daoist Order, who would never allow such treasures to remain outside its control.

Even if the old flood dragon truly sought revenge, unless it could eliminate both Zhou Mengyao and Qi Xuansu, one side of the Daoist Order would inevitably benefit. That could hardly be called revenge.

Under such circumstances, the chances of the old flood dragon trusting Zhou Mengyao and cooperating with her in staging such a scheme were exceedingly slim.

Of course, that was not to say Zhou Mengyao would simply stand by and do nothing.

Even if the matter of the Dragon-Blooded was genuine, she could still wait for the two sides to exhaust each other before reaping the rewards herself.

Though there was nothing wrong with being cautious, one could not be too cautious. Without even the slightest willingness to take risks, it would be difficult to accomplish anything. Excessive caution often became timid indecisiveness.

Beyond all that, Qi Xuansu’s greatest source of confidence was the Guizang Lantern. Up to this point, the immortal object had given no warning whatsoever.

In the past, the Guizang Lantern had accurately foreseen Hun Ahau’s intention to make his move, as well as Kukulkan’s downfall and Itzamna’s resurrection. It had proven remarkably reliable.

Taking all these factors into consideration, Qi Xuansu concluded that the risk was worth taking.

Qi Xuansu looked at Utu and Hun Ahau. “Know thy enemy and know thyself, and one will never lose a hundred battles. Which of you is willing to go and investigate personally?”

Utu volunteered at once. “I’ll go. Even if something unexpected happens, I can still be reborn in my goddess’s divine kingdom.”

Qi Xuansu immediately added, “Very well. If the worst should happen, no matter how much divine power is required, the Daoist Order will bear the cost. We won’t let the Moon Goddess suffer any loss.”

Utu immediately gained more confidence.

Qi Xuansu had also deliberately spoken these words for Sun Jiatu’s benefit.

Sun Jiatu looked visibly delighted. It meant Qi Xuansu had, for all practical purposes, agreed to help.

Utu’s appearance began to change. The black-robed figure vanished, replaced by the form of a Longevous covered in dragon scales.

Diviners and Shamans always excelled in transformation techniques.

Given Utu’s cultivation, so long as he did not stand directly before the old flood dragon, the disguise was unlikely to be seen through.

“Let’s go.” Utu departed Qi Xuansu’s cabin with Sun Jiatu.

Qi Xuansu walked over to the window and gazed outside.

Not long afterward, the two figures appeared on the deck outside.

Qi Xuansu watched them depart while Hun Ahau stood behind him. “It’s all a little too coincidental.”

Qi Xuansu said, “I’ve been thinking about it. Those dragon scales can’t be faked, so the matter of the old flood dragon is probably genuine. But it would be very difficult for Zhou Mengyao to earn the old flood dragon’s trust, making it unlikely that they’d work together to set a trap for us. However, she could deliberately leak news of our presence to the Longevous. They would then come to us of their own accord and lure us into confronting the old flood dragon, while she remained hidden nearby, waiting to strike.”

Hun Ahau pondered for a moment. “That’s certainly possible. Then why didn’t you ask Sun Jiatu about it just now, Sage?”

Qi Xuansu replied, “There would’ve been no point. Zhou Mengyao certainly wouldn’t have appeared in person. She would simply manufacture the right coincidence, allowing Sun Jiatu and the other Longevous to ‘accidentally’ learn of our existence.”

Hun Ahau continued, “If that’s the case, then why did you still agree to it?”

Qi Xuansu fell silent for a moment before pressing a hand against the scar on his forehead that had yet to fade. “I’m getting tired of this. Sooner or later, this has to be settled. Avoiding it isn’t a solution.”

Hun Ahau understood and said nothing more.

Qi Xuansu was not the type to keep a low profile. Deep down, he still preferred taking risks. It would still be a long time before he attained immortality. During that time, he would continue serving in various Daoist Mansions. He could not possibly guard against Zhou Mengyao forever.

He might as well seize the opportunity while he was still the Daoist Order’s envoy, when he could still mobilize extensive resources. That way, he could find a chance to teach Zhou Mengyao a lesson here. Once he became an Omniscient Sage and returned to the Central Plains, he would no longer have the status of envoy and would lack access to such resources.

Simply put, it was only because of these extraordinary circumstances that Qi Xuansu had been granted such sweeping authority. If he failed to use it now, the opportunity would expire.

If Zhou Mengyao chose to remain hidden, Qi Xuansu would indeed have had a difficult time finding her. Since she had taken the initiative to reveal herself, it actually saved him a great deal of trouble.

In its own way, it was a mutual convergence. Such was the bond between master and disciple.

......

Far out at sea lay an island that the humanoid insects called Blue Cloud Island. Its surrounding waters were a brilliant blue, matching the sky itself, while the white-crested waves resembled drifting clouds.

The place was well hidden, lying far from any established shipping lane, making it extremely difficult to discover.

Even so, an uninvited guest had arrived.

The woman removed the wide-brimmed veiled hat that had become something of a hindrance. She was dressed like an ordinary woman, with a dark green sleeveless long vest that reached the knees, a most common form of casual home attire.

She wore a light touch of powder on her face. Her complexion was as white as snow, her brows arched elegantly, and her crimson lips enhanced her striking beauty. Her deep, unfathomable eyes carried an effortless air of authority even when she showed no expression.

Wearing cosmetics was simply her habit. It was much like those who had mastered the Fasting Technique no longer needed to eat, yet still held banquets out of custom. The force of habit was indeed powerful.

The woman walked openly across the island without making the slightest effort to conceal herself, and those around her remained completely oblivious, as if she simply did not exist. Their eyes were passing over her without noticing.

Before long, she arrived beneath a cliff. There stood a massive boulder that had been polished into the shape of a Go board, upon which lay numerous stone-carved pieces arranged in the middle of an unfinished endgame.

Seated to the left of the board was a short, frail old man with white hair and a white beard.

He was also the first person on the island capable of seeing the woman.

The old man had been studying the unfinished game. But now, he turned his gaze toward the woman and said without the slightest sign of alarm, “A Sage has graced us with her presence. Forgive this old man for failing to welcome you from afar.”

“I’m no Sage,” the woman replied. “Just call me Zhou Mengyao.”

The old man nodded. “What brings you here, Master Zhou? Do you wish to play a game of Go with this old man?”

Zhou Mengyao said, “I’m not skilled in Heavenly Calculation. I’m afraid I couldn’t solve an endgame like this.”

The old man replied, “If one used Heavenly Calculation to play Go, there would be little enjoyment in it.”

Zhou Mengyao said, “I know a fair bit about the humanoid insects, but this is the first time I’ve encountered one like you.”

The old man smiled. “Once an insect egg is swallowed, one’s life no longer belongs to oneself. After that, the cocoon produces countless filaments that burrow into the host’s organs, spine, and brain, gaining even greater control over the host’s body and altering the host’s thoughts. This cocoon stage is also known as the Core Formation stage.

“The greatest danger during the Core Formation stage is deviation. A small number of hosts realize that they have in fact been parasitized while their bodies are being transformed. The humanoid insects call this a demonic illusion of the heart. Realizing the truth is what they consider deviation.

“Once a host breaks free from the larva’s control, they develop fear and hatred toward the parasites inside them and often go on to slaughter other humanoid insects. Thus, the humanoid insects label those who have deviated as practitioners of the Demonic Path.

“However, some choose to lie dormant. They continue masquerading as ordinary humanoid insects while secretly learning to harness the insects’ power without being controlled by them. Others kill fellow humanoid insects and refine the parasites within their bodies into cultivation of their own. These are the elites among the Demonic Path practitioners, also known as Archfiends.

“By the humanoid insect’s standards, I am a practitioner of the Demonic Path, an Archfiend. During the humanoid insect’s decline, I’ve infiltrated their highest ranks and become one of their exalted Supreme Elders.”

Zhou Mengyao smiled. “How interesting. The humanoid insects call the Daoists practitioners of the Demonic Path, even distinguishing between Demon Sects, Demon Sovereign, and Demon Saint. Yet it turns out that humanoid insects who discover the truth are also labeled practitioners of the Demonic Path. Doesn’t that mean these poor humanoid insects have been living inside one enormous lie? They are born without knowing why they live, and they die without knowing why they die.”

The old man replied, “You could certainly put it that way. They are indeed pitiful insects.”