A Pawn's Passage

At this moment, there was a commotion, as most people turned toward the entrance of the main hall. A young man and woman walked into the hall, hand in hand.

Putting aside Zhang Yuelu’s commanding aura that could attract thousands of people, in terms of appearance alone, Zhang Yuelu was not as good-looking as this woman who just walked in. Zhang Yuelu was pretty, but her strength lies in her unique aura, which very few people could compare to.

The woman who just arrived wore a pure white dress. She was so beautiful and graceful that everyone could not take their eyes off her. However, her expression was cold and indifferent. She was as pure as snow, but also as cold as ice. No one could tell her emotions, and it was clear that she was unapproachable.

The man next to her was also much more handsome than Qi Xuansu, with strong eyebrows and eagle eyes that people could not help but praise. Standing next to the woman, he was equally as good-looking and did not lag behind in any way.

Moreover, the man had a sort of sharp vigor, which was somewhat similar to Zhang Yuelu. Qi Xuansu always believed that Zhang Yuelu resembled a dragon and a tiger. Although, when compared to the elders and the big shots, Zhang Yuelu was still a little immature, she was an ambitious person with a commanding and oppressive aura that was natural among leaders.

This man’s aura resembled that of an unsheathed sword, with a frightening sharpness and overwhelming chill. He was not as dignified as Zhang Yuelu and seemed as if he would do anything to achieve his goals, even if it was immoral.

Qi Xuansu and Zhang Yuelu also noticed this outstanding couple. Zhang Yuelu was not jealous of the woman’s beauty. Instead, she commented, “Wow, she’s so pretty, like a doll!”

However, Qi Xuansu did not speak. Zhang Yuelu looked at Qi Xuansu strangely because he was staring at the couple with a hint of disgust.

Zhang Yuelu asked, “Tian Yuan, do you know these two people?”

Qi Xuansu replied, “Yeah, but I didn’t expect to see them here. What an ill fate...”

Zhang Yuelu rarely saw Qi Xuansu in such a mood, so she became more curious. “What grudges do you have against them?”

Qi Xuansu considered his words carefully before saying, “You’ve read my file, so you should know that I graduated from Class A of the Bingzi Year in the Wanxiang Daoist Palace. They were in the same batch as me.”

Zhang Yuelu was surprised. “Oh, they’re your classmates! You should have a good relationship with them then, right?”

“You’ve never been to the Lower Palace of Wanxiang Daoist Palace, so you won’t understand what it’s like there.” Qi Xuansu shook his head.

He continued, “Three months before graduation, the Wanxiang Daoist Palace held a special trial for Daoist attendants who were interested in becoming priests. We were divided into two camps, the Dragon Camp and the Tiger Camp, respectively.

“The two camps fought against each other within a prescribed area designated in the Wanxiang Daoist Palace. Both sides elected a leader to arrange the troops, and the rest followed orders and performed their duties. The losing side would be punished, and the winning side would be rewarded. For Daoist attendants who grew up with nothing, this reward was very important. So everyone wanted to win.”

It was the first time that Zhang Yuelu heard of such a trial in the Lower Palace of the Wanxiang Daoist Palace. She looked interested. “If I had known earlier, I wouldn’t have chosen home school and would have gone to study in the Wanxiang Daoist Palace.”

Qi Xuansu said helplessly, “With your background, aren’t you afraid of being singled out by the orphans if you study at the Lower Palace?”

Zhang Yuelu asked in return, “Do you think that only adults know to curry favor with those in power?”

Qi Xuansu was speechless.

Zhang Yuelu asked, “But I should be able to be the leader of the camps if I was at the Lower Palace, right?”

Qi Xuansu nodded. “Probably.”

Zhang Yuelu probed, “Have you ever been a leader?”

“No.” Qi Xuansu shook his head and pointed at the young couple. “But they have.”

Zhang Yuelu was slightly startled. “They were leaders?”

Qi Xuansu explained, “The man’s name is Wan Xiuwu, the leader of the Tiger Camp. The woman’s name is Yue Liuli, the leader of the Dragon Camp. I was a member of the Dragon Camp back then. Yue Liuli was very cruel, even at a young age.

“The leader of the Tiger Camp had a high level of cultivation, so he had the upper hand. That was why Yue Liuli used a group of us as bait without informing us about it in advance, hoping to win in an ambush. If our instructor hadn’t arrived in time, our group would have died during the trial. Wan Xiuwu also left a gash on my body, which made me lie in bed for half a month.”

Having said this, Qi Xuansu subconsciously stretched out his hand to press on his scar. But he suddenly remembered that his body had been completely regenerated by the Xuan Jade, so he no longer had any old scars.

Zhang Yuelu understood. She narrowed her eyes and stared at the young couple, who looked like a match made in heaven.

Qi Xuansu continued, “In the end, I didn’t get the reward. I was willing to admit defeat since I wasn’t as skilled as them. But later, they got together and fell in love. They treated us like their stepping stones. That’s why I don’t like them.”

Zhang Yuelu asked, “Do they know that you hold a grudge against them?”

Qi Xuansu shook his head. “I don’t think so. They’re the proud talents of Wanxiang Daoist Palace. At most, they’ll remember my existence, but I doubt they care about what I think of them.”

Zhang Yuelu sneered. “Talents? That’s the most indispensable thing in the Daoist community. Talents are everywhere. What right do they have to look down on others?”

Qi Xuansu smiled bitterly and quipped. “You’re the only one qualified to say such things.”

“I never think of myself as a talent or genius.” Zhang Yuelu said sincerely, “A real genius should be like Donghuang, without being given a special chance and only relying on himself. At our age, he was already a Heavenly Being. That’s why I think that Donghuang is qualified to look down on others. If someone wants to be called a talent, they must first become a Heavenly Being in their twenties without relying on external help.”

Qi Xuansu sighed. “Well, how many Donghuangs are there throughout history?”

Zhang Yuelu was about to answer, but at this moment, Wan Xiuwu and Yue Liuli walked toward her.

Qi Xuansu calmed down, suppressed his resentment, and regained his usual composure.

Wan Xiuwu and Yue Liuli were equally matched in terms of aura. However, Qi Xuansu was clearly weaker than Zhang Yuelu, especially because Qi Xuansu’s level of cultivation and status were much lower than Zhang Yuelu’s.

Therefore, Wan Xiuwu and Yue Liuli focused their attention on Zhang Yuelu. They merely glanced at Qi Xuansu, clearly not recognizing their former classmate. This made sense because Qi Xuansu had also changed a lot compared to his days in the Wanxing Daoist Palace.

This was exactly what Qi Xuansu wanted, because he did not like being the center of attention. He would rather hide in the corner and observe others freely so that he would not have to worry about anything else.

Zhang Yuelu did not feel the impulse to stand up for Qi Xuansu. She treated the couple with her usual demeanor. After all, she was not a rash person, as proven in the incident involving her cousin’s and mother’s trick on Qi Xuansu. She did not confront or expose them because she knew that without evidence, she would be in a passive position.

Zhang Yuelu might not have the highest cultivation level among her peers, but she had the greatest reputation. It was mainly due to three things. The first thing was that she was the main contributor to the major Jiangnan case. The second thing was that she had once defeated Li Tianzhen, a direct descendant of the Holy Xuan. The third thing was that she was appointed as the Deputy Hall Master at such a young age by the Earthly Preceptor.

Thus, Wan Xiuwu and Yue Liuli had heard of Zhang Yuelu before. They were not too arrogant in front of this prodigy and just wanted to compare themselves to her.

Since Zhang Yuelu was a woman, Wan Xiuwu did not take the initiative to speak. Instead, Yue Liuli stepped forward to talk to Zhang Yuelu.

Zhang Yuelu treated them with courtesy.

Yue Liuli glanced at Qi Xuansu, who remained silent. She asked softly, “May I know your name?”

Qi Xuansu finally spoke. “Qi Xuansu.”

Yue Liuli had never heard of this name, but she thought that he looked familiar. This was expected because Qi Xuansu had only adopted this name after being taken in by his master, Qi Haoran. Before that in the Wanxiang Daoist Palace, Qi Xuansu went by another name.

After staring at him, Yue Liuli could not help but ask, “Were you from the Wanxiang Daoist Palace?”

Qi Xuansu nodded. “I was. I’m surprised you still remember me, Leader.”

Yue Liuli was finally able to confirm her suspicions. “You changed your name.”

Qi Xuansu nodded again. “Yes, my name is Qi Xuansu. You can also call me Tian Yuan.”

“Tian Yuan.” Yue Liuli sighed softly.

Not all Quanzhen Sect disciples were celibate. Wan Xiuwu and Yue Liuli were disciples of the Wuxu Palace Master. They followed their master to Yunjin Mountain. Naturally, they would not associate Qi Xuansu with Qi Jiaozheng, who was a Sage from the Quanzhen Sect.

Since Qi Xuansu was not from the Tiger Camp, Wan Xiuwu had a weak impression of Qi Xuansu. Wan Xiuwu chimed in. “It turns out that we’re old classmates! It must be fate for us to meet here. Brother Qi, were you also invited to participate in the bidding?”

Qi Xuansu answered truthfully, “I was invited by a Sage, so I must attend.”

Yue Liuli’s eyes flickered. She did not expect that her discarded chess piece would still be kept on the board.

Qi Xuansu was invited by a Sage and had a beautiful woman accompany him. It was truly a drastic transformation compared to the past.

Yue Liuli inquired, “May I ask what Tian Yuan’s relationship is with Miss Zhang?”

Zhang Yuelu took the initiative to reply, “We’re close friends.”

When Wan Xiuwu heard this, he had a gloomy look, which disappeared in an instant.

Back in the Wanxiang Daoist Palace, Wan Xiuwu was a well-deserved leader. He had the highest cultivation level and the most commanding presence. He experienced what it was like to hold power early on in the Wanxiang Daoist Palace and later won the heart of a beautiful woman, Yue Liuli. His life was near perfect.

On the other hand, Qi Xuansu was not outstanding when he was in the Wanxiang Daoist Palace. He could only be regarded as above average. In the final trial, Wan Xiuwu slashed Qi Xuansu three times with a sword.

Qi Xuansu could not compare to Wan Xiuwu back then, but the latter suddenly discovered that his ordinary classmate was currently on an equal footing with him. Moreover, Zhang Yuelu, who had once rejected and defeated Li Tianzhen, was clearly better than Yue Liuli in every aspect. This gap made Wan Xiuwu very uncomfortable.

For a moment, there was an awkward silence between the two couples.