A Pawn's Passage

The next morning, Zhang Yuelu and her group took some horses from the Daoist temple and set off again, leaving the boundaries of Kunlun Mountain and entering the territory of the Western Region.

Kunlun and the Western Region had their own Daoist mansions. The head of the Kunlun Daoist Mansion was appointed by the Grand Master’s trusted aides. However, due to the existence of the Nine Halls and the Golden Tower, Kunlun Daoist Mansion’s position was quite awkward. Unlike other Daoist mansions, it resembled the Imperial Court’s administrative office.

The Daoist Mansion in the Western Region should have been named after the state, which was Xizhou, like the Qizhou Daoist Mansion. However, there was a significant battle between the Daoist Order and the Buddhist Sect, resulting in some Xizhou prefectures falling under Buddhist control.

Due to the considerable influence of the Buddhist sect in the Western Region, the areas reclaimed by the Daoist Order extended beyond the boundaries of Xizhou and were no longer part of the Great Xuan Dynasty’s territory. Thus, the Xizhou Daoist Mansion was renamed the Western Region Daoist Mansion.

Upon entering the Western Region, the snow-white scenery gradually diminished and was replaced by the desert and more barren landscapes. The terrain became flatter, so the group could cover about 150 kilometers a day on their horses. These horses were of a special breed that had been improved by the Daoist Order, so they were adept at long-distance travel and were resistant to cold and drought.

The group only realized the concept of sparsely populated land after entering the Western Region. They would often ride for half a day without seeing a single soul. This explained why the Western Region ranked last in terms of its population, despite being the largest province under the jurisdiction of the imperial court. In such a place, the struggle was not so much with people as it was with nature.

Qi Xuansu had been to the Western Region before. It was where he and his master were ambushed and where he met Madam Qi, altering his fate forever.

The place they were heading to—Bishan Temple—was 400 kilometers away from the Daoist temple where they had previously stayed. It was a three-day journey because they deviated from the official path. That was why they had not come across any Daoist temples, rest stops, inns, or even a village where they could stop along this route.

This was also the reason they had prepared the Army Pill. With the pill, eating and drinking could be solved while on horseback. After nightfall, they would camp in wind-sheltered areas and take turns keeping watch. No one dared to sleep deeply. Instead, they meditated to substitute for sleep. Fortunately, they were all Xiantian Beings with an average cultivation level, so it was not too much of a challenge.

However, for some who were used to the comfort of the Jade Capital, this journey was quite torturous. They could not help but complain about Zhang Yuelu’s insistence on riding horses instead of using the flying ship. They thought that the Deputy Hall Master was merely giving them unnecessary hardships.

Qi Xuansu and Zhou Bai were both experienced travelers and had everything arranged properly. They mostly took turns keeping watch at night, which changed the attitude of those who previously doubted Qi Xuansu’s capability.

According to Zhou Bai, they were lucky that there was no snowfall. If there was heavy snow, the journey ahead would be even more challenging.

Zhou Bai jinxed them, as the weather changed drastically the next day. Coupled with the proximity to Kunlun and the Daxue Mountains, which were high in altitude and had a cold climate, snow arrived earlier in this region compared to the Central Plains. In the evening, it started snowing.

The next morning, the snow had stopped, leaving only a vast expanse of white on the desolate desert. It seemed as if all things between heaven and earth had vanished, and the barely discernible road was no longer visible.

The sunlight on the white snow was particularly glaring. This was where the sunglasses and veil came in handy. In this environment, the snow reflected the bright sunlight, easily causing eye damage. The group wore sunglasses to shield their eyes and cloaks to protect against the cold before they continued the journey. They appeared like tiny black dots amidst the vast expanse of snow.

Due to the snow, it was difficult for the horses to run. While they could normally cover 150 kilometers a day in normal conditions, they could only manage a few dozen kilometers in the thick snow, further delaying their three-day journey.

Moreover, the temperature was gradually dropping. One’s limbs would become numb after sitting on horseback for extended periods, so they had to circulate their qi to dispel the cold. Fortunately, they also brought along some wine, which provided some warmth when consumed occasionally.

Qi Xuansu noticed that Zhang Yuelu took this opportunity to openly drink alcohol. In just half a day, her wine pouch was emptied, yet she still seemed unsatisfied.

Apart from this, Qi Xuansu also had other concerns. The roads in the desert, which were barely discernible to begin with, had completely disappeared under the snow blanket. Looking around, all he could see was white, without a single landmark. This place was also uninhabited, so there was no one they could turn to for directions. What if they got lost?

As luck would have it, the group should have passed by a dried-up riverbed by now, according to the map. However, after walking for most of the day, they still could not see the riverbed by dusk. It was unlikely that the riverbed would be filled up with snow. After all, it was only late autumn, and such heavy snowfall was improbable.

Zhang Yuelu was somewhat helpless. She had lost her way again. It seemed as if she was always getting lost. Last time, she got lost in the Purple Mansion. This time, it was in the vast desert.

Qi Xuansu looked up at the sky with a solemn expression.

At some point, thick clouds rolled in, obscuring the moon. Then the wind grew stronger. The cold gust felt like knives slashing their faces. Before long, snowflakes began to mix with the wind, stinging their faces.

It was snowing again.

Qi Xuansu could not help but sigh as he pulled the hood of his cloak over his head. He had only lived in Jade Capital for less than two months and was already feeling uncomfortable in this weather. Those who had been in Jade Capital for a long time would probably be cursing inwardly.

Sure enough, most of the group had gloomy expressions. However, they were afraid of Zhang Yuelu, so they dared not express their discontent openly. If Qi Xuansu were in charge at this moment, they would have already mocked him for choosing this route instead of taking the flying ship.

Qi Xuansu pondered for a moment and turned to Zhang Yuelu. “Deputy Hall Master, I think it’s imperative we find shelter for now to avoid the snow. Although we’re all Xiantian Beings who won’t be killed by a snowstorm, our horses may not survive.”

Having worked for Madam Qi for a long time, Qi Xuansu inadvertently picked up many of her habits and mannerisms.

Zhang Yuelu did not have time to worry about his tone. She merely pointed ahead and said, “Let’s go behind that hill.”

There was a shallow ditch behind the hill, about one meter tall, which was enough to provide the group shelter from the wind.

The group spent the night like this. As Qi Xuansu had said, they were all Xiantian Beings and could not be killed by a small snowstorm. However, they could still suffer.

After all, the biggest difference between Xiantian Beings and Houtian Beings was that the former were not susceptible to human ailments, but they could still be affected by extreme weather. Only someone at Zhang Yuelu’s level of cultivation could remain unaffected by the weather.

Everything was a struggle at first. After getting through the initial difficulties, everyone gradually got used to the harsh conditions. They soon found the right path and braved the wind and snow for about ten days. Finally, in early September, they arrived at the Bishan Daoist Temple.

As it was located in a remote area, Bishan Temple was quite simple, consisting of two courtyards. The main hall in front was where the Primordial Daoist Ancestor was enshrined, and the living quarters behind had less than thirty rooms in total. Usually, there were around ten Daoist priests stationed here, serving as a kind of outpost for the Western Region Daoist Mansion.

However, those priests had been murdered overnight. After the massacre, the Western Region Daoist Mansion sent people to investigate the case. However, due to a shortage of manpower, they did not continue the investigation. They merely reported the case to the ancestral court and left two people to guard the bodies until the arrival of the people from Tiangang Hall.

Seeing the group from Tiangang Hall, the two guards, who had been on edge the whole time, finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Although they would not starve or freeze in the Daoist temple, spending all day with a dozen or so corpses and worrying about whether those demons would return was truly tormenting.

Zhang Yuelu wasted no time and instructed the two guards to lead the way so that she could examine the bodies.

The bodies, covered with white cloth, were laid out in the main hall under the statue of the Primordial Daoist Ancestor. Starting from the left, Zhang Yuelu lifted the white cloth to reveal a pale corpse. Despite being dead for some time, the body had not decayed due to the cold weather.

Unlike most women, who were squeamish, Zhang Yuelu maintained her composure as she reached out to move the chin of the corpse.

However, Qi Xuansu keenly noticed that Zhang Yuelu had a thin layer of the Five Elements Qi Shield around her hand, indicating that she was not completely unfazed by dead bodies.

Zhang Yuelu asked, “What do you all think?”

Xu Zhen, who had always been taciturn, spoke up. “This man died from excessive blood loss. The marks on his neck seem like fang-bites. It could be from a zombie.”

"Zombies don’t attack caravans,” Lingquanzi chimed in.

Lingquanzi was a Diviner at the Guizhen stage who was proficient in cultivating ghosts and zombies. Thus, he was most knowledgeable about zombies.

He continued, “After death, the soul returns to heaven, the spirit returns to earth, and the Three Corpses turn into a ghost. If the body is buried in a good plot of land and nourished by the earth’s energy, it can transform into a zombie. Zombies are extreme-yin creatures. They lack memories from their past lives due to the absence of the soul and the Three Corpses, so they act purely on instinct.”

Xu Zhen asked, “Could someone skilled in cultivating zombies control them to commit crimes?”

Lingquanzi pondered. “That’s possible, but the Daoist Order has strict regulations on the practice of cultivating zombies and ghosts. It’s extremely difficult even for Daoist disciples to cultivate them, so how could outsiders be so proficient?”

As they spoke, Zhang Yuelu moved to the second corpse, lifting the white cloth to reveal a seventh-rank Daoist priest. The dead man’s expression was tragic. His face contorted in horror, as if he had seen something terrifying. There were five puncture holes on his face, located at the forehead, eyes, and cheeks.

Zhang Yuelu curled her fingers to match the position of the five holes.

Qi Xuansu’s heart stirred. He said, “This seems somewhat similar to the Yin Slaughter Technique.”

The Yin Slaughter Technique was a mystical skill. When mastered, one’s nails could grow to over 30 centimeters long, resembling short swords capable of breaking anything. Madam Qi excelled in this technique.

Zhang Yuelu nodded. “It does look very similar.”

She proceeded to lift the white cloth covering the third corpse. The wound on the victim’s neck was clearly visible. The face was pale, but what was even more eerie was the faint smile on it, as if the victim had died in a blissful state.

Zhang Yuelu whispered, “Zombies could never possess such ability.”

Lingquanzi nodded in agreement. “This person seems to have fallen victim to an illusion. Zombies have no soul or consciousness. Even the most powerful zombies won’t be able to use illusions.”

Zhang Yuelu gestured for everyone to uncover the remaining corpses.