A Pawn’s Passage

Qi Xuansu shouted and suddenly opened his eyes, only to find that Shi Hengbo and Lingshan were gone. He was back inside his own tent.

It was already bright outside. He had no idea how much time had passed, but he was drenched from head to toe in sweat. Ever since becoming a Xiantian Being, there had been many subtle changes, even though his lifespan had not increased. He was immune to mortal illnesses, and under normal circumstances, he would not sweat, shed hair, or lose skin cells. His body would remain free of dust, like a lotus emerging unstained from muddy water. This spared him the need for frequent clothing changes or baths. After mastering the Fasting Technique, he could even do without eating.

Qi Xuansu had long since become a Heavenly Being, a step above Xiantian Beings, yet now, his heavy garments were soaked through. This was proof that the agony he had endured was no mere illusion but had truly afflicted his body.

He exhaled deeply, shook the bell on his desk, and called to Little Yin outside the door. "Little Yin, you can go play now. No need to keep watch anymore."

Little Yin responded with delight and left without looking back.

Sage Qingwei had not even asked about Little Yin's origins and had given her the credentials of a fourth-rank Jijiu Daoist master. On reflection, there was nothing wrong with that, since demons could become Daoists, so ghosts should be able to as well.

Though Little Yin had no merits of her own, counting from the time of the Holy Xuan to the third-generation Grand Master, Master Yin, Master Wan, and Madam Bai had fought for the Daoist Order diligently all across the land. Thus, her merits had long since been earned on her behalf by her grandfather, Master Yin.

Even Suzuka Gozen could not see through Little Yin. As long as she suppressed her aura and carried this fourth-rank Jijiu Daoist credential, no one would trouble her.

A moment later, a Daoist attendant entered.

Qi Xuansu said, "Prepare hot water for me. I want to bathe and change."

"Yes, sir." The attendant acknowledged and withdrew.

Qi Xuansu, now in the Wuliang stage, could, of course, cleanse himself with ease, but he simply didn't want to, just as some Heavenly Beings preferred to travel by flying ship even though they themselves could ride with the wind.

It was not a question of whether it could be done. It was about doing it in the most comfortable way. Otherwise, what was the point of people pursuing power?

If one claimed it was entirely for the sake of all living beings and everlasting peace, that would sound a bit falsely noble.

Such noble people did exist, but they only appeared once every 500 years or more. Most people were still just ordinary folk.

Soon, Qi Xuansu stepped into the bath, soaking his body in the warm water with his eyes closed, completely relaxed. His clothes were casually draped over the screen, and once he finished bathing, a Daoist attendant would naturally come to collect and wash them.

Since this was wartime, not every Daoist priest could enjoy such treatment. Only high-ranking ones did. In fact, those of Qi Xuansu's rank usually had a secretary to arrange such matters. For example, Zhang Yuelu had Mu Jin by her side. But Qi Xuansu had only just been promoted to a third-rank Deputy Hall Master, and his secretary, Ke Qingqing, was still in training in Jade Capital, so he had not brought her along.

Just then, Zhang Yuelu's voice came from outside. "Tian Yuan, are you in there?"

Qi Xuansu heard her but deliberately stayed silent.

Naturally, Zhang Yuelu could sense Qi Xuansu's presence in the tent, so she walked straight in.

The tent was not exactly small, but it certainly was not spacious either.

Soon, only a folding screen separated the couple.

Zhang Yuelu said with mock annoyance and amusement, "Rascal, are you ignoring me on purpose?"

Qi Xuansu chuckled. "No, I'm not some blushing maiden. Why would I be afraid of being seen?"

Zhang Yuelu did not leave the tent. Instead, she turned her back to the screen and grunted, "You may not be a maiden, but I am. I don't want to see you in your birthday suit."

Qi Xuansu teased, "That day will come sooner or later."

Zhang Yuelu did not deny it. Instead, she changed the subject. "Have you reached the Wuliang stage?"

"Of course," Qi Xuansu said. "You're ahead, so I have to keep up."

Zhang Yuelu sighed. "In a few years, you'll be ahead of me while I'll be struggling to keep up. I've now seen firsthand how formidable a manmade Banished Immortal is. Against a tightly structured organization, an individual's strength is almost nothing. In the past, whether it was exploring hidden realms, hunting monsters, or encountering eminent seniors, one could gain a bit of fortune and opportunity. But how far one could go afterward depended entirely on innate talent and luck. It was almost impossible to have such drastic changes. But now, none of that matters anymore. If they say you're capable, then even if you're not innately so, you can be made into something."

Qi Xuansu's voice came from behind the screen. "In the entire Daoist Order, only Li Changge and I have this luck."

Zhang Yuelu mused, "Sometimes I wonder, if the world keeps developing along this path, what will it be like in a few hundred years? Will most people completely lose their humanity and become nothing more than tools? After all, people are no longer irreplaceable. Limbs and organs are like parts of a device; if broken, they can be replaced. With prosthetic hands, feet, and hearts, even people can be created out of nothing. So, what is the meaning of our existence? When that day comes, will the pursuit of material things remain, while all spiritual and emotional pursuits will be lost?"

There was a sloshing sound from behind the screen as Qi Xuansu said, "I don't see it that way. The Holy Court has a concept of the Seven Deadly Sins. Negative emotions are also emotions. Everything has yin and yang, and you can't dismiss an emotion just because it's negative. In fact, positive emotions are hard to maintain, but negative ones linger more easily. I believe that even if one day the world becomes utterly corrupt, morality collapses, and humanity is lost, those negative emotions will never be erased. On the contrary, they'll only grow stronger, driving all human activity. How can you say people would lose all spiritual and emotional pursuits? Even bad pursuits are still pursuits, aren't they?"

Zhang Yuelu was silent for a long time, then pressed her lips together and admitted, "What you've described is even more frightening than I imagined."

Qi Xuansu had already stepped out of the bath and begun dressing.

Hearing the rustle of clothes, Zhang Yuelu quietly breathed a sigh of relief.

Soon, Qi Xuansu came around the screen and stood beside Zhang Yuelu.

Zhang Yuelu glanced at him, her gaze wavering slightly.

Qi Xuansu had dressed in the style of the Wa people, with no inner shirt and his robe hanging loosely open, baring most of his chest.

Zhang Yuelu stared at him for a long while without speaking.

To be fair, Qi Xuansu had his charms. It was probably not enough to make women swoon, but enough that no one had ever looked at him with distaste. Qi Xuansu was not bad-looking. In fact, he made a decent first impression. Otherwise, Yue Liuli would not have gone to such lengths to get back at him.

Although Zhang Yuelu wanted to act indifferent and even considered mocking him in the Li family's fashion, she had no prior experience in this sort of situation, so she could not quite bring herself to speak.

Still, Zhang Yuelu kept her composure. At least, she did not blush or shy away. She drew a light breath, retracted her gaze, and looked forward again. "Perhaps I shouldn't have come."

Qi Xuansu paused for a moment, then replied, "But you're already here."

Zhang Yuelu cleared her throat. "I came for business. This time, you've been in seclusion for three full days."

Qi Xuansu was slightly surprised that Little Yin had been standing guard outside his tent for three whole days. How diligent!

Zhang Yuelu continued, "In these three days, the battle in Ise Province has progressed quickly. Some anti-Dao ruffians disguised themselves as civilians to attack Daoist priests and Spirit Guards, intending to provoke us into slaughtering civilians and losing public support. But they failed to cause much damage. Seeing that plan fail, they even slaughtered some civilians themselves and framed us for it. This caused some chaos, but fortunately, it didn't affect the overall situation."

Qi Xuansu shook his head. "These Wa people are truly ruthless, not only to outsiders, but even to their own. But then again, a samurai lord is still a lord, even in disgrace. They couldn't care less about the lives of the common folk."

Zhang Yuelu said, "After learning of this, the Sage Commander ordered the entire army to remain restrained and not vent their anger on civilians. At the same time, he ordered the Fenglin Daoist Mansion and the Chancellor's Office to use any necessary means to strike at the anti-Dao rebels. Once discovered, they may be executed on the spot without trial, and anyone found to be sheltering or conspiring with these rebels will face the same punishment."

Qi Xuansu said, "In a sense, the royalists are just a group of opportunists seeking power, while the anti-Dao ronin are truly Fenglin's backbone. Our goal is to break that backbone, leaving them nothing but a yapping, broken-spined dog."

Zhang Yuelu said calmly, "In the Central Plains, we've always emphasized having just cause. If Fenglin hadn't repeatedly harassed us, trying to be greedy by swallowing the elephant whole, they wouldn't be facing this fate today. The seeds sown yesterday will bear fruit. If you ask me, it's perfectly fitting."

Qi Xuansu asked, "What orders does the Sage Commander have for us? Investigate Mount Fuyo? Or continue the assault on Ise-jingu?"

Zhang Yuelu instinctively turned to glance at Qi Xuansu, only to be greeted by his bare chest. She sighed helplessly and reminded him. "Put your clothes on first."

Qi Xuansu glanced down at himself. "What's wrong?"

Zhang Yuelu finally lost her patience and reached out to pull his robe close. She even said righteously, "Proper attire is the most basic rule of Daoist etiquette."

Qi Xuansu said, "That's for public occasions. This is my private space. Did the fifth-generation Grand Master even manage how people bathe and sleep too?"

Zhang Yuelu rebutted. "How come I've never noticed that you're actually quite roguish?"

Qi Xuansu laughed. "How come I've never noticed that sometimes, you blush like a maiden?"

Zhang Yuelu decided to see the good deed through and tied Qi Xuansu's belt for him, muttering, "Even my father's never had this treatment."

Qi Xuansu naturally spread his arms and grinned. "What an honor!"

Once she finished tying his belt and was about to step back, Qi Xuansu took advantage of the moment to pull her into his embrace.

Qi Xuansu rested his chin on Zhang Yuelu's shoulder and whispered in her ear, "So...when's our wedding?"