A Pawn's Passage

Qi Xuansu arrived in Huainan City on the evening of the second day.

He first went to the market and collected the herbs written on the prescription Madam Qi gave him. The pharmacy offered a service for decocting the herbs, saving Qi Xuansu some effort.

After drinking the medicine, Qi Xuansu strolled around the streets, wandering around the city to ensure he was not being followed before entering a secluded alley.

It was late by the time Qi Xuansu arrived, so the alley was dark. He briskly walked to the end of an alley, where an inconspicuous small door was located. He gently knocked on it three times, followed by a pause of three seconds, then ended with four heavier knocks.

After a moment, a voice came through from the other side of the door, citing, “Don’t worry, as peace reigns in all directions.”

Qi Xuansu replied in a hushed voice, “The world is stable, and I come in peace."

The door opened as Qi Xuansu completed the sentence. There was no light inside. The place was only illuminated by the crescent moon.

As soon as Qi Xuansu entered, the doorkeeper closed it behind him without a second’s delay.

Beyond the door was a huge mansion with multiple winding paths that led to peaceful nooks. It turned out that the inconspicuous door he entered through was just a back entrance.

Qi Xuansu had little knowledge about the Qingping Society, but he knew that they wielded great influence while operating in secrecy. It was very difficult for anyone to figure out what their intentions were.

However, Qi Xuansu was not particularly concerned about it. He was more worried about himself, hoping to dissociate from the Qingping Society one day without consequences. He did not want to turn out like Zhuge Yongming, dying without any say in his fate.

Thus, he had been accumulating merits over the years, which was the condition he agreed to when joining the Qingping Society. As long as he accumulated enough merits, he could leave the Qingping Society. However, accumulating 9,000 merits was no easy task. Qi Xuansu only had 300 merits, which was a far cry from the amount he needed to leave the Qingping Society.

The owner of this mansion was a middle-aged man dressed like a wealthy merchant. He did not inquire about Qi Xuansu. Instead, he ordered his servant to prepare a room, a bath, some food, and clean clothes for his guest.

Qi Xuansu took off his muddy clothes, took a comfortable bath, and changed into a new robe.

With that, he transformed back into a seventh-rank Daoist disciple and was no longer the rebel wanted by the Green Phoenix Guard.

Qi Xuansu stayed here for one night. By noon the next day, Madam Qi had returned to the same mansion.

The owner of the mansion had prepared a separate room for the two of them, without any servants, so that they could have privacy.

The room resembled a study. Qi Xuansu took out the Xuan Jade from his satchel and handed it to Madam Qi. She glanced at it and asked, “Didn’t you take the opportunity to study it? So many people are fighting over this thing, indicating its value.”

Qi Xuansu replied truthfully, “I’ve studied it, but I couldn’t make heads or tails of it.”

Madam Qi nodded, put the Xuan Jade into her magical receptacle, and then put on a serious expression.

She said, “This time, a fourth-rank, fifth-rank, and sixth-rank Daoist priest and several Green Phoenix Guards participated in the robbery of the Xuan Jade. You’ve done well to retrieve it and complete the mission, so you will be rewarded with 300 merits.”

Qi Xuansu was surprised. “Was a fourth-rank Daoist master involved?”

"You were lucky.” Madam Qi casually took out her tobacco pipe. “It seems that the Taiping Sect had some concerns. The fourth-rank Daoist master didn’t personally intervene but sent his subordinates to act under the guise of the Green Phoenix Guard. The so-called court case was just a cover-up.

"If someone investigates later, it will only lead to Li Sanxin. It won’t reveal the mastermind behind this. Unfortunately, I don’t know how this information leaked. It attracted people from two other sects. Now, the Taiping Sect is in a difficult situation. The carefully prepared cover-up not only failed, but they also didn’t retrieve the Xuan Jade.”

Qi Xuansu furrowed his brows slightly, asking, “Did the Green Phoenix Guard leak the information?”

"That’s also possible.” Madam Qi pondered for a moment. “Nowadays, the two political parties in the Imperial Court are fighting openly. The Taiping Sect planned to seize the magistrate of Fengtai County, Li Hongwen, amidst the current political strife, take the Xuan Jade from him, and then find a reason to kill him. In this regard, the Green Phoenix Guard played a crucial role in the case. Everything revolves around them.”

Qi Xuansu suddenly understood the situation.

After the Qingping Society received news about the Xuan Jade, they dispatched Qi Xuansu to compete for it with the specially made compass, which could accurately locate the Xuan Jade. Hence, there was no need for subterfuge or a large-scale operation.

At the same time, the Taiping Sect also received this news. However, the Taiping Sect did not have the Qingping Society’s special compass, so they could not accurately locate the Xuan Jade. Instead, they could only search Li Hongwen’s residence. So they staged a performance with the Green Phoenix Guard, making it seem like political strife.

But in reality, they just needed a reason to ransack Li Hongwen’s residence in search of the Xuan Jade. Also, because this case did not actually involve politics, the Green Phoenix Guard did not dare to actually send Li Hongwen to the Imperial Capital’s prison, fearing future repercussions. Instead, they could only silence Li Hongwen to eliminate any evidence.

Li Sanxin did not manage to find the Xuan Jade and was instead caught by Qi Xuansu. This information leaked and attracted other members of the Daoist sects. The so-called cover-up became a joke.

The Taiping Sect’s plan had no major issues theoretically, but its execution had some problems.

Qi Xuansu asked, “Wouldn't it be enough if Li Hongwen just handed over the Xuan Jade? Why drag his whole family into this?”

"It’s not surprising. People die for wealth as birds perish for food.”

Madam Qi explained, “Li Hongwen must have refused after the Taiping Sect disciple demanded the jade and even threatened him, but he didn’t expect this fourth-rank Daoist master to be so ruthless as to kill his entire family.

"By the time the Green Phoenix Guard arrived, Li Hongwen was doomed either way. He made a gamble that the Green Phoenix Guard wouldn’t dare kill his family, so he held onto the jade, thinking there could still be a chance.”

Qi Xuansu nodded in understanding.

Madam Qi blew out a smoke ring and continued, “I have a premonition about this matter. It’s most likely directed by a sage of the Taiping Sect. The Taiping Sect has nine sages, all of whom have untainted reputations. That’s why they created such a cover-up. That fourth-rank Daoist master is nothing but a small pawn to them. He’s merely the second layer of coverup.

"Speaking of which, if a small pawn like that has such power, this case will attract the attention of a sage. If so, you and I won’t be able to defeat them.”

Qi Xuansu’s expression turned serious as he nodded in agreement.

Madam Qi continued, “Your performance this time was beyond expectation, so I can offer you two rewards within my power. Take your pick.”

Qi Xuansu was elated, feeling that he did not take Zhuge Yongming’s punches in vain.

Madam Qi took out a wooden box from her magical receptacle and placed it in front of Qi Xuansu.

"This is the Divine Dragon Pistol produced by the Divine Armory in the 36th year of the Jiushi Era. It has an ivory handle, a brass barrel in the shape of a dragon's head, and a rear-loading structure with integrated metal bullets. A pin structure replaces the small flint ignition mechanism, and the linear barrel has an effective range of one hundred steps.

"It can break through the innate qi of a person within fifteen steps, but whether it can injure the body is another matter. It comes with twenty brass outer shells engraved with armor-penetrating talismans. The price of this pistol on the black market is approximately 800 Taiping coins.”

Qi Xuansu opened the box and saw a gorgeous pistol. Its curves were graceful, and it was exquisite, looking more like a fine piece of art than a weapon. Next to it were twenty bullets with many strange patterns carved on the sharp tips, seemingly some kind of talisman, which was indeed different from common firearms.

Madam Qi admired this expensive pistol and added, “This pistol is not only valuable but also a symbol of status. Only those above a certain rank among the Black Robes can own one.”

The Great Xuan Dynasty originated from the north. Among the Five Elements were green wood, white metal, vermilion fire, yellow earth, and black water. The Great Xuan Dynasty advocated black to symbolize water, so the soldiers’ armor was predominantly black, earning them the name Black Robes.

The Divine Armory mentioned earlier was a part of the imperial army, specializing in firearms. Not only were they skilled in using firearms, but they also excelled in research and development.

Qi Xuansu asked, “What about the second reward?”

Madam Qi spoke without haste. “The Daoist Order is the most powerful force in the world today. Unless one has an extraordinary talent, there isn’t much difference between individuals in the Daoist community. Even if someone is an invalid without any cultivation, the Daoist Order has the resources to make them an outstanding individual.

"The key is how those resources are allocated. That’s how the nine-rank system of Daoist priests came into being. Internal promotion within the Daoist Order is crucial. You’re still a seventh-rank Daoist, right?”

Qi Xuansu nodded. “Yes, after my master passed away, I’ve been stuck at the eighth-rank threshold for the longest time. Until now, I’m only a seventh-rank priest.”

Madam Qi said, “That’s not a low rank, but it depends on who you compare yourself to. If you want to be a fourth-rank Daoist master one day, you’ll have to climb the ladder step by step. Falling behind even once means lagging behind forever.

"Most young people receive unified teachings about the Dao in the Wanxiang Dao Palace and enter Daoism upon reaching adulthood. They become ninth-rank Daoist priests and undergo a three-year probation period.

"If they are recognized by a fourth-rank or a third-rank Daoist master during the probation period and are accepted as disciples, their future path will be much smoother with a master to guide them.

"Being recognized by a second-rank Taiyi Daoist master is equivalent to soaring to the heavens. Similarly, there’s no need to be disheartened if one isn’t accepted by a Daoist master. There’s still a chance to succeed.

"The Daoist Order is aware of the disadvantages of the declining Confucian School due to the lack of successors. So, the Daoist Order has always advocated the use of young people. As such, age has become a critical component in rank promotion. After the three-year probation period, one must proceed to be an eighth-rank Daoist priest within two years.

"If, by the age of 25, one is still stuck at the ninth rank, there is no need to proceed. Within the next five years, one must advance to a seventh-rank Daoist priest. If, by the age of 30, one is still stuck at the eighth rank, their journey toward enlightenment will be over. They will be marginalized in the annual promotion and won’t be able to keep their positions.”

Qi Xuansu understood what Madam Qi was trying to say.

Madam Qi continued, “If you can become a sixth-rank Daoist priest before the age of 30, you will be listed as an Apprentice Jijiu Daoist priest. If you can become a fifth-rank Daoist priest before the age of 35, you will be listed as a Prospective Jijiu Daoist priest.

"As long as there’s a vacancy for a fourth-rank Jijiu Daoist master, they will consider promoting a Prospective Jijiu Daoist priest first. Similarly, vacancies for Prospective Jijiu Daoist priests will be filled by Apprentice Jijiu Daoist priests.

"Of course, if you can become a fourth-rank Jijiu Daoist master before the age of 30, you will embark on the path of the rising star, truly promising with unlimited prospects. In that case, being a second-rank Taiyi Daoist master one day will certainly be plausible.”

Madam Qi smiled and looked at Qi Xuansu, asking, “Do you understand what I mean?”

Qi Xuansu sighed and said, “I understand. You want me to advance further. Can the Qingping Society manage even this?”

Madam Qi playfully said, “The Qingping Society has great powers and is capable of anything. We will have a way, even if you want to become the Grand Master.”

Qi Xuansu smiled and did not take Madam Qi’s words seriously.

In fact, Madam Qi was intentionally joking.

The Grand Master was the highest position in the Daoist Order. With such a supreme rank, one would reside in the Kunlun Ancestral Court to lead the Daoist community and become the representative of the immortals on earth.

Perhaps becoming an immortal was a simpler task than becoming the Grand Master.

After laughing, Madam Qi said seriously, “I can only reward you within my authority, of course. I can’t bypass the Ziwei Hall and promote you to the sixth rank, but I can give you an opportunity. It just depends on whether you can seize it.”