A Pawn's Passage

Qi Xuansu felt like he was floating unsteadily and soaring into the sky. Darkness enveloped him, and his surroundings became eerily quiet.

At that moment, he almost thought that he was about to enter that strange nightmare again. However, this time was different. There were no black mountains around him, only endless darkness.

After some time, the darkness transformed into a vast void, with a palace floating not far away. The next moment, Qi Xuansu drifted toward the palace uncontrollably.

When Qi Xuansu once again felt solid ground beneath his feet, he found himself in an unfamiliar place.

It was hard to describe this place in words. The interior resembled a grand hall, but it was shrouded in smoke. Everything appeared hazy, making it hard to see clearly. There was no ceiling either, only a vast expanse of starry sky.

Qi Xuansu glanced down at himself, his entire body enveloped in thick smoke. At that moment, a figure shrouded in smoke drifted toward him.

He instinctively took a few steps back, but when he saw the person gesturing to him, he tentatively spoke. “Madam Qi?”

"It’s me.” Madam Qi’s voice was slightly distorted.

Qi Xuansu breathed a sigh of relief and asked, “Madam Qi, where are we?”

Madam Qi replied, “This is the B-rank gathering of the Qingping Society.”

Qi Xuansu looked around. “Is this an astral projection?”

"No.” Madam Qi shook her head. “You’re aware of the Diviner’s Dream Entering Realm, right?”

"Yes, I know about it. The Dream Entering Realm allows the soul to roam and enter other people’s dreams. I’ve heard that some unscrupulous bastards specifically enter women’s dreams to engage in illicit activities upon reaching this realm. When the women wake up, they think they had a wet dream and never suspect foul play.”

Madam Qi reached out and poked Qi Xuansu. “You like hearing those kinds of stories, don’t you?”

Qi Xuansu cleared his throat lightly, pretending not to have heard her.

Madam Qi explained, “Entering someone else’s dream with the soul is just a rudimentary application of dream entering. After Diviners reach the Ghost Immortal Realm, they can invite others into their dreams, like the widely spread story of The World Inside a Pillow.

"In the story, Lu Sheng went to the capital to take the imperial exam but failed to make a name for himself. On his way back home, he met a Daoist priest named Lu Weng. Lu Sheng complained about his impoverished life, so Lu Weng offered him a porcelain pillow.

"As soon as Lu Sheng fell asleep, he dreamed that he had married a beautiful wife from the Cui family of Qinghe County. He passed the imperial exam and got official positions as a magistrate and mayor of Shanzhou. He eventually rose to become the Minister of Finance, the Imperial Censor, and the Chief Secretary. He was also granted the title of Duke of Yan. His five children also held high offices and married into noble families.

"Lu Sheng lived a life of luxury and prestige, with many children and grandchildren to keep him company. When he was 80 years old, he fell ill for a long time and finally died. As he took his last breath, Lu Sheng woke up in shock and sat up. He looked around to find that everything was just as before. The Daoist priest Lu Weng was still sitting beside him, and the steamed millet was still cooking in the pot.”

Qi Xuansu asked, puzzled. “What does this story have to do with us?”

Madam Qi smiled. “Don’t you understand? We’re actually meeting in a dream right now.”

Qi Xuansu was taken aback. “This isn’t an astral projection, but a dream?”

Madam Qi replied, “Exactly. Our souls are still in our own bodies, but, like Lu Sheng, we entered a dream. But this isn’t our dream. It’s someone else’s.”

Qi Xuansu was astounded. “Someone else’s dream? Madam Qi, are you saying that we're physically in different locations, but through that ritual, we entered someone else’s dream and met up here?”

Madam Qi nodded. “Technically, we first enter our own dreams, then the ritual connects our dreams to this dream realm, like a bridge. We enter this dream realm through the bridge, somewhat similar to the system of neighborhoods. Our own dreams are like individual neighborhoods, while this dream realm is the square that connects all the neighborhoods.”

Qi Xuansu asked, “How many people are in this B-rank gathering?”

Madam Qi thought about it for a moment before she replied, “Probably a few hundred people.”

Qi Xuansu remained silent for a while.

With so many people’s dreams connected to one dream, what kind of realm did the dream owner have?

Was this the depth of the power of the Qingping Society?

Suddenly, Qi Xuansu remembered something and asked, “So, if we say something in this dream realm, won’t the dream owner know about it?”

Madam Qi said, “You could say that, but that’s only if the dream owner is interested in what you say. In general, they wouldn’t care about these things. They just provided this space for the gathering. Besides, I have a feeling that they’re in a very deep sleep. This dream is like a bottomless lake. We’re floating on the surface while the dream owner’s consciousness is submerged deep at the bottom of the lake."

Qi Xuansu asked again, “What if the dream owner wakes up?”

"What’s with all the questions today?” Madam Qi became a bit impatient, but she still explained, “So far, the dream owner has never woken up. They say that he has been sleeping for over a hundred years.”

Madam Qi pointed to the smoke enveloping Qi Xuansu. “Members of the Qingping Society are cautious about revealing their true identities, so everyone uses their alias. Your identity here is marked by the fish talisman you used to enter. This layer of smoke serves both as your body in the dream and as a veil to conceal your true appearance.

"The smoke comes from the Soul-Returning Incense you ignited, so you can only stay here for as long as the incense burns. I used an incense coil, which lasts longer than your incense stick, but it’s also more expensive.”

Qi Xuansu finally understood this concept and could not help but marvel at the Qingping Society’s ingenious methods. This was a great, foolproof way to cover their tracks. Since they were meeting in a dream rather than an astral projection, not even the formations in the Jade Capital could stop them.

It was truly unbelievable.

No wonder the Qingping Society had been singled out by the Daoist Order several times. They were indeed unique and formidable opponents.

The two of them were in a corner of the grand hall, which had twelve enormous pillars. Each pillar was as wide as the arm span of ten adults. It was also so tall that one could not see the end of it as it extended through the starry sky overhead. Madam Qi turned and walked toward one of the pillars.

Qi Xuansu followed behind Madam Qi and asked, “What’s the purpose of this place?”

"The Qingping Society isn’t like the Daoist Order. It’s more like a loose alliance. Most members have dual identities and their own secrets to keep, so this place is primarily used for exchanging intelligence.” Madam Qi continued, “Some lone wolves might seek help here when they encounter tricky situations.”

Qi Xuansu nodded, feeling that this was not particularly relevant to him since Madam Qi would always be his partner, so she would handle such matters.

He asked again, “Since this is a dream and everything is fake, how would one go about trading goods or making transactions?”

Madam Qi said, “This tests one’s perception. People can get into a deal with others in the dream realm and then make the transactions in the real world. However, misjudgments and double-crossing are common. That’s why many people opt for a mediator. They usually employ a reliable, reputable intermediary who charges a fair commission. Then they entrust the money and goods to the intermediary, who will deliver them to the respective parties.”

Qi Xuansu scrutinized Madam Qi and added, “Madam Qi, are you one of those intermediaries?”

"I am.” Madam Qi smiled. “It’ll be a pity to pass up on such a money-making opportunity. I'm not just a middleman, but I also provide money-lending services. My interest rates are half of those from the Taiping Money Bank. It’s all about the small profits but quick returns.”

Qi Xuansu finally understood how his flying sword was sold. Perhaps even the Divine Dragon Pistol, which almost belonged to him, had also been sold off by Madam Qi.

Madam Qi thought of something and advised him. “Since this is your first time here, take your time to familiarize yourself with the environment. Don’t rush to interact with others. The materials I bought for you should be enough to perform the ritual spell ten times, so use them sparingly. If you run out, I’ll have them sent to you through a messenger, and I’ll deduct the cost of the materials from your savings.”

This messenger was similar to the imperial courier or postman. It acted as a relay station for the Daoist Order, which was responsible for sending letters, items, and messages. It was open to the public, but like the flying ships, they charged fees for their services.

During their conversation, they arrived at the colossal pillar. Qi Xuansu noticed a gigantic hourglass that was as tall as two people standing on top of each other.

The hourglass, like a sundial, was used for timekeeping.

Madam Qi pointed to the hourglass and explained, “Time in the dream realm differs from reality, so you can’t rely solely on your intuition. That’s why we look at this as a reference. Also, I come here on the 1st and 15th of every month. If you need to find me, you can come on those days. If it’s urgent, use the mother-child talisman to contact me.”

Qi Xuansu nodded to indicate that he understood.

Madam Qi glanced at the hourglass. “It’s time for you to go back.”

"How do I go back?” Qi Xuansu asked.

Madam Qi replied, “The same way you end your meditation. Just wake up as you normally would.”

Qi Xuansu understood and severed his connection with the dream realm as instructed. In an instant, everything around him receded like a tide. Madam Qi and the grand hall became blurry and eventually disappeared like bubbles in water.

He once again felt as light as a feather. His surroundings became incredibly quiet, devoid of any sound. Then he quickly descended back to the ground. He woke up abruptly and found himself in the study, but he had a slight headache, as if he were recovering from a hangover.

The incense in the censer was almost completely burned out, leaving only a pile of fragrant ash.

The two candles—one black and one white—had been extinguished at some point. But they had minimal wax drippings, indicating that they did not burn for long. Underneath the candle holders were the ashes from the burned talismans.

What surprised Qi Xuansu was that the intricate diagram he drew with the Imitation Torch Dragon Blood had disappeared without a trace, as if it had never existed. All that was left was his silver crimson fish talisman lying between the two candles.

Qi Xuansu looked around and made sure no one had entered the room before gathering all the equipment and materials into the fish talisman receptacle and keeping it in his pocket.