A Pawn's Passage

The flames roared skyward. This should have been a time of utmost urgency. Yet, Zhang Yuelu and Qi Xuansu found themselves with nothing to do.

With Bai Yingqiong personally overseeing operations, supported by Spirit Guards, Daoist priests, soldiers, and Green Phoenix Guards, everything was well-organized and efficiently coordinated. There was no need for these two amateurs to assist, even if Zhang Yuelu was a Heavenly Being.

After all, it was best to leave the professionals to it. Even Bai Yingqiong did not intervene directly but focused on coordination and command. In many cases, the power of the collective far surpassed that of an individual.

Zhang Yuelu did not feel entitled to be idle, but she did not want to run around aimlessly like a headless fly for the sake of appearing busy. Many people put on a show of effort and diligence to console themselves, but Zhang Yuelu knew such actions were ultimately futile. Without a clear goal, hard work was just a way to alleviate anxiety. It was tactical diligence to mask laziness in thinking.

Zhang Yuelu refused to be such a person. She did not want to impress anyone or comfort herself in this manner. She only wanted to get things done.

She believed the priority was to find out where Marshal Tianpeng had gone and then use that lead to determine whether other forces were involved.

Dealing with internal corruption within the Daoist Order was certainly important, but external hostile forces could not be overlooked.

Of course, Qi Xuansu knew where Marshal Tianpeng had gone. That Heavenly Being had scattered with the wind after being turned to ashes by Madam Qi. His ashes were likely now in Zhenwu Lake. His body was destroyed without a trace.

However, he could not tell Zhang Yuelu the truth because he had no way of explaining Madam Qi’s identity.

Someone who could kill Marshal Tianpeng so effortlessly was no ordinary Heavenly Being. They would have been a high-ranking and influential individual in any organization.

Could Qi Xuansu tell Zhang Yuelu that Madam Qi was a core member of the Qingping Society and that he was a pawn they stationed in the Daoist Order?

How would Zhang Yuelu react? Would she feel deceived or betrayed? Would she think Qi Xuansu had approached her under someone else’s orders, harboring ulterior motives?

Qi Xuansu dared not take the gamble, nor did he wish to test their relationship at this juncture. Thus, his only choice was to keep his lips sealed.

As such, Qi Xuansu changed his approach. “Where Marshal Tianpeng went doesn’t matter. We should think from a different perspective.”

“What perspective?” Zhang Yuelu asked.

Qi Xuansu probed, “Let’s assume someone wants to take advantage of the chaos. Now is undoubtedly the best time. If we were them, what would we do? How would we act?”

Zhang Yuelu narrowed her eyes slightly. “That depends on which cult it is. Different secret societies have distinct styles.”

Qi Xuansu followed her lead. “I guess it won’t be the Ziguang Society, as they’ve always preferred subtle infiltration over such big commotion.”

Zhang Yuelu nodded. “Exactly. They like infiltrating the Daoist Order and the Imperial Court by converting our people. But they don’t like direct confrontations.”

Qi Xuansu continued, “We can also rule out the Seven Treasure Pavilion. They’re merchants, so what they want is stability, not chaos.”

Zhang Yuelu added, “It wouldn’t be the Heavenly Court, much less the Qingping Society.”

Qi Xuansu knowingly asked, “The Heavenly Court is already involved, so excluding them makes sense. But why exclude the Qingping Society?”

Zhang Yuelu looked at Qi Xuansu with a bitter smile. “I think we both know who is backing the Heavenly Court. But do you think the Quanzhen Sect and the Zhengyi Sect are any cleaner?”

Qi Xuansu deliberately hesitated before feigning shock. “Are you saying...the Qingping Society is connected to the Quanzhen Sect?”

“Of course,” Zhang Yuelu said, not treating Qi Xuansu as an outsider despite his affiliation with the Quanzhen Sect. “Among the three sects, Quanzhen Sect is the largest but consists of the most factions. They are unable to stay united, which is why the Taiping Sect overshadows them. However, the Taiping Sect is self-aware enough not to assume they can dominate the other two sects entirely, which is why they involved the Imperial Court. If the Taiping Sect can be the Heavenly Court’s backer, why can’t the larger Quanzhen Sect support the Qingping Society?”

“But the Qingping Society isn’t composed entirely of people from the Quanzhen Sect.”

Zhang Yuelu replied, “Is everyone in the Heavenly Court from the Taiping Sect? Is everyone in The Inn part of the Imperial Court? Of course not. The Qingping Society is unique. It doesn’t necessarily take orders directly from the Quanzhen Sect. It’s more like a business partnership, with Quanzhen Sect as one of the main stakeholders alongside others. Their relationship is more cooperative than hierarchical. These matters are highly confidential. I only learned about them through my master after becoming the so-called Junior Tiangang Hall Master.”

Qi Xuansu reluctantly agreed. “So it’s possible that someone from the Qingping Society killed Marshal Tianpeng. But, with that said, whether it’s the Heavenly Court or the Qingping Society, both are tied to the Daoist sects. So neither qualifies as a third-party force. The third-party force you’re looking for must have its own goals, interests, and plans, with minimal ties to either faction.”

Zhang Yuelu nodded. “Exactly, an outsider. We can exclude the Heavenly Court and the Qingping Society since both are already involved with the Daoist sects. We can also rule out The Inn because they prioritize business and stability. The biggest suspects are the Eight Tribes, the Lingshan Witch Cult, and the Cult of Fates.”

Qi Xuansu suddenly asked, “Qing Xiao, you mentioned earlier that none of the three sects are clean. If the Taiping Sect is backing the Heavenly Court and the Quanzhen Sect supports the Qingping Society, what about the Zhengyi Sect?”

Zhang Yuelu paused before replying, “The Zhengyi Sect does have one, but they’re just an ally.”

“Who?” Qi Xuansu asked.

Zhang Yuelu did not answer directly. “Take a guess.”

“The Seven Treasure Pavilion?” Qi Xuansu guessed, thinking that it was likely between the Seven Treasure Pavilion or the Eight Tribes. However, the Eight Tribes, which had overseen the Daoist creation projects, seemed more closely tied to the Quanzhen Sect.

Zhang Yuelu shook her head. “Nope.”

Qi Xuansu pondered for a moment but could not figure it out. But he was not worried because he could always consult the know-it-all, Madam Qi.

This comparison highlighted the styles and strengths of the three sects.

The Taiping Sect was forceful and domineering, as seen by the Heavenly Court already sacrificing three Heavenly Beings for them. The Quanzhen Sect and the Zhengyi Sect lagged behind, whether due to caution or lack of strength. Even if they had ties to secret societies, they likely maintained alliances rather than direct subordination. Qi Xuansu did not believe the Qingping Society would sacrifice three Heavenly Beings for the Quanzhen Sect. Madam Qi might even charge them for her services later.

Qi Xuansu could not help but wonder. Was this the power of unity? The Quanzhen Sect, despite its immense size, could not remain united and was thus overshadowed by the Taiping Sect.

Zhang Yuelu shifted the topic. “Among these three, the Eight Tribes are weaker than the other two. The Lingshan Witch Cult is powerful, but due to the recent incident in Cuowenbu, they’ve been heavily targeted by the Daoist Order. Even their leader, Wu Luo, was injured. They’re currently laying low and unlikely to stir up trouble. That leaves only the Cult of Fates.”

Qi Xuansu muttered, “The Cult of Fates…”

Much of what Qi Xuansu knew about secret societies came from Zhang Yuelu, and his knowledge about the Cult of Fates was no exception.

The Cult of Fates worshipped the True Lord Siming, who was the Controller of Fate. His followers were devoted to the path of life and death. Unfortunately, lacking the ability to reverse life and death, they veered into the heretical practices of corpse and ghost cultivation and resurrection. The Daoist Order’s strict restrictions on such practices were largely due to the Cult of Fates.

Initially, the Cult of Fates merely dug up graves to steal corpses. Over time, they escalated to murder, offering the souls of the living as sacrifices to the True Lord Siming. Some extremists even transformed living people into zombie-like creatures, possessing extraordinary physical strength and partial intelligence that were far more formidable than naturally formed zombies.

When Qi Xuansu first learned about the Auxiliary Heart, he even wondered if he had been turned into a zombie.

In truth, Qi Xuansu had encountered the Cult of Fates before. In the raid in Fort Cimut after Desmond’s death, they found traces of the True Lord Siming’s divine power. The old Daoist priest that he and Zhang Yuelu fought against on the flying ship that crashed on New Year's Day was imbued with True Lord Siming’s divine power, making him undying.

However, compared to the unscrupulous arrogance of the Lingshan Witch Cult, the Cult of Fates was far more discreet. The Cult of Fates rarely made a move, but when they did, it was always an earth-shaking event. After all, a biting dog doesn’t bark.

Qi Xuansu mused, “Let’s assume it’s the Cult of Fates. They’re skilled in spreading deadly curses and have even sacrificed entire cities before.”

Zhang Yuelu played along. “If we were members of the Cult of Fates who have infiltrated Jinling Prefecture while the Daoist sects are busy fighting each other, how would we seize this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity?”

The two exchanged a glance and said in unison, “The water supply.”