A Pawn's Passage

Qi Xuansu was unaware that Sage Donghua was currently organizing aid for Jinling at the Golden Tower.

All he could see was a gloomy and desolate scene.

The Gratitude Temple had become ghostly, inexplicably reminding Qi Xuansu of the Ghost Kingdom.

If Zhang Yuelu had not been by his side, he might have even considered opening the portal to the Ghost Kingdom and summoning the Three Yin Beings. Last time, it was Master Wan who helped him get rid of Feng Bo. He wondered if it would be Master Yin or Madam Bai this time.

However, Qi Xuansu only entertained the thought. Even without Zhang Yuelu next to him, summoning the Three Yin Beings was risky unless absolutely necessary.

First, there were too many people around. Second, the Daoist Order’s involvement was only a matter of time. Who knew if the Daoist Order might detect some traces of the Three Yin Beings and tie it back to Qi Xuansu?

At this moment, Zhang Yuelu was operating the Purple Star Astrology, focused on calculating heavenly timings, geomantic currents, and the directional flow of energy. Thus, she could not pay attention to what was happening around her.

Naturally, Qi Xuansu assumed the role of her protector. This was also why Zhang Yuelu had hoped he would accompany her. While she needed assistance, she preferred that Qi Xuansu had come willingly.

A moment later, Zhang Yuelu returned to her senses and sighed heavily. “They’ve altered the heavenly timing. The earth’s qi is also in chaos. I fear the formations of Jinling Prefecture will also be affected. It seems the Cult of Fates isn’t acting on impulse this time.

“They must have planned it for a while now and were merely waiting for an opportunity to strike. The internal strife within the Daoist Order has given them the perfect chance. The old saying that internal troubles invite external dangers is indeed true.”

Qi Xuansu asked, “Shall we continue looking for Situ Xingluan?”

Zhang Yuelu nodded. “We have to cross the Perfume River and head to the Porcelain Tower.”

The Perfume River ran north to south, dividing the Gratitude Temple into two halves.

The two of them were now not far from the Perfume River. When they saw the river water, which had turned into a murky grayish-white, they were startled. The Perfume River now resembled the mythological River of Three Crossings, with the arch bridge above resembling the Bridge of Helplessness.

Atop the bridge stood a tall, armored figure blocking their path.

Zhang Yuelu frowned. “What are they doing sending these creatures to die one by one? Are they playing some sort of game of challenges with us?”

As she spoke, the Fate Guard on the bridge suddenly turned and fled, disappearing into the black mist in an instant.

Qi Xuansu chuckled. “Turns out it’s not a challenge, but a sentry.”

Zhang Yuelu shook her head and took the lead, stepping onto the arch bridge.

After crossing the bridge and entering the back of the temple, Qi Xuansu could not help but gasp.

Separated by just one bridge, the front and back of the Gratitude Temple had become two entirely different worlds.

Above them was a pitch-black night sky, so dense it looked like it would drip ink at any moment. The ground beneath them had become soft and sticky, unlike the hard bluestone pavement from before, but more like rain-soaked mud or some squishy internal organs. It even wriggled as if it were alive.

Qi Xuansu instinctively looked down and saw black mist pooling around his feet, gradually submerging them. It resembled a flooded street during a rainstorm, when water failed to drain and slowly formed puddles. At first glance, it even looked like a lake.

Underneath the black mist, the surface of the ground began to writhe, becoming uneven. Soon after, hands emerged and attempted to grasp Qi Xuansu’s ankles.

With a flick of her sleeve, Zhang Yuelu sliced through those hands with her sword qi. Her expression turned grave.

The back of the Gratitude Temple had been lush with trees before, but now, they were all dead. Their trunks twisted and contorted into grotesque shapes, resembling wailing figures. The cracks in the bark looked like gaping mouths, ready to devour anyone nearby.

In the distance was more black mist, within which countless shadows roamed back and forth. Tiny red glimmers shone through, like countless pairs of blood-red eyes fixed intently on the couple who had crossed the Perfume River.

Seeing this, Qi Xuansu felt an odd sense of familiarity. This looks like my dream!

In his dream, there had been a black mountain. On the path up the mountain and near the fire at the summit, he had often been watched by shadows with blood-red eyes that were hidden in the darkness. Compared to the shadows in his dream, these were utterly insignificant.

For some reason, this made Qi Xuansu feel much more at ease.

Zhang Yuelu led the way, using her Azure Thunderbolt to clear the path, while Qi Xuansu followed behind. His Flying Shadow was sharp, but it could not summon lightning like Azure Thunderbolt, making it less effective against these elusive demons.

So he focused on channeling his power into the Nine Yang Fiery Dome Replica as a support.

The two worked together, combining lightning and fire, cutting through the darkness as they headed deeper into the grounds of Gratitude Temple. Any shadow that dared to approach was destroyed by their lightning and fire.

However, this made the pair stand out like beacons in the night, attracting countless blood-red gazes. Shadows in the distance surged toward them like a tide.

Attempting to fly through the air recklessly would likely attract even more of them.

Along with it came a cacophony of eerie sounds that sounded like joyful laughter and sorrowful weeping. At first, the sounds were faint, then they grew louder, like streams converging into a mighty river, until they layered upon one another and filled the air completely.

The sound alone was enough to drive ordinary people insane. Even Qi Xuansu, with his considerable cultivation, felt some dizziness. He had to bite the tip of his tongue to stay alert. At the same time, he enveloped himself tightly with the cloud aura of the Taiyi Cloud Robe.

Qi Xuansu already felt this way when he was following Zhang Yuelu, so one could only imagine the pressure on her, who bore the brunt of the assault.

However, Zhang Yuelu, now a Heavenly Being, remained unfazed by the eerie sounds. She relied solely on Azure Thunderbolt and refrained from using her Amorphous Paper.

These shadows were born from the chaotic energy released after the inversion of yin and yang and the disturbance of the earth qi. They were intangible and invisible, capable of harming not just the physical body but also the spirit. Hence, they were not to be underestimated.

At this moment, the advantages of a Banished Immortal became apparent. Their true essence was far denser and purer than ordinary innate qi. It was said to have no weaknesses or flaws as long as the Banished Immortal's cultivation was sufficient. This held true now, as the shadows could not come within one meter of Zhang Yuelu. They were all blocked by her Five Elements Qi Shield.

After Zhang Yuelu became a Heavenly Being, her Five Elements Qi Shield underwent some changes, becoming more ethereal and elusive, yet no less formidable than the self-generated cloud aura of the Taiyi Cloud Robe.

This was how the pair trudged forward. Before long, the Porcelain Tower came into view.

Under normal circumstances, the Porcelain Tower, reputed as the second tallest tower in the empire, would have been visible even before entering the temple. However, with the black mist filling the sky, most of the tower was obscured.

At this moment, they barely caught a glimpse of the building.

The Porcelain Tower had lost its former brilliance of dazzling colors. It now stood dark and somber, like a tower of death.

Zhang Yuelu quickened her pace, moving faster. The lightning on Azure Thunderbolt grew increasingly intense, spreading without dissipating and surging forward like a thick lightning dragon.

Behind it trailed nine smaller fire dragons from Qi Xuansu’s substandard treasure.

The shadows, though numerous, were nothing more than a disorderly mob that immediately scattered in defeat.

Zhang Yuelu had no intention of climbing the tower using the stairs. With a light tap, she soared into the air.

Qi Xuansu followed suit, flying up the tower with the help of the Taiyi Cloud Robe.

Breaking through layers of black mist, the two finally reached the tower’s spire, where they saw Situ Xingluan and the five Fate Guards behind him.

Situ Xingluan had already risen to his feet and clapped his hands. “Mage Zhang, Daoist Qi, you two are indeed impressive!”

Zhang Yuelu wasted no words. Upon landing on the tower’s spire, she slashed her sword directly at Situ Xingluan.

Situ Xingluan remained motionless as two Fate Guards beside him stepped forward, each thrusting a sword to form an X in front of their master, blocking Zhang Yuelu’s strike.

At the same time, another Fate Guard raised a massive axe and swung it down on Zhang Yuelu.

Zhang Yuelu, holding her sword in one hand, stood completely still. As the axe swung toward her, her left hand, which was surrounded by the ethereal glow of the Five Elements Qi Shield, reached out to grab the blade. Her delicate fingers did not flinch, halting the axe’s momentum entirely. The massive axe trembled in her grip, unable to move in the slightest.

At this moment, two more Fate Guards sprang into action.

However, Qi Xuansu was ready for them.

Understanding that sharpness was less effective than blunt force against such heavily armored foes, Qi Xuansu refrained from using Flying Shadow. Instead, he decided to engage in close combat.

He launched the Wind and Thunder Fist of the Tantai Fist Intention, delivering punches that were rapid, forceful, and relentless. He moved unpredictably around the first Fate Guard, attacking from all angles.

This Fate Guard was even stronger than a ninth-level Guizhen-stage master. With extremely resilient armor, it was nearly impossible to kill him outright.

However, the Fate Guard's greatest weakness was his lack of intelligence, leaving him slow to react and incapable of adapting quickly.

Qi Xuansu’s assault left the Fate Guard floundering and staggering backward.

Next, Qi Xuansu turned to face the second Fate Guard. He switched to the Sea and River fist, which was one of the most challenging forms of the Tantai Fist Intention. Its myriad variations resembled overlapping waves, with nine distinct layers of force. The overlapping forces compounded, making them nearly impossible to counter.

This Fate Guard fared even worse than the first one. Qi Xuansu’s spiraling strikes sent him spinning helplessly. Losing his balance, the Fate Guard toppled head-first off the tower.

Though the fall would not kill or even injure a living corpse, climbing back up would take considerable time.

Seizing the opportunity, Zhang Yuelu channeled her true essence into Azure Thunderbolt, which radiated brilliantly. The surge of energy forcefully pushed off the two sword-wielding Fate Guards who had blocked her earlier.

At the same time, she tightened her grip on the giant axe. The Fate Guard attempting to pull his axe back found it immovable under Zhang Yuelu’s iron fist, no matter how much strength he exerted.

Ignoring the two sword-wielding Fate Guards, Zhang Yuelu turned and thrust her sword at the axe-wielding guard.

The strike, deceptively slow yet impossibly fast, brought forth a chain of lightning from Azure Thunderbolt, like the sudden crack of spring thunder. The axe-wielding Fate Guard could not react in time and was stabbed through the chest.

The Fate Guard froze momentarily as the glow around him faded. His armor lost its support and fell apart onto the ground before his body slid down the sloped roof.

Seeing the dire situation, the two sword-wielding Fate Guards retreated to Situ Xingluan’s side and assumed defensive stances.