Chapter 990: Return to Jade Capital

“That's what happened...mm...no need to worry...I know what I’m doing. Just as well, I was planning to return anyway. There are matters in Jade Capital that need my attention.”

“Take care of yourself. Alright, talk later.”

Qi Xuansu ended his conversation with Zhang Yuelu.

At this moment, Qi Xuansu was on his way back to Jade Capital. He had not expected to return this way. He had arrived in Fenglin on a flying ship, and now, he departed with one too. The difference was that on his return journey, he enjoyed the treatment of the three Deputy Grand Masters by traveling aboard the Yinglong Warship. This was a show of extraordinary prestige.

Of course, this honor was due to the Sakka. The Earthly Preceptor had granted Qi Xuansu Class-A access until he departed Izanagi’s divine kingdom, but because the circumstances changed, Qi Xuansu could still control the Sakka. This showed how flexible such authorization was. If Qi Xuansu disobeyed orders and misused it, the Earthly Preceptor could reclaim the right midway without hesitation.

In truth, what Sage Qingwei had said about the Holy Court striking again was possible, but the likelihood was slim. After all, Donghai was already Daoist territory. Entering the lands of the Great Xuan Empire meant stepping into the very heart of Daoist power. The Holy Court would not dare provoke trouble here.

The real reason for Sage Qingwei to say that was simply because he wanted to kick Qi Xuansu out of Fenglin. It was both an outlet for his displeasure and a way to assert his authority as the Sage Commander.

After all, anyone who thought carefully afterward would find discrepancies. How did Qi Xuansu suddenly appear inside Izanagi’s divine kingdom? How did a Longevity-stage Immortal descend without warning? This contradicted the original plan. If word leaked from Qi Xuansu’s side, it could make Sage Qingwei look as though he had been outmaneuvered by a junior. It was an embarrassing prospect for the Sage Commander of the entire Fenglin campaign. So, Sage Qingwei solved the problem smoothly by sending Qi Xuansu away. In Jade Capital, no one knew the details. In Fenglin, those who did would not follow Qi Xuansu all the way to Jade Capital to inquire about the incident.

Thus, Qi Xuansu’s return journey was uneventful. He merely guarded the remnants of Izanami’s golden husk.

Only upon entering the Kunlun airspace did a change occur.

As soon as the Yinglong Warship entered the jurisdiction of the Kunlun Daoist Mansion, two other flying ships were dispatched to escort them back to Jade Capital.

Qi Xuansu exchanged a few courtesies with one of the Deputy Kunlun Daoist Mansion Masters and expressed thanks for their efforts. The Deputy Mansion Master was also courteous, praising those who had fought in Fenglin for having gone through the greater hardship.

After passing through the Kunlun Mountain Pass and the Starry Sea—unforgettable places that brought trauma to Qi Xuansu—Yuxu Peak finally came into view.

However, the Yinglong Warship did not head directly to Yuxu Peak, where Jade Capital was located. Instead, it steered toward the sister Yuzhu Peak. Unlike Jade Capital’s eternal spring, Yuzhu Peak was frozen all year round, blanketed in snow. Many of the Daoist warships docked here, and numerous facilities unsuited for Jade Capital were stationed on this icy summit.

But even then, the Yinglong Warship did not land. Instead, a portal opened in the skies above Yuzhu Peak, and the ship sailed straight into Kunlun Paradise.

Such pocket realms were like “fruit,” each bearing its own form. However, these shapes were invisible to mortal sight and were only perceptible through spiritual sense.

The Ghost Kingdom resembled a square city, with concentric inner and outer squares. The Wanmiao Paradise of the Northern Palace resembled a vast lake, nestled beneath the Northern Palace and sustained by a celestial pool. Alluring Moon Cave spread out like a spider’s web, covering every direction. The Demon-Vanquishing Cave was a bottomless abyss. The Demon Suppression Tower loomed like a colossal pagoda. The Dragon Cave was shaped like an enlarged Dragon Pearl.

Kunlun Paradise resembled an inverted mountain, with a broad top and narrow base. If one were to see it in full with the naked eye, it would appear as a mirror image of Kunlun Mountain, its peak pointing downward, tip-to-tip with the real-world Yuxu Peak below.

However, in recent years, Kunlun Paradise had begun to sink, partially overlapping with the actual mountain. Ever since Jade Capital descended to the mortal realm, the dwelling of the God Luwu had vanished, and the once single path of Yuxu Peak had become a web of passages branching in all directions.

Since Kunlun Paradise had sunk so far downward, parts that were once hanging in the heavens now pressed into the mountain, giving rise to new gateways, such as the one at Yuzhu Peak.

The Kunlun Paradise was vast beyond measure, so each portal led to a different location. The last time Qi Xuansu had entered through Ziwei Hall, he emerged in fertile grasslands. Now, Yuzhu Peak’s portal opened onto a vast lake.

When the Yinglong Warship descended, Qi Xuansu controlled the Sakka to haul what remained of the golden husk ashore. Each step shook the ground so heavily that even the colossal Yinglong Warship trembled faintly.

Officials from Jade Capital had been dispatched to receive them. It was no minor figure, but the Master of Huasheng Hall himself.

Qi Xuansu had two impressions of the prior Huasheng Hall Masters.

His first impression was of his future mother-in-law, Sage Cihang, who had once held this post. The second impression was of the infamous, money-gouging Mystery Jars, which were the brainchild of a former Huasheng Hall Master.

The current Huasheng Hall Master was Xu Dacheng from the Quanzhen Sect. His younger sister was named Xu Xiaoying. Like Pei Xiaolou, Xu Xiaoying served as a Deputy Palace Master of the Chongyang Palace of Immortality. She had helped Qi Xuansu settle his incident with Yue Liuli. Since they were from the Quanzhen Sect, they were considered kin.

Huasheng Hall had long been the Quanzhen Sect’s domain. However, during the Western Region Wars, the Zhengyi Sect and the Quanzhen Sect had arranged a peculiar swap. Sage Cihang of the Zhengyi Sect headed Huasheng Hall, while Ning Lingge of the Quanzhen Sect presided over Tiangang Hall. After the war ended, both halls reverted to their original sects. Since Ning Lingge was implicated in the incident of Wu Luo crushing the Yinglong Warship, he lost his chance to lead Huasheng Hall. Instead, Xu Dacheng filled the vacancy.

It was during Ning Lingge’s final tenure at Tiangang Hall that both Zhang Yuelu and Qi Xuansu worked under him. By coincidence—or perhaps by design—Ning Lingge had even played a part in bringing the couple together.

By now, Qi Xuansu had met five of the nine Hall Masters: Pei Xuanzhi of Ziwei Hall, Su Yuanyi of Tiangang Hall, Li Wugou of Beichen Hall, Xu Dacheng of Huasheng Hall, and Ning Lingge of Ciji Hall. He had not yet met the leaders of the Tianji, Duzhi, Fengxian, and Shibo Halls.

Xu Dacheng arranged a modest welcome ceremony. Flowers lined a carpeted path, with a banner in bold black characters that read, “Welcome.” Disciples of the Quanzhen Sect lined both sides, resembling a hero’s reception.

That was because Qi Xuansu had returned from Fenglin’s battlefield as a war hero with ample merits. Such honor, however excessive, was deserved.

Still, Qi Xuansu found it awkward to adjust to this sudden acclamation. Just a few years ago, he had been nothing more than a nameless wanderer. But now, he stood as an honored hero of the Daoist Order.

He could not help a self-mocking thought that came to mind.

Who is righteous or evil? Who is a hero or a villain? Perhaps only later generations can decide.

As Qi Xuansu exchanged pleasantries with Xu Dacheng, the Sakka was already being handed over to Huasheng Hall’s Deputy Hall Masters. Once the handover was complete, the familiar flat voice rang in Qi Xuansu’s ear, “Class-A access revoked. Class-B access revoked. Now granting Class-C access.”

Qi Xuansu froze in surprise.

The Earthly Preceptor wasted no time in cutting him off, denying him any chance to misuse the Sakka for personal reasons.

The Class-C access must have been a token reward. He did not yet know its full function, but he suspected it was similar to Yao Pei’s level of clearance, enough to deactivate certain mechanical puppets of Jianxiu Mountain. Yao Pei needed a special seal to exercise her right, but Qi Xuansu’s Longevity Stone Heart could do the same trick.

From this, Qi Xuansu further suspected that many flying ships, and even the Yinglong Warship, had “backdoors.” With supreme access, all it took was one thought from the Earthly Preceptor for these vessels to stop operations. It was far more effortless than Wu Luo’s sabotage, and infinitely more deadly.

Once Qi Xuansu’s Class-A access expired, the Earthly Preceptor reclaimed direct control over the Sakka, no longer paying attention to Qi Xuansu.

What followed was a grand welcome banquet. This time, it was not only Huasheng Hall. It also included leaders from other Halls, but they were predominantly from the Quanzhen Sect and some from the Zhengyi Sect. Notably, there was no one in attendance from the Taiping Sect.

The scale was impressive for someone like him.

Only then did Qi Xuansu fully realize what was happening. Though Sage Qingwei had kicked him back to Jade Capital, the Quanzhen Sect had countered with a clever move of their own, crafting Qi Xuansu into the first hero to return from the Fenglin battlefield. By building such an image, they tore away a portion of Sage Qingwei’s dazzling glory for pacifying Fenglin and redirected it onto Qi Xuansu.

Among the eighth-generation disciples, Qi Xuansu held the most merit in this Fenglin campaign, overshadowing Li Changge, Yao Pei, and even Zhang Yuelu. He even surpassed most of the seventh-generation disciples as well. Thus, Qi Xuansu became the most fitting choice to be branded a war hero.

𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

The Quanzhen Sect sought to send a clear message throughout the Daoist community that the pacification of Fenglin was not solely Li Wugou’s or the Taiping Sect’s achievement. It was the result of Daoist unity, of all three sects working together.

Moreover, with this recognition, Qi Xuansu’s eventual promotion to a second-rank Taiyi Daoist master would be much easier.