"The capital?"
A flicker of dark light crossed Guan Wanche's eyes, yet he bowed his head and clasped his fists. "Your humble subordinate is dull-witted and does not understand what you mean, Lord Chang."
The one-eyed man was named Chang Xuan, a centurion of the Commandant Bureau's Chang'an Garrison.
The Commandant Bureau of the Great Xuan Dynasty was a massive organization. Beyond its headquarters in the imperial capital, it maintained garrisons in every province and prefecture. Each garrison was led by three thousand-commanders, each of whom oversaw ten centurions.
Beneath a centurion were two platoon commanders; each platoon commander oversaw five squad commanders, and each squad commander directed ten men.
Guan Wanche had been appointed a platoon commander right from the start, a clear sign of how highly Chang Xuan regarded him.
Faced with Guan Wanche's question, Chang Xuan cast him a cool glance. "Do you truly not understand, or are you playing dumb?"
Guan Wanche's eyelid twitched, and cold sweat instantly beaded on his forehead.
To his surprise, Chang Xuan was not angry. Instead, he nodded with a sigh. "Playing dumb is good. If you were some reckless greenhorn, I wouldn't dare keep you by my side.
"Outsiders see only the prestige and power of our Commandant Bureau, but you'll understand what it's really like in the days to come. The court is a perilous place. Taking a step forward is hard enough; take one wrong step, and you'll be smashed to pieces!
"When Prince Pingyang rebelled back then, his entire household was exterminated. Princess Fu'an was nothing more than a sheltered maiden, and Eunuch Lu was an utter fool. If they had managed to escape the capital safely without anyone helping them, it would be the joke of the realm!
"A single order from the capital actually mobilized bandits from two provinces to rush into Guanzhong to plunder and slaughter a village to silence them—all while slipping past our own informants. Who is orchestrating this board?
"Official Li presented a new formula for gunpowder, and the Emperor ordered absolute secrecy, yet the Maitreya Sect got wind of it and even infiltrated the prefectural yamen to steal it...
"Our Chang'an Garrison is riddled with holes!"
Listening to Chang Xuan's analysis, Guan Wanche felt a chill run through his whole body. He could not help swallowing hard. "My lord, then what should we do?"
"What should we do?"
Chang Xuan chuckled, his single eye glinting with cold calculation. "I was wondering why every single one of them ducked faster than a rabbit and dumped such a massive case entirely onto me.
"Without this information, I would have been kept in the dark and ended up a scapegoat without ever knowing why. But now that I know, I have plenty of moves to play.
"Wealth and glory lie right before us; stepping back is a dead end.
"Gentlemen, do you dare place this bet with me?"
"We await your orders, my lord!"
* * *
"Martial Uncle, this is Layman Li."
"Greetings, Senior Qingyangzi."
Inside the large tent, Luo Mingzi made the introductions.
Wang Daoxuan was already well acquainted with Qingyangzi and often called upon him to seek guidance. Qingyangzi, seeing Wang Daoxuan's steadfast devotion to the Dao, held him in high esteem and instructed him diligently, even though Wang Daoxuan had no destiny with the Taixuan Orthodox Sect.
Li Yan, on the other hand, was seeing the Xianyang temple master for the first time.
The old Daoist possessed a full, broad forehead and a kindly countenance, complemented by long white whiskers and silver eyebrows. Li Yan could not help admiring him in silence; he truly had the bearing of a transcendent and bones of the Dao.
"Oh? The layman possesses a remarkable countenance."
Qingyangzi looked at Li Yan, stroking his beard with a smiling nod.
Li Yan was taken aback. "Senior must be joking."
Qingyangzi chuckled, gave a slight shake of his head, and asked, "Could this humble Daoist take a look at the nether warrant's brand?"
Li Yan stepped forward at once and extended his left palm.
He had learned from Wang Daoxuan that Qingyangzi was a Daoist of great attainment. Had Qingyangzi not put in a good word on Wang Daoxuan's behalf, Wang Daoxuan would never have had the opportunity to build a watchtower on Mount Taibai.
Qingyangzi examined the mark closely for a few moments, then stroked his beard and nodded. "Indeed, it is a nether warrant from the Underworld Bureau. You have fine fortune, Fellow Daoist."
Li Yan was at a loss for words. Shaking his head, he replied, "Senior jokes. I am no underworld crosser. Saddled with this duty, my life is forfeit if I fail to see it through. How can it be called good fortune?"
"When destiny arrives, fortune and disaster hang on a single thought,"
Qingyangzi said with a warm smile, stroking his beard. "Underworld crossers excel at communicating with nether spirits, so they often encounter the opportunity of a nether warrant. Once they possess such a thing, their danger during underworld crossings is drastically reduced, and they can cast rites to summon spirit soldiers from the Underworld Bureau, which possess formidable power.
"We of the Xuanmen seek the truth and comprehend the Dao, burning incense and chanting scriptures during morning and evening devotions without daring to slacken for an instant. Yet those among us who can truly communicate with spirits are extraordinarily few, and raising spirit soldiers takes immense time and effort.
"If this is not good fortune, what is?
"As for your path, being an underworld crosser is by no means the only way. During the Jin dynasty, a man received a nether warrant and entered a grotto-heaven in his dreams, touring the splendid scenery of the Peach Blossom Spring. In the Tang dynasty, a prime minister received a nether warrant and slew a demon dragon. In the Song dynasty, a renowned minister received a nether warrant and judged both the living and the dead. In time, you too will find your own Dao, Layman."
Li Yan looked thoughtful. "Junior has also encountered something recently..."
With that, he recounted the matter of the cold-altar wandering master.
After listening, Qingyangzi pondered for a moment before smiling. "No matter. Since it is a wandering master and connected to the nether warrant, simply let nature take its course.
"Our Taixuan Orthodox Sect has strict decrees forbidding interference in the affairs of the Netherworld, so my understanding of it is limited. Follow its guidance, and perhaps you will unlock your destiny."
"Thank you for your guidance, Senior."
Hearing even Qingyangzi say this made Li Yan all the more confident in his plan.
After their conversation, Qingyangzi led his retinue out of the tent. No sooner had he left than Luo Mingzi returned with several Daoists, carrying plates of melons, fruits, and pastries. He nodded to them. "You must be hungry. Have a bite to line your stomachs; there won't be any vegetarian meals served today."
Sha Lifei was somewhat bewildered. "Th-These are sacrificial offerings, aren't they?"
"Hahaha!"
A young, round-faced Daoist plucked a piece of cold pastry, popped it straight into his mouth, and mumbled around it, "Eat with an easy mind. Grandmaster isn't that petty! At worst, I'll set up an altar and submit a memorial announcing that his disciple is starving."
Luo Mingzi also chuckled. "It's fine. For certain things, a sincere heart is all that matters; there's no need to cling rigidly to formalities. However, small shrines in the wilderness and the yin deities of ancestral halls aren't nearly so generous—never go eating their offerings without thought."
Since their hosts had given the word, Li Yan and his companions naturally did not hold back.
The offerings of the Taixuan Orthodox Sect were made with exceptional refinement, especially a type of five-colored pastries crafted with a technique passed down since the Tang dynasty, which very few could produce nowadays.
It was a translucent pastry displaying five distinct colors, filled with five different stuffs that symbolized the five elements.
Setting aside its flavor, the sheer craft alone was a rare sight.
Sha Lifei wolfed down several pieces. Seeing how approachable the Enforcement Hall Daoists were, he grinned and said, "Masters, once this business is wrapped up, Old Sha will treat you all to a meal at Qingfeng Tower.
"Today is the Double Ninth! How can we go without chrysanthemum wine and river crabs?"
The Taixuan Orthodox Sect did not forbid wine or meat, abstaining only from four specific foods: beef, snakehead fish, wild goose, and dog meat. Anything else was fair game.
As members of the Xuanmen Enforcement Hall, they were bound to handle jobs involving Xuanmen matters in the future, so Sha Lifei wanted to seize the chance to build good relations.
"Let's make it another day,"
Luo Mingzi said, shaking his head. "The liturgical rites for the investiture of the mountain god begin at the hour of Si and won't conclude until past the hour of Wu.
"Once the rites are complete, the mountain god of this mass grave site will take his post. When a temple is built to offer incense and worship, the lonely souls and wild ghosts across this mountain can finally rest in peace. Afterward, we will have to conduct consecutive rituals of deliverance for the yin spirits, so we'll likely be busy for quite some time."
Wang Daoxuan clasped his hands solemnly. "Such a deed brings boundless merit."
Luo Mingzi replied calmly, "Balancing yin and yang to protect the realm is our Taixuan Orthodox Sect's duty in the first place. You praise us too highly, Fellow Daoist."
His expression turned grave as he continued, "However, our actions have cost certain scoundrels of the jianghu their opportunity, and among them are no shortage of unorthodox figures.
"Although Cavalier-Commandant Officer Fan sent troops to drive off the western beggars and stationed guards at checkpoints outside, those people will certainly do everything they can to slip into the mountain and seize the treasures.
"Centurion Chang of the Commandant Bureau brought a hundred men, and together with thirty of our Enforcement Hall brethren, our task is to drive every last one of them away while the rites are underway.
"To avoid any misunderstandings, please stay right here and do not wander off.
"By the way, you intend to escort a deceased soul back to his homeland?"
"That's right. It is the dying wish of that senior underworld crosser..."
The men chatted over food as Daoists came and went to relieve one another's shifts.
Before they knew it, the hour of Si was fast approaching.
*Whistle!*
In the distance, several signal arrows suddenly shot into the sky.
A round-faced Daoist sprang to his feet, forming a Yang hand seal as his ears twitched. "Intruders have breached the mountain! The Commandant Bureau is pursuing them!"
Luo Mingzi frowned slightly. "It seems they still haven't given up. Let's go!"
With that, he swiftly led his martial brothers out of the tent.
Inside, Li Yan and his companions exchanged glances.
"Should we go lend a hand?"
"Forget it. With so many experts around, I'd be amazed if anyone actually manages to break through..."
After a brief discussion, the three also stepped out of the tent and walked toward the ritual altar.
It was now the hour of Si, and the ceremony had officially begun.
Daoist acolytes were burning incense and chanting scriptures, accompanied by an ensemble of musicians beating drums, striking stone chimes, blowing mouth organs, and sounding wooden fish. The scene was lively yet carried a solemn dignity.
Several elderly Daoists headed by Qingyangzi had already changed into ceremonial vestments. Holding ritual tablets in their hands like ministers attending an imperial audience, they slowly mounted the altar.
High above the altar hung a bronze demon-revealing mirror.
Around its perimeter stood twelve Enforcement Hall disciples with drawn swords, taking over the duty of guarding the altar grounds now that Luo Mingzi had departed.
Beside Li Yan, Wang Daoxuan whispered an explanation. "I do not know much about the Taixuan Orthodox Sect's rituals, but I do know they have thirty true altars and sixty true sanctums.
"An 'altar' is a place for liturgical rites, while a 'sanctum' is a place for cultivation. Regardless of which, each can form its own self-contained domain, and other lineages follow the same principle.
"From the look of it, this should be the Chizhen Tongmiao Altar, used specifically for the investiture of terrestrial deities..."
Listening from the side, Li Yan felt a flicker of realization.
There was no spiritual qi in this world, but there were astral and baleful energies. Both altars and sanctums seemed rather like formations that manipulated these energies—one for casting rites, the other for cultivation.
If he could successfully build a watchtower and gain the lineage's inheritance, perhaps he would obtain corresponding methods as well...
While Li Yan was lost in thought, his nose suddenly twitched. Looking around, his face filled with suspicion.
He seemed to have caught... the scent of gunpowder!
Chapter 86