A Pawn's Passage

This reach seemed casual, yet it sealed off the space all around Bai Yingqiong.

As such, Bai Yingqiong had no choice but to allow her soul to return to her physical body.

That was when True Lord Siming’s palm grabbed her.

Even as a Wuliang-stage Heavenly Being, Bai Yingqiong could not escape True Lord Siming’s grasp.

Countless streams of yin energy surged toward Bai Yingqiong, enough to fill the entire world. An ordinary person would have been reduced to a skeleton in the blink of an eye.

However, Bai Yingqiong used talismans to create a lotus-shaped formation around herself to block out the yin energy.

However, under the erosion of the yin energy, the light of the talismans flickered and quickly dimmed. The once-blooming lotus turned into a closed bud, and the formation wavered precariously, barely holding on.

Sikong Cuo stood at True Lord Siming’s feet, enduring the torment of the Red Lotus Karmic Fire. This spell was incredibly difficult to overcome and required his full effort. At the same time, he was still maintaining the Small World that was imprisoning Pei Xiaolou.

Zhang Yuelu also saw all of this, but she did not act recklessly—not out of fear, but because she knew that her cultivation level was not enough to make a difference, so rushing in to save Bai Yingqiong would only result in her own death.

As she had said herself, acting impulsively was not an option in this situation.

One, or even two, Heavenly Beings would not make a difference. But if enough Heavenly Beings could be gathered, they might stand a chance to defeat this Ancient Immortal.

Zhang Yuelu whispered, “Tian Yuan, let’s find a way to rescue Sage Pei. At this point, Li Tianlan, Lu Yushu, Li Mingcheng, and Li Mingzhi won’t remain on the sidelines. If the Jiangnan Daoist Prefecture, Tiangang Hall, and Beichen Hall pool their resources, we can hold out long enough for the Jade Capital’s reinforcements to arrive.”

Qi Xuansu asked skeptically, “Will they really act for the greater good?”

“Not for the greater good, but for their own self-interest,” Zhang Yuelu replied quickly. “If Jinling Prefecture falls, that means millions of lives lost and tens of millions of Wuyou Coins gone. Not Taiping Coins, but Wuyou Coins. It’s not something that can be explained or brushed off with the head of one second-rank Taiyi Daoist master.

“Perhaps during times of war, the loss of a single city wouldn’t matter much. But now, in an era of peace, the complete annihilation of a city would be an earth-shattering event.

“Brothers may quarrel, but they would unite against external threats.

“The Taiping Sect involved the Imperial Court in the Daoist Order’s infighting because of the royal family’s Daoist background. Moreover, Emperor Gaozu was the Holy Xuan’s father-in-law.

“Many former Daoists hold positions in the Imperial Court, and intermarriages are common, not just with the Li family. Even Sage Lei is from a military family of the Imperial Court. The Daoist Order and the Imperial Court are so tied together that it’s hard to call them outsiders.

“The dealings between the Taiping Sect and the Heavenly Court are kept secret. But this situation is different. It’s now out in the open, and the stakes are entirely different.

“If the Chief Deputy Jiangnan Mansion Master dies in battle, and we perish here as well, the Taiping Sect may rid themselves of a major threat. But they will also be held accountable because such a significant event cannot simply be blamed on the dead for the sake of public sentiment.

“As such, the Daoist Order will never place blame on those who died in battle. The three sects will quickly reach a consensus and conduct a bloody purge to provide an explanation to the world.

“At that point, no matter one’s background—whether it’s Li Tianlan or the Li Deputy Hall Masters—anyone with any affiliation to what happened in Jinling Prefecture will be swiftly abandoned by their backers and punished according to the law.

“So, even if they don’t do this for the sake of the millions of civilians in Jinling or the greater good of the Daoist Order, they cannot remain indifferent. It’s simply out of self-interest.” Zhang Yuelu concluded her analysis.

Qi Xuansu did not hesitate for long. “Alright, let’s give it a go.”

……

Just as Zhang Yuelu predicted, even someone as calculating as Li Tianlan could no longer remain complacent.

He ordered all Spirit Guards and Daoist priests to assemble and construct formations, forming defensive lines to resist the yin energy and creating drainage channels outside the city to redirect the massive influx of yin energy.

After that, Li Tianlan personally went to the St. Mary’s Church.

At this moment, Lei Xiaohuan and Shi Luosi were still trapped in the Small World that resembled a Western chessboard, so they were completely unaware of the chaos unfolding outside.

It was evident that Li Tianlan was a regular visitor here because none of the bishops or archbishops stopped him.

Dressed in a black hechang, Li Tianlan strode forward with confident familiarity, requiring no guidance. A group of white-robed Western priests followed closely behind—a rather absurd sight.

“When will this Small World open?” Li Tianlan asked coldly. Although he remained relatively composed, the calm he displayed earlier was gone, and his tone carried hints of frustration over the escalating situation.

An archbishop replied in flawless Mandarin, “At noon.”

“Noon?” Li Tianlan halted. “Then we might as well all wait for our deaths!”

All the Western priests behind him stopped as well, falling into complete silence.

With Cardinal Deacon Shi Luosi absent, no one else had the authority to speak as an equal to Sage Li Tianlan. Years of collaboration had made them acutely aware of this Sage’s stature.

Li Tianlan abruptly turned around and commanded, “Open the chessboard now and release Sage Lei and Cardinal Deacon Shi immediately!”

The archbishop hesitated. “To ensure Sage Lei remains suppressed in this Small World, the chessboard has been integrated with the entire church. Forcibly breaking the Small World might cause irreversible damage to the building. This church took tremendous effort to construct. Many materials had to be transported from the headquarters of the Holy Court—”

“Jinling Prefecture is on the brink of destruction, and the Jiangnan Daoist Mansion is in grave danger. How can you still think about the church?” Li Tianlan raised his voice sharply. “In the East, we have a saying that when the nest is overturned, no egg is left intact. If the Jiangnan Daoist Mansion falls and maritime trade is disrupted, do you think you can still enjoy the luxuries of Jinling? Do you really want to leave this prosperous land and head to the barren New World as missionaries?”

No one dared to refute him.

The New World was desolate and undeveloped. There were no grand churches, silver coins, devout followers, generous nobles, or even a semblance of order. It was populated only by heretics, criminals, natives, rogues, and so-called adventurers.

Only ascetic monks or priests with unshakable faith would venture to the New World.

Li Tianlan softened his tone. “Release them. Immediately.”

The archbishop no longer objected, but he still seemed hesitant.

Li Tianlan closed his eyes and ordered in a deep voice, “Go!”

“Yes, Sage,” the archbishop hurriedly replied and turned to leave.

After the archbishop left, Li Tianlan opened his eyes and instructed, “All of you should do your part—not just for Jinling Prefecture, but for yourselves.”

The crowd exchanged glances and unanimously obliged.

Li Tianlan did not proceed further. Instead, he turned back, striding out of the church’s main entrance.

By this time, the area outside the church was packed with people.

Among them were Spirit Guards from the Jiangnan Daoist Mansion and Beichen Hall. These Spirit Guards had constructed a defensive line to resist the spread of the yin energy.

This was the only reason why those inside the cathedral had not felt the full terror of this yin tide.

Standing at the forefront were Li Mingcheng, Li Mingzhi, Lu Yushu, and a second-rank Spirit Guard from the Jiangnan Daoist Mansion who was a trusted confidant of Li Tianlan.

These people were all waiting for the Sage.

At this point, it was clear who was the central figure holding everything together.

While Li Tianlan’s rank and position played some role, it was not the decisive factor. Li Tianlan was merely the Second Chief Deputy Jiangnan Daoist Mansion Master, while his juniors were Deputy Hall Masters in Jade Capital. Although they were in the lowest ranks among the Deputy Hall Masters of their respective halls, it was an unspoken rule that those working in the Nine Halls had a higher standing than those from local Daoist Mansions.

Additionally, the situation at the moment had not yet gone so out of hand that they needed to rely on the Daoist ranking system to reorganize scattered forces.

Even so, none of them voiced any dissent. Everyone followed Li Tianlan’s commands without a hint of objection. This was the result of earned prestige over the years.

Li Tianlan scanned the crowd and declared, “All our people are here now. Whether we like it or not, we must give it our all and fight to the death!”

Everyone remained silent.

Li Tianlan continued, “If Jinling Prefecture falls and becomes a dead city, True Lord Siming can retreat to his divine kingdom. With all the flesh and vital energy he gathered, he will be able to sustain himself for a century. He may even take a crucial step forward.

“But we cannot afford to retreat at this time. If we flee now, we will become scapegoats, sent to Jade Capital to face charges of abandoning the city in an emergency. This wouldn’t just mean losing our futures. It could mean death. So, fight with everything you have—if not for others, then for yourselves.”

The group nodded grimly.

Li Tianlan instructed, “I’ll take some people with me and head there first. Yushu, you stay here to explain things to Sage Lei when she comes out. Convince her to prioritize the bigger picture and not act on impulse. You’re both women, so it’ll be easier for you two to communicate.”

Lu Yushu replied solemnly, “Don’t worry, Elder Li.”