A Pawn's Passage

Qi Xuansu hurriedly asked, “Elder Jiang, is Madam Wu...?”

Although Madam Wu was not dead, for some reason, her eyes remained tightly shut, as though she had fallen unconscious. Qi Xuansu had no idea what had happened, but Great Sage Jiang was very experienced and had known Madam Wu for much longer than he had, so he should know the reason.

Great Sage Jiang said, “This is her fortuitous opportunity.”

Qi Xuansu let out a small sigh of relief.

Madam Wu had mentioned earlier that she might find her fortuitous opportunity here. Could it really be that she had achieved a breakthrough through destruction and rebirth after taking Itzamna’s strike? But that seemed far too simple.

Great Sage Jiang seemed to see through Qi Xuansu’s thoughts and said, “Of course it isn’t that simple.”

As he spoke, an ancient stone tablet appeared in Great Sage Jiang’s hand. Its weathered surface bore inscriptions in an ancient script Qi Xuansu had never learned. It was neither Central Plains writing, nor the script currently used in the New Continent, nor the script of the Holy Court. It was most likely an ancient pictographic writing of the New Continent, as it retained many pictorial characteristics that contained a mysterious power.

All writing possessed power. Talismans and runes could both be regarded as special forms of writing.

Qi Xuansu asked, “What is this?”

Great Sage Jiang replied, “It was left behind after Itzamna’s death. It should be the key to this pocket realm and the pyramid.”

Qi Xuansu had not even noticed when Great Sage Jiang had taken possession of it. Presumably, Great Sage Jiang had already secured the stone tablet before the sword light had completely dissipated.

After all, the Heavenly Preceptor had only been a projection which simply dissipated, so he could not bring anything back. Thus, Great Sage Jiang had to retrieve it. Conveniently, Great Sage Jiang was the person in charge of managing the Daoist Order’s immortal objects, sparing everyone unnecessary trouble.

“Give me the Seven Feather Five Fires Fan,” Great Sage Jiang said, extending his hand.

Qi Xuansu did as instructed and handed Madam Wu’s true form over to Great Sage Jiang. Madam Wu’s human form still lay there unconscious, since the two had yet to merge back into one.

Great Sage Jiang had Qi Xuansu carry Madam Wu, and together, they ascended to the top of the pyramid, where there was an altar. This was the same place where Itzamna had been resurrected.

Great Sage Jiang motioned for Qi Xuansu to lay Madam Wu upon the altar, then placed the Seven Feather Five Fires Fan on top of her.

Qi Xuansu asked, “Elder Jiang, is that all? I remember that the Daoist Order’s Ascension Platform and Immortal Retaining Platform both have limitations and can’t be used consecutively. Itzamna just used this pyramid. Could it...”

Great Sage Jiang said, “The Ascension Platform and Immortal Retaining Platform do indeed have limitations on repeated use. However, this altar is different. Its primary purpose is neither ascension nor surviving tribulation, but sacrifice and resurrection, specifically the resurrection of the ancient gods. By their logic, it represents the rebirth of the sun after its destruction, ushering in a new era. It resembles the concept of being renewed through destruction, though it is not exactly the same.

“The reason Itzamna was able to advance to a First-Tribulation Immortal was because his own strength had already reached the necessary threshold. By resurrecting, he eliminated his karmic fire and cast off all of his burdens. At the same time, by sacrificing Kulkulkan, he obtained the power of a First-Tribulation Immortal. Had Itzamna himself not already possessed sufficient strength, sacrificing Kulkulkan alone would never have been enough to elevate him to that realm.”

Madam Wu had already briefed Great Sage Jiang, so he was fully aware of everything that had transpired. His judgment was naturally more accurate than Qi Xuansu’s.

Great Sage Jiang continued, “After his resurrection, Itzamna was effectively a Quasi-First Tribulation Immortal. As long as he reclaimed his divine kingdom and his remaining divine authorities, he would possess the power of a true First-Tribulation Immortal and safely survive his first heavenly tribulation. If the Daoist Order failed to stop him, it would mean that for the next 100 years, Itzamna could descend freely into the mortal world without relying on a vessel instead of remaining confined within his divine kingdom. That would give him the power to reshape the entire New Continent. Too many things would spiral beyond control, and that is something we absolutely cannot allow.”

Qi Xuansu understood.

The Daoist Order was not particularly concerned about a First-Tribulation Immortal confined to a divine kingdom, as such a being had only limited influence over the mortal world. What truly concerned them was a First-Tribulation Immortal who could descend freely into the human realm. Such a threat had to be eliminated before it fully emerged.

Great Sage Jiang also made another point clear. This pyramid was of little value to most members of the Daoist Order. Unlike Godly Immortals, Immortals of other lineages did not have three stages of death. Once they died, they were simply dead. Resurrection was never an option.

In truth, Itzamna had relied on several shortcuts. For Immortals, the first heavenly tribulation was both a calamity and a reward. After surviving it, one not only gained another century of existence but was also tempered by the heavenly tribulation itself, allowing one’s cultivation to advance even further. This tempering was the greatest difference between a true First-Tribulation Immortal and a Quasi-First-Tribulation Immortal.

However, Itzamna had achieved a similar effect through destruction and rebirth, obtaining the equivalent of the heavenly tribulation’s tempering without actually undergoing it. He would then face the heavenly tribulation afterward. Although he would no longer gain additional benefits from it, he would still receive the 100-year extension.

This principle was completely different from that of the Daoist Order’s Immortal Retaining Platform.

The key lay in the three stages of death that allowed Godly Immortals to leave behind the imprint of their existence in the unseen realms, waiting to be resurrected. Immortals of other lineages had no such ability, making resurrection impossible.

It could be said that this pyramid had been built entirely for the ancient god system, and its risks were considerable. If an ancient god successfully entered death, yet no one performed the required sacrifice upon the altar, that god would remain dead indefinitely. In such a state, the deceased god had no means of influencing anyone. It would become nothing more than meat on the chopping block, left entirely at the mercy of others. Its very life depended upon someone else’s whim.

Chak Chel had remained loyal to Itzamna, sparing no effort to bring him back to life. Had it been Ixchel instead, Itzamna would truly have remained dead forever.

Moreover, the amount of divine power required for a sacrifice was enormous. Merely reviving Itzamna’s consciousness had required multiple Shadow Tides, while fully resurrecting him demanded the sacrifice of Kulkulkan himself. This was also one of the reasons Chak Chel had persuaded Kulkulkan to connect his divine kingdom to the pocket realm. Killing Kulkulkan within the divine kingdom was equivalent to killing him within the pocket realm itself. The sacrifice of a Quasi-First Tribulation Immortal was exchanged for the resurrection of a true First-Tribulation Immortal.

Thus, while this altar was undoubtedly extraordinary, it was of little practical value to the Daoist Order. It was too valuable to discard, yet of little real use.

Great Sage Jiang continued deciphering the stone tablet in his hand. “The ancestors of Paititi once possessed this altar, ushering in the prosperous era of Paititi. However, every sacrifice required a vast number of people for blood sacrifice. At first, they sacrificed only prisoners of war, then slaves, then believers, and eventually even nobles. This caused the Paititi Empire to decline rapidly. In the end, the altar’s last master chose to seal away both the altar and Paititi’s pocket realm, never to use them again.

“It was precisely because of this shortcut through sacrifice that the New Continent strayed onto the wrong path. Sacrificial rites became ingrained in its very bones, impossible to eradicate. It is easy to go from frugality to extravagance, but difficult to return from extravagance to frugality. Once people grow accustomed to an easier path, they become unwilling to walk the more difficult but correct one. Gaining divine power through the righteous path of gods loving and protecting the world sounds simple, but in practice, it is extraordinarily difficult. It is like nurturing disciples into becoming accomplished cultivators. It demands immense effort and patience. How could that ever compare with the convenience and efficiency of blood sacrifice? The corruption of the ancient gods is inevitable.”

Qi Xuansu cared little for the reflections of Paititi’s ancestors. What concerned him far more was Madam Wu’s condition. “Will this altar help Madam Wu?”

Great Sage Jiang replied, “Madam Wu isn’t dead, so she doesn’t need to be resurrected. We are merely borrowing the altar’s sacrificial function to help her take the final step. In a sense, if Madam Wu could free herself from the Seven Feather Five Fires Fan, would that not also be a form of rebirth?”

Only then did Qi Xuansu finally breathe a sigh of relief. “That’s good. That’s good.”

Madam Wu’s situation was fundamentally different from Itzamna’s. Since she had not died, there was no need to sacrifice another being. Supplying sufficient divine power alone would suffice. Chak Chel had resorted to the Shadow Tide to secretly gather divine power, which was itself an application of her authority over the night. The Daoist Order, however, had no need for such secrecy, nor did it lack divine power.

Great Sage Jiang took out his Taishang Merit License, which carried two subordinate permissions to the Zixiao Palace and the Thirty-Three Heavens.

Of course, the Thirty-Three Heavens did not have only a single access authority. The highest authority remained in the hands of the Grand Master, who then delegated several subordinate permissions to various Great Sages. These could be granted either to the Three Deputy Grand Masters or to ordinary Great Sages. Since the Zhengyi Sect had historically been responsible for matters concerning spirits and gods, it held considerable authority in this regard.

Thus, when the Grand Master was particularly powerful, the Zixiao Palace Master occupied a position equivalent to the Chief Minister of the Inner Court. Together with the Grand Master Consort, they balanced the authority of the Three Deputy Grand Masters, who were analogous to Chief Ministers of the Outer Court.

Of course, the distinction between the inner and outer courts was never absolute. Depending on their factional backgrounds, the two sides were often thoroughly intertwined.

Great Sage Jiang directly established a connection with the Daoist Order’s Thirty-Three Heavens.

A vast torrent of divine power pierced through the boundary of the pocket realm and descended upon the altar.

Qi Xuansu could not help but marvel. If the Grand Master possessed first-level authority, then Great Sage Jiang held second-level authority. Sage Qingwei would probably count as third-level authority, while Qi Xuansu himself was merely fourth-level. The amount of divine power each could command was simply incomparable.

The altar began to glow until its radiance completely engulfed Madam Wu.

Qi Xuansu asked, “How long will it take?”

Great Sage Jiang replied, “Be patient. Even an Immortal requires 49 days to undergo a complete rebirth. If everything proceeds smoothly, it will still take at least 49 days. If things do not go smoothly, then it’s hard to say. It could take a year or two, or even four years. It all depends on her own destiny and fortune.”

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