Free Web NovelChapter 1508: Negotiation
After five days of preparation, the Spirit Guards had fully assembled outside the city and were awaiting a single order to storm inside.
Huangfu Zhu was firmly on Qi Xuansu’s side and had long declared his unwavering support for the leadership of the Western Daoist Order. As a result, the Southern Palace Guard would not interfere, leaving New Paititi essentially undefended.
In addition, at Tantai Ying’s request, Danxiu Mountain had dispatched a flying ship. This flying ship far surpassed the standard combat ship—Purple Flood Dragon—in capability, though it still fell short of the Daoist Order’s mainline warship, the Yinglong Warship. It lacked the Yinglong’s comprehensive combat functions and was primarily designed for launching the Dragon-Eye and Phoenix-Eye Series Bombs. Essentially, it was a massive mobile artillery platform known as the Horned Dragon.
The flying ship now hovered outside the city. At the slightest sign of trouble, it could bombard New Paititi, allowing those so-called “players of the game” to experience the power of a Grade-A Series Two Dragon Eye Bomb.
Then they would see whether those people could still smile calmly and preach about the greater good.
The entry of 3,000 Spirit Guards into the capital caused a tremendous stir.
Though 3,000 might sound insignificant, these were no ordinary soldiers.
The Western Daoist Order lacked the resources to establish the vast Spirit Guard network that covered nearly the entire territory of the Daoist Order. Consequently, its philosophy regarding Spirit Guards differed greatly from that of the Daoist Order.
The Daoist Order divided Spirit Guards into nine ranks to suit different circumstances. For example, when maintaining order in the Imperial Capital, there was no need to deploy high-ranking Spirit Guards. In such cases, low-ranking Spirit Guards were sufficient. Conversely, during the Fenglin War, when Spirit Guards descended directly into enemy cities and found themselves surrounded on all sides, only high-ranking Spirit Guards could hold their ground and coordinate attacks from both inside and outside.
The Western Daoist Order’s Spirit Guards were limited in number, so quality was prioritized over quantity. Their strategy was to forge a highly mobile elite force capable of responding to emergencies. Therefore, every Spirit Guard in this force was of high rank, with the lowest being at the fourth rank.
Such a force could attack conventional enemies several times its own number or use its numerical superiority to surround and eliminate smaller groups of higher-level cultivators.
More importantly, the Spirit Guards were equipped with various firearms and were supported by flying ships whenever deployed. What they relied upon was not individual cultivation but systematic warfare.
As they entered the city, all 3,000 Spirit Guards wore black armor. Their marching was perfectly synchronized, their footsteps striking the ground with such force that it seemed as though they were trampling directly upon the hearts of all who watched.
Even ordinary civilians could tell that something major had happened in the city.
The overall strength of the Tawantin royal family exceeded that of the Fenglin royal family.
During the Fenglin War, the collection of gods, spirits, and strange beings led by the Tenmon Sect and the Three Noble Children had caused the Daoist Order considerable trouble. In the end, even the Imperial Preceptor had personally intervened. The key difference was that Fenglin had been united in purpose due to the Sonno-joi movement.
In contrast, on the Tawantin side, the Western Daoist Order, which occupied the position equivalent to the Tenmon Sect, not only refused to protect the royal family but instead fully supported Qi Xuansu. The ancient gods, who occupied a position similar to the Three Noble Children, had split into two factions and were still engaged in internal conflict. Their situation remained unclear, and none of them had entered the fray directly. Thus, the royal family found itself standing alone against Qi Xuansu.
The Tawantin Empire had been forcibly stitched together from three past empires, so many hidden dangers had been planted from the very beginning. The attitude of the Western Daoist Order was therefore crucial. By the same logic, if the Tenmon Sect had not supported the Sonno-joi movement, the Fenglin royal family would never have been able to stir up much trouble.
The Western Daoist Order dared not fight the Daoist Order directly because of the Steam Evangelical Sect looming in the north, watching like a tiger eyeing its prey. Forget fighting the Daoist Order; if the Daoist Order cut off its support, the Western Daoist Order would immediately find itself in dire straits. Likewise, the Daoist Order did not want to see the Steam Evangelical Sect dominate the New Continent alone. Therefore, the two sides could compete and maneuver against each other, but they could never truly fall out. This was a case of brothers quarreling within the household while standing united against external threats.
The Daoist Order had invested so much not merely out of fellowship; it expected returns as well. The time for reaping those returns was now approaching. Thus, the Daoist Order intended to deepen its involvement in the Southern Continent. Whether the benefits would be split fifty-fifty or seventy-thirty between the Daoist Order and the Western Daoist Order was open for negotiation.
This required both a stable environment and a solid foundation. Qi Xuansu was responsible for the former, while Huangfu Ji was responsible for the latter. Qi Xuansu was not merely the Chief Deputy of Beichen Hall but also an envoy representing the Daoist Order, possessing enormous autonomy.
The Western Daoist Order was grateful for Qi Xuansu’s righteous advocacy at the Golden Tower Council and was willing to support all of his initiatives. If he needed personnel, they provided personnel. If he needed policy support, they provided it as well. They were even willing to intervene personally. Without the tacit approval and backing of the Western Daoist Order, how could Hun Ahau have mobilized the armies of New Xijing and Cusco?
It was only under the combined influence of all these factors that Qi Xuansu, a mere envoy of the Daoist Order, could wield such overwhelming influence.
As the mastermind behind the scenes, Qi Xuansu did not appear in public. Instead, Huangfu Xi, escorted by Huangfu Zhu and a large contingent of Divine Eagle Guards, welcomed the Spirit Guards of the Western Daoist Order into the capital on behalf of the royal family to suppress disorder and maintain stability.
Huangfu Zhu also organized many ordinary citizens to come out bearing food and drink to welcome the righteous army. The resulting spectacle conveyed the image of wholehearted public support and projected an atmosphere of vitality and flourishing prosperity.
However, all the city’s nobles and influential figures knew that whether it was Huangfu Xi or Huangfu Zhu, they were merely puppets on the stage. The one manipulating the puppet show from behind the curtain was Qi Xuansu.
What made matters worse for them was that they could not openly oppose it. After all, Huangfu Xi’s Princess Residence had been slaughtered, and Huangfu Xi herself had narrowly escaped death. Qi Xuansu had set a 15-day deadline, and the case had indeed seen major developments, albeit negative ones. Under such circumstances, the Western Daoist Order’s early intervention was entirely justified.
Afterward, Huangfu Zhu ordered public notices to be posted, reassuring citizens not to panic. The notices explained that the Spirit Guards had come to ensure the stability of New Paititi and apprehend members of the Heron Society. Nevertheless, the populace was advised to minimize unnecessary travel.
At the same time, Huangfu Zhu issued a stern warning. Anyone attempting to cause trouble during this period would be dealt with under special emergency suppression measures and could be executed on the spot without trial.
Almost simultaneously with the Spirit Guards’ entry into the capital, the royal palace was sealed off, and the Northern Palace Guard was placed on full alert.
However, Qi Xuansu did not launch a direct assault on the royal palace. That would have looked far too ugly. He still preferred to continue applying pressure.
Under normal circumstances, the key to a palace coup was speed—strike like thunder before anyone could react, establish a fait accompli, and then use that reality to force others into acceptance. At such a moment, the greatest taboo was hesitation. One had to press forward in a single decisive push.
Qi Xuansu’s situation was different. He was not taking a desperate gamble, nor could this even be considered a coup. Behind him stood both the Daoist Order and the Western Daoist Order. He had arrived backed by an overwhelming force. It was more akin to an army already at the city gates, with everything under control. There was no need to rush. He could even afford to wait and observe how the various parties reacted.
After all, Qi Xuansu’s primary targets were still the ancient gods. Even if he were to slaughter the entire royal family right now, it would not substantially affect the ancient gods. The investigation would still have to continue.
As expected, Manu Tancha could not withstand the pressure. He dispatched an envoy to invite Qi Xuansu to the royal palace to discuss practical measures for resolving the Heron Society issue. In reality, it was a negotiation.
Huangfu Xi was the first to voice opposition. “There is a saying in the Central Plains that a cornered dog will jump over a wall. Unulatu has already been driven into a dead end. I fear she may attempt something harmful against you, Sage Qi. You must not fall into their trap.”
She deliberately avoided mentioning her father, Manu Tancha, so as not to place herself in a moral dilemma. Instead, she directed all blame toward Unulatu.
Hun Ahau also expressed support. “I wanted to mention this yesterday. The assassin massacred everyone in the Princess Residence. It could be interpreted as intimidation through force or as a deliberate attempt to inflame the situation. Either way, it was highly suspicious. I fear there may be a third party stirring things up behind the scenes. Even if the Emperor has no such intentions, others may be seeking to profit from the chaos. We can’t afford to let our guard down.”
Tantai Ying, Lu Yujue, and the others largely shared the same view. This palace negotiation was likely a trap. If there were genuine intentions to negotiate, it should not take place in the royal palace but in a Daoist temple of the Western Daoist Order.
Qi Xuansu’s reputation was well known. Even his political enemies within the Daoist Order knew that if he promised to spare someone, he would genuinely do so. He was not the sort to break his word. But the credibility of the Tawantin royal family was another matter. They should first explain the massacre at the Princess Residence before speaking of trust.
Qi Xuansu neither overruled everyone nor fully accepted their advice. Instead, he proposed a compromise. The negotiation would be held in Kukulkan’s temple within the Temple District. With Kukulkan as a witness, Qi Xuansu and Manu Tancha would meet in person to negotiate.
The Temple District of New Paititi was relatively autonomous. It was controlled neither by the Northern Palace Guard nor the Southern Palace Guard. Each major temple maintained its own guards. Thus, it had become a relatively neutral zone.
Tantai Ying immediately understood Qi Xuansu’s intentions. He was still approaching matters from the perspective of the overall situation, seeking to connect all these events together and use them to test Kukulkan’s reaction, to determine whether he was loyal or treacherous. She then supported Qi Xuansu’s proposal.
In the end, Qi Xuansu decided to have the envoy return with his reply to Manu Tancha that the negotiations would take place at the Sun Temple to discuss practical measures for resolving the Heron Society issue.
If Manu Tancha refused, then he would experience what a single cannon shot from the Horned Dragon flying ship outside the city might bring upon the city.
The Daoist Order was at least strong enough to depose the Tawantin Emperor.
This was the final opportunity Qi Xuansu was willing to offer.
After remaining silent for an entire day, Manu Tancha’s side finally agreed to meet Qi Xuansu at the Sun Temple within the Temple District. Under the witness of Kukulkan, they would work together to resolve the current crisis facing New Paititi.
Qi Xuansu also took precautions. His true body had not yet entered the Pseudo-Immortal stage, which meant there was still the possibility of being killed.
Thus, Qi Xuansu did not personally risk himself. Instead, he used the Seven Feather Five Fires Fan to manifest a Corpse Liberation Incarnation, one that genuinely possessed a Pseudo-Immortal level cultivation.
Back then, Elder Xu had committed the greatest slaughter and was unmatched in the art of killing. Even the Holy Xuan, despite being at the Pseudo-Immortal stage, was slain by Elder Xu in a single strike. It was only later that Wu Yang revived the Holy Xuan using the Undying Elixir.
Yet even when Elder Xu employed the Taiyi Supreme Technique, he was unable to keep Madam Wu behind. This demonstrated just how durable an immortal object truly was. Madam Wu’s ability to preserve her life was on the level of an Immortal. Qi Xuansu had once relied on her to stir up great upheavals across the Northern Continent. Now, under the very nose of the Western Daoist Order, there was absolutely no need to worry about her safety.
