am-books Chapter 507: Su Yi
Chapter 507: Su Yi
Chapter 507: Su Yi
After settling in, Qi Xuansu discovered a map of the Upper Palace hanging in the study. Taking advantage of it, Zhang Yuelu began explaining the entire layout of the Upper Palace to him.
The Ming Hall was originally built by Empress Mingkong, while the Lower Palace retained the layout of the Wanxiang Academy constructed by the Confucian School. After the Daoist Order transformed the Wanxiang Academy into the Wanxiang Daoist Palace, they further expanded the Upper Palace above the Lower Palace, following the design of the Taiping Sect’s Zhenjing Courtyard and connecting it to the second level of the Ming Hall.
Zhenjing Courtyard, also known as Eight Sceneries Courtyard, was arranged in the shape of the Eight Trigrams when viewed from above, hence the name.
Similarly, the Upper Palace of the Wanxiang Daoist Palace was divided into eight sections, with seven gardens and one gate named after the Eight Trigrams: Qian, Kun, Kan, Li, Zhen, Gen, Xun, and Dui.
To the east was Zhen Garden, which served as the residence for fourth-rank Jijiu Daoist masters. It was connected to the east gate of Ming Hall’s second level.
To the west was Dui Garden, which housed the senior instructors of the Wanxiang Daoist Palace. It was connected to the west gate of Ming Hall’s second level.
As the building followed the traditional south-facing layout, the south gate served as the main gate, also called the Li Gate. It was connected to the south gate of Ming Hall via a one-kilometer bridge.
Kan Garden was connected to the north gate, which was the primary area for lectures and lessons.
Except for the Li Gate, the seven gardens functioned independently yet remained interconnected, allowing movement between them without passing through Ming Hall.
In the northeast, Gen Garden was connected to Zhen Garden and Kan Garden. It served as the library of the Upper Palace. Although it could not compare with the Daoist Canon Division in Jade Capital, it still boasted an extensive collection of over a million volumes, ranking among the greatest repositories of knowledge in the world.@@@@
Xun Garden was situated in the southeast and was connected only to Zhen Garden. It was originally a training ground—the only place in the Upper Palace where physical combat was allowed. However, it had since been repurposed as the residence for Prospective and Apprentice Mages.
Unlike fourth-rank Jijiu Daoist masters, those in the fifth and sixth ranks did not have private courtyards but shared communal ones. Though each of them had a separate bedroom, they lacked a private study or living room. It was still a vast improvement over the Lower Palace, where multiple people shared a single room.
Qian Garden was located in the northwest. It was connected to both Kan Garden and Dui Garden. This area featured a vast White Jade Square and a grand ceremonial hall used for hosting major events.
Lastly, Kun Garden was located in the southwest and connected solely to Dui Garden, situated across from Li Gate and Xun Garden. This section housed the residences of the Palace Master and other high-ranking figures of the Wanxiang Daoist Palace.
The Upper Palace and Lower Palace were connected via Ming Hall. The Upper Palace was linked to the second level of Ming Hall, where one could descend to the first level and exit directly into the Lower Palace. To reach Xingye Lake and the Star Observation Deck, one must pass through the Lower Palace. Only Heavenly Beings could fly there directly.
After listening to Zhang Yuelu’s explanation, Qi Xuansu sighed in admiration. “So this is what the Upper Palace is like.”
Zhang Yuelu asked, “Have you not come up through Ming Hall before?”
Qi Xuansu shook his head and replied, “The Lower Palace has many restricted areas, and Ming Hall is one of them. We weren’t allowed to approach it.”
“Then how did you find your instructors?” Zhang Yuelu asked again.
Qi Xuansu explained, “The instructors responsible for the Lower Palace are all low-ranking Daoist priests. They also live in the Lower Palace, but they are allowed to enter and leave freely, including accessing the restricted areas.”
Zhang Yuelu nodded without commenting further.
Qi Xuansu felt a jolt in his heart.
No wonder this young woman carried such a strong presence and barely regarded him. She was none other than Yao Pei, the prodigy of the Quanzhen Sect who stood on equal footing with Zhang Yuelu.
In the Ruyi Leaderboard published by the Qingping Society, Zhang Yuelu was only ranked fifth before she became a Heavenly Being. The first place belonged to Li Changge of the Taiping Sect, while the second place was taken by Yao Pei of the Quanzhen Sect.
Yao Pei was a Banished Immortal and a disciple of Sage Donghua.
There was a saying within the Daoist Order that while Sage Cihang, Sage Donghua, and Sage Qingwei vied for the position of seventh-generation Grand Master, Zhang Yuelu, Yao Pei, and Li Changge were already seen as competitors for the position of eighth-generation Grand Master.
Though not set in stone, this demonstrated their exceptional status. Yao Pei was a formidable contender for the next Grand Master. Whether in terms of talent, background, or factional influence, she was not to be underestimated.
Come to think of it, this woman shared a last name with Madam Qi. Given the special relationship between the Qingping Society and the Quanzhen Sect, could Yao Pei possibly be a relative of Madam Qi?
Zhang Yuelu was not surprised. It was as if she had anticipated this. She merely asked, “Daoist Yao, your reputation precedes you. May I ask for your courtesy name?”
Yao Pei cupped her hands in response. “My courtesy name is Su Yi.”
The name, Su Yi, meant plain white robe, which symbolized a pure and untainted moral stance. It signified integrity and refusal to compromise with corruption.
Zhang Yuelu asked again, “Su Yi, are you also here in the Upper Palace for further studies?”
Yao Pei replied, “I am ashamed to say so. Years ago, I heard that you had already completed your training at the Upper Palace, becoming the youngest fourth-rank Jijiu Daoist master in decades. By the time I achieved the same rank, you have already advanced to the third rank.”
“I wouldn’t dare accept such praise,” Zhang Yuelu said solemnly. “Speaking of which, it’s quite a coincidence. When I first came to the Wanxiang Daoist Palace, I stayed in this very courtyard. I never expected that you would be residing here today as well. It seems we are fated to meet.”
Yao Pei said indifferently, “It’s not entirely due to fate. From what I know, this courtyard has the best view and the most favorable location. It is the quietest place and closest to the library in Gen Garden.
“As such, the Wanxiang Daoist Palace only assigns it to the most outstanding disciples. If there are no worthy candidates, they would rather leave this place empty. In fact, Sage Cihang, Sage Donghua, and Sage Qingwei have all resided here before.”
“I didn’t know there was such a tradition.” Zhang Yuelu was slightly taken aback.
Yao Pei turned her gaze to Qi Xuansu. “You must be Tian Yuan, the one who risked his life to save Qing Xiao.”
Qi Xuansu finally had Yao Pei’s attention. Given the chance to speak, he said humbly, “I wouldn’t say I saved her. Even without me, Qing Xiao would not have been in grave danger. I certainly didn’t risk my life. After all, I’m still here, alive and well.”
From the beginning, Yao Pei’s face remained expressionless—not arrogant, not amiable, not cold as ice, nor warm as a summer breeze. She simply embodied the word, “detachment.”
Even if someone were good at concealing their emotions, they still possessed emotions. But this woman seemed as if she had none at all, making it impossible to gauge her thoughts through her expression.
Yao Pei spoke again. “Tian Yuan, you are certainly an interesting person. It’s no wonder my master, Sage Donghua, has taken notice of you. However, compared to Qing Xiao, you still fall a bit short. After all, Qing Xiao has caught the eye of the Earthly Preceptor.”