A leaf fell onto the marble floor inlaid with cloud-patterned star fragments, unable to move, waiting for its fate to be stepped on.
Then a woman stepped on the fallen leaf, her expression slightly melancholic.
The woman was surnamed Chen, named Yushu, from South Borneo.
Chen Yushu sighed, raised her eyes to look at the solemn building hanging the "North Star Hall" plaque, and climbed the steps.
A young Daoist dressed as a Fourth Rank Sacrificial Libationer was waiting at the top of the stairs. After nodding to the woman, he led her into the North Star Hall's gate, through corridors and halls, stopping only at the door marked "Chief's Office."
Chen Yushu waited quietly as the young Daoist gently knocked on the door: "Chief, Daoist Chen has arrived."
A voice came from inside the room: "Come in."
The young Daoist pushed the door halfway open, extended his other hand courteously to the woman: "Daoist Chen, please come in."
Chen Yushu was very composed. Facing the very polite chief secretary, she didn't rush into the chief's office, but instead took out a box of fine Hu brush pens from her sleeve. The ivory pen holder and Lantian jade pen cap were exquisite. She smiled and quietly offered them to the young secretary: "A scholar's matter, not against discipline, please don't be too formal."
The secretary readily accepted the box of Hu brush pens, but with a flip of his hand, he put them in his sleeve. His expression remained unchanged: "The chief has been waiting."
Then, the secretary bowed to let Chen Yushu walk through the half-open door, and immediately closed the door gently from the outside.
Inside was the chief's office of the North Star Hall, not too large, with simple furnishings. Besides a desk in the center, there were several floor-to-ceiling bookshelves against the walls, filled with various dossiers. The desk also held many dossiers, their covers stamped with the words "Top Secret."
A middle-aged man wearing a white jade lotus crown was working at the desk.
In Daoism, the ranks and positions of Daoists were separate. So there were two types of Second Rank Taiyi Daoists: one was an ordinary Daoist True Person, who could only wear a gold lotus crown. After being elected as a member of the Golden Palace Grand Assembly, they became a Daoist Chancellor True Person, who could wear a white jade lotus crown.
The Daoist Chancellor True Person didn't look up or greet anyone, so Chen Yushu could only stand there, waiting quietly.
"Yushu, sit down."
The working Daoist Chancellor True Person finally found time to say a word.
"I came uninvited, please forgive me, Uncle."
"Is Old Chen doing well?" The Daoist Chancellor True Person finally looked up, wearing a clean black crane cloak, with a wisdom sword, jet-black hair perfectly tidy, smiling at the corners of his mouth but with no trace of warmth in his eyes, like two deep wells, deep and unfathomable. He was the North Star Hall's chief deputy hall master, Zhou Xuangan.
Chen Yushu's eyes lowered, her mood sinking: "He's fine, but he's reached his age and will retire next year."
Zhou Xuangan seemed not to understand, just saying: "Retiring is good. After working hard for most of his life, he should rest and enjoy his retirement."
Chen Yushu pressed her lips together: "He hasn't retired yet, but the tea has already cooled. So I won't hide it from Uncle. I came to see Uncle because I have something to ask."
Zhou Xuangan smiled: "That's too formal. I'm just a Second Rank Taiyi Daoist. Old Chen is a First Rank Tianzhen Daoist and a member of the Central Council. He could just give me orders."
In theory, the Golden Palace Grand Assembly had the greatest power, with 108 members.
However, it was impossible for 108 Daoist Chancellors to hold meetings in Jade Capital all the time. They would hold meetings every few years, so the Golden Palace Grand Assembly would elect a Golden Palace Central Council from among the 108 people to represent the Golden Palace Grand Assembly in exercising supreme power and implementing the resolutions of the Golden Palace Grand Assembly during its recess.
The members of the Central Council were no longer Daoist Chancellors, but Chancellor Great Masters, who were First Rank Tianzhen Daoists, wearing purple gold lotus crowns. There were 36 members of the Central Council.
The Central Council would then elect a Supreme Council from among the 36 people, including one Great Master and six Deputy Great Master Great Masters.
This was the Daoist Sect's "Great," "Central," and "Supreme" three-tier council system.
The Supreme Council was the Daoist Sect's highest leadership body, while the Golden Palace Central Council was the Daoist Sect's highest power body. The weight of a Central Council member was self-evident.
Chen Yushu managed a smile and said softly: "Uncle, Grandfather said you are Great Master Qi's disciple."
Zhou Xuangan was silent for a moment, then suddenly smiled: "If I were Great Master Qi's disciple, I shouldn't be just a Daoist Chancellor True Person, but a Chancellor Great Master."
Chen Yushu said: "This is a secret known by very few people."
Zhou Xuangan smiled mockingly: "Even if I were Great Master Qi's disciple, are you trying to use me to connect with Great Master Qi? Unfortunately, Great Master Qi is elusive. Whether I am Great Master Qi's disciple or not, I don't know where Great Master Qi is."
Of course, this wasn't the truth. Li Qingping had learned from Zhou Xuangan that Great Master Qi was going to Penglai Island.
Chen Yushu didn't argue, just said: "I dare not have such high hopes, but Grandfather once mentioned that Great Master Qi had seen the complete 'Heavenly Change Map' and had the ability to identify aliens and Primordial Chaos aura. I believe Uncle must have inherited this true transmission."
Zhou Xuangan's expression became serious: "Aliens?"
Chen Yushu nodded: "Exactly."
Zhou Xuangan pondered for a moment: "Yushu, do you know what aliens really mean?"
Chen Yushu hesitated: "I heard they carry the secret of ascension."
Zhou Xuangan laughed, with a hint of sarcasm: "That's true. Aliens do indeed carry the secret of ascension, the last hope of this lawless era. But I'm not asking about that. I'm asking what the essence of aliens is?"
Chen Yushu was stunned: "This... I don't know."
"Let me tell you then," Zhou Xuangan said, "Don't be deceived by this 'guest' word, thinking they are people. They have never been people, nor beasts or demons, not even immortals, buddhas, or deities. They are great beings of higher dimensions, world masters who spy on humanity, who grow stronger by devouring fragments of humanity. So they have another name: Outer Domain Demons."
Chen Yushu was speechless.
Zhou Xuangan said: "You should thank the current world, which is already in the Taiji late period, solid and unbreakable, allowing you to hear what I'm saying. If it were the world of the past, still in the Taosu period, or even earlier in the Taishi period or Taichu period, when the Heavenly Path wasn't cut off, just knowing the existence of Outer Domain Demons, without direct contact, could make you be sensed and corrupted by Outer Domain Demons, ultimately dying without a place to be buried."
Chen Yushu asked: "Is there no way to resist?"
Zhou Xuangan said: "As early as the ancient Great Peace Dao period, Daoists began to come into contact with Outer Domain Demons and did extensive exploration and research. Although the means to resist Outer Domain Demons are little known, they do indeed exist."
Chen Yushu's spirit was lifted: "So Uncle is indeed Great Master Qi's only disciple, which is why you know such means."
Zhou Xuangan neither confirmed nor denied: "Yushu, is Old Chen's time running out?"
Chen Yushu pressed her lips tightly: "The battle at Old Harbor Pacification Office left Grandfather with a lingering illness. Now the old injury has flared up. Although his lifespan hasn't run out, his three corpse spirits are raging, smoke rising from his seven orifices. I don't dare to ask for Great Master Qi's method of immortality, I only hope Grandfather can enjoy his old age."
Zhou Xuangan revealed the secret: "Involving the three corpse spirits in the body, it indeed falls on the method of immortality. But the world is different now. The lawless era has arrived, and past methods of immortality no longer work. Outer Domain Demons do indeed carry the secret of immortality, but I can also tell you that immortality obtained through aliens comes at a heavy price."
The office fell silent.
In the end, Zhou Xuangan broke the silence: "Regarding Old Chen's matter, Great Master Qi has her own calculations. You don't need to worry too much. If I'm not mistaken, Great Master Qi has already prepared a good medicine for Old Chen. But the medicine is bitter, and Old Chen must also be mentally prepared to endure some hardship."
Chen Yushu was half-believing, half-doubting.
"Yushu, you may not understand these words now, but that's fine. You just need to remember one thing: I won't harm Old Chen. When you return, pass these words on to Old Chen. Old Chen will understand," Zhou Xuangan looked at the very antique water clock in the office, "I have a meeting to attend later, so I won't keep you."
"Goodbye, Uncle." Chen Yushu didn't linger, stood up, bowed, and turned to walk out the door.