Chapter 687: Commandery Prince of Langya
A flash of anger and embarrassment crossed the man’s face, but his good upbringing kept him from lashing out on the spot. Instead, he extended his arms and let the two Daoist nuns, who had already covered their intimate areas, help him dress.
This kind of haughty behavior, even in the face of crisis, was not something ordinary people could imitate. It was in his core, indicating that the man’s origins were anything but humble.
As the man was getting dressed, Qi Xuansu asked, “May I ask for your name, sir? I hope you won’t mind sharing it.”
The man replied, “Qin Hengde.”
Qi Xuansu nodded in understanding. “So, you’re from the imperial clan. I am an eight-generation Daoist disciple. By that reckoning, we are of the same generation.”
Qin Hengde responded with a dry chuckle.
He had heard of Qi Xuansu and knew more of the inside story than the average person.
Qi Xuansu hailed from the Wanxiang Daoist Palace and had once roamed as a wild Daoist. He later joined the Tiangang Hall, where he caught the attention of Zhang Yuelu, thus beginning his meteoric rise. The internal conflicts within the Daoist Order were turbulent and hard for outsiders to grasp. But he knew that Qi Xuansu was close to Pei Xiaolou, and through that connection, Qi Xuansu became Pei Xuanzhi’s subordinate, thereby transferring into the Quanzhen Sect and becoming a classmate of the Daoist prodigy Yao Pei.
Within the major factions of the Quanzhen Sect, although Qi Xuansu bore the surname Qi, his ties with the Qi family were strained. Instead, he had close relations with the Yao and Pei families and some connections with members of the Ning and Ji families as well.
Given time, Superintendent Qi would most likely become a major figure within the Quanzhen Sect. His stint in the Imperial Capital Daoist Mansion was just a way to gild his résumé. Since he did not intend to put down roots here but still needed results, he was not afraid to offend people. Like a rabid dog, he latched on and would not let go without tearing off a chunk of flesh. As such, anyone who crossed paths with him was bound to suffer.
Qin Hengde had not believed a wild Daoist who had only risen to prominence a year ago could be capable of much. But the aftermath of the Gao Mingyin incident had stunned him, especially the death of Monk Yan Xiu. Even as a bystander, he could not help but feel a chill down his spine.