Chapter 819: Contact
After departing from Genki’s jin’ya, Qi Xuansu and his entourage finally entered Hita District of Bungo Province, which was a territory under the jurisdiction of the Chancellor’s Office.
The difference was immediately apparent. At the very least, no open hostility could be sensed, and everyone showed them great respect.
They arrived unimpeded at Hita Castle, where the castle lord personally welcomed them. Upon learning of Qi Xuansu’s identity, he treated them with utmost reverence and held a banquet in honor of High Mage Qi and the accompanying Mages.
But that was not the most important matter. The key was that Hita Castle housed a Daoist temple subordinate to the Fenglin Daoist Mansion. Within it were stationed Daoists and a rapid post talisman, which could be used to communicate with the Fenglin Daoist Mansion’s headquarters in Xiujing.
With tensions escalating across the land, the Fenglin Daoist Mansion had upgraded temples everywhere, installing reusable mother-child mirrors that were a pair of adult-height mirrors. The child mirror was kept at the local temple, and the mother mirror in the Fenglin Daoist Mansion. As long as each party stood before their respective mirror, real-time communication was possible. After recent enhancements, the child mirror could even initiate contact, making it far more convenient than the rapid post talisman.
The reason why such mother-child mirrors were rarely seen in the Central Plains was that all technological breakthroughs were first applied in military affairs. Only once proven reliable would they be expanded to other sectors. The current Fenglin conflict marked the debut of the mother-child mirror. It had not existed before.
The Daoist priest stationed here was a deacon, beneath Qi Xuansu in both rank and position. Though Qi Xuansu was not officially part of the Fenglin Daoist Mansion, the deacon dared not defy his instructions.
When Qi Xuansu requested to activate the mother-child mirror to communicate with the main army, the deacon did not object. He led Qi Xuansu to an underground chamber with Spirit Guards as gatekeepers. Both the Spirit Guard and the deacon produced half of a key each to unlock the heavy stone door.
Inside the chamber was a full-height mirror, which was not unusual in itself. What surprised Qi Xuansu was that the mirror stretched as wide as the wall.
This immense size was not by design but by necessity, since reusability required the inscription of numerous talismans, resulting in such a scale. Licenses and fish talismans could remain compact due to the practitioner’s high cultivation and intricate craftsmanship.
In front of the mirror sat a chair for the user.
Qi Xuansu seated himself.