It was not just Gao Mingyin who thought this way. Even within the Imperial Capital Daoist Mansion, Qi Xuansu was considered the foremost among the 60 superintendents. People even jokingly called him the “Tenth Deputy Mansion Master.”0

Though the title was a joke, it still reflected Qi Xuansu’s rising influence. His background was not hard to trace. At his age, jumping three ranks in a year meant he had either great ability, powerful backing, or both. Either way, it clearly indicated that Superintendent Qi had a bright future ahead.0

With such a context, few felt jealous. Many Deputy Mansion Masters were already past 40, so their peak would be reaching the rank of an ordinary Sage. However, a young talent like Qi Xuansu was clearly heading straight for the Omniscient Sage title, perhaps even with hopes of becoming a Great Sage. Since there was no direct competition, it was better to curry favor early or form good ties. Unlike Zhang Yuelu or Yao Pei, Qi Xuansu was not yet tied to the title of future Grand Master, so he remained in a middle ground, temporarily out of reach from political storms.0

That...0