Chapter 608: Chess Ruins the Dao Heart, Alcohol Burns the Stomach
At the tavern today, the place was packed with drunkards and gamblers, all peaceful and harmonious, singing the praises of the second shopkeeper. Some said the second shopkeeper was as handsome and elegant as a jade tree in the wind, having the bearing of his senior brother. Others said that the second shopkeeper's Bamboo Sea Cave Heaven wine paired with pickled vegetable Yangchun noodles should be considered a unique specialty of the Sword Qi Great Wall, and that anyone who didn't come here to drink wasn't a true sword immortal.
This made some people uneasy instead. As they drank, they felt completely uncomfortable, mulling over whether this might be some dirty trick from a hostile faction. Could this be what the second shopkeeper called a clumsy "praise to kill" tactic? So these people silently took note of the names and appearances of those who were most enthusiastic in their flattery and most nauseating in their praise, planning to report back to the second shopkeeper later to claim credit. As for whether they might wrong innocent people or accidentally harm allies, the second shopkeeper could handle the vetting himself; they were only responsible for passing along information and filing malicious reports. After all, among them were several who had only received the second shopkeeper's subtle hints and hadn't yet truly become fellow cultivators who could join forces in betting schemes to cheat people out of their money.
On the city wall, Yu Juanfu was gnawing on a flatbread, a water flask in one hand, gazing at a battlefield south of the city wall. There were many more small craters now. Being able to see those pockmarks on the ground from such a high city wall, one could imagine that being down there would be a scene of craters as vast as lakes and people as tiny as mustard seeds.
Yu Juanfu now frequently came to the city wall and was considered half-friends with the young girl Zhu Mei. After all, among this batch of sword cultivators from the Shao Yuan Dynasty, the one who was most pleasing to the eye was the clear-cut, loving-and-hating Zhu Mei, followed by the Golden Core sword cultivator Jin Zhenmeng. She didn't particularly like the rest. But Yu Juanfu's dislike only manifested in one way: she simply didn't interact with them. If they greeted her, she would nod in return. But if they wanted to continue with polite small talk, forget it. When encountering seniors, she would take the initiative to greet them, but only briefly and succinctly. It was that simple.
I, Yu Juanfu, came only to hone my fist techniques, not to help my family expand its network. Besides, the Yu family only had a slight bond of friendship with the Inverted Suspension Mountain; with the Sword Qi Great Wall, they had absolutely no connection at all.
As for Zhu Mei, she probably already thought of herself and Yu Juanfu as long-lost sisters with different parents but the same spirit.
Yu Juanfu was a little worried. She had brought too few flatbreads and eaten them too quickly. The flatbreads in her bundle had long since been completely annihilated, and there weren't many left in her spatial storage either.
But this small worry wasn't worth mentioning. Her original purpose in coming to the Sword Qi Great Wall to temper her physique was to pursue Cao Ci's martial path and solidify her Golden Body realm. She hadn't expected to encounter the second shopkeeper, who was also a Golden Body realm martial artist. Nor had she expected that, compared to the Sword Qi Great Wall she had imagined, the sword immortals here would be even more captivating. Even though Yu Juanfu wasn't a Qi refiner, let alone a sword cultivator, she still felt that compared to the vast and resource-rich Haoran World, some of the merits of the Sword Qi Great Wall were absolutely unique.
Yu Juanfu finished her flatbread, took a drink of water, and planned to rest a bit longer before getting up to practice her fists.
Practicing fists was the biggest deal, destined to be the foremost matter of her life. But occasionally being lazy and thinking about things other than fist techniques wasn't a big deal.
That Senior Left and Right's swordsmanship truly lived up to the word "supreme."
Sword Immortal Sun Juyuan had personally witnessed the beginning and end of that battle. According to Sun the Sword Immortal's account, Left and Right's sword strikes this time were first "forceful to the point of being unreasonable," forcibly splitting Yue Qing off the city wall. After that, he no longer restrained his sword qi. From beginning to end, Yue Qing's opportunities to counterattack could be counted on one hand. It wasn't that Yue Qing was weak, but rather that his natal flying sword, Hundred Zhang Spring, with its waterfall of sword qi, couldn't match the magnitude of Left and Right's sword qi, which was like lakes and seas. Additionally, his other natal flying sword, Skylark in the Sky, barely had a chance to land.
However, Sun Juyuan also said with a smile that Yue Qing had held back. Not out of politeness, but because he didn't dare. He was afraid of being hacked to death by Left and Right with one sword stroke.
At the same time, it also gave other sword immortals a step and a reason to intervene to stop the fight. Unfortunately, Left and Right ignored the kindly persuasive words of the two sword immortals. He just stared at Yue Qing, smashing him with sword qi wildly. It wasn't truly chaotic and disorderly. On the contrary, it was just that Left and Right's sword qi was too abundant, his sword intent too heavy. On a battlefield where sword immortals vie for life and death, moments are fleeting, and one can't see everything clearly. That's fine; one only needs to dodge, defend, and break through. In many perilous moments, a sword immortal's strike is often purely instinctive, a flash of spiritual insight, and that's precisely when it can succeed in one blow.
At the time, Left and Right didn't say a word, but his meaning was very clear: aside from Yue Qing, other sword immortals could watch from afar and speak freely, but anyone who came close was an enemy.
Those two sword immortals were almost mortified at the time. One of them had a sword strike from Left and Right's drawn long sword cleave down, splitting the earth and creating gullies. If Left and Right hadn't deliberately shifted his aim by ten zhang, that sword immortal would have had to brace himself and resist the strike head-on. He had to call for friends, summoning two more sword immortals to help, but still, none of them dared to go all out. What if Left and Right abandoned Yue Qing and turned his sword tip toward someone else?
When Yue Qing was forced to go all out with his swordsmanship, the figure of the Oldest Sword Immortal appeared on the city wall. With hands behind his back, he gazed at the southern battlefield and seemed to say something to Left and Right.
Only then did Left and Right sheathe his sword.
Sun Juyuan finally said to Yu Juanfu with emotion, "With swordsmanship this high, and not afraid to take on a group single-handedly, this Left and Right—could it be that he wants to leap to the heavens in one step here at the Sword Qi Great Wall?"
At the time, Yu Juanfu curiously asked what "leap to the heavens in one step" meant.
Unfortunately, Sun Juyuan just smiled and didn't say anything more.
Yu Juanfu stood up and began slowly punching along the wall, her movements slow but her form fast.
After walking for about the time it takes an incense stick to burn, she encountered a white-robed young man coming from the opposite direction. Yu Juanfu had no desire to know who this person was, but that depended on whether the chattering informant Zhu Mei would allow it. Zhu Mei said this young man was Chen Ping'an's student, from the Precious Bottle Continent, named Cui Dongshan. By seniority, he was a third-generation disciple of the Literary Sage lineage. It was just that Cui Dongshan's mind didn't seem too sharp, sometimes good, sometimes bad, which was a pity for such a handsome appearance.
The other party walked straight ahead, so Yu Juanfu stepped slightly aside to let them pass each other.
Unexpectedly, the other party seemed to have the same intention, again aligning their paths. Yu Juanfu shifted again, and the other party also happened to move. After a few times of this back and forth, Cui Dongshan stopped, his face falling, and said, "Sister Yu, just tell me if you want to go left or right. I don't dare move anymore. I'm afraid you'll misunderstand that I have ulterior motives, and upon seeing a pretty woman, I'll do something or other."
Yu Juanfu didn't say anything. Seeing him stop, she took a detour to pass him at a distance. Unexpectedly, he turned and walked alongside her, maintaining a distance of five or six steps. Cui Dongshan said softly, "Sister Yu, have you heard of the 'Hundred Sword Immortals Seal Manual' and the 'Two Hundred Sword Immortals Seal Manual'? Do you have a favorite item that catches your eye? I'm the least accomplished and most broke among my master's students. Cultivation is expensive, and I don't want my master to worry, so I have to earn some money myself. Taking advantage of my proximity, I 'borrowed' a few seal manuals and folding fans from my master. I also got some seals at a low price from the eldest Young Master Yan's silk shop. Sister Yu, just think of me as a peddler. I have two seal manuals, three folding fans, six round silk fans, and six seals here. Sister Yu, would you like to take a look?"
Yu Juanfu stopped and chuckled, "If I'm not mistaken, that talisman boat of yours is a mountain treasure from the Flowing Sunset Continent. Even if your business selling seal manuals and folding fans was booming, would a hundred years of sales be enough to buy that talisman boat? I doubt it. Let's cut to the chase. Why are you looking for me?"
The young man's face was full of sorrow, helplessness, and bitterness. He said blankly, "In my mind, Sister Yu was originally the most exceptional lady from a wealthy family in the world. But it seems you still look down on the hard work of earning money bit by bit. That's fair. From a family of great wealth, even an inconspicuous desk ornament on the table, even a broken and patched birdseed jar, costs who knows how much immortal money?"
Yu Juanfu shook her head. "Still not willing to speak directly? Unless you use your hidden cultivation strength to make me stop, don't expect another word from me."
Just as Yu Juanfu was about to move forward, Cui Dongshan hurriedly said, "I'm wholeheartedly focused on earning money, and I also wanted to make sure Sister Yu remembers who I am. If you don't believe me, it breaks my heart, but it's my own fault. I wouldn't even dare to be angry with Sister Yu. Since that's the case, let me make a bet with Sister Yu. I bet that among these items, there is definitely something that not only catches your eye but also makes you willing to spend money to buy it. If I win, you buy it. If I lose, I'll immediately get lost, and you'll never see me again in this lifetime. The stakes are as high as they can get for me. If I win, Sister Yu spends money, and my winnings are as small as a grain of rice. How about it?"
Yu Juanfu smiled.
But the young man seemed to guess her thoughts and also smiled: "What kind of person is Sister Yu? How could I not know? The reason you can 'willingly accept defeat and pay up' isn't because the world thinks Yu Juanfu, born into a wealthy family, has such a good temperament, or because you're a broad-minded disciple of a noble house. It's because Sister Yu has believed since childhood that even if she loses today, she can definitely win back tomorrow. Since she can win tomorrow, why not admit defeat today? No need, right?"
Yu Juanfu's expression darkened. "Who are you?!"
The young man said aggrievedly, "I told Sister Yu, I'm Dongshan."
Yu Juanfu curled her lip. "I'm not only willing to accept defeat and pay up, I also dare to gamble. Show me your items."
Cui Dongshan blushed deeply, looked down, and quickly pressed his hands on his belt. Then he turned sideways, twisting shyly, unable to face her.
Yu Juanfu's fist shot straight toward his temple.
But the other party didn't move at all, like a wooden dummy that had been frightened silly, or perhaps completely unaware. Yu Juanfu immediately retracted her Sixth Realm martial artist's full-force punch, greatly restraining her fist intent, holding it at Fifth Realm fist strength. Finally, her fist landed on his forehead, and her fist intent dropped further, using only the force of a Fourth Realm martial artist. Her fist descended, striking the white-robed youth on the cheek. Unexpectedly, even so, Yu Juanfu was still greatly surprised by what happened next.
Originally, Yu Juanfu couldn't discern his depth, but she had a rough guess: at most an Nascent Soul realm, at least a Cavern realm. Since he was on the Sword Qi Great Wall, his footsteps and breathing couldn't be so natural and smooth if he weren't at least in the middle five realms. Even at the Cavern realm, he was at least in the Fourth or Fifth Realm. So her Fifth Realm martial artist's punch could be dodged, and her Fourth Realm punch could be withstood, definitely not enough to injure him seriously. Of course, he might feel some temporary physical pain.
But how could Yu Juanfu have expected that after taking the punch, he would spin around countless times, heavily falling more than a dozen steps away, his limbs twitching, once, then again.
Had she killed someone with a Fourth Realm punch?
Yu Juanfu dashed over in a single step, crouching beside the white-robed youth. He was bleeding from the nose, not faking it. Then the young man grabbed Yu Juanfu's calf, "Sister Yu, I thought I was never going to see you again!"
Yu Juanfu frowned. Her fist intent vibrated, immediately bouncing the white-robed youth away. He slid sideways for over a dozen steps.
Cui Dongshan sat up, wiped the blood from his nose, was about to wipe it on his sleeve, then seemed hesitant to dirty his clothes, so he wiped it on the ground of the city wall.
Seeing this, Yu Juanfu frowned even more.
Zhu Mei wasn't wrong. This person really had a screw loose.
Just as Yu Juanfu was about to leave, unwilling to get entangled with such a person, unexpectedly, Cui Dongshan had already quickly pulled two seal manuals from his sleeve, placing them neatly on the ground in front of him. But the two manuals weren't laid flat; they were standing upright, shielding all the seals, folding fans, and round silk fans behind them. Cui Dongshan grinned, beckoning, "Sister Yu, make a bet!"
Yu Juanfu hesitated, then strode toward the "small gambling table."
Probably worried that she would catch a glimpse of the items behind the "two doors" of the seal manuals and, knowing she would definitely lose, back out of the bet, Cui Dongshan raised his hands, quickly covering those seals and fans. His two drooping white sleeves formed a roof-like shelter.
Yu Juanfu sat cross-legged, reached out and pushed the two seal manuals aside. They were clearly not something she would spend money to buy.
But before Yu Juanfu could act, Cui Dongshan reached out again, covering two of the seals.
Yu Juanfu moved all the folding fans aside and picked up the seal that Cui Dongshan hadn't tried to hide. Looking at the inscription, she smiled. It was a "Fish Transforming into a Dragon." Fish was a homophone for her family name, Yu.
It was a good omen for conversation, but Yu Juanfu still wasn't interested. I, Yu Juanfu, have never liked my name since I was a child. I'm naturally grateful for the Yu surname, but I'm not overly obsessed with it. As for the "fish turning into a dragon" thing, I'm not a Qi refiner. Even though I once saw the magnificent sight of the Middle Earth Dragon Gate with my own eyes, it didn't stir my emotions much. Scenery is just scenery.
So Yu Juanfu just set it aside and said with a smile, "Only the last two seals remain."
Cui Dongshan pressed his palms down on the seals, like an immortal pressing down on a mountain peak with five fingers. "Sister Yu, do you dare to bet a little bigger? The original small bet still stands. Let's bet again: does Sister Yu prefer the seal on the left, or the seal on the right? Or Sister Yu could bet even bigger, betting that she doesn't fancy either one, that even if she's tempted, she won't spend money to buy them. How about it? Sister Yu, once upon a time, you challenged my master to a fistfight with the spirit of a heroine. I wonder if that same heroic spirit remains today?"
Yu Juanfu asked, "What are the stakes for the two types of bets respectively?"
Cui Dongshan communicated with his mind, smiling: "The slightly bigger bet than the first one is that Sister Yu will pass a message for me to the Yu family in the future. The even bigger bet is that you'll pass a message for me to Zhou Shenzhi. Still just one sentence. Don't worry, Sister Yu is just the messenger; I won't ask you to do anything extra. Otherwise, the bet is off, or I'll just count it as a loss."
Yu Juanfu's expression instantly became serious. Using the martial artist's technique of condensing sound into a line, she asked, "Can I choose not to bet?"
Cui Dongshan chuckled, "Of course you can. Since when does a dealer force people onto the gambling table? Where in the world is there a peddler who forces others to buy their goods? But Sister Yu's current state of mind is no longer what it was before, so I'm not so trusting anymore. After all, Sister Yu is still a member of the Yu family, and Zhou Shenzhi is a respected elder of yours, even a lifesaver. So saying insincere words and doing insincere things to avoid violating a greater conscience is certainly understandable. But the gambling table is the gambling table. I, as the dealer, am ultimately trying to earn money. For fairness, I need Sister Yu to accept defeat willingly and pay up by buying all the items."
Yu Juanfu breathed a sigh of relief.
Cui Dongshan smiled slightly. "Willingly accepting defeat and paying up is believing you can win. It's a pity that today's admission of defeat might never be avenged in this lifetime. Of course, of course, it's ultimately a trivial matter. One cannot, for the sake of personal fleeting satisfaction, disregard the great customs and rules of the world. Even if one's fists are not yet strong, this principle remains unchanged."
Yu Juanfu looked up. "Are you deliberately using Chen Ping'an's words to goad me?"
In the street in front of the Ning Mansion, during their first fistfight, Chen Ping'an had said that a martial artist must speak heavy words with great fist intent.
Cui Dongshan squinted, smiling. "So what if I am? So what if I'm not? What if you take a step back today? You can just take two steps forward tomorrow. Yu Juanfu is not a Qi refiner; she is a pure martial artist. The path of martial arts has always been like sailing against the current. It's not about competing for the speed of morning or evening."
Yu Juanfu asked, "Do you already know in your heart that if I lose and have to pass a message for you to my family, I, Yu Juanfu, to stay true to my conscience, will have to integrate into the Yu family and no longer have the confidence to travel around?"
Cui Dongshan nodded, smiling. "Naturally. If you don't know a gambler's character and heart, how dare you set up a gambling table and invite guests from all directions? It's just that Yu Juanfu doesn't like the name bestowed by the ancestor. As a woman, being forced to be seen as a man—what woman with any spirit would like that when she grows up? But I believe Yu Juanfu still has a decent impression of her surname."
Yu Juanfu smiled bitterly.
Zhu Mei, Zhu Mei, you fool, you silly girl. Whether I win or lose this time, I'm going to scold you later.
But amidst her complex feelings, Yu Juanfu had been carefully observing the subtle movements of the other's hands, hoping to discern which seal Cui Dongshan was more confident about.
But the more she looked and thought, the less certain she became.
Yu Juanfu took out a Minor Heat coin, flicked it gently. It landed on tails. Yu Juanfu said, "The right hand! I bet that the seal hidden by the right hand is one I wouldn't spend money to buy."
Cui Dongshan bent down, about to pick up the Minor Heat coin.
Yu Juanfu shouted angrily, "Cui Dongshan!"
Cui Dongshan looked up, his face full of bewilderment. "If I win and don't take the money, why would I bother being a dealer and a peddler? My master is a charitable young master, but I'm not. I just earn some hard-earned and honest money."
Yu Juanfu glared at him.
Cui Dongshan grinned and withdrew his hand, revealing one of the seals. "Sister Yu is even more beautiful when she's angry."
Yu Juanfu reached out, grabbing the seal from the air. It wasn't any of the seals from the 'Hundred Sword Immortals Seal Manual' or the 'Two Hundred Sword Immortals Seal Manual'. She looked down at it.
Inscription on the side: "A stone in a stream, how can it not be a pillar in the middle of the current? Rosy clouds in the sky, the fist remains in the heaven above heavens."
The seal text read: "Female Martial God, Beside Chen Cao."
Yu Juanfu clutched the seal tightly, silent for a long time. She looked up. "I lost. Speak. I'll pass the message to my family."
The other party's cleverness wasn't in knowing the pseudonyms 'Shi Zaixi' and 'Yu Qiyun'. Since he even knew her connection to her family and Old Master Zhou in detail, those things weren't significant.
The other party's true cleverness lay in reading her heart. He calculated that Yu Juanfu genuinely agreed with Chen Ping'an's words. He calculated that once she lost, she would voluntarily agree to her family's wishes, stop wandering around, and truly start contributing to the Yu family as a Yu family member. This meant that the message he wanted her to deliver to the ancestor, regardless of the Yu family's reaction, would at least make them reluctantly accept this bond of goodwill! He also calculated that her greatest wish on her martial path now was to catch up to Cao Ci and Chen Ping'an, that she absolutely couldn't bear to just watch the backs of those two men as they walked further and further away!
Yu Juanfu's expression darkened. She waited for a moment, but found the other party still hadn't spoken with his mind. She looked up and said firmly, "I willingly accept defeat! Speak!"
Cui Dongshan looked at this woman, smiled. She was still a pretty cute young lady after all. So he spoke a sentence.
Yu Juanfu was astonished. "Just that one sentence?"
The words this man had just spoken were very strange! Extremely strange!
"Old man Yu, go find a place with no one around and shout loudly three times, 'If I'm not a terrible chess player, then who is?', 'I love to take back my moves, who have I ever won against?'"
Could it be that what little Zhu Mei had said was actually hitting the nail on the head, absolutely true?
After all, she was just passing along the message. Whether the ancestor did it or not didn't matter.
Cui Dongshan picked up the Minor Heat coin. The seal script on it was extremely rare, possibly a unique surviving specimen. A Minor Heat coin sold as a Grain Rain coin would be fought over by immortals with a coin fetish. Sister Yu truly was a proper lady from a good family. When she married, her dowry would surely be generous. What a pity for that Huai Qian. He had bad luck and lacked the fortune to enjoy it. The worst fate of all was that he wasn't dead and had to watch helplessly as Sister Yu, who used to look down on him and whom he now looked up to but who still looked down on him, married another. Thinking of this, Cui Dongshan mentally noted a small merit for himself, planning to boast about it to his senior sister when he had the chance.
Cui Dongshan's left hand was still pressing down on the last seal. He smiled and said, "Sister Yu, how about one last bet? If I win, Sister Yu says one more sentence to Zhou Shenzhi. But if I lose, the deal with the Yu family is void, and I'll return this Minor Heat coin too. Count it as my losing the whole game because of one careless move. All bets are off, I'll take the loss. How about it?"
Yu Juanfu thought about it. Even though she was almost certain to win the final round, she still chose not to bet. It was just female intuition.
Yu Juanfu shook her head. "I won't bet anymore!"
The person opposite laughed heartily. "Sister Yu's gambling luck seems bad, but it's actually good. As for why I say this, Sister Yu will know the answer soon, and it will be today."
Yu Juanfu snapped, "Still trying to goad me? Are you done or not?!"
Cui Dongshan grasped the seal he had been hiding, gently tossed it to Yu Juanfu. "A gift for you. Consider it an apology from me, the student, to you on behalf of my master."
Yu Juanfu caught the seal, dumbfounded, murmuring, "Impossible... This seal was already bought by an unknown sword immortal. Even Sword Immortal Sun Juyuan couldn't find out who bought it. You've only been at the Sword Qi Great Wall for a few days... And how could you know that it would be a seal, and that it would be this one..."
Cui Dongshan, like a little child putting on an air of profound wisdom, sighed emotionally, "In the great gambles of the world, winning depends on great luck."
Cui Dongshan packed up all the items Yu Juanfu hadn't taken a fancy to, stood up, and said, "Consider these little odds and ends a generous gift from Sister Yu to me. Knowing that I'm now acquainted with Sister Yu makes me happy, truly happy."
Yu Juanfu remained seated on the ground. Looking up, she asked, "Senior, who exactly are you?"
He could call her ancestor "Old man Yu" and "terrible chess player," and even directly call Old Master Zhou by his full name, Zhou Shenzhi.
The white-robed youth smiled. "I am Dongshan."
Cui Dongshan strode away, intending to find someone else.
After taking a few steps, he suddenly stopped and turned back, smiling. "Sister Yu, from now on, don't toss a coin to decide left or right in front of others. I dare say, in most cases, what you think is ethereal luck is actually because your realm isn't high enough that it becomes luck. Good or bad luck isn't up to you, nor is it up to the heavens. Today, it was up to me, and you could bear it. But what about in the future? Today, you are the martial artist Yu Juanfu. In the future, you will be Yu Juanfu of the Yu family. Please think long and hard about my master's words, over and over again."
Yu Juanfu remained silent.
The seal in her hand had no inscription on the side, only the seal text.
"Wild Goose Crashes into the Wall."
Yu Juanfu turned her head to look.
That white-robed young man was walking along the city wall, throwing punches haphazardly, making a lot of noise. It was probably something you could call a "noodle punch" routine.
---
Sword Immortal Bitter Summer was teaching the batch of young talents from the Shao Yuan Dynasty their sword techniques.
According to the rules of the Sword Qi Great Wall, once you were on the city wall, there were no rules. If you wanted to set your own rules, you had to let your sword speak.
Sword Immortal Bitter Summer was an outsider. His swordsmanship wasn't low, but his temperament was gentle. Plus, he and this group of young geniuses had a rather mediocre reputation on the Sword Qi Great Wall, so he naturally wouldn't target a white-robed youth sitting in the distance watching them practice swords. Besides, after just a few glances, the youth quickly immersed himself in reading a book. Bitter Summer glanced at the title. It was a chess manual called "The Kuaizai Pavilion Manual." It was widely circulated in the Middle Earth Divine Continent, especially in the Shao Yuan Dynasty. It specialized in life-and-death problems. One line in its preface was particularly revered: "The level of my moves depends on the opponent's strongest response. Meet a strong hand with a stronger hand, and overcome them step by step with even stronger ones. Isn't that delightful?"
Bitter Summer smiled. This person was probably at a decent cultivation level, but he concealed it well. Even he found it difficult to see through his true identity at a glance. That ruled out Observation Realm or Dragon Gate Realm cultivators. Whether he was a Golden Core or Nascent Soul among the earthly immortals was hard to say.
Could he be trying to cause trouble by playing chess? Had this "young man," whose real age was hard to tell, come to the wrong place?
Besides teaching swordsmanship, Bitter Summer also let these future pillars of the Shao Yuan Dynasty cultivate on their own and seek out opportunities.
This student of the Literary Sage lineage had good patience. He just sat there reading the chess manual. Not only that, but he also took out a chessboard and bowls and started playing through a game on his own.
During a break, all the young sword cultivators deliberately avoided the white-robed youth. Not out of fear of him, nor his master Chen Ping'an, but fear of Chen Ping'an's senior brother, Left and Right.
Regarding Left and Right's sword strike, they had an unspoken agreement not to discuss it on the city wall. But privately, at Sword Immortal Sun Juyuan's Sun Mansion, they talked about it plenty.
"Sword Immortal Yue Qing just casually said a few words about the state of the Literary Sage Lineage's incense offerings, and Left and Right wanted to fight to the death? Just because his swordsmanship is higher, does that make him right? Truly a worthy disciple of the Literary Sage lineage—his swordsmanship is truly high, and his 'reasoning' is truly great."
"Grand Sword Immortal Yue Qing has meritorious deeds aplenty here at the Sword Qi Great Wall. How many great battles has he fought? How many monsters has he killed?! Left and Right, who has only participated in one great battle, if he seriously injured Yue Qing, or even directly killed him, wouldn't the Barbaric World have to send Left and Right a golden plaque to express their gratitude?"
"For a trivial matter, it's all about fighting and killing. Was Grand Sword Immortal Yue Qing wrong? The Literary Sage Lineage's incense offerings withered away because they brought it upon themselves, right? It's a good thing the Literary Sage Lineage's teachings were banned. It's a good thing our Shao Yuan Dynasty banned and destroyed them the fastest and most thoroughly. What a blessing. If this lineage's teachings had become dominant in the Haoran World, it would have been terrible. Petty, stirring up trouble on a grand scale... It's a good thing this is the cramped Sword Qi Great Wall. If they were still in the Haoran World, who knows what huge disasters they might have caused with their swordsmanship?"
But while these young people were indignant, they weren't aware that Sword Immortal Bitter Summer, sitting beside Sun Juyuan, had an even more bitter look on his naturally bitter face.
Sun Juyuan, dressed in wide robes, sat in the corridor, holding a "Wine Spring" cup, drinking. He smiled and asked, "Bitter Summer, do you think these fellows truly feel this way, or are they deliberately playing dumb and looking for something to talk about?"
Bitter Summer didn't give an answer.
Because neither answer was a good one.
Sun Juyuan seemed more resigned to fate than Bitter Summer. He couldn't even be bothered to get angry anymore. He just smiled faintly and said, "A mob of rabble. An annoying din."
Bitter Summer breathed a sigh of relief.
At least he could still stay at the Sun Mansion.
But Sun Juyuan's final words left Bitter Summer feeling helpless. "In the Haoran World, you can't eat random things, but you can say whatever you want. Here, it's the exact opposite. You can eat random things, but you can't speak recklessly. I've said my piece. If you have any trouble in the future, don't come to me to plead for mercy. I, Sun Juyuan, am just a small Jade Pure Realm sword cultivator. Not enough for a few sword strikes. And getting killed would be for nothing, leaving no goodwill behind. Why bother? I'm just curious. The Shao Yuan Dynasty, by all accounts, isn't a place devoid of literary grace. How is it that these little brats, who must have read quite a few books, haven't digested a single principle from them? They ate delicacies and shit them out to fill the latrine—at least that's useful. But they eat principles and shit them out too. Can't they smell the stench from their own mouths, or others' mouths? Let me tell you in advance, if they say these things inside my Sun Mansion, fine. My mansion's reputation is already ruined by you people. But if they dare to chatter outside, the Sun Mansion won't help collect or lay out their corpses."
Bitter Summer still remembered the icy look in Sun Juyuan's eyes when he said those final words, and his last sentence: "After all, our Sword Qi Great Wall is a poor and remote place. Reading and writing are rare occurrences. We have no sense of proportion when striking. Corpses might not even be intact, making them hard to piece together."
Sword Immortal Bitter Summer announced a half-hour break, and Zhu Mei immediately ran off to find Yu Juanfu, wanting to tell her that Cui Dongshan had arrived and looked like he was going to cause trouble.
Jin Zhenmeng sat alone on a meditation cushion in a relatively secluded corner, silently searching for strands of sword intent hidden within the sword qi.
Lin Junbi sat on a cushion, answering questions and doubts for a few sword cultivators.
Only Yan Lü stood up, walking towards the student named Cui Dongshan. He leaped onto the city wall, glanced at the chess game, and asked with a smile, "Is that a life-and-death problem from Master Xilu's 'Kuaizai Pavilion Manual'?"
Cui Dongshan looked up, glanced at Yan Lü, said nothing, and lowered his head to continue solving the problem on his own.
Yan Lü smiled and said, "Are you staying here hoping to play chess with someone? Want to discuss chess techniques with Junbi? I advise you to give up. Junbi won't come over here."
Without looking up, Cui Dongshan said, "Jiang Guancheng, if you want to curry favor with me so you can get familiar with my senior master, I also advise you to get lost immediately."
Jiang Guancheng?
Yan Lü was amused.
Cui Dongshan looked up. "What, are you, a disciple of the Secondary Sage lineage, trying to duel with me on the chessboard, exchanging literary blows?"
Yan Lü shook his head, his smile calm, his expression composed. "You've mistaken me for someone else. I, Yan Lü, am not a disciple of the Secondary Sage lineage, but I am well aware that the disciples and students of the Secondary Sage lineage follow rules, strictly adhere to the teachings of the sages, and never engage in pointless conflicts of pride. Righteousness resides in books and in the heart, not on swords or fists, and certainly not on chessboards. I am not of the Secondary Sage lineage, yet I understand this principle. How much more so for the countless students of the Secondary Sage lineage? Don't you think so?"
Cui Dongshan asked suspiciously, "Your name is Yan Lü, not that Jiang Guancheng guy whose ancestral graves emitted the wrong kind of auspicious smoke, resulting in two elders becoming Academy Gentlemen? You're a member of the Middle Earth Yan family?"
Yan Lü stiffened and said in a deep voice, "Please be careful with your words!"
Cui Dongshan waved his hand. Holding a chess piece in one hand and the chess manual in the other, he squinted at Yan Lü and said seriously, "Then let's stop talking about that Jiang Guancheng, whom you care about in your words but not in your heart. Let's just talk about you. Your family ancestor, that Yan Xi who never receives an invitation to the Green Mountain God's Wine Feast but still shamelessly shows up to freeload drinks—the renowned Great Dog Leg of the Middle Earth Divine Continent! Every time after he drinks, even if he only gets a seat at the very end, ignored by everyone, he still loves to force his way into toasting. After leaving Bamboo Sea Cave Heaven, he immediately puts on an air of 'I not only drank at the Green Mountain God's Feast, I also drank with So-and-So and So-and-So!' That Old Immortal Yan? It's a good thing some clueless guy didn't understand table manners and accidentally blurted out the truth. Otherwise, I doubt the title 'Great Dog Leg Yan' would have spread so widely. Right, Young Master Yan?"
Yan Lü's face turned ashen.
Cui Dongshan blinked. "Just words. Light as feathers. Where is the magnanimity of a scholar? Why do you have murderous intent towards me? And you even feel justified, believing you have every right to kill me? How do you manage that? Aren't you afraid I'll be scared to death? Aren't you afraid my senior master will chop you into a meat patty? Or is it that you can't see through my cultivation level, so you fear my master, whose realm is unimaginably high? And on top of everything else, you're a useless piece of trash yourself. That's why you're holding back, thinking 'a gentleman's revenge is ten years in the making'? Think about it. By that logic, and by your own rules, aren't you and that 'senior master' you all talk about the same kind of person? The only small difference is that you, Yan Lü, are a little waste taught by a big dog leg, so your swordsmanship is in the manure pit, while my senior master's swordsmanship is in the heavens."
Yan Lü gritted his teeth, his fists clenched, but finally managed a faint smile.
Cui Dongshan put down the chess piece and the manual, took a deep breath, made a posture of sinking his qi into his dantian, and said with a brilliant smile, "Look, I can use your kind of reasoning too. It's indeed simpler to talk about your 'reasoning,' and it's more satisfying too."
Cui Dongshan waved his hand dismissively, his face full of disgust. "Little Dog Leg Yan, quickly retreat and hurry home to lick your old dog leg's butt. Your family ancestor has high cultivation. The scraps and leftovers on his backside can feed you just fine. What are you doing running around the Sword Qi Great Wall, wagging your tail behind Lin Junbi? Practicing swords? Practicing your hammer's sword! Don't you know who our Young Master Lin is? Lofty and refined, a celestial being..."
Just as Yan Lü was about to summon his flying sword.
Lin Junbi stood up. "Enough, Cui Dongshan. I'll play chess with you. This kind of verbal sparring is pointless."
Cui Dongshan pinched his nose with one hand and waved with the other. "Young Master Lin, please sit down quickly. I can only rely on your immortal aura to help disperse this stench of urine."
Yan Lü still wanted to strike, but Sword Immortal Bitter Summer stopped him with a mental message: "Left and Right wouldn't draw his sword for himself, but he would for the Literary Sage lineage. And he absolutely wouldn't care who you are or what your realm is."
Yan Lü's face turned slightly pale. He jumped down from the city wall and returned to his meditation cushion.
As he brushed past Lin Junbi, Lin Junbi patted Yan Lü on the shoulder and said with a smile, "I'm here. My swordsmanship is lacking, but my chess skills are passable, right?"
Yan Lü, who had endured so much grievance and humiliation, nodded emphatically.
Lin Junbi shook his sleeves lightly and sat down opposite the chessboard.
Cui Dongshan rubbed his hands together, his face full of surprise and envy. "Young Master Lin's words and actions are so ethereal and immortal! It must be something you were born with, right? How else could you be so smooth and natural, with such an overwhelming immortal aura? There's no way it's learned! It must be an innate divine ability!"
Lin Junbi said, "I told you, verbal sparring is of no interest. Let's play chess. If you continue to be so persistently annoying, I won't play with you."
Cui Dongshan sat up straight and properly. "Any stakes?"
Lin Junbi shook his head. "No stakes. On the board, we only compete for victory or defeat."
Cui Dongshan also shook his head. "What's the point of playing chess without a prize? I'm here to earn money..."
As he said this, Cui Dongshan turned his head. The white-robed youth who had just shown a bit of a chess master's demeanor now grinned broadly and waved eagerly. "Sister Yu! Over here, over here! I'm about to play chess with Young Master Lin. Watch me beat him!"
Lin Junbi also looked up. But compared to the unrestrained Cui Dongshan, Lin Junbi, who also had a handsome face like an immortal visitor, was graceful and elegant. He gave Yu Juanfu a helpless smile.
Yu Juanfu's expression was blank.
Zhu Mei couldn't help but laugh, affectionately calling Yu Juanfu "Zaixi, Zaixi," and then sighed, "Definitely a fool."
Yu Juanfu had mixed feelings.
Sure enough, the other party had calculated that Zhu Mei would tell her about this, and that she would appear. And her own appearance as a woman of the Yu family would naturally stir a sliver of competitive spirit in someone like Lin Junbi. For a cultivator, even the slightest thought, as tiny as a mustard seed, is no small matter.
It was all within Cui Dongshan's calculations.
Yu Juanfu didn't approach the two chess players. She sat cross-legged and started gnawing on a flatbread with some water. Zhu Mei wanted to go to the chessboard to watch the commotion, but Yu Juanfu stopped her and made her stay for some chat.
Cui Dongshan looked at Yu Juanfu's back and murmured softly, "If only my Sister Yu would give me one more glance. It would boost my chess strength tremendously and increase my chances of winning."
Lin Junbi composed his mind and remained silent.
Cui Dongshan turned around. "A small bet for pleasure, just one copper coin."
Lin Junbi asked, "A copper coin?"
"What else? A Snow Flower coin is still a small bet?"
Cui Dongshan clicked his tongue. "Young Master Lin truly is rich."
Lin Junbi chuckled. "Where am I supposed to find a copper coin for you? Right, I think winning or losing isn't much. Winning bigger, after all, winning a copper coin from me is more meaningful than winning a Grain Rain coin. It'll make it easier for the audience to remember in the future."
Cui Dongshan looked shocked. "My divine and unfathomable thoughts were hidden so well, and Young Master Lin could still guess them?! That copper coin in my pocket is at serious risk of running away from home and remarrying someone else!"
Lin Junbi had to admit, he was also disgusted by this person. But of course, compared to Yan Lü, who was destined to become a huge joke, it was still a thousand times better. The conversation today would be heard by quite a few people in the Shao Yuan Dynasty. It would be hard to say whether Yan Lü would gain anything from practicing swordsmanship at the Sword Qi Great Wall from now on. A cultivator with a lingering knot in his heart that can't be swept away, especially involving the more troublesome matter of family reputation, would at the very least cause Yan Lü's gains to be reduced compared to what they should have been.
Lin Junbi said, "Deal. Win or lose, it's one copper coin. Guess for the first move?"
Cui Dongshan asked, "Young Master Lin's chess skills are outstanding, aren't you willing to let me have three stones? Don't you want to come back with a big victory and earn a copper coin?"
Lin Junbi had already reached into the chess bowl, holding a handful of chess pieces. He said helplessly, "Can you please follow some rules? We are mountain folk, but when it comes to guessing for the first move, shouldn't we still follow the common world's rules?"
Because the youth opposite him had already lifted his butt, opened his eyes wide, and pricked up his ears. It wasn't that Lin Junbi couldn't use a method to cover the sound of the chess pieces. But since he didn't know the other's cultivation level, if he did so and the other was an Earth Immortal realm, he would still be at a disadvantage. But playing chess was a matter for two people; Lin Junbi couldn't ask Sword Immortal Bitter Summer to keep an eye on things.
Cui Dongshan sat back down, looking listless, and said, "Fine, you win the first move. Young Master Lin's chess skills are hard to gauge for now, but your skills off the chessboard are truly impressive. Much, much stronger than that little dog leg Yan, who almost smashed his own face in with his own 'reasoning'."
Lin Junbi opened his hand and grabbed another handful of chess pieces.
What was powerful was that Lin Junbi, who was at a disadvantage initially, forced the other party, even if he was a Fifth Realm cultivator, to follow the rules by being the first to observe the rules. This might not work in all worldly affairs, but here, near this chessboard, it should be this way.
The young sword cultivators like Jiang Guancheng, who were watching from afar without approaching, were all extremely impressed.
As for guessing for the first move, Cui Dongshan took out a Minor Heat coin, tossed it in the air, saw it land on one side, and luck was with him; he guessed the first move correctly.
Seeing this as she was pulled by Zhu Mei to face the chess game, Yu Juanfu rubbed her head. It was a headache.
The two sides started placing stones.
Lin Junbi looked composed. This person was using an extremely rare ancient manual, "The Little Peach Spring Manual," for his opening.
The clever thing was that it allowed for a quick decision. The essence lay in the ten characters: "Use extreme rules to make unreasonable first moves." However, it couldn't withstand even a little thought from a top-tier go player. Especially since Lin Junbi had already seen this manual, it was very clear who was truly taking the initiative on the board.
Lin Junbi placed stones neither fast nor slow. The other party was playing as if flying, seemingly confident of victory.
Lin Junbi deliberately held back on a few key moves.
The game still went on for over two hundred and thirty moves, and only then did he lose.
Just a copper coin anyway.
Besides, did he really think that winning the game would make someone like Yan Lü burst with gratitude?
That wouldn't be Yan Lü being bad, but Lin Junbi being foolish.
When did the reputation and honor of the entire Yan family need a youth from the Shao Yuan Dynasty to salvage?
Only by losing, and losing by a hair's breadth, losing despite giving his all with a tinge of regret, would Yan Lü feel somewhat grateful. Too much gratitude, of course, not. People like Yan Lü, in the end, fame is just fame. Only tangible, immediate benefits would truly move him and make him remember that allying with Lin Junbi was profitable.
After throwing in the towel and admitting defeat, Lin Junbi smiled and said, "A copper coin. I don't have one on me right now. Don't worry, I'll go to the city proper and personally borrow one. Whether I deliver the money myself or entrust someone else, I'll leave that to the winner's discretion."
Cui Dongshan let out a light breath, staring at the precarious chess game hanging on a thread. After a moment, he immediately looked up and stopped. Smiling, he said, "No wonder, no wonder. Young Master Lin must have secretly looked at 'The Little Peach Spring Manual.' I was wondering why my ever-reliable divine opening has never failed to make my opponent resign by the mid-game."
Lin Junbi smiled, unbothered. Getting more than one bargained for after being given an inch—something like that.
Cui Dongshan thought for a moment. "Whether Young Master Lin will borrow the money himself or not... I can't just follow Young Master Lin around. I haven't mastered the essence of the Yan family style yet. But as for whether Young Master Lin will deliver the money himself, I do have an idea. If I win the second game, the prize is mine, and I'll surprisingly show a bit of a grandmaster's style for once. Young Master Lin doesn't have to come himself; just have Sister Yu deliver the money. If Young Master Lin wins... How could that be? I play chess with absolute hidden trump cards. After all, all my chess techniques and moves are other people's trump cards. What is other people's divine moves are just unreasonable moves in my eyes..."
Lin Junbi began to gather his chess pieces, intending to stand up.
Then he glanced over and noticed that at some point, the "Kuaizai Pavilion Chess Manual" had been placed under the white-robed youth's butt.
Lin Junbi's expression didn't change.
The author of this manual was the second-ranked national chess master of the Shao Yuan Dynasty. The first was, naturally, Lin Junbi's guiding teacher, the National Preceptor of the Shao Yuan Dynasty.
But this national chess master had played and studied chess with Lin Junbi many times, so this Master Xilu could barely be considered Lin Junbi's half-teacher and half-friend on the path of chess.
Cui Dongshan gathered the chess pieces in his own bowl, leaned his shoulder, lifted his butt, pulled out the chess manual, and said with a light chuckle, "Life-and-death problems, life-and-death problems—they almost kill me with laughter. They're clearly 'death-and-life problems, death-and-life problems'! Read them too much, and you'll really manage to play a live game to death. Our Master Xilu's intentions are profound and bitter. He doesn't hesitate to ruin his own reputation to show the world's chess players a negative example. Admirable yet pitiable, a song of praise and tears. Young Master Lin, make sure to introduce me when you get the chance. A national chess master of such noble character, there hasn't been one before, and I doubt there will be another."
Lin Junbi raised his hand, signaling those "friends" in the distance not to speak their "own words" anymore.
Once they opened their mouths, the truly disgusting one wouldn't be Cui Dongshan, but himself. Besides, probably half of them were genuinely angry, wanting to defend him and Master Xilu. But the other half were aiming for this very purpose, to egg things on and stir up the fire, then watch the show from the sidelines.
Lin Junbi wouldn't give them that chance.
If he stopped them and they still dared to speak, they would simply be too stupid. That shouldn't happen.
Sure enough, no one said a word.
Cui Dongshan casually tossed the chess manual over the city wall. He nodded to himself and said, "If the beasts of the Barbaric World pick it up, they'll surely understand it at a glance and play it right away. From then on, it'll be like each of them is seeking death. The Sword Qi Great Wall will be worry-free, and the Haoran World will be worry-free."
Lin Junbi sat back in his original seat. Smiling, he said, "You won the first move last time. Let's have another game. What's the stake?"
Cui Dongshan laughed. "This time, let's bet big, brother. One Snow Flower coin! Each of us sets a life-and-death problem for the other. How about it? We keep going until one can't solve the problem and loses. Of course, since I won the last game, I don't need to guess for the first move. I'll just give you the advantage. You set the problem first, and I'll try to solve it. If I can't solve it, I'll just get depressed and jump off the city wall. Risking my life, I'll try to snatch back that invaluable chess manual from the great beasts who now treasure it, thinking go is so simple. If I win, Young Master Lin obediently gives me another Snow Flower coin."
Lin Junbi shook his head. "No life-and-death problems. Let's just play chess."
The other party had clearly come prepared. He wouldn't let himself be led by the nose.
Cui Dongshan looked surprised, seemingly a bit taken aback.
Lin Junbi didn't dare to be careless. This person's chess skills were in no way comparable to Yan Lü's. His strength was absolutely no less than his fellow disciple Bian Jing. As for the upper limit of his chess strength, it was hard to say for now. He needed to grab this person's collar and lift him up.
Lin Junbi couldn't be bothered to look at the other's expression. He stretched out a hand. "This time, it's your turn. I'll guess the first move."
Another game would let him see more of the other's depth.
After all, this person had dragged Master Xilu and the famous "Kuaizai Pavilion Manual" into the mix again.
But winning or losing on the board was still secondary. If he himself didn't care about the reputation of winning or losing, would losing a game make Master Xilu any less of a top-tier national chess master in the Middle Earth Divine Continent? Would the "Kuaizai Pavilion Chess Manual" be thrown out of the world's famous manual collections?
The second game.
Lin Junbi engaged in many long considerations.
The other white-robed youth pondered even longer. Finally, he stopped deliberately scratching his ears and cheeks or occasionally feigning difficulty and frowning.
The outcome was still decided by a hair's breadth.
This time, it was Lin Junbi's turn to stare at the board for a long time.
The opponent's last three moves were all brilliant.
His chess strength had skyrocketed, his style had changed drastically, and his reasoning had turned upside down.
This caught Lin Junbi off guard. After the longest pondering period in the entire match, he had to throw in the towel again.
The white-robed youth's expression was a bit strange. "Did you delve deeply into the sixth game of the 'Colorful Clouds Manual'? Since you already have a counter-strategy, even if winning or losing is still uncertain, you could at least survive the current board position. There was still a chance. Why didn't you play it? Holding back to the point of suffocating yourself—is that called holding back? Young Master Lin, if you keep playing chess like this, you're just giving me money. I'll be forced to ask you for another game!"
Lin Junbi sighed. "Do you really not know, or are you just playing dumb?"
The other suddenly burst into laughter, but spoke with his mind: "Of course I know. Young Master Lin wants to make me think your entire game theory is like a fixed pattern through two losses. Then, when I ask for a third game, I'll place a heavy bet, hoping to win everything I have. Am I right? Young Master Lin, you big-shot chess players have such dark hearts. I've really learned my lesson today."
Lin Junbi smiled and said, "Third game. One Minor Heat coin. I'll play my best."
Cui Dongshan clenched his fist and waved it gently, shaking his head. "I can't lose this Minor Heat coin that Sister Yu used to buy my fan. As for other Minor Heat coins, you can pick any. I don't have any in my pocket anyway."
Cui Dongshan turned his head and shouted, "Sister Yu, rest assured! Even if I lose everything down to my last, I'll keep this Minor Heat coin, a token of our deep brother-sister affection!"
Yu Juanfu ignored him.
Zhu Mei muttered, "A dog's mouth doesn't produce ivory."
Cui Dongshan laughed heartily. "Little girl, say it louder. Our Literary Sage lineage never minds being cursed to our face. If you have a reason, we'll even give you a thumbs up and say you cursed well. But cursing behind our backs... that's fine too, just don't let us hear it. Otherwise, turning pages is like eating shit, and eating food is like spewing shit—you'll be struck by lightning from heaven."
Zhu Mei was a bit flustered and sat closer to Yu Juanfu.
Lin Junbi smiled and said, "Any Minor Heat coin will do."
Cui Dongshan suddenly said, "Add a little extra prize. If I win, you give me that 'Colorful Clouds Manual' too."
Lin Junbi nodded. "Deal."
Third game.
Lin Junbi moved first.
He had a huge advantage from the start and was only a hair's breadth away from winning by the mid-game, but the opponent nearly forced a triple ko cycle resulting in no result. Although Lin Junbi maintained his composure, a surge of annoyance finally stirred within him.
The game went on for nearly four hundred moves!
For both players, it was an astonishing endgame.
By the time they reached this stage, neither player could clearly discern the winning trend.
After one move, Lin Junbi breathed a slight sigh of relief.
Cui Dongshan's expression turned serious. He picked up a chess piece, leaned forward, stretching out the hand holding the piece while using the other to hold his sleeve, lest he disturb the stones. As he was about to place the stone, Lin Junbi felt a surge of certainty. He had won!
Cui Dongshan suddenly raised his hand, shaking his shoulders at the slightly startled Lin Junbi. "Haha! Isn't it annoying? Isn't it annoying? I'm not going to play there! Oh my, I'm such a clever little devil! My brain isn't big, but it's really sharp!"
This was probably something like being possessed by his senior sister.
Zhu Mei, Jin Zhenmeng—who didn't particularly like chess—and almost everyone else stood dumbfounded.
Cui Dongshan thought for a moment, then bent over again to pick up a piece. But this time, he placed it elsewhere on the board. Then he sat back, tucked his hands into his sleeves, and said, "Enough, enough. Winning three games in a row against Lin Junbi of the Shao Yuan Dynasty is satisfying enough."
The white-robed youth looked up at the sky. "The moon is so round and bright today."
Mm. It was broad daylight. There was no moon to be seen. The youth was thinking of that Sister Zhou Cheng.
Lin Junbi smiled and said, "I lost. One copper coin, one Snow Flower coin, one Minor Heat coin. I'll deliver them all together later."
Cui Dongshan suddenly sneered. "Oh? From your tone, you seem to view winning and losing quite lightly. What, you think that just because I played four hundred moves with you, we're evenly matched? I was just toying with you, you couldn't tell? Believe me or not, in a fourth game with no stakes, I'd bet I can beat a frog sitting at the bottom of a well throwing its weight around in the Shao Yuan Dynasty within eighty moves!"
Lin Junbi smiled. "Oh?"
Cui Dongshan immediately became goofy again. "You actually believed me? I won the game, three in fact! I didn't earn much money, so can't I talk big to have some fun?"
Cui Dongshan withdrew his smile, looked at the complex chessboard thick with stones, and clicked his tongue. "You and I, good brothers, we've managed to create this divine game. Kuaizai Pavilion is probably about to explode! Because it's just too kuaizai (delightful)!"
By this point, no one dared to underestimate this person's chess skills anymore.
Yan Lü was no exception.
Besides Bian Jing, his chess strength was closest to Lin Junbi's, so he knew all the better how high the white-robed youth's chess skills were.
So his pure hatred began to mix with fear. He still hated, even hated more, but deep inside, involuntarily, a sense of dread had taken root.
Cui Dongshan waved at Young Master Lin, who was squatting on the latrine without shitting, and said with sincere eyes, "Send the money back later. It doesn't matter if you deliver it yourself. Young Master Lin, I'm going to pack up the chess set. What, you still want to help? You've already helped three big times. I think that's enough. If you keep this up, my conscience will be uneasy. Fate wouldn't allow me to be friends with such a generous person like you. I'll be tossing and turning all night, unable to sleep!"
Lin Junbi sighed.
Since they had managed to play a third game that might even be considered a masterpiece in the entire history of the Shao Yuan Dynasty, he could accept the outcome.
Cui Dongshan packed up the chess pieces haphazardly, carelessly throwing them into the bowls with a crisp clatter, muttering to himself, "Winning three in a row is comfortable. Truly comfortable. But, overwhelming an opponent with superior skill is really boring. If both sides were equally matched, win or loss determined by luck, and with luck on my side, winning the game—that would be the most satisfying. I guess Young Master Lin has had it too easy on the chessboard all his life. He's used to overwhelming others with force, so he can never understand this feeling of mine. What a pity, what a pity."
Cui Dongshan suddenly asked with a smile, "What, you think my chess strength is too high, or luck was on my side? Or both are false? Whether my chess strength is high or not, I know it in my heart. But whether my luck is good or not, Young Master Lin, you have to admit it. So, how about another game, but with a different method? This time, it won't be entirely about skill, but more about luck. Do you dare? You could even say we're only betting on luck. This is a kind of game Young Master Lin might never have a chance to play in his life. Because it's only about luck, we won't bet money. We won't bet anything at all."
Lin Junbi asked, "What do you mean by that?"
Cui Dongshan chuckled. "You decide the outcome of this game. Whether it's a win or a loss, you tell Sword Immortal Bitter Summer beforehand. As long as the result on the board matches what you said, regardless of whether I win or lose on the chessboard, you win. We're just betting on who has better luck. Do you dare?!"
Lin Junbi laughed despite himself.
Cui Dongshan smiled. "Leaving aside chess skills and swordsmanship, I still trust Sword Immortal Bitter Summer's character and Young Master Lin's gambling integrity."
Lin Junbi shook his head. "I don't play this kind of chess."
Cui Dongshan unexpectedly nodded. "Indeed, because it's still not interesting enough. So I'll add another condition. In the third game of that 'Colorful Clouds Manual' you've read so many times, someone resigned halfway through the game. Well, actually, it was just the fifty-sixth move. How about we help both sides finish it? And then you still decide the outcome outside the board. Does the outcome on the board matter? Not at all. You help the White Emperor City Lord, and I'll help his opponent. How about that? Look, Sword Immortal Bitter Summer can't wait anymore. A dignified sword immortal, working hard as a protector, how much he wishes Young Master Lin could win one back!"
Lin Junbi was speechless.
This person was insane.
The reason the "Colorful Clouds Manual" was regarded by all chess players in the world as "Watching the colorful clouds from the mortal world, lofty and unattainable" was precisely that the winner was invincible. And even more terrifying was that the loser, once he got up from that chessboard and left White Emperor City, was also invincible outside the city when below the clouds.
Countless chess players had conducted extremely profound studies on the continuation of the third game of "Colorful Clouds." Lin Junbi's master was no exception, saying that Cui Chan's resignation came neither too early nor too late, precisely proving that this person truly deserved the title of the second-best chess player in the world.
So Lin Junbi shook his head. "I don't play this kind of chess. As chess players, facing this board and these stones, let's not insult them."
Cui Dongshan sneered. "You have the right to insult the 'Colorful Clouds Manual'? Lin Junbi, is your chess skill really that high? It's only the fifty-sixth move. In the 'Colorful Clouds Game,' only when the players' realms are sufficient can they see the end. As for all the chess players beneath the colorful clouds, do they truly know what both sides are thinking? If you and I were to play out that mid-game resignation, do you really have the ability to maintain White Emperor City Lord's advantage? What gives you the confidence? Losing three games in a row?!"
Lin Junbi said in a deep voice, "I won't discuss the outcome outside the board with Sword Immortal Bitter Summer. But I'll play this endgame with you!"
Cui Dongshan grinned. "Fine. Then add one more stake. If I win, we play another game. You must tell Sword Immortal Bitter Summer the outcome beforehand."
Lin Junbi replied, "Wait until you've won this 'Colorful Clouds Manual' first."
Cui Dongshan laughed. "Good thing, good thing. Young Master Lin didn't say 'win against me first.' Otherwise, even someone who admires Young Master Lin's immortal grace would have to spit on the chessboard."
Sword Immortal Bitter Summer was deeply worried.
The other young sword cultivators, even Jin Zhenmeng, were full of anticipation for this game.
Cui Dongshan suddenly turned his head and said, "Unauthorized personnel aren't qualified to watch this game. Of course, you can still watch. But it's one Grain Rain coin per person. Everyone, be generous. Take them out, take them out."
Zhu Mei raised her hand and said, "I want to watch. I'll cover Sister Yu's Grain Rain coin."
Cui Dongshan immediately changed his tune. He straightened his back and said with righteous indignation, "What are you talking about? Sister Yu's friend is my friend. Talk about money? Are you trying to slap my face? Do I look like some street-side chess hustler who earns money by playing chess?"
Jiang Guancheng and many others were actually willing to pay the price. But Sword Immortal Bitter Summer began to chase them away, leaving no room for negotiation.
So, on the city wall, only Yu Juanfu and Zhu Mei, who was backed by Yu Juanfu, were left.
The two sides began placing stones on the board. On the surface, it looked like they were replaying a recorded game, but they were actually creating a new game on top of the third game of the "Colorful Clouds Manual."
Half an hour later, after numerous long considerations, Lin Junbi inexplicably fell into a trap in the top right corner. After only thirty-six new moves on the board, Lin Junbi's face turned pale, and he was reluctant to resign.
Cui Dongshan said calmly, "According to our agreement, another game. We'll play the second-to-last game of the 'Colorful Clouds Manual'—the one where the loser resigned in the endgame. There's very little room left on the board, very little room for surprises. You still play as the White Emperor City Lord. Remember, tell Sword Immortal Bitter Summer the outcome outside the board first. It's just about luck. Don't take the outcome on the board too seriously. If I win again, I'm going to make a huge demand and beg you for another game."
Lin Junbi told Sword Immortal Bitter Summer who would win and who would lose outside the board.
Then, both sides gathered the stones and set them up again.
Compared to the previous game, there were many more stones on the board this time.
After just the time it takes an incense stick to burn, the white-robed youth chuckled. "Don't worry, next game. This time, it's my turn to tell Sword Immortal Bitter Summer the outcome first. Then you and I play. As for luck, since it's been on my side every time, my gambling luck is too strong. I'll beg for a loss and actively change my luck's position. If I still win this time, so what? It'll just prove that today my luck is really too good. Does it have half a copper coin's worth of relation to Young Master Lin's chess skill? No, it doesn't. No, it doesn't."
Lin Junbi's forehead was beaded with sweat. He sat in stunned silence. He was unwilling to resign but also had no words. It seemed he just wanted to look at the board a little longer, to understand how he had lost.
The white-robed youth opposite him spoke polite words but wore a face full of ridicule.
Yu Juanfu sighed, pulled Zhu Mei, and left this place.
Again, it was just as Cui Dongshan had predicted.
Her "gambling luck" earlier had actually been quite good.
The young girl Zhu Mei also knew the gravity of the situation and silently followed Yu Juanfu away from this trouble spot.
Sword Immortal Bitter Summer was about to speak.
Cui Dongshan pinched a chess piece between two fingers, gently rotating it, without looking up. "Observing the game without speaking. Can you show some manners? A dignified Middle Earth sword immortal, and a nephew of Zhou Shenzhi no less, entrusted with a heavy responsibility by the Shao Yuan Dynasty National Preceptor, is this how you help your juniors on their path? I hit it off with Young Master Lin as a friend, so I'm easy to deal with. But if Sword Immortal Bitter Summer relies on his swordsmanship and status, then I'll have to call for backup. It's a simple principle. Do you understand or not? If you don't understand, there are people with higher swordsmanship. I can beg them, let them teach you."
Sword Immortal Bitter Summer's hesitation turned into resolve. Ignoring the white-robed youth's words, he said in a deep voice, "Lin Junbi, you can get up now."
Lin Junbi hesitated, his fists clenched.
Cui Dongshan picked up a chess piece, gently pressed it onto the board, and casually slid it to the edge of the board on Lin Junbi's side. The small piece was perfectly balanced, half on the board and half hanging in the air.
Cui Dongshan smirked. "Get up? Fine. Resign. Admit defeat—concede half the loss."
Sword Immortal Bitter Summer roared angrily, "You scoundrel! Don't push your luck! How dare you corrupt Lin Junbi's Dao heart?!"
Cui Dongshan tucked his hands into his sleeves, laughing heartily. "A cultivator, a child of destiny, having his Dao heart corrupted by a trivial pastime like chess—that's even more impressive than Yan Lü! This time, it'll truly kill me with laughter!"
Cui Dongshan looked up at the furious Sword Immortal Bitter Summer and asked with a grin, "Would killing me help Lin Junbi win the game?"
Lin Junbi said with a trembling voice, "If I admit defeat without playing, I only lose half?"
Cui Dongshan nodded. "Of course. But there's a small condition. You must guarantee that you will never touch a chessboard or a chess piece again in this lifetime."
Lin Junbi was drenched in sweat.
Cui Dongshan yawned. He didn't rush Lin Junbi to decide. He just looked somewhat bored.
People only knew that the "Colorful Clouds Manual" was the "Colorful Clouds Manual."
They had no idea what deep, unfathomable schemes lay outside the chessboard between the two players of the "Colorful Clouds Game."
That was the real chess.
You little brats, who learned a bit of superficial knowledge from the "Colorful Clouds Manual," dare to call yourselves chess players or national masters?
Cui Dongshan said slowly, as if chatting with an old acquaintance, "The works of my master's master... in your Shao Yuan Dynasty, besides your master's study daring to keep them, on the desks of emperors, generals, scholars, and village schools, how many are left? Two? None at all? That's nothing. A small matter. Willing to admit defeat, no regrets. But I seem to remember a small matter. Back then, among those who traveled thousands of miles to the Confucian Temple to smash the dilapidated roadside statue were scholars from your Shao Yuan Dynasty. I heard that after returning home, their official careers went smoothly and they rose quickly. That person later became not only your chess friend but also your close, intimate friend who linked arms in camaraderie? Oh, right, the owner of that chess manual lying under the city wall. The famous Master Xilu."
Sword Immortal Bitter Summer's heart stirred. Just now, he still wanted to speak and dissuade Lin Junbi, but now he found himself utterly unable to utter a word.
The Jade Pure Realm sword cultivator Mi Yu, a native of the Sword Qi Great Wall, hadn't dared to move a muscle when he encountered that person.
And now, Bitter Summer was in the same awkward position.
But Lin Junbi was currently lost and disoriented, and his realm was still too low. He might not fully understand his own embarrassing situation at this moment.
Cui Dongshan sneered at Lin Junbi. "Consequences? From now on, every time I win a game against you, I'll force you to play another. Even if I only take an extra Minor Heat coin from you each time, I could make you lose all your future cultivation prospects, even half the Shao Yuan Dynasty. I'll keep playing until you wish you could be reborn right now, never to touch a chess piece in your next life! Do you think you can just decide not to play against me? Huh?!"
"Do you even know who you're playing chess against?!"
Cui Dongshan's wide sleeves billowed. He squinted his eyes. "Remember. I am Dongshan."
---
Cao Qinglang met Pei Qian in the corridor.
Pei Qian looked hesitant, as if she wanted to say something but stopped.
Cao Qinglang pointed to his heart, then waved his hand. He didn't speak, just smiled faintly.
Pei Qian remained silent.
Cao Qinglang asked with a smile, "I have a carving knife. How about I carve a seal for you later?"
Pei Qian walked away angrily.
Cao Qinglang scratched his head. To wait for him to show up, that girl must have been lying in wait for a long time.
On this day, a sneaky white-robed youth quietly knocked on the Ning Mansion gate. Nalan Yexing chuckled, "Brother Dongshan! What's going on? You don't need to knock even if you're here to do something shady, right?"
Cui Dongshan said with remorse, "Brother Nalan, I worked my ass off on the city wall today for half the day and only earned a little bit of money. It's infuriating. I'm too ashamed to face my master."
Nalan Yexing felt a little sorry for whoever had the misfortune of being the source of that "money," though he didn't know who it was.
Just as Nalan Yexing intended to close the door and part ways with this little bastard, Cui Dongshan suddenly smiled. "Come on, let's go to your place and have a drink."
Nalan Yexing, of course, wasn't keen on it. But he glanced at the white-robed youth's eyes and nodded.
When they got there, Cui Dongshan pulled out two flasks of wine. Nalan Yexing, however, wished they were drinking from the stash he had painstakingly hidden.
But the conversation that followed gradually made Nalan Yexing forget that trivial concern.
Because what the other party talked about was simply too significant for him, a Jade Pure Realm sword cultivator who had fallen in realm.
The principle was simple. The other party was talking about the path Nalan Yexing's Great Dao should take.
And that wasn't all.
Soon, there was a knock on the door.
Old Madam Bai quickly left.
It was the Golden Core sword cultivator Cui Wei, who was no longer Nalan Yexing's nominal disciple.
Cui Wei closed the door, bowed with his fists clasped, not raising his head, and not speaking.
Nalan Yexing wanted to stand up and leave, but Cui Dongshan cheerfully stopped him.
Then Cui Dongshan turned his head and asked, "Do you want to break through your realm again and die, die and be done with it? Or do you want to follow me to the Haoran World and eke out a miserable existence? Today or tomorrow might not matter; you might only feel relief. But I can say for sure that one day, you, Cui Wei, will feel your conscience ache."
Cui Wei kept his head down, fists clasped. "Cui Wei is willing to follow you, sir, to the Precious Bottle Continent. I'll worry about tomorrow's regrets when tomorrow comes."
Cui Dongshan chuckled. "Fine. I accept. But I want to hear your reason. Don't worry, no matter what it is, and whether I agree with it or not, it won't affect your safety from now on."
Cui Wei was silent for a moment. "Why should I, Cui Wei, die here?"
Nalan Yexing sighed. He didn't fly into a rage like last time, barely restraining himself from slapping Cui Wei to death.
Cui Dongshan nodded. "A good question. When you get to a foreign land, if you have free time or when you're old, you can answer this question for yourself. Go on. You've worked hard all these years."
Cui Wei didn't leave immediately. Instead, he knelt on the ground, facing Nalan Yexing, and kowtowed three times. "My master may not recognize me as a disciple, but I recognize you as the second master on my path of cultivation! I, Cui Wei, am leaving now, never to look back. Take care, Master!"
Nalan Yexing raised his white bowl, took a sip of wine, and nodded. "Since you've chosen to go to the Haoran World, you might as well go all out. Don't die so casually. Live for a few hundred or thousand more years."
Cui Wei left the place and returned to his own dwelling.
Cui Dongshan finished his drink and quickly left the room.
Only the old man, who had neither children under his knee nor a disciple any longer, was left alone drinking. There wasn't even a single dish of appetizers on the table.
---
On this day, at dusk, Qi Jinglong brought his disciple Bai Shou to visit the Ning Mansion.
Bai Shou came with the spirit of someone going to their death.
But there was an unexpectedly huge joy! First, it was said that Pei Qian was practicing her fists with an old nanny of the Ning Mansion and was currently lying sick in bed.
But after the overwhelming joy that made him want to beat drums and gongs, Bai Shou couldn't help but worry again. Pei Qian was, after all, a little girl. The youth asked for directions to Pei Qian's courtyard and wandered around outside, not daring to knock, just taking a walk.
As for the youth's master, he had already gone to his good brother Chen Ping'an's residence.
But inside the house, there were three people.
Chen Ping'an, Cui Dongshan, and Qi Jinglong.
Each of them pulled out a booklet.
The information in Chen Ping'an's booklet was the most diverse.
Cui Dongshan's booklet was the thickest. Its contents came from the dead spies planted by the Embroidery Tiger of the Great Li Dynasty in the Sword Qi Great Wall and the Inverted Suspension Mountain. The number