Chapter 2956: One for Three
The chess pieces grew closer and closer to the board.
On the board, black and white pieces, distinct and clear, suddenly began to flicker, forming swirling vortex currents. The ten-zhang space centered on the board remained as solid as a rock, but beyond that ten-zhang radius, winds surged and clouds churned, with waves of power rolling and sweeping like the vast ocean.
The Corpse Clan Great Saint’s expression changed. His pupils burst with brilliant light, and he channeled Sacred Qi with all his might through both hands, spewing it out like a black waterfall. Those swirling vortex currents grew stronger when met with force, sending the white chess piece flying back, striking the Corpse Clan Great Saint in the chest and knocking him away.
“Slap!”
The piece fell to the ground.
After steadying himself, the Corpse Clan Great Saint glanced at the spinning piece on the ground, then looked at the still motionless, inverted chess platform. All trace of contempt vanished from his face as he uttered, “Impressive.”
With that, he turned and left, continuing his ascent up Star Heaven Cliff.
The remaining cultivators from various factions exchanged glances, naturally discerning the underlying truth.
“Old sir, that’s not fair! We all know your cultivation is formidable. If you use your Spiritual Power to resist, how can any of us place a piece?” said the young, clean-shaven Daoist.
“Exactly! If it’s a contest of cultivation, none of us combined could match you, elder.”
“Your cultivation, old sir, is truly unfathomable.”
…
The green-robed girl showed displeasure and said, “Look closely. My grandfather isn’t using Spiritual Power to resist. It’s the chess game itself that aligns with the Heavenly Dao, and the pieces naturally form a field domain. If you want to place a piece on the board, you’ll have to rely on real skill.”
“The chess game aligns with the Heavenly Dao? I, the Emperor, refuse to believe that!”
A Demon Clan Half-Saint with a furry beast head the size of a water vat strode forward, his body like a small mountain, his breath like thunder. He stomped out with a left front kick, landing heavily on the chess platform.
“Boom!”
Powerful Sacred Qi formed a violent hurricane.
But the chess platform remained unmoved.
The Demon Clan Half-Saint let out a surprised grunt, spun around, and delivered a right whip kick, slashing diagonally downward.
The onlookers could tell that the Demon Clan Half-Saint was first trying to knock the chess platform to the ground before placing a piece.
“Bang!”
With the third strike, he threw a left jab.
The fist force, like a Chaotic Treasure Vase, slammed heavily into the side of the chess platform, the sound deafening.
The chess platform seemed fixed in space, instead repelling the Demon Clan Half-Saint backward.
The Demon Clan Half-Saint stopped attacking, turned his gaze to the Confucian-robed elder, showed reverence, bowed deeply, and then silently departed.
“A master, truly a master. Senior, please tell us, how exactly can we place a piece on the board?” The young Daoist’s earlier displeasure vanished completely, replaced by eyes full of respect.
The cultivators present all wore expressions of earnest attention.
Such a master was likely a deity, inspiring awe in them.
With a breeze brushing his sleeves, the Confucian-robed elder smiled faintly. “These pieces on the board indeed form their own field domain. But as long as there’s a field domain, there must be weak points.”
A Spiritual Power Great Saint, clad in formation master robes, said, “In this junior’s view, it’s not that simple. If placing a piece from above, finding the weak point of the field domain with our cultivation might be achievable. But placing a piece from below, while also contending with the celestial and terrestrial forces, would be difficult even for a deity, I suspect.”
The Confucian-robed elder admitted frankly, “Correct. Given the intensity of the field domain formed by this chess game, placing a piece from below—even among Great Gods—probably only a few could manage it.”
The cultivators present sighed, feeling as though they were being toyed with.
Even deities were beyond their reach, let alone Great Gods, each a hegemon of the universe, capable not only of deciding the fate of billions but also of easily slaying deities.
“Let’s go! Let’s go! This old sir’s challenge is beyond our ability.”
One by one, they departed.
“The placement of the piece is very particular, related to the endgame on the board.”
Bai Qinger’s eyes fixed on the board for a long moment. “White’s next move should be at seven-thirteen.”
Saying this, she picked up the fallen piece and walked straight toward the chess platform.
The piece was pinched between two slender, jade-like fingers. Without any flourish, she pressed it directly toward the intersection of two lines.
The chessboard erupted with powerful repulsive force.
When the piece was just an inch from the board, the vortex currents of the field domain drew in the Heavenly and Earthly Rules, splitting the surrounding space into black and white.
Bai Qinger frowned slightly, her gaze turning cold as she used her Origin Esoterica to draw upon the Origin Rules of Heaven and Earth.
“Rumble!”
The chess platform trembled slightly, and a ring of black-and-white light radiated outward.
Bai Qinger, like a white petal, floated backward lightly. Zhang Ruochen stepped forward, reaching out to grab her wrist, neutralizing the force unleashed by the chess platform.
As Bai Qinger’s feet touched the ground, the flying white piece fell into Zhang Ruochen’s hand.
Holding the white piece, Zhang Ruochen walked toward the chess platform.
As he passed by the Confucian-robed elder, Zhang Ruochen bowed politely. “Senior, can you truly answer any question?”
The Confucian-robed elder looked at him with interest, stroking his beard and smiling. “I can’t say I can answer everything, but among the many doubts in your heart, I should be able to answer one or two.”
Zhang Ruochen nodded, approached the chess platform, and said, “Playing at seven-thirteen would indeed greatly increase white’s chances of winning. But we’re not here to solve the chess game, nor to win. We just need to place a single piece. What we need to find… is the weakest point in the field domain formed by the pieces.”
“It’s right here.”
“The Celestial Center.”
Zhang Ruochen picked up the piece and pressed it toward the board.
The Celestial Center was the very center point of the chessboard.
The Confucian-robed elder, seated nearby, nodded inwardly, thinking, “In comparison, this young man always knows his purpose and isn’t blinded by the desire to win. That’s good.”
Clearly, in his view, Bai Qinger was only focused on solving the chess game and seeking victory.
Being able to solve this chess game was, of course, extremely clever.
But cleverness could backfire.
Zhang Ruochen had found the weakest point of the field domain, but even with all his effort, he only got half an inch closer than Bai Qinger.
There was still half an inch to go.
“Rustle!”
Suddenly, the Divine Qi of Heaven and Earth, like threads and strands, was drawn by Zhang Ruochen’s Spiritual Power, converging endlessly toward the chess platform.
The cultivators who had already left sensed the Divine Qi fluctuations and returned one after another, gathering around.
Their gazes fell on Zhang Ruochen, but they couldn’t make out his features. All they could see were celestial phenomena scrolls manifesting in the space where Zhang Ruochen and the chess platform stood.
At times, myriad lightning bolts wove into a net; at others, five-colored Chaotic tides surged from the ground to the sky; then, divine mountains rose from beneath the earth.
“Such a powerful aura!”
The Spiritual Power Great Saint in formation master robes was moved. “He’s borrowing the celestial and terrestrial forces. The phenomena scrolls we see are the concrete manifestations of those forces.”
“A true big shot. Could it be a Great God?”
These cultivators showed deep respect, bowing one after another.
Standing by the chess platform, Zhang Ruochen’s body shone as brightly as a star. The piece in his hand trembled violently, never settling.
That trembling caused the very space to shake.
Suddenly, a ring of light burst from within Zhang Ruochen’s body. The light didn’t spread outward but, with the chessboard as the plane, hovered in midair, about ten zhang in diameter.
As the ring of light appeared, it created a state of ultimate balance, and the piece gently settled onto the board.
Zhang Ruochen withdrew his hand, and the piece didn’t fall.
The cultivators standing around were as if petrified, finding it hard to believe.
“He succeeded! He actually succeeded! Could he really be a Great God?”
“The old sir said that even among Great Gods, only a few could do it.”
“Greetings, Great God!”
…
Facing the respectful and awestruck gazes of those cultivators, Zhang Ruochen smiled faintly without explaining. He walked toward the Confucian-robed elder and said, “Old sir, does this count as success for this junior?”
The Confucian-robed elder said, “Truly, new talents emerge from generation to generation, one era one generation. Ask your questions freely! But I will only answer one, so think carefully before you speak.”
Zhang Ruochen said, “This junior has countless doubts, but I believe many of them, senior cannot answer.”
The green-robed girl frowned. “How can you be so rude?”
Zhang Ruochen stared into the Confucian-robed elder’s eyes. “How about this: I ask one question. If senior cannot answer it, then senior must answer my next three questions.”
“One for three. You’re quite shrewd, young one.”
The Confucian-robed elder said, “And if I do answer your question, what then?”
Zhang Ruochen said, “This junior will immediately kneel and kowtow, offering apologies.”
“That seems fair. Ask away,” the Confucian-robed elder said.
Anyone could see that Zhang Ruochen’s next question would inevitably be extremely tricky, and they all looked on with interest.
It was like two formidable deities engaged in a battle of wits!
As Zhang Ruochen pondered how to stump the Confucian-robed elder, Bai Qinger walked up to him and whispered something in his ear.
After hearing it, Zhang Ruochen smiled. “Old sir, listen carefully! I’ve heard that three hundred thousand years ago, the twenty-four Heavenly Venerables of the Heavenly Court and Hell went to do something together, and only three returned alive. I want to know where they went and what they did.”
“That’s two questions,” the Confucian-robed elder said.
Zhang Ruochen said, “Senior need only answer one of them.”
The Confucian-robed elder stared into Zhang Ruochen’s eyes for a moment, then smiled bitterly and shook his head. “I truly don’t know the answer to either question. You win!”
Though he had won, Zhang Ruochen wasn’t particularly delighted.
After all, he really wanted to know the answer to that question.
Zhang Ruochen said, “May I now ask senior three questions?”
“Naturally. You two are also heading to Star Heaven Cliff, I assume. Let’s talk as we walk.”
The Confucian-robed elder put away the chess platform and walked toward the cliff top, with the green-robed girl close by his side.
Zhang Ruochen said, “My first question! Three hundred thousand years ago, it’s said that three of the twenty-four Heavenly Venerables returned alive. Besides Hao Tian and the Sixth Patriarch, who was the third?”
He didn’t hold much hope for this question.
Surprisingly, the Confucian-robed elder said, “This question is actually not hard to answer.”