Yun Lintian tried his best to stabilize his mind. His hand moved on its own, slamming a pawn forward with enough force to crack the board.
Clink.
Ping Heng's eyes widened.
The pawn had been insignificant before—a forgotten piece at the edge of the ga. But now? Now it was a blade at the throat of fate itself.
Yun Lintian didn't understand how he'd done it. His mind was fracturing, his body failing. But sothing deeper than thought had guided that move—sothing primal, sothing that refused to lose.
The floating islands shuddered, their fragnts realigning into new constellations.
Ping Heng exhaled slowly. "I see."
He moved his queen.
Clink.
The world broke.
Yun Lintian felt his ribs crack, his knees hitting the ground. Blood poured from his nose, his ears, his eyes—but still, his hand reached for the board.
Linlin and Qingqing were sobbing now, their tiny hands tugging at his sleeves. "Stop! Please stop!"
He ignored them.
This wasn't just about power anymore.
This was about survival.
His fingers closed around his black queen.
And then—
He changed the rules.
CRACK.
The piece didn't move forward.
It moved sideways—a move that shouldn't exist, a move that defied the very laws of chess.
Ping Heng's teacup slipped from his fingers, shattering on the ground.
Hei Xuan shot to his feet. "IMPOSSIBLE!"
The floating islands exploded into radiant dust. The mirrored realms below splintered like glass.
And Yun Lintian, half-dead and bleeding, looked up at Ping Heng with a grin.
"Checkmate."
Silence.
Absolute, deafening silence.
A mont later, Ping Heng laughed. "Hahaha!"
It was a rich, booming sound that made the remnants of the realm tremble. "Magnificent." He shook his head in disbelief. "You didn't just play the ga... you rewrote it."
Yun Lintian tried to stand, but his legs gave out. Hei Xuan caught him before he hit the ground.
"Idiot," Hei Xuan muttered, but there was pride in his voice. "You really would rather die than lose, huh?"
Ping Heng's laughter slowly faded as he studied Yun Lintian, his ancient eyes filled with sothing between admiration and concern.
"That move," Ping Heng said, his voice calm but probing. "It shouldn't have been possible. Chess has rules—laws that even gods must follow. How did you think of it?"
Yun Lintian wiped blood from his lips, his breath ragged. His body felt like it had been shattered and hastily put back together, but his gaze remained sharp.
"Because rules are just boundaries," he said hoarsely. "And boundaries are ant to be broken."
Ping Heng's brow arched slightly. "That simple?"
Yun Lintian exhaled, forcing himself to sit upright despite the pain. "I'm young. I haven't lived for thousands of years like you. But everything I've learned—every battle, every loss—has taught one thing." His fingers curled into fists. "If there's no path forward... make one."
Hei Xuan let out a sharp laugh, clapping Yun Lintian on the back hard enough to make him wince. "Hah! Spoken like a true madman!" He grinned at Ping Heng. "What do you think, old friend? Isn't the son-in-law I found impressive?"
Ping Heng didn't respond imdiately. His gaze lingered on Yun Lintian, as if seeing sothing deeper—sothing even Yun Lintian himself didn't fully understand.
Finally, he spoke.
"You are special, Yun Lintian. Not just because of your power, but because of your will." His voice grew quieter. "And if I can see that... then Nian Shi already has."
A cold silence settled over them.
"Are you saying…?" Yun Lintian raised his brow slightly.
Ping Heng's expression darkened. "Nian Shi has watched you longer than you realize. He understands your potential better than you do yourself." He leaned forward slightly. "That is why he keeps his eyes on you."
Hei Xuan's smirk faded. "Wait. You're saying that bastard knows more about Yun Lintian than Yun Lintian does?"
Ping Heng nodded. "Precisely."
Yun Lintian nodded slowly. "I don't care how much he knows. I'll still kill him."
"Being confident is good," Ping Heng said with a smile. "But keep this in mind: every move you make has always been under Nian Shi's gaze. Perhaps he's looking at us right now sowhere."
Ping Heng's golden eyes glead as he regarded Yun Lintian. "I lost the ga. As promised, I shall give you my power."
He raised his hand, and the entire Realm of Equilibrium trembled. A brilliant golden light gathered at his fingertips, condensing into a sphere of pure cosmic balance. The floating islands around them began dissolving into motes of light, drawn toward this concentrated power.
Yun Lintian suddenly raised his hand. "Wait."
Ping Heng paused, the sphere of energy pulsing in his palm. "Hmm?"
"You can keep your power for now," Yun Lintian said, wiping blood from his lips. "If others learn you've lost your divinity, they might co for you."
A beat of silence.
Then—
Ping Heng burst into laughter, the sound rich and full-bodied. "Hahaha! You can't keep doing this, Yun Lintian!" He shook his head in amusent. "First Li Qinglan, now ? Do you think a Primordial God is so fragile mortal who needs your protection?"
Hei Xuan snorted, crossing his arms. "Kid, you really don't understand what a Primordial God is, do you?"
Yun Lintian frowned.
Hei Xuan pointed at Ping Heng. "Even without his power, this old man has more tricks up his sleeve than stars in the sky. You think so random god could just waltz in here and kill him?" He smirked. "The mont anyone tries, they'd find themselves turned into a damn teapot before they blink."
Ping Heng chuckled, swirling the sphere of golden energy. "Hei Xuan exaggerates... but not by much." His expression turned serious. "A Primordial God's power is not just about raw strength. It's about authority over the fundantal laws of existence. Even diminished, I am still the God of Balance."
The golden sphere pulsed, and suddenly, the shattered fragnts of the floating islands reassembled themselves perfectly. The cracked chessboard nded before their eyes.
"See?" Ping Heng said mildly. "This realm answers to , power or no power."
Yun Lintian studied them both, then nodded slowly. "I understand."
"Good." Ping Heng extended the sphere toward him. "Then accept what you've earned."
Yun Lintian reached out—
BOOM!
Before Yun Lintian could touch the sphere of power, the sky above them split open.
A searing light poured through the rift, so intense it burned away the surrounding darkness. The floating islands trembled, their surfaces cracking under the heat.
A figure descended—radiant, golden, his very presence scorching the air.
Yang Chen, the Sun God.
Reviews
All reviews (0)