In the underworld, in Changjing, within the Heaven-Observing Pavilion.
Zhong Shan's shadow body and Nangong Sheng sat in a courtyard, a chessboard set up between them.
"Nangong Sheng, this is the Heavenly Calamity Chessboard from the Yang Realm. Do your best to break it!" Zhong Shan said solemnly.
"I will, Your Majesty!" Nangong Sheng replied.
"I must emphasize once again, there have been three 'Dao Conception' experts who have tried to break this board. The first one, after fifteen moves, retreated safely. The second one, after twenty moves, beca ntally unstable and went into deviation. The third one, after twenty-three moves, lost control of his body, causing his immortal essence to riot, and he self-destructed!" Zhong Shan looked seriously at Nangong Sheng.
"Rest assured, Your Majesty. My chess skills have improved greatly since acquiring the contents of the 'Book of the Earth.' This board is indeed challenging, but I am confident I can break it. In fact, it feels as if this board was set up specifically for !" Nangong Sheng smiled.
"Oh? How so?" Zhong Shan asked, puzzled.
"Thanks to Your Majesty's world-creating event and the blessings it brought, all my injuries have healed, and my cultivation has soared. Over this period, I have reached the peak of the Heavenly Immortal stage, and I am just a step away from becoming a Grand Immortal. Perhaps, by breaking this Heavenly Calamity Chessboard, I can achieve a breakthrough and beco a Grand Immortal!" Nangong Sheng said confidently.
"Good! Good! Good!" Zhong Shan exclaid thrice, feeling elated. Would the Dazheng Holy Court soon have a second Grand Immortal?
The first Grand Immortal, Wang Kuo, had recently reported to Zhong Shan that he had reached the Grand Immortal stage. Now, it seed that Nangong Sheng was on the verge of achieving the sa.
With this, the strength of Dazheng would increase significantly. The Feng Tomb Domain in the Yang Realm had temporarily stabilized, but the Turnwheel Domain in the underworld was far from simple.
According to reports from scouts, a nearby force was led by soone capable of manipulating ti—a peerless prodigy.
Ti manipulation? Such an ability was exceedingly rare in the world. And to have one so close to their doorstep?
Fortunately, it was said that this peerless expert was still in seclusion. By the ti he erged, Dazheng might already be strong enough to face him head-on.
Nangong Sheng gazed at the chessboard, his expression serene. To dominate the board, one must approach it with a transcendent attitude.
The chessboard represented a world, a world beset by heavenly calamities.
In the underworld, Nangong Sheng! Long ago, as a mortal, he had been able to summon heavenly tribulations with his chess formations, defeating opponents with his chess skills.
In the Yang Realm, the Chii Chess Sage! The foremost Chess Sage of the Feng Tomb Domain!
Nangong Sheng vs. the Chii Chess Sage!
A peak chess match spanning two worlds.
A gentle breeze stirred in the courtyard as Nangong Sheng made the first move.
With the first piece placed, Zhong Shan in the Yang Realm replicated the move on the board.
"Zhong Shan has chosen a new strategy?" Su Afo asked, puzzled.
"Of course, Zhong Shan intends to defeat the Chii Chess Sage, not lose to him!" the Nine-Tailed Princess said confidently.
As Zhong Shan placed his piece, the Chii Chess Sage gave him a deep look.
On a distant peak, Mr. Li frowned as he observed Zhong Shan's move.
"Mr. Li, what do you think of this move?" Sima Qing's voice suddenly sounded in Mr. Li's ear.
Mr. Li turned to see Sima Qing addressing him.
Smiling slightly, Mr. Li stepped forward and soon stood beside Sima Qing. Sima Zongheng and Sima Qianjun, seemingly following Sima Qing's orders, did not interfere, allowing Mr. Li to stand at the forefront with Sima Qing.
"Young Prince, your chess skills are impressive," Mr. Li said with a smile.
"Mr. Li, there's no need to be so modest. Excessive modesty becos hypocrisy. You didn't refrain from making a move because you couldn't; you chose not to, to avoid revealing too much," Sima Qing said calmly.
"Making the move wouldn't have changed the outco. I would still have lost to the Chii Chess Sage. It was better to let go early," Mr. Li replied in a flat tone, though his words carried a deeper aning.
Sima Qing looked at Mr. Li in surprise and shook his head. "Let go? That's easier said than done. When the ti cos, it's never as easy as it sounds."
"The longer you hold on, the harder it becos to let go," Mr. Li said mildly.
"Let's not talk about this. Let's observe Zhong Shan's ga. From the match he played against my uncle, it's evident that Zhong Shan has at least one foot in the 'Dao Conception' realm, if not fully there. But what does this first move in the corner signify?" Sima Qing asked, frowning.
"The Great Saint King of Dazheng, no matter how shallow his background may be, is not soone ordinary people can fathom. This move is too risky and unconventional. It's hard to understand its purpose at this mont. What do you think, Young Prince?" Mr. Li asked.
"It does seem like a risky move. It's too early to say. Let's judge after Zhong Shan has made ten moves," Sima Qing responded calmly.
"Agreed."
The two of them continued to watch the chessboard, as did the surrounding chess players. Most didn't think highly of Zhong Shan. After all, if the Zixiao Master had been defeated, what chance did Zhong Shan stand? They speculated on how many moves Zhong Shan could make before failing.
"Snap!" "Snap!" ... In the blink of an eye, Zhong Shan had made twelve moves. However, the anticipated spectacle didn't occur. Zhong Shan was still persisting and seed unaffected.
Could it be that the Chii Chess Sage was intentionally going easy on him?
This thought briefly flashed through everyone's mind but was quickly dismissed. They trusted in the Chii Chess Sage's respect for the Way of Chess.
But it had already been twelve moves.
"Mr. Li, what do you think now?" Sima Qing asked, his brow deeply furrowed.
"This ga doesn't seem like Zhong Shan's style. Heavenly steed soaring across the skies, encompassing the world? It seems too far-fetched," Mr. Li said, frowning.
"Indeed, I feel the sa," Sima Qing nodded.
In another corner of the terrace.
"Strong man is indeed strong. Twelve moves, and still going!" Su Afo exclaid.
"Snap!" "Snap!" "Snap!"
"Sixteen moves now, why hasn't there been any celestial phenonon?" Su Afo wondered.
No celestial phenonon? Actually, when the tenth move was placed, so stars in the distant starry sky above the mist had already begun to shine brightly.
Sixteen moves. Everyone watched in astonishnt. Was Zhong Shan really this strong? While he had defeated Sima Zongheng before, even Sima Zongheng had only managed five moves.
What no one noticed was the subtle change in the Chii Chess Sage's expression. His pupils contracted slightly as he looked deeply at Zhong Shan, a rare seriousness creeping into his deanor.
The intricate chess match was unfolding, a ga that mirrored the entire world. Many of the surrounding chess players, watching intently, were already pale-faced, retracting their earlier underestimation of Zhong Shan.
"Snap!" "Snap!" "Snap!" ... The ga continued, and now Zhong Shan had placed twenty-five moves.
Yet the ga wasn't over.
The pieces kept falling. The ga continued.
"Uh, could it be that the Chii Chess Sage is going easy on him out of respect for you?" Su Afo looked at the Nine-Tailed Princess with a peculiar expression.
Su Afo wasn't particularly skilled in chess. He had co along mainly because of a retainer in his household. Seeing Zhong Shan make twenty-five moves, he instinctively thought the Chii Chess Sage might be letting him win.
The Nine-Tailed Princess, however, looked slightly smug and said, "You don't understand!"
"I don't understand? Please enlighten , Princess," Su Afo asked, puzzled.
"I told Zhong Shan earlier that if he couldn't make a proper move, he should just place the pieces randomly. Zhong Shan is as smart as I am!" the Nine-Tailed Princess said with pride.
Su Afo's mouth hung open, unable to close for a long ti. He didn't know whether to be more astonished by the Nine-Tailed Princess's statent or by Zhong Shan's apparent luck. Placing pieces randomly? Could it be true?
Among the spectators, so, like Su Afo, didn't understand chess well and assud the Chii Chess Sage was going easy on Zhong Shan. However, seeing so of the more skilled chess players turn pale, they began to realize that Zhong Shan might indeed be exceptionally skilled.
"Young Prince, what do you think?" Mr. Li asked, frowning.
"Strong, very strong! I can now be certain that he has definitely entered the Dao Conception realm!" Sima Qing said seriously.
Behind him, Sima Qianjun and Sima Zongheng looked at Zhong Shan with astonishnt and a hint of resentnt.
"Snap!" "Snap!" "Snap!" ... Zhong Shan's black pieces continued to fall one after another. Those who didn't understand chess had beco numb. Was it really that exaggerated? Zhong Shan had made 126 moves. Was he even human?
The chess players who understood the ga had long stopped watching. Many of them sat cross-legged with their eyes closed, trying to digest the moves made by Zhong Shan and the Chii Chess Sage.
126 moves. The chess players were speechless.
On the other side, Sima Qing, Mr. Li, Sima Qianjun, and Sima Zongheng were equally silent. The four of them had nothing more to say.
"Is Zhong Shan's chess skill really this formidable? 126 moves?" Sima Qianjun swallowed hard.
"Zhong Shan has exceeded my expectations!" Mr. Li said, frowning.
"Indeed," Sima Qing nodded.
At this mont, almost no one was looking at the chessboard layout. They were rely recording the sequence of moves.
All those who had recovered their composure did the sa, watching the moves without trying to understand their purpose, rely observing the two players.
Zhong Shan's moves had shocked everyone. Could he really be aiming to defeat the Chii Chess Sage?
Everyone looked at Zhong Shan, then at the Chii Chess Sage. Zhong Shan's face was expressionless, but the Chii Chess Sage's face had turned red?
There were even traces of blood in the Chii Chess Sage's eyes. Everyone rubbed their eyes, unwilling to believe this bizarre reality.
"Poof～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～!"
Suddenly, the Chii Chess Sage spat out a mouthful of blood, staining the entire chessboard.
"Boom～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～!"
A thunderbolt from the heavens shot down, a golden bolt of lightning striking the chessboard with a deafening roar, shattering it into dust.
Amid the massive shockwave, the spectators didn't panic or whisper among themselves. Instead, they collectively fell silent, staring at the two figures in astonishnt.
The focus was on the fresh blood at the corner of the Chii Chess Sage's mouth.
Did I see that right? Is this real? Zhong Shan is too monstrous! He broke the board and even made the Chii Chess Sage cough up blood?
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