Chapter 736 - Celestial Dragon Chess Game
Ye Futian had been verifying what he had learned with all nine games for the next few days. He tried different play styles with every single game, yet he ended up losing every time. Even the elders who were playing with him were able to see that he had been seeking defeat intentionally, observing the changes in their play style through his own.
It was the first time for any of them to see someone learn in such a way. There was not even a single person in Chess Saint Villa who had done so before. They were secretly impressed at how Ye Futian indeed had thoughts about things.
Ye Futian observed the changes of the nine games through doing actual battle, just to verify what he had learned for the days past. He felt himself progressing at breakneck speeds in chess.
Everyone else other than Ye Futian had progressed as well. They were even a few who were able to break all nine games: Han Jing, Zhou Zichao, Zhou Ziyi, Goddess Qingni, and Mo Jun of Xihua Sacred Mountain. Other than that, there were also some others who broke eight games, with only one more to go.
Everyone progressed, but of course, some relied on more than just themselves to do so. For instance, Zhou Zichao and his sister, Zhou Ziyi, had elders from Xihua Sacred Mountain providing guidance. The master players of chess that they hired for the event guided them like how Sage Wanxiang guided Ye Futian. After all, Chess Saint Villa did not set any rules regarding the methods used for breaking the games.
The day that Yang Xiao had set eventually came. Many mighty ones from Yujing City came to witness the event on that day. People flocked to Jinghua Mountain, landing on Chess Peak. Countless silhouettes were found on ancient peaks and huge rocks; all of them were people who came for the event.
Many elders from Chess Saint Villa arrived that day and all of them were there to witness the opening of the Celestial Dragon Chess Game.
Ye Futian and his party arrived very early at Chess Peak. They stood quietly and countless around them were talking about the chess battles that day.
“I can’t believe that Liu Zong still hasn’t shown up.” Many were seen looking around but no one saw Liu Zong at Chess Peak. Is he really going to miss today’s chess battle for real?
Zhou Zichao and Zhou Ziyi are indeed siblings who are also students of the sacred dynasty. They both exude an air of elegance about them.
Mo Jun looked incredibly dashing and exceptional. Han Jing looked steady and reserved. Li Mu had a handsome yet flighty feeling about him, a testament of the bearing of his teacher: the Sword Celestial.
Goddess Qingni sported looks that reigned supreme in Jinghua Mountain. She stood alone on a huge rock, her green dress and jet black hair billowed in the wind, looking as if she was actually a fairy, one that was to be admired from afar and never to be defiled in any way.
The girls around Ye Futian all wore thin veils over their faces, hiding them. There were many who were curious about how they looked, speculating from the girls’ figure and bearing that all of them were incredibly beautiful.
They were also many who talked about Ye Futian. Although he was nowhere as famous in the Eastern State as he was in the Barren State, there were many who knew him nonetheless. All of that, coupled with some news regarding him as of late, he attracted quite a lot of attention to himself still.
At that moment, a group of people was seen walking on the ancient road in the middle of Chess Peak. Many made way for them, seeing Yang Xiao and eight of his juniors walking in their direction.
“They’re here.” Many turned their eyes at Yang Xiao and the others. The Celestial Dragon Chess Game was about to be opened.
The group made it to a cliff at Chess Peak and slowly took to the air, saying, “The Celestial Dragon Chess Game was something left behind by our teacher, passed on to all nine of us. As such, The game is one that has limitless changes and it will now be laid out by all nine of us. We present to you, the Celestial Dragon Chess Game.”
Yang Xiao turned around and looked at the many elders standing on both sides of the cliff, saying, “Open.”
The elders from Chess Saint Villa moved and went on to blast the huge cliff. Explosive rumble was heard all over the place in an instant, and dazzling lights were seen on top of the cliff as if it was something forged out of matrixes. Many were found with startled looks on their faces. They never expected a matrix to be hidden in the cliff itself.
The matrix shone increasingly bright, spreading out to the inside of the cliff. Beams of terrifying light shot out of the cliff from inside out. Countless cracks were seen on the cliff in an instant. Patterns lit up and with a loud rumble, the rocks of the cliff turned to dust and dissipated.
Blinding light shimmered in that very instant, which drew the eyes of many. The light emanated from a huge chessboard, which hovered in midair.
Yang Xiao and his other juniors stepped forward and landed on the shimmering chessboard. Their bodies seemed to have melded with the board in an instant, being covered in light.
“This would be the Celestial Dragon Chess Game, one that all nine of us brothers and sisters will hold together. Any of the invited ones are welcomed to try to break the game.” Yang Xiao stood on the chessboard and said, looking at everyone, “Of course, I advise all who intend to step onto the Celestial Dragon Chess Game to first break the nine games prior. The pressure will prove too great to bear otherwise.”
Many eyes looked at Yang Xiao and the other eight of his juniors. Who would be able to break a chess game held by the nine students of the Chess Saint?
No one moved and everyone seemed to be hesitating.
“I’ll try.” A voice was finally heard. Han Jing was seen stepping forward and countless eyes gazed at him.
Han Jing, the first to challenge the Celestial Dragon Chess Game.
“Please,” Yang Xiao said.
“Please,” Han Jing said returning the courtesy.
Yang Xiao waved his hand and placed a piece at the center of the board, containing incredibly terrifying power of rules.
Han Jing waved his hand as well and placed his first piece. However, the second piece was placed by Li Kaishan, the second student of the Chess Saint. A streak of golden lightning seemed to have descended upon the board as he waved his hand, making all who were watching shudder.
“Is it that all nine of the students of Celestial Dragon Chess Game place a piece each?” many asked themselves in silence, and they quickly got their answers to that question in no time.
All of the first nine moves were placed by all nine students.
An extremely violent power began to whip up on the board with just the nine pieces placed, vaguely intending to devour all the might Han Jing had about him.
“Such incredible might.” Many shuddered. It was no longer a simple chess game. It looked more like a battle fought through a chess game. Such a terrifying force was already whipped up with only nine pieces placed by Yang Xiao and his people.
Han Jing felt the looming might the most as he was the one playing it. He came to look incredibly serious as he kept placing his pieces. The pieces he placed seemed resonate with one another, intending to form a matrix.
Both sides kept playing and the number of pieces on the board grew. Sweat appeared on Han Jing’s forehead. The chess game contained nine types of great changes as if it was played using different play styles. Worse still, every play style seemed to contain limitless changes, making it impossible to see through them.
Whoosh… Sword aura whooshed about and a sword matrix appeared on a corner of the chessboard, formed by the rules of the pieces. Han Jing wanted to place his piece there, but surprisingly, he was unable to do so. The piece was devoured by the sword aura before it even landed on the board.
“So this is the rules of chess battle of the Celestial Dragon Chess Game then? One which enables one to block the play style of the other.” Everyone present shuddered. Han Jing was practically drenched in sweat. He held the piece in his hand but had no idea where to place it. At that moment, he had only been able to feel overwhelming exhaustion and tired in his spiritual power. He waved his hand and placed another piece.
“Han Jing is going to lose,” some among the audience who were versed with the art of chess murmured to themselves. Han Jing had made a mistake under the huge pressure, which was one that should not have happened to him.
At that moment, the fourth student of the Chess Saint placed a piece. Many shuddered the very second the piece landed on the board. A ferocious-looking bone dragon appeared on the chessboard, baring its fangs as it went for Han Jing. Han Jing went all pale, and with a grunt, spat blood onto the chessboard. He flashed and backed away from the chessboard, then sat down to restore his damaged mind and regenerate worn spiritual power.
Many turned their eyes on that game. Several matrixes were vaguely sensed to be on the verge of taking form, exuding terrifying powers which were forged by every single piece on the board.
“Uncle.” Ye Futian’s experience was a dire and serious one, as he looked at Sage Wanxiang who had been standing by his side. Despite his startling rate of progress in the art of chess, that game was one he would have no chance at breaking. It was not an opinion formed out of having a low opinion of oneself, but one that originated in knowing one’s place.
“Intricate.” Sage Wanxiang praised, “All nine of these people were students of the Chess Saint, and as such, it is only natural for all of them to be experts in chess. All nine of them laid out a game and nine different play styles were seen. Straightforward ones and twisty ones were all there. There was only a need for one person to simulate and predict the play styles before, but the difficulty of this one is truly several magnitudes of order higher. Furthermore, all nine of them were playing in order, yet there were no rules saying that they had to actually play in a specific order.”
Ye Futian nodded. He was able to tell from the short game that everything about the art of chess written in the books was all in the game. All nine students of the Chess Saint played in ways that were nothing short of godlike. Even Jiu Gongzi, who was seen fooling around all the time before, definitely sported very high-level proficiency at the art.
A ruckus was heard from the crowd and many turned their eyes where the ruckus came from. A figure walked toward the board from afar. Be it clothing or looks, the person did not look spectacular in any way, yet he exuded an incredibly unique air, which seemed to be a sense of self-confidence originating from the very core of his being. The angles of his face were sharp and there was no expression on his face. His strides were steady, not too fast nor too slow, with every step identical to the other.
“Liu Zong.”
“He is finally here.”
The number one among the younger generations of Xihua Sacred Mountain, Liu Zong, arrived the very day the Celestial Dragon Chess Game was opened.
“Senior.” Mo Jun looked at that figure walking while shimmering with divine light. As far as looks went, even Mo Jun was more handsome than Liu Zong.
Liu Zong lifted his head and looked up at Mo Jun, nodding at him as a gesture of acknowledgment. However, Liu Zong did not actually walk to where the Celestial Dragon Chess Game was. Instead, he walked up to the first game of the nine games. He landed on the board and said, “Elder, if you’d please.”
“Very well,” the old man said and both began to play, which surprisingly attracted everyone’s attention.
The game between both of them looked very tranquil in comparison. Be it the old man or Liu Zong, none had any angst.
What felt terrifying with the game was that the play style of the old man grew increasingly powerful as the game went, forming a matrix with the pieces, yet Liu Zong’s play style looked extremely plain instead. However, the game that the old man played did not seem to pose any threat.
Soon, the old man was cornered with no way to place his pieces adequately. He was slowly being cornered to the point of no return. He looked at the game before them and said, “Young people are truly ferocious. I admit defeat.”
“It has been an honor,” Liu Zong said calmly and then went on to challenge the second game. He played full out and beat all nine games soon. The ninth game was the only one that proved somewhat threatening to him!