Zhenlong Chess Game

After Qiao Feng left, Chen Feng and Fan Bailing departed from Apricot Grove. Western Xia's First-Rank Hall would appear soon, and Bei Su Qing Feng was no pleasant thing; he didn't want to experience it.

The You brothers took You Tanzhi back to Juxian Village, while Xue Muhua went to visit a famous doctor from Jiangnan. Fan Bailing expressed his hope that Chen Feng would help him solve a chess puzzle and headed straight for Henan with Chen Feng.

Drumming Mountain.

Fan Bailing brought Chen Feng to a mountain hollow. From afar, they could see a Go board carved onto a cliff face within the hollow. The characters "Zhenlong" were inscribed above the board, with black and white chess pieces scattered across it—it was clearly a Go endgame puzzle.

Beneath the cliff, an old man with silver hair and dressed in white sat silently.

Fan Bailing led Chen Feng to the chess game and bowed to the old man. He then said to Chen Feng, "This is the Zhenlong Chess Game. Young friend Xiaoyao, feel free to try."

"Aren't you going to greet that old gentleman?" Chen Feng asked knowingly.

"That's Mr. Congbian. He's deaf and mute, but it was this old gentleman who set up the Zhenlong Chess Game," Fan Bailing explained to Chen Feng, his heart filled with bitterness.

His eight fellow disciples had been expelled from the sect, and their master, Su Xinghe, had feigned deafness and muteness ever since, unable to speak for thirty years. Bringing Chen Feng here this time, he desperately hoped Chen Feng could solve the Zhenlong Chess Game.

"I see." Chen Feng bowed to Mr. Congbian and then focused his gaze on the Zhenlong Chess Game.

Seeing the game on the board, Chen Feng chose the white pieces, just as Xu Zhu had done, and began to deduce the game's progression.

Unknowingly, Chen Feng started placing pieces. Not only that, but Chen Feng easily solved the Zhenlong Chess Game without using Xu Zhu's method.

He then entered a secret cave, obtained Wu Yazi's seventy years of cultivation, practiced the peerless martial arts of the Xiaoyao Sect, and wreaked havoc in the world of Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils, returning to the world with an absolute advantage and receiving an SSS-Class rating.

After that, there was no stopping him. Elite Grade, Master Grade, Grandmaster Level—countless System notifications made him the most mysterious and powerful person in this world.

Money, status, and beautiful women came in droves. Anyone who stood in his way met only death.

Later, his identity was exposed. People from various factions captured his parents to threaten him, but he remained unmoved because he believed they were not his real parents, leading to their deaths.

When the parents of this body died, their faces suddenly changed to those of his parents from Blue Star, and then to his own. Chen Feng was startled, and all the visions vanished.

Chen Feng, jolted awake, spat out a mouthful of blood and became listless. Fan Bailing rushed to support him, his heart filled with disappointment.

Chen Feng knew he had fallen into an illusion. In Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils, both Murong Fu and Duan Yanqing had fallen into illusions due to their obsessions, nearly costing them their lives.

Chen Feng himself confirmed that the reason he was drawn into the chess game's illusion was his own greed.

Even though he thought he would gain the Xiaoyao Sect's inheritance this time and that failing the mission wouldn't matter, deep down, he still enjoyed being admired by others and receiving System notifications.

However, the events in the illusion served as a wake-up call: gaining power and losing oneself, becoming a slave to power, would ultimately lead to self-destruction.

Chen Feng was fortunate to have chosen the Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils world this time. The Zhenlong Chess Game made him realize that without a strong heart, immense power would only lead him astray.

Chen Feng gently pushed away Fan Bailing's supporting hand, then solemnly bowed to Su Xinghe. He then sat quietly on the ground, closed his eyes, and calmed himself.

"Elder Fan, would you help me play the pieces? I choose black," Chen Feng said after a few minutes, opening his eyes. He still chose to play chess, but this time he no longer thought about obtaining the Xiaoyao Sect's inheritance; it was purely for the rare Zhenlong Chess Game.

Seeing Chen Feng's intention to challenge again, before Fan Bailing could dissuade him, Su Xinghe nodded slightly. He then stood by the stone chess box, picked up a chess piece, and threw it directly towards Chen Feng's position.

As time passed, the pace of the game slowed. Chen Feng would stare at the board and consider for a long time with each move, yet he showed no signs of falling into an illusion.

This was because his heart held only one goal: to win.

He forgot his original intention for coming here, forgot the methods Xu Zhu used to win the game. All that remained was the dignity of a Grandmaster Level Go player.

As more pieces were placed, Chen Feng's black pieces became increasingly precarious. In the end, Chen Feng pondered for over ten minutes before finally sighing.

He knew the situation was decided, but he couldn't win with his superior chess skills. Just as Fan Bailing thought he was about to give up, Chen Feng announced a position.

As the black piece landed, the white pieces immediately formed an encirclement, capturing a large dragon of black pieces. However, the situation became clearer—a desperate move leading to a resurgence.

Chen Feng's move surprised the other two. Even Su Xinghe, who had studied this game for thirty years and deduced countless scenarios, had never thought of this move.

When playing chess, there is a desire to win. Most people would not consider such a desperate tactic to come back from the brink.

Su Xinghe already understood Chen Feng's chess skills. In the remaining game, the black pieces would definitely win. The Zhenlong Chess Game was broken.

With this thought, Su Xinghe laughed heartily. He reached out and pushed Chen Feng to the stone wall beside the chessboard, engraved with the characters "Xiaoyao." Then, with an aerial palm strike, he directly sent Chen Feng into the stone wall.

As Chen Feng entered the stone wall through a method only found in fantasy worlds, he knew that his greatest gain from the Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils world was secured.

Outside, after Chen Feng entered the stone wall, Su Xinghe beckoned. A white piece shot up and struck the mountaintop opposite the cliff with the chessboard.

With a bang, a figure was smashed down the cliff by the chess piece.

"What is this!" Fan Bailing exclaimed, startled, as he saw the figure falling down the cliff.

"It's a spy from that traitor Ding Chunqiu. He's had people watching this place all these years and would send a message every seven days. You have four more days. Once that Xiaoyao obtains the inheritance, take him and leave immediately, live in anonymity, and only emerge to deal with the traitor Ding Chunqiu after he has fully mastered the master's power," Su Xinghe said slowly, looking at his disciple.

"You? Master, aren't you coming with us?" Hearing Su Xinghe's words, Fan Bailing was stunned and quickly asked.

"If Ding Chunqiu doesn't receive the message in seven days, he'll know something has changed here and will definitely come out from his Xingxiu Sea. I'll go delay him. You and your seven fellow disciples will go into hiding with the new sect leader, concealing your identities," Su Xinghe said, then quickly departed.

He left behind a frantic Fan Bailing, who wanted to follow but dared not.