The Desolation as the Chessboard, People as the Pieces
According to Lian Yi's description, this Great Desolation Relic might actually be a chess set!
First, there are thirty-two chess pieces, which perfectly matches the Great Desolation Relic Token. In addition, there is a river and a boundary on the chessboard, named Chu River Han Boundary, which are exactly the same as the Chu River and Han Boundary in the Great Desolation Relic. Most importantly, the Great Desolation Relic is actually a chessboard, which perfectly matches the chessboard.
"So the game you're talking about isn't decided by the difference in strength, right?" Ma Feifei asked. If Ma Feifei's idea is correct, then the Great Desolation Relic should be a game of chess, with thirty-two people divided into two camps, Role Play different pieces. There should also be things like 'general' and 'king', and the side whose 'general' or 'king' survives in the end wins.
"Shopkeeper, you're so clever!" Lian Yi flattered him subtly, replying, "According to the predecessors who entered the Great Desolation Relic Ruins, once the Great Desolation Relic open and the Great Desolation Chessboard appears, the thirty-two people holding the Great Desolation Relic Token will transform into chess pieces on the board and be divided into two camps to begin the game. The chess pieces will also acquire their own identities accordingly."
"The Great Desolation Chessboard has various identities, some high and some low. A player of higher identity can eliminate a player of lower identity who is their opponent. And it is said that a player of lower identity can also eliminate a player of higher identity."
"However, the rules are too complex, so much so that those predecessors who entered the Great Desolation Relic before couldn't understand them and were eliminated. Therefore, we will have to wait until we go in to understand the rules in detail. But one thing is certain: within the Great Desolation Chessboard, the way to win is not through force, but through wisdom."
Lian Yi talked on and on until it got dark. Zhang Caicai in the kitchen had finished preparing the food, and the dining table in the yard was set up. They were just waiting for Ma Feifei to give the order to start the meal.
"I understand. Are you hungry? Want to eat something together?" After hearing Lian Yi's words, Ma Feifei roughly understood what the dungeon in the Great Desolation Relic was all about. It was chess. However, what puzzled Ma Feifei was that chess was something that existed in his world, so how could it exist on the Azure Dragon Continent as well? And why was it one of the nine great ruins?
"Okay! Thank you for your hospitality, Lian Yi owner. I won't be polite then." Lian Yi nodded generously in response.
"Zhang Caicai, prepare an extra set of bowls and chopsticks."
"Alright, shopkeeper."
"..."
Although Luan Feng and Zhang Yunji didn't eat at the Mysterious Bookstore that night, the number of people eating there was no less than at noon, because a bored Sky-reaching Ape Monkey squeezed in, and Lian Yi was also there.
The dinner dishes were exactly the same as lunch, a "Six-Ranked Stew". The only difference was that this time Zhang Caicai did not take out the stove from the kitchen to use. Instead, she divided the food into several large plates and arranged them together to fill the entire long table.
If you ignore the fact that every plate contains the same dish, this is already quite a good price.
It must be said that although Zhang Caicai's dishes were a bit unappetizing in terms of presentation, the taste was absolutely amazing. A seemingly haphazardly put-together stew tasted like a royal meal. Even Lian Yi was initially a little resistant, nodded repeatedly after tasting the 'Six-Ranked Stew' and finally started eating voraciously without any regard for her image.
The others behaved similarly, except for Yun Qingyang, who was a "fairy" who didn't eat grains but only consumed "Heaven and Earth Spiritual Energy." She was unmoved by Zhang Caicai's cooking and instead kept checking and thinking about her newly written book while eating. Occasionally, she would have a flash of inspiration and start writing on the spot, as if she were possessed.
After dinner, Ma Feifei and Lian Yi squeezed together again to continue their conversation. Unlike before, Lian Yi spoke with much more confidence this time, because she could tell that Ma Feifei seemed very interested in the Great Desolation Relic; otherwise, she wouldn't have continued to discuss this topic with her after dinner.
"Whoosh~" A gust of cold wind blew by, and Ma Feifei couldn't help but shiver. "Strange, why did the temperature drop so quickly?"
"Honestly, shopkeeper, I think if you enter the Great Desolation Relic Ruins with me, we'll definitely be the winners. Although I don't know what the reward will be, according to the information I've received, there was once a scholar who entered the Great Desolation Relic and came out having reached the Spirit Saint realm. It's simply astonishing." Lian Yi began to tell Ma Feifei some historical evidence she knew, hoping to use it to Captivate Ma Feifei to agree to enter the Great Desolation Relic with her.
"Since the Great Desolation Relic don't rely on cultivation level, why did you come to me?" Ma Feifei asked suspiciously. Lian Yi didn't seek out someone she was close to for such a great opportunity; instead, she shared it with him. It's simply not in line with human selfishness!
"As I said before, only you, shopkeeper, are worthy to enter the Great Desolation Relic with me." Lian Yi flattered him.
"Speak like a human being," Ma Feifei said seriously.
"I stole the Great Desolation Relic Token from the Vast Academy. If they can't find me, they'll definitely try to ambush me at the Great Desolation Relic. So I'm asking you, shopkeeper, to protect me." Lian Yi pinched the hem of her skirt and said apologetically.
Although Lian Yi's identity has not been exposed, everyone's aura is different. For a powerful figure like Spirit Saint, as long as they remember your aura, they can Foresight no matter how you try to disguise yourself in the future.
Lian Yi wasn't stupid. From the moment she was discovered stealing the Great Desolation Relic Token, she thought of the Mysterious Bookstore and its owner, Ma Feifei, whom she had met once. This was the number one power on the continent, whose prestige currently surpassed that of the Vast Academy.
"Hmm... So how many spots are you planning to give me?" Ma Feifei for a moment and asked.
Upon hearing this, Lian Yi smiled happily, stretched out one hand with her five fingers spread, and said, "If you, shopkeeper, are willing to go to the Great Desolation Relic Lian Yi me, I will offer you five Great Desolation Relic Tokens with both hands."
In other words, besides keeping one Great Desolation Relic Token for herself, Lian Yi gave the remaining five tokens to Ma Feifei as a reward.
"Okay, I agree." Ma Feifei nodded and finally agreed. He also wanted to see what this Great Desolation Relic was all about, since they actually used a chessboard and chess pieces to decide the winner.
"Thank you, shopkeeper!" Lian Yi bowed and expressed her gratitude.
"Well... I've finished talking. You can go now. I'm going to Rest." Ma Feifei hadn't slept well last night and was even more sleepy now. She got up to go inside.
"Shopkeeper, could you please take me in? I'm afraid the people from the Vast Academy will come looking for me," Lian Yi pleaded pitifully.
"The rooms are full. There's a door behind you. Goodbye." Ma Feifei's lazy voice came from behind. 'Bang!' The door closed.
"Hmph, stingy." Lian Yi stomped her Stomping Tantrum, looking at Ma Feifei's door with a resentful expression.
"Phew~"
Suddenly, a cold wind blew by, and Lian Yi couldn't help but shiver. She subconsciously turned her head and saw that the girl who had been writing during dinner was now standing quietly at the door, dressed in a black outfit and holding a long, black sword, coldly staring at her.
"Go out by yourself, or I'll take you."
The voice was so cold it seemed to Infiltrator one's heart. Lian Yi couldn't help but take a step back, quickly shaking her head and waving her hands. "Hehe... no need to trouble the Saint One, I'll be leaving now, I'll be leaving now."
Having said that, Lian Yi didn't dare linger. Without even leaving the door, she leaped out of the backyard and disappeared.