Terrifying Comprehension and Martial Soul Evolution

Not long after the meal, the Go master sought out by Qian Renxue arrived.

Zhang Kaiming stared at the ten-year-old child before him, momentarily stunned; it was his first time seeing a child so striking.

With brows like swords, a face like a sculpture, skin like jade, and lips red and teeth white, he looked as if he had been meticulously carved by nature itself.

Collecting himself, Zhang Kaiming bowed slightly:

"Young Master, my name is Zhang Kaiming. I am the Go teacher invited for you by His Highness the Crown Prince."

Qin Yuan sized up Zhang Kaiming. The man wore a brownish-red robe, his hair was graying, and he was of medium build with a slight hunch, yet there was a trace of arrogance between his brows—likely relying on his own skill in chess.

To be chosen by Qian Renxue, his chess skills must surely be the best in Heaven Dou City.

"Master Zhang." Qin Yuan did not act arrogant due to his status, but instead returned the greeting politely.

A flicker of surprise crossed Zhang Kaiming's aged eyes; it was his first time seeing a noble so polite, completely devoid of haughtiness.

A smile appeared on his wrinkled face:

"Young Master, let us begin."

Qin Yuan nodded.

Zhang Kaiming was truly a rare grandmaster of the board in Heaven Dou City; his understanding of the way of chess was profound, and his explanations were incisive and easy to grasp.

Qin Yuan absorbed the knowledge of chess like a sponge, thirsting for more.

The old man and the young boy spent the time from dawn until dusk, pausing only briefly for a meal, with the rest of the time dedicated to the instruction of chess.

As the sky grew dark, Zhang Kaiming took his leave, and Qin Yuan saw him out.

When he left, the look in Zhang Kaiming's eyes as he gazed at Qin Yuan was filled with deep shock.

He had never seen anyone progress so rapidly in the way of chess; in just one day, this child had advanced with the momentum of a monster.

The knowledge imparted in this single day was enough to equal months of hard study for an ordinary person!

What was most terrifying was that the boy could synthesize the information and draw inferences, truly fearsome.

To think such an intelligent child existed in this world.

After seeing Zhang Kaiming off, Qin Yuan summoned his panel.

[Name: Qin Yuan]

[Age: 10]

[Martial Soul: Little Grass Snake]

[Spirit Power: Level 5]

[Skills: None]

[Evolution Points: 0]

Glancing at the unchanged panel, he was not surprised; after all, it had only been one day.

Closing the panel, he turned and returned to his room, where White Butterfly had already warmed the bed.

Once White Butterfly left to stand guard at the door, he drifted into a deep sleep, his mind slightly weary.

Over the next two days, Zhang Kaiming arrived in the morning and left in the evening as usual.

On the evening of the third day, just as Zhang Kaiming was teaching a specific point of chess theory, Qin Yuan, who had been listening with rapt attention, suddenly saw a line of information appear before his eyes.

[Chess skill advanced to Stage One, rewarded with one Evolution Point]

His body jolted, and Qin Yuan's eyes widened.

So fast?!

He looked up at Zhang Kaiming, who was in the middle of an enthusiastic explanation, and said:

"Master Zhang, let's stop here for today."

Zhang Kaiming's voice came to an abrupt halt. He looked at Qin Yuan in surprise, then glanced up at the dimming sky; it was much earlier than the previous two days.

But he knew the rules and did not ask, simply nodding and leaving the palace under Qin Yuan's escort.

After seeing Zhang Kaiming off, Qin Yuan went straight back to his room, locked the doors and windows, and spoke:

"Uncle Fu, without my permission, no one is to enter."

"Yes, Young Master." An aged voice drifted from a shadow outside the door.

Li Fu was not a member of the palace staff; he was loyal only to him, and Qin Yuan trusted him.

Receiving the confirmation, the corners of Qin Yuan's mouth curled up. He walked to the bed, sat down, and focused his mind.

[Name: Qin Yuan]

[Age: 10]

[Martial Soul: Little Grass Snake (+)]

[Spirit Power: Level 5 (+)]

[Skills: Chess Stage One (1/100)]

[Evolution Points: 1]

Looking at the number one appearing in the Evolution Points column, along with the small plus signs next to his Martial Soul and Soul Power, his eyes gleamed.

A single evolution point is enough to evolve a Martial Soul?! The value of these evolution points is incredibly high!

Glancing at the plus sign next to his Soul Power, Qin Yuan decided to evolve his Martial Soul first.

After all, sharpening the axe never delays the woodcutting.

"Add point!"

Evolution points decreased by one.

At the same time, Qin Yuan felt a warm current surge within his body out of thin air. He could clearly sense his Martial Soul undergoing a transformation, growing stronger.

This sensation came and went quickly.

He immediately looked at the panel, his gaze falling on the Martial Soul column, and the corner of his mouth twitched.

The Martial Soul had changed from a Little Grass Snake to a Big Grass Snake.

It was still a grass snake in essence, with no significant changes; he estimated his Innate Soul Power had increased from half a level to one level.

Hmm... not bad. After all, it was only one evolution point; the future holds promise.

"Young Master, do you still need the bed warmed tonight?" At this moment, the gentle voice of the maid Red Moon drifted from outside the door; it was her turn to warm the bed today.

"No need," Qin Yuan refused. Having transmigrated for ten years, he had long grown accustomed to the extravagant life of a top-tier young master, but he didn't need it today.

"Understood." Red Moon's slightly disappointed voice sounded from outside.

Over the following period, Qin Yuan continued to display shocking levels of comprehension.

On the third day of learning chess, he advanced to the first rank of Chess Dao, gaining one evolution point; on the tenth day, he reached the second rank, gaining two points; on the twenty-fourth day, he reached the third rank, gaining three points...

After half a year of learning, he reached the perfection of the sixth rank of Chess Dao, accumulating a total of twenty-one evolution points.

That evening, Zhang Kaiming looked at the ten-year-old child before him with complex eyes and sighed:

"Young Master, you are truly the greatest chess prodigy I have ever seen in my life! After only half a year of study, you have reached the realm of a half-step Chess Dao Grandmaster. I have nothing left to teach you; the realm of a Chess Dao Grandmaster is something you must comprehend on your own."

"It is all thanks to Master Zhang's excellent teaching," Qin Yuan sat upright, blinking his clear, large eyes as he spoke.

Zhang Kaiming gave a bitter smile. No matter how well he taught, it was impossible for anyone to reach the half-step Chess Dao Grandmaster realm after only half a year of study.

Even the Chess Saint of Heaven Dou City was far inferior to Qin Yuan.

"Young Master, being able to teach you has been the honor of my life." After saying this, Zhang Kaiming bid Qin Yuan farewell and left.

He would not come again; there was nothing left to teach.

After seeing Zhang Kaiming off far from the palace, Qin Yuan returned to his room and instructed Uncle Fu that no one was to enter. Once he received confirmation, he sat in his chair and summoned the panel.

[Name: Qin Yuan]

[Age: 10 years old]

[Martial Soul: Golden Flood Dragon]

[Soul Power: Level 6 (+)]

[Skills: Chess Dao Rank 6 (5000/5000)]

[Evolution Points: 10]

Over these six months, his Martial Soul had evolved twice in total.

He spent one evolution point to evolve from a Little Grass Snake to a Big Grass Snake.

He spent ten evolution points to evolve from a Big Grass Snake to a Golden Flood Dragon.

The Golden Flood Dragon Martial Soul was considered a beast soul of decent quality. Qin Yuan estimated it corresponded to about level five Innate Soul Power, but he was not satisfied.

He looked forward to the next evolution, hoping for a top-tier Martial Soul that would satisfy him before he went to obtain his soul ring.

Therefore, he would not spend his evolution points on increasing his soul power for now, but would save them to evolve his Martial Soul again.

His gaze fell on the skills column, and a look of distress appeared on his finely sculpted, fair face.

He had reached the perfection of the sixth rank of Chess Dao seven days ago. Skills that could usually be advanced directly once the experience bar was full were now stubbornly stuck.

To advance to the seventh rank of Chess Dao—the realm of a Chess Dao Grandmaster—one needed to comprehend the "Chess Heart" before advancement could occur.

This stumped Qin Yuan. How was he supposed to know how to comprehend something as ethereal and intangible as a Chess Heart?

When he asked the Chess Dao Grandmaster Zhang Kaiming, the man could not explain it clearly, only saying: "This requires your own comprehension."

Qin Yuan had no choice but to try to comprehend it himself. After seven days of contemplation, he was still clueless, left with a giant question mark.

He closed the panel, lay on the bed, and stared blankly at the cyan canopy with his clear, bright eyes.

What on earth is a Chess Heart?