In a clearing behind the mountain, three shimmering Golden Chessboards stood in neat formation, floating in midair. Flecks of spiritual light flickered across their patterned surfaces, and each emanated an aura of mysterious rules.
Yi Chen stood before the three girls with his hands behind his back, calm and composed. His deep gaze swept slowly over their three intent, attentive faces before he spoke evenly:
"These past few days, you've mastered the basic gameplay of the Golden Spatula and learned to play to your individual strengths.
But have you ever really thought about why I went to all the trouble of personally teaching you this game?"
The three exchanged glances, confusion in their eyes.
Ning Rongrong reacted fastest. She raised her hand and spoke brightly. "Is it to train our tactical thinking and ability to adapt in the moment?"
"That's only one reason."
Yi Chen nodded slightly, then gave a gentle shake of his head.
"More importantly, the Golden Spatula is going to completely overturn the rules and change the entire landscape of Douluo Continent in the not-too-distant future."
The three girls froze, disbelief written across their faces.
Change the landscape of the entire continent? Just a game?
The idea completely upended everything they knew.
Seeing their astonished expressions, Yi Chen gave a faint smile and patiently continued:
"You've all felt it yourselves, haven't you? After playing the Golden Spatula consistently these past few days, your mental power has become more refined and active, and your senses are sharper than before."
Ning Rongrong and Xiao Wu immediately nodded emphatically. Zhu Zhuqing also dipped her head, deeply agreeing.
"That's because the Golden Spatula's matches move at a rapid pace. Players have to make a large number of precise decisions in an instant: how to allocate their economy, how to assemble the best lineup, how to adjust their positioning in response to their opponents. This intense mental contest is itself the finest training for your mental power."
Yi Chen explained, "If you keep studying and playing matches, your mental power will grow several times faster than through ordinary meditation."
The three girls stared at him in astonishment.
"And that," Yi Chen continued, his tone suddenly turning more solemn, "is only the most basic and insignificant benefit of the Golden Spatula. Once the number of players across the continent reaches a certain scale, I'll officially unlock the advanced core modes: eight-player free-for-all matches and the ranked tier system."
"Eight-player matches? How do those work?" Xiao Wu asked curiously.
"Eight players enter the same arena at once. Each makes their own plans and fights for themselves, relying on superb strategy, precise resource management, and a little luck to decide the sole victor."
Yi Chen gave a brief explanation. "As for ranked tiers, they'll sort players into a complete hierarchy based on their actual competitive skill, from Iron at the bottom all the way to Challenger, the continent's highest rank."
"Will there be any special benefits for reaching Challenger?"
Ning Rongrong's eyes lit up. A shrewd glint flashed in them as she immediately pressed him about the rewards.
Yi Chen looked at her, the corner of his mouth curling into a meaningful smile. "That's exactly the right question."
He stood tall with his hands behind his back, his clear, solemn voice ringing across the entire clearing:
"Once the ranked system officially launches across the continent, all players will be able to claim exclusive, generous rewards upon reaching the required tiers. There'll be a wide variety of rewards, including, but not limited to, pure Soul Power infusions, top-grade Soul Rings, and rare, high-tier Soul Bones."
As his words fell, the air around them seemed to freeze.
The three girls' pupils contracted. Their eyes widened in utter disbelief, and their breathing caught.
"S-Soul Rings? And Soul Bones?" Ning Rongrong's voice trembled despite herself. She could hardly believe it.
"Master, do you mean that just by playing this game well, we can get Soul Rings and Soul Bones?"
"Exactly." Yi Chen nodded firmly.
"As long as your rank is high enough, these resources will be within easy reach. And they won't be ordinary goods, either. The guaranteed rewards at higher tiers will all be top-grade, starting at ten thousand years."
The three girls were shaken to the core, completely stunned.
As Spirit Masters, they understood better than anyone how valuable these rewards were—and what they meant.
For countless ordinary Spirit Masters with mediocre talent and no family backing, this was an incredible chance to change their fates!
They wouldn't have to risk their lives in dangerous Soul Beast forests or rely on powerful clans to fight over scarce cultivation resources.
They'd only have to study hard and play the Golden Spatula well to obtain the Soul Rings and Soul Bones countless people spent their whole lives yearning for!
"Master... is everything you said true?" Xiao Wu's voice quivered, unable to hide her excitement and shock.
Yi Chen's gaze was gentle yet utterly firm. "I never speak falsehoods."
He paused briefly, then continued, "But this opportunity won't simply fall into your laps. Only those who stand out in high-tier matches and demonstrate exceptional strategic talent and competitive skill will qualify for the top rewards. And..."
He looked at his three disciples, their eyes brimming with anticipation, and smiled.
"You're my personal disciples, so your opportunity and starting point will naturally be far beyond those of any other player on the continent. When the eight-player mode opens, I'll personally lead you in climbing the ranks. If you study seriously and train hard, reaching Challenger will be easy."
The three girls' eyes instantly blazed with excitement.
"Wonderful! I'm going to be the first to reach Challenger!" Ning Rongrong clenched her little fist, brimming with determination.
"I'm not going to lose to you! I'll get there first!" Xiao Wu immediately shot back, refusing to be outdone.
Zhu Zhuqing said nothing, but her cool eyes had already kindled with blazing determination.
Looking at their renewed energy and high spirits, Yi Chen nodded in satisfaction.
"Now that you know what the Golden Spatula can offer, you'd better take today's training twice as seriously."
With a light tap of his slender finger in midair, the three floating Golden Chessboards shifted and changed.
The entry-level Twilight Trial mode faded away, replaced by a series of specialized training stages with higher difficulty and more intricate logic.
"Today, we'll focus on a core strategy: managing your economy."
Yi Chen's expression turned serious as he continued, "Many beginners blindly chase high-tier pieces and try to put together top-grade equipment, but they overlook the fact that the economy is the foundation of every match.
"In the Golden Spatula, gold is your ammunition. Without a good supply, even the best equipment and strongest pieces can't show their full potential. They're nothing but scrap metal."
The three girls immediately put aside all thoughts of joking around, straightened up, and focused intently on the board as they listened.
"First, the most fundamental technique is 'earning interest'..."
Yi Chen began explaining the key concepts in a clear, orderly fashion, from the basic rules for stacking interest to the pros and cons of win and loss streaks.
He moved on to precise level-ups, when to roll for pieces, and every other detail of the strategy, making each point easy to understand through clear, thorough explanations.
The three girls listened with rapt attention and learned a great deal. From time to time, they raised questions, and Yi Chen patiently answered each one.
Warm sunlight filtered through layers of leaves, casting a dappled glow that gently enveloped the four of them.
The distant din of classes and students' laughter drifted over from Shrek's teaching building, full of bustle and life.
But the clearing behind the mountain was shut off from the clamor outside, a quiet little world of cultivation all its own.