Old Monster Jin and Bai Yue had initially thought they were just ordinary flying swords. But when they released their divine sense to scan them, they couldn't help but be shocked. They were actually two upper Mystic-Grade Flying Swords! Although they seemed somewhat ancient and a bit worn, that was nothing for upper Mystic-Grade Flying Swords. A round of re-refining would make them as good as new.
"These two little trinkets are a bit old, but they're perfectly usable."
Old Monster Jin and Bai Yue were both staring wide-eyed at Gu Qingfeng. They could never have imagined that a mere Golden-Core cultivator would casually produce two upper Mystic-Grade Flying Swords, and even call them 'little trinkets'?
Such words, even they, as Daozun who had cultivated for many years, wouldn't dare utter.
"You... you... where did you get these two flying swords, kid?"
"We're just playing a game of chess. What does it matter to you where I got them? Even if I stole or robbed them, it's none of your business."
"This..." Old Monster Jin was left speechless.
Indeed.
It was just a chess wager. He had no right to question the origin of the stakes.
But as for stealing or robbing... these things weren't easy to steal, let alone rob. At the very least, they were certain that a cultivator at the Golden-Core level, no matter how he stole or robbed, couldn't possibly obtain upper Mystic-Grade Flying Swords. Seeing how worn the swords were, it was likely this kid had stumbled upon some incredible luck, picking them up from some ancient cave dwelling.
"Let's compromise. I'll wager one brand-new upper Mystic-Grade Flying Sword and one Five-Color Crystal against yours. How about it?"
How about it?
It was fantastic!
For Old Monster Jin, this was a huge bargain. He gave Gu Qingfeng a deep look and said, "Alright, kid. I misjudged you earlier. Come on, Black-White Chess. Which color do you want? You pick."
"I've never been one for 'white' in my life."
Gu Qingfeng pulled the pot filled with black chess pieces over and said, "I'll use the black pieces."
"Good! Don't say I'm bullying you. I'll give you a nine-move handicap. You go first."
"Isn't nine moves a bit much?"
"Not at all! Just play. If I lose, it's my loss. What are you afraid of!"
"Fine, let's do it."
Gu Qingfeng picked up a black piece and placed nine pieces on the board.
"What the hell kind of opening is this?"
Old Monster Jin stared at the nine black pieces on the board. Despite his high skill in chess, he had never seen such a bizarre opening.
In Black-White Chess, the player whose pieces can first interact and evolve with the Qiankun board wins.
Typically, the opening involves trying to first evolve the Five-Phase, then following the momentum, link by link, until finally evolving and transforming with the Qiankun board.
But these nine pieces... their placement was meaningless. They couldn't even form a complete Five-Phase, let alone initiate any evolution.
Old Monster Jin glanced at Bai Yue, who was also frowning deeply, equally perplexed.
Not overthinking it, Old Monster Jin picked up a white piece and made his move.
Meanwhile, Gu Qingfeng took out a wine gourd, drinking as he played. He looked relaxed and composed. In contrast, Old Monster Jin grew more and more confused and frustrated with each move, scratching his head because he simply couldn't understand. Gu Qingfeng's moves were a complete mess, disjointed and incoherent, as if he had just grabbed a handful of black pieces and randomly tossed them onto the board. No! Old Monster Jin felt that even randomly throwing a handful of pieces would yield a better game than what this kid was playing.
"Kid, do you even know how to play chess?"
"I have these two flying swords, don't I? If I lose, you can take them."
Gu Qingfeng placed another black piece on the board and said, "Besides, you've already lost."
Hearing this, Old Monster Jin and Bai Yue both found it baffling and somewhat laughable. Old Monster Jin especially retorted, "I told you you don't know how to play! You've been at it this long and haven't managed a single evolution. I'm already at twelve transformations. At most, a few more and I'll be interacting with the Qiankun."
"In Black-White Chess, it's not about the number of transformations. As long as you can resonate with the Qiankun, one transformation is enough."
"The key is you don't have even one! You haven't even moved a Five-Phase!"
Gu Qingfeng took a sip of wine and said unhurriedly, "My black pieces don't need to change. Your white pieces' changes are enough. Black is Yin, white is Yang. Yin and Yang intertwine, and the Five-Phase can also shift. Your twelve transformations produced a Thunder-Wind Draw. My thirty-three black pieces, borrowing your Thunder-Wind movement, become Li Center Void. With Li Center Void, one can also move the Qiankun."
"You... I..." Old Monster Jin hadn't looked closely before, but now, examining the board, he was dumbfounded. Disbelieving, he scrutinized it again. It was true! This kid's thirty-three pieces looked chaotic and indeed were, but if they borrowed the Thunder-Wind Draw from his own twelve transformations, they would form Li Center Void! And with Li Center Void, one could indeed move the Qiankun!
"Truly eye-opening! Truly eye-opening!"
Bai Yue stroked his beard, exclaiming in admiration, "This old man has played Black-White Chess for hundreds of years and considered himself quite skilled. But today, I realize I was merely a frog at the bottom of a well. Little brother, your thirty-three black pieces may seem chaotic, but they are profoundly mysterious. They subtly lure the opponent's white pieces into changes, each transformation anticipated. The twelfth transformation produces the Thunder-Wind Draw, forming Li Center Void, seizing this opportunity to move the Qiankun! Truly remarkable! Truly remarkable! Little brother, you are a celestial being!"
"I... I lost just like that?"
Old Monster Jin seemed unable to accept such a cruel reality, standing there stunned, unable to react. He stared fixedly at the board, looking over it again and again. The more he looked, the more astonished he became; the more he looked, the more regretful he felt; the more he looked, the more aggrieved and stifled he was!
"You kid... you damn..." Old Monster Jin pointed at Gu Qingfeng, at a complete loss for words. He could never have imagined that his chess skills, of which he had always been so proud, would be defeated in less than a moment of opening play—and by a mere Golden-Core youth at that.
"My apologies. A bet is a bet."
Gu Qingfeng bent down to take the upper Mystic-Grade Flying Sword that originally belonged to Old Monster Jin from the table. Old Monster Jin instinctively pressed his hand on the sword. Gu Qingfeng raised an eyebrow and asked, "What's this? Can't handle losing?"
"You damn kid..." Old Monster Jin wasn't a sore loser. He just felt this loss was too unjust, too baffling. He didn't even understand what had happened before he inexplicably lost. Watching as the kid across from him pocketed his upper Mystic-Grade Flying Sword and that Five-Color Crystal, Old Monster Jin felt his heart bleeding and an intense pang of regret.
That upper Mystic-Grade Flying Sword—he had spent decades gathering spirit treasures and resources to painstakingly forge it. And that Five-Color Crystal—he had offended many people to finally seize it after great difficulty. And now, in the blink of an eye, they were gone.
All of it had fallen into the hands of this kid across from him.
At first, Old Monster Jin had thought this guy's smile was simple and honest, harmless. But now, he felt the curve of this guy's lips was sinister, a smile that sent chills down his spine. Especially the way this guy sat there with his legs crossed, casually drinking from his wine gourd... it was just... just like a cunning old gambler.
"Come on, let's play a few more rounds."
Gu Qingfeng extended a hand in a gesture of invitation.
This invitation made Old Monster Jin's heart skip a beat. "Kid, not bad! You don't show off, don't reveal your depths, yet you're actually a deeply hidden chess master. I really misjudged you!"