Chapter 108: Master Yanming

Behind Jiang Min, a chill ran down her spine in an instant.

This was the instinctive reaction of an outer sect disciple facing a powerful and unfamiliar cultivator—a fear of life and death beyond one’s control.

Though she had set up the formation to guard against Foundation Establishment cultivators at most, this man calmly stepped into the array without triggering even the slightest disturbance, moving silently.

The peach branch tied around her wrist, which could suppress the spiritual shields of Golden Core cultivators, now quivered with fear before him. This meant his cultivation surpassed that of the Golden Core stage…

Before such power, all schemes ceased to matter.

The man wore a simple grey-blue long robe, tall and lean, with an elegant face framed by thick eyebrows and bright eyes.

His aura was that of an immortal’s, refined and ethereal. Whether it was the smile on his face or the grace of his movements, he exuded a sense of ease and composure. He did not appear like someone of high rank, but more like a worldly traveler—carefree and unrestrained, at home wherever he roamed, making friends far and wide. If he suddenly produced a bottle of wine, Jiang Min would not find it out of place.

His eyes were bright and spirited, deep and vast, harboring a formidable power that could not be overlooked.

Having experienced countless life-and-death moments, Jiang Min quickly adjusted her mindset. After a brief moment of shock, her spiritual eyes flickered, and she bowed with poise, saying, “If you, Senior, have the interest, this junior shall accompany you.”

“However, to be frank, my skill at chess is poor; I have only studied for a few days. I must apologize in advance for my lack of skill.”

Jiang Min guessed that this man’s great cultivation allowed him to bypass her formation and perceive her insight into the Dao, knowing she had broken the ancient chess array. That was why he sought her out.

Danger and opportunity lay side by side; this might be another crisis—or perhaps an opportunity.

The man smiled and said, “Regardless, you are the only one to have solved the ancient chess array since it reappeared. No need to be nervous. Just think of me as a chess enthusiast who, upon seeing a skilled player, wishes to make a friend.”

Jiang Min’s heart stirred.

His words revealed much.

It indicated that since the ancient chess array reemerged, he had been guarding it, waiting for someone to solve it.

Could it be…

“Could it be that you, Senior, caused the ancient chess array to manifest?” Jiang Min asked in surprise.

“Yes, sit,” the man replied casually. He lifted his robe sleeves and sat cross-legged on a stone slab. With a wave of his hand, a chess table, board, and two boxes of pieces appeared before him.

The chessboard and pieces were made of unknown precious materials, clearly rare treasures, imbued with intangible yin-yang energy that flowed and shifted. It was an exceptionally rare yin-yang artifact.

Jiang Min sat cross-legged opposite him without hesitation.

The man waved his sleeve, and several black and white pieces flowed with yin-yang energy, forming the ancient chess array’s pattern.

He raised his slender fingers and picked up the pieces one by one, placing them on the board while asking, “I broke this array using a life-for-life strategy. Young friend, how did you break it?”

Jiang Min’s gaze fixed on the board.

The man was demonstrating his method.

The white pieces sacrificed themselves recklessly, being captured one after another, but by these sacrifices, they continuously counterattacked fragmented black pieces, gradually disrupting the black’s formation.

“Truly a reckless style,” Jiang Min thought.

What tremendous risk and courage must one have to play so? To ordinary people, it might seem like the white pieces were merely giving away their lives.

Yet this man, through relentless sacrifice, silently dragged the black pieces to destruction, and before either side depleted their pieces, used his dwindling white pieces to break the black’s groups, completing a counter-kill.

As she watched, Jiang Min thought, “The ancient senior who spoke of a life-for-life method must be this very man.”

The game ended.

The man looked at the final layout with some regret. “My solution failed to satisfy Lady Xuanwei, who bestowed upon you the Dao resonance. She must have been more pleased with your method of breaking the array. Would you care to share some of your approach?”

With a wave of his sleeve, the board returned to the ancient chess array’s endgame position.

Lady Xuanwei?

Jiang Min was surprised.

According to the chess scriptures, during the chaotic era a thousand years ago, when intellectual schools flourished and geniuses emerged, there were four great chess saints who attained the Dao through chess. One of them was Lady Xuanwei.

It was said Lady Xuanwei left behind several profound chess manuals containing deep insights, but during the wars, these manuals were lost and their whereabouts unknown.

She had not expected that this ancient chess array was the legacy of Lady Xuanwei, one of the four great chess saints of that chaotic era.

Jiang Min picked up a white piece.

The piece was warm and smooth in her hand, radiating yang energy, a pleasant sensation.

“I have only studied a few chess manuals and do not understand many problems. I simply play by feeling.”

She proceeded to place her pieces one by one, reconstructing her solution with generosity and clarity. The man saw she had won in three phases:

By retreating to advance.

Feigning weakness to deceive.

And relying on external forces.

“Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful,” the man said, his eyes shining with admiration as he examined the board. “A fine sword for a hero, a good game for a destined player. This chessboard shall be yours.”

Jiang Min looked up in surprise. This chessboard was clearly a precious and powerful artifact, and he simply gave it to her?

Yet hesitation arose.

She could accept the fate left by the departed or seize treasures from thieves without feeling indebted. But favors from the living were never so simple—once accepted, they entangled one in obligations.

She did not understand this senior’s character.

Some things were simply not worth coveting.

After a moment’s thought, Jiang Min composed herself and said sincerely and with ease, “Senior, one should not accept rewards without merit. This chessboard is too precious; I am unworthy and cannot accept it.”

...

On Great Ring Mountain, suddenly a flying vessel descended.

Strong cultivators from the seven great factions disembarked and gathered with their comrades on the open ground beneath the ancient chess array.

The original scattered cultivators on the ground understood the implication: the seven great families had allied once more to seize the ancient chess array as their own treasure, making this place their exclusive domain.

A leader stepped forward.

He surveyed the wandering cultivators and spread his voice with spiritual power, speaking bluntly and loudly: “The Great Azure Pavilion, Mingshan Wu Clan, Northern Pass Cai Clan, Red Leaf Valley, Daocheng Sect, Wenshu Academy, and Jishan City have taken control of this place. Those unrelated should leave immediately, or do not blame us for being rude!”

This man was a Foundation Establishment cultivator at full completion, his voice carrying an intimidating aura that startled many trying to solve the chess array. They immediately realized the seven great factions intended to drive out the scattered cultivators and claim the treasure land.

A middle-aged Foundation Establishment cultivator stepped forward and said gravely, “The ancient chess array belongs to no one. Aren’t you going too far?”

The leader’s smile was cold and forced. “From now on, it has an owner.”

“You—” The cultivator was about to retort angrily when a sharp, cold voice rang through the mountains, heavy with authority, coming from the flying vessel above.

“Fellow Daoist.”

“Unowned things go to those with strength to claim them. This principle should be clear, yes?”

Feeling the weight of this voice’s authority, all scattered cultivators changed color.

A Golden Core cultivator!

A tall figure slowly descended from the vessel, floating in midair, dressed in a green robe, his face cold and stern. The aura of a Golden Core cultivator radiated fully, oppressing everyone present to the point of shortness of breath.

Within the formation, Jiang Min and the middle-aged man turned their heads to look at this Golden Core cultivator.

“Hm?”

A flash of cold surprise crossed Jiang Min’s eyes.

This Golden Core cultivator was an old acquaintance.

He was Yan Ming Zhenren, who years ago, during a jade exchange at the Chivalry Hall, had used his influence to suppress her price and obtained much of her fiery jade unfairly.

The next moment, her expression suddenly stiffened.

Yan Ming Zhenren, standing with hands behind his back in midair, abruptly turned his gaze toward her position.