As dusk settled on their journey back to the mountain, Jiang Huai pushed open the courtyard gate. Leaves, fallen and scattered, adorned the ground. Chu Xianning sat serenely in a pavilion, her slender, graceful form bathed in the setting sun, as if gilded.
“Master, what would you like for dinner?” he asked.
“I’m not eating,” Chu Xianning replied, standing up and walking towards him. The sunlight on her cheeks added a touch of sacredness and authority to her presence. She stopped beside Jiang Huai and spoke.
“It’s time to practice your movement techniques,” she said.
***
In the bathhouse.
Immersed in the cold water, the burning sensation in Jiang Huai’s body finally subsided slightly. The progress in his movement technique practice over the past two days wasn’t significant. He had already mastered the techniques Chu Xianning taught him; these last few days were merely for accumulating combat experience.
He shouldn’t have practiced swordplay in the courtyard that day; he’d been caught by Chu Xianning.
With that thought, Jiang Huai stepped out of the bath, dressed, and went to Chu Xianning’s room. She was already lying in bed, her slender body wrapped in the quilt, only her head and a pair of snow-white jade feet exposed.
Jiang Huai sat beside her and continued telling the story.
When the story ended, Jiang Huai extinguished the lamp, plunging the room into darkness. Soft moonlight fell on her face, and Jiang Huai once again fell into the dilemma of whether to kiss her or not.
Ultimately, he didn’t.
The fleeting, sneaky kiss last time had satisfied his small greed. Sneaking kisses while Chu Xianning slept didn’t offer much sense of accomplishment. He wished Chu Xianning were awake. Perhaps one day, his Master would pretend to be asleep, knowing he had kissed her lips but remaining silent.
He closed the door and left, unaware of Chu Xianning opening her cold, clear eyes behind him.
***
The following days were filled with Jiang Huai practicing movement techniques with Chu Xianning. Despite being utterly exhausted each day, he no longer complained. He even actively asked Chu Xianning to practice with him for a little longer.
“You’ve already mastered the movement techniques; further practice is pointless,” even Chu Xianning realized this, yet she was puzzled.
“Let’s just consider it tempering my mind,” Jiang Huai winked at her.
Jiang Huai had always believed that meaningless suffering could not foster growth. However, if one persevered, it could indeed temper one’s will. Over these days, every turn he took in his sleep was painful, yet his heart felt slightly fuller.
At least, when they practiced movement techniques, Chu Xianning no longer wore long skirts. Occasionally, she wore a qipao with a high slit or a form-fitting short skirt, and the sight of her slender, snow-white legs beneath the hem always distracted Jiang Huai.
He needed to temper his willpower properly.
When he had some free time, he would visit Wen Wanwan and Wen Fufu. He also had the Sound Transmission Jade Pendant given to him by Xu Qing. They had already exchanged two hundred messages, and most of the time, Jiang Huai’s responses were somewhat perfunctory. It wasn’t that he intentionally wanted to do so, but he genuinely didn’t know what else to say.
As for the one remaining Picture Transmission opportunity, Xu Qing hadn’t mentioned it, and Jiang Huai naturally wouldn’t either. Time quietly slipped away until the Eastern Region Grand Competition drew near, and Jiang Huai and Wen Wanwan were preparing to head to Qingmu Immortal Palace.
Chu Xianning and Li Qiushan would naturally accompany them.
The journey to Qingmu Immortal Palace wasn’t particularly long. On Li Qiushan’s Spirit Boat, they would arrive in just over a day. During this time, Jiang Huai and Wen Wanwan practiced swordplay on the deck. After this period of cultivation, Wen Wanwan’s cultivation level had reached the Second Level Transc. Although it was on the lower side among the participants of the Eastern Region Grand Competition, her sword intent was formidable, and her true strength might not be inferior to those at the Fifth or Sixth Level Transc.
Qingmu Immortal Palace itself was a Spirit Treasure, a city floating in the sky. Beneath the city lay the Myriad Tribulations Forest, a habitat for the most spiritual beasts in the Eastern Region. Legend had it that Eighth Realm spiritual beasts lurked within the Myriad Tribulations Forest, though they rarely showed themselves.
Spiritual beasts and the Monster Clan were not the same. Spiritual beasts were unwilling to transform into humans to cultivate, while the Monster Clan transformed into human-like cultivators, retaining some of their demonic characteristics.
A day later, the Spirit Boat arrived at Qingmu Immortal Palace.
***
They arrived in the early morning.
Li Qiushan retracted the Spirit Boat, and the four of them landed together outside the main gate of Qingmu Immortal Palace. A cultivator in green was already waiting. The cultivator appeared to be in his thirties, with a handsome appearance, sharp eyebrows, and piercing eyes. A green Spirit Sword floated behind him.
The moment Jiang Huai saw him, he guessed that this must be True Person Qingmu, Fang Qingmu, as his aura was unfathomable. Although the Spirit Sword behind him concealed its sharpness, its aura was profound and ancient.
Many seats had already been set up outside the main gate. True Person Qingmu approached Li Qiushan and looked at their group. Although his appearance was relatively young, his smile conveyed genuine warmth and kindness. “Since you’re here, please take a seat. We’ll wait for the others to arrive together.”
The four of them took their seats. Jiang Huai looked around and saw that several groups had already arrived.
From Sun Continent, there was an acquaintance Jiang Huai had met before – the Saint Son of the Hao Ri Sect who had previously come to propose to Luo Qingyu. In just a few months, he had clearly accumulated considerable resources or had some fortuitous encounter, as his cultivation level was now Fifth Level Transc.
Beside him sat a woman who bore a slight resemblance to him. She was rather petite and wore a red dress, making her quite cute.
The last person from Sun Continent was the Saint Son of the Feng Huo Sect. He appeared to be around Jiang Huai’s age, and based on his aura alone, he was likely around Fifth or Sixth Level Transc.
From Linglong Continent, there were familiar faces. Mu Lingwan, who had won twenty thousand Spirit Stones from Luo Yueguan last time and then lost them back to Jiang Huai, was also present. She had evidently brought her daughter. The young girl beside her wore a white gauze summer dress, exuding an ethereal aura with her bright and clear eyes. Beside Mu Lingwan sat a middle-aged man whose aura was even more unfathomable.
Clearly, this was her Chess Saint husband.
The remaining people from Linglong Continent were Mu Lanyan, Mu Chenyun, and their two children, Mu Jiaoyang and Mu Linxing. The moment Jiang Huai’s gaze fell upon Mu Jiaoyang, Mu Jiaoyang’s eyes turned fierce almost instantly.
But Jiang Huai merely smiled.
Then there was Aolai Continent. From Aolai Continent, Guanxue Sect Master Xu Ting and his wife Pei Ning, along with their daughter Xu Qing, were already seated. The moment Xu Qing’s eyes met Jiang Huai’s, a hint of joy flashed in her eyes. She raised her small hand, which rested on her leg, and waved lightly, greeting him. Jiang Huai winked back. Immediately after, he noticed that Xu Ting and Pei Ning, beside Xu Qing, were now looking at him. Their scrutinizing and curious gazes made Jiang Huai slightly uncomfortable.
Not far from Xu Ting sat Tingyu Sect Master Mo Wuya. Beside him was his child, Tingyu Sect Saint Son Mo Jingzhe. He bore some resemblance to his sister but had a colder demeanor.
As for the last participant from Aolai Continent, he had no elders by his side. He appeared to be a rogue cultivator, wearing a simple blue robe without any sect markings. His appearance was refined, and his aura was deeply hidden, making it impossible for Jiang Huai to discern his cultivation level at first glance.
Only Luo Yueguan and Luo Qingyu had yet to arrive.
As everyone took their seats, True Person Qingmu, Fang Qingmu, summoned a servant to serve tea to the attendees. Since they were all from the Eastern Region, most people knew each other and began to chat softly. However, Jiang Huai felt that he was being scrutinized.
Mu Jiaoyang’s gaze seemed to convey a desire to devour him alive. Xu Qing kept glancing at him discreetly. Mu Lingwan, who was at the Mahayana stage, was whispering to her Dao Companion, who soon turned his gaze towards Jiang Huai.
Jiang Huai silently drank his tea, carefully observing everyone present. Eventually, Mu Lingwan and her Dao Companion stood up and approached Jiang Huai.
“Young friend,” the Chess Saint, dressed in black, had a stern rather than cold expression, but his tone was quite gentle.
Jiang Huai looked up, confused.
“I heard you won two games against my wife last time?” the Chess Saint asked with great curiosity.
“It was merely luck.”
Jiang Huai wasn’t accustomed to being boastful in front of unfamiliar elders and replied meekly with his head bowed. The Chess Saint then slowly spoke, softly saying, “Since everyone isn’t here yet, would young friend be interested in playing a game with me?”
The moment these words were spoken, the previously chattering area outside the hall fell into profound silence.
Everyone knew the Chess Saint’s reputation. He was originally a spiritual cultivator who, since childhood, had been obsessed with chess, often forgetting his cultivation due to his games. Later, he entered the Dao through chess, challenging nearly all skilled players in the Eastern Region. After gaining everyone’s recognition, he proclaimed himself the Chess Saint. He was now at the Seventh Level of Mahayana and, with his beloved wife Mu Lingwan by his side, was quite renowned throughout the Eastern Region.
However, the Chess Saint hadn’t played chess in a long time; he was unrivaled and bored. Naturally, he was reluctant to touch a chessboard again. Yet, now he had personally proposed playing a game with the younger generation, Jiang Huai?
Jiang Huai showed a look of difficulty.
“Young friend is unwilling?” the Chess Saint inquired softly.
“It’s not that… Playing one game is fine, but more than that, I cannot.”
Jiang Huai wasn’t exactly unwilling. It was just that winning this game wouldn’t bring him any particular benefit. The opponent was known as the Chess Saint and was naturally deeply passionate about chess, possessing immense confidence. If he lost, it would be fine, but if he won… he felt it might lead to trouble.
However, if he intentionally played poorly and lost, with his current skill level, he couldn’t even defeat Chu Xianning. Deliberately losing would surely be noticed, and it might be seen as disrespectful, especially since he had won against Mu Lingwan last time, and she was a skilled player.
“Alright, just one game then,” the Chess Saint said. A chessboard appeared before Jiang Huai, and the pieces floated in mid-air. The Chess Saint sat opposite him, his eyes soon becoming cold, almost devoid of emotion.
It wasn’t a deliberate aloofness that pushed people away, but rather the result of extreme immersion and absorption. The Chess Saint respected every game. After the guess for the first move, Jiang Huai received the black pieces and went first.
Without a moment’s hesitation, he activated his backend AI, pushing the parameters to the maximum. He picked up and placed each piece within a breath, as if he wasn’t thinking at all.
Interestingly, the Chess Saint played just as quickly as he did. Every move was calm and collected, with no hesitation visible in his eyes.
The game ended, and Jiang Huai lost.
The Chess Saint stared at the board for a long time before looking up at him. “The last few moves were subpar.”
Jiang Huai scratched his head. “My mind turned to mush; I got confused.”
Earlier, he had relied on the AI for aggressive play. When he switched back to his own thinking and looked at the board, his head hurt. He could only play ordinarily for a few moves, and naturally, he was defeated in the end.
Losing wasn’t a bad thing. Jiang Huai didn’t feel the need to seek attention. Besides, winning would have been cheating, offering no sense of accomplishment.
“How old are you this year?”
“Nineteen, almost twenty,” Jiang Huai replied innocently.
“You don’t seem to like playing chess that much.”
“Well, sort of… I usually play with my Master to pass the time,” Jiang Huai replied softly.
“A pity,” the Chess Saint sighed. He took out another chessboard and handed it to Jiang Huai. “This game was very interesting. I’ll give you this Jade Zhen chessboard.”
“Thank you, Senior,” Jiang Huai said, flattered but not refusing. He obediently accepted the chessboard, thinking he could use it to amuse Chu Xianning in the future. He looked ahead; the Chess Saint had already returned to his original position. Mu Lingwan gave him a triumphant smile, and the young girl beside them glanced at him with curiosity before quickly averting her gaze.
In the distance, Luo Yueguan’s Spirit Boat also landed. She arrived at the entrance of Qingmu Immortal Palace, riding her sword with Luo Qingyu.
