Wan Song watched in astonishment as Lu Zheng went from being slightly inferior to him in chess to slightly surpassing him.
And this transformation took just one month.
Wan Song was stunned, and so was Lu Zheng.
Because in that month, Lu Zheng had spent nearly two hundred strands of the Light of Fortune on improving his chess skills, almost equivalent to the fortune of a thousand-year-old demon.
Moreover, the further he progressed, the harder it became to improve. He wasn’t sure if it was due to insufficient foundation or just normal consumption.
If the Light of Fortune he gained from Wan Song this time was less than two hundred strands, he would have suffered a huge loss.
But it seemed Lu Zheng had worried too much. On February 23, when he defeated Wan Song by one and a half points…
“Buzz!”
The Jade Seal instantly absorbed one hundred and eighty-eight strands of the Light of Fortune.
Yes, he’d broken even!
No matter the outcome of the dream chess game on March 3, as long as he gained some fortune, it would be pure profit.
“Hahaha! Unbelievable! Truly unbelievable that there’s such a prodigiously talented chess master in this world. I’ve underestimated the people of this realm!”
Wan Song laughed heartily, his eyes shining like stars. With a wave of his right hand, the chessboard was cleared. “Come, come, I’ve gained some insight. Young friend Lu, let’s play another game.”
Lu Zheng swallowed hard, feeling an ominous premonition.
Sure enough, one day later, Wan Song defeated him by one point.
Lu Zheng, “…”
Damn it, you’re a thousands-year-old demon. How are you still pulling off a last-minute breakthrough?
If everyone played like this, how could newcomers like us ever catch up?
“Hehehe!”
Seeing Lu Zheng’s dumbfounded and contorted expression, Wan Song’s wrinkled, greenish face broke into a genuinely heartfelt, joyful smile for the first time.
Patting Lu Zheng’s shoulder, Wan Song said sincerely, “Young man, stay calm. I’ve lingered outside this threshold for two thousand years. A moment of enlightenment—can it really not compare to your month of rapid progress?”
“Of course, of course,” Lu Zheng could only nod in agreement. “You’re right.”
Since Wan Song had made progress, didn’t that mean his chances of solving the dream chess game had increased?
If so, he needed an equally matched opponent to help him solidify this state, so…
“Jade Seal, enhance!”
“Buzz!”
This wasn’t the time to skimp on the Light of Fortune. Lu Zheng believed that if Wan Song could truly solve the dream chess game, his own gains would be substantial.
Feeling the feedback from the Jade Seal, reviewing the recent game, gaining deeper understanding, and grasping more insights into the art of chess…
Lu Zheng waved his hand, and the black and white pieces on the chessboard returned to their places. “Senior, please!”
…
Three consecutive draws brought them to March 1.
“Alright, no more playing,” Wan Song said, waving his hand. “There’s no time left, and further games won’t yield more progress.”
Wan Song smiled. “To be honest, I’ve been playing that dream chess game for two thousand years and gained much from it. This year, I’m truly confident.
Besides, even if I can’t solve the dream chess game this year, there’s always next year, isn’t there? With your help, young friend, I’m confident I’ll eventually solve it.”
Lu Zheng nodded. While Wan Song’s words made sense, human ability has its limits. Without a solid foundation, improving chess skills out of thin air isn’t so easy.
Both Wan Song and Lu Zheng had already reached a near-limit state where short-term progress was difficult.
“Can’t the dream chess game be set up?” Lu Zheng couldn’t help but ask.
When he first defeated Wan Song, he had asked about the dream chess game, but according to Wan Song, it couldn’t be set up.
“It can’t be set up,” Wan Song said, shaking his head. “I don’t know if the immortal entered my dream or if I entered the immortal’s realm. It’s all like a dream. The chess game is hazy. In the dream, I can play against the immortal, but when I wake, it’s as if a veil covers it. I can only recall a rough outline, not the specific details.”
According to Wan Song, no one in this world could influence him to such an extent, so the one who could create such an illusion must truly be a celestial immortal.
Red Pine!
The True Man of the Southern Pole of the Left Saint!
The True Man of Great Void!
The Ancient Rain Master!
A renowned figure in the legends of Chinese immortals.
Lu Zheng rubbed his chin. The Dishui Cave in East Sichuan also claims to be the legacy of the Ancient Rain Master. Could it be Red Pine?
Shaking his head to rein in his wandering thoughts, Lu Zheng said with some regret, “I had hoped to witness the immortal’s chess game, but since immortals don’t mingle with mortals, it’s a pity, though it can’t be forced.”
Wan Song could only recall a rough outline, and in the art of chess, a single move’s difference can lead to a vast divergence, so there was no point in trying to recreate it.
Because…
In the many games played between Wan Song and Lu Zheng over the past month, there were already traces of the dream chess game.
“Young friend, your mindset is open!” Wan Song said with a smile, glancing at Song Kaichuan. “Unlike this cave-dweller, who still dreams of beating me in a game.”
Song Kaichuan raised both eyebrows. “Wanting to beat you means my mindset isn’t open?”
Wan Song laughed. “You still need to recognise your own abilities.”
Song Kaichuan, “…”
Song Kaichuan blew on his beard. “I went through the trouble of bringing young Lu here, or I bet you wouldn’t have progressed even in another two thousand years!”
Wan Song didn’t refute. Instead, he nodded. “Indeed, my chess skills haven’t improved in two hundred years. Without young friend’s stimulation, I’m not sure I could have progressed further, or who knows how many years it would have taken…”
Lu Zheng quickly waved his hand. “This is Senior’s accumulated foundation coming to fruition. I dare not take credit.”
Wan Song and Song Kaichuan exchanged a glance and burst into laughter.
Lu Zheng looked puzzled. Wan Song said with a smile, “Think about it. Haven’t you said something similar to Old Song before?”
Lu Zheng: ???
It seemed, perhaps, possibly, maybe… he had?
Wan Song placed the chess pieces back in their positions and said solemnly to Song Kaichuan and Lu Zheng, “I will retreat for three days to play in the dream. Wan Song Mountain has caves and spiritual fruits. Feel free to enjoy them.”
Song Kaichuan waved his hand. “Go, go. Do I need your hospitality?”
“Senior, please!” Lu Zheng said, clasping his hands.
Wan Song nodded with a smile, then his figure abruptly vanished, turning into a streak of green light that merged into the ancient pine tree behind him.
Song Kaichuan looked at Lu Zheng. “I’m going to rest in the cave halfway down the mountain. What about you?”
Lu Zheng clasped his hands. “Senior, do as you please. As a newcomer, I’ll take a look at the scenery.”
Song Kaichuan nodded. “Alright, I’m off. By the way, there are some ancient trees with spiritual fruits on the mountain. Don’t hold back.”
Lu Zheng smiled. “Got it, Senior!”
