“Lord Shoujian, why do you say that?” Kong Ci asked.
“Earlier, Nangong Yifan had no intention of entering the chess formation. But when he heard that Young Friend Chu Feng was joining, he immediately said he would participate as well,” Lord Shoujian explained. “So, it was a last-minute decision.”
“Could it just be a coincidence?” Long Ning asked.
“You may not have noticed, but I saw clearly. While Nangong Yifan’s gaze wasn’t fixed on you, his aura was subtly lingering around your group, observing in secret. And it seemed to me he was specifically watching Young Friend Chu Feng,” Lord Shoujian said.
“So, it really might be because of Brother Chu Feng?” Long Ning pouted. “That Nangong Yifan is too petty!”
“I knew we shouldn’t have let you join. With Nangong Yifan in the match, how can we win?” Kong Ci shot Chu Feng a resentful glance.
“You can’t blame Brother Chu Feng. Even if you had an advantage, Nangong Yifan would’ve joined anyway,” Kong Tianhui said.
“Each match has limited slots. Last time, Nangong Yifan got in by chance, breaking the formation’s balance. Can he force his way in every time? No matter how strong he is, he’s still human, not a god,” Kong Ci retorted.
“It wasn’t chance. His mastery of chess skills is too great. Even outside the board, he can absorb chess power,” Lord Shoujian said.
“Lord Shoujian, what do you mean?” Kong Ci asked.
“I mean that Nangong Yifan’s control over the Ancient Martial Chess has reached an extraordinary level. If he wants, he can break the rules and force his way in,” Lord Shoujian clarified.
“What? That’s absurd! How do we compete with him?”
“We might as well surrender.”
Kong Ci and the others looked ashen, their main players now filled with despair.
“I don’t know how you’ll compete, but I do know that if you don’t enter soon, the chess formation’s entrance will close,” Lord Shoujian said.
“Xian Yun, what do we do?” Kong Ci looked to Xian Yun.
“When soldiers come, we block; when water comes, we dam it.”
With that, Xian Yun flew toward the formation gate.
Seeing this, the others followed.
Soon, the formation entrance closed.
Inside the chessboard, the three realms were each a world of their own.
Each world had a mountain range stretching from its center, dividing it in two.
At the peaks of these mountains were treasure grounds. The side that occupied more treasure grounds would claim that world.
Occupying a treasure ground was simple: infuse it with one’s chess power.
But the opponent could do the same, so to truly secure a treasure ground, one had to completely defeat the enemy or use tactics to stall them.
Though each world was its own realm, the land area wasn’t large. With martial cultivators’ enhanced vision, especially as their cultivation grew, they could see far.
Chu Feng’s current vision allowed him to clearly see the distant mountain range piercing the clouds.
The peaks varied in height, resembling a dragon’s spine.
At a glance, it looked like a giant dragon lying across the earth, splitting the world in two.
Not only could he see the entire mountain range, but eight pillars of energy also shot skyward from its peaks. Chu Feng knew these were the eight treasure grounds—the key battlegrounds for victory.
Beyond that, the world was filled with flying and burrowing beasts and hidden blessed lands.
The beasts held significant chess power, which could be gained by refining them.
The blessed lands might contain treasures that could also enhance chess power.
Though everyone retained their cultivation here, neither martial power nor a World Spiritist’s formation power could be used in combat.
The only force that mattered was chess power.
To win, besides one’s own chess power, the treasures in the blessed lands also held considerable chess power.
But acquiring chess power didn’t always require hunting beasts or seeking treasures in blessed lands.
The world itself was imbued with vast chess power, which could be absorbed through special techniques.
This was why, despite entering the chess formation, no one immediately rushed to the peaks to seize the treasure grounds.
Everyone sat cross-legged, absorbing the world’s chess power.
After a brief observation, Chu Feng sat down and began using the techniques he’d learned from the chess manual to absorb the chess power.
*Buzz—*
Soon, a white light radiated from Xian Yun, making her appear divine, like a god descended.
She leapt up, transforming into a streak of white light, shooting skyward.
She vanished, having left the first realm for the second.
But for her, the second realm wasn’t the goal—her battlefield was the third realm.
After Xian Yun, Kong Ci, Long Ning, and others also emitted sacred white light.
They too soared skyward, entering the second realm.
It wasn’t just the strong cultivators. Mastery of chess power in the Ancient Martial Chess wasn’t tied to martial talent.
Even those with weaker cultivation but strong chess power control were given significant roles.
Even Kong Tianhui radiated white light.
“Brother Chu Feng, it’s your first time here. No one will blame you if you don’t do well—just don’t betray us,” Kong Tianhui teased with a grin.
“Don’t worry. With me here, the first realm is a guaranteed win,” Chu Feng said with a smile.
“Haha, I’m counting on you then!”
Kong Tianhui laughed heartily and soared upward.
Though he didn’t believe Chu Feng, he took it as a joke.
But those around them grew serious.
They looked at Chu Feng with disdain.
Though they said nothing, their gazes seemed to say, *You’ll guarantee a win? Where’s your confidence coming from? You’re just here to make up numbers!*
Chu Feng ignored their scornful looks. After Kong Tianhui left, he closed his eyes again, continuing to absorb the world’s vast chess power.
No one noticed that Chu Feng’s method of absorbing chess power was entirely different from theirs.
If the chess power entering their bodies was like a stream, the power flowing into Chu Feng was like relentless ocean waves.
