txolops Chapter 123 Chessboard Questions the Heart, Half a Skeleton
Chapter 123 Chessboard Questions the Heart, Half a Skeleton
Around the training ground, thousands of weapons floated in the air, their sword tips trembling slightly and emitting sharp buzzing sounds, forming a huge killing array. The cold light of the sword tips locked onto the brows of the two people in the arena.
The veins on the back of Li Qingge's hand bulged, and her blood-stained white clothes fluttered in the strong wind.
Despite her best efforts to maintain the dignity and composure of a sword cultivator, facing a legendary Nascent Soul stage expert, even if it was just a wisp of remnant spirit eroded by time, still made her expression solemn, and her hand holding the sword trembled uncontrollably.
Gu Yan's situation is even worse.
In his mind, the female corpse's spirit was roaring madly: "Kill him! Use your paper doll, use that dragon ball, blow this heartless man to bits!"
"He's lying to you! He's playing tricks! He's already transformed himself into a half-human, half-ghost monster, all to hide from me!"
Gu Yan had a terrible headache. He had to endure this mental pollution while facing the near-death situation of being pierced by a thousand swords.
He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the restless black energy within him. The ingratiating smile on his face not only did not stiffen, but became even brighter and more sincere.
After all, risking everything at this point is a last resort; relying on acting skills is the only way out.
"Please hold your hand, senior!"
Gu Yan stepped forward, but instead of drawing his sword, he nonchalantly spread his hands, casually brushed off non-existent dust from his sleeves, and shouted, "Misunderstanding! A huge misunderstanding! We two juniors did not trespass; we were simply fulfilling a request made by someone!"
The green-robed man with half a skeleton twitched his finger, and the weapons hanging in mid-air all dropped three inches, leaving only a thin line between them and the two men's scalps.
"Entrusted by someone?"
Amusement flickered in the Sword Burial Venerable's one intact eye. His voice, though gentle, carried a chilling undertone: "This place has been sealed off for nearly a thousand years. Aside from those mindless watchdogs outside, who else could have entrusted you with this mission?"
"Of course, it's your wife!"
Gu Yan answered resolutely, with a hint of sorrow: "Senior, you may not know, but your wife, in her palace upstairs, has been calling your name day and night. She's so consumed by love that she can't eat or drink. Even as a corpse, her affection is enough to move heaven and earth!"
In his mind, the female corpse screamed, "Bullshit! I wish I could eat her flesh and sleep on her skin!"
Gu Yan roared inwardly, "Shut up! Cooperate if you don't want to die! We can talk about your little problems later, just keep this old monster in line for now, okay?"
In reality, upon hearing this, the muscles on the half-bone cheek of the Venerable Burial Sword seemed to twitch slightly.
"You're talking about me?"
He lowered his head, looking at his bare, white hand, and his tone became somewhat unsteady: "She was probably muttering about when I was going to die."
Gu Yan's heart skipped a beat.
You old devil, so you knew all along?
"You flatter me, senior."
Gu Yan remained unfazed and continued his rambling: "As the saying goes, the deeper the love, the harsher the criticism. Your wife loves you to the core, which is why she expresses it in some... well, rather intense ways. That's why she specifically had us bring this jade box down, just to return it to its rightful owner and, incidentally, to see how you're doing."
As he spoke, Gu Yan took the jade box from Li Qingge's arms, held it with both hands, and raised it high above his head.
The Sword Burial Venerable's gaze fell on the jade box, his eyes becoming extremely complex, as if filled with nostalgia, regret, and liberation.
"The Hundred Weapons Manual..."
He sighed softly, but instead of taking the jade box, he waved his sleeve.
"Splash!"
The weapons, like birds summoned by a call, returned to their nests and were placed back on the weapon racks around the area.
The suffocating killing intent receded like the tide.
Under the pressure of the Nascent Soul stage expert, Gu Yan's back was covered in cold sweat, and his calves were cramping.
But he made the right bet.
This old ghost looks terrifying, but he's not the kind of madman who kills everyone he sees. At least, he still retains the emotional logic of a human being.
"Since he is a descendant of an old friend and has brought a token, he is qualified to participate."
The Sword Burial Venerable pointed to the stone table in front of him: "Sit down. If you win, everything in this burial ground is yours to take. If you lose..."
A ghostly light flickered in his skeletal eye, and his tone was chilling: "Then stay and become the new guardian of this place, to keep this lonely ghost company."
Li Qingge took a deep breath, placed the long sword on the side of the table, lifted her clothes, and walked to sit down on the cold stone bench.
She knew she couldn't escape this situation.
As a sword cultivator, if one retreats in the face of a challenge from a senior swordsman, one's Dao heart will surely be shattered.
"This junior, Li Qingge, humbly requests your guidance, senior."
Li Qingge's voice was clear and cold, and her back was ramrod straight, like a sharp sword drawn from its sheath.
Gu Yan stood behind Li Qingge in an extremely obsequious manner, looking like a follower whose only job was to shout "666".
The chessboard was an ordinary blue stone chessboard, and the chess pieces were ordinary black and white jade pieces.
But the moment the two sat down, the world in Gu Yan's eyes began to spin.
In his vision of the world of paper, the chessboard was no longer a chessboard, but a miniature world.
These crisscrossing chess moves have transformed into mountains and rivers, and into thousands of troops and horses.
Each chess piece is a sword intent refined to its ultimate form!
"Smack."
The Sword Burial Master, playing black, moves first, placing his piece on the center.
This move is extremely illogical; it neither occupies a corner nor guards the edge, but simply lands boldly in the very center, like the arrogance of an emperor looking down upon the world.
As the move was made, an immense, mountain-like pressure directly struck Li Qingge's consciousness.
Li Qingge groaned, her face turning pale instantly.
In her perception, it was not merely a chess piece, but an ancient divine mountain that would crush her sword intent into dust.
Gu Yan was terrified.
This Sword Burial Venerable uses the chessboard as a boundary to evolve his swordsmanship domain.
Li Qingge must use her sword intent to resist and break through.
Li Qingge gritted her teeth, picked up the white piece, and placed it in the lower left corner of the star position.
As soon as the move was made, a chilling sword intent soared into the sky, forcefully breaking through the oppressive aura of the ancient divine mountain.
"Not bad, the Frost Sword Dao is interesting, but that's about it."
The Sword Burial Venerable offered a brief comment and placed his piece again.
The black motif resembled a dragon, winding and coiling, carrying an overbearing power that seemed to devour the heavens and earth.
That was the Sword Burial Path he cultivated during his lifetime, burying all the famous swords in the world, making him the only one worthy of respect.
Both sides exchanged moves with lightning speed.
Beneath this seemingly calm surface lies immense danger.
On the chessboard, black and white air currents clashed violently.
Blood trickled from the corner of Li Qingge's mouth, and her hand holding the chess piece trembled uncontrollably.
The territory represented by her white stones is being gradually eroded by the black stones.
Although her sword intent was very pure, it was like a toddler who had just learned to walk, compared to a top athlete, insignificant in the face of a Nascent Soul stage swordsman's understanding.
"No, if this continues, this woman will have a mental breakdown and become an idiot in less than ten moves."
Gu Yan watched this clearly from the side.
Although he didn't understand the profound art of swordsmanship, with the help of his paper-world perspective, he could see that the white light representing Li Qingge was already like a candle flickering in the wind, about to collapse.
"We have to help her out."
Gu Yan's eyes darted around, then he suddenly exclaimed, "Senior! This game of chess is so boring! I see that the princess is a little exhausted. May I please allow you to pour her a glass of water?"
The Sword Burial Venerable held a chess piece in his hand, without raising his head: "A true gentleman observes chess without speaking."
"Hehe, I'm just a petty person by nature."
Gu Yan grinned and approached, taking out a water bottle from his storage bag. He pretended to pour water for Li Qingge, but in reality, he subtly blocked a corner of the chessboard with his body.
In that instant of concealment, Gu Yan's left index finger swiftly traced a line inside his sleeve.
A barely perceptible transparent paper talisman was silently affixed to the spot where Li Qingge was about to place her piece.
That wasn't cheating or altering the game; it was leveraging the momentum.
Gu Yan channeled the malevolent energy belonging to the female corpse within his body through a paper talisman.
Li Qingge was already in a daze at this moment, and instinctively wanted to place a piece to defend.
Suddenly, she sensed a powerful yet extremely repulsive energy emanating from a point on the chessboard.
That was pure hatred emanating from the female corpse.
As if by some strange twist of fate, Li Qingge's hand shifted an inch, and the white piece landed on the transparent paper talisman.
"boom!"
On the chessboard,
A sudden change occurred.
The icy sword intent, which was originally like a stagnant pool, underwent a qualitative change after merging with that trace of resentful energy.
Amidst the cold white sword energy, a touch of tragic blood red appeared.
This move was no longer about protection, but a resolute act of mutual destruction!
"Um?"
For the first time, a violent fluctuation appeared on the usually calm and skeletal face of the Sword Burial Venerable.
As that piece fell, it was like a sharp knife, piercing deep into the belly of his once flawless black dragon.
The black dragon let out a silent wail, and its original offensive crumbled.
"This aura..."
The Sword Burial Venerable stared intently at the white piece, his voice hoarse to the extreme: "It's her 'Record of Deep-Seated Blood Feud'... Where did you learn it?"
He suddenly looked up, and a terrifying light burst forth from his one intact eye, piercing straight at Li Qingge.
Overwhelmed by this force, Li Qingge spat out a jet of blood and fell backward.
Gu Yan reacted quickly, grabbing Li Qingge and shouting, "Senior, please calm down! This is what your wife taught you! She said this trick is specifically for dealing with unfaithful men, and it always works!"
The Sword Burial Venerable's hand froze in mid-air.
He looked at the twisted and entangled black and white pieces on the chessboard. What was originally a sure-win game had turned into an unsolvable dead end because of this hateful change of move.
After a long silence, he let out a long sigh, his voice filled with desolation and weariness: "Winning is losing, losing is losing..."
"Red plum blossom, oh red plum blossom, even after a thousand years of death, do you still intend to disturb my resolve?"
The Sword Burial Venerable slowly stood up, and with his movement, the stone table and chessboard crumbled inch by inch, turning into dust.
"This round is a draw."
He turned around, his back to the two of them, and looked into the depths of the huge martial arts arena: "Little one, your swordsmanship talent is good, but unfortunately it's too rigid. Too much rigidity leads to breakage. If you can grasp the concept of 'change' in today's match, reaching the Nascent Soul realm will be just around the corner."
Li Qingge was extremely weak at this moment, but she knew that Gu Yan had secretly helped her just now, and that the senior in front of her had shown mercy.
She struggled to her feet and bowed, saying, "Thank you for your guidance, senior."
"As for you..."
The Sword Burial Venerable suddenly turned his head, his half-skeleton facing Gu Yan, and said coldly, "You tampered with the chessboard, did you think I didn't know?"
Gu Yanqian chuckled twice: "Senior is very perceptive. I was just afraid that you would be too lonely winning, so I added a little difficulty for you."
"Slippery."
The Sword Burial Venerable was not angry. Instead, he pointed to Gu Yan's chest and said, "That thing inside you, if you don't get rid of it, will devour you sooner or later. Since you dared to bring her down, you must have something to rely on?"
Gu Yan's expression turned serious.
Now that I've been seen through, there's no point in pretending to be stupid anymore.
"Senior, let's speak frankly."
Gu Yan patted his chest: "This tenant has a bad temper, but since I dared to take him in, I naturally have the ability to collect rent. As for you, senior, you've trapped yourself here, looking like a ghost, just to guard this pile of junk?"
"Scrap metal?"
The Sword Burial Venerable laughed, his laughter tinged with madness.
He suddenly opened his arms wide.
"Boom!"
The entire training ground began to shake violently.
A huge crack appeared in the ground, and a pillar of crimson magma shot into the sky.
Within the pillar of fire, a massive sword, entirely black with no blade, emanating an aura that could change the very color of heaven and earth, slowly rose.
The sword was enormous, standing thirty feet tall, like a black tombstone.
The sword was wrapped with countless thick chains, each chain engraved with blood-red runes.
And the end of that chain was connected to the spine of the Sword Burial Venerable!
He used his own body to lock the sword!
"Is this a demon sword?"
Li Qingge exclaimed in surprise.
"This sword is named Wuwang (无妄)."
The voice of the Venerable Burial Sword became grand and ethereal: "Back then, in order to break through to the Nascent Soul stage, I was impatient for quick success and tried to sever the cause and effect with this sword. However, I did not expect to go into a state of demonic possession and killed my beloved with my own hands. I also slaughtered all my disciples to sacrifice to the sword."
"When I came to my senses, the mistake had already been made."
"I cannot destroy this sword. I can only refine myself into a weapon spirit and use this broken body to forever guard this place, so that this demonic sword will never appear in the world again."
At this point, he looked at Gu Yan and Li Qingge, his gaze intense: "You want to carry on the tradition?"
"This Wuwang is the greatest inheritance! Whoever can draw this sword will inherit my life's cultivation and directly enter the Nascent Soul stage!"
"However, the one who draws the sword will bear all my sins and karma."
"Young friends, would you like to give it a try?"
Gu Yan and Li Qingge stood silently.
This is a huge temptation, but also a deadly trap.
To directly enter the Nascent Soul stage? For any cultivator, this is an irresistible and fervent prospect.
But where in the world is there such a good thing?
Gu Yan took a step back and shook his head frantically, "No, no, no, senior, this is too much of a gift. My back is bad, I can't accept it."
Are you kidding me? Cause and effect?
Isn't that just being a scapegoat? And having to bear the blame?
If this happened, he would probably turn into a serial killer on the spot.
"You dare not?"
The Sword Burial Venerable seemed to have expected this, and turned his gaze to Li Qingge: "And what about you? Little girl, you have a clear sword heart. If you can wield this sword, you might be able to return to the righteous path."
Li Qingge looked at the demonic sword, a struggle flashing in her eyes. She thought of the heavy burden on her family, and the task she had to complete.
With this power...
Her hand involuntarily reached for the sword.
"Snapped!"
A hand suddenly reached out and slapped her hard on the back of her hand.
"Wake up!"
Gu Yan shouted loudly, his voice carrying the intimidating power of a lion's roar.
Li Qingge was suddenly jolted awake, the confusion in her eyes receding, replaced by utter shock.
Just now, when that happened, she was almost controlled by the bewitching power of the demonic sword.
"interesting."
The Sword Burial Venerable looked at Gu Yan, his eyes showing not anger but rather admiration: "Unmoved by the temptation of a Nascent Soul, and able to remain clear-headed amidst the allure of the Demonic Sword. Boy, what exactly is the path you cultivate?"
Gu Yan rubbed his wrist, pursed his lips, and said, "This junior cultivates the path of mere survival. Only by living can one endure; if one dies, then nothing remains."
"The path to mere survival... Hahahaha!"
The Sword Burial Venerable laughed loudly, tears streaming down his face: "What a fine path to survival! If only I had understood this principle back then, I wouldn't be in this predicament!"
The laughter stopped abruptly.
His expression suddenly turned ferocious, and black mist swirled around half of his withered bones: "Since you refuse to draw your swords, then let's change the rules of the game."
"The rats outside have already come in."
He raised his hand and waved it, and a water mirror appeared in the void of the main hall.
The scene displayed in the mirror showed Elder Wang and others, along with several unfamiliar powerful figures dressed in different clothes, jointly attacking the stone door.
Among them was an old man with an obscure aura, whose strength was definitely above the late stage of the Golden Core realm.
"The seal on this underground palace has loosened, and the demonic sword is about to go berserk."
The Sword Burial Venerable looked at Gu Yan and the other man, his voice icy: "I'll give you half an hour."
"Or, you can help me kill those people outside and use their blood to strengthen the seal."
"Or I'll unlock the chains, unleash this demonic sword, and we'll all be finished!"
Gu Yan and Li Qingge exchanged a glance and both saw the despair in each other's eyes.
"Senior, can we make a deal?" Gu Yan asked timidly.
"cannot."
The Sword Burial Venerable flicked his sleeve, causing the chains behind him to rattle: "Start the timer."
As he finished speaking, the gates of the training ground swung open with a loud crash.
Outside the door, the once peaceful dock was now a battlefield filled with the aura of slaughter.
"Damn it, I'll risk it!"
Gu Yan gritted his teeth, pulled out a handful of talismans from his pocket, and said in a deep voice, "Princess, it seems we'll have to become double-crossing bandits this time."
Li Qingge gripped the sword tightly, a cold glint in her eyes: "Just what I wanted."