Chapter 135: Weighing Fortune

Weighing Fortune

Indeed, as True Person Chu said, since entering the sect, Ruan Ci had been forced forward by the situation, never having a moment of true leisure. Even if she occasionally felt bored with cultivation, she would rather play with spiritual beasts, and had no much interest in the game of gambling. This didn't seem to fit the interests of True Person Chu's lineage. She saw True Person Chu and the Sect Master playing chess, and both were serious, clearly taking pleasure in it. She also thought to herself, "I wonder if Master likes playing chess. If he likes it, his chess skills must be very high."

However, the rules of Go were very simple. She had played a few games and knew the rules. With Ruan Ci's current spiritual sense, even if she had never been exposed to these games, she could master them with a slight turn of her brain. Only games like Go, which had simple rules but vast changes and were hard to calculate, could attract the attention of cultivators. Other games like animal chess, Chinese chess, etc., were too simple, and any Foundation Establishment cultivator could play them to the peak, leaving only luck to compare, which was too boring for cultivators, so they weren't popular. But this was only for Foundation Establishment cultivators. Ruan Ci didn't know if the spiritual sense of Grotto-Heaven cultivators was enough to calculate the changes in Go. If so, then the game between her and True Person Chu would only have one result, which was True Person Chu winning all the way.

But she picked up a chess piece, and just as she dropped it, her brows lifted slightly, asking, "This is... magic power? But it's not."

It turned out that this chess game was not as simple as the one Ruan Ci played with the old man at that time. Playing chess at that time was just playing chess, and falling into the illusion array was entirely induced by the old man. But at this moment, as one piece dropped, she felt the surrounding aura move, as if there was a reason for where this piece dropped. It felt very easy to drop on a certain point, and very difficult to drop on another point, as if it had to consume a lot of some invisible thing in the dark to drop on that point. And once this thing in the dark was exhausted, one could no longer drop a piece and could only push the board and admit defeat.

If it were just a simple game, Ruan Ci really didn't have much interest. She wasn't particularly competitive, but she hadn't lost since entering the Dao, just as she didn't like killing, but she didn't know how many cultivators had died because of her. But once this thing in the dark participated, this game was very much like the confrontation in the aura field before fighting. And the old man also suppressed his cultivation to the Foundation Establishment stage. Ruan Ci was not without a chance of winning, and even if she lost, there would be no loss.

You know, Ruan Ci rarely had the chance to find someone to compete with in the Profound Heaven Sect. In this Langhuan Zhou Tian, there was no such thing as stopping at the right point. When competing in the aura field, when the aura was at its peak, if this move was made, it couldn't be held back. If it wasn't made, one's own aura would backfire and cause injury. The competition on this chessboard didn't have these drawbacks, so how could it not make her feel interested? At that moment, she tried to ponder and measure that thing in the dark, so as to fully control it.

But that nameless thing was extremely cunning, almost impossible to grasp, unlike the old man who was skilled in control and dropped pieces quickly. Ruan Ci found every step very difficult, having to find the move that consumed the least amount of the nameless thing among many responses, which consumed a lot of spiritual sense. The only comfort was that every time she tried to capture that thing in the dark, it would stir up ripples, making the old man's side also surge. In this way, True Person Chu's response gradually became difficult, and she found an opportunity on the chessboard, winning a game against True Person Chu by a small margin.

Naturally, this was also because True Person Chu suppressed his spiritual sense to the Foundation Establishment stage, otherwise, Ruan Ci would never have had a chance to win. She placed a flower in front of herself and also felt it was very interesting, thinking to herself, "Can this kind of chess only be played with the Heavenly Fate chessboard? If any chessboard can be used, I will ask for one later and ask Seeing Tianlu to accompany me to play. This bookworm must have memorized many chess manuals and can barely be my opponent."

As her interest grew, she played more seriously. To Ruan Ci, True Person Chu is an excellent opponent. Although he suppressed his cultivation base and spiritual sense to the Foundation Establishment stage, the vision of a Grotto-Heaven True Person remains. In that game, he often had brilliant, unconventional moves that were like an antelope hanging its horns—leaving no trace. It was like sparring with an opponent whose cultivation base was slightly better than her own. Ruan Ci often thought she was certain to win, only to have him point out her weaknesses and find a way to survive, causing her to fall into a disadvantageous position instead. A moment of carelessness would lead to defeat. Ruan Ci could not help but raise her focus to the highest level, trying every possible way to contend with True Person Chu. Fortunately, she learned quickly; by the second game, her chess skill had already improved significantly. The mental energy originally spent on pondering chess moves could now be used to ponder that mysterious object. In the midst of the extremely critical situation, she accidentally found a brilliant move and, by a hair's breadth, narrowly defeated True Person Chu by one stone.

In the three games, Ruan Ci won by a small margin. True Person Chu was extremely serious in the third game, seemingly unwilling to lose three games in a row, and Ruan Ci also laughed at True Person Chu for being obsessed with the game and having a strong desire to win. However, Ruan Ci's temperament was just like this. Once she sat down, she had to play seriously, but she didn't have any thoughts of being considerate to her elders and taking the initiative to yield. She didn't have a shred of wavering. The two fought fiercely, with big and small disasters covering the whole area, hard to distinguish between high and low, almost filling the chessboard, but still not distinguishing between high and low. By the end, True Person Chu reached into the chess box but grabbed nothing. The Sect Master said from the side, "Master, there are no more pieces to use."

Ruan Ci was pondering the chess game, and hearing the Sect Master's words, she looked up in astonishment. Sure enough, there were three white pieces in her chess box, while True Person Chu's chess box was empty. It turned out that the black pieces were three fewer than the white pieces. It seemed that it was the same as Ruan Ci, who gave the Cloud Seed to the younger generation, which eventually affected the result of this game.

True Person Chu couldn't help but be stunned, and after a long while, he said, "Heaven's will is so, what can be done, what can be done."

Ruan Ci also felt a little regretful. After all, the chess skills were not distinguished in this game, but the ending was so, so she accepted it calmly, put the three strange flowers in front of herself, stood up, and smiled, "Thank you, Master Ancestor, for your guidance today."

After these three games of chess, she felt as if she had fought three tragic battles, and the improvement in fighting methods was better than years of hard cultivation. Therefore, she called this Master Ancestor very sincerely. True Person Chu smiled slightly and didn't say any witty remarks, still fiddling with the chess pieces, seemingly deeply trapped in the game. The Sect Master said from the side, "Since you have obtained three flowers, I will give you the protection, spiritual jade, and magic tools. Spiritual jade is fine, but for the other two, how do you want to choose?"

Ruan Ci said without hesitation, "Let Sister Rong decide." Ruan Rong was also good at strategy, and it was best for her to decide on choosing protection in the Seven Star Small Abode. As for magic tools, Ruan Ci had many here, enough to use, but Ruan Rong hadn't gone out to travel, so she naturally needed the Sect Master to bestow treasures.

The Sect Master seemed satisfied with her answer, smiled, "The sword messenger also knows how to protect her wings, not bad, not bad."

He also said, "You just fought three games and won by a small margin. From my point of view, this game is more dangerous than all the enemies you met when you went out. You have no opponents among cultivators of the same rank. Now that you have entered the late stage, you can perhaps say that you are the most outstanding one among all Foundation Establishment cultivators in Langhuan Zhou Tian. Even ninth-layer Foundation Establishment perfection cannot win against you. To protect the Dao for Rong'er, you are qualified enough. But on this trip to Han Yuze, you must be extra careful. After all, being invincible in the Foundation Establishment stage is only in the Foundation Establishment stage. Langhuan Zhou Tian doesn't like the big bullying the small, but this is just paying a higher price when dropping the piece. On this trip of the sword messenger, there are many sects willing to pay the price."

He had previously praised Ruan Ci for being invincible among her peers, and Ruan Ci accepted it without doubt, nor was she self-satisfied or arrogant; this matter was only natural. She has such a miraculous encounter, holding one of the only two universe-level spiritual treasures in the Langhuan Zhou Tian; if she could not be invincible among her peers, wouldn't she be a hopeless case? Hearing the Sect Master speak of the trip to Hanyu Ze, she became increasingly cautious, secretly thinking that this was as it should be—how could there be any rule in the world that cannot be broken? So she asked, "Uncle-Master, in that case, Hanyu Ze is not a place that limits cultivation base?"

The Sect Master said, "That is a water-element world, and the spiritual objects produced are quite fragile. A Golden Core first turn can barely enter to protect the Dao without causing too much wind and waves. If it is Nascent Soul cultivation, once it approaches Han Yuze, it will cause great wind and waves. Therefore, the nearby sects have set up array restrictions to strictly verify the cultivation base."

Ruan Ci couldn't help but think secretly, "What is the weight of these nearby sects? If it is a Grotto-Heaven True Person, even if he destroys the spiritual objects, he wants to take away the Donghua Sword Messenger, can the array stop him?"

She still had some doubts, but seeing that the Sect Master had no intention of answering, she didn't ask anymore. Seeing True Person Chu still staring at the chessboard, she couldn't help but smile, reached out and summoned the white piece, which flew back to her palm reluctantly. Ruan Ci looked closely, and it happened to be the last one she dropped.

She couldn't distinguish it in the chess box, but she didn't expect such a coincidence. Ruan Ci also sighed at the wonder. Her trip was already perfect, so she stood up, paid respects, and said goodbye. She walked a few steps properly, and thinking of winning three games today, for some reason, she was very happy, so she jumped up, ran a few steps, leaped into the air, and jumped toward Seeing Tianlu.

Seeing Tianlu had been brought out from the garden and was still walking properly. Seeing her like this, he hurriedly ran, meeting Ruan Ci's landing point. Ruan Ci laughed loudly, rolled and brought him up, threw him into the air, and she also leaped into the air, hugging Seeing Tianlu's arm, and flew toward the exit together, causing the group of beauties to chase behind, in a mess.

The two great Grotto-Heaven True Persons sat and stood, neither moving, watching Ruan Ci's figure disappear. The Sect Master sighed, "This child's fortune is aggressive. According to Master, is it more prosperous than when she entered the sect?"

True Person Chu said, "Naturally, it is a few points more prosperous. Winning three games against me, hehe, that means there are at least four Dao Ancestors who have dropped pieces on her... But even so, in the three games of chess, I was one move behind. This is because she is prosperous, and also because I am old."

He said this matter with a calm face. The Sect Master called "Master," but didn't continue. The two looked at each other silently, both exceptionally quiet, but with thousands of words, as if they had finished talking in silence.

After a long while, True Person Chu let out a long breath, put away the chessboard with a smile, and said, "No harm, it's still in time, and it won't be long."

He asked the Sect Master, "Have you been anxious?"

The Sect Master shook his head, "I'm only afraid that that day will come too quickly."

True Person Chu smiled, "Why should it be so? That day won't come quickly, nor will it come slowly. It will come when it should come. Dao Ancestor dropping pieces is just like this, it's always in time."

He looked at the direction Ruan Ci went away, but his eyes were a bit empty, as if he were looking through Ruan Ci at the infinite past, or the future at an unknown time. Suddenly he sighed again, "Sigh, my two disciples have taken two disciples again..."

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Ruan Ci knew nothing about all this, still walking with Seeing Tianlu, talking about how fun the three games of chess she played with True Person Chu were, and talking about wanting to play against Seeing Tianlu. Seeing Tianlu listened intently, but shook his head, "I can't play this chess. If Miss Ci wants to play, she can only play with the True Person and Miss Yu. Ah, but Miss Yu won't suppress her cultivation, so you can only play with the True Person."

Ruan Ci hurriedly asked for the reason. Seeing Tianlu said, "This is the Eldest Master weighing Miss Ci's fortune. The Heavenly Fate chessboard is a game of fortune. We Grotto-Heaven living beings don't have our own fortune in heaven and earth. They are all attached to the master, just like those spiritual pets. Although they can use magic power and can enter the Nascent Soul realm, they have no fortune and no hope for Grotto-Heaven. When the master is gone, it is difficult to settle down, and they are ultimately different from cultivators. Therefore, they cannot play this kind of chess. If Miss Ci wants to play with magic power and spiritual sense, there are similar magic tools, but they can't be as vivid as the Heavenly Fate chessboard."

Ruan Ci was greatly surprised. Only then did she know that that inexplicable thing was the fortune of her whole body. But wanting to sense it again after leaving the chessboard was impossible. She couldn't help but click her tongue, "There is such a thing, then I won three games in a row, doesn't that mean my fortune has surpassed Master Ancestor?"

Seeing Tianlu shook his head, "This is actually very wrong. Even if Miss Ci's fortune is prosperous, it is ultimately only in the Foundation Establishment stage. The Eldest Master couldn't win even one game, which shows that fortune is indeed at a disadvantage in front of Miss Ci. Grotto-Heaven True Person is a great figure in the world, and every move is related to the fortune of a sect. The Eldest Master couldn't win against Miss Ci, that means..."

His eyes were slightly red, and he felt a bit sad, saying in a low voice, "That means fortune is gradually declining... I'm afraid the Eldest Master is not far from falling."

Ruan Ci was greatly shocked in her heart, knowing that this matter was of great importance, and hurriedly stopped Seeing Tianlu's words, "Don't say these words before returning to the Purple Void Heaven."

Seeing Tianlu hurriedly covered his mouth and nodded. Ruan Ci also urged him to tell True Person Wang carefully. Only then did she return to the cave, and didn't go into seclusion for several days, just afraid that True Person Wang would summon her. But True Person Wang didn't summon her in the end, just asked Seeing Tianlu to send some spiritual food, and asked Ruan Ci to cultivate well, saying that on this trip to Han Yuze, she must help Ruan Rong bring back what the sect ordered, and so on.

Ruan Ci was very puzzled in her heart, not knowing why True Person Wang suddenly avoided seeing her. The ripples in her heart caused by Qing Jun's words had also gradually faded, and she no longer doubted herself. She thought that True Person Wang not seeing her was mostly because of other arrangements in cause and effect, so she cultivated with peace of mind in the cave and forgot about this matter.

Three years passed unconsciously, and it was time for Ruan Rong to set out. Ruan Ci had been in seclusion for most of the three years. Calculating that the time was near, she came out of seclusion that day, wanting to arrange some things for the trip. She had a habit of recalling all the changes in the previous period in her heart before going out, and writing down some things to pay attention to in the future. At this moment, sitting cross-legged and closing her eyes, she first thought of Monk Xiu. It happened that everyone was going to Han Yuze, so they could take a detour to the Wugou Sect and send Monk Xiu back. Then she thought of the past in South Zhuzhou, etc. At the very end, her heart moved, and she suddenly remembered the few games of chess three years ago. Thinking back and forth about Seeing Tianlu's words, she felt something was wrong, frowned and thought secretly, "If Master Ancestor's fortune is declining, so he could only draw with me, and finally lost by one move, but I remember when I went, the game between Master Ancestor and the Sect Master had reached the point of robbing, and it was not at a disadvantage. If Master Ancestor's fortune is declining, so he is not as good as me, then such low fortune, playing against the Sect Master, wouldn't he lose in the middle game?"

"Is it that my fortune is extremely prosperous, or that the fortune of Master Ancestor and the Sect Master is already very declining?"

"Is this decline in fortune related to Sister Sister Xie's rebellion three thousand years ago?"

Many questions arose in her heart, but since she was about to set out, it was not good to investigate deeply, so she had to leave it to entangle True Person Wang after returning to the mountain. She packed her thoughts and luggage, and when the time came, she went north with Ruan Rong and the others.

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Updated, sorry to keep you waiting. Currently, there are five chapters in the draft. I didn't write yesterday because I was too excited watching the competition. SN played well! The quality of the last game was too high. The boy by the sea finally walked toward a bigger world.

Xiao Ci won three battles and three victories, but this may not be too good news for the Sect Master's lineage

Finally going out~

Yesterday... I didn't read the novel yesterday, I just watched the competition, hahaha... Who do you think will win the final? I think DWG is obviously stronger, but SN still has a week to evolve, it's worth fighting. This year and last year feel like the underdog counterattack, SN counterattacked more obviously

Today for lunch, I had beef soup!

. Thanks to the little angels who cast overlord votes or irrigated nutrient solution for me between 2020-10-25 12:08:49 and 2020-10-26 11:59:34~

Thanks to the little angels who cast hand grenades: Long Ying (1);

Thanks to the little angels who cast landmines: Ban Mu Fang Tang (2); Yu Yu Wan Yao, Time's Delusion, Wu Mingya, ingrideagle, bena, 20021990, Falling Moon Filling the House Beam, An Xiaoji (1);

Thanks to the little angels who irrigated nutrient solution: A Bowl of Old Ginger Soup (30); AuAg (20); Platinum K, Translucent Sushi, odycoco, Leaving (10); An Xiaoji (9); Meaningless, Ming Ji, lele, Cheese Baked Black Tiger Shrimp (5); Yearning (3); Writing and Reading is just unable to squeeze out comments w, Green Building Chu Hall Yihong Academy, Wa Wa Wang Wang (1);

Thank you all very much for your support, I will continue to work hard! ===== CHAPTER 136 =====