Chapter 785: The Chess Game Seven Years Ago

"It's the sect leader!"

Upon seeing the newcomer, the anger in everyone's eyes was replaced by respect.

"I've seen the sect leader!"

Soon, the excited Jade Autumn Sect disciples gradually fell silent.

Yu Wuji stood on the high ground, his hands clasped behind him, his deep eyes already having caught that familiar figure amid the vast crowd.

For a moment, his eyes were filled with complexity.

When the sect leader examined her, Ye Qingran also noticed him.

He was a man in his forties or fifties, his hair tinged with gray, yet one could still see that he had been a handsome youth.

He wore a plain moon‑white robe, appearing very calm, his temperament light as water, his aura ethereal and vague.

Is this person the sect leader of the Jade Autumn Sect, Yu Wuji?

"I know you have objections to her; I will take her now, and tomorrow I will give you an answer. You have no objections, right?"

Yu Wuji looked toward the disciples and spoke, his voice light yet authoritative.

Even if the Academy disciples felt reluctant, they could only shake their heads.

It's not that the sect leader is overbearing; rather, they have always been convinced by him and know he must have his own reasons.

After speaking, Yu Wuji looked at Ye Qingran again, "Come with me for a moment."

A pavilion stood atop the sea of clouds, inside a chessboard was set with pieces, clearly an unfinished game.

"Play a game of chess with me."

Ye Qingran lifted her eyebrows slightly, said nothing, and sat opposite Yu Wuji.

Yu Wuji pinched a white piece and placed it on the board; Ye Qingran was slightly stunned.

She thought the game would at least start anew.

She asked nothing further, took the black pieces, glanced at the board, and found the black's attack fierce, bearing a ruthless, iron‑blooded style, much like her own former style.

The black piece was placed.

This time Yu Wuji thought for a moment before placing a white piece.

"That piece was already my turn; seven years is enough for me to figure out how to play, so I didn't think."

"Hm?"

Yu Wuji smiled, "You must have forgotten; this game is the one we played together seven years ago. Halfway through, you left for some reason, and you were gone for seven years."

Ye Qingran expressed great surprise.

This game is the one from seven years ago?

It was indeed beyond her expectation!

"Originally, I didn't need to think about that second move either; it's just that your style has changed, so I thought about the second move a little."

"You kept it for seven years?"

Yu Wuji smiled, "Because I knew you would return."

Ye Qingran pressed her lips together, "How can you be sure I'm the Ye Qingran from back then? You also know that people in this world can look alike... Moreover, I have no recollection of past events at all."

"You think I recognized you by your face?"

Ye Qingran wanted to ask, isn't that so?

Yu Wuji stood up, facing the vast sea of clouds, his voice lingering, "I know you have not been in the Floating Life Realm these years, but have gone to the Xuanmiao Continent."

Ye Qingran's brows twitched; how did Yu Wuji know?

Yu Wuji turned to look at her, "You needn't find it strange; I understand Star Constellation Divination, and after your disappearance I performed a divination for you."

However, he did not mention the price of the divination.

Ye Qingran's heart trembled.

Until now, even though she had already accepted that she was the captain of the Lingyun Team among the Qing Lan populace, she only now fully accepted it.

"Since you know so much, could you also tell me why I appeared in the Jade Autumn Sect back then, and why I vanished suddenly, when I have no memory at all?"

Ye Qingran truly could not recall the past; she remembered nothing about the Floating Life Realm, including... Fu Hanxiu.

Yu Wuji gently shook his head, "You overestimate me; I don't know why you appeared here, nor why you left. However, since you came, left, and returned, there must be a reason, and you must uncover it yourself."

Ye Qingran thought Yu Wuji was spouting nonsense.

"Oh, and let me remind you, your body in Xuanmiao has been taken over by someone else."

What?

Ye Qingran's pupils constricted sharply.

"Impossible!" she immediately denied.

She had brought both body and soul to the Floating Life Realm; how could her body still be in Xuanmiao?

"Your current body is merely a projection of your original self; though called a projection, it is almost indistinguishable from the original. If the projection is damaged, the original suffers as well, so you must protect yourself."

Yu Wuji spoke, waved his hand, and a vision appeared before them, showing that shortly after she had fainted she awoke again, and it was obvious that the person was not her!

"How could this happen?"

A foreboding feeling spread through Ye Qingran's heart.

Suddenly, she recalled something, thrust her head up, "Luo Qingcheng!"

Right!

It must be Luo Qingcheng!

Luo Qingcheng said she obtained a forbidden technique from Chi Wu!

"So her goal was not only to kill me, but also to possess my body!"

As for why she possessed her body, it was, of course, because of Fu Hanxiu!

Ye Qingran almost bit off a silver tooth.

"Luo Qingcheng!"

She could hardly imagine that Luo Qingcheng would use her body to deceive Fu Hanxiu, and him...

She could imagine even less that Luo Qingcheng, in her name, would act against her child...

"Sect Leader, is there any way to let me leave this Floating Life Realm and return to the Profound Void?"

Yu Wuji sighed, "If your body were in a soulless state, perhaps there would be a way, but now..."

Ye Qingran felt a weight settle in her heart.

Having been in the Profound Void for so many years, she had always planned meticulously and acted with confidence, but she never expected to stumble this time and be at a loss.

Perhaps Heaven, seeing her life go too smoothly, decided to give her some setbacks.

"You needn't worry too much; I'll cast another divination for you."

Saying so, Yu Wuji began to cast the divination.

After finishing, his complexion grew much paler.

"It is a sign of both great misfortune and great fortune," Yu Wuji said, looking at Ye Qingran, fatigue showing on his face. "This journey is a calamity, yet within the great calamity lies a great opportunity. Whether it becomes blessing or disaster depends on how you resolve it. If you can overcome this calamity, a tremendous destiny awaits!"

Ye Qingran clenched her fist, praying silently in her heart.

"Fu Hanxiu, you must not be deceived by Luo Qingcheng! And Xiao Hu Xiao Chen, you both must protect yourselves!"

She will return as soon as possible!

Ye Qingran took her leave from Yu Wuji, just descended from the mountain, and when she looked up, she was stunned.