[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-simulated-to-reality-i-once-looked-down-upon-ten":3,"chapter-simulated-to-reality-i-once-looked-down-upon-ten-simulated-to-reality-i-once-looked-down-upon-ten-chapter-575":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Simulated to Reality: I Once Looked Down Upon Ten Thousand Ages?",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2347590,4587,"Chapter 575: The Fourth Master","simulated-to-reality-i-once-looked-down-upon-ten-chapter-575",575,"\u003Cp>Su Yun heard this, his gaze instantly drawn to the two jars of black and white Go stones beside the tea table; he immediately grew enthusiastic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Go!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Su Yun’s eyes turned to Chen Jiuyan; others might not know this person’s origins, but he knew well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Jiuyan was clearly a pseudonym; this individual was the daughter of Prince Qing, younger brother of Emperor Qi Yuan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Emperor Qi Yuan’s death, his eldest son Chen Yan ascended the throne, becoming the current Emperor Xianhe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman must still address the reigning emperor as her cousin; she was granted the title of Princess Kangle in her second year of life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her true name is Chen Yanqiong; the “nine” refers to her rank as the ninth child in her household.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Such status would naturally be noble among commoners, yet it falls somewhat short for the Su family today.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Su Xiang currently wields immense power; officials across all provinces and prefectures are his students and former subordinates.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the foremost of the Nine Great Surnames, the Su family’s influence is unparalleled; as a child, Su Yun’s sedan chair was even more splendid than those of several imperial princes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Su Yun’s father even took two princesses as concubines, though he never fathered a son.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Su Yun’s mother was a woman of common origin, but she passed away shortly after Su Yun’s birth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though his father later took other wives, he never elevated any to the position of principal wife, nor did he ever touch them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Both princesses were kept like golden caged birds, repeatedly going before Emperor Xianhe to weep and plead, yet all were ignored.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the palace coup with the Xie family, Emperor Xianhe Chen Yan devoted himself entirely to Daoist cultivation, indifferent to blood ties.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among the Nine Great Surnames, failing to take several “princesses” or “princesses of the blood” as caged birds seemed to diminish one’s noble status.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Therefore!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In Bianjing, a princess of the blood was hardly remarkable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, Prince Qing was long known as “weak and incompetent,” indulging since youth in cockfighting and monkey tricks. His fief lay in Anbei Circuit, frequently plagued by rebel bandits. Once, three thousand bandits easily breached the grand Prince Qing’s mansion; the prince was forced to flee through a dog hole, and only after the Great Qi court dispatched troops was the rebellion in Anbei quelled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This incident spread widely through Bianjing; Prince Qing was thus mockingly called “Dog-Hole Prince,” “Request-Troops Prince,” and “Paper Prince.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sole reason Su Yun treated this Princess Kangle with such deference was this:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was the last disciple of the Fourth Master, Su Yun’s grandfather, the current Su Xiang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the Su household, the grandfather was heaven; Su Yun revered him utterly, and sometimes the grandfather would test his scholarship.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter how Su Yun answered, the grandfather would praise him as “clever and quick-witted.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Su Yun had no desire to take the imperial examinations; his father and uncle strongly opposed this, but only the grandfather smiled and nodded, saying, “Living according to one’s own will is the greatest matter of all—don’t study if you don’t wish to.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After that, no one in the family objected further.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His founding of the Caotang Poetry Society originated when the grandfather once told him stories from his youth—how he had once been merely a scholar who played Go in a humble alley.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His greatest joy then was when nearby poetry gatherings held “Poetry Appreciation Banquets,” where he could sneak in and enjoy a good meal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His greatest wish then was to join a poetry society, earn a few taels of silver each month, and live happily—but back then, he knew nothing but Go, poetry, and verse, and was naturally rejected by the society.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Su Yun remembered this, and making the Caotang Poetry Society famous throughout Great Qi became his own aspiration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wished to spread the name of the Caotang Poetry Society across the land, then formally invite his grandfather to join it with dignity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But lately, the grandfather’s health had worsened; his complexion had faded, and he was now an old man with white hair; the urgency to make the society famous grew greater.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Su Yun shook off his thoughts; as his grandfather’s last disciple, Chen Jiuyan was worthy of his favor by association.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His grandfather had spent his life mastering the “Way of Black and White,” but unfortunately, Su Yun himself had no talent for it; his father and uncle were often mockingly called “bad-Go baskets” by the grandfather.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This Princess Kangle had inherited five-tenths of the grandfather’s Go skill—this was the grandfather’s own words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With five-tenths of the grandfather’s skill, even the palace’s Go attendants lacked such ability.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since childhood, the princess had been raised and meticulously taught by the grandfather, until Prince Qing was assigned to his fief, when she left Bianjing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unlike ordinary girls, Princess Kangle had always preferred male attire and delighted in wielding spears and swords.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As a child, Su Yun, curious about his grandfather’s last disciple, tried speaking to her, but she bullied him instead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He dared not complain to the grandfather; even as a child, Su Yun had been somewhat afraid of this Princess Kangle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fortunately, after four or five years away from Bianjing, her temperament had mellowed considerably.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For this gathering of beauties, Prince Qing returned to the capital, and Princess Kangle came with him, then moved directly into the Xie Fu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These past days, the grandfather had been busy with cabinet affairs; Princess Kangle found it dull, so she accompanied Su Yun to the Xie family for amusement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As his grandfather’s last disciple, she naturally had the confidence to say, “I won’t lose.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Su Yun silently thought: this game was won; victory would secure Xie Guan’s participation in the poetry society—how delightful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Su Yun gazed intently at you.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Young Master Guan, what do you say?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman across from you had already plucked a white stone with her fair, slender fingers, gently weighing it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Jiuyan, bathed in sunlight through the window, lifted two stones and said: “The white stones are warm and smooth as jade, soft yet not translucent, faintly tinged with pale yellow or green; the black stones, viewed upward, resemble blue jade; viewed downward, they look like polished lacquer—deep black and lustrous.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“These are tribute goods from Yun’an Circuit; on the market, they’re worth a thousand taels.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Jiuyan turned back, smiling: “But I notice some dust on them—they’re not yours, are they? A true lover of Go would never treat stones so carelessly; one must cherish them as one’s own children.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You nodded slightly; these stones had been left behind by Xie Yuan during your last game; you thought you’d play again soon, so you left them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You merely said: “I only know the basic rules of Go; I’m not skilled, and rarely play against others.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Xuan glanced at the stones and seemed to guess; given your impoverished circumstances, you could never own such expensive stones—they must have come from Xie Yuan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the Xie family, Xie Guan had gained some reputation, and the person he associated with most closely was Xie Yuan, Xie Xuan’s “sixth brother.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had long resented him, yet could do nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Yuan’s mother came from the Zhuge family, one of the Nine Great Surnames; the family’s matriarch doted on him excessively.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Both his birth and favor surpassed yours.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Su Yun’s expression, Xie Xuan guessed the woman was likely an exceptional Go player; he wanted to see Xie Guan humiliated, so he spoke up:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Younger Brother Guan, don’t be modest—you’ve played blind Go in the courtyard and defeated Sixth Brother, who tells everyone you’ve been touched by a celestial being.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman smiled faintly at this, lips curling: “Touched by a celestial being? That’s an amusing notion.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Go is a battle of mental calculation—you must see several moves ahead, anticipate your opponent’s intentions. Blind Go demands even greater mental discipline.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her gaze shifted to Xie Guan, and she continued: “How about this—I’ll give you nine stones?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In Go, when players’ strengths differ, “handicap stones” may be given to balance the game.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When strengths are nearly equal, “handicap of first move” is used—black plays first without komi, and victory is determined by counting to 181 stones.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When strength disparity is great, “handicap stones” from two to nine are given; anything more falls under teaching games.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Xuan goaded: “Younger Brother Guan, how can you show weakness now? If you won’t even accept nine stones, won’t you be laughed at?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Su Yun smiled in agreement: “Why not, Jiuyan? Be even more generous—give him more stones?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You paused briefly, considering this situation… you decide.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>1. Agree to play, best of three games. (Hint: May lose first advantage at the Gathering of Beauties; may harm future prospects.)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>2. Refuse to play. (Hint: May lose a crucial advantage; may create unfavorable future conditions.)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>3. Agree to play, best of ten games, six wins needed. (Hint: May gain first advantage at the Gathering of Beauties; favorable for future.)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>4. Participate personally. (0\u002F3)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The great tripod emitted a thousand rays of radiance; the characters upon it slowly stabilized.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Ke stared at the four options.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This Gathering of Beauties seemed deeply significant; every trigger so far related to it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Xie Guan” had been invited, via the Sima family, to the Gathering of Beauties.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One selection of the flower queen, the academy, court politics, the Thirteen Circuits, demons, and the Demon Cult—all converged here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This matter clearly wasn’t simple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And what of Xie Hong, Lu Hua, the demonic seed in Ze Lake—why had they all come here?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Ke could not fathom it; from the hints, he chose without hesitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>3. Agree to play, best of ten games, six wins needed. (Hint: May gain first advantage at the Gathering of Beauties; favorable for future.)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【You shook your head.】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Su Yun’s face betrayed clear disappointment; his purpose today had been to invite Xie Guan to the Gathering of Beauties to bring fame to the poetry society—it had failed.】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【The woman gently dropped her stone into the jar, producing a crisp sound, and sighed: “What a pity for these stones.”】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【You continued: “I don’t need you to give me stones. Let’s play normally.”】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【“Oh?”】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【At this, the woman’s eyes sparkled with interest; she studied you closely, as if trying to read your thoughts. After a moment, she smiled faintly: “Very well. As you wish.”】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Su Yun’s face lit up: “Young Master Guan, don’t renege—once the stone is placed, no taking back. A gentleman’s word is final.”】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【You smiled: “Naturally.”】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Su Yun beamed and ordered servants to set up the Go board.】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Xie Xuan watched the two calmly, curious about the woman’s identity—and eager to see Xie Guan’s humiliated expression soon.】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【A Go board was quickly placed on the tea table, its nineteen vertical and horizontal lines forming a grid; two jars of black and white stones rested quietly on either side.】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【The woman looked at you and asked: “What are the rules?”】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【“Best of ten games, six wins needed!”】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Upon hearing this, the woman nodded indifferently, already reaching for the white stones.】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Black moves first—this carried the implication of concession.】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【In Go, when playing with elders, one takes black to show respect.】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If their ages are similar, the weaker player takes black and moves first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You smiled: “Since no handicaps are given, let’s guess who goes first.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman’s expression shifted slightly; she chuckled: “Let me guess first? … That’s unusual.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman casually pulled out a few Go stones and clenched them in her hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You guess whether the number is odd or even.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If you guess correctly, you take black and move first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You never claimed to be skilled at Go, nor did you act arrogantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Xuan sneered as he saw you pick up the black stone bowl—so you’re taking black after all; why pretend otherwise?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Su Yun watched with keen interest, his gaze fixed on the two as they placed their stones.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He came from a scholarly family; his Go skill far surpassed ordinary people, rated at Third Rank Upper.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sharp “click-clack” of stones hitting the board echoed softly in the room, like pearls large and small tumbling onto a jade tray.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Outside, sunlight bathed the courtyard; snow beneath the eaves melted into trickling streams along the tiles, producing a steady “drip-drip” sound.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside, a warm brazier burned crimson charcoal; a teapot steamed with hot vapor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though the servants bowed their heads and kept their eyes down, their glances inevitably stole toward the board. Though they knew nothing of Go, they were drawn in by the atmosphere of the game.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only fifty moves played!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Xuan’s sneer deepened—Xie Guan was nothing but a “tin spearhead.” He’d actually thought himself skilled at Go.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now Xie Guan was deep in thought, holding a stone in his hand, unable to decide.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In contrast, the woman rested one hand on the tea table, propping her chin, while placing her stone with ease, her expression calm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Xuan shook his head—Xie Guan was finished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As expected!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the end of the first game, the woman won.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Su Yun was slightly surprised—Xie Guan truly had little Go skill, perhaps only Fifth Rank Upper; even he couldn’t beat her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You silently stared at the dense constellation of stones on the board, not rushing to collect them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, the woman made no haste, merely said softly: “I concede.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You closed your eyes briefly in thought, then opened them again: “Begin.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Black and white stones returned to their bowls; the second game began immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Xuan studied the board again; after fifty moves, the position had turned against you.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing you still pause to consider each move, he grew even more certain you would lose again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Xuan also noticed the woman’s sharp, impenetrable style—he suspected she might be as strong as Minor First Rank.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Xuan dabbled in music, Go, calligraphy, and painting; though he couldn’t beat Su Yun, his Go skill still reached Sixth Rank.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Go is ranked in nine grades, with First Rank being the highest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Minor First Rank—that is, Second Rank—is honored as a Minor Master in the Great Qi Go world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In all of Great Qi, there were barely thirty or forty players rated First Rank, most of them elderly court Go attendants.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only about a dozen civilians had reached First Rank, “Entering the Divine.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A First Rank “Entering the Divine” player moves unpredictably, foresees outcomes, grasps profound subtleties, defeats opponents without fighting, and has no equal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Second Rank is “Contemplation in Stillness.” When given half a move advantage by an “Entering the Divine” player, one responds effortlessly, achieves insight without thought, and remains perfectly responsive in emptiness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At Second Rank, one can dominate among the noble sons and daughters of the Nine Great Clans.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the second game, you lost again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",2484,"2026-06-21T01:33:01.587Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","65b3ab0b6c6cafc9530db7654aef209e82126123747c6610abd0404dbaec523a","simulated-to-reality-i-once-looked-down-upon-ten-chapter-576","simulated-to-reality-i-once-looked-down-upon-ten-chapter-574",728,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fsimulated-to-reality-i-once-looked-down-upon-ten-cover.jpg"]