Chapter 43: Ascending Leigu Mountain

"Wuyazi and Su Xinghe both have quite good taste!"

In the Heavenly Dragon world, at the foot of Leigu Mountain in Henan, Zhang Jie admired the towering peaks,

the beautiful scenery, and the magnificent lake and mountain views, and couldn't help but praise.

It can only be said that the Xiaoyao Sect is worthy of being a sect that looks at appearance even when accepting disciples,

as even the sect's base is extremely beautiful.

Zhang Jie admired the scenery while climbing the steps, walking towards Leigu Mountain.

Because Leigu Mountain is an important place for the Xiaoyao Sect, it naturally has people guarding it.

Zhang Jie had only walked halfway when someone discovered him.

Of course, this also had to do with Zhang Jie maintaining the climbing speed of an ordinary person, plus not deliberately hiding.

Halfway up the mountain, a middle-aged man with a kind face blocked Zhang Jie's path.

The middle-aged man carefully sized up Zhang Jie, who was dressed as a scholar on an outing, his eyes full of vigilance:

"Who are you? What is your business coming to my Leigu Mountain?"

However, although vigilant, the middle-aged man couldn't help but sigh that Zhang Jie's appearance was naturally gifted,

like a god from the nine heavens falling into the mortal world, incarnated as a banished immortal.

At the same time, the vigilance in his heart also decreased a little:

Such a handsome young man, I'm afraid even Ding Chunqiu would find it difficult to control.

However, the middle-aged man knew that although this possibility was small, it had to be guarded against,

and while raising his vigilance in his heart, his expression couldn't help but become a bit kinder.

Zhang Jie was not surprised by the middle-aged man's kind attitude.

To reiterate, the disciples of the Xiaoyao Sect, from the three elders of Xiaoyao and below, are all appearance-obsessed.

The founding ancestor Xiaoyaozi, who has always been a background board, has an unclear attitude and no direct records,

but to be able to cultivate the appearance-obsessed three elders of Xiaoyao, Zhang Jie doesn't believe that Xiaoyaozi is not appearance-obsessed.

"I didn't expect it to be the 'Enemy of the King of Hell', Divine Physician Xue Muhua, in person. I, Zhang Jie, pay my respects."

Zhang Jie, who recognized the middle-aged man's identity, bowed quite solemnly.

This middle-aged man was none other than the peerless divine physician known as the "Enemy of the King of Hell," Xue Muhua.

Xue Muhua's medical skills were so superb that it was said he could snatch people from the hands of the King of Hell.

There were no difficult and complicated diseases, internal injuries, sword wounds, or poisoning in the Jianghu that he couldn't cure.

In Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils, he saved A'Zhu at the Juxian Manor, who had been beaten into critical condition, dying,

and if it weren't for the thick internal energy of that man with his own sound system to prolong her life, she should have gone to report to the King of Hell long ago.

Drifting in the Jianghu, how can one not get stabbed?

Even Zhang Jie, who was a cheater, dared not guarantee that he would never be injured in the future,

so he was very polite to Xue Muhua, who was a divine physician.

It is worth mentioning that there are many divine physicians in Mr. Jin's novels.

Besides Xue Muhua, The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber has the Butterfly Valley Medical Immortal Hu Qingniu,

and The Smiling, Proud Wanderer has the "Murdering Famous Physician" Ping Yizhi, all of whom are figures with superb medical skills and eccentric behavior.

Zhang Jie was also a bit strange that Xue Muhua was appearing on Leigu Mountain now.

In order to save his disciples from being harmed by Ding Chunqiu, Su Xinghe

expelled eight disciples, including Xue Muhua, from the sect, never to see them again.

These eight people also dared not call each other fellow disciples anymore.

"Forget it, let's talk about this later."

Zhang Jie, who couldn't figure it out for a moment, decided to shelve this question first,

currently, meeting Wuyazi and achieving his goal was the priority.

"So it's Young Friend Zhang, could it be that you are here on Leigu Mountain for an outing?"

Xue Muhua, who found Zhang Jie inexplicably pleasing to the eye, stroked his beard and smiled.

"I am not here for an outing."

Zhang Jie, who had completely entered the identity of a scholar, shook his head gently.

"Oh? I hope Young Friend will clarify."

Xue Muhua continued to ask.

"I heard that there is a Spirit Dragon Chess Game set up by Master Congbian on Leigu Mountain,

which no one has been able to break for decades. I was itching for a challenge, so I came to take a look."

Zhang Jie slowly stated one of the purposes of his visit...

"You came for the Spirit Dragon Chess Game?"

Xue Muhua couldn't help but frown upon hearing this.

He was not surprised that Zhang Jie knew about the Spirit Dragon Chess Game.

His master, Master Congbian Su Xinghe, had been guarding Leigu Mountain for decades,

and had also invited young talents from the Jianghu to the mountain to play several times,

so it was not strange that some news about the Spirit Dragon Chess Game was circulating in the martial arts world.

What made him frown was that there was still some time before the next opening of the Spirit Dragon Chess Game.

The Jianghu talents to be invited, represented by Northern Qiao Feng and Southern Murong, had not yet been invited.

In short, Zhang Jie came too early.

"Could it be that Master Congbian is not on Leigu Mountain?"

Zhang Jie, who knew that Su Xinghe could not go down the mountain, asked with feigned confusion.

He had a flash of inspiration and thought of a way—advancing by retreating.

"I have disturbed you, I will visit again later."

Zhang Jie said, and was about to turn and leave.

"Young Friend, wait a moment, I will go and report to Master Congbian."

Xue Muhua gritted his teeth, feeling that he couldn't let Zhang Jie, who had come to his door, go.

Such a handsome young man must have been born with the spiritual energy of heaven and earth,

his aptitude must also be extraordinary, meeting their Xiaoyao Sect's criteria for accepting disciples.

And since Zhang Jie could specifically find Leigu Mountain for the Spirit Dragon Chess Game,

he must be quite confident in his chess skills, and perhaps he could break the Spirit Dragon Chess Game,

thereby unlocking the predicament of their Xiaoyao Sect.

Of course, Xue Muhua still remembered Su Xinghe's teachings,

absolutely not to expose the fact that they still had contact between master and disciple,

so he always called Su Xinghe Master Congbian.

"Many thanks, Divine Physician Xue."

Zhang Jie had a look of gratitude.

His acting skills, tested by multiple worlds,

were not seen through by Xue Muhua, a divine physician who had seen all kinds of Jianghu people.

Zhang Jie sighed: Life is not easy, it all depends on acting!

"Young Friend, Master Congbian has agreed to play a game with you, please come with me."

A short while later, Xue Muhua, who went to ask for instructions, brought good news.

"Many thanks, Divine Physician Xue."

Zhang Jie thanked him again.

He was much more sincere this time: if it weren't for Xue Muhua's mediation,

he was afraid he would have returned empty-handed, or have to wait for Duan Yu, Xu Zhu, and the others to come to Leigu Mountain.

After all, he couldn't go directly to Su Xinghe and say bluntly that he was here to "inherit"

Wuyazi's sixty years of Northern Dark internal energy.

In that case, even if Su Xinghe thought with his toes, he would know there was a problem.

Zhang Jie followed Xue Muhua to the mountainside of Leigu Mountain.

Here was a huge natural platform, sparsely dotted with a few thatched huts,

obviously this was the residence of Su Xinghe and the others here.

And what attracted the most attention was a huge stone chessboard located in the center of the platform, with length and width measured in meters.

On the chessboard were several black and white chess pieces the size of sea bowls, together forming an endgame.

Obviously, this was the famous Spirit Dragon Chess Game.

On one side of the chessboard, sitting on a stone stool, was an old man.

He had an ordinary appearance, was not tall, had a thin build, and his face was covered in wrinkles,

showing the traces of wind and frost, and he looked sickly, appearing even more aged and haggard.

If it weren't for the wisdom and depth that occasionally shone in his eyes,

who would believe that this short, thin, withered old man was the famous Master Congbian?

"Old Monster Ding is not simple!"

Zhang Jie secretly sighed at the great prestige of Ding Chunqiu, even far away in the Starry Sea of the Western Regions,

he could suppress his senior brother Su Xinghe, who was in the Central Plains, to such an extent.

When Zhang Jie sized up Su Xinghe, Su Xinghe was also sizing him up.

Looking at Zhang Jie, who was indeed extraordinarily handsome, a smile appeared on Su Xinghe's face.

Undoubtedly, Zhang Jie's appearance completely met the Xiaoyao Sect's criteria for accepting disciples.

"Pay respects to Master Congbian."

Zhang Jie, who kept the persona in mind, bowed to Su Xinghe.

And Su Xinghe had no reaction to this, still wearing a smile.

Also keeping the persona in mind, he never forgot his persona of being deaf and mute.

"Master Congbian is this?"

Confusion appeared on Zhang Jie's face at the right time.

"Master Congbian cannot hear, and cannot speak."

Xue Muhua cooperated with his master to clear up Zhang Jie's confusion.

"I didn't expect Master Congbian to be a deaf and mute person, it is truly heaven's jealousy of talent!"

Zhang Jie showed regret.

"I didn't expect Master Congbian, who is deaf and mute, to have practiced his chess skills to the point of looking down on the world. I admire you."

Zhang Jie said, and bowed to Su Xinghe again with admiration.

Looking at Zhang Jie's behavior, Su Xinghe and Xue Muhua had an even better impression of him.

Such a young man with a pleasing appearance and polite behavior, who wouldn't like him?

Su Xinghe made a gesture of invitation to Zhang Jie, indicating that this game of chess was officially starting. ===== CHAPTER 44 =====