The Way of Chess

East Jia State fell into a long period of silence after the Medicine Ancestor was gravely injured by the Lord of the Divine Realm.

Some say that the Medicine Ancestor is in closed-door cultivation, recovering from injuries, and the Magic Ancestor has taken over, which is why Heaven Pill Gate has remained quiet. The cultivators continue to purchase medicines as usual, but they no longer see the figure of the Medicine Ancestor.

As a result, the cultivators of East Jia State find themselves missing the sight of the Medicine Ancestor lying on a rocking chair outside the mountain gate, napping.

Whenever cultivators went to buy medicine, if they initiated a conversation, the Medicine Ancestor would respond, regardless of their cultivation level or social status.

Over time, the Medicine Ancestor had become a revered figure in the hearts of most cultivators in East Jia State, where veneration was an understatement.

Now that the figure at the mountain gate is gone, the cultivators feel a sense of longing, especially given that the Medicine Ancestor is said to be in retreat to heal their injuries, which only adds to their concern.

Unknown to everyone, Chen Xia simply moved the rocking chair indoors and is now lying inside.

This could be seen as a bit of a betrayal of everyone's feelings.

Upon learning this news, the most heartbroken person is undoubtedly Huang Qingyue from the Ninth Mountain. She keeps a close eye on Heaven Pill Gate. Upon hearing that the Medicine Ancestor was severely injured by the Lord of the Divine Realm, she immediately wanted to return to Heaven Pill Gate.

The Great Elder of the Ninth Mountain stopped her and said gravely,

"Currently, East Jia State, Upper Cloud State, Treasure Ring Scale State, and Manghei Continent have all become isolated regions, transformed into danger zones under the control of the Lord of the Divine Realm. Divine Realm cultivators roam freely within them. Given that Chen Xia has just incurred such a big grudge with the Lord of the Divine Realm, do you really think you can escape the control of the Divine Realm if you go to East Jia State?"

"If you get caught by the Divine Realm and fall into the hands of the Lord of the Divine Realm, it would only make things more difficult for Chen Xia!"

"So, don't make foolish decisions in a moment of haste. Right now, staying on the Ninth Mountain and receiving the protection of the Nine Mountain Sovereign is the best thing you can do for Chen Xia."

The Great Elder's words woke Huang Qingyue up, but she was still heartbroken, lowering her head and quietly sobbing, unsure of what to do.

"Ah, Qingyue, this kind of situation is beyond our ability to participate in. The Lord of the Divine Realm has personally moved, and it's hard to imagine what will happen next." The Great Elder sighed.

This is the helplessness of the trend of the times. Only true top-tier existences can control their own fate. They, as cultivators, are just small fish in the current of the times, forced to move along with it passively.

One wrong move, and they might be swept away by the tide, dying silently in some unknown place.

This is their tragedy, and also the fate of almost all cultivators in the Immortal Realm.

After finishing her sobs, Huang Qingyue raised her head, not bothering to wipe away the remaining tears, and walked straight into the main hall of the Ninth Mountain.

"Where are you going, Qingyue?" The Great Elder asked with concern.

"Become the ruler of the Ninth Mountain."

She only said this one sentence and then walked into the Ninth Mountain without looking back, her green skirt fluttering with its final colors.

"Sigh," the Great Elder sighed, his hands behind his back, shaking his head, "When it comes to matters of the heart, once an obsession takes root, it becomes even harder to resolve. I hope it will turn out to be for the best."

The Immortal Realm is indeed becoming more and more puzzling.

Treasure Ring Scale State.

The Lord of the Divine Realm sat high above. Since the news of him defeating the Medicine Ancestor spread, Treasure Ring Scale State has become even more subdued. The original Immortal Realm cultivators no longer dare to cause trouble, which is undoubtedly a good thing for him.

A ripple spread across the empty space in front of him, forming a towering passageway. Within it, a pair of golden eyes gazed at him and asked,

"I heard you defeated Chen Xia in East Jia State?"

"He first ambushed my Divine Realm, so I returned the favor," the Lord of the Divine Realm replied calmly.

The Martial Emperor nodded, "A slight move like that doesn't matter much and won't affect the Immortal Realm, but don't do it again in the future."

"Alright," the Lord of the Divine Realm nodded.

The Martial Emperor glanced around and chuckled, "The arrival of chaos isn't far off. The rulers of the other major interfaces will also descend into the Immortal Realm, occupying the interfaces I arranged for them in advance."

"Once the few of you Five Paths Great Emperors are in place, the Primordial Immortal Realm will officially restart. At that time, whoever can become the supreme ruler will depend on their abilities."

"Fine," the Lord of the Divine Realm replied again.

No more words were exchanged. The scene disappeared, leaving only the Lord of the Divine Realm sitting high above. His dim eyes flickered slightly.

If the chaos truly descends and it comes to a fight for supremacy, he might not necessarily gain an advantage, and the supreme throne might not be his.

He thought of the puppet of the Daoist Suppressing Heaven, as well as Chen Xia and Inner demon. Hoping that their cooperation would secure him a supreme position.

He had lived for so many years, striving to rise higher. Becoming supreme is his only pursuit. Only by becoming supreme can he prove himself, becoming the strongest in the myriad worlds!

Now, let's see what Chen Xia, the Lord of the Divine Realm's partner, is up to.

He is lying on a rocking chair, playing chess with Inner demon. The two of them are masters of taking back moves, unrepentantly undoing their mistakes whenever they make them.

Guess what?

After a whole morning, not a single piece has been lost, and the game remains locked in a stalemate.

The puppet bystander was stunned. Even the well-traveled Daoist Suppressing Heaven was taken aback, having never seen anyone play chess like this.

The two of them were enjoying themselves thoroughly. Was this really no joke?

Chen Xia and Inner demon weren't satisfied yet. They even called the puppet to join them.

The puppet naturally declined. Fortunately, it didn't fall for Chen Xia's trick. Otherwise, it might have taken two or three days to finish a single game of chess.

Chen Xia wasn't just playing chess for fun. He was also searching for his fifth path.

He wanted to make the chess path his fifth path, although it doesn't sound very powerful, and it doesn't seem very effective in combat, having another great path would undoubtedly boost his fighting power.

The problem was that he couldn't comprehend it. He had no insights at all, which was quite frustrating.

Inner demon advised him, "Think carefully about your usual style of playing chess, recall your high moments, and maybe the insights will come."

Chen Xia furrowed his brows, deep in thought, and suddenly raised an eyebrow, feeling a spark of inspiration. He exclaimed excitedly,

"Opening move: Horse!"