The Wise Appearing Foolish, Gu Qingfeng

Gu Qingfeng could sense an aura of age and time radiating from this man.

He was certain that the man before him belonged to the previous epoch. More accurately, it was a projection.

The man's aura was identical to that of Hua Caiyu and Yan Lingxue, but he was not a Half-step Immortal Lord; he was merely a wisp of a projection.

This projection seemed to be preserved by the power of this bronze pagoda.

His strength wasn't particularly formidable either, only at the level of a Peak Immortal King.

However, for the original Quasi-Immortal King level participants, a Peak Immortal King was an insurmountable peak.

If the requirement of the trial was to defeat this lute-playing man, then among the Quasi-Immortal Kings, including Dao Child Jietian, not a single one could have passed the first floor.

This meant that the trial of the first floor shouldn't be about combat, but rather related to the sound of the lute.

"What do you think of this melody?" the lute-playing man suddenly asked.

"The melody is alright, but it lacks the accompaniment of scantily clad dancers. Bad review."

The lute-playing man paused for a moment, his face immediately turning displeased. "Vulgar! The lute is an instrument of elegance; how could it be associated with such baseness? You clearly know nothing of music. I am simply casting pearls before swine. You failed. Go back!"

Gu Qingfeng smiled faintly. Without a word, he slowly walked straight toward the lute-playing man.

A cold sneer flashed across the lute-playing man's face. "It seems you want to force your way through. Truly overestimating your own abilities. This trial cannot be passed with brute force. Only those who understand the lute may pass!"

Clang!

The lute-playing man forcefully plucked the strings with both hands. The melody instantly changed, becoming high-pitched and intense. Billions of formless musical notes transformed into terrifying blades that shot toward Gu Qingfeng.

Gu Qingfeng continued his leisurely stroll, completely ignoring the musical blades and allowing them to strike his body.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The blades shattered one after another, as if they had crashed into an immovable divine mountain.

"What!?"

The lute-playing man cried out in shock, his expression changing drastically. He hastily increased his power, preparing to launch a fatal strike. However, at that moment, a pale, powerful hand seemingly ignored the distance and clamped directly onto his throat.

All lute sounds came to an abrupt halt.

The lute-playing man looked up in terror, meeting a pair of eyes filled with a scarlet demonic light. Within them seemed to lie mountains of corpses, seas of blood, and the netherworld hell.

Staring into them was like staring into the abyss.

The lute-playing man had originally intended to struggle, but after meeting that pair of eyes, he ceased all resistance. He was chilled to the bone; he was terrified.

This was absolutely not the strength a Quasi-Immortal King level participant could possess!

Where the hell did this demon god come from!?

Gu Qingfeng didn't speak, simply looking at him with utter calmness.

Cold sweat poured down the lute-playing man's face. He quickly forced out the words, "Your Excellency has passed. The passage is right over there."

As he spoke, a ray of immortal light shot from his hand and hit the nearby wall, instantly revealing a door.

"Oh?" A sinister smile curled the corners of Gu Qingfeng's mouth. "Didn't you say this Emperor doesn't understand music? Why am I allowed to pass?"

The lute-playing man forced a smile. "Your Excellency must be joking. I am the one who doesn't understand music. Your Excellency's words just now truly awakened me from my dreams. As the saying goes, the harmony of lute and beauty is the greatest wonder of the mortal realm. Just playing the lute without admiring beauty, how can that be considered elegant?

In my opinion, not only should it be accompanied by scantily clad dancers, but it would be best if they were completely naked to truly be considered elegant!"

"Jiejiejie..." Hearing this, Gu Qingfeng was greatly pleased. He loosened his grip and released the lute-playing man.

"You're not bad. You truly understand the lute."

"Ah, I am far inferior to Your Excellency. Please, this way, Your Excellency. Take care."

The lute-playing man respectfully guided Gu Qingfeng all the way to the entrance of the next floor, then watched him leave.

Seeing Gu Qingfeng gone, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.

He muttered, "In the past, it was always Quasi-Immortal Kings who came to participate in the trials. It's one thing that only one person came today, but I never expected him to be such a powerful fiend. What kind of situation is this! Fortunately, I am quick-witted."

At this moment, the ancient lute emitted a few harsh sounds on its own, as if it were mocking him.

The lute-playing man's old face flushed red. "What do you know? I'm not afraid of death. I just couldn't bear to part with the Dao of the Lute. If I died, I would never be able to hear the sound of the lute again."

...

The second floor of the bronze pagoda.

The layout was essentially the same as the first floor, still very empty.

In the center of the hall sat only a young boy.

A young boy wearing a red dudou and sporting a topknot.

In front of the young boy was a chessboard. The chessboard was quite high; when the young boy stood before it, only his topknot was visible.

Gu Qingfeng looked at the young boy. Just like the lute-playing man on the first floor, the young boy acted as if he hadn't seen anyone arrive. He simply stared intently at the chessboard, as if in a deep trance.

"Lute, chess, calligraphy, and painting?" Gu Qingfeng chuckled lightly. "I didn't expect the master of this pagoda to be so playful."

"Shh, don't speak. Don't disturb my chess game."

The young boy raised his head and spoke with dissatisfaction.

Only then did Gu Qingfeng notice the young boy's full appearance. He was a male child, looking exceedingly tender and immature. Yet, his eyes were filled with the heavy aura of the vicissitudes of time, like an old monster who had lived for endless ages.

"Hurry up and open the passage, or this Emperor will flip your chessboard."

Gu Qingfeng couldn't be bothered to waste time with him and threatened directly.

Unexpectedly, the young boy laughed. "A mere Quasi-Immortal King, what a big boast. This chessboard is connected to the pagoda. Even I cannot shake it, let alone you?

If you want to pass, then solve this dead end of a game."

The young boy pointed at the chessboard.

Gu Qingfeng slowly walked toward the chessboard.

The young boy thought he was coming over to play, so he began to explain, "This is the Heaven-Imprisoning Endgame. Since the previous epoch, no one in the world has been able to solve it. Even if a grandmaster of chess came, it would be of no use. No matter where you place your piece, after thirty-six moves, you will undoubtedly lose. Everyone says this is a dead end, completely unsolvable.

But I don't think so. There is no unsolvable chess game in the world; it's just that the method hasn't been found yet. Of course, I don't expect you to solve it. As long as you can last twenty moves without losing, then I'll consider you..."

Before the young boy could finish his sentence, a large foot had already kicked the chessboard.

The young boy didn't try to stop him; instead, he sneered, feeling that Gu Qingfeng was overestimating his abilities. After all, even he, a Peak Immortal King, couldn't damage this chessboard unless the person was a Half-step Immortal Lord.

But in the next second.

Crack!

A glaring crack appeared on the chessboard, followed by more and more cracks, until the chessboard shattered with a loud bang, scattering broken pieces all over the floor.

The young boy was dumbfounded, his eyes nearly popping out of his head.

"You, you, you... How is this..."

"Open the passage, or die." Gu Qingfeng's calm voice directly interrupted the young boy's exclamation.

The young boy's expression changed rapidly. Suddenly, he clapped his hands together, staring at the fragments of the chessboard on the ground with a face full of wild ecstasy.

"The Heaven-Imprisoning Endgame is broken! I understand now! No wonder no matter how I deduced or played, it always led to a dead end. I had doubted countless times if this was truly an unsolvable game. But back then, my master said there must be a solution, and today I finally understand.

Your Excellency's action of breaking the chessboard may seem reckless, but it is actually the only way to survival!

Destroying the chessboard is the true way to break the deadlock!

If the game itself is destroyed, wouldn't this unwinnable situation cease to exist? And if it no longer exists, hasn't the puzzle been solved?

Now I finally understand! The Heaven-Imprisoning Endgame is indeed a dead end. To crack it, one must step completely out of the game, naturally freeing oneself from its inescapable snare!

So the true victory lies not within the confines of the board, but beyond it!

Your Excellency truly hides profound wisdom beneath a simple exterior! Hahaha, you have passed the trial!