Come Let's Play Chess

Xie Lingyu was momentarily speechless, wanting to fiercely refute Chu Xingchen's words, yet feeling as though there wasn’t much wrong with them.

Most secret realms were essentially tombs meticulously prepared by mighty cultivators who knew their time was near.

Before their deaths, these powerful figures wished to pass down all the wealth and treasures they had accumulated in their lifetime—hopefully to their next incarnation, if such an opportunity arose.

Most of these cultivators faced soul erosion rather than physical decay, meaning simply seizing another’s body wouldn’t solve their problem.

Thus, in the theories of immortal cultivation, resetting the soul—erasing all its wear and tear—was considered a rebirth into a brand-new spirit.

Though everyone knew that starting anew meant losing memories, and whatever they left behind could easily fall into others’ hands.

Still… everyone in this world believed they were the exception—that what others failed at, they would surely succeed in.

Naturally, building a tomb wasn’t meant for other sects to jointly excavate and study the design of one’s coffin.

So most of these secret realms were well-hidden—underwater, deep in the ocean, or buried within remote mountains.

They were often protected by ingenious mechanisms.

The more secluded the location, the better. The worst was the Central Continent, where the likelihood of being "excavated" was highest—its inhabitants possessed the highest cultivation and sharpest spiritual senses.

Moreover, with greater cultivation came more sophisticated excavation methods. Once discovered, a tomb would be thoroughly ransacked.

In other continents, a tomb might still hold its ground for a while thanks to clever defenses.

Chu Xingchen had little grave-robbing experience—that expertise belonged more to Li Xingtian.

But relying on his own cultivation, Chu Xingchen figured it wouldn’t be a problem. He might fear living Mahayana experts, but why fear the dead?

"Let’s go! Grave-robbing!" Chu Xingchen waved his hand grandly, ready to set off.

Xie Lingyu wore a faintly exasperated expression. "Couldn’t you phrase it more elegantly?"

Chu Xingchen promptly corrected himself. "Let’s go! Archaeological exploration!"

Xie Lingyu’s brows furrowed slightly—it did sound better, but it was still oddly phrased.

But Chu Xingchen had already stepped into the secret realm, and Xie Lingyu followed closely behind.

Fine. "Archaeological exploration" was still better than "grave-robbing."

Inside the secret realm.

As Chu Xingchen entered, his gaze swept across the surroundings. Though it was supposedly a tomb, the design was surprisingly lively.

There was no oppressive aura of gloom—far better than the Peach Blossom Village during Yuan Kong’s time.

Instead, though no sun hung in the sky, the light was clear and bright.

Lush green grass stretched out, dotted with blooming flowers.

A little further away, a stream trickled down, and in the distance, an enormous tree towered into the sky.

The tree was so massive it nearly filled the entire field of vision.

Chu Xingchen’s eyes traced upward—within the tree’s branches, numerous houses were built. At the very top, slightly more ornate dwellings stood out among the rest.

Though "ornate" here merely meant on par with an ordinary mortal’s home.

Xie Lingyu stepped in as well, his expression slightly guarded, his gaze naturally drawn to the towering tree.

Chu Xingchen suggested, "Shall we take a look?"

Xie Lingyu nodded lightly. "Be careful."

Chu Xingchen extended his spiritual sense briefly to assess the surroundings before taking a step forward.

In the next instant, the scenery around them shifted rapidly. Chu Xingchen immediately sensed spatial displacement and reacted swiftly, reaching back to grab Xie Lingyu’s hand as a barrier of spiritual energy flared around them.

The world blurred like flowing light, dissolving and reforming in an instant.

Within a blink, everything stabilized.

Chu Xingchen first checked on Xie Lingyu—thankfully, the spatial shift hadn’t separated them.

Xie Lingyu nodded slightly, indicating he was unharmed.

Only then did Chu Xingchen turn his attention forward.

In a bamboo grove, a young man dressed in white robes sat gracefully on a stone chair, a folding fan in hand. His expression was gentle as he studied a chessboard before him.

He picked up a white piece and placed it deliberately before looking up at Chu Xingchen and Xie Lingyu with a smile.

"Care for a game?"

Chu Xingchen remained expressionless, still holding Xie Lingyu’s hand. This space was unstable—if he let go and Xie Lingyu vanished, who could he complain to?

Clearly, Xie Lingyu thought the same, tightening his grip in return.

Chu Xingchen asked bluntly, "What happens if we refuse?"

The young man replied, "Nothing much. We’d simply wait until I finish this game."

Chu Xingchen understood immediately. This man had no opponent—how could he "finish" a game alone?

What he really meant was: Play, or you’re not leaving.

Without hesitation, Chu Xingchen pulled Xie Lingyu down to sit opposite the young man.

Might as well play a round. Who knew? Maybe they’d win.

And if they lost? Well, they could always fight their way out.

The young man looked surprised, then pleased, as he watched Chu Xingchen.

The chess pieces on the board automatically reset into their boxes.

Holding a white piece, the young man asked,

"Shall we guess colors?"

Chu Xingchen grabbed a black piece and placed it immediately.

"No guessing. Let’s play fast—we’re in a hurry."

The young man accepted cheerfully and matched his pace.

As Chu Xingchen moved another black piece, he asked,

"How long have you been playing here?"

The young man’s expression turned nostalgic before he answered with a light laugh,

"I’ve pursued the art of chess all my life. You could say I’ve played for a lifetime."

Chu Xingchen nodded understandingly, then pressed,

"Then you must seek the pinnacle of chess, right?"

The young man replied earnestly, "It is my life’s aspiration."

Chu Xingchen’s face lit up as if he’d found a kindred spirit, placing another piece.

Xie Lingyu gave him a puzzled look—hadn’t Chu Xingchen once claimed to be a terrible chess player, resorting to childish games like Gomoku?

But Xie Lingyu’s confusion soon cleared.

The young man’s expression shifted from delight to hesitation, then to outright bewilderment. Chu Xingchen played at breakneck speed—the moment the young man placed a piece, Chu Xingchen followed without pause.

After enduring a dozen moves, the young man finally looked up. "Even if you’re in a hurry, you can’t just move randomly!"

Chu Xingchen knew the rules of Go, but only as a casual hobbyist. His actual skill was… lacking.

"Just tell me—is it fast or not?" He placed another piece instantly.

The young man sounded exasperated. "Speed means nothing! Your entire dragon formation is dead!"

Chu Xingchen feigned realization, retracting his black piece.

"Then I concede. You win this round. Can we leave now?"

The young man frowned and shook his head.

Chu Xingchen accepted this readily. "Then shall we start a new game?"

The young man sighed, and the pieces reset once more.

From the first move, Chu Xingchen played recklessly.

Within fifty moves, he surrendered again.

Game after game, Chu Xingchen lost ten times in a row.

By the latest round, he wasn’t even looking at the board—one hand dropping pieces at random while he chatted idly with Xie Lingyu.

The young man repeatedly urged him to focus, but Chu Xingchen brushed him off.

"I am playing, aren’t I?"

"Thinking? I’ve been thinking the whole time."

"What do you mean by half-hearted? I've been analyzing the game in my mind the whole time. Just because you can't sense it doesn’t mean it’s my fault."

"I’m the one losing, and I’m not even annoyed. You’ve been winning nonstop, yet you’re still complaining? Do you even have any sportsmanship?"

The young man’s expression shifted repeatedly, but he held back and started a new game.

Yet, as he watched Chu Xingchen pick up a piece and casually toss it onto the board without even glancing—like throwing away trash—the young man finally couldn’t take it anymore and stood up.

"Are you even here to play chess?!"

Chu Xingchen looked at him with feigned surprise and replied, "We’ve played nearly thirty games. If I weren’t here to play chess, would I be here for a meal?"

The young man snapped, "Thirty games in such a short time?!"

Chu Xingchen shot back, "Does playing slowly mean playing well?"

Hearing his nitpicking retorts, the young man let out a cold laugh, his anger turning to scorn.

"You think you can leave without winning?"

A smirk tugged at Chu Xingchen’s lips as he answered, "Who said I’m leaving? Come on—let’s play!"