Amidst the colorful clouds.

Qin Luo sat in front of the chessboard, staring at the dim board, knowing there was no chance of winning.

Time passed slowly, and the bright moonlight shone on Qin Luo. He sat there motionless, and the little dumpling dared not make a sound to disturb him, watching quietly.

As the morning glow shone on the colorful clouds, Qin Luo's eyes brightened. He cupped his hands in greeting to the Cloud Immortal and said respectfully, "Thank you for your guidance, senior."

The little dumpling stretched.

She fell asleep while watching it last night.

The Immortal of Rainbow Clouds smiled and waved his hand. He looked at Qin Luo and asked with a smile, "Young friend, do you have an answer?"

Qin Luo looked at the chessboard and smiled slightly. "You have to give up something to gain something. It's a very simple principle, but it's very difficult to put into practice. If you really have to choose, then give up me."

The little dumpling tilted its head blankly.

Why?

The fairy Caiyun was somewhat puzzled.

Qin Luo smiled calmly, "I was just a passerby."

The fairy Caiyun nodded, and couldn't help but sigh, "In the long river of time, we are all just passersby."

Qin Luo stood up, his smile as bright as the rising sun. "Senior, my journey has not yet reached its end. It's time to leave."

"Young friend, if there's anything you'd like to ask, as long as I know the answer, I'll be happy to answer." Immortal Caiyun stood up, stroking his beard with admiration in his eyes.

Qin Luo chose to ask the simplest question first, "Senior, where is Nantian Peak?"

"Nantian Peak is located at the southernmost part of Jiangnan Prefecture."

The Immortal of Rainbow Clouds stretched out his hand, and mountains and rivers appeared in his palm. The map was a hundred times more detailed than Chu Peiran's map, with everything from small villages and towns to large mountains and rivers marked.

Qin Luo imprinted this detailed map into his mind, and then asked, "Senior, what is your view on the conflict between Heaven and Man?"

"I've thought about this question for many years."

The Immortal of Rainbow Clouds said solemnly, “Humans are different from other races. They can adapt to nature, follow the order of the four seasons, cultivate in spring, weed in summer, harvest in autumn, and store in winter. They can also conquer nature, change the world, move mountains and overturn seas, control floods and shoot down the sun. They worship gods, and gods should also worship them.”

"The might of Heaven is overwhelming and cannot tolerate the existence of such a race. Similarly, if Heaven is unjust, they are determined to overthrow the heavens. The struggle between Heaven and humanity is inevitable."

Qin Luo nodded slightly, "Senior is right. The only people the human race truly reveres are their ancestors. Senior, who do you think will ultimately win the battle between heaven and man?"

The Immortal of Rainbow Clouds shook his head and sighed, "The outcome is uncertain, but it will certainly be a time of great suffering and loss of life."

Qin Luo only wanted to stop the conflict between the celestial beings and humans. He asked curiously, "Does Senior know the Grand Preceptor of the Great Xia Dynasty?"

Caiyun Immortal frowned. "I have played chess with the Grand Preceptor of the Great Xia Dynasty. He is a staunch opponent of Heaven. The only game I have ever lost in my life was against him."

"Senior lost?"

The little dumpling frowned.

That imperial advisor must be very powerful.

"The rules of the game we just played were proposed by the Grand Preceptor. He called these rules 'indispensable.' I thought it was interesting, so I played along with him, but I ended up losing badly."

"Hahaha."

The little dumpling burst into laughter.

"Does the senior know what the Imperial Advisor's name is?"

"have no idea."

The Immortal of Rainbow Clouds shook his head and sighed softly, "The Imperial Preceptor is very mysterious; beneath his black robe lies utter darkness."

Qin Luo's eyes narrowed slightly. "The Imperial Advisor came to see you, senior, just to play chess?"

"Of course not. The Imperial Preceptor came to retrieve the fragments of the Heavenly Dao that had fallen into the colorful clouds. I was powerless to stop him. Before he left, he even asked me about the whereabouts of the other fragments."

Did the senior say so?

Immortal Caiyun smiled and shook his head, "I know, and the Imperial Preceptor knows too, that the Great Xia Academy has a fragment of the Heavenly Dao, and the Great Xia royal family also has one."

"Thank you for clearing up my doubts, senior."

Qin Luo bowed respectfully to the Fairy of Colorful Clouds.

The little dumpling blinked and said in a clear voice, "Senior, can I ask you a question?"

What do you want to ask?

The fairy Caiyun nodded with a smile.

The little dumpling tilted its head and asked, "Who's more powerful, my boss or that imperial advisor?"

After thinking for a moment, the Immortal Caiyun looked at the refined and easy-going Qin Luo and said, "I think you are more capable, young friend."

"hey-hey."

The little dumpling's lips curled up in a smile.

Qin Luo smiled slightly, "Senior, farewell."

The Immortal of Rainbow Clouds smiled and nodded. He watched Qin Luo leave Rainbow Clouds, then looked at the chessboard, his expression gradually becoming serious. "But He will not abide by the rules."

Qin Luo stayed in the colorful clouds for a day and a night, and he gained a lot and new insights.

When Qin Luo arrived at the thirteenth pavilion, there was a middle-aged man in purple robes inside, still pondering a chess game, completely unaware of Qin Luo's passing by.

When Qin Luo arrived at the ninth pavilion, everyone inside was waiting. They knew that Qin Luo's arrival in Caiyunjian was no ordinary event.

A cultivator stepped forward and greeted him with a smile, "May I ask how I should address you, Daoist Master?"

The little dumpling cleared its throat. "We come from the Purple Cloud Mountains. My boss is Qin Luo, the eldest disciple of the Dragon Tiger Temple, and I am the Great Protector of the Dragon Tiger Temple, the little dumpling."

"Has Master Qin seen the Immortal of Colorful Clouds?"

"I've met you."

"So, did you gain anything?"

"He answered some of my questions."

The cultivators in the pavilion looked on with envy. One of them said warmly, "Tang Qingshan from Jinling greets Daoist Qin."

"Xu Qiulin of the Xuancan Sect greets Daoist Qin."

"Zhao Wenwu of Shujian Pavilion greets Daoist Qin."

"......"

Qin Luo felt a little uncomfortable. He rarely encountered cultivators and this was the first time he had been surrounded by so many. He smiled and nodded.

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