The refined middle-aged man, dressed in a white robe and holding a folding fan, with his long hair cascading over his shoulders, bowed to Qin Luo and said, "I am Meng Yuan, the mountain god of Misty Hidden Mountain."
"Longhu Temple, Qin Luo."
Qin Luo returned the greeting with a cupped hand.
As the thick fog dissipated, the bright moonlight shone into the mountains. Qin Luo noticed the mountain god temple behind Meng Yuan, with its golden roof and red paint, magnificent and splendid. Even the mountain god temple was more imposing than the Longhu Temple. No wonder many people looked down on the Longhu Temple.
The mountain god temple was deserted, without a trace of incense. Qin Luo looked puzzled and asked, "Senior, there are no people near Misty Hidden Mountain, so why are you unaffected?"
There is no incense burning.
Yin spirits have a hard time surviving.
Meng Yuan replied with a smile, "Young friend, I am a mountain god appointed by the Great Xia Dynasty. I can live forever without incense offerings."
No wonder.
Qin Luo suddenly realized.
Meng Yuan sighed, “Time flies in the mountains. I usually keep company with the wild clouds and cranes. Occasionally I encounter villagers who have wandered into the mountains, but they don’t know how to play chess.”
"Young friend, do you know how to play chess?"
"I know a little bit."
Qin Luo had watched his senior brothers play chess before.
Meng Yuan was overjoyed. "Young friend, if you win the game, I will remove the barrier."
Qin Luo had never studied chess and was definitely no match for Meng Yuan. "Do you think this barrier can trap me?"
How will you know if you don't try?
Meng Yuan wore a wry smile.
Qin Luo didn't want to make a fool of himself.
He has never studied chess.
"Qin Luo, I'm quite interested in playing chess."
The gentle voice of the purple-haired fairy rang in my ears.
"I can play chess with you, senior. Regardless of the outcome, I will leave this place," Qin Luo said with a smile.
Meng Yuan was overjoyed. He extended his hand to invite them to a beautiful stone pavilion next to the mountain god temple. Inside was a sandalwood chessboard with black and white chess pieces carved from jade.
After Qin Luo sat down, he picked up a box full of black chess pieces, a move that surprised Meng Yuan.
Meng Yuan reminded him, "Young friend, according to the rules of the Great Xia Dynasty, white comes first and black comes last, and the elders hold the black position."
"I know."
Qin Luo smiled.
Meng Yuan shook his head helplessly.
From within the jade pendant, the purple-haired fairy said softly, "Qin Luo, tell him to let his fourth son not to say that I'm bullying him."
Qin Luo smiled and respectfully extended his hand, "Senior, I'll give you a four-point handicap, please."
Meng Yuan's smile vanished completely, and he said in a deep voice, "Young friend, I was a national champion of the Great Xia Dynasty in my lifetime, are you serious?"
"certainly."
Qin Luo smiled slightly.
Anyway, it wasn't him playing chess.
Qin Luo had just said he knew a little about chess, and now he was going to give him a four-stone handicap. Meng Yuan sighed. He was a chess master, after all, and he never expected to be looked down upon like this.
"Okay, this is your choice."
Meng Yuan didn't stand on ceremony. He was prepared to teach this young man a lesson and placed white pieces directly in the four star positions.
Qin Luo picked up a black piece and placed it on the center.
Meng Yuan was startled. He glanced at Qin Luo. Did this guy really know how to play chess? Or was he just playing along?
"Young friend, please don't give way anymore."
"Senior, you are the one who cannot be careless. You might be possessed by the God of Chess right now."
"Hahaha."
Meng Yuan couldn't help but chuckle. He had lived in this land for thousands of years and had never met someone as interesting as Qin Luo.
He has survived to this day only because of his superb chess skills, which have made him a tool for certain important figures to pass the time. Qin Luo has given him enough respect, something Meng Yuan has never experienced before.
"I won't hold back with you!"
Meng Yuan made his move again.
Qin Luo made his move under the guidance of the purple-haired fairy.
For dozens of moves in a row, they placed their pieces quickly. Meng Yuan gradually realized that Qin Luo was not simple, but with the advantage of giving Qin Luo a piece at the beginning, he still firmly maintained the initiative.
Time passed little by little.
As the game progresses into the middle game, both sides engage in fierce combat, a time that tests their wisdom.
Meng Yuan tried every means to devise a strategy for Qin Luo, but Qin Luo completely ignored it. He played chess without hesitation, as if the entire game was under his control.
Meng Yuan began to ponder for a long time.
He takes a long time to think about each move.
Qin Luo continued to place his pieces quickly.
He brought a strong sense of oppression to Meng Yuan.
After a hundred moves, Meng Yuan fell into a deep contemplation, lost in thought, his consciousness completely absorbed in the game.
"Let's go."
"No need to wait."
The purple-haired fairy had a gentle voice.
After being reminded, Qin Luo came to his senses and began to think about his next move. "Senior, White seems to have a significant advantage, so why is he still thinking for so long?"
"Because he has a significant advantage, he doesn't want to lose it. Often, people are just reluctant to let go, and as a result, they lose even more," the purple-haired man explained with a smile.
Meng Yuan didn't notice when Qin Luo got up; his attention was entirely on the chessboard.
The bright sunlight shone on Qin Luo's face. He stretched and murmured, "Time really flies. A game of chess can actually last until dawn."
"Some chess games can last for a thousand years."
"Won't you get bored?"
"Precisely because it's boring."
"..."
Qin Luo bowed to Meng Yuan in farewell. This game of chess was quite interesting and had sparked his interest in playing chess.
Reaching the edge of the spatial barrier, Qin Luo unleashed a punch, shattering the spatial barrier that enveloped Misty Hidden Mountain on the spot.
...
Yanbei City.
The Prince of Zhenbei's Mansion.
The palace was unusually quiet at this moment.
In the deep garden of the Prince's mansion, a middle-aged man dressed in a golden robe stood by a wide pond. A cultivator dressed in black knelt behind him. "Your Highness, the Taoist priest from Longhu Temple is on his way to Yanbei City. He walks all the way, clearing paths through mountains and building bridges over rivers, sometimes fast and sometimes slow."
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