890: Life is like a game of chess; once a move is made, there's no going back.

"Hmm? This aura of thunder..."

The Chess Saint sensed the thunderous pressure in the sky, his expression instantly changed, and a hint of inexplicable fear arose in his heart.

This was not ordinary thunder; it was more like a Thunder Punishment, carrying the aura of destruction.

Living beings, no matter how high their Realm, still possess an instinctive fear when facing a Thunder Punishment.

Could it be that he truly boasted too much and offended the Thunder Ancestor?

"Thunder Punishment!"

Ye Ziran raised an eyebrow and immediately led everyone back.

The aura of this Thunder Punishment was extremely terrifying; if it fell, these Disciples might not be able to withstand it.

Xie Weilou looked at the Chess Saint: "Senior, are you afraid? The path of the Great Dao requires Heaven-Defying actions. Being struck by thunder and lightning is commonplace. Only by moving forward fearlessly can one reach the Peak! A mere Thunder Punishment makes you so fearful; it seems your path truly stops here."

He never intended to truly play this game against the Chess Saint. He was just a rotten old man, not worth him seriously playing a game against; killing him directly would suffice!

"Silence!"

The Chess Saint's face darkened. He immediately dropped a piece, seizing a star point. This little beast clearly intended to damage his Dao Heart.

Xie Weilou looked at the piece the Chess Saint had dropped. He casually picked up a black stone: "Are you afraid of darkness?"

He gently dropped the piece.

Thud!

The black stone landed on the board, emitting a crisp sound that seemed to carry some mysterious magic, instantly affecting the world.

The Chess Saint was instantly drawn into a dark world. There was no light in sight, only endless darkness, as if it were a boundless dark Universe.

"Do you fear the darkness?"

In the darkness, Xie Weilou's voice entered the Chess Saint's ears.

The Chess Saint said in a deep voice: "A mere illusion, how can it harm me? White pieces shine, scattered like stars!"

Buzz!

In the darkness, countless stars instantly appeared. The dark world transformed into a vast starry sky, where darkness and stars coexisted.

The figures of the Chess Saint and Xie Weilou appeared, and a huge chessboard stood between them.

The Chess Saint stretched out his hand, grabbed a star, placed it directly onto the board, and dropped his third piece.

He glared coldly at Xie Weilou: "A mere parlor trick, dare you show off before me?"

Xie Weilou smiled indifferently: "If you don't fear the darkness, do you fear death?"

After speaking, he stretched out his hand, intercepted a piece of darkness, and placed it on the board.

Buzz!

As the black stone landed, a Guangyin River appeared in the starry sky. The long river ran through the cosmos, and the chessboard stood upon the river. Xie Weilou and the Chess Saint stood on either side of the board.

"This is..."

When the Chess Saint saw the appearance of the Guangyin River, his pupils contracted. He felt his Divine Soul trembling and a chill run down his spine, as if even his Life Qi had dissipated slightly.

Xie Weilou said calmly: "Life is like a game of chess; once a piece is played, there is no regret. This is the Guangyin River. Once you step onto the long river, you cannot reverse course; you can only continue to play your pieces. Senior, please proceed!"

This piece would be the Chess Saint's final one.

Gongsun Yuan died upon the fourth piece, and the Chess Saint would be the same. Since it was the fourth piece, he naturally had to die!

This was a Peak Creation Realm expert. If he were attacked directly based on pure strength, he wouldn't die so easily.

However, since the opponent wanted to play chess, he had to die upon the chessboard.

"It's just an illusion; it won't scare me."

The Chess Saint gave a cold laugh and immediately grabbed a star.

He did not believe that the person before him truly possessed the Power of Time. In his view, everything before him was an illusion.

Boom!

The Chess Saint waved his sleeve, and the star instantly landed on the board.

Buzz!

Just as the star landed, the chessboard in front of the Confucian Sage disappeared.

Between heaven and earth, only a boundless Guangyin River stretched across. He was currently standing upon the long river.

The long river flowed ceaselessly. His body moved uncontrollably, constantly moving forward along the Guangyin River. His Lifespan, Life Qi, strength, and Divine Soul were rapidly dissipating.

"No... This... This isn't an illusion... This is real."

The Chess Saint's expression was horrified. He instantly realized that everything before him was not an illusion.

He subconsciously tried to struggle, but he couldn't break free at all. Once he stepped onto the long river, it was irreversible; he could not escape, could not stop, and could only move forward passively.

"No... I am unwilling!"

The Chess Saint's body continued to move forward along the long river, and he let out a shriek of terror.

A moment later.

His Divine Soul perished, his flesh and blood withered, his strength vanished, and his body turned into decaying white bones... Outside.

Everyone watched the Chess Saint with horrified expressions. In that brief moment, the Chess Saint went from a living, breathing old man to the end of his life.

The Chess Saint had now turned into a skeleton, and this skeleton continued to decay and shatter.

This scene was not unfamiliar to them.

When Gongsun Yuan played chess with Xie Weilou previously, it was the same: upon dropping the fourth piece, his Divine Soul perished, his flesh and blood vanished, and he turned into a pile of ashes.

Everyone subconsciously looked toward Xie Weilou, their eyes filled with horror.

What strange method did he use to make a Peak Creation Realm expert silently walk toward death?

"What a strange method."

Ye Ziran stared intently at Xie Weilou, his expression solemn.

He hadn't witnessed the previous game, only heard rumors, but he never expected to see such a strange sight with his own eyes.

A Peak Creation Realm expert, falling after dropping four pieces—this scene was truly chilling.

Not long after.

The Chess Saint's decaying bones had already turned into a pile of ashes.

Xie Weilou glanced at the chessboard, shook his head, and said: "Life is like a game of chess; once a piece is played, there is no regret. But not everyone is qualified to finish a game of chess with This Xie."

After speaking, he collected the Chess Saint's Storage Ring and walked out of the courtyard.

Ye Ziran watched Xie Weilou's retreating figure, then stared at the chessboard. This game had indeed not finished.

However, since one party holding the pieces was dead, the game naturally stopped!

On the street.

Xie Weilou walked forward lazily, his hands tucked into his sleeves.

"Brat, it's you!"

Just then, an angry voice rang out.

Xie Weilou stopped and looked toward the distance.

He saw Wang the Celestial Being rolling up his sleeves, walking toward him with a face full of fury.

Xie Weilou's expression also sank. He glared at Wang the Celestial Being and acted first: "You swindling old Daoist, This Xie has finally found you! Do you know your crime?"

"Uh..."

Wang the Celestial Being had just arrived in front of Xie Weilou. Seeing the brat attack first, he couldn't help but freeze for a second.

Damn it, who was looking for trouble with whom?

However, his reaction was quick. He immediately roared: "Brat, how dare you swindle..."

Xie Weilou said with a cold face: "Hateful old Daoist! This Xie kindly invited you to eat and drink, yet you dared to harm This Xie!"

"I..."

Wang the Celestial Being's mouth twitched again. Why did this brat seem angrier than him? Who exactly swindled whom?