Chapter 23 Seclusion for Enlightenment: The Game of Mountains and Rivers Escalates Again

Chapter Twenty-Three: Seclusion for Dao Comprehension, Mountains and Rivers Society Chessboard Upgrades Again

Kunlun Mountain, Yuxu Palace.

The icy aura, enough to freeze the Divine Soul of a Grand Unity Golden Immortal, was even denser than before.

A streak of light flew in from beyond the heavens and landed before the hall, revealing the figure of Nanji Xianweng.

His face was pale as he knelt before the tightly shut palace doors, a hint of trembling in his voice.

“Reporting to Revered Master, this Disciple... is incompetent.”

“This Disciple took your talisman decree to the Huoyun Cave, but the Three Sovereigns of the Human Race... refused.”

Inside the hall, there was a deathly silence, so quiet that one could hear a pin drop.

After a long while, Yuanshi Tianzun's emotionless voice slowly drifted out: “The reason.”

Nanji Xianweng buried his head even lower.

“The Three Sovereigns said that the Human Race does not touch Karma; during the Great Tribulation, the Huoyun Cave shall remain closed. The Human Race's Luck is self-contained and will not favor any sect.”

“What a fine 'does not touch Karma'!”

Boom!

The terrifying wrath of a Saint flashed through Yuxu Palace for an instant. All living beings across the entire Kunlun Mountain range immediately prostrated themselves on the ground, shivering in fear.

Nanji Xianweng felt as if he had been struck by lightning, his Primordial Spirit in agonizing pain.

“If Tongtian can do it, why can't I?” Yuanshi Tianzun's voice was bone-chillingly cold.

“Since they wish to be self-contained, then let them remain so forever!”

He seemed too lazy to say anything more.

“Pass down my decree.”

“Seal!”

With just a single word, his speech became Law!

Far away on the vast Honghuang World, outside the Human Race's Holy Land, the Huoyun Cave, the boundless Purple Qi of the Human Dao that was originally connected to heaven and earth...

Was forcibly twisted and compressed by a supreme power, turning into a visible golden barrier that completely isolated the Huoyun Cave from the Honghuang World!

Inside the cave, the expressions of Fuxi, Shennong, and Human Emperor Xuanyuan, the Three Sovereigns, changed simultaneously. They all looked toward Kunlun, a hint of helplessness and bitterness flashing in their eyes.

The might of a Saint was actually overbearing to this extent.

...

Completely different from the cold and oppressive atmosphere of Kunlun Mountain, Jinao Island at this moment was still immersed in a fanatical atmosphere.

The three words “Senior Brother Ziyuan” had already replaced Daoist Duobao, becoming the name mentioned most frequently by the thousands of Outer Sect Disciples.

However, this newly ascended “chess dao killing god” had returned to his remote Immortal Cave at Siguo Cliff to announce a period of seclusion on the very second day after receiving his Revered Master's rewards.

Outside the Immortal Cave, three exquisite figures stood side by side—the Three Xiao Fairies.

“Hmph, at least those fellows know their place. Knowing that Junior Brother Ziyuan is in seclusion, not a single one dared to come and disturb him.”

Bixiao crossed her arms and looked around the empty Siguo Cliff, quite satisfied.

Yunxiao smiled gently:

“Junior Brother Ziyuan's brilliance was too sharp this time. Retreating from the limelight to focus on cultivation is the best choice. With us sisters here, we can also act as his Protectors, just in case.”

Qiong Xiao's eyes darted around as she giggled.

“Eldest Sister, do you think Junior Brother Ziyuan will directly become a Golden Immortal after he comes out of seclusion? By then, wouldn't even Great Master Senior Brother Duobao necessarily be his match?”

As soon as these words were spoken, even the usually steady Yunxiao had a flicker of anticipation in her eyes.

That man who seemed ordinary but whose every move shook the heavens—who could say for sure?

The three sisters set up a Formation, enveloping the entire Siguo Cliff within it, isolating its aura so that it was impervious to all methods.

Inside the Immortal Cave.

Gu Ziyuan sat cross-legged, his expression calm.

Before him, three items floated quietly.

The Acquired Karma Supreme Treasure, the sea-fixing divine needle.

A Purple-Gold Gourd containing six-revolution golden cores.

And that ancient and heavy object, with Dao rhymes flowing through it as if it contained the power of the entire earth... the heaven-turning seal!

Gu Ziyuan's gaze finally landed on the heaven-turning seal.

Although this treasure was Guangchengzi's companion Spirit Treasure, the path of ultimate Suppression and the Law of Thick Earth contained within were a perfect match for his Way of Chess.

His Shanhai Chessboard had the majesty of the “Sea” but lacked the Suppression of the “Mountain.” If he could fully comprehend this seal, the power of his chess game would surely undergo a qualitative change!

[ bite! Detected host in contact with a top-grade Innate Spirit Treasure. Triggering temporary mission: Analyze the Innate!]

[Mission Content: Within three months, use the heaven and earth chessboard to deduce and analyze the core Law of the 'heaven-turning seal,' and Revered Master its Dao rhyme of 'Suppression'.]

[Mission Reward: The grade of the heaven and earth chessboard will increase, and the completion of the Divine Ability “One Qi Transforms into Three Pure Ones” will increase.]

Gu Ziyuan's eyes lit up.

Exactly what I wanted!

Without the slightest hesitation, he waved his sleeve, and the stone chessboard instantly appeared, expanding to a radius of three zhang.

He reached out, and the heaven-turning seal slowly rose, landing squarely in the “Tianyuan” position at the very center of the chessboard!

“With heaven and earth as the furnace, the chessboard as the foundation, and the Innate Spirit Treasure as the material... I shall forge my Great Dao!”

As Gu Ziyuan opened his eyes, a divine light shone brilliantly.

He activated his Primordial Spirit, pouring all his Divine Thought into the chessboard, deducing frantically!

Buzz—!

The heaven and earth chessboard vibrated violently.

On the chessboard, it was no longer simple black and white lines, but a vast phantom of mountains and seas emerged. Stars flowed above the chessboard, simulating the trajectory of the Heavenly Dao.

The heaven-turning seal resting on the Tianyuan position was like an Immemorial Divine Mountain suppressing the core of the entire game. Thick and peerless Laws of the Earth radiated from the seal, being frantically absorbed, analyzed, and simulated by the chessboard.

At the same time, with a thought, Gu Ziyuan channeled out all the power he had previously absorbed in the East Sea—Guangchengzi's magic power that hadn't been fully refined and the vast Origin power of the East Sea.

These powers now became the best fuel to drive the chessboard's deduction!

Time passed quickly in the depths of Dao comprehension.

One month...

Two months...

Under the infusion of massive resources and the tempering of the chessboard, the magic power in Gu Ziyuan's body had long reached the limit of the Peak Heavenly Immortal stage, just one step away.

But he was in no hurry to break through.

He was waiting—waiting for an opportunity, a moment to melt all his insights into one furnace and complete the most perfect transformation!

Finally, on the eighty-first day of seclusion.

On the chessboard, the Law of “Mountain” representing the heaven-turning seal and the Law of “Sea” representing the East Sea Origin...

After countless deductions and collisions, they finally found a point of perfect balance.

Now!

Gu Ziyuan's eyes flashed with brilliance. Without hesitation, he took the Purple-Gold Gourd and tilted his head to swallow a six-revolution golden core!

Boom!

The Golden Core entered his stomach, as if a sun had exploded inside him!

The pure medicinal power, vast enough to make any Heavenly Immortal explode and die, instantly detonated!

“Break for me!”

Gu Ziyuan gave a low growl, guiding this world-destroying power to launch the most violent assault against that indestructible Profound Immortal Barrier!

At the same time, his analysis of the heaven-turning seal reached its final critical moment!

On the chessboard, the phantoms of “Mountain” and “Sea,” catalyzed by the power of the Golden Core, actually began to merge slowly!

The mountain entered the sea, serving as the foundation!

The sea surrounded the mountain, serving as the meridians!

Rumble!

Thunderous sounds echoed within Gu Ziyuan's body; every limb, every bone, and every cell was cheering.

That Realm barrier was like paper, instantly crushed!

A powerful aura, more than ten times stronger than a Heavenly Immortal's, erupted from his body!

Early Stage Profound Immortal! Success!

At the moment of Breakthrough, his Primordial Spirit and magic power underwent earth-shaking changes; whether in quality or quantity, they were incomparable to before.

And at the same moment he broke through.

In his mind, the System's prompt arrived as scheduled!

[ bite! Congratulations to the host for completing the mission: Analyze the Innate!]

[Rewards being distributed...]

[The heaven and earth chessboard is beginning to upgrade... Upgrade successful!]

[Current Form: Mountains and Rivers Society Chessboard (Pseudo)!]

Buzz—!

The stone chessboard in front of him glowed brightly, and the patterns on it became even more ancient and profound.

A terrifying aura that suppressed mountains and rivers and encompassed society spread out.

Gu Ziyuan could clearly perceive that the upgraded chessboard was not as simple as drawing a prison on the ground.

It... could already preliminarily evolve a real Small World!

The power of Suppression was a hundred times stronger than before!

Inside the Immortal Cave, all the anomalies slowly receded.

Gu Ziyuan slowly opened his eyes. Deep within his pupils, it seemed as if the sun, moon, and stars were being born and extinguished, and thousands of miles of mountains and rivers were rising and falling.

He felt the Profound Immortal magic power surging like rivers and seas within him, and the Mountains and Rivers Society Chessboard, which was now in sync with his mind.

With its power skyrocketing, a faint smile couldn't help but tug at the corner of his mouth.

He raised his head, his gaze seemingly piercing through the barriers of the Immortal Cave and the Formation, looking toward the distant Kunlun Mountain.

He knew that the retaliation from the Chan Sect was coming soon.

And he had also prepared a new “chess game,” waiting for them to... enter the trap.