Chapter 31 The Sages' Game: Who Are the Pawns?

That beam of Buddha-light from the west was peaceful and compassionate, yet it carried an unquestionable dominance.

Wherever the light touched, the Law chains binding the Twelve Golden Immortals emitted a 'sizzling' corrosive sound.

The Way of Chess rules forming the chains were being forcibly erased and assimilated by a higher-dimensional power of 'Conversion'.

This was no longer about breaking the array, but directly modifying the outcome of this match from its very source!

"Amitabha."

A gentle voice echoed in everyone's hearts, like an elder advising an unruly Junior.

"Fellow Daoist, one should show mercy whenever possible; it is better to resolve a grudge than to let it fester. Since the Twelve Golden Immortals of the Chan Sect have already been defeated, you have vented your grievances. Why not let this matter end here and forge a good affinity, how about it?"

The voice was compassionate, but the actions were incredibly ruthless.

Before the words even finished, the purification power of that Buddha-light suddenly intensified, seemingly about to completely shatter all the Law chains!

The Faces of Daoist Duobao, the Three Xiao Fairies, and the others turned pale instantly.

A Saint!

A Saint of the Western Sect had made a move!

Before a Saint, the cultivation they took pride in and Junior Brother Gu's unpredictable chess array were as fragile as bubbles.

It's over!

However, just when everyone thought Gu Ziyuan would choose to temporarily retreat, he slowly raised his head.

Those eyes, usually as calm as an ancient well, were now like the coldest stars, staring directly at the western horizon where the Buddha-light descended.

The System alarm in his Sea of Consciousness had already turned blood-red.

[Warning! A Saint-level player is forcibly tampering with the match's Karma!]

[Warning! The Karma lines of the bet are being erased!]

"Good affinity?"

Gu Ziyuan smiled, his lips curling into an undisguised sneer.

"A good affinity with my Jie Sect... is your Western Sect even worthy of it?"

The voice wasn't loud, but it was like a resounding slap, striking hard at everyone's hearts!

A Profound Immortal was rebuking a Saint?!

"On my, Gu Ziyuan's, chessboard, no one gets to ignore the rules."

His gaze sharpened, and instead of withdrawing his power, he sent out a mental command.

"Explode!"

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Within the Zhou Tian Xing Dou Chess Array, three auxiliary stars serving as array cores detonated!

The violent star power surged back, not attacking the enemy, but pouring entirely into the Law chains that were on the verge of collapsing.

At the cost of damaging the chess array's Foundation, he forcibly stabilized his own rules!

The chains that were about to dissipate became solid again in an instant, tightening even deeper into the Primordial Spirits of the Twelve Golden Immortals!

"Agh—!"

Painful roars rang out again, this time a hundred times more shrill than before!

"You..."

On the western horizon, that gentle voice finally carried a hint of astonishment and slight anger.

He hadn't expected this ant to be so fierce! To prefer being broken jade than intact clay!

Meanwhile, in the endless Chaos beyond the Thirty-Three Heavens.

"Zhun carry! You dare!"

The Heavens-Reaching Master was fuming with rage, the Immortal-Slaying Sword Array erupting with world-destroying Sword Qi, frantically striking at the two figures before him.

But one held the Pangu Banner, manifesting Chaos Sword Qi that no magic could break.

The other held the Seven Treasures Mysterious Tree, brushing down ten thousand beams of Buddha-light that could convert anything.

Yuanshi Tianzun and Saint Zhunti joined forces, pinning him down here!

"Senior Brother Tongtian, why be angry?" Saint Zhunti appeared solemn and dignified, but his words were mocking. "The play between Juniors should be settled by them. We Saints should stay here and discuss the Dao."

"Bullshit!" The Heavens-Reaching Master's eyes were blood-red. "Two against one, and you want me to discuss the Dao? Yuanshi, has your Chan Sect lost all Face?!"

Yuanshi Tianzun's Face was as cold as water as he snorted, "It is your Jie Sect Disciples who have gone too far! Today's matter is not up to you!"

The Heavens-Reaching Master was anxious but was held fast. He could only struggle to separate a wisp of Divine Thought, crossing endless space-time to enter Gu Ziyuan's Sea of Consciousness:

"Ziyuan, retreat quickly! Yuanshi has allied with Zhunti, and I am pinned down! Do not resist head-on!"

Receiving his Revered Master's transmission, Gu Ziyuan felt a warmth in his heart, but the deep-seated arrogance in his bones was completely ignited.

Retreat?

If I retreat today, the backbone of the Jie Sect's lineage will bend with me!

And I will have lost this game!

He looked up toward the western horizon, his voice echoing through the entire East Sea: "Today, I want to see if a Saint can win a single piece from me on this board!"

"Presumptuous!"

Saint Zhunti was truly enraged.

An ant repeatedly provoking the dignity of a Saint—did he really think he had no temper?

Hum—

A Saint Clone holding the phantom of the Seven Treasures Mysterious Tree crossed millions of miles of space-time, appearing directly above Three Immortals Island. With a terrifying pressure that could purify all things and overturn heaven and earth, it brushed down toward Gu Ziyuan!

This strike was enough to brush the entire Three Immortals Island and all living beings on it into nothingness!

The Three Xiao Fairies were pale with horror, and Daoist Duobao's eyes were nearly splitting, yet they couldn't even move a finger.

At this critical moment.

A wisp of Black-Yellow Qi descended from the Nine Heavens without warning.

It seemed slow, but it arrived first, gracefully transforming into a Nine-Story Exquisite Pagoda in front of the Seven Treasures Mysterious Tree's phantom.

Clang—!

A crisp sound of impact.

The phantom of the Seven Treasures Mysterious Tree, along with that world-destroying Saintly might, was steadily held up by the exquisite pagoda, unable to advance an inch.

Between heaven and earth, a long sigh echoed, as if traveling through eternal time.

"Sigh..."

An old man wearing a Bagua Daoist robe, with white hair and beard, riding a green ox, slowly walked out from the Void Realm.

It was the Great Master of the Daoist Sect, Taishang Laozi!

In the Chaos, Yuanshi Tianzun and Saint Zhunti's expressions changed slightly as they stopped their assault.

On Three Immortals Island, everyone held their breath.

Taishang Laozi glanced at the Chaos, then scanned the wretched Twelve Golden Immortals and the proudly standing Gu Ziyuan on Three Immortals Island, speaking plainly:

"This matter ends here."

Four words, his word was Law, as if containing the ultimate truths of heaven and earth.

Yuanshi Tianzun snorted but did not object.

Saint Zhunti withdrew his Clone and bowed, saying, "What Daoist Brother says is right."

Only then did Laozi look at Gu Ziyuan and the Twelve Golden Immortals, his voice still calm: "The Chan Sect used numbers to bully the few and used the elder to bully the small; losing is their own doing."

Guangchengzi and the others felt their Faces burning with extreme humiliation.

"But,"

Laozi's tone shifted.

"The Jie Sect Disciple is being relentless despite being in the right, which also lacks the grace of the Daoist Sect. The bet can continue, but the punishment shall be halved. There is no need for three kowtows and nine prostrations; simply bow toward Jinao Island and admit that your skills are inferior."

These words were a typical compromise.

Punishing both sides slightly to preserve everyone's Face.

In everyone's eyes, this was already the best outcome. A Saint had personally mediated.

It gave the Jie Sect immense Face and provided the Chan Sect a way out.

Guangchengzi and the others were unwilling, but they also breathed a sigh of relief.

However, Gu Ziyuan looked directly at Taishang Laozi and slowly shook his head.

"No."

Two words, like a thunderclap!

Throughout the Great Desolation, the Divine Thoughts of all the Great Powers spying on this place almost shattered on the spot!

He... he rejected the mediation of Saint Taishang?!

Laozi's eyes, which seemed to see through eternity, flickered with a ripple for the first time. He looked at Gu Ziyuan and asked,

"Why?"

"My chess match, my rules."

Gu Ziyuan spoke each word deliberately. His voice wasn't loud, but it clearly rang through heaven and earth.

"A piece placed is a choice made without regret!"

"A bet is a bet. Either they fulfill it, or I will seal the twelve of them in the Eye of the East Sea for a hundred thousand years!"

Crazy!

This kid has completely lost his mind!

He even dares to reject a Saint's Face!

Guangchengzi and the others were shocked and furious; this was simply pushing them to their deaths!

But to everyone's surprise, after Taishang Laozi took a deep look at Gu Ziyuan, he didn't get angry.

In those eyes, devoid of joy or sorrow, there was actually a flash of... approval?

"A fine 'no regrets for a piece placed'."

Laozi stroked his beard and smiled, nodding.

In the next moment, his form flickered.

Hum!

Under the gazes of everyone who was shocked to the point of numbness, Taishang Laozi's figure split into three!

The three figures' aura, Dao rhyme, and pressure were exactly the same—all were the dignity of a Saint!

One Qi Transforms into Three Pure Ones!

One figure, holding a Flat Staff, stepped forward and blocked Yuanshi Tianzun and Saint Zhunti in the Chaos, saying indifferently:

"Junior Brothers, why don't you accompany this old Daoist in discussing the Dao?"

Another figure remained on the spot, still riding the green ox, his gaze distant as if watching over the entire East Sea.

And the final figure appeared before Gu Ziyuan in an instant.

He looked at the slowly rotating One Qi Transforms into Three Pure Ones Divine Ability rune in Gu Ziyuan's Sea of Consciousness, showing a mysterious smile, and then... looked in another direction.

That was... the direction of Nüwa Palace, beyond the Thirty-Three Heavens.

The entire Great Desolation fell completely silent.

No one could understand anymore.

The Great Master of the Daoist Sect, the Saint Taishang of quietude and non-action—what exactly was he trying to do?