Chapter 7 The Ingenious Chess Game: Luring the Enemy into the Trap

A giant palm of immortal power tore through the sky, crashing down with a will that sought to crush everything.

The pressure belonging to a Taiyi Golden Immortal made the entire Siguo Cliff wail; the hard bluestone ground cracked inch by inch, and countless stones were ground into powder by the atmospheric pressure.

The surrounding Outer Sect Disciples were already breathless from the pressure, their Primordial Spirits stinging and their courage shattered. Their faces turned ashen as they scrambled away in retreat.

Zhao Ming and Li Qing were even more limp on the ground, their eyes filled with nothing but endless terror.

Crazy!

Long-eared Dingguang Immortal has gone crazy!

Gu Ziyuan has also gone crazy!

One dared to strike a lethal blow against a fellow disciple within Jinao Island, while the other dared to sentence a Taiyi Golden Immortal to death even when facing his own end!

"Oh no!" Bixiao's face turned deathly pale.

She never imagined things would escalate to this point! Long-eared Dingguang Immortal had truly developed a murderous intent!

The immortal power within her surged wildly as she prepared to manifest the Golden Dragon Scissors to intervene by force.

However, the moment the thought arose, an invisible and vast power...

...rose from the ground beneath her feet like an invisible barrier, locking her firmly in place.

She couldn't move at all!

Waves of shock surged in Bixiao's heart. She looked down in horror and discovered that the source of this power was actually that ordinary-looking stone chessboard!

It had not only trapped Long-eared Dingguang Immortal but had even suppressed her, a mere bystander, as well!

What on earth is this thing?!

In that lightning-fast moment, facing the world-destroying palm strike, Gu Ziyuan finally moved.

He did not panic, did not dodge, and did not even look at the giant palm pressing down on him.

He simply stood up slowly from before the chessboard.

His cultivation level was still that of a Heavenly Immortal, and his Aura remained as calm as a stagnant well.

But the moment he stood up, everyone present, including the enraged Long-eared Dingguang Immortal...

...all felt inexplicably as if they were looking up at a deity stepping out from ancient times.

An indescribable majesty and antiquity radiated from him.

"Today, I shall let you all know..."

Gu Ziyuan's voice was very soft, yet it clearly overpowered the whistling of the giant palm tearing through the air, reaching every corner of Siguo Cliff.

"...what the Way of Chess is!"

The moment his words fell, rows of large golden characters flashed rapidly in the vision that only Gu Ziyuan could "see."

[Detected that the host's Great Dao has been insulted; the dignity of the Way of Chess is being challenged!]

[Temporary Mission Issued: Suppress the small fry and manifest the Divine Might of my Way of Chess!]

[Mission Reward: Chess skill promoted to Rank 8 (the barrier between Immortal and Mortal); unlock the second form of the heaven and earth chessboard: 'Killing Chess Game'!]

[System Notification: 'Zhenlong Chess Game' plan locked!]

[Analyzing environment... 10%... 50%... 100%!]

[Constructing Killing Formation... 70%... 90%... Loading complete!]

Boom!

An Aura far more terrifying, more domineering, and more chilling than that of Long-eared Dingguang Immortal soared into the sky from within Gu Ziyuan!

If Long-eared Dingguang Immortal's pressure was a mountain, then the Aura Gu Ziyuan erupted with at this moment was a boundless starry sky!

The entire field fell into a deathly silence.

Everyone held their breath, their eyes bulging as they stared fixedly at the figure who stood like a pillar holding up the heavens beneath the Taiyi Golden Immortal's palm.

Is... is this fucking Heavenly Immortal?!

"Playing tricks!"

Long-eared Dingguang Immortal was also startled by this sudden Aura, but the arrow was already on the string; there was no turning back. The hideousness on his face turned into cruelty, and the power of the immortal giant palm surged by another thirty percent!

He wanted to crush this ant, who had made him lose face, along with his strange chessboard, into the most insignificant dust in the world!

The giant palm was already three feet above his head!

Violent winds blew Gu Ziyuan's black hair into a wild dance.

At this critical juncture.

Gu Ziyuan moved.

He did not manifest any Magic Treasure, nor did he perform any Divine Ability.

He simply reached out his right hand and, with his index and middle fingers, gently picked up the white piece from the chessboard—the one that had previously settled the world and slaughtered the black dragon.

A simple movement, yet it seemed to pull at the pulse of the entire world.

"Stupid!"

Seeing this, a cruel smile of certain victory appeared on Long-eared Dingguang Immortal's face.

"Trying to block my Gengjin Divine Palm with a broken stone piece? Turn into dust for me!"

Gu Ziyuan ignored his shouting.

He simply looked up, and in those eyes that had been calm for ten thousand years, a sliver of extreme, icy indifference appeared for the first time.

Like a deity above the Nine Heavens looking down at an ant that didn't know its place and dared to challenge the heavens.

Holding the white piece, he traced a mysterious arc through the air.

Then, gently and slowly...

...he pressed it back onto the chessboard.

Clack.

The sound was crisp, even somewhat pleasant.

But the moment the piece landed...

...the entire world seemed to have its mute button pressed.

That sky-covering golden giant palm came to a bizarre halt just a fraction of an inch above Gu Ziyuan's head.

Time and space completely solidified at this moment.

Immediately following...

Hum—!

...the entire stone chessboard suddenly erupted with a dazzling and brilliant light!

The three hundred and sixty-one pieces on the chessboard, whether black or white, all lit up at this moment, turning into three hundred and sixty-one brilliant stars!

Visible streaks of killing intent flowed wildly between the stars, connecting into lines, instantly constructing a vast and murderous Starry Formation beneath Gu Ziyuan's feet!

And that arrogant golden giant palm happened to be right in the center of this Starry Formation!

"This... what is this?!"

The smile on Long-eared Dingguang Immortal's face completely froze, replaced by endless terror.

He felt the connection between himself and the giant palm of immortal power being wildly torn and strangled by an irresistible, terrifying force!

An unprecedented crisis of life and death, like a cold tide, instantly submerged his Divine Soul!

Gu Ziyuan looked up, watching the frozen golden giant palm in mid-air and the pale-faced Long-eared Dingguang Immortal behind it.

The corners of his mouth curled slightly as he uttered eight words, sounding like a final sentence from the God of Death.

"The Zhenlong Chess Game: inviting the target into the trap!"