After Jing Jiu left, Tong Yan left as well.
The chess tournament of the Plum Meeting had just begun, so it couldn't end there.
The winner of the chess tournament would receive the blessing of Zen Master along with the winners of the other four tournaments, and it was a great honor to begin with.
However, for understandable reasons, both the true chess experts and the simple hobbyists had little interest in the game and were unable to muster up any spirit.
"I'm going to leave too." He Zhan tied the alcohol jar to his waist and said to Sensei, "I'll go to the Platanus Sect to play with you when I have the chance. I'll take you to the neighboring Ōzawa to catch fish. The fish heads there are very delicious when stewed, better than roasted fish."
Sensei didn't pay attention to the latter part of his statement, asking in surprise, "You don't want to play chess anymore?"
"Yes." He Zhan fell silent for a while before saying, "I won't play chess anymore."
Upon hearing this, many shocked and puzzled gazes fell on him.
Jing Jiu and Tong Yan had already left, so He Zhan was the most popular candidate for the chess tournament of the Plum Meeting.
Even if he was shocked by the previous chess game, or he didn't want to take advantage of it, why did he say that he wouldn't play chess anymore?
It was unclear if what He Zhan said next was to answer Sensei or to all the people on the Chess Board Mountain.
"I can't beat those two even if I play chess for the rest of my life, and I can't even touch the hem of their clothes; so why should I play chess again?"
…
…
Jing Jiu and Zhao Layue parted at Xinjiekou, just like a few days ago. Everything was normal, as if nothing had happened that day.
The eaves of Taichang Temple looked shiny after being washed by the rainwater, looking like the horns of an old dragon.
Jing Jiu pulled back his gaze and walked up the stone steps, pushing open the door and entering the temple.
The whole family was sitting in the living room. Seeing him come in, they all stood up.
"Why are you back so soon?"
The attitude of the eldest brother of the Jing family was more respectful than a few days ago, but his eyes were full of joy.
When Jing Jiu saw him, he realized that he had forgotten something.
A few days ago, when he had asked the other party to bet on chess, he had said that he would win. Today, he had only played one round before returning.
He said, "How much did you lose? I will compensate you."
The elder brother of the Jing Family said happily, "It's okay, I bet on a single win."
…
…
The rain stopped when they reached the Chess Board Mountain.
There was no sound outside the window. It was very quiet, suitable for sleeping.
Jing Jiu didn't fall asleep. He was thinking about something.
The main reason he came to Zhaoge City to participate in the Plum Meeting was to see if that person would come looking for him.
But since Zhao Layue had said those words, and he had said it again when he was still in his early twenties, there was no harm in taking part in the chess tournament.
It was just a game.
Just like what he had said to Tong Yan in the Chess Board Mountain.
But was it really just a game?
He got up and walked to the bookshelf to take down the Go set. He returned to the table and rearranged the game.
He stood in front of the table, looking at the chessboard in silence for a long time.
The colors of the black and white Go pieces were so distinct and distinct, but they seemed to become a whole in the end.
He had won the game that day, but he was fully aware that he had won in a way that Tong Yan couldn't do.
He didn't think it was an unfair victory, but from Tong Yan's point of view, it wasn't a crime to win the game.
His current physical condition was quite special; his mental strength was almost limitless.
If it were before, he wouldn't have been able to play Go to such a high level even if he had learned it from a young age.
Tong Yan's Go play was almost perfect today. If he hadn't used up too much of his mental and physical strength at the end and made the last seven move too forceful, he wouldn't have been able to seize the opportunity to escape at any moment. Or if Tong Yan had slowed down the speed of playing Go and made this game a long one that would last dozens of days, the outcome of this game would still be unknown.
As such, he could understand and understand Tong Yan's pain at the end.
"You are still the number one player in the world."
Jing Jiu said this to Tong Yan while looking at the Go board.
When Jing Jiu stepped into the hidden river on that mountain, he thought he wouldn't have any change this time. It looked like there would be some changes, though only a little.
Or was it because he had been touched by something he hadn't been touched before?
Jing Jiu wasn't sure about this. It was too complicated to calculate the slight changes in his Dao Heart, and he was very tired.
He walked to the window and looked at the quiet small courtyard in the darkness of the night, feeling a bit perplexed for some reason.
This kind of emotion, or any other emotion, was something that rarely appeared in his mind.
A child's laughter and a woman's surprised screams suddenly came from the front of the small courtyard, followed by nervous hissing, and then it was quiet again.
Perhaps the eldest brother of the Jing family had told his family about what had happened and the wager.
If Jing Jiu wanted to listen to their conversation, he would be able to; but he didn't do so. He had gradually calmed down.
… …
… …
The chess tournament of the Plum Meeting continued in the following days.
Gu Yuanyuan, whom the Windy Broadsword Church had high hopes for, was defeated by an unknown Cultivation practitioner after two games because of the shock he received that day. Shang Jiulou was also very tired mentally, so he didn't make it to the end. He left the Chess Board Mountain on the fifth day.
The winner of the chess tournament was Que Niang of the Mirror Sect.
That young girl with freckles was indeed someone who had been instructed by Tong Yan in person. She had been affected by that Go game, but she had persisted until the end.
It was said that she had comprehended something from that Go game, and her Go state had improved.
That Go game was the one between Jing Jiu and Tong Yan on the first day of the chess tournament.
Not many people cared about the result of the chess tournament of the Plum Meeting; they were all discussing that Go game.
The printing press in Zhaoge City had printed thousands of Go playing records as quickly as possible, and then they were all snatched up and sent to various manors.
The Go board and Go pieces for the Go game between Jing Jiu and Tong Yan were sent to the Royal Palace on the same day. They were arranged according to the original conditions and then shaped by the Dao method. It was said that the Emperor spent the whole night admiring them.
Even the common people who weren't interested in the Go game were discussing this Go game with great interest. However, many of the details had been changed, which was quite amazing.
… …
… …
Tong Yan left Zhaoge City directly, giving up the most important Cultivation tournament. She stayed behind closed doors after returning to the Cloud-Dream Mountain. It was said that the Zhongzhou School was quite dissatisfied with her because of this.
Everybody knew that the Zhongzhou School was not dissatisfied with Tong Yan, but Jing Jiu.
Jing Jiu had become a real celebrity, so the events related to him were brought up again and became the hot topic on the streets.
For example, his experiences in the Aoyama Sect, traveling tens of thousands of miles with Zhao Layue, killing people everywhere, and of course the scenes at the Sword Trial of Aoyama.
Many people now knew that Jing Jiu was a special talent in sword work trained by the Sword Sect of Aoyama.
As the third ranked disciple of Liangwang Peak, Gu Han was quite famous in the Cultivation circle.
Guo Nanshan was the principal disciple of Aoyama and had broken through the State of Free Travel. He was considered to be a swordsman of the young generation who could challenge Lo Huainan.
Jing Jiu had only learned the sword work in Aoyama a few years ago, but he had defeated Gu Han and broken Guo Nanshan's sword. It was rumored that it wasn't a real contest, and that Jing Jiu had seized the opportunity when Guo Nanshan withdrew his sword at the last moment. However, a disciple in the initial State of the Undefeated faced a swordsman in the State of Free Travel. Even if there was an opportunity, how many people could seize it?
Thinking of the shocking Go game at the Plum Meeting, Jing Jiu had gradually formed an image in people's minds: a handsome young master who was good at scheming.
Soon after, new information began to circulate, which was said to come from the inner circle of Aoyama.
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