Chapter 730: The Chess Game
Translator: Transn Editor: Transn
Manipulated by Snake Two’s Spiritual Power, the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi shook violently for 500 meters. There was a torrential downpour.
“Thousand Kilometers Flooding.”
Snake Two was casting a very powerful, fourth-level water-nature spell. She had also integrated her Sword Comprehension into her Spiritual Power. These two powers now merged into one.
The raindrops unleashed by the heavens suddenly stopped falling. They had frozen into ice swords and were now whizzing loudly in the direction of the Coliseum.
“Break!”
She pushed her palms out. Thousands of ice swords condensed into a 100-meter long sword river. Like a dense swarm of locusts, the swords soared toward Zhang Ruochen.
All the Monks in Shentai City felt a sense of suffocation.
They knew that what she projected exceeded what a Monk in the Fish-Dragon Realm could do. It had the mighty aggression of a Half-Saint’s strike.
It was impossible to withstand her crushing power, even as a Monk who had cultivated the Divine Dragon Transformation.
Everyone was certain that Lin Yue would lose the fight.
He stopped executing the Divine Dragon Transformation and instead revealed his original form. He stood in the northeast corner of the Coliseum, one hand gripping the Thunder Pearl, the other holding the black chess piece bestowed to him by the Saint Lady. He started to mobilize the vast Spiritual Power inside.
Snake Two could make use of her Spiritual Power to attack. So could Zhang Ruochen.
In fact, he could have easily broken Snake Two’s spell with the Void Sword, without having to recourse to the Saint Lady’s Spiritual Power at all.
The Vessel Spirit in the Void Sword had been partially awakened in the Deceased God Cemetery.
Although the sword was not fully revived, it could release the power of a Thousand Inscriptions Weapon if he mobilized it to the max. It was now even stronger than the Bluewater Dragon Patterned Sword or Snake Two’s Snake-shaped Sword.
However, the Void Sword was too famous. It would cause endless trouble for him if he displayed it.
He decided to keep it as a trump card. He could make use of it during the Sword Technique Conference. It was not wise to reveal all his trump cards now.
He had already revealed too much in this battle. He was certain that all the Saints would soon be investigating him.
Making use of the Saint Lady’s Spiritual Power was a means of showing off his backing. He needed to deliver a message to the older Saints who were watching him in secret.
The Saint Lady’s influence would certainly suppress many who were against him.
“Ch-ch!”
He continued to draw Spiritual Power out from the chess piece and inject it into his Thunder Pearl. 99 lightning dragons, each the thickness of a bowl, soared directly out toward the heavens.
“Lightning Fire Vortex!”
The power of flaming thunderbolts poured out from the 99 lightning dragons. They formed a gigantic vortex with a 300-meter diameter that swirled incessantly and shattered all the ice swords that were soaring toward it.
Zhang Ruochen let out a low roar and pushed his palms forward. The Lightning Fire Vortex immediately repressed Snake Two’s power.
The power of the Lightning Fire Vortex made all the Monks present shiver with fear. They felt like leaves that could be ripped apart at any time by the vortex.
Within Shentai City, a red-skinned elder was standing far away from the Coliseum and casting his somber eyes on Zhang Ruochen.
His eyes finally settled on the chess piece in Zhang Ruochen’s hand. He looked truly surprised.
The red-skinned elder gave a laugh like a crow’s caw. In his raspy voice, he said, “So he is making use of the Saint Lady’s Spiritual Power. Looks like Lin Yue enjoys a close relationship with her. Is he one of her nine designated Kunlun Heirs?”
If Lin Yue became one of the Nine Kunlun Heirs, no one would dare to offend him from now onward.
All the Saints within Kunlun’s Field knew that Empress Chi Yao had selected her Nine Heirs to develop them into the Nine Emperors of a new era. She would employ every resource within the Field to achieve that goal.
Who had the courage to offend a future Emperor of Kunlun’s Field?
Even Saint Lingding and the three Half-Saints from the Law Enforcement Palace standing on the top story of the Array Tower looked astonished. All of them turned to look at the Saint Lady.
Only now did they realize that Lin Yue was acquainted with her. Their relationship must be quite close.
Otherwise, how could Lin Yue have gotten hold of her chess piece and be manipulating her Spiritual Power with it?
It was said that the Saint Lady was very accomplished in the game of chess. She had had the Prime Minister of the First Central Empire, Wang Shiqi, as her teacher. She had spent seven years under him and easily attained the Saint realm in the art after that.
There were even rumors that the Saint Lady was engaged in an unfinished “Chess Game”, planned by Wang Shiqi.
This so-called Chess Game was actually a ploy by Wang Shiqi to manage the state.
He saw the entire Kunlun’s Field as a massive chessboard, and the various forces and Saints throughout its Five Regions as chess pieces. He used this Game to manage the state affairs of the First Central Empire.
Wang Shiqi used the Chess Game to help the Empress control Kunlun’s Field, keeping the balance of power within the realm intact. They made use of all the resources available, turning Kunlun’s Field into an even more prosperous and peaceful place than before. Martial Arts thrived everywhere, and the world was as one.
His influence and power made him the Empress’s preeminent subordinate.
The Saint Lady was now engaged in the Game on Wang Shiqi’s behalf. It was quite clear to everyone that she was primed to succeed him as the next Prime Minister of the Empire.
Therefore, anyone who earned a chess piece from the Saint Lady would hold much significance. That person was a chess piece in the Game.
Kunlun’s Field was a massive realm, but a chessboard was very small.
Each piece on the board contained an enormous amount of energy. A small positional change of one piece would send half of Kunlun’s Field into great turmoil.
All the previous holders were at least ninth-level Half-Saints.
Lin Yue had received a chess piece while he was still in the Fish-Dragon Realm. It made many people wonder if he possessed that much energy.
Unless she had already designated him as one of the nine Kunlun Heirs.
That was the only possibility.
Of course, this so-called Chess Game was a mere rumor. No one could ascertain its veracity. After all, to set up a game where all the Saints were chess pieces would be beyond the power of humanity.
Even if Wang Shiqi’s cultivation was otherworldly, it would be near impossible for him to set up such a game.
Saint Lingding was elated. He quickly sent news back to Tai Qing Palace, to report the matter to the Master of the Yin and Yang Sect at the earliest opportunity. If Lin Yue became an Heir, the Sect would enjoy boundless advantages.
The Saint Lady however, remained very calm, smiling faintly. She had given him the chess piece merely to counter the Qi Family Half-Saint who was after their lives.
Only later had Zhang Ruochen revealed his extraordinary talents. She had thus given him the chess piece.
“After its last use, the Spiritual Power must be almost depleted by now,” she said to herself.
“He really is my Great Guardian.” The Red Wish Emissary’s bewitching eyes were glaring at Lin Yue from across the Coliseum. She had a grudging look upon her face.
When she had been vying with Di Yi for the position of the young master, a mysterious man had secretly helped her. She had made him her Great Guardian.
Unfortunately, after the last battle when the Great Guardian killed Di Yi, he seemed to have vanished from the face of the earth.
The Red Wish Emissary had sent many evil cultivators to search him out. They’d spent almost a year but failed to trace his whereabouts. Everyone believed that he had met with mishap.
It was only after coming to the Yin and Yang Sect that the Red Wish Emissary heard of Lin Yue and his deeds. She began to suspect that he must be her erstwhile Great Guardian.
The Dark Blue Emissary had been killed by the joint efforts of the Red Wish Emissary and her Great Guardian.
After her Great Guardian took away the body, rumors started circulating that the Dark Blue Emissary had been killed by Lin Yue, a Yin and Yang Sect disciple.
After seeing Lin Yue take out his Thunder Pearl and strike with his Spiritual Power, the Red Wish Emissary was now certain that the Great Guardian she was trying to trace was this favored son from the Yin and Yang Sect.
“What a hateful man. If you hadn’t gone away, if you had remained as my Great Guardian, I’d be able to take care of that slut, Murong Yue, easily.” The Red Wish Emissary bared her white teeth. She bit her lip lightly, looking very aggrieved.
Although Di Yi had died, the Orange Star Emissary, Murong Yue, had stepped forward instead. She was now vying for the position of young master with her.
The Black Market Excellence Hall had turned into a battlefield with two Emissaries vying for one position. Their cultivations and the forces supporting them were almost on a par. Neither person could beat the other.
It was because of this that the Red Wish Emissary missed her Great Guardian greatly. She missed his strategies and careful planning, the reason she’d defeated the more powerful Di Yi.
The Great Guardian could have enjoyed great wealth and prestige with her. The man, however, was a disciple of the Yin and Yang Sect. The Red Wish Emissary was most disappointed.
Such a favored son like Lin Yue would not be controlled by her, even had she wanted to.
The future was uncertain. She did not know if Lin Yue would become a friend or a foe.
The Red Wish Emissary had immense power. She had many top fighters under her. Even though she did not have as many as Di Yi before her, she still controlled half of the Black Market’s superiors.
The Red Wish Emissary enjoyed such esteem that every day, countless talents would seek refuge under her.
Lin Yue was neither one too many, nor one too few.
Even without his help, the Red Wish Emissary was confident that she would be able to defeat the Orange Star Emissary soon. She would soon occupy the eminent position–the Black Market Excellence Hall’s young master.
At this moment, the Orange Star Emissary also identified Zhang Ruochen.
“So His Royal Highness has taken the guise of Lin Yue and is hiding within the Yin and Yin Sect.” A brilliant light glimmered in her eyes.
One had to admit that Zhang Ruochen and Snake One’s battle had stretched his limit to the maximum. He had revealed so many secrets; the only thing he didn’t reveal was his power to manipulate time and space. A few who knew him well could now identify him.
Even Huang Yanchen pursed her lips tightly. A look of suspicion shone in her eyes. She seemed to find this Lin Yue quite familiar.