I am Master Maoshan

"Your Majesty is truly gifted." After another round of play, Mr. Li put down his chess piece, looked up, and said with a hint of admiration in his eyes.

He observed the situation on the chessboard, secretly astonished. This young deity, though he hadn't been playing chess for long, displayed an astonishing comprehension and learning speed. Each move showed his continuous improvement, gradually revealing his own playing style.

Of course, Mr. Li knew in his heart that he was still the winner. After all, Liu Jun had been learning chess for a long time; if he could beat him in such a short time, he might as well throw away his chess set.

His years of accumulated chess skills cannot be surpassed overnight.

"Mr. Li taught me well." Upon hearing Mr. Li's praise, Liu Jun quickly put down the chess piece in his hand, stood up, bowed deeply to Mr. Li, and expressed his heartfelt gratitude.

He could feel his own progress. Although he still couldn't beat Mr. Li, he was no longer the complete novice who knew nothing about chess.

From initially having only a vague understanding of the basic rules to now being able to go through dozens of rounds with Mr. Li, this growth is inseparable from Mr. Li's meticulous guidance.

Mr. Li smiled and nodded, saying, "Your Majesty is too modest. The art of chess is profound and requires constant study and practice. With such a studious attitude, Your Majesty will surely achieve great things in time."

"I wonder if there will be another chance," Liu Jun sighed, tilting his head slightly.

During this time, Liu Jun devoted himself entirely to learning chess, becoming so engrossed in it that he forgot the passage of time. Now, it has been seven days.

Liu Jun knew in his heart that these seven days were of extraordinary significance to him. At the very least, his chess skills had improved significantly, and his belief had been strengthened.

If nothing unexpected happens, the mysterious old man will appear today and take him back to play the legendary Heavenly Chessboard.

He was lost in his own thoughts, his mind filled with various speculations and imaginings about the Heavenly Chessboard.

Suddenly, the scene before them underwent a strange change. Mr. Li, who had been sitting quietly to the side, was suddenly surrounded by a strange light, and then he turned into a stream of light and disappeared in an instant.

Liu Jun's eyes widened, and before he could react, something even more shocking happened.

Not only Mr. Li, but also Wu Rendi, the strongest among them, and Qingfengzi and the others, all of whom disappeared in that instant after wearing that mysterious bracelet.

In the entire temple, he was the only one left, standing there alone, stunned and alone. Everything around him seemed so quiet and eerie.

Immediately afterwards, a powerful and mysterious force surged from all directions, tightly enveloping Liu Jun.

This force was so powerful that he couldn't resist it, as if he were in the middle of a turbulent vortex.

In an instant, Liu Jun felt a dizzying sensation before his eyes, and everything around him became blurry. His body also drifted uncontrollably with this force.

When his vision cleared again, he found himself back in that familiar yet mysterious place—the Heavenly Chessboard.

The scene before me was different from the last time. This time, not only was the mysterious old man standing there quietly, but Yu, the previous Order Keeper, was also there.

Yu, still dressed in a long robe, stood quietly beside the mysterious old man, his gaze fixed on Liu Jun with a hint of scrutiny.

Liu Jun's gaze slowly swept across the scene before him, finally settling on the Heavenly Chessboard.

This time, each of the black pieces on his side of the chessboard seemed to have been given life, with a clear human figure inside each one.

These figures, some standing and some sitting, were all in different poses, but each of them exuded a powerful aura; they were the people he knew well.

The mysterious old man slowly turned around, his gaze falling on Liu Jun. A meaningful smile appeared on his lips: "Liu Jun, welcome back. Are you ready?"

"Senior, what a question you ask. If I said I wasn't prepared, could you give me some more time to prepare?" Liu Jun forced a bitter smile and asked with a hint of helplessness.

"Haha, that's impossible. Even if I were willing, Heaven wouldn't allow it." The old man laughed heartily.

As he spoke, he slowly raised his hand and pointed to the other side of the Heavenly Chessboard.

Looking in the direction the old man was pointing, they saw a small cloud of energy emanating a powerful aura.

This cloud of energy, though seemingly small, contains boundless majesty, as if it were the condensation of the will of the entire world, the very embodiment of the Dao.

Although the incarnation of the Heavenly Dao cannot completely replace the Heavenly Dao, it can be considered, to some extent, a representative of the meaning of the Heavenly Dao.

It is like a mysterious messenger, descending here with the will of Heaven, deciding the course of this game.

"He doesn't have hands, how could he do it?" Liu Jun was stunned for a moment, his eyes full of doubt.

Just then, a strange scene unfolded. The small ball of air suddenly trembled slightly, and then a hand formed from condensed light slowly reached out.

This hand was crystal clear, as if it were made of the purest energy. With a gentle wave, the red chess pieces on the board were moved one step by an invisible force.

"It's your turn," the old man reminded him from the side.

Liu Jun took a deep breath, trying to calm his somewhat flustered heart. He slowly took a step forward, stood in front of the chessboard, and stared intently at the situation on the board.

After a long silence, he finally extended a hand and gently placed it on a black pawn. This pawn seemed ordinary, but it contained special significance. The five black pawns on Liu Jun's side corresponded to Yang Jun, Yang Xiao, Long Aodi, Mr. Wu, and Yan Li, respectively.

Of these five people, apart from those Mr. Wu had only known for a short time, the others were all extremely important people in his life, and their fates seemed to be closely linked to this small pawn.

Liu Jun's hand trembled slightly, not from fear, but from the heavy responsibility in his heart.

He knew that this move was not just about moving pieces on the chessboard, but could also determine the fate of him and those around him.

Liu Jun silently did some mental preparation, and after a moment, he suddenly opened his eyes and controlled a black pawn to move forward slowly. Every step he took seemed to require all his strength.

With the movement of this pawn, the situation on the chessboard changed instantly.

The red and black pieces faced each other, like two armies about to clash, with a tense atmosphere permeating the air.

The old man looked at Liu Jun's move and nodded slightly, a hint of appreciation in his eyes.

Meanwhile, the red chess piece represented by the Heavenly Dao avatar seemed to sense the threat of this move. The small ball of energy trembled again, and the hand formed from light prepared to make another move.

The two sides went back and forth, engaging in a thrilling life-or-death struggle across the Chu River and Han Border.

After several rounds, the situation became clearer: Liu Jun's side lost a black pawn, while the Heavenly Dao Incarnation's side lost two red pawns.

The first black pawn lost by Liu Jun was his close friend Yang Jun, with whom he had fought side by side for a period of time.

The man who was usually taciturn and rarely smiled was now lying on the chessboard forever, transformed into a black pawn that was "eaten".

Liu Jun felt as if his heart had been struck by a heavy hammer, the pain making it hard to breathe.

He lost a close friend who had shared life and death with him at the very beginning of the conflict. How could he not be heartbroken?
As time went by, fewer and fewer pieces remained on the chessboard. The disappearance of each piece felt like a sharp blade, cutting into Liu Jun's heart.

My good brother, Long Aodi, is a guy who always carries a bit of arrogance, but who doesn't hesitate to lend a helping hand when I need it most.

Yang Xiao, the always smiling, seemingly carefree expert in transporting corpses.

Qing Muzi, the usually stern and unsmiling junior uncle who was quite devoted to him.

There was also Mr. Li, who taught chess for only seven days but imparted all his chess skills without reservation.

Even Shui Yuexin, the gentle and kind woman who always silently supported him, was ruthlessly "eaten up" as a pawn.

Liu Jun's heart was bleeding. He looked at the empty spaces on the chessboard and seemed to see the familiar faces around him disappearing one by one.

Although the opposing red pieces were also nearly depleted, his side had suffered heavy losses as well, leaving only ten players including himself. This game had become more than just a contest of wits; it was also an emotional ordeal.

"Don't panic, stay calm, the situation is favorable." Just then, a calm voice rang in Liu Jun's ear.

The one who spoke was none other than Mr. Zhuge, the strategist whom Wu Rendi had invited to help Liu Jun.

Although he was also a pawn, a calm light gleamed in his eyes. He knew that Liu Jun was currently caught in an emotional whirlpool, unable to extricate himself, but he also understood what losing this game would mean for them.

Mr. Zhuge's words were like a bucket of cold water, directly waking Liu Jun up.

Liu Jun took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. Yes, he couldn't panic, much less lose his composure. The game wasn't over yet; they still had a chance. He had to win, and win at the lowest possible cost.

In the time that followed, every move was like walking on the edge of a cliff, requiring long and agonizing thought.

This is not just a contest of chess skills, but a life-or-death struggle concerning the fate of many familiar faces.

Because once a wrong step is taken, that seemingly minor mistake is like toppling the first domino, which could very well lead to the permanent disappearance of a familiar face, or even cause the entire situation to be lost, plunging into an abyss of no return.

Liu Jun frowned, his forehead covered in fine beads of sweat, and his eyes revealed a complex mix of tension and determination.

His hands trembled slightly involuntarily, and each chess piece he picked up seemed to carry a heavy burden.

Fortunately, at this critical moment, his wise and insightful advisor, Mr. Zhuge, was there to offer timely and crucial advice.

With Mr. Zhuge's help, although the situation was extremely dangerous, it was still relatively stable and did not spiral out of control.

As time passed once more, the situation on the chessboard subtly changed. The red pieces on the side of the Heavenly Dao incarnation were reduced by three.

Liu Jun's black pieces were not spared either. Two of the black pieces represented Sol and his master's wife, Feng Wanqing.

The moment the chess piece represented by Feng Wanqing disappeared, time seemed to freeze. Liu Jun felt a wave of dizziness, his whole body trembled uncontrollably, and tears streamed down his face, soaking his clothes.

Memories of his time with his teacher's wife flashed through his mind—her warm smiles, her caring words—now felt like sharp knives, piercing his heart. (End of Chapter)