Simulation becomes reality, have I ever looked down upon the eternity?

Chapter 574 Musical Pitch Guides Birds to Observe Chess, Never Losing a Game!
Half a month later, the fourth round of the duel has come to a successful conclusion, with only the final battle remaining.

Only twelve people remain to compete in this duel, which will be held at Qiyun Peak.

The final twelve were mostly familiar faces: Sun Miao, the "Heavenly Mansion Star"; the four senior brothers from Qiyun Peak; Feng Qingge from Yaohua Peak; Yuan Shujian from Longshou Peak; and Xuan Se from Fenglai Peak.

[Among them, Qi Yun Peak, the leader of the Eighteen Peaks, is the most dazzling. Including Sun Miao, who also hails from this peak, five out of the twelve members hold this position, demonstrating the depth of their strength and foundation.]

However, the four disciples who were previously little known are truly remarkable: Qi Ling of Xiaoqing Peak, Xie Mosheng of Danhe Peak, Jiang Ye of Longya Peak, and Ziwei of Wuse Peak.

[In previous years, there was at most one dark horse in the final round of the Star Picking Competition; now, four have emerged simultaneously, which is truly unprecedented.]

What's even more astonishing is that they all advanced with unstoppable momentum, displaying their brilliance and proving themselves to be no less impressive than the previous seven.

Meanwhile, on another stage, the contest of "musical rhythm" also came to a close today.

The person presiding over this music competition was still Duanmu Xiwei.

The rules for today's competition are quite simple: ninety contestants will each play an instrument, and the winner will be determined by the pitch of their instruments.

Around the arena, a flock of strange birds, resembling peacocks with a single horn on their heads, fluttered in. These birds, called "Joyful Birds," are said to be descendants of "Qiuniu," one of the nine sons of the dragon.

Qiuniu, according to legend, is the eldest son of the First Dragon. He is gentle in nature, loves music, and dislikes fighting. Music birds also inherit this nature; they are born for music, natural listeners, and greatly enjoy the sounds of string and wind instruments.

At this moment, three hundred birds were circling and dancing above the arena. Similar to the competition of calligraphy and painting, the contestant who could attract the most birds to circle around while playing a musical instrument was considered the winner.

Now, the outcome is decided.

All the birds—a full three hundred—circled around a young man playing the zither, dancing gracefully and lingering for a long time.

[Duanmu Xi's eyes widened in surprise, his mind racing: Who exactly is this young man named Zhou Jing? He has already triumphed in the three rounds of competitions: calligraphy and painting, debate, and object identification.]

Unexpectedly, he won first place again in today's music competition.

Fu Dongcheng gazed at the arena with a complex expression. He was proficient in calligraphy, painting, chess, and military formations, but he had always struggled to grasp the true essence of music.

[But Zhou Jing, who came from Xiao Qingfeng, seemed to be omnipotent, proficient in everything, and knowledgeable in everything. Such talent and ability caused him, for the first time in his life, to feel a sense of defeat.]

[You stand quietly on the platform, letting the birds flutter and dance around you, thinking to yourself that this victory was somewhat of a trick. You subtly release a wisp of the aura of the "Great Ming Peacock," which attracts three hundred birds to flock to you, lingering there.]

This great Ming Dynasty peacock truly lives up to its reputation as the most approachable and revered of all birds, second only to the phoenix in legend. Its natural grace commands the attention of all other birds.

[Duanmu Xiwei announced the results in a clear voice: "Xiao Qingfeng, Zhou Jing, first place."]

"Tianyin Pavilion, Zixiao is second."

"Five-Colored Peaks, Kongming Peak is the third."

"Guangxuan Peak, Fu Dongcheng, fourth..."

Just as you were about to leave, you saw Zi Xiao gracefully approaching. This fairy from Tianyin Pavilion was beautiful and ethereal, the object of admiration for countless disciples of Fangcun Mountain.

She called softly, "Senior Brother Zhou, please wait."

"I wonder if Senior Brother is free today?" Her eyes were bright and clear like autumn water, and her voice was gentle as a spring breeze. "Zi Xiao wishes to host a banquet at Tianyin Pavilion and cordially invites all Senior Brothers and Sisters to gather together to celebrate our camaraderie."

Looking up, you see a large group of disciples following behind her, and surprisingly, even Fu Dongcheng, the direct disciple of the sect leader, is among them.

All eyes are on you, awaiting your response.

You politely declined, saying, "I appreciate Junior Sister Zixiao's kind invitation, but I have important matters to attend to today and it is truly inconvenient for me to accept."

After saying this, you turned and left.

[Zi Xiao watched your departing figure, a barely perceptible hint of disappointment flashing in her eyes, but she quickly regained her composure, her expression returning to normal.]

[Disciples behind him were already whispering among themselves: "Zhou Jing of Little Green Peak is far too arrogant. How can he compare to Senior Brother Fu, who is so approachable?"]

"That's right, even though Junior Sister Zixiao personally invited him, he didn't give her any face at all. It's outrageous..."

[Zi Xiao turned around at the right moment, interrupting everyone: "It was Zi Xiao who invited you on a whim, and since Senior Brother Zhou has other important matters to attend to, it is only right. The fact that all of you senior brothers and sisters have taken time out of your busy schedules to come is already a great honor for Zi Xiao."]

She smiled warmly and behaved with grace, saying, "Please follow me to the Heavenly Sound Pavilion."

[Tianyin Pavilion has always been committed to cultivating good relations with various factions; building connections and engaging in welcoming and sending off guests are its core principles. Today's actions naturally also aim to win people over and solidify relationships.]

Zi Xiao felt a pang of regret. Among the crowd, aside from the distinguished Fu Dongcheng, the one who interested her most was Zhou Jing from Xiao Qingfeng.

This senior brother Zhou seemed aloof and disliked socializing, but the more aloof he was, the more mysterious and unpredictable he appeared, which only drew her more attention.

During the gathering, everyone gravitated towards Fu Dongcheng, the sect leader's personal disciple, who became the center of attention and was the object of much admiration.

[With Zi Xiao mediating, the disciples from less privileged backgrounds didn't feel left out, creating a harmonious atmosphere where everyone felt comfortable and at ease.]

You have already returned alone to the quiet courtyard on Little Green Peak.

[Over the past two weeks, my state of mind has subtly shifted. From being completely unknown to now gaining recognition, this experience is entirely different from my previous years of quiet, solitary cultivation.]

You can't help but recall the saying in the Daoist canon: "When it is time to stop, stop; when it is time to act, act. Movement and stillness are never out of season, and the Dao shines brightly."

The meaning is precisely this: when the times call for cessation, then cease; when the times call for advancement, then advance. Both movement and stillness should align with the opportune moment, only then can the great path be achieved and manifested.

With this thought in mind, everything became clear.

The moment he stepped into the courtyard, his inner world experienced another breakthrough, and his cultivation surged forth, allowing him to break through the Dragon Court Realm and advance to the Golden Core stage of the Great Dao.

[However, you activated the "Chaos Fire House Suppression Diagram," sealing all the acupoints and your cultivation once again—this was the sixty-third time.]

[The aura that had originally reached the peak of the Dragon Court Realm gradually declined with each layer of sealing, eventually falling to the early stage of the Dao Embryo Realm.]

You sit cross-legged in the courtyard, your mind focused and your breathing gradually calming.

The reason why he has not yet broken through to the Golden Core realm of the Great Dao is not due to insufficient cultivation, but rather because his learning is too broad and too diverse, and he has not yet determined the path of his own cultivation.

[Or rather, you need to create a profound martial art suitable for your cultivation.]

Fortunately, you previously obtained fifteen precious cultivation manuals from the Imperial Ancestor's library, three of which were body-refining secret techniques, and the remaining twelve were profound Qi-refining arts.

[It is likely that the purpose of the patriarch of the Imperial Capital in collecting so many complete lineages was to integrate various schools of thought and observe thousands of methods, in order to forge his own unique path.]

However, even a master as powerful as the Imperial Ancestor mostly only grasped the basics through analogy, without delving deeply into each specific aspect.

[Because each of these profound martial arts techniques is extremely profound, mastering them requires a long period of time; trying to acquire too much at once can easily lead one astray.]

But you don't seem to have such concerns.

[You seem to have been born for the Dao; all kinds of profound skills and wondrous methods are nothing to you.]

[You have now cultivated the "Innate Five Virtues Revolving Scripture" and the "Pure Yang Skill" to the Dragon Court Realm Perfection, a speed of progress far exceeding ordinary understanding.]

The more you accumulate knowledge and experience, the faster your cultivation speed will advance.

[A jade slip containing the "Jade Purity Spiritual Root Scripture" appeared in his hand. This method originated from the Jade Purity Sect, one of the nine heretical sects, and was their sect's secret teaching. It could compensate for deficiencies in spiritual root aptitude.]

Unlike ordinary cultivation methods, this method requires first cultivating the five elements internally, and then building the Dao embryo. It should be understood that refining the five elements within the chest is only begun at the Dragon Court realm.

Its difficulty of cultivation surpasses even that of the *Innate Five Virtues Revolving Scripture*.

However, its mystery lies in the fact that it does not require a high level of spiritual root or physical constitution, but rather places great emphasis on the cultivator's own comprehension.

The five elements are inherent in all human beings at birth, but due to the consumption of grains and other foods and the gradual accumulation of worldly impurities, this innate energy becomes obscured and does not manifest.

This scripture aims to cleanse the body of impurities and reveal the fundamental energy of the Five Elements, thereby nourishing the spiritual root, replenishing the body's acupoints, and returning to the primordial path.

【The next day.】

[This skill has been mastered to the basics, reaching the Dao Embryo stage.]

As dawn broke, you left the courtyard to participate in the "chess" competition at Qiyun Peak.

Upon arrival, Qi Yun Peak was already bustling with people, and the presiding elder was still Duanmu Xiwei.

[The rules of this competition require participants to solve three endgame puzzles to qualify.]

[After qualifying, the winner will be determined through a game of chess.] [You slowly ascend the stage, and the first endgame unfolds before you—the widely circulated "Rotten Chessboard Manual."]

Legend has it that during the Zhou and Tang dynasties, a woodcutter wandered into the deep mountains and saw two people playing chess. After watching the game, he returned home only to find that the handle of his axe had long since rotted away, and hundreds of years had passed.

[This is merely a legend among mortals; in the cultivation world, it is believed that this person simply stumbled upon an ancient ruin.]

However, this person likely lacks spiritual root aptitude; otherwise, he wouldn't have been destined to encounter the ruins but unable to attain enlightenment.

In the cultivation world, many have stumbled upon ancient ruins. The patriarch of Fangcun Mountain was one such example, but due to his innate talent for cultivation, he was bestowed with immortal techniques and ultimately established his own lineage.

The chess pieces have been placed.

In the game of Go, once the rules are understood, the competition boils down to "strength of the hand," that is, the depth of one's skill; in reality, it is even more about "the depth of calculation"—every move requires making the most correct choice amidst countless variations.

You pondered briefly, casually picked up a piece, and calmly placed it down.

This situation ultimately originates from the mortal realm and naturally poses no challenge to the vast majority of cultivators.

Cultivators possess clear minds and computational abilities far surpassing those of mortals. Therefore, even an ordinary chess player in the cultivation world could easily defeat a top-tier human player if they were to descend to the mortal realm.

[The board game of Go has 19 lines and 361 possible moves. Each move presents countless possibilities, and the complexity of its variations far exceeds the limits of deduction; it can be described as endless.]

This is why there is a saying that "no two chess games are ever the same." Even the most powerful cultivators cannot fathom all the variations or predict the final outcome of a game.

The way of Go is profound and mysterious, with endless variations, which perfectly aligns with the wonders of the Great Dao. Therefore, even within the cultivation world, Go remains popular and beloved by many cultivators.

The second game is named "Nine Dragons Pool in the Toad Palace." This game was played by two chess masters from the cultivation world in the Toad Palace of the Western Sea. The nine "great dragons" in the game are intertwined and fighting, creating a magnificent spectacle, hence the name.

[You had already studied this situation, and after a brief moment of thought, you made your move to break the deadlock.]

The situation changes again; the third game presents an endgame unlike anything you've ever seen before, clearly intended to truly test the players' skill and understanding of the game.

[In this game, Black moves first, and the placement of pieces resembles "rolling up a beaded curtain," exhibiting unpredictable and mysterious movements.]

You observe intently for a moment, then calmly place the pick-up piece.

[After a short while, the game ended, no longer changing, and the magic circle in front of you activated—you were the first to step off the arena.]

[Across ninety arenas, no one has yet solved the final challenge; you are the first.]

Seeing this, Duanmu Xiwei wasn't overly surprised. After all, you had repeatedly demonstrated your extraordinary abilities, so this action seemed to be within his expectations.

Not long after, another person stepped down; it was Fu Dongcheng.

His gaze swept over you on the board, his expression calm and unflappable. To him, the speed of breaking the deadlock did not necessarily equate to superior skill.

After four hours, only six people successfully solved the game.

The remaining four are: Kongming from Five-Colored Peak, Sima Wanli from Doushu Peak, Zixiao from Tianyin Pavilion, and Lu Zhao from Dragon Tooth Peak.

[Duanmu Xiwei announces the rules: "The order in which you six will play against the other five players will be determined by drawing lots, best two out of three games."]

[Your first opponent, drawn by lot, is Lu Zhao of Dragon Fang Peak.]

Lu Zhao consistently ranked among the top six in the previous rounds of the competition, demonstrating considerable strength.

The two of you sat facing each other on either side of the chessboard. He remained silent, his expression cold and aloof, seemingly having not engaged in any unnecessary conversation with anyone since the start of the competition.

[In the first game, after only a few dozen moves, Lu Zhao's brows furrowed, deep in thought. After a few dozen more moves, he conceded defeat.]

The second game began in a similar fashion to the first. From the very beginning, Lu Zhao hesitated, becoming increasingly cautious in his moves.

He looked up at you, sighed softly, and said, "I lost."

"Zhou Jing, you're even more amazing than I imagined."

After speaking, he rose and waited quietly for the next round of the game.

[After the first round of matches between the six players concluded, your next opponent became Kongming from Five Colors Peak. Neither player exchanged many words before placing their pieces.]

[As the game progressed to the middle stage, Kongming was beginning to show signs of distress and was falling into a disadvantageous position.]

In the end, Kongming conceded defeat.

[The second game began, and as the game progressed into the middle stages, Kongming's brow furrowed once more, and his moves became increasingly slow.]

He looked up at you, his tone tinged with helplessness: "This round... you won."

You return the gesture with your hand: "Brother Kongming, you are too kind."

His expression was slightly forlorn as he said in a low voice, "I was defeated by Sun Miao in the past, and today I am defeated by you, Zhou Jing."

"It seems my vision was too narrow; there are not only mountains beyond mountains, but also mountains within mountains."

The third opponent is Sima Wanli of Dou Shu Peak.

[This senior disciple of Dou Shu Peak, if he were to participate in the martial arts competition, would be capable of ranking among the top nine.]

Sima Wanli calmly took his seat, not in a hurry to make a move, but carefully examined you for a moment, then asked with a smile, "Junior Brother Zhou, would you like to play five games with me, best of three?"

After a moment's thought, you nodded: "As you wish, Senior Brother, please."

As expected, Sima Wanli lost three consecutive games, showing signs of weakness in the middle game of each match.

You greeted him politely, saying, "Senior Brother Sima, you flatter me."

He pushed the chessboard aside and sighed deeply, "I am completely convinced. Sima Wanli has lost today, and has nothing to say."

[Her next opponent was Zi Xiao from Tianyin Pavilion. She gracefully adjusted her robes and sat down, knowing her skill level was inferior, and said with a faint smile, "I ask Senior Brother Zhou to go easy on me."]

"Otherwise, Zi Xiao might have to surrender before the battle even begins."

Although she spoke softly, she had already taken the lead with her child, her expression focused and clearly very serious.

However, before the game even reached the middle stage, Zi Xiao's hand, which was holding the pieces, paused for a long time before she softly conceded defeat: "Zi Xiao has lost."

[In the second game, she managed to hold on for a few moves in the middle of the game, but ultimately had to resign again.]

Zi Xiao's eyes flickered as she looked at the young man holding the chess piece, and she smiled sweetly: "Senior Brother Zhou's chess skills are superb; Zi Xiao humbly admits defeat."

"I'm honored."

[At this point, you have won four consecutive matches, and your final opponent, Fu Dongcheng, is also undefeated.]

[Zi Xiao and the others, who originally had one more game remaining, all stopped their games to watch the final match.]

Even Duanmu Xiwei moved closer and personally stopped to watch the game.

You and Fu Dongcheng take your seats opposite each other.

A beam of light appeared in the air, clearly illuminating the chessboard and the figures of the two players, for all to see.

Fu Dongcheng smiled and said, "Junior Brother Zhou Jing, in your opinion, who will win this match?"

[Upon hearing this, the room fell silent. Zi Xiao and the others remained silent, unable to reply—none of the four of them had managed to hold out against these two until the middle game, so how could they presume to predict the outcome?]

Even Duanmu Xiwei remained silent, lost in thought. Although she was also knowledgeable in chess, she knew full well that the two men's skills far surpassed her own.

On the viewing platform, disciples from all branches held their breath and focused intently.

The members of Xiao Qingfeng were even more tense: if Zhou Jing could win this round, he would enter the top ten of the Star Picking Competition!

Lu Qingyu, Xiao Wan'er, and their fellow disciples all stared intently at the chessboard of light and shadow in the air.

Just then, a clear voice came from the young man sitting opposite, carrying an undisguised arrogance:

"Having cultivated to this day, I have never suffered a defeat... I have high hopes."

(End of this chapter)