He was invincible from the beginning of the Heaven-Covering Era.

But with this very first move in the middle game, he frowned, because he felt that he seemed to have fallen into a disadvantageous position.

Go is a required course in the art of divination, and it is also one of the most basic courses.

When divination masters like them compete in Go, the battle will be fought on all aspects of divination techniques, seeing who can calculate the most moves, who can predict the most possible future moves, and who has the strongest ability to make adjustments on the fly.

Moreover, unlike ordinary people who can only notice when their winning percentage drops significantly, the Celestial Masters can see even the slightest changes in winning percentage directly.

Now, just as the setup phase is over, he finds that his win rate is only 30%. Unless his opponent collapses in the mid-game, he is likely to lose this game.

Zhou Qing naturally knew how to play Go.

It's quite simple for a cultivator to learn the rules of a game. When he was a child, he would occasionally see the elders of his clan playing Go. After watching a few times, he naturally learned it.

However, he usually focuses on cultivation and rarely puts his mind on other things.

Even if he used less, his current level of life is many times higher than that of ordinary people, and his computing power has long since broken through the limits of ordinary people.

In his previous life, even the world-renowned Go AI would not be his match now. Only an AI combining advanced technology and Dao patterns from the Eternal Starfield could reach his current computing power.

Zhou Qing's pair of clear eyes

Looking at the old man opposite him, he slowly asked, "Why doesn't the Grand Preceptor make a move?"

The power of the Heavenly Strategist Ziwei was operating at high speed. In his mind, thousands or even tens of thousands of chess games could be seen in an instant, all of which evolved from this move, and then the best choice would be selected from them.

It's not the best, nor the most ingenious, but the best.

But the game he was playing now brought back feelings he had forgotten for many years. He felt immense pressure from the opening stage, a sense of oppression as vast as a mountain or the sea.

Finally, he made his decision and made his move.

"That's interesting," Zhou Qing said with a smile.

In his eyes, this small chessboard was like a boundless ocean, and the move made by the Imperial Preceptor Ziwei was like a star falling into it, instantly causing changes in a vast sea area.

To be fair, the Imperial Preceptor Ziwei was indeed much more experienced than him. That move wasn't particularly clever; it was merely a test, based on experience, to see how he would respond and proactively guide the situation in his favor.

However, Zhou Qing's understanding of destiny was too strong. The calculation ability of the Imperial Preceptor Ziwei was far inferior to his, and some experience might not be enough to turn the tide.

Sure enough, after another twenty or so moves, the Imperial Preceptor Ziwei was sweating profusely. He could feel his chances of winning being eroded little by little, getting lower and lower.

Zhou Qing made another move, which, together with the move made more than forty moves earlier, formed a sharp blade, drastically reducing the chances of the Imperial Preceptor Ziwei winning.

"Alas, I have lost," sighed the Imperial Preceptor Ziwei.

The outcome of this battle is already decided.

His chances of winning are less than one in ten thousand; there's no way to turn the tide, and there's no point in continuing.

He took out two chess pieces, placed them on the chessboard, and resigned.

In this game, which was still in the middle stages, Zhou Qing had already won.

"Is the Imperial Advisor convinced now?" Zhou Qing asked with a faint smile.

The Imperial Preceptor Ziwei let out a long sigh of relief.

After a moment of sighing, he smiled again and said, "As expected of the Demon Lord, your divination skills are indeed much better than mine. With your chess skills, you are at the very top among the divine masters. I am completely convinced."

Today's game of chess finally put his mind at ease.

He once thought that the reason he couldn't figure anything out about that seed wasn't necessarily because the Demon Lord's divination techniques were stronger than his; it was also possible that the seed itself was special.

After today's game, he truly resolved his inner conflict and acknowledged that Zhou Qing's divination skills were indeed superior to his own, which was a fact.

However, Zhou Qing shook his head and said, "I don't understand the art of celestial secrets."

"You're quite the joker. You're not as vicious and bloodthirsty as outsiders make you out to be," said the Imperial Preceptor Ziwei with a smile.

"I really don't understand," Zhou Qing repeated.

He was serious about this statement because it was the truth. He had never seen the methods of the Heavenly Secrets lineage; everything was based on violent calculations using the power of fate.

Based on this power, which is at an unknown level above the Heavenly Secrets, even without any special methods, he could achieve the same, or even better, effects than the Heavenly Secrets.

The Imperial Preceptor Ziwei's expression gradually became serious, and he asked...

He said, "Please teach me, Master, what power that seed is made of, and why it makes me feel an unimaginable attraction, but I cannot stir even the slightest fluctuation in it."

"The power of destiny," Zhou Qing uttered.

He sat opposite the Imperial Preceptor Ziwei, his expression calm and unchanged.

Boom!

It was as if a thunderclap had exploded in the mind of the Imperial Preceptor Ziwei, the four words echoing endlessly, making him feel dizzy and almost think he had misheard.

His eyes were wide open, countless thoughts raced through his mind, but in the end, they all boiled down to this one sentence.

"Is it really the power of destiny?" The voice of the Imperial Preceptor Ziwei trembled slightly, and even his white beard shook.

Their lineage practices the "Life Stealing Technique," which is said to allow one to glimpse the power of destiny upon reaching its peak.

However, no one in hundreds of generations of Heavenly Secrets Masters has ever reached that level, yet now there is someone who has come into contact with the power of destiny right in front of him.

No wonder he found the power of that seed so attractive; it turns out it was related to the ultimate achievement of the Heavenly Secrets lineage.

"Wait, if you mean that the seed was condensed by yourself?" The Imperial Preceptor Ziwei couldn't help but ask the question as if a shooting star had flashed through her mind.

Zhou Qing nodded calmly.

"What? You can actually manipulate the power of destiny, instead of just spying?" The Imperial Preceptor Ziwei was dumbfounded and couldn't control his expression.

According to the contents of their lineage's "The Art of Stealing Fate," there has never been a person in the world who could manipulate the power of fate, although there have been celestial masters throughout history who have cultivated to the extreme.

Such a Celestial Master even surpasses the Celestial Divine Master. In terms of the status of Celestial Master's achievements, he is roughly equivalent to the Supreme in the cultivation method, but he is also unable to manipulate the power of destiny.

Some descriptions from ancient times actually refer to the power of cause and effect. However, even the power of cause and effect can only be achieved by reaching a level that surpasses that of a Celestial Master.

And the Demon Lord before him, a living, breathing person capable of wielding the power of destiny, was right in front of him.

Seeing the incredulous look on the Imperial Preceptor Ziwei's face, Zhou Qing prepared to demonstrate it to him.

"brush!"

A flash of light appeared, and a fledgling bird appeared, its fiery red feathers like flames burning.

This is a pet kept by the Imperial Preceptor's Mansion. It is said to have some divine phoenix bloodline and is still in its infancy.

Zhou Qing slapped out with one hand, seemingly without any astonishing phenomenon, but the divine bird's expression immediately changed, filled with human-like terror.

"What's going on? Why am I here? Grand Preceptor? Did you do this?" The divine bird suddenly spoke in human language, which surprised the Grand Preceptor Ziwei, because its cultivation level was not high enough to allow it to speak.

In another location, a humanoid creature suddenly began flapping its arms and making strange noises, as if it wanted to fly into the sky.

Zhou Qing raised his hand again, and the man and bird immediately returned to normal. At the same time, the entire Imperial Preceptor's Mansion was immediately covered by a net, and everyone was unaware of it, but was affected, and all sorts of coincidences occurred.

All of this was observed by the Imperial Preceptor Ziwei, which only deepened his shock.

He suddenly said, “Grandmaster, you truly deserve this title. I have a wish, and I earnestly request that you pass on your Heavenly Secrets Technique. I still have some influence in the Ziwei Divine Dynasty, and you can set up statues of gods in various places to provide you with the power of your wishes.”

Zhou Qing shook his head and said, "I did say I don't know the Heavenly Secrets Technique, but you can let me see some scriptures related to it. I'm quite curious about how the Heavenly Secrets Technique works. Maybe I can figure it out."

"That's too easy. Since ancient times, every Heavenly Master has turned his life's insights into a scripture before his death, leaving it to future generations. My lineage's collection of Heavenly Secrets is unparalleled in Ziwei, and it will surely benefit you."

The Imperial Preceptor Ziwei laughed heartily.

Chapter 209 Humanitarian Resonance

As soon as the Imperial Preceptor Ziwei spoke, he unhesitatingly promised to let Zhou Qing view the countless celestial secrets he had collected over the years.

The Dharma should not be passed on lightly, let alone shown to outsiders. This requires a great deal of courage, and the Imperial Preceptor Ziwei possessed such courage.

Of course, more importantly, he coveted Zhou Qing's ability to manipulate fate.

In his view, the collection accumulated by their lineage over countless years, though seemingly profound, was actually no more advanced than Zhou Qing's methods, and in fact, far inferior.

However, if Zhou Qing could gain something from reading it and condense his insights into a secret method to leave behind, the reward would be far greater than clinging to the book and refusing to let anyone see it.

On the chessboard, we discuss the secrets of heaven; beneath the pavilion, we converse about the past and present.

On this day, the two discussed the various applications of the Heavenly Secrets lineage in this small pavilion, calculating good and bad fortune, forbidden areas, and the past, present, and future.

What's frightening is that later on, even a few simple words of communication could cause a dramatic change in the world, with thunder rumbling.

Because they discussed it for a long time, they gradually delved into taboo topics that could not be spoken of. Even a few words could touch upon the great secrets of heaven and earth, as if divine retribution could fall at any moment.

However, the two ignored the thunder and remained deeply engrossed in their conversation, feeling that they were gaining a great deal.

For Zhou Qing, the Imperial Preceptor's profound foundation in divination was a crucial element he desperately needed.

His current situation is somewhat similar to that of a musical genius. Although he can rely on his strong innate advantages to create one amazing work after another, he does not understand music theory.

In terms of ultimate achievements, he was indeed better than the Imperial Advisor, but in terms of summarizing past experiences, the Imperial Advisor was still superior.

After summarizing those experiences, he will surely take his control over the power of destiny to a new level and have more diverse means of operation.

Finally, they had to stop. A thick layer of dark clouds had fallen on the horizon, lightning flashed, and thunder raged.

If we keep talking, divine retribution will truly fall upon us.

The Heavenly Secrets lineage is like this; it involves the great secrets of the origin of heaven and earth, and even simply peeking into some things can bring unpredictable backlash.

Even if the two of them didn't calculate anything and were just exchanging their past experiences, it still wouldn't work.

"That's enough for now. I've already gained a lot," said the Imperial Preceptor Ziwei with a smile.

Zhou Qing also showed some joy on his face, like someone who had attained enlightenment and was very satisfied with his gains.

After the two left, the pavilion became deserted, and the dark clouds over the city gradually dissipated.

Inside the palace, Princess Yue Shi watched the gradually dissipating dark clouds, her delicate brows furrowing slightly.

She had witnessed this scene once when she was a child. It was during the once-in-a-century Grand Gathering of Celestial Masters, when Celestial Masters from all branches of Ziwei Star gathered at the Imperial Preceptor's Mansion. This scene left a particularly deep impression on her.

According to the information she received yesterday, the Demon Lord has arrived in the capital and has been invited to the Imperial Advisor's residence. Therefore, today's scene is easy to guess; it must have been caused by the Demon Lord and the Imperial Advisor.

Thinking of this, she sighed. Back then, the Demon Lord had asked her to...

When she brought back the special seed, she didn't take it seriously. Unexpectedly, that very seed made the Imperial Preceptor submit to her.

The Demon Lord's true form hadn't even arrived; she had only sent him back one item, and this was the result.

This made her realize that the Demon Lord was indeed terrifying.

Time flies, and seven days have passed in the blink of an eye.