Villains: Starting with the Landlady

Dao Baifeng held his shoulders, her body swaying as she said, "I'm not trying to discourage you, but restoring a kingdom is no easy task."

After her battle with Ling Yun, Dao Baifeng's heart was naturally set on the young man, and she began to try to help him from her own perspective.

Ling Yun put his arm around the princess's waist and revealed a confident smile: "Those who act justly will find many supporters, while those who act unjustly will find few. As long as I have enough strong and powerful supporters, the Qing Dynasty will not dare to do anything to me."

"Aren't you afraid that Emperor Kangxi might actually resort to desperate measures?"

"Don't be afraid. If it really comes to that, don't blame me for being ruthless."

His spatial ring still contained quite a few powerful weapons brought from the Dragon Kingdom's military equipment department! More than a dozen automated armored vehicles loaded with rockets, plus a swarm of drones, were enough to sweep through the so-called army several times.

Moreover, this world won't weaken the power of his modern weapons; it will only reduce his final rating, which he won't do unless absolutely necessary.

What we're saying is, can modern technology really be constrained by the past?

Even if you put all the cheaters in the world together, they still couldn't withstand a rocket attack.

Seeing his confidence, Dao Baifeng said nothing more, hugged Ling Yun tightly, and kissed him...

After leaving Yuxu Temple, it was already close to noon. As the saying goes, "Thirty is like a wolf, forty is like a tiger," and a long-suppressed, resentful woman is the most difficult to please. However, Ling Yun was certainly well-endowed enough to conquer this stunningly beautiful Dali princess, and he even had breakfast with her before leaving.

Hiden bit through the rope and ran off to play in the middle of the night; it only just came back now.

Upon seeing him come out, Feidian immediately swarmed around him and started rubbing against him. Lingyun couldn't stand it anymore and had to flatter it a few times to calm it down.

Lingyun mounted his horse and headed towards Suzhou.

When he passed by Cangshan Mountain in Dali, he saw many martial arts practitioners heading up the mountain in groups, including some third-rate or even second-rate masters.

When Ling Yun saw the group of people, he immediately reined in Fei Dian and quietly watched them.

The group consisted of four people, two men and two women. One of the men was tall and thin, while the other was muscular, and both were dressed very elegantly. The two women looked more like maids, but they were also dressed quite beautifully, one in red and the other in green, making them quite attractive.

"Fourth Brother Feng, do you think our young master will be here?" the girl in the red dress asked.

"I learned from rumors that the young master is in the vicinity, and given the importance of the Zhenlong Chess Game, he certainly wouldn't miss it," the tall, thin man replied.

"No, no, no!"

The burly man shook his head and said, "Young master clearly went to the north, how did he end up in the Dali Kingdom in the southwest!"

Finally, the girl in the turquoise dress remained silent; her personality was far less outgoing than that of the girl in the red dress.

As they walked and talked, they all froze when they passed Ling Yun.

"My goodness, he really is a young master!"

Bao Butong rubbed his eyes. He had just been arguing with Feng Bo'e, but now he had been slapped in the face!

"haven't seen you for a long time."

Ling Yun smiled slightly, dismounted, and Fei Dian followed obediently behind him without needing to be led.

"Son!"

Azhu's eyes widened instantly, and Abi beside her beamed with joy. The gloom of the past few months vanished, and the two girls rushed towards Lingyun like swallows returning to their nest.

The young man put his arms around them, one in each arm, causing the two women to blush slightly. After all, Murong Fu had never done anything so intimate with them before.

"Young Master!"

Bao Butong and Feng Bo'e also rushed over and bowed to Ling Yun.

"Brother Bao, Brother Feng." Ling Yun nodded, which moved the two burly men opposite him to tears.

"Young master, you went north without a word, and you've been gone for more than two months!"

"I'm back now." Ling Yun grasped the hands of the two maids and looked at them. "By the way, was everything alright while I was gone?"

"Excellent!" Feng Bo'e grinned. "Some petty scoundrels in the martial world dared to provoke us, but we've dealt with them all!"

The Murong family had four major retainers, who were descendants of four families who had followed the Murong aristocracy since the Five Barbarian Tribes period.

Deng Baichuan, the master of Qingyun Manor, holds the top position among the Murong clan. He is highly skilled in martial arts and possesses profound inner strength. Although he does not have a renowned reputation in the martial arts world, everyone who knows him respects him.

Gongye Qian, the master of Chixia Manor, was known as the "second best in Jiangnan" in palm techniques (the first being Lingyun). In the original novel, he drank merrily with Chief Qiao and exchanged blows with him. He lost in martial arts but not in spirit, and was appreciated by Qiao Feng.

Bao Butong, the master of Jinfeng Manor, also known as Mr. Bao the Third, is fond of arguing with others. He is skilled in martial arts, is elegant and unrestrained, and his catchphrase is "No, no." He is the most individualistic of the four great generals and loves his daughter Bao Buliang the most.

Feng Bo'e, the master of Xuan Shuang Manor, is known as "A Gust of Wind in Jiangnan." He is a fighting enthusiast who will not eat as long as there is a fight. He has a clear sense of right and wrong and is appreciated by Qiao Feng.

These four individuals are not only exceptionally capable, but they are also the heads of four manors. They secretly recruit soldiers and contribute to the restoration of the Murong family's kingdom.

The Murong clan had always wanted to restore their kingdom, but they had never succeeded. So much so that in this generation, Murong Bo named his son "Fu" (meaning "restoration"), which shows his ambition.

"Young master, are you preparing to go up the mountain?"

"Since we're here, we should go and take a look." Ling Yun released the two women's hands, opened his fan and waved it. His dashing and handsome demeanor made the two maids blush.

"The Dali Kingdom has already promised to send troops to contain the Qing Dynasty, and it is estimated that it will be soon in Turpan as well."

Ling Yun walked ahead, and the information revealed in his words astonished the others, who then exclaimed that he truly lived up to his reputation as a young master.

Chapter 240 Zhenlong Chess Game

When Ling Yun led four people and a horse to the top of the mountain, they saw a group of martial arts practitioners gathered in a circle.

Ling Yun forced his way through a passage and arrived at the very back.

At this moment, an elderly man with gray hair was playing chess with a strange man in a green robe. Everyone was watching, but no one dared to offer any advice.

As the former crown prince of Dali, Duan Yanqing must have been proficient in Go, and his Go skills were among the best in the world.

However, dealing with this kind of unsolvable puzzle that has remained unsolved for so many years is really beyond the scope of our knowledge.

Ling Yun glanced around and suddenly spotted a young monk in the crowd. The monk was ugly, with thick eyebrows, large eyes, upturned nostrils, protruding ears, and very thick lips; he was simply unsightly.

Name: Xu Zhu

【Age: 24】

[Protagonist's Fate: Honest and simple-minded. He is the illegitimate son of Ye Erniang and Abbot Xuanci, unaware of his own origins. He awakens Duan Yanqing, who is trapped in an illusion, and through haphazard moves, breaks the Zhenlong Chess Formation under Duan Yanqing's guidance, receiving Wuyazi's power. Later, he travels to Xixia, obtains the inheritance of Tianshan Tonglao and the Lingjiu Palace, and quickly becomes a top master. Special Abilities: None]

[Recent opportunity: Awakening Duan Yanqing, who was trapped in an illusion, and randomly placing pieces, he solved the Precious Chess Formation under Duan Yanqing's guidance, thus receiving Wu Yazi's power.]

【Luck: 2000】

[Combat Strength: D-]

[Affection: Friendly]

In the original story, it was with Duan Yanqing's telepathic communication that Xu Zhu solved the Precious Chess Game, thus beginning a series of legendary adventures.

It could even be said that without this ingenious chess game, he would have been just an ordinary little monk for the rest of his life.

Even if he hadn't gone to the Western Xia in the north, he would have ended up dead anyway.

Ling Yun didn't go over to greet them. He silently observed the situation before him and slowly shook his head.

Yanqing's pieces are already in a dead end. Although they seem to be able to maneuver a little, they are not far from death.

Just then, a shout came from behind, and everyone turned around to see a group of brightly dressed young people carrying a sedan chair toward them.

"The Starry Sky Immortal possesses boundless magical power!"

"May our rule last for a thousand generations, unifying the martial world!"

The young people's words were full of flattery, unlike Ling Yun's calm and composed demeanor. Everyone else changed color and immediately made way when they heard the word "star constellation".

Upon hearing this, Su Xinghe's expression became even more solemn, and he even glared angrily, momentarily forgetting to make a move.

The sedan chair stopped, and an old man slowly stepped out.

The old man held a goose feather fan in his hand. The sunlight shone on his face, revealing a ruddy complexion, a full head of white hair, and a three-foot-long silver beard. With his youthful face and white hair, he truly resembled a celestial being from a painting.

"Senior brother, how have you been?"

The old man was none other than Ding Chunqiu, who was also Su Xinghe's junior brother.

Years ago, he plotted to poison his master, Wu Yazi, and after throwing him off a cliff, he founded the Xingxiu Sect, using poison to wreak havoc on the region. Wu Yazi did not actually die, but he was paralyzed from the waist down and could no longer get up. He was rescued by his eldest disciple, Su Xinghe, and placed in a small hut behind him.

Su Xinghe wanted revenge, but he didn't have the ability. So he used the Zhenlong Chess Game to find a destined person and have Wu Yazi personally pass on his skills to him so that he could avenge his blood feud.

But the others were unaware of the connection, and Ding Chunqiu was even less aware that the room behind his senior brother was his own mentor, Wuyazi!

Since the sudden change in his sect, Su Xinghe had vowed never to speak again and to pretend to be deaf and dumb. Although he was angry at this moment, his mind returned to the chessboard, and he placed another piece.

As soon as the piece was placed, Duan Yanqing broke out in a cold sweat.

With pursuers ahead and blockades behind, his progress was as difficult as his return to the throne of Dali!

At this moment, Duan Yanqing was completely immersed in a hallucination. What was in front of him was no longer Go, but the shattered ideal that he had pursued all his life but could never obtain.

"Hahaha, Duan Yanqing, you're so utterly incompetent and pathetic, yet you still dream of reclaiming the throne? Why don't you just die already, instead of dragging this crippled body around and living on!"

The martial arts of the Xiaoyao Sect are actually somewhat unorthodox. The Lingbo Weibu and Beiming Divine Skill both belong to the Xiaoyao Sect, which gives us a glimpse into their unique characteristics.

Ding Chunqiu's evil technique, which starts from the mind and bewitches people, also originated from the Xiaoyao Sect.

Duan Yanqing suddenly stood up, leaning on his cane. "Yes, I'll never be able to ascend the throne in my life, and I'm crippled. What's the point of living if I'm not dead?"

After saying that, he prepared to commit suicide under Ding Chunqiu's sinister gaze.

The others knew he wasn't a good person and didn't bother to help him. Although Ye Erniang had some disagreements with Duan Yanqing, they were ultimately sworn brothers. But this kind of bewitching and evil magic was something she wanted to help him with, yet she didn't know how!

Xu Zhu couldn't stand it any longer. He was kind and honest, and he had been taught some values ​​at Shaolin Temple since childhood. Just as he was about to speak up to persuade them, a powerful young man's voice, full of inner strength and energy, rang out in everyone's ears.

"Crown Prince Yanqing, please reconsider!"

Ling Yun's shout directly awakened Duan Yanqing from his trance and also rendered Ding Chunqiu's evil arts ineffective.

Su Xinghe stared at Ling Yun in shock. He hadn't expected that such a young man would have a skill level almost equal to his master's!

Duan Yanqing suddenly realized what was happening, nodded slightly to Ling Yun, and said in ventriloquism, "Thank you, Young Master Murong!"

Ding Chunqiu was furious to see that someone had broken his evil skill, but Duan Yanqing's words "Young Master Murong" made him dare not act recklessly.

Ling Yun glanced at Ding Chunqiu, and amidst the gasps of the crowd, sat down opposite Su Xinghe: "Mr. Congbian, please."

Wu Yazi was a complete sucker for good looks, as evidenced by the disciples he took on. Although Su Xinghe and Ding Chunqiu were old, they still retained their elegance and looked ethereal. In the original novel, even after Xu Zhu solved the Zhenlong Chess Formation, Wu Yazi still found it somewhat unbearable to look at him when they met.

Ling Yun's appearance was truly flawless, and even though Ding Chunqiu disliked him, he had to praise him.

As for Su Xinghe, there's no need to mention him. He was unable to save him due to a poisonous oath, but Ling Yun not only helped him out of the predicament and dampened Ding Chunqiu's spirits, but he was also so handsome that he naturally admired him.

Su Xinghe gestured for him to proceed. Ling Yun flexed his fingers, cracked his neck, and then, with a smile, placed a piece on the board.

This move can be said to have pushed Duan Yanqing's already dead end a step further, making Su Xinghe feel slightly uncomfortable, wondering if Ling Yun couldn't play chess.

Will Lingyun be down?

Yes, but only a little.

In his time, AI was far beyond the reach of human computing power. Go has been constantly evolving, and if the so-called ancient masters were to compete with professional players today, they would be completely outmatched.

Not to mention AI algorithms, which are already many times more advanced than human algorithms and are constantly evolving.

Two top human chess players once played against AI. The first-generation AI won, but was ultimately defeated by a divine move from one of the players. It was thought to be the rise of humanity, but it turned out to be the final chapter, with the chess player suffering a crushing defeat at the hands of AI.

The other player was stronger than the first in terms of skill alone, but unfortunately he encountered the second-generation AI.

The second-generation AI completely abandoned human game records and relied on its own step-by-step iterations. Compared with the first generation, its win rate is still 99%.

The second player was in the prime of his life and possessed the strongest human strength. His computing power even approached that of the AI ​​at one point, greatly shocking the company behind the AI. Unfortunately, he still lost, and his resolve was shattered. He became addicted to Teamfight Tactics... But that's another story.

Chapter 241 A Fateful Encounter

AI never tells you how many moves into the future; it calculates countless moves into the future, and it moves faster and faster—because there are fewer and fewer places to place pieces, and less and less to calculate.

Unlike humans, AI doesn't care about all that; it directly calculates the optimal route.

We only follow one principle: to win!

Su Xinghe was displeased to see that he placed his piece almost without thinking, but he continued playing anyway.

While watching the game, Ling Yun had Xiao Na calculate all the possibilities. Following her instructions, Ling Yun never needed a second to make a move, because he had already predicted all of Su Xinghe's possible moves and provided corresponding countermeasures.

Ten moves later, when Su Xinghe was about to place his piece again, he suddenly realized that his safest and best position had already been occupied by Ling Yun's first move!

He glanced incredulously at the nonchalant Ling Yun, pondered for a long time, and finally could only place his piece elsewhere.

[Master, the win rate has increased from 32.7% to 74.1%!]

"I understand. Continue. Let's give these old relics some AI-powered shocks!"