A Premonition of Misfortune

Had Feng Linghua been the only one by his side, the attention Yang Lingrui received would have been manageable.

He was a visiting guest, after all, and Feng Linghua was merely following the Calligraphy Court's arrangements to guide his way.

But now, with the addition of the beautiful Li Qingwan, the situation was vastly different.

While passing through the shared courtyards of the Calligraphy Court, the three of them remained the absolute center of attention for the other disciples.

Some of the younger disciples of the Calligraphy Court looked as if they wished they could flay Yang Lingrui alive with their glares.

Just what right did this kid have to enjoy such Heaven-defying luck?

Not only was he assigned Junior Sister Feng as a guide, but now he even had Senior Sister Li accompanying his tour.

Such treatment was something they would not even dare to imagine in their dreams!

Jealousy aside, Yang Lingrui was, in the end, an invited guest of the Calligraphy Court. Other than glaring at him, they could not actually do anything.

Naturally, their hostility did nothing to dampen the trio's spirits.

Having spent the past few years at the Calligraphy Court, Li Qingwan and Feng Linghua were long accustomed to being the focus of everyone's gaze.

As for Yang Lingrui, he was wearing a disguised appearance anyway. Drawing envy mattered little; at worst, he could simply change to another face later.

Unlike the lively and unrestrained atmosphere of the Painting Court, the Chess Court was quiet most of the time.

After stepping into the Chess Court, the envious gazes directed at them decreased significantly.

Most of the disciples walking along the paths held various chess manuals in their hands, their steps hurried.

"The daily routine of the Chess Court is exactly this-nothing more than reading chess manuals, playing chess, and cultivating."

Li Qingwan explained as they walked. "There are no shortcuts on the Dao of Chess. Even those with outstanding talent must undergo immense practice to truly achieve anything. Otherwise, they are highly likely to become like A Night-Blooming Flower's Brief Appearance, fleeting and transient."

Since neither Yang Lingrui nor Feng Linghua knew how to play, Li Qingwan led them directly to the most central area.

This was the Rotten-Handle Chess Platform, situated at the very heart of the Chess Court.

A large number of Chess Court disciples had gathered here, currently studying dozens of unfinished chess games upon the platform.

"Every month, the Chess Court sets up dozens of chess games in their mid-game stage upon the platform. The court's disciples can come here to solve them. Each person is granted one opportunity to make a move per day. If they manage to crack the game, they will receive a reward from the Chess Court."

The three of them stepped onto the platform. Before the nearest chessboard stood a Chess Court disciple, lost in bitter contemplation.

"No, no, doing it this way still leads to death..."

"Then what about this? No, no, no, that won't work either!"

He pinched a chess piece between his fingers, extending his hand and retracting it several times, entirely unable to commit to a move.

So hyper-focused was his state of mind that he did not even realize three people had approached his side.

Li Qingwan stepped close and swept her gaze over the chessboard. A few breaths later, she softly uttered four words.

"Abandon the pieces to seize the momentum."

Upon hearing this phrase, the disciple's eyes suddenly lit up.

After a brief period of intense deduction and calculation, he decisively gave up the struggle for corner territory and placed his piece into the central heartland of the board.

With the fall of this single piece, the dark clouds scattered, and the situation on the board abruptly cleared up.

Only then did he snap back to his senses, hurriedly turning around to bow in thanks.

"Thank you for your guidance, Senior Sister!"

"One move is far from enough to solve this game. It is not wrong for you to focus on solid territory and seek victory through fierce combat, but the Dao of Chess does not only consist of killing moves. To Use Strengths and Avoid Weaknesses is also of the utmost importance."

Since she happened to be there, Li Qingwan took the opportunity to offer a few pointers to the young disciple.

Hearing this, the latter nodded repeatedly in agreement, then turned back to the chessboard, beginning to ponder the game from an entirely new perspective.

Li Qingwan did not disturb him any further, leading Yang Lingrui and Feng Linghua straight toward the center of the Rotten-Handle Chess Platform.

The game set up in this spot was the most difficult match of the month.

Li Qingwan stepped forward and picked up a piece. After a brief moment of observation, she began to place pieces in rapid succession.

As she began to make her moves, the other disciples on the platform stopped what they were doing and started watching the progression of this match from afar.

Among the disciples of the Chess Court, in terms of cultivation realm and overall chess skill, Li Qingwan was not considered the best.

But if one only discussed the method of Dragon-Slaying Killing Chess, if she claimed second place, no one would dare claim first!

The game quickly advanced to the late mid-game stage. Yang Lingrui noticed that the surrounding Chess Court disciples were all beginning to hold their breath in deep concentration.

Beads of sweat were appearing on their foreheads to varying degrees.

A few of them were even trembling slightly, clearly perceiving the terrifying depths hidden within this game.

"Young Master Yang, I think I faintly hear some sounds, like..."

"Like war drums, isn't it?"

"Exactly. And also... like the roaring shouts of a vanguard charging into battle!"

Feng Linghua and Yang Lingrui exchanged quiet whispers.

Even laymen like them could vaguely sense the aggressive, killing momentum radiating from this chess game. To the surrounding disciples cultivating the Dao of Chess, what appeared before their eyes was truly a scene of two grand armies engaged in a life-and-death struggle upon the board!

Thud!-

A heavy sound rang out as a piece was struck against the board. Suddenly, absolute silence fell over the entire chess platform.

The victor had been decided on the board. Once again, using her most adept method of the Dragon-Slaying Killing Chess, Li Qingwan had completely strangled and slaughtered her opponent's grand dragon!

"Haa... haa..."

There were no cheers, nor were there any praises. There was only the heavy, labored breathing of the observing disciples.

It was enough to show just how thrilling and profoundly shocking this game appeared in their eyes.

Having won the match, the chessboard shifted into a streak of spiritual light that flew into Li Qingwan's palm, condensing into a black-and-white token roughly half the size of a hand.

With this item, she could head to the Chess Court's Affairs Hall to exchange for the corresponding reward.

Li Qingwan put away the token. Turning around with a calm expression, she led Yang Lingrui and Feng Linghua away, leaving behind a crowd of Chess Court disciples still paralyzed in a state of shock upon the platform.

"I had long heard that Lady Qingwan's killing chess is unparalleled. To witness it today, it truly is extraordinary! I am full of admiration."

Yang Lingrui praised.

"Thank you, Young Master Lingrui."

Feng Linghua nodded along in eager agreement. "Yes, yes! Senior Sister Qingwan, when you were playing just now, the people around us did not even dare to breathe loudly. In the end, a few of them were so frightened they collapsed straight onto their bottoms."

Li Qingwan chuckled softly at this. "You do not cultivate this Dao, so naturally you cannot see the perils within it. Their reactions are precisely a sign that they have achieved a certain level of attainment on the Dao of Chess."

Aside from the Rotten-Handle Chess Platform, there was indeed not much else to see in the Chess Court.

If they were to watch a game, a complete match could sometimes stretch on for two or three days. Since neither Yang Lingrui nor Feng Linghua grasped the profound Intent within, wasting time on it would be meaningless.

As for playing themselves, the two were completely clueless.

Therefore, Li Qingwan led the two of them to a quiet, secluded pavilion nestled in the mountains.

This was a place where she occasionally came to ease her mind.

From here, one could fully observe the clouds rolling and unrolling across the Calligraphy Court's mountains-a truly splendid view.

As the three chatted idly, they inevitably drifted toward a topic unavoidable among young men and women.

"Young Master Lingrui, in all these years, have you met someone who has captured your heart?"

Li Qingwan leaned against one of the pavilion's pillars, lifting her eyes to ask.

Upon hearing this question, the conversation he once had with Zi He surfaced in Yang Lingrui's mind.

"Do not act."

"Do not deceive her."

He had taken Zi He's two instructions to heart. Thus, at this moment, he met Li Qingwan's gaze squarely.

"I have not. In this life, Lingrui's heart is devoted solely to the Dao. I have no interest in matters of men and women, so there will be none in the future either."

"Ah?! Young Master Yang, do not speak with such absolute certainty! Karmic fate is the most mysterious thing. Perhaps later on, you will meet your destined maiden!"

Feng Linghua was thoroughly surprised to hear this. "I used to be exactly like you, completely bereft of any thoughts regarding men and women! I met all the noble young masters in Qiulu City, yet none of them stirred the slightest bit of affection in my heart."

"But later! After I achieved some success in my cultivation, I followed my sister to participate in that grand gathering at the treasure ground! Who would have thought that right in front of a market shop in Yanxia Town, I would meet the one who captured my heart-Young Master Lin!"

"Later, we were fortunate enough to explore the Mayfly Treasure Ground together, and we even ran into that ambush by those despicable Lone Moon Mountain disciples."

...

Off to the side, Li Qingwan watched Feng Linghua with a doting gaze. She had heard this story an unknown number of times already, yet every time Feng Linghua brought it up, she was willing to sit and listen quietly to the very end.

Because in Feng Linghua, she could always see a reflection of her former self.

Like a flower in full bloom-innocent, carefree, beautiful, brimming with vitality and spirited grace.

Back then, the Li family was powerful, and the Ancestor was still alive. The household was always filled with a harmonious and joyful atmosphere, and she had been the Li family's young miss, deeply doted upon by all.

At that time, how could Li Qingwan have ever imagined that in a mere ten years, she would fall into her current circumstances?

At this thought, a flicker of gloom, imperceptible to others, flashed through the depths of her eyes.

But sitting on the other side, Yang Lingrui's smile grew slightly stiff as he listened to this story.

As Feng Linghua's narration continued, his heart gradually tightened in his chest, and a faint premonition of misfortune began to take root.

"And that is how it was. Sigh... my sister said that the blessed are naturally protected by Heaven, so I also believe Young Master Lin did not die."

Feng Linghua shook her head, but suddenly thought of something. She immediately whipped her head around to look at Yang Lingrui. "Oh, right! Young Master Yang, your family is under the jurisdiction of the Wangyue Region, and it seems you are not far from Liuye Town! Have you ever seen this Young Master Lin before?"

"Mm..."

Upon hearing this, Yang Lingrui feigned a thoughtful expression. "I must have seen him when I was young. However, my family later relocated to establish ourselves elsewhere, so our dealings with the Liuye side grew scarce. I also stepped onto the Dao of cultivation, so I do not believe I have had any further interactions with him."

"Oh, I see..."

Feng Linghua looked slightly disappointed.

Seeing this, Yang Lingrui breathed a quiet sigh of relief, thinking that this topic would finally come to an end.

Yet he never expected that Li Qingwan would suddenly speak up at this exact moment.

"Do you not always carry that portrait of Young Master Lin with you?"

She gently twirled a strand of dark hair by her ear and said, "You were never willing to take it out to show me before, acting as if I might snatch it from you. Now that Young Master Lingrui happens to be here as well, why don't you take it out for a look? Perhaps upon seeing the person's portrait, it will jog his memory."

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