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Moreover, they had to sneak into the palace in broad daylight!

They chose to steal the imperial seal in broad daylight because they thought it would be too easy to do so on a dark and windy night, making it more challenging.

So, on the fifth day of the eighth month of the forty-fifth year of Yinghua, at the hour of Chen (7-9 AM), two people slipped past all the guards and flew into the heavily guarded palace. They then went their separate ways, and whoever got the imperial seal or the chess set first would be the winner!

Although the two were arrogant and confident in their unparalleled martial arts skills, they looked down on the lowly palace guards. However, the palace was, after all, a place of imperial importance. While the guards might not be as skilled as the two, their numbers far surpassed theirs. If these guards swarmed them, even the most powerful immortal and demon would be exhausted. Therefore, neither the usually willful and reckless Bi Yao nor the consistently elegant and composed Zhe Xian could do anything but hide and conceal themselves this time.

The palace was a maze of buildings and countless paths; even those who lived there year-round could sometimes get lost, let alone Ming Er and Lan Qi, who had never been to the palace before. The palace was resplendent with gold and jade, with countless pavilions and towers, towering gates and jade steps, long corridors and winding paths, vermilion railings, green trees and blooming flowers, dotted with rows of valiant guards and groups of beautiful palace maids… The two were so overwhelmed with wonder that they felt dizzy and disoriented, unsure of where they were.

Along the way, whenever Lan Qi encountered a fork in the road, she would turn left to avoid the patrolling guards and the coming and going palace servants. She passed through countless corridors, leaped over countless high walls, read countless palace names and plaques, and admired countless beautiful concubines and palace maids. Of course, she also spent her time past 7 AM, 9 AM, and 11 AM... Finally, when Lan Qi was starving, her patience was exhausted, and her temper was about to flare up, a pavilion with a solemn and dignified aura appeared in front of her.

Yulong Pavilion.

The plaque in front of the pavilion has white background and black characters.

Within a radius of ten zhang, only this pavilion stands; it is so simple, yet so serene and expansive.

There were no guards in front of the pavilion, and no one was inside.

Lan Qi strolled past, then pushed open the door and entered.

In an instant, it felt as if a gentle breeze was caressing my face, and as if a dazzling light was shining upon me.

The door closed gently behind me.

The room was quiet.

Four towering dragon pillars, each over ten feet tall, stand silently in the east, west, south, and north directions. The dragon heads are raised high, each holding a large luminous pearl in its open mouth, their clear light illuminating the interior of the pavilion.

Lan Qi looked around—

In the center of the pavilion, there are white jade railings, green jade steps, and crystal platforms. Radiance flows and bright light gently spills; these are objects from a celestial palace.

On the crystal platform, blood jade served as the board, snow jade as the chess pieces, and black jade as the game pieces. Interwoven and reflecting each other, they were celestial objects.

The moment Lan Qi's gaze fell upon it, her heart calmed, her spirit became serene, and she felt as if she had entered a realm of pure tranquility.

She walked past quietly, but then stopped a few feet away. At that moment, she simply watched the game of chess.

Her childhood was unfortunate, and she suffered hardship in her youth. For over twenty years, she had devoted herself to survival and power, employing every means at her disposal. She was adept at the martial arts of various schools and sects, and even more so at the lowest levels of the martial arts world. However, she had never had the opportunity to learn the arts of music, chess, calligraphy, painting, poetry, and literature, which were almost universally possessed by scions of noble families. Although she had some exposure to these arts after becoming the head of her family, she only scratched the surface, so she didn't really understand these refined pursuits. But now, the chessboard before her eyes gave her a feeling she had never experienced before.

Yi, or chess, is a game of war. The game begins when a piece is placed, and ends when one side is defeated.

Years ago, when she first picked up a chess piece, the person who taught her to play chess told her this. She had also seen some so-called famous games, so she knew clearly that the simple struggle between the black and white pieces on the chessboard was a life-or-death battle! But the game in front of her was not like that!

There wasn't a trace of killing intent in this game!

The blood-red chessboard is filled with black and white pieces, but there is no scheming or fighting between them, no killing or defeat. There are 125 black pieces and 125 white pieces, alternating between black and white, without losing a single piece. They move across the chessboard with a grand and dignified, peaceful and calm demeanor, coexisting harmoniously on the chessboard!

Radiant with pearls and jade, tranquil and timeless.

So this is how you can play chess.

Where is that person?

Just as Lan Qi was in a daze, she suddenly heard light footsteps, followed by voices.

"Why do we have to come here to play chess?" The voice was clear and pleasant, but the tone was lazy, and one could almost imagine the speaker's leisurely appearance.

Lan Qi found the voice somewhat familiar. After a moment's thought, her emerald eyes lit up and a faint smile appeared on her face. She did not move her feet.

"I can play wherever I want." The voice that answered was extremely clear and sounded very young. "But you, why did you let me carry the chessboard and the chess pieces? I am a prince, a nobleman, how could I do such things that only servants do!"

"Judging from your words, you'll only ever be a carefree prince, never a crown prince, let alone a ruler." The clear voice remained languid.

"Why?" The clear voice was full of resentment.

"Those in high positions should understand the principle of humility. As arrogant and conceited as you, who regards everyone and everything as lowly weeds, even if you become the crown prince and ascend the throne, you will surely be a tyrannical and incompetent ruler. The dynasty will perish under your rule in no time!" The clear voice was lazy, but it was anything but polite.

"You...how dare you! How dare you speak to me like that!" The clear voice turned sharp, clearly indicating anger.

"Why wouldn't I dare?" The clear voice asked lazily. "Your father begged me to stay and asked me to spend more time with you, wasn't it because he wanted me to teach you a lesson?"

"Teach...a lesson?!" a clear voice rang out. "You? Who in the entire world, besides my father and mother, dares to teach me a lesson?! You? Wait until you have a son before you try to teach him a lesson!"

"Smack!"

A crisp slap rang out, followed by a furious scream: "How dare you hit me?! I will exterminate your entire family!"

"No. I just wanted you to know what I would do if it were my son. Besides, how could you possibly destroy my family?" The clear voice spoke calmly. As he spoke, he casually pushed open the pavilion door, and immediately saw a figure standing silently inside. The figure turned around at the sound of the voice, their eyes met, and at the same time, a gasp escaped their lips:

"It really was you!"

"It's you!"

The two then said at the same time:

"You're actually here."

Why are you here?

Then the two of them smiled at the same time, each with a subtle emotion in their smiles.

The person who pushed open the door was dressed in white, with handsome features and phoenix eyes. He was none other than Feng Yibai from Dongming Island, whom Lan Qi had met once before.

"How dare you! Who are you? How dare you trespass into Yulong Pavilion!" A clear and loud rebuke rang out.

Lan Qi shifted her gaze and saw a handsome young man of sixteen or seventeen standing beside Feng Yibai. He was dressed in a purple and gold robe, his hair tied with a crown of seven dragon pearls, and he had an air of arrogance between his brows. However, the red handprint on his forehead and the chessboard and chess box he was holding greatly diminished his arrogance. At this moment, he was staring intently at her with a pair of brown and gold eyes.

"How dare you be so rude!" The boy felt conflicted when Lan Qi's emerald eyes swept over him. It was as if cool water was flowing over his body, which felt extremely comfortable, but at the same time, he felt a sense of danger, as if his whole body was being frozen. Moreover, no one had ever dared to look at him like that before he was born, so he couldn't help but shout again.

After being reprimanded twice by the boy, Lan Qi's eyebrows twitched, and his green eyes shifted to Feng Yibai. He said with a half-smile, "It's been many years since I've seen such an impolite person." As he spoke, he turned slightly to Feng Yibai, and his fingers, hidden in his sleeve, curled slightly.

"Oh...you're Lan Qi Shao!" Feng Yibai's eyes lit up upon hearing this, finally connecting the person before him with the renowned name that had spread throughout the martial world. "I forgot to ask for your guidance on Dongming Island last time...huh?" Before he could finish speaking, he felt a gust of wind carrying a chilling killing intent invade his skin. He immediately raised his left palm to deflect the incoming palm force, while simultaneously striking out with his right palm. The force of the palm sent the boy beside him flying two zhang away, and he heard the boy cry out "Ah!" at the same time, causing him to feel a chill. Just as Feng Yibai was fully on guard, the killing intent vanished in an instant, causing him to frown and look at Lan Qi opposite him with a puzzled expression.

Lan Qi looked at him with a smile and said, "I was injured on Dongming Island, which is why you took 'Lan Yin Bi Yue' from me. This time, we'll have to settle things properly."

Upon hearing this, Feng Yibai first turned to look at the boy who had been sent flying by his palm strike. The boy's mouth was open, but he couldn't utter a sound; clearly, his pressure points had been sealed. He immediately understood that the killing intent from before was merely a feint. Lan Qi's true intention was to subdue the boy, rendering him speechless and immobile, while she herself had voluntarily sent him away. Thinking this, Feng Yibai frowned and looked at Lan Qi. Was she going to fight him here?

“This monkey is too noisy,” Lan Qi said, glancing at the boy with her emerald eyes.

Monkey? Feng Yibai couldn't help but chuckle upon hearing this, while the boy's brown-gold eyes blazed with anger. He was clearly very unhappy about being demoted to a monkey, but unfortunately, he couldn't speak, move his hands, or walk.

"You want to have a match with me here?" Feng Yibai asked.

Lan Qi smiled slightly, turned his head to look at the crystal platform in the center of the pavilion, and said, "This young master wants this game of chess."

Feng Yibai's heart skipped a beat. He looked at the chessboard and then at Lan Qi, and then said very bluntly, "Are you trying to take something from me because you're not satisfied with your loss to me last time?"

Upon hearing this, Lan Qi's emerald eyes flashed, but when she turned to look at Feng Yibai, she still had a faint smile on her face and said, "Did I lose?"

If Ming Er were here, he would know that the Seventh Young Master, who was used to bullying others, was now furious. However, he was facing Feng Yibai, who saw Lan Qi's calm and collected demeanor and said with a hint of persuasion, "You can't take this game of chess with you."

"Oh?" Lan Qi merely raised an eyebrow. "Why? Do you really think I can't beat you?"

Upon hearing this, Feng Yibai carefully examined her for a moment, then considered it seriously before replying, "It will probably take more than a thousand moves for you and me to determine a winner." After a slight pause, he added, "And at that time, it won't be a matter of victory or defeat, but a matter of life and death."

"Hehe..." Lan Qi chuckled, "You won't be the one left in the end, because..." Her emerald eyes smiled as she looked at the person opposite her, and she slowly said, "This young master is better at killing than you!"

Upon hearing this, Feng Yibai's previously lazy gaze immediately changed, and his posture became more relaxed. He stared at Lan Qi quietly, like a sword hanging on a wall, its sharpness concealed yet its aura as deep as an abyss. After a moment, he said, "There should be no weapons or bloodshed in Yulong Pavilion. I will not fight with you."

"Oh?" Lan Qi tilted his head slightly. "Since you're not going to make a move, then I'll take this game of chess with me."

Feng Yibai shook his head and said, "This game of chess can be kept in two places: one is this pavilion, and the other is the top of Cangmang Mountain."

"Oh?" Lan Qi raised an eyebrow again. "What kind of reason is that?"

Feng Yibai moved forward, and Lan Qi moved back closer to the crystal platform. Feng Yibai stopped, looked at Lan Qi with a strange expression, and said, "If you don't understand this principle, how can you understand this game, and how can you comprehend the realm of chess? Your understanding of this game is like a blind man getting a painting."

"Hehe..." Lan Qi laughed instead of getting angry upon hearing this, replying in an extremely willful manner that revealed his true nature as a demon, "This young master doesn't need to understand, this young master just wants to take what he wants."

Upon hearing Lan Qi's answer, Feng Yibai frowned again and said, "Do you want it because you like this game of chess, or because you like the feeling of taking something away from me?"

Hmm? Lan Qi blinked her emerald eyes.

"Perhaps I know," a voice suddenly interrupted, and then a green figure drifted in from outside the door.

Feng Yibai was slightly taken aback when she saw the newcomer, then smiled knowingly. Since she was here, how could he be absent?

Lan Qi saw the newcomer, her green eyes scanning him up and down, and said, "Second Young Master, are you so confused by the sights that you can't find the place?" Has this fake immortal been wandering around all day? I've already found the chessboard, there's no reason he can't find the Imperial Seal.

Ming Er first nodded slightly to Feng Yibai as a greeting, and then looked at Lan Qi and said, "Seventh Young Master lost this time."

"Oh?" Lan Qi glanced at him again, but couldn't see the jade seal on him.

"I have already moved the Imperial Seal from the East Study to Qilong Palace," Ming Er said with a faint smile. Seeing Lan Qi's emerald eyes widen slightly, he leisurely explained, "There's no rule that it must be taken out of the palace, is there?" Although the Second Young Master found the more chaotic the world, the more interesting it was, provided that the chaos didn't originate with him. If they truly took the Imperial Seal, the entire dynasty would hunt them down. At that point, unless they possessed truly extraordinary abilities, otherwise…

Lan Qi wanted to yell "Fake Immortal!" but kept quiet because others were present. He just snorted and muttered under his breath, "Cunning, treacherous, despicable..." He threw all sorts of unpleasant things at Ming Er. Then he thought about how losing would mean... so he became even more annoyed and his inner grumbling grew even stronger.

Feng Yibai, who was standing to the side, vaguely understood why the two were there. He said, "Since you two have already decided the winner, why don't you leave quickly? It would be inconvenient for you if the palace guards found out." He had no chance of winning against the two of them by himself. Even if he attracted the help of the guards, the two of them were so skilled in martial arts and acted so recklessly that many people would suffer. It would be best to send them away quickly.

Feng Yibai's words only elicited a faint smile from Ming Er. He then turned his gaze to Lan Qi and said, "The outcome is decided. Let's go."

"No!" Lan Qi said, his green eyes flashing angrily at Feng Yibai before landing on the center of the pavilion. "I want this chess game!" Hmph, if it weren't for this person, I would have already taken this chess game and won against the fake immortal!

"Oh?" Ming Er raised his eyebrows, looked at the chessboard, and after a moment, his body trembled slightly. Then he turned to Feng Yibai, and their eyes met. Both of them were calm and peaceful.

"Rumor has it that this game of chess was played by Emperor Chaoxi and Prince Xi?" Ming Er looked at the chessboard and then looked at Feng Yibai again.

Feng Yibai nodded slightly.

Ming Er strolled to the center of the pavilion, his gaze fixed on the chessboard. After a long while, he said, "Emperor Chao Xi and Prince Xi are both men of great talent and ambition. With a flick of their wrist, the winds and clouds can change drastically, and with a single word, blood can flow for miles. How could they have played such a peaceful game? Looking at this game, there is no intention to fight or kill. It is definitely not the work of these two wise rulers."

Upon hearing this, Feng Yibai's gaze sharpened as he looked at Ming Er.

“The player in this game should be someone else.” Ming Er turned to face Feng Yibai.

A glint flashed in Feng Yibai's phoenix eyes. He smiled slightly and nodded gently.

"So, does that mean everyone in the world has been deceived, and for hundreds of years at that?" Lan Qi's green eyes flashed with a wicked glint as she looked at Feng Yibai with a smile and said, "Everyone says that Emperor Chaoxi and Prince Xi used this game to decide the fate of the world, but it turns out to be pure nonsense. The royal family just set up this game to fool the world!"

Feng Yibai moved closer to the crystal platform, his phoenix eyes fixed on the chessboard. After a long while, he said softly, "Although the two people playing this game are not Emperor Chaoxi and Prince Xi, it is no different from the game they played themselves."

Upon hearing this, Ming Er's heart stirred. Looking at Feng Yibai's expression and then at the chessboard, he vaguely understood who was playing the game.

Lan Qi waved his jade fan, raised his chin, and said, "I don't care who played the game. I'm determined to have this game. If you don't let me take it, I'll spread the word throughout the world after I leave the palace: Emperor Chaoxi and Prince Xi didn't actually win the world through chess. The world was won by the royal family through deception. Maybe there are even remnants of the Feng Kingdom who want to restore their kingdom. In that case... you won't even be able to sit on your dragon throne. Let's see if you'll still be stingy with this game!" His shameless, childlike manner made his companion, the Second Young Master Ming, feel extremely embarrassed, so he lowered his eyes and refused to look at him.

Feng Yibai couldn't help but chuckle, finding her appearance both adorable like a spoiled child and endearingly delicate like a charming woman. Her half-turned face was as smooth as jade, her bright blue eyes gleaming like crystal, fixed intently on the chessboard, yet glancing at him out of the corner of her eye. Feng Yibai's heart skipped a beat, and he blurted out, "Come back with me, and I'll show you the original form of this chess game!"

Huh? Lan Qi was stunned.

The Second Young Master Ming's empty eyes rippled slightly.

Feng Yibai continued, "Don't you like 'Lan Yin Bi Yue'? My family has planted many of them, and they bloom all over the valley. They are much prettier than those made of jade."

"Really?" Lan Qi's emerald eyes suddenly lit up with a captivating light.

“Of course.” Feng Yibai smiled leisurely. “Many things in our family are things that even the royal family could not possess.”