The Jade Clarity Daoist looked on, his eyes briefly flashing with a hint of surprise.
Firstly, he was astonished by Wu Ming’s profound cultivation level—being at the peak of human immortals, a level that should have caused a sensation throughout the land. Yet, Wu Ming remained unknown. Secondly, he was amazed by Wu Ming’s calm demeanor.
After all, cultivators attuned to the heavens are increasingly sensitive to the presence of true dragons and are more heavily restrained by them.
“Victory brings joy, and defeat brings delight as well?”
At this moment, Ji Yi spoke, “This is the heart of a cultivator, but not the heart of a go player. The way of go is all about seizing the initiative. If one is not determined about winning or losing, where can victory or defeat be found?”
He promptly sat before Wu Ming, saying, “Come, let us play a game!”
“With respect, I shall comply!”
Wu Ming smiled and was about to collect the stones when Ji Yi directly took a black piece and placed it down, saying, “Since there’s already a partial game, it will suffice!”
“Please!”
Wu Ming responded with a move and slowly asked, “Noble visitor, what divination do you seek?”
“How about Heaven and Earth?”
Ji Yi made several aggressive moves, fierce yet stable, clearly possessing great strategy.
“Heaven and Earth? Then you mean the world?”
Wu Ming calmly responded with a move while slowly smiling, “So, young master, your ambition lies in the world? In the Divine Land, the realm belongs to those with virtue. As long as you cultivate virtue, what is there to worry about?”
As he spoke, with a few casual moves, Ji Yi’s forehead began to sweat slightly.
“Hmph!”
At this, the martial saint commander’s eyes glimmered coldly, a warning in his gaze.
Even without speaking, very few could maintain normal performance under such an intense stare.
However, Wu Ming paid no heed and placed a few more stones, instantly forcing Ji Yi into a desperate situation, threatening to capture his large group of stones.
“I did not expect the Daoist to be so skilled in go…”
Ji Yi gave a bitter smile, ready to concede defeat by tossing aside the stones, but he saw Wu Ming’s expression, half-smiling, place another stone.
“Ah?”
The Jade Clarity Daoist beside them gave a slight exclamation.
The commander nodded slightly, as if to say, “At least you know your place!”
Indeed, Wu Ming’s move did not target a critical point but instead filled an eye of his own white group.
In the game of go, the principle is “one breath dies, two breaths live.” Previously, Wu Ming’s white group had been gradually gaining the upper hand, using these two eyes as a foundation to capture Ji Yi’s black group.
Success would have forced Ji Yi to concede, no matter how hard he tried. Yet now, by filling in a stone himself, Wu Ming had essentially trapped himself in a losing position, turning a previously advantageous situation into nothing.
“This… this…”
Such a shift even left Ji Yi momentarily stunned. His expression suddenly turned displeased, “I am not someone who cannot accept defeat. I beg you, Daoist, to retract your move and not show me mercy!”
In his emotional state, he even forgot he was incognito, directly referring to himself in the royal first person.
“Haha! In the way of go, once a stone is placed, it cannot be taken back. Where is there any notion of retracting a move? Have you still not understood?”
Wu Ming laughed heartily.
“Understand?”
Ji Yi, ultimately a man of destiny, upon hearing this, felt his dragon aura surge instinctively, and he said, “Indeed, the way of go reflects the way of the world. The golden corner, the silver side, and the grassy center are truly wise words!”
“Since the great chaos of the Shang Dynasty, the king has held two provinces and developed quietly, truly grasping the essence of go… However, one must also remember that a ruler must be unyielding!”
Wu Ming said, “Just as in the struggle for the world, until the final moment, who can truly know the outcome?”
“Indeed! Indeed!”
Ji Yi excitedly stood up, pacing a few steps before approaching Wu Ming and bowing slightly, “You possess great talent. Please, guide me!”
At this point, he no longer concealed his identity.
“I am but a hermit of the mountains and forests, unfit for such wealth and honor. Please forgive me, Your Majesty!”
Wu Ming performed a Daoist bow directly.
“Dare you! Do you know who stands before you? His Majesty the Martial King comes from a noble lineage, wise and mighty, currently ruling two provinces with an army of one hundred thousand and numerous brave generals. He humbly seeks talents, yet you, a mere lowly Daoist, dare to behave thus?”
The martial saint was furious, his blood rising, his hair standing on end, vividly demonstrating the true meaning of “rage making one’s hair stand on end.”
“Ah… well then!”
Ji Yi waved his hand and left behind a jade pendant, “Since that is the case, I have disturbed you today! This jade pendant shall serve as payment for today’s game and divination. Farewell!”
He promptly stood up and left.
However, as he departed, the Jade Clarity Daoist shot Wu Ming a meaningful glance upon leaving. A soft voice whispered in Wu Ming’s ear, “…Today meeting a fellow Daoist youth, I am overjoyed. Another visit shall be made in the future…”
…
“Your Majesty?!”
As soon as they exited the Daoist temple, the martial saint commander questioned.
“Indeed, he has some insight…”
Ji Yi smiled, “Does he wish to play the trick of ‘Three Visits’?”
Although the Shang Dynasty did not have the anecdote of “Three Visits to the Thatched Cottage,” it had a long history. Previous monarchs had visited humble dwellings multiple times to invite renowned scholars, even interrupting meals to respond properly, thus understanding the concept without difficulty.
He then asked the Jade Clarity Daoist, “What is your opinion, Daoist Master?”
The Jade Clarity Daoist hesitated slightly before speaking honestly, “That Zhaixingzi possesses profound cultivation, with an aura that is pure and balanced, clearly belonging to the orthodox Daoist sect, a rare human immortal at the peak of his cultivation!”
His cultivation was so advanced that he had reached the Earth Immortal level. For him to give a compliment, even the martial saint commander beside him was visibly moved.
“A human immortal at the peak? Then he is a Celestial Master?”
Ji Yi slightly pondered, “Such a figure, with such strategic wisdom, is worth several visits. Let us return to the palace first and come again next time!”
“As you command!”
…
“Master!”
In the garden, Huang Ying and Li Xiuyun entered and saw Wu Ming playing with a bright yellow jade pendant in his hand.
The pendant was ring-shaped, adorned with auspicious cloud patterns, its craftsmanship simple yet exuding a kind of refined elegance.
Wu Ming examined it, noting that the jade itself was ordinary, but it carried a trace of dragon aura, exuding noble and unique effects.
However, within his own Su Hou Pearl, he had stored countless dragon auras, so naturally, he had no interest in this small amount. Thus, he casually tossed it into Huang Ying’s arms, “This trinket is quite nice. I give it to you!”
“You… you… you…”
Huang Ying was speechless, almost wanting to point her finger at Wu Ming in anger.
“What a great opportunity… This was the future founder of the Great Zhou Dynasty, what a precious chance? A pity! A pity! If I had been there at that moment, I would have surely…”
But she suddenly stopped, “What could I do? King Wu has many capable and talented subordinates. What use would I be? Moreover, wouldn’t I fear being captured and exposed, facing life or death?”
At that moment, she felt a surge of caution and fear, thinking that aligning with King Wu might not necessarily be a good thing.
“Good!”
Seeing this, Wu Ming’s eyes seemed to peer into Huang Ying’s deepest thoughts, “Huang Ying, you now understand the stakes, don’t you? Your master will now send you both away!”
“But… what about your tribulation, Master?”
Li Xiuyun bit her lip and softly asked.
The initial reason Wu Ming accepted them was for the power they held to obscure heavenly fate, masking his tribulations.
“Haha… Don’t worry, your master has already fulfilled his merit and will not easily face tribulations again. As for you two, in the future, you must remember to be cautious and diligently cultivate your Daoist skills…”
Wu Ming waved his large sleeve, “Come with me!”
Meeting the true dragon today meant encountering destiny!
And amidst the chaotic heavenly signs, who knew how many more tests and hidden dangers lay ahead.
Although Wu Ming himself was not afraid, these two delicate women were better off avoiding the spotlight for now.
“Leave?”
Huang Ying, being clever, turned pale, “Could it be King Wu?”
“Don’t let your cleverness backfire on you!”
Wu Ming scolded, “It’s not King Wu, but the Dao sect!”
In his heart, he was very clear. Perhaps the Jade Clarity Daoist could tolerate small-time cultivator families like the Xie family, but whether he could tolerate Wu Ming himself was another matter.
After all, with limited resources, how could others be allowed to share them?
“The Dao sect? Jade Clarity?”
Huang Ying’s face turned even paler, and even Li Xiuyun had heard of the Jade Clarity Daoist Palace’s reputation!
“But I am not afraid, it’s just that you two are burdens. It’s better to settle you somewhere safe sooner rather than later…”
Wu Ming rarely showed a serious expression, “After I take you out of the city gates, I will use my supernatural abilities to travel a thousand miles in a day, choosing famous mountains and rivers to settle you. You can build caves to live in, gather fruits for food, and diligently cultivate Daoist skills, waiting for news from me!”
This arrangement had already been planned out, coinciding with Huang Ying’s own intentions, making her feel moved.
…
Several days later.
Back at the Daoist temple.
It was late at night, the sky was filled with stars, and a gentle breeze blew. Other Daoists had already gone to sleep.
Wu Ming was meditating alone in a side room when his eyebrows suddenly twitched, and he smiled, “The Jade Clarity Daoist has arrived. Why not show yourself?”
“Hehe, this humble Daoist is Yu Qingzi. Greetings, fellow Daoist!”
Under the moonlight, an old Daoist’s figure slowly emerged, his eyes like warm jade, his face marked with the signs of time. It was indeed the previous Jade Clarity Daoist.
Hu hu!
In an instant, the surrounding lanterns flared up, and Wu Ming felt a powerful force field suddenly envelop him.
“A domain? Or perhaps the precursor to a land immortal’s paradise?”
His eyes gleamed with sharpness as he sensed this power.
A Celestial Master was at the peak of human immortals, and beyond that lay the cultivation of land immortals. Yu Qingzi was the best mirror and teacher for Wu Ming.
“Hmm… This power feels similar to a divine domain but is even more concentrated. Within this domain, the land immortal becomes the true master of heaven and earth, able to harness the power of the entire area for attacks… Hmm, it feels a bit like a mobile local deity?”
Although a Celestial Master could summon wind and rain, Wu Ming was well aware that within the domain of a land immortal, no matter what he did, his opponent could simply utter a word to dissipate it all. This was the might of a land immortal!
“This humble Daoist is Zhaixingzi. It’s an honor to meet you!”
Wu Ming stood up and gave a slight bow to Yu Qingzi.
Weng weng!
As he stood, a circle of clear light emerged around him, seemingly carrying some form of heavenly will, suppressing the sudden flare of lanterns.
On the surface, it was merely a Daoist visiting a friend at night. However, the moment Yu Qingzi expanded his domain, an invisible confrontation had already begun in secret.
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