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Chapter 852: Facing Sima Zongheng

"Snap!"

As the stone landed, it was as if a gentle breeze swept across the board, instantly changing the entire game situation.

"You broke it, Second Uncle, you broke Zhong Shan's game," Sima Qianjun exclaimed excitedly.

"Yes," Sima Zongheng nodded in satisfaction.

"Winning three games against me was such a bitter pill to swallow. If only I had thought of this move back then," Sima Qianjun said with a resentful expression.

"No, you still aren't his match," Sima Zongheng shook his head.

"Why?"

"Zhong Shan's chess skills have transcended mere 'artistic conception' and are nearing the level of 'Dao conception.' You've only recently entered the realm of 'artistic conception,' so it's hard for you to defeat him for now," Sima Zongheng said solemnly.

"Dao conception? Has Zhong Shan reached Dao conception?" Sima Qianjun asked in surprise.

"No, I said he is nearing 'Dao conception.' He is still within the realm of 'artistic conception.' He practices the way of the emperor, with his heart set on the imperial path. How could he devote himself fully to the way of chess? One cannot serve two masters. Hence, I say he is still in the realm of 'artistic conception,'" Sima Zongheng explained seriously.

"And you, Second Uncle?" Sima Qianjun asked with a hint of hope.

"Me? I am also nearing Dao conception. Dao conception is not easy to attain. In our Sima family, the only one to have reached Dao conception is the Young Prince," Sima Zongheng said solemnly.

"The Young Prince? The young master? The Young Prince has reached Dao conception?" Sima Qianjun asked in astonishment.

"Yes, the Young Prince has reached Dao conception. This time in Yan Hai Yun Mountain, our Sima family's hopes rest on the Young Prince," Sima Zongheng said.

"Young Master!" Suddenly, a servant's voice came from outside the courtyard.

"Come in!" Sima Qianjun called out.

Soon, a servant ran in.

"What is it?"

"Reporting to the Young Master and Second Master, according to a report from a house servant just now, Zhong Shan has reappeared at the Second Chess Plaza and is continuing the match," the servant said.

"What? Zhong Shan is out? How could he be out?" Sima Qianjun asked in surprise.

Sima Zongheng's eyes also narrowed, a hint of doubt flashing in them.

"Second Uncle, what do you think?" Sima Qianjun frowned.

"Let's go and see!" Sima Zongheng said.

"Yes!"—

At the Second Chess Plaza.

At this moment, the plaza was crowded with chess players, all extremely excitedly watching the central chess game.

In the center of the plaza, there was a special chessboard set up. Or rather, ten chessboards.

Zhong Shan's arrival quickly caught the attention of the chess players from the past few days. The Sacred King of Dazheng had come.

The Sacred King of Dazheng was here? Initially, people eagerly wanted to play against Zhong Shan, but after he won six games in a row, most were too intimidated. This ill-fated Sacred King played chess too brilliantly.

Invincible. Once you enter the game, you can only lose.

At this time, an official brought out a special chessboard, ten chessboards arranged in a circle, with Zhong Shan's folded token placed in the center of the circle's recess.

Zhong Shan taking on ten at once?

At this point, the chess players once again displayed their pride, all taking their seats. The Nine-Tailed Princess, standing to the side, looked delighted. Finally, she had a retainer who could bring her honor.

Zhong Shan sat in the center, placing pieces on the various chessboards. Facing ten opponents, Zhong Shan showed no fear. In fact, it seemed like a battle between two different realms. In just over an hour, Zhong Shan had defeated all ten opponents.

While others pondered their moves, Zhong Shan seemed not to need any thinking at all. Using the same layout, he crushed all ten opponents without them being able to counter.

Zhong Shan's chess skills were overwhelming.

Achieving a hundred consecutive wins was too easy for Zhong Shan. The true masters had qualified decades ago; those present were players teetering between mediocrity and mastery.

Zhong Shan dominated the scene, and the Nine-Tailed Princess was filled with excitement. "Alright, next batch, next batch!"

The crowd looked at the Nine-Tailed Princess strangely, feeling extremely uncomfortable. It felt like a slaughterhouse, with the call for the "next batch." Were they pigs to her?

Yet, the outcomes were clear. With each batch, Zhong Shan's token score increased.

A hundred consecutive wins seemed not far away.

While Zhong Shan's chess skills might not be the highest in Qingqiu, the time it took for him to achieve a hundred consecutive wins was certainly the shortest.

Nine batches of opponents later, Zhong Shan had been playing for a day and a night, scaring away many lesser players.

There's no point in continuing! Even other hundred-win players hadn't been this overwhelming.

Ninety-nine wins. The token showed '99.'

"Ninety-nine wins. Just one more to go. Who's next?" the Nine-Tailed Princess exclaimed excitedly, as if she were the one winning.

But just like Sima Qianjun's final game, no one wanted to step up. If Sima Qianjun had ended in such a humiliating defeat, how could anyone fare better against the more skilled Zhong Shan?

"Ninety-nine wins? Such high chess skills, Sacred King Zhong!" A cold voice suddenly echoed from the crowd.

Chess players stepped aside to reveal Sima Zongheng and Sima Qianjun.

The speaker was Sima Zongheng.

Chess players' eyes brightened. The scene of Zhong Shan humiliating Sima Qianjun a few days ago was still fresh in their minds. Sima Qianjun had been on the verge of his hundredth win, only to be thwarted and humiliated by Zhong Shan.

Sima Zongheng was known for his remarkable chess skills. His path to a hundred wins had been smooth, and he was recognized as a top chess master in Qingqiu.

Rumor had it that Sima Zongheng had entered the 'Artistic Conception' realm tens of thousands of years ago. What was he doing now? Seeking revenge for Sima Qianjun?

Would the near victory repeat itself, but with Zhong Shan as the new target?

"You flatter me, Lord Sima Zongheng," Zhong Shan said, looking up calmly.

The two men stared at each other across the distance, their gazes clashing coldly in the air.

Sima Zongheng harbored disdain for Zhong Shan, and Zhong Shan had no good feelings for Sima Zongheng either.

"Sima Qianjun, what are you doing? Can't take a loss, so you brought your elder for revenge?" the Nine-Tailed Princess mocked.

Swoosh!

All eyes turned to Sima Qianjun. Despite his thick skin, being stared at by nearly ten thousand people made him blush slightly. He glared, choosing to ignore the Nine-Tailed Princess, and looked hatefully at Zhong Shan.

"I heard that a few days ago, Sacred King Zhong used chess to bully my nephew. That is not the act of a true man!" Sima Zongheng said sternly.

Sima Zongheng's tone shifted, filled with anger.

"Humiliation? What are you talking about? One's honor is earned, not given. Everyone saw what happened with Sima Qianjun that day. As for what it means to be a true man, Lord Sima Zongheng, you acted out of personal vendetta, disregarding protocol, and had me, a Sacred King, stripped of my powers and sent to the eighteenth level of hell. Is that what you call the actions of a true man?" Zhong Shan retorted without a hint of politeness.

The crowd erupted in murmurs. Clearly, they were taken aback by Sima Zongheng's actions. According to tradition, a vassal's royal hostage should be sent to the hostage residence. Sending a Sacred King to the eighteenth level of hell was both improper and petty, not the act of a true gentleman.

There was no reason for Zhong Shan to mince words with Sima Zongheng. In Taichu, Sima Zongheng still needed to maintain his reputation. Zhong Shan, on the other hand, had nothing to lose. He spoke without reservations.

As expected, Sima Zongheng's eyes flashed with a trace of anger at Zhong Shan's words, but it quickly subsided.

"Very well, let's see just how capable you are!" Sima Zongheng said coldly.

Sima Zongheng was really going to play? The chess players around were filled with surprise, and then with excitement. After all, a match between two top players was a rare spectacle.

"What do you think?" the Nine-Tailed Princess asked Zhong Shan.

She knew of Sima Zongheng's strength and feared that her hard-won skilled retainer might be humiliated and defeated.

"Afraid? If you're scared, kneel down and kowtow to me three times, and I'll let bygones be bygones!" Sima Qianjun taunted.

Zhong Shan ignored Sima Qianjun and looked at Sima Zongheng, saying calmly, "If you have a token, I do need one last stepping stone. Just don't cry for help like your nephew when you lose."

"What did you say?" Sima Qianjun shouted angrily.

Sima Zongheng held out his hand to stop Sima Qianjun from acting rashly. He took out his token, which he hadn't used in decades.

"Then we shall see who laughs last!" Sima Zongheng said coldly.

The area was cleared.

Zhong Shan vs. Sima Zongheng!

The two took their seats, with Zhong Shan taking the black pieces and Sima Zongheng the white. The draw had determined Zhong Shan to go first.

Black piece, Tianyuan!

With a single move, Zhong Shan used his old strategy against Sima Zongheng.

"Tianyuan again? Does Zhong Shan not want to win?"

"Not necessarily. Zhong Shan's layout must have hidden intricacies. Just wait and see!"

As people speculated, Zhong Shan and Sima Zongheng continued to place their pieces. After an hour, each had placed over a hundred pieces.

Zhong Shan's moves gave off a grand, majestic feeling, like a mighty river rushing towards the sea, unstoppable and vast.

Sima Zongheng's chess, equally powerful, felt like thousands of horses galloping, dominating the world.

When Zhong Shan placed his 108th piece, the faces of the chess players suddenly changed.

Everyone watching the board seemed momentarily dazed, as if the chessboard had transformed into a battlefield with endless armies clashing, blood staining the land.

"Kill～～～～～～～～～～～～!"

"Kill～～～～～～～～～～～～!"

The chessboard seemed to become a vivid illusion. The players, their minds immersed, felt as if they were in a real battlefield, enemies in front and pursuers behind, a sense of no escape gripping their hearts.

Sima Qianjun, watching from the side, turned pale.

When Sima Zongheng placed his piece, it felt like a river of heavenly water pouring down, sweeping over the battlefield.

The confrontation between these two peak players, their chess prowess and realms, left most onlookers' faces constantly changing. The weaker players, overwhelmed, sat down on the ground, sweating profusely, unable to continue watching directly.