Chapter 805: A Ray of Hope

Black and White snorted, "No."

Jiang Luofu asked, surprised, "I haven't even said what it is yet, and you've already refused?"

Black and White replied, "You've barely visited me these past few years. I knew there had to be an ulterior motive when you suddenly became so attentive recently. Nothing good ever comes of it."

Jiang Luofu pursed her lips and smiled, "Fifth Senior Brother, don't be so stingy. I'm not asking for myself; I want to get a 'discarded piece' from you for Ah Zu."

"A discarded piece?" Zu An was momentarily stunned. What was that?

Black and White frowned, clearly showing some hesitation.

Then Jiang Luofu added, "Ah Zu's journey into the secret realm will undoubtedly be fraught with danger. If something happens to him, there'll be no one left to play chess with you, and you'll never get your revenge for that loss, you know."

Black and White snorted, "Am I really that petty and vindictive? Hmph, you're trying every trick in the book to swindle things out of me for him, making it seem like he's your paramour."

Jiang Luofu's delicate eyebrows shot up. "What nonsense are you spouting? He's my younger brother."

"Aren't men and women always playing those 'big brother, little sister' or 'big sister, little brother' games? Do you really think I don't know?" Black and White grumbled, then pulled out two chess pieces, one black and one white, from his voluminous sleeves and handed them to Zu An. "In a moment of crisis, place the white piece on yourself and the black piece on another person. The attack you endure will then be suffered by that other person on your behalf. This is what's known as a 'discarded piece.' It's consumed after a single use, so make sure to use it only at a critical moment."

Zu An looked utterly astonished. "Such a miraculous item actually exists?"

Black and White stroked his beard, an irrepressible look of satisfaction on his face. "This is the culmination of my life's work, embodying the profound principles of our Chess Sect. Over the years, I've only managed to refine three pairs of these 'discarded pieces.' Their effect is incredibly unique; if they were to fall into the hands of wicked individuals, they would undoubtedly cause endless calamity. That's why I generally don't give them to others. However, Mr. Zu's character is honorable, so I have no such concerns with you."

Zu An solemnly accepted the two discarded pieces. "Thank you, Fifth Senior Brother!"

"Don't bother with thanks. Just promise me a few more intense games of chess once you emerge from the secret realm," Black and White chuckled. "Oh, right, I almost forgot to remind you: whatever you do, don't mix up the black and white pieces, or you'll end up becoming someone else's 'discarded piece' instead."

Zu An replied, "I don't imagine I'd be quite that foolish."

"True," Black and White chuckled, then tried to draw Zu An into a conversation about the art of chess.

However, Jiang Luofu quickly pulled Zu An away. "Fifth Senior Brother, I still need to take him to other places. You two can chat when you have more time in the future."

Black and White watched her retreating back, unable to resist cursing, "Women truly are ungrateful creatures who abandon you after you've served your purpose, big liars… Xie Xiu, you should interact less with women in the future. They're just a bother to look at."

Xie Xiu's expression was odd; *wouldn't forbidding him from interacting with women be the death of him?* However, he didn't dare to invite trouble at that moment and quickly agreed profusely.

Meanwhile, Zu An asked Jiang Luofu, "Sister, who are we going to see now?"

"You'll know when we get there," Jiang Luofu said with a mysterious smile.

Zu An fell into deep thought. The fact that they had gone to such lengths to secure a 'discarded piece' for him indicated that the upcoming mission's dangers likely surpassed anything he could imagine.

Before long, they arrived at a pond. Unlike the clear waters they had encountered previously, the water in this particular pond was utterly black.

Zu An gasped in surprise. "Sister, be careful. It might be poisonous."

"It's nothing, just ink," Jiang Luofu said with a smile, then headed towards a pavilion by the edge of the pond.

"Ink?" Only then did Zu An notice two large white geese gracefully swimming in the pond. If the water were truly poisonous, they would have surely perished long ago.

How much ink would it take to dye an entire pond black?

*Hmm, wait a moment. If it's ink, then why are these geese's feathers so pristine white?*

He looked closer and noticed a faint blue glow shimmering around the two large white geese, clearly indicative of a magical formation's power.

As they turned the corner of the covered walkway, the scene abruptly opened up. A graceful young woman sat in the pavilion, meticulously copying a stone tablet. Her reflection in the water completed a truly exquisite painting of a noble lady.

The young woman was deeply absorbed in her writing. A gentle breeze ruffled the strands of hair that fell by her temples, revealing a beautiful and familiar face.

"Miss Xie!" Zu An exclaimed, recalling that since the Xie siblings had arrived in the capital, he had only seen Xie Daoyun once, though he had encountered Xie Xiu several times.

At the sound of his voice, Xie Daoyun's body visibly trembled, and a drop of ink fell from her brush, ruining the transcription she had just been working on.

Zu An felt a touch of apology. "I'm sorry, I made you ruin your work."

Xie Daoyun put down her brush and slowly shook her head. "It's not your fault. It's simply that I haven't yet achieved the state of inner tranquility that my teacher speaks of."

Zu An couldn't help but marvel. After a period of not seeing her, she exuded an otherworldly serenity, like a recluse living in the mountains.

"Is that so?" Jiang Luofu, who was standing nearby, chuckled. "Just a moment ago, when I was standing beside you, your heart seemed perfectly calm. How is it that the moment Ah Zu spoke, your heart became so restless?"

Xie Daoyun's previously serene composure instantly shattered. Her neck flushed slightly as she couldn't help but chide, "Teacher Jiang!"

"Alright, alright, let's get down to business," Jiang Luofu said, her smile returning. "Have you prepared the item I spoke to you about last time?"

Xie Daoyun hummed in affirmation and took out an apricot-yellow talisman from a nearby box. It was adorned with complex symbols drawn in cinnabar. She handed it to Zu An. "Brother Zu, knowing you're embarking on a perilous adventure into the secret realm, and regrettably, we cannot be by your side to assist, I have specially prepared this talisman for you. I hope it will help you overcome any challenges in times of crisis."

Jiang Luofu, standing by, chuckled. "This is Eldest Senior Brother's 'Ray of Hope Talisman.' If you keep it on you, it can reduce twenty percent of any incoming damage, leaving you with a sliver of hope—hence its name. This is Eldest Senior Brother's prized possession; even I might not be able to obtain one. Only Daoyun, as his favored disciple, could possibly get this from that stingy old man." She subtly transmitted a message to Zu An: "Don't underestimate this, you rascal. While the scale Little Fishy gave you was indeed remarkable, there's a limit to the damage it can block. Beyond that threshold, Little Fishy's scale wouldn't be able to save your life. This 'Ray of Hope Talisman,' however, is the fruit of Eldest Senior Brother's lifelong dedication, encompassing his complete understanding of runes. It uses the attacker's damage as an energy source to protect you, meaning it can negate twenty percent of the damage no matter how powerful the opponent's cultivation. In extreme cases, even if the Emperor himself were to attack you, twenty percent of the damage would still be reduced." She continued, "Whether you survive after that twenty percent damage reduction, well, that's up to fate, which is why it's called 'a ray of hope.' What's more, this talisman also reflects twenty percent of the damage back to the attacker, making it a truly rare and sacred treasure."

Upon hearing her explanation, Zu An was truly moved. This item was indeed a masterpiece. He quickly bowed to Xie Daoyun. "Miss Xie, this journey into the secret realm will indeed be fraught with peril, so I won't be disingenuous and refuse it. However, this talisman is so incredibly precious, and you must have gone to great lengths to acquire it, yet you've given it to me. I truly don't know how I can ever repay such immense kindness..."

Jiang Luofu, standing nearby, playfully interrupted, "And then you'll pledge yourself to her?"

"Teacher Jiang, what are you saying!" Xie Daoyun cried out, blushing.

Zu An also said earnestly, "How could I possibly entertain such a thought? I merely intend to engrave this kindness deeply in my heart and never forget it for the rest of my life."

Xie Daoyun quickly interjected, "There's no need for that. It's just a shame my current skills aren't proficient enough to draw such talismans. In the future... in the future, I can draw more for you."

Zu An immediately brightened. "Then I truly thank you, Miss Xie."

Seeing the two of them chatting and laughing, Jiang Luofu, who was nearby, rolled her eyes. *This fellow is playing the gentleman again now. He certainly wasn't like this with me earlier, hmph.*

After leaving Xie Daoyun, Jiang Luofu escorted him all the way to the back mountain. Pointing to the small path ahead, she said, "If you follow this path, you'll reach the secret realm entrance. Both the Crown Prince's faction and Prince Qi's party are gathered there now, so I won't join the commotion. Be careful on your journey, and remember everything I've told you."

"Thank you, Sister!" Zu An wanted to say more about what he would do upon his return, but fearing he might jinx it, he simply bade her a brief farewell and set off on his journey.

By this time, the entrance to the secret realm was already teeming with people from all factions. Bi Linglong, having waited fruitlessly at the Zu family residence for too long, and with time growing increasingly tight, had no choice but to come to the academy first.

Unfortunately, she still didn't see the person she was looking for, and profound disappointment instantly filled her heart.

Just then, Gu Xing remarked with a triumphant flourish, "I told you that fellow wouldn't dare show up! He's probably hiding somewhere, waiting until the secret realm closes before he slinks out, pretending he just missed it."