Chapter 540: Immortal Chess Game

From Immortal Bu Xiu, Lu Yang had long known about Immortal Ying Tian, learning various details about him from before his fame to after he achieved immortality. However, this was the first time he had met Immortal Ying Tian face-to-face like this.

Immortal Ying Tian wore a light blue robe with wide sleeves and a wave pattern on the lapel. He had a dignified appearance and an extraordinary demeanor. His golden-brown pupils made him look mighty and distinguished, like an emperor.

"According to Immortal Bu Xiu, Immortal Ying Tian and Immortal Qilin are playing chess. Does that mean the one sitting opposite is Immortal Qilin?" Lu Yang wondered, looking at the other chess player.

Immortal Qilin had two coral horns on his head, and red scales on his cheeks and the backs of his hands. His eyes, resembling a dragon's or a tiger's, exuded a fierce aura. This wasn't a sign of incomplete transformation but a display of his dignity as a Qilin. He was the only Qilin in the world; transforming into human form was merely for convenience in communicating with the other four immortals. Therefore, there was no need for him to fully become human, and retaining his Qilin features was his pride. Immortal Qilin wore a black robe. Upon closer inspection, one would notice patterns of myriad beasts embroidered on it—a garment only he, the Immortal of Myriad Beasts, was qualified to wear.

"A historical reflection?" Lu Yang was startled. This was exactly like the story the Elder of Transmission had told him: accidentally entering an immortal realm and witnessing two immortals playing a game.

Although immortals stood at the pinnacle of the cultivation system, their every action shouldn't leave historical reflections; otherwise, wouldn't everyone in the world be able to see immortals? The reason a reflection could be left here was that this game involved a hundred years of three immortals' time, and their immense power interfered with space.

"Wait, that's not right," Lu Yang thought. "The Elder of Transmission said Mr. Tian Kui only saw the immortals, but their faces were blurry. Why can I see them so clearly? Could it be that I have some connection with these two immortals..."

"Of course, it's because I'm here," Immortal Bu Xiu's carefree voice rang out. Lu Yang turned his head and saw Immortal Bu Xiu, dressed in a yellow dress, appear beside him, slightly floating at the same height as him. Since this was a historical reflection, her appearance wouldn't be discovered by Qiu Jin'an and others.

"Immortal, you're here too?" Lu Yang quickly realized this made sense; if he could see the historical reflection, there was no reason Immortal Bu Xiu couldn't.

"What a thing to say! Without me, could you even see these two lousy chess players? This scene exists because of the resonance between me and the historical reflection they left behind," Immortal Bu Xiu said, gesturing towards Immortal Ying Tian and Immortal Qilin.

The moment Immortal Bu Xiu appeared, Lu Yang's previous yearning for immortals immediately vanished.

"What about Mr. Tian Kui? Did he just happen to catch the final scene of the historical reflection replaying?"

"Probably Immortal Ying Tian set it up."

"Immortal Ying Tian?" Lu Yang's expression was odd. He wondered if it was inappropriate to say that right in front of Immortal Ying Tian. Immortal Bu Xiu didn't care about such things. Let alone a phantom, she would dare to speak her mind even if the real Immortal Ying Tian were present.

"You've got one thing backwards. It wasn't that Mr. Tian Kui could see the historical reflection and thus comprehended the Five Elements Combat Arts; it was because he could comprehend the Five Elements Combat Arts that he was qualified to see the historical reflection."

"No one in later generations saw the historical reflection, not because it dissipated, but because they couldn't comprehend anything from the chessboard, and spreading that wouldn't enhance their prestige."

Lu Yang once again felt Immortal Ying Tian's painstaking efforts.

Immortal Ying Tian and Immortal Qilin continued their game of chess, each piece falling with a soft click. Just listening to the sound, Lu Yang felt a sense of spiritual cleansing, as if his soul was elevated.

"They're playing chess this fast?" At their current speed, could they play for a hundred years? Twenty minutes would be a stretch.

"What's the point of watching these two lousy chess players? I sped up the process," Immortal Bu Xiu said lazily. Who would be as foolish as Tian Kui, watching a chess game for a hundred years?

"So, you two are playing chess here. I finally found you," came a third ancient immortal's voice. It was Immortal Jiu Chong, the founder of Gomoku. Immortal Jiu Chong was plainly dressed in linen and a straw cloak, walking in damply as if it were raining outside. He carried an axe and a freshly cut bundle of firewood on his back, looking exactly like an old woodcutter. The only difference was that the firewood on his back was dry.

"Oh, isn't this phoenix tree wood? Did Immortal Sui Yue ask you to cut it?" Immortal Ying Tian chuckled.

"You two have the nerve to say that!" Immortal Jiu Chong retorted. "Immortal Sui Yue told me to call you for dinner, and you've been hiding here playing chess for years, and you're still not finished!"

"What's the rush?" Immortal Ying Tian said. "It's rare for us to have a chance to settle a match. Shouldn't we play it properly, considering every move? Do you understand?"

"You go eat first; we'll be right there."

Immortal Jiu Chong pursed his lips. "Soon? At your pace, you wouldn't finish in fifty years. And asking me if I understand? I invented Gomoku; you two don't understand it as well as I do."

"Fine, I'll just watch here, lest you finish one game and start another," Immortal Jiu Chong found a reason to stay, contentedly watching the game.

"Immortal Sui Yue?" Lu Yang frowned, muttering to himself. Why would Immortal Sui Yue ask Immortal Jiu Chong to cut wood and call Immortal Ying Tian and Immortal Qilin for dinner? Shouldn't it be Immortal Bu Xiu?

Lu Yang was suddenly startled and understood. That's right. The ancient dark manipulator used unknown means to erase information about Immortal Bu Xiu, even from historical reflections, which had to be deleted and replaced. For example, Mr. Tian Kui might have learned about Immortal Bu Xiu's existence from the historical reflection. Directly erasing Immortal Bu Xiu was too difficult, prone to logical loopholes and being detected. The best method was to replace her with an entity of similar standing. This explained the scene in the dialogue where Immortal Bu Xiu was replaced by Immortal Sui Yue.

However, considering that Mr. Tian Kui didn't know who these chess-playing and wood-cutting immortals were, he probably couldn't understand the ancient language. Lu Yang only learned the ancient language because Immortal Bu Xiu taught him. The cultivation world had experienced historical discontinuity, so merely being able to translate the ancient language was difficult, let alone being able to speak and understand it.

Lu Yang secretly observed Immortal Bu Xiu's reaction out of the corner of his eye. He saw Immortal Bu Xiu gnashing her teeth, exclaiming, "Which bastard dared to hide my existence!" As she spoke, she stretched her body, ready to confront the mastermind at any moment.

"Who's there!" Immortal Jiu Chong suddenly exclaimed, turning his head to stare at Lu Yang's and Immortal Bu Xiu's location. Lu Yang even felt for a moment as if he had made eye contact with Immortal Jiu Chong. After Immortal Jiu Chong's shout, Immortal Ying Tian and Immortal Qilin also reacted sharply, looking towards Lu Yang's and Immortal Bu Xiu's location. Although they couldn't see anyone, they vaguely sensed someone present!

The three of them were hiding from Immortal Bu Xiu, feeling guilty, so when they sensed someone hidden in the dark, their reaction was naturally intense. "No, that's not right. With our three's power, how could we not see someone hiding? Even Immortal Sui Yue couldn't achieve that. Could it be that Immortal Sui Yue is using his Dao Fruit of Time to observe us from the future?"