Nightfall

It was like spring in the Back Hill of the Academy, especially near the Mirror Lake. Additionally, the pear tree was not ordinary, so it showed no signs of desolation. It was full of green leaves and gave a cool shade.

People sat under the shade with their eye sights fixed on the chessboard, but still couldn’t figure out its specialties or even how to open it.

Mu You flicked her hair with an embroidery needle, looked irate, and said, “Still no clues?”

The Fourth Brother looked at the chessboard, and said seriously, “I thought of seventy three methods, but I don’t think they’re feasible as the First Brother and Second Brother could have done it.”

Mu You said, “We should try them all.”

They left the pear tree, came to the water room by the stream, and watched the Fourth Brother as he put the chessboard on the stove. They let it ablate on the blue high temperature flame, and then they looked slightly worried.

The worried Beigong Weiyang held up the zither and said, “Even if the chessboard can’t be burned into ashes, our Little Brother is still in it. What if he becomes roasted?”

Ximen Buhuo pointed at the chessboard with his bamboo flute, and said, “It has been ablating for a while, but we could hardly find a spot. This isn’t a barbecue pan, and our Little Brother isn’t pork.”

The Fourth Brother didn’t argue with their jesting. After it was burned to an extremely high temperature, he used an iron clip, took it out, and threw it into the clear and cold stream water behind the forgery room.

It sizzled. Steam arose above the stream. The white goose was shuttled while squatting on the top of the waterwheel. It spread its wings, flew by the stream, and honked twice to express its dissatisfaction.

The best way to break down a tough object was to make it contract. But to their disappointment, it still didn’t have any effect on it, not even one crack.

In the following days, people in the Academy did a lot of things to the chessboard.

Mu You dropped the chessboard into the Array of Cloud Gate, and tried to tear it up with the Array, but nothing happened. Wang Chi stewed a pot of soup that was said to be the most poisonous and corrosive, threw the Chessboard into it for three whole days and nights. At last, nothing happened to the chessboard but more than half of fish in the stream were found dead and the white goose was too irritated to be sad. The Fourth Brother took out the small iron can left by Ning Que in the Back Hill, tried to blast the chessboard. This only exploded and caused the deaths of half of swimming fishes, which made the white goose reluctant to leave. But the chessboard was still intact as before.

On some day, the Fifth Brother, Song Qian, suddenly said, “Speaking of the chessboard, I’ve always presumed that it must have something to do with chess.”

He and the Eighth Brother were the most skillful players in chess. In terms of chess or the chessboard, they should definitely be the best experts.

His words lit up hope in the others. They all looked up to him. Mu You asked, “And then?”

Song Qian said while touching the head, “Then… I don’t know then.”

They all felt angry after hearing that. They didn’t understand why he would even mention it if he couldn’t even make sense of it to himself. Wang Chi was dealing with the pot of poisonous liquid, and did not understand what was going on here. He took out two boxes of chess pieces, and asked, “So, where should you put them?”

They all wanted to give Wang Chi a lesson, but held it up, because the Eleventh Brother was the youngest at that moment while the Little Brother was still in the chessboard and Chen Pipi was in Linkang.

The Fourth Brother thought for a while, before he took the boxes and put the boxes on the chessboard. Clear and crisp sounds were heard. Then, black and white chess pieces were poured all over it. They all surrounded the chessboard, looked at it nervously, and even forgot to breathe. However, nothing happened as well.

The Sixth Brother hadn’t spoken a word since the arrival of the chessboard and pear tree. The others all looked frustrated, and then despaired. Then, he carried an iron hammer out, and said honestly while looking at others, “Shall we hit it anyways?”

He said honestly while looking at others, “Let me hit it.”

Mu You said, “Our two brothers didn’t smash it in Xuankong Temple.

The Sixth Brother said, “We have more time, so we can keep hitting.”

The Fourth Brother thought it over and sighed. “It seems to be the only way.”

The once quiet Back Hill of the Academy started to be noisy from that day on. A tedious blare echoed by the Mirror Lake. The Sixth Brother started to wield the hammer and hit the chessboard nonstop.

He was very strong and had used countless hammers. However, he was still capable of being tired. The Fourth or Fifth Brother would fill in when he does become tired.

Those who were obsessed with chess left their chessboards. The ones who were obsessed with sand table left. The ones obsessed with arrays left as well. All of them became laborious blacksmiths beside the chessboard.

Only those obsessed with music didn’t change that much. It was because Beigong Weiyang and Ximen Buhuo were too skinny. They had tried but couldn’t lift up the hammer. Thus, they were driven away by others. However, they still watched the others work very hard together, and felt frustrated. So they sat aside and played impassioned music to cheer for others, including the one in the chessboard.

Bang. Bang. Bang. The iron hammer was falling onto the chessboard nonstop, shaking the ground of the cliff plateau. The fish that had survived days ago hid in the water plants. The big white goose curiously stared at the chessboard and wondered if the fool was in it. The little white wolf howled towards the bright moon in the night sky and tried to learn the power and prestige from the last generation, but was disturbed by the smashes down the hill. Only the old ox was indifferent, as he was resting on the grass and ate the grass frequently.

Although countless strikes fell onto it, the chessboard remained intact as ever.

Mu You cooked a little bit late. The brothers who were blacksmiths had discontents due to their empty stomachs. Some would recall the girl who used to cook here.

“She is Haotian, so the meals she had cooked were naturally more delicious! Do you want some? Then draw her out of the chessboard!”

Mu You was not happy, and squatted to see the chessboard. She said earnestly, “Little Brother, when will you come out? Remember to take your wife back as well. Don’t be lost.

…

…

A famous Taoism abbey was in Linkang. Chen Pipi was teaching thousands of believers. He looked calm, clear, and absolute. Autumn wind blew up his robes, so he felt like flying up and floating in the air. The fat boy from years ago looked more like a Taoist envoy.

After Ye Su left the South Jin, the newly established sect was started in shabby alleys, and grew at an unimaginable speed despite the location.

Because Chen Pipi was trying his best to continue his causes, with the help of the Sword Garrett, the New Stream had become popular in the entire South Jin. No one dared to stop its preaching. Stubborn-headed Taoists, priest and those who swore allegiance to the Divine Hall of West-Hill, were found dead in the waters at night.

The most remarkable scene of preaching and sermon showcased the New Stream’s popularity. Its population base was also large, including the old and young, the poor and the rich people with clients.

Chen Pipi taught the third volume of the West-Hill scriptures, which was so obscure that only priests from Divine Halls could explain it. But his quiet and calm voice and analysis not only preserved the original meaning, but also shed a different light from the Divine Halls in the West Hill.

After the lessons, thousands of believers piously bowed to Chen Pipi, and then left. They showed their allegiance to Haotian and the New Stream. The threshold rule was doing things in a kind and gentle manner for both others and oneself.

Such demands looked rather simple, so it was easy to spread the scriptures, which was true for most religions in the very beginning.

Chen Pipi was protected by disciples from the Sword Garret and the army of the South Jin, left the abbey and moved towards his residence. Once the believers saw him, they would step back with respect.

When he went back to the room, he looked at the Blind Sword Garrett and took off his robe, complaining, “It’s quite annoying that each time so many people follow me.”

Liu Yiqing turned around, while the sunshine came through the window and lighted up the white cloth that was covering his eyes. He said with a smile, “It was said that you got more reverence with those following you.”

“I’m not sure whether it is reverence or fear.”

While he was wiping his sweat with a wet towel, his pale fat body was shivering. It looked nothing like his free, natural and graceful image earlier.

Liu Yiqing said, “Reverence largely derives from terror… just like their attitude toward the Divine Hall.”

Chen Pipi didn’t say anything for a while, and then threw the towel into the basin, and said, “I know what you are going to say. If the Divine Halls were to kill me, you can do nothing about it.”

Any strong organization would be weakened by internal division, or competitors who came from within. For instance, Ye Su’s New Stream had been the most vigilant competitor. At the same time, the South Jin were asked to hand over Chen Pipi by the Divine Halls, .

Liu Bai was dead, so the Sword Garret was naturally the enemy to the Divine Halls. In this case, South Jin wouldn’t hand him over. The problem was that the Divine Hall would send assassins to kill Chen Pipi – Chen Pipi’s Snow Mountain and Ocean of Qi were disabled, and he was no longer the cultivating genius, which was why the Sword Garrett would worry so much and send so many bodyguards to save him.

“As far as I know, a red-robed divine priest was secretly sent to Kang City by the Divine Halls. He met up with the one in the palace, so I am worried about that the attitude of the royal family of the South Jin has changed,” Liu Yiqing said.

Chen Pipi looked at him and smiled, “You have killed an emperor before, so what’s one more to you?”

Liu Yiqing said bitterly, “I can’t kill everyone in South Jin.”

Chen Pipi said before a few minutes of silence, “Or we can leave.”

Liu Yiqing said, “My question is when will the Academy act?”

Chen Pipi walked back to him, looked at the sunset outside the window, and said, “I assume it would be soon.”

Liu Yiqing said, “Then I believe the Divine Halls should take actions soon as well.”

Chen Pipi said, “Yes, my father won’t let this opportunity slip by.”