Chapter Forty-Nine: The Jade Chess Manor, Part Three

At this moment, an elderly man in gray robes stood up and whispered a few words to He Tianyi. He Tianyi nodded, his expression shifting to one of delight, and he quickly signaled the chess-piece attendant to make a move. Indeed, as the black side placed their piece, a wave of astonishment rippled through the western pavilion; it was clear that the black side had played a brilliant, masterstroke move at this critical juncture. Taoist Master Tianji stared at the board for a long moment, then shook his head slightly, as if helpless, and turned to look at the chess masters behind him, several of whom wore expressions of resignation.

Meanwhile, Liu Shuipeng, who was sitting beside Taoist Master Tianji, summoned the attendant holding the command flag and whispered a few instructions. The attendant immediately waved the flag, and the white side responded with a move. As soon as this piece was placed, the entire venue erupted in gasps, for the move was placed in an utterly unexpected spot, instantly shifting the white side from a stagnant position into an advantageous one while neutralizing the black side's recent masterstroke. Yuchi Yunlu could not help but stand up and exclaim, "Bravo!"

Fang Guohuan also marveled inwardly, knowing that even if he were to step up to the board, he would have responded in the same way. He was deeply impressed by Liu Shuipeng’s level of skill. Having suppressed the entire field with that single move, Liu Shuipeng wore a look of triumph. Taoist Master Tianji and the others bowed to congratulate him, for this move seemed to have settled the outcome of the game. He Tianyi and the other masters in the eastern pavilion consulted with each other for a while, their faces showing defeat; the attendant holding the black flag had even gripped a large white flag, waiting for He Tianyi’s signal to concede.

Fang Guohuan was privately amazed that both sides could produce such complex and challenging patterns. However, he knew that the black side still possessed one brilliant response, though he was also aware that unless one had reached the pinnacle of mastery, it would be impossible to conceive. Even if Tian Yangwu, the Chess King of Jiangnan, were present, with all his profound skill, he might not have found it.

Fang Guohuan knew that if he did not step forward to guide them, He Tianyi and the others in the eastern pavilion would surely concede. By then, Taoist Master Tianji and Liu Shuipeng were already exchanging smiles, confident of victory.

Just then, a paper ball wrapped around a stone was thrown from outside the crowd, flying dozens of meters through the air before landing in front of the eastern pavilion. A guard hurried to retrieve it and handed it to Yuchi Yunlu. When Yuchi Yunlu unfolded it, he was startled and immediately looked up to find the person who had thrown it, but it had come from outside the crowd, and the culprit was nowhere to be seen.

Fang Guohuan, standing at a higher vantage point, had sensed something unusual the moment the paper ball flew in. He looked toward the direction from which it came and saw a young man disappearing into the nearby woods in the southeast corner.

Unable to find the sender, Yuchi Yunlu showed the paper to He Tianyi. The two studied it together, seemingly discussing its contents. A moment later, Yuchi Yunlu looked at the board, nodded with a smile, and appeared pleasantly surprised. He Tianyi was so excited he could barely contain himself, and he hurriedly ordered the attendant to signal the move. Clearly, the paper ball had provided guidance for the black side’s path.

Seeing this, Fang Guohuan thought to himself, "Only by playing this specific masterstroke can the black side turn the tide. But this move requires a level of mastery that transcends the ordinary. Could there be an expert providing a different strategy?" He looked at the board again and shook his head, realizing there was indeed no other way to suppress the white side.

Taoist Master Tianji, Liu Shuipeng, and the other masters in the western pavilion were stunned when they saw the note being tossed to the eastern side. After a moment of shock, they shook their heads; in their view, the game was already over, and the black side had no moves left—any response would be futile. They sneered and shook their heads. At that moment, an attendant for the black side ran onto the field and placed a piece exactly where the note had indicated.

Fang Guohuan suddenly realized that the spot the attendant moved to was exactly the masterstroke he had foreseen, and he felt a surge of shock: "So, there is indeed another master of the game in this world!"

With the black side’s masterstroke played, the other masters were at a loss, looking at each other in confusion. Then, Taoist Master Tianji, Liu Shuipeng, and several other experts stood up, staring at the board in utter astonishment, finally grasping the gravity of the move.

Although many in the crowd understood chess, only a few nodded in silent awe; most were whispering and shaking their heads, their own skill too low to comprehend the brilliance of the move. With the guidance of a mysterious expert, the black side had turned defeat into an advantage and seized the upper hand, leaving the white side powerless to recover.

However, Fang Guohuan knew that while the white side had no way to win, Liu Shuipeng’s earlier masterstroke had laid a foundation. Even though they had been countered, there was still one brilliant move left that could force a draw.

Fang Guohuan wondered why the person who threw the note had walked away after pointing out the move for the black side. By now, the masters in both pavilions believed the game was finished and saw no need to continue. Taoist Master Tianji shook his head, preparing to signal his resignation. Yuchi Yunlu, overjoyed that an expert had intervened to help the black side win, celebrated this new innovation in chess by shaking hands with He Tianyi.

Seeing that the game was not actually over—that the white side possessed one last divine move to force a draw—Fang Guohuan, driven by the nature of a chess player who did not want to see such a brilliant game end prematurely, spoke up: "Wait! The white side should not concede; there is still one move that can result in a draw." As he spoke, he stepped slowly out from the crowd.

The moment his voice rang out, the entire venue fell into stunned silence.

Seeing a stranger step forward to offer a move, Yuchi Yunlu was astonished. A thought crossed his mind, and he whispered a few words to the man beside him. The man understood and stepped forward, bowing to Fang Guohuan: "Greetings, sir. The situation on the board is settled, and the outcome is decided. Do you truly believe there is another move that can force a draw?"

Fang Guohuan smiled slightly and replied, "May I have a try?" Seeing Fang Guohuan’s composed and confident demeanor, the man was surprised but gestured for him to proceed: "The rules of this chess field do not forbid experts from offering advice. Please, sir."

"That is well," Fang Guohuan said. He walked to the western pavilion, nodded with a smile at the astonished Taoist Master Tianji and Liu Shuipeng, and then went to the attendant holding the command flag, whispering a few words in his ear.

The attendant was bewildered and looked toward Yuchi Yunlu. Yuchi Yunlu nodded at him, and the attendant waved the flag, signaling the position. He Tianyi, seeing this, could not help but mutter, "A madman playing nonsense!"

A white-clad attendant ran onto the field to the indicated spot and sat cross-legged, finalizing the move. The masters in both pavilions looked on in utter confusion. Taoist Master Tianji stood up to examine the board for a long time before shaking his head and slumping back into his seat in defeat. Liu Shuipeng frowned, staring at the board as he calculated.

After Yuchi Yunlu examined the position for a while, he suddenly clapped his hands in amazement: "What a ‘Pointing the Way to the Immortal’ move! A divine masterstroke! If the game concludes according to this flow, both sides will arrive at a harmonious draw!" Everyone was stunned; those who were previously skeptical began to calculate the lines themselves.

Liu Shuipeng clapped his hands and stood up, overjoyed: "Marvelous! Truly marvelous! This move actually has the power to harmonize the board!" Soon, other high-level players realized the implications and stood up in awe. The entire arena was in an uproar, and He Tianyi and Taoist Master Tianji were left completely dumbfounded.

In the crowd, Yang Xianxing and Wang Dong looked at each other in surprise. Yang Xianxing exclaimed, "It turns out this Master Fang is a true master of chess!"

Wang Dong asked in confusion, "What is so brilliant about this move? Why can I not see it?"

An elderly man nearby, who had been nodding in silent admiration, heard Wang Dong and turned to him and Yang Xianxing with a smile: "Even if you two took this record home and studied it for a year, you still might not grasp its essence." He then added solemnly, "This is a move of the immortals! It is not something an ordinary expert could ever play. Today, I have truly opened my eyes and witnessed a move that transcends the realm of mastery!"

At this time, Yuchi Yunlu, He Tianyi, Liu Shuipeng, Taoist Master Tianji, and the other masters approached Fang Guohuan. Yuchi Yunlu bowed first: "Sir, you must be a chess immortal! I am Yuchi Yunlu. May I ask your name?"

Fang Guohuan returned the bow: "I have long heard of the name 'Chess Master Yuchi.' Today, seeing you in person, the reputation is well-deserved. I am Fang Guohuan."

"Fang Guohuan!?" The masters were shocked. Yuchi Yunlu immediately showed great delight: "Are you the Master Fang who is rumored to have laid out the 'Heavenly Origin' chess formation beyond the Great Wall, halting the twenty-thousand-strong Jurchen cavalry?"

Fang Guohuan smiled: "That was just a bit of accidental fame; it is not worth mentioning."

"It is truly Master Fang Guohuan!" Yuchi Yunlu and the others were overjoyed.

Liu Shuipeng sighed from the side: "I thought as much! Who else in this world could possess such skill!" Fang Guohuan’s arrival filled the masters with delight. Yuchi Yunlu introduced He Tianyi, Taoist Master Tianji, Liu Shuipeng, and the other experts to Fang Guohuan. He Tianyi bowed in shame, but Fang Guohuan quickly helped him up.

Delighted to have met Fang Guohuan by chance, Yuchi Yunlu ordered the chess field cleared and, accompanied by the other masters, invited Fang Guohuan to the Chess Hall, chatting and laughing along the way. Yang Xianxing and Wang Dong, still unable to process what had happened, could only watch as the crowd escorted Fang Guohuan away.

Yuchi Yunlu and the others ushered Fang Guohuan into the Chess Hall. It was spacious and bright, decorated with elegance. Most notably, the floor was painted with a massive chessboard, four meters square, featuring classic chess patterns and legendary master games, giving the hall a profound "chess aura."

Yuchi Yunlu invited Fang Guohuan to take the seat of honor. Fang Guohuan declined, opting instead to sit in the seat next to Yuchi Yunlu. The other masters, led by He Tianyi and Taoist Master Tianji, took their seats in order.

Servants brought tea. After Yuchi Yunlu invited Fang Guohuan and the others to drink, he said humbly, "We did not know Master Fang would be gracing us with his presence, and we failed to prepare a proper welcome. I hope you will forgive our lack of etiquette."