CHAPTER 285: CHAPTER 283: XIAO SHENG CAO BAO_2

"Those words are beautifully said. I’ll treat you to a drink later."

The monk said, "It’s always about drinking. It’s just a desire of the palate. I often hear people revel in the intoxication of alcohol, but you never get drunk. The strong liquor flows down your throat, yet it isn’t as refreshing as the spring water here. Why do you still drink?"

Upon hearing this, Nezha laughed loudly, "Golden goblet shatters against the mountain’s courage, pouring down the Milky Way into my throat. After getting drunk, I’ll dare to shatter the Jade Mountain, treading on the Big Dipper to make a silver boat. Monk, if one wishes to be drunk, one can indeed be drunk."

"Perhaps."

The few climbed the steps. Nezha suddenly asked, "Monk, you are knowledgeable. Have you ever heard of the Nine Bends Yellow River Formation?"

The monk said, "Why? After seeing the Ten Extremes Formation, you started getting interested in the Jie Sect’s arrays?"

Nezha nodded.

What he didn’t say was that he wanted to know the inherent meaning behind the name "Nine Bends Yellow River Formation," and what the so-called Yellow River, remembered as the mother river by a brave and tenacious nation in his memory, truly signifies.

Wu Xiang said, "The Nine Bends Yellow River Formation is a formation practiced by the sect hierarch of the Jie Sect. It contains the Enchanting Immortal Pill and the Immortal Closing Technique, which can make immortals lose their divinity, deplete the essence of immortals, trap the form of immortals, damage the qi of immortals, destroy the original nature of divine beings, and harm the limbs of divine beings. When divine beings enter this formation, they turn mortal; when mortals enter, they face destruction. If you encounter it in the future, you’d better leave as soon as possible."

Nezha nodded.

He also knew the power of the Yellow River Formation.

This formation is later arranged by the three Quasi-Saints Yun Xiao, Qiong Xiao, and Bi Xiao. They expended great effort, and its power is immense. Even a true Quasi-Saint trapped in it would likely face death without reprieve.

Reaching the mountain top, the view became broader, and the wind stronger.

Looking up, there were clouds resembling broken blades, slicing through a pot of scorching sunlight. The peaks were quenched in twilight, and every ravine looked like an unhealed scar.

As the wind swept through, pine needles shook loose the ancient rust of blood.

However, just at the mountain top, besides them, unexpectedly, there were two others.

They hadn’t yet seen the individuals when they heard the two arguing.

"Brother Cao, have you chosen to finish here?" The speaker was a Taoist in a black robe, though his face was gentler compared to the other Taoist.

The Taoist surnamed Cao asked, "Why not?"

"Why not? You should certainly know why not."

With a wave of his hand, he shook off the ice crystals on his Taoist robe. The sound of the mystic iron bracelet clashing with the chess jar startled the birds in the forest.

The Taoist surnamed Cao shook out a piece of cloud stone from his sleeve, rubbing it against the blood-stained Heavenly Yuan spot: "Three hundred years ago, we played chess on a boat in the lake, unknowingly drifting with the waves into the sea. Afterwards, you went to Shanzhou to spread plague and change destiny, wasn’t it to force me to play this final game?"

The crisp sound of the chess piece falling onto the board caused the eastern snow peak to collapse with a boom.

The black-robed Taoist watched the fog stirred by the avalanche devour the peach forest on the mountainside—that was where he had set up the Nine Palace Maze.

His fingers held the black piece in mid-air for a long time before finally throwing it onto the board.

"I concede."

After admitting defeat, he looked up in the direction of Nezha and others.

Standing up, he said, "I am Xiao Sheng, an independent practitioner from Wuyi Mountain."

"I am Cao Bao."

"May I ask if the young man in the mystic robe among you is Nezha?"

Wuyi Mountain’s independent practitioner, Xiao Sheng, and Cao Bao.

Nezha asked in puzzlement, "I am Nezha, it’s a coincidence to meet you two here."

As soon as he finished speaking, Wu Xiang sighed behind him and said, "Alas, you usually are so smart, but didn’t realize that these visitors have ill intentions?"

Nezha raised an eyebrow and asked, "What, even you, monk, want to harm me?"

As he spoke, the face of Ao Yu beside him darkened, emitting bursts of dragon’s might which startled Jiang Xiao, who was carefully ascending the mountain with her skirt lifted, causing her to quickly stand in front of Wu Xiang.

"Nezha, stop arguing. You and the monk are such good friends, he’s always been searching for you, saying he wants to take you back to Spirit Mountain. How could he possibly harm you?"

Opposite, Cao Bao laughed, "Who says friends don’t harbor ill intentions? Xiao Sheng and I were friends a thousand years ago, yet he always seeks opportunities to kill me."

Ao Yu also said, "Without finding you, how could we kill you?"

Lv Zhu’er looked at the monk with a hint of malice in her eyes, saying, "Maybe he couldn’t take you away, so he wants to harm you."

"No, it’s not like that." Only Jiang Xiao.

This mortal girl was now anxious to the point of tears, yet didn’t know what to say.

At this moment, Wu Xiang monk pulled her behind him, looking at Nezha with his usual calm expression, those clear eyes seemingly always filled with boundless wisdom.

He said calmly, "Whether you believe it or not, I am unaware of this matter."

"I believe you."

Nezha chuckled, then turned to look at Xiao Sheng and Cao Bao.

He said, "Two seniors, what grievances do we have that you block me here?"

Cao Bao said, "We were entrusted by our respected master to take your life."

"Master Taiyi?" Nezha smiled, "What benefits did he promise you to make you come and kill me?"

Xiao Sheng cursed, "Enough nonsense, it’s merely to earn favor with Master Taiyi. Do you think the two of us, Taiyi Golden Immortals, cannot kill a mere Golden Immortal Realm cultivator like you?"

"Sorry, Nezha, perhaps indeed I have harmed you."

Wu Xiang stepped forward two paces and said, "You might want to leave first, I’ll hold them off for you."

Nezha smiled bitterly, "Can you hold them off?"

"Perhaps not, but it’s worth a try."

Nezha sighed, patting his shoulder, thinking no matter how exceptionally gifted Wu Xiang was, he was only at the Golden Core Realm, nowhere near the match for the two Taiyi Golden Immortals before them.

"Thank you for your kindness, but I am not that easy to kill."

He laughed, "Seniors, do you not know that cultivators can rely on more than just their cultivation level to battle enemies? Sometimes, the magic treasures they carry are also very important."

Xiao Sheng laughed, "How would we not know? You possess the Nine Dragon Divine Fire Cover, a supreme treasure of Qianyuan Mountain Golden Light Cave. When breaking the Ten Extremes Formation, you likely also had a protective magic treasure. But you should know there are always people beyond people, heavens beyond heavens. We don’t fear you having treasures, we just fear you don’t have enough of them."

"Indeed, in fact, I am quite fond of the treasures on the two seniors myself."

Nezha knew the truth of their words—they possessed an item called the Treasure Falling Gold Coin, which specialized in countering magic treasures of the world.

Not only the Nine Dragon Divine Fire Cover, even if he had Zi Chen’s Sky Ruler, it might not be of much use here.

Just then.

Before Nezha finished speaking, he shot forward like lightning.

"Well done!"

Xiao Sheng and Cao Bao, both at Taiyi Golden Immortal Early Stage, had gained some fame a century ago through their strategic chess-based study of Heavenly Dao.

Cao Bao stood still, while Xiao Sheng took a step forward, throwing a black piece directly toward the death gate of the Ziwei constellation. Behind him rose the figure of Mahakala.

Precisely at this moment, Cao Bao moved, throwing out a white piece, smashing heavily into the "Spirit Entry" position. In the void, suddenly, a chessboard emerged, scattered with one hundred and eight black and white pieces.

Nezha’s movements suddenly slowed, as if he were trapped in a quagmire.

Cao Bao sighed, "Truly formidable. If it were an ordinary cultivator at the Golden Immortal Realm without using defensive trace marks, they would have been crushed to dust now. Nezha not only remains unharmed but is still able to move with the strength of his physical body."

"Brother Cao, don’t you know this boy has great fortune, having cultivated the Nine-Pattern Divine Pill, making others envious."

Xiao Sheng shouted, summoning a treasure sword in his hand and striking the hilt, instantly transforming it into a flash of lightning.

"Not the Flying Sword Technique, but more like Thunder Summoning Technique."

Nezha watched the lightning, aware that although his physical body was powerful, it hadn’t reached the level to withstand Daoist skills of Taiyi Golden Immortal magnitude.

Perhaps only when the Eight-Nine Mysterious Skill is fully mastered will he have this chance.

He turned, seeing the chessboard formation before Xiao Sheng and Cao Bao composed of Dao traces, he used the same traces to move the chess pieces as if playing against them.

Seeing this, Xiao Sheng immediately retrieved his treasure sword, laughing, "Young lad, do you really wish to play against us at your tender age?"

Nezha remained silent, only redirecting his black pieces.

"Ignorant boy!"

Seeing Nezha place his piece, Xiao Sheng snorted and also took the piece from Cao Bao, using a white piece to play against Nezha.

The two placed their pieces rapidly, neither yielding an inch in speed.

Ao Yu asked, "Playing chess?"

The monk said, "Xiao Sheng has immersed himself in this path for many years. Now he intends to transform killing intent through the chess pieces. The chessboard’s seeming entanglement hides a deadly trap: should Nezha fall into a slight disadvantage, he’ll be dead without a burial place."

Upon hearing this, Ao Yu frowned and asked, "How skilled is Xiao Sheng at chess?"

The monk also frowned, saying, "He’s unparalleled among the world’s chess masters."

Jiang Xiao anxiously asked, "What about Brother Nezha?"

"Alas, a hopeless chess player, hard to find even in Chentang Pass."