At this moment, Yu Shao swiftly placed another stone with a diagonal move!

Fourteenth column, eighth row, atari!

“Abandoning the initiative to atari? Opening another front?”

Seeing this move, everyone was stunned, completely unprepared for Yu Shao to play at this spot.

“If Black accepts the sacrifice, White can simply swallow it whole. The battle would then have complex offense and defense. If White wants to keep the complexity, a hane is naturally the right move!”

“So Black abandons the initiative here to atari?”

Everyone scrutinized the board carefully, gradually realizing the brilliance behind White’s hane, their faces showing shock.

“Swallowing the sacrifice is, of course, possible!”

“But since Black has already sacrificed such a large area, there’s no rush to capture the dead stones. To compete for initiative, Black abandons the initiative and ataris directly, seeking to gain sente!”

“This is the most efficient move. However, although Black has sacrificed stones, White hasn’t swallowed them directly, which means this Black group might still be revived in the future. If that happens, White’s position will collapse!”

Black’s resolute sacrifice was enough to astonish everyone—it was dazzling to the extreme. Yet no one expected White’s response to be even more chilling!

“To pursue the utmost efficiency, White risked total collapse of the entire board, but thereby played the harshest move possible. This move can only be called... fierce!”

Hearing the word “fierce,” many froze for a moment, recalling Zhuang Weisheng’s commentary during the Twin Stars Cup on the legendary drawn game between Yu Shao and Su Yiming. Yu Shao’s image flashed through their minds.

What does fierce mean?

Brutal, extremely violent, oppressive to the point of showing no mercy!

On the other side, upon seeing Yu Shao’s atari, the young man’s expression subtly changed.

This atari completely exceeded his expectations, and the overwhelming murderous intent radiating from it made him feel unprecedented pressure!

The young man gritted his teeth, staring intently at the board, mentally calculating the countless possible follow-ups.

This move was indeed fierce, a relentless assault on Black with unparalleled momentum. Black’s response would be extremely difficult.

“Next move, I play a diagonal jump. If he extends, I hane. If he cuts, I press. This should allow me to counter White’s attacks!”

“As long as I don’t get crushed and survive this fight, I can free my hand to develop the sacrificed stones, then White will collapse!”

Thinking this, a fierce light flashed in the young man’s eyes. He immediately pinched a stone and placed it quickly.

Click!

Fourteenth column, tenth row, knight’s move!

Yu Shao also quickly placed a stone in response.

Thirteenth column, eighth row, extension!

“Sure enough, he extended…”

The young man instantly pinched a stone and placed it right next to the Black stone.

“Now I can only push forward and let him come. As long as I hold off White’s sente, White will naturally fall apart!”

Click!

Tenth column, fourteenth row, hane!

“Played a hane?”

Seeing this move, everyone was slightly surprised.

The young man’s hane was the strongest local move. White’s extension followed by Black’s knight’s move was a move that Black was willing to lose points for to force the shape, ensuring Black’s life and death was secure!

Though it was a defensive move that seemed somewhat passive, facing White’s ruthless atari earlier, as long as Black defended well, it would be the strongest counterattack!

And this defensive hane was ruthless!

Yu Shao glanced at the board, barely hesitating, and immediately placed a White stone.

Click!

Eighth column, thirteenth row, suspension!

Seeing this move, everyone involuntarily took a deep breath, their hearts stirred into a storm.

Black’s hane was made at the cost of losing points to forcibly settle the shape, but White’s suspension was also so subtle it shocked everyone. White was forcing the shape. If Black chose to lose points and settle, White’s diagonal knight move would form a solid shape!

If White really surrounded a large shape in the center, even if Black later activated the sacrificed stones, it would be futile!

“He didn’t cut but chose suspension...”

The young man took a deep breath and placed another stone.

Click!

Fourteenth column, thirteenth row, continuous hane!

Seeing this move, everyone suddenly felt parched, their eyes full of shock.

“Another brilliant move. Black’s continuous hane here not only secretly aims to invade White’s shape but also strengthens itself. This is a brilliant dual strategy!”

At that moment, White played again.

At the moment White placed the stone, Black immediately followed, placing another stone.

Click!

Click!

Click!

With the crisp sound of stones hitting the board, Black and White stones alternately landed on the board.

The surrounding crowd was completely dumbfounded. They couldn’t even describe their mental state. Beyond the myriad changes on the board, they could think of nothing else!

Every move from both sides was deeply calculated, brilliant moves dazzlingly abundant, countless clever tactics emerging as if watching a series of professional battles. It was like witnessing an art form overflowing with genius inspiration!

“Every Black move is precise, no, not just precise... exquisite!”

Someone looked at the game in awe, almost incoherent: “But somehow, the position has unknowingly tilted towards White!”

Another person broke into cold sweat and said: “The gap is too large. Even though I understand White’s recent moves, I still don’t know why White’s advantage keeps growing.”

Everyone was fully focused on the board. The tense atmosphere and tremendous pressure filled the air, making the game feel tragically heroic!

Soon, after more than ten moves,

“Although I don’t know why, Black ultimately failed to withstand White’s continuous sente and was dragged into a tangled fight. That sacrificed group eventually died...”

“Because of this, I fear Black…”

His words abruptly stopped!

On the board, another Black stone fell!

Click!

Seventh column, fifteenth row, knight’s jump!

“Big... jump?!”

The speaker’s eyelid twitched slightly. This move was not difficult to understand, and he instantly grasped Black’s intention.

“Black uses this big knight’s jump to build external influence!”

The crowd immediately realized the meaning behind the young man’s big jump. Looking back at Black’s previous moves, each one suddenly seemed imbued with deeper meaning!

“Black long ago realized that sacrificed group was doomed, so secretly laid plans to find a retreat!”

“The previous seven or eight moves looked like ordinary responses, but after this big jump, those seemingly normal moves immediately connect with the jump, no longer ordinary!”

“Black has formed external influence. Though still at a disadvantage, Black now has the capital to contend with White!”

Everyone was stunned.

They thought the game’s focal point was whether Black could endure White’s relentless attacking initiative, but unexpectedly, Black had turned the board into a battle between external influence and solid territory!

“Really a big jump.”

Yu Shao looked at the board and furrowed his brows slightly. He looked up and deeply stared at the young man across from him.

Although he had already considered this path before, he didn’t expect the young man to actually take it. The game, which should have been decided, was now full of twists.

He never imagined this game in the Go salon would develop like this. The young man’s skill completely exceeded his expectations.

This was no ordinary professional player.

Though Yu Shao still didn’t know the young man’s identity, he was definitely one of the few top players standing at the summit of the Go world!

Yu Shao steadied himself, expression becoming more serious. After pondering briefly, he pinched a stone and placed it again.

Click!

Nineteenth column, seventh row, stick!

“Sticking!”

The young man bit his lip upon seeing this move, his gaze heavy.

White’s stick is the smoothest variation, waiting for an opportunity, probing Black’s response. Although Black has formed external influence, the next steps are somewhat uncertain.

If possible, he would rather remain passive, observing White’s moves before making a decision. But White’s probing forced him to respond immediately.

“Then…”

After a moment, the young man’s eyes sharpened. He finally pinched a stone again.

By now, as a participant, he already knew who sat opposite him!

Although the girl had played Go with Yu Shao before, she couldn’t identify her opponent just from the game, lacking sufficient understanding. But he was different!

His gaze was sharp, even fierce. He quickly placed a stone!

“Come on!”

Click!

Fifth column, eighth row, atari!

On the other side, upon seeing Black’s move, Yu Shao also quickly pinched and placed a stone amid the sound of stones colliding!

The instant Yu Shao played, the young man simultaneously reached into the Go bowl, pinched a Black stone, and placed it on the board!

Click!

Click!

Click!

The continuous sound of stones falling echoed through the Go salon, lingering endlessly.

Both men’s expressions were utterly focused, as if forgetting everything around them, their eyes only on the board, transcending the mundane, immersed in this battle of attack and defense!

The crowd stared at the board, not daring to blink or breathe, holding their breath.

They watched as stones alternately fell, witnessing this fierce duel accompanied only by the sound of stones dropping—this sound was like a thunderous roar!

Black sacrificed stones to build external influence;

White swallowed territory. Like Yin and Yang in Go, they intertwined, competing for dominance!

“White’s pressing move is extremely clever, retreating to advance, threatening Black’s large group from afar. But Black immediately retaliated, not clinging to external influence and through transformation tried to invade and consume White’s territory.”

“But White didn’t stand idle. Immediately hane to provoke—another chilling move. I can’t think of how to respond. Black’s answer was a diagonal move.”

“This diagonal move seized a fleeting opportunity, grasped White’s aftertaste, and bit White directly. White must now fear Black’s counterattack!”

The crowd stared dumbfounded at the game, reflecting on every move from the start to now, hearts both shocked and confused...

Because both Black and White far exceeded their expectations. Such a game should not appear here;

those witnessing it live should not be them.

They felt unworthy, humbled to witness every move firsthand.

Click!

The crisp sound of a stone falling echoed again as a White stone landed on the board!

Third column, seventh row, poke!

“Poke?”

Seeing this move, everyone involuntarily trembled slightly, pupils shrinking.

Not only them—the young man’s expression dramatically changed as well.

He pondered for a long time, then bit his teeth, finally reaching into the bowl again.

Though he was always curious about Yu Shao and eager to play him, only now, sitting opposite Yu Shao, did he deeply feel the heavy pressure emanating from the other side of the board!

“Click.”

With the sound of stones colliding, the young man pinched a Black stone and quickly placed it!

Fifth column, seventh row, hane!

At this moment, the young man’s gaze was like a tiger and wolf, faintly fierce, as if his ferocity had been fully awakened in desperation!

Yu Shao looked at the board, pondered briefly, and also quickly placed a stone.

The two kept placing stones, soon fighting fiercely on the left flank. This battle between external influence and territory became intense, making the onlookers sweat profusely.

Watching stones alternate on the board, they felt parched.

“White’s poke is extremely cold, aiming to kill using Black’s cutting points. Black’s hane looks quite forced in the counterattack, but after White’s provoking move, Black’s hane actually lands on a perfect spot!”

“However, White’s next tiger’s mouth move feels like four arrows piercing the heart!”

Everyone couldn’t help but sweat for the young man. White’s territory in all four corners was spreading toward the center almost simultaneously. If this trend continued, the young man’s external influence might be completely eaten away!

Click!

Click!

Click!

Click!

After several moves, suddenly the young man stared at the board, gritted his teeth, and with a light click reached into the bowl.

The next moment, his eyes became fierce. Between his fingers was a Black stone, which he swiftly placed!

Click!

Fifteenth column, sixth row, bend!

“Bend? At this time?”

Everyone shuddered in shock. Some even blurted out: “Black turns around now to launch a strong attack on White’s territory?”

The crowd stared at the board, unable to understand why Black suddenly erupted. Black’s external influence was already fragile, yet he attacked White’s rock-solid territory!

But soon, after carefully analyzing the situation, many showed shocked expressions.

“Tactic!”

“This—”

“This tactic!”

“Black wants a major transformation! Here Black can form a large-scale exchange worth sixty or seventy points with White’s territory!”

Everyone’s eyes widened!

This tactic was too brilliant, beyond words, only understood through feeling!

Black’s external influence was already on the brink, but if White continued to invade, Black could form a sky-reaching large transformation—something White absolutely could not accept!

“In this way, Black’s external influence still has potential!”

Black held on tightly, refusing to give ground! Facing White’s territorial assault from all four corners like a tidal wave, Black’s external influence remarkably was not drowned or shaken!

Everyone’s hearts churned wildly, unable to calm down!

“Tiger’s mouth...”

Even Yu Shao’s expression changed again seeing the young man’s move, tightly furrowing his brows.

This move was completely unexpected, surpassing even his foresight.

Yu Shao couldn’t help but look up at the young man again. After pondering briefly, he pinched a stone and quickly placed it.

Click, click, click...

Both sides continued placing stones. The clacking sounds echoed repeatedly. The crowd listened in silence, just staring at this game.

Black and White played with divine speed. Almost every move was beyond their wildest dreams, only able to admire these brilliant moves and endless clever tactics.

Every move shone brilliantly, yet felt distant and awe-inspiring, evoking genuine reverence for this dazzling genius light.

“This is... the peak duel between territory and external influence...”

Someone, confused, suddenly whispered softly: “It was born... inside a small Go salon.”

Hearing this, everyone felt it was somewhat absurd. After all, countless fierce matches between territory and external influence have taken place.

The peak duel between territory and external influence should not be born in a street-side small Go salon, but on the Phoenix Cup stage, where the strongest players compete under the world’s gaze.

Yet, seeing this game, no one dared refute. Everyone fell silent, quietly watching the intertwined board, observing the black and white stones.

Only silence remained.