Chapter 78: Strange, City Lord’s Mansion, Chess Game

“Watch out!” A voice came from behind you. You turned and saw that it was actually a Remnant Soul within the Holy City.

This Remnant Soul only had the cultivation of early Nascent Soul, and was slain by the black-robed man behind you with a single sword strike.

You continued rushing toward the City Lord’s Mansion. As you went deeper into the Holy City, the Remnant Souls drifting between heaven and earth grew more and more numerous, and their strength grew greater as well.

You stayed close by Xiang Wanqing’s side. As long as these Remnant Souls did not approach you, you would never make a move.

You were surprised to discover that there was not a trace of spiritual energy within the Holy City. If you wanted to restore your spiritual energy here, you could only do so by absorbing spirit stones.

Not far from the City Lord’s Mansion, you and Xiang Wanqing paused in your steps, brows furrowing slightly as you looked at the Remnant Soul before you.

Because this Remnant Soul’s strength was actually comparable to mid-stage Spirit Transformation! This severely exceeded your expectations.

“Damn it, how did this Remnant Soul’s cultivation rise so quickly!” The ever-steady Xiang Wanqing could not help but say in a furious tone.

“Clearly, the last time we came here, its strength was only early-stage Spirit Transformation!”

You followed behind Xiang Wanqing, sizing up the mid-stage Spirit Transformation Remnant Soul at the entrance of the City Lord’s Mansion, and said nothing.

Xiang Wanqing seemed to suddenly think of something and turned to look at you, her eyes filled with a pleading expression.

“Only you can deal with it here. Can you help me buy some time?” Her delicate voice came, making it impossible for anyone to refuse.

You looked into Xiang Wanqing’s eyes, listening to her pleading tone, your body making no movement at all.

Although you very much wanted to test the strength of this mid-stage Spirit Transformation Remnant Soul, now was not the time.

You were very clear about your goal this trip: to bring Xiang Wanqing out alive. Everything else had nothing to do with you.

Killing Wang Qiang earlier was only because he was filled with killing intent toward you. For the sake of self-preservation, you had no other choice.

“Sigh.” Xiang Wanqing let out a low sigh. She had seen the refusal in your eyes.

Xiang Wanqing turned to look at the ten Nascent Soul stage cultivators behind her and instructed, “You all hold off the Remnant Soul at the entrance of the City Lord’s Mansion. I’m going in to get something!”

“Yes!” As guards on this trip, they had no right to refuse.

While the ten Nascent Soul stage cultivators held off the Remnant Soul, you followed Xiang Wanqing into the City Lord’s Mansion.

“From this moment on, don’t make a sound. Stay close to me!” Xiang Wanqing transmitted to you, then tiptoed deeper into the mansion.

You studied the furnishings within the mansion, and could not help but sigh inwardly. Even after a thousand years, one could still glimpse a trace of the City Lord’s Mansion’s former grandeur.

Of course, it would have been better if there weren’t so many corpses within the mansion.

After a thousand years, the corpses of these cultivators who died untimely deaths had still not decayed. They remained lifelike, as if still alive!

It was clear how profound their cultivation had been!

Xiang Wanqing’s footsteps suddenly paused, and you could not help but stop as well. Ever since entering the City Lord’s Mansion, your half-step Spirit Transformation divine sense could only extend a single meter outward.

Following Xiang Wanqing’s gaze, you discovered that within the doorway ahead, a Blue-Robed Cultivator stood there, turning its head to grin at you both.

Looking at the smile on the other’s face, your heart suddenly trembled, as if you had been locked onto by some kind of existence. It was bone-chilling.

Xiang Wanqing even took a step back, directly bumping into your chest. Feeling the scorching body heat from your body, Xiang Wanqing only then regained her senses.

You had no time to deal with Xiang Wanqing at this moment, because the Blue-Robed Cultivator was walking toward you both, one step at a time.

“Don’t speak, don’t move, and don’t smile!” Xiang Wanqing timely transmitted to you. “It is an Eerie Being within the Holy City. As long as we don’t draw its attention, it will disappear in a moment.”

So Xiang Wanqing pressed tightly against your chest, staying outside the door, her gaze fixed on the approaching Blue-Robed Cultivator.

The young woman’s soft body leaned against your embrace, and a refreshing fragrance wafted over, lifting your spirits.

“Fellow Daoists, please come in for a chat.” The Blue-Robed Cultivator arrived at the doorway and beckoned to you both.

“Come on, hurry in and play!” Seeing that you were unmoved, the Blue-Robed Cultivator continued, the smile on its face never once fading.

The corners of the Blue-Robed Cultivator’s mouth continued to rise, until finally it split all the way up to its head, looking extremely horrifying.

At the same time, that call grew more and more bewitching, as if a demonic power existed within it, drawing you to walk toward the doorway.

Just as Xiang Wanqing was about to step inside, you suddenly broke free from the illusion and snapped back to your senses. Then you grabbed Xiang Wanqing and quickly retreated, away from the Blue-Robed Cultivator.

Xiang Wanqing also regained her senses at this moment. Looking at the distant Blue-Robed Cultivator, she let out a long breath of relief.

“Thank you.” Having survived the calamity, Xiang Wanqing sincerely thanked you.

“Come here, hurry up and come here!”

“I told you to come here!” The smile on the Blue-Robed Cultivator’s face vanished. It glared at you both with a ferocious expression, letting out roar after roar.

“It’s about to dissipate.” Xiang Wanqing looked at the Blue-Robed Cultivator’s impotent fury and transmitted to you.

Sure enough, ten breaths later, the Blue-Robed Cultivator regained its calm, gave you both one last smile, and gradually disappeared.

“Let’s go.” Xiang Wanqing led you forward with great strides. Arriving at the doorway, she hesitated for a moment, then decisively stepped inside!

Arriving at the central area of the City Lord’s Mansion, the environment suddenly changed drastically. The gloomy aura no longer existed, the dark clouds in the sky dispersed, and even spiritual qi filled the entire courtyard.

You fixed your gaze on the stone table in the very center of the courtyard. Xiang Wanqing led you toward the stone table, and soon you could clearly see the Go board atop it.

Xiang Wanqing directly sat down at the black piece position and said to you, “Come, play a game of chess with me.”

You awkwardly scratched your head. Go was something you truly did not understand.

Fortunately, before you could answer, a phantom figure appeared and sat down at the white piece position.

An old man with the demeanor of an immortal, one hand stroking his white beard, said to Xiang Wanqing, “Please!”

At this moment, you became a spectator.

The two sides battled for fifty rounds. When Xiang Wanqing placed another piece, she suddenly coughed up a mouthful of blood without any warning!

After absorbing Xiang Wanqing’s blood, the Go board seemed to become even more spiritual.

“Are you all right?” Your expression did not change. How could playing chess make someone vomit blood?

Xiang Wanqing wiped the blood from her mouth and said to you like nothing was wrong, “I’m fine.”

The game continued. With every subsequent move, Xiang Wanqing played with extreme difficulty, as if each move was a life-and-death struggle.

You looked at Xiang Wanqing, whose face had gone pale, her right hand holding the black piece beginning to tremble. To prevent her from dying here, you immediately reached out your right hand and firmly grasped Xiang Wanqing’s arm.

“Stop playing!”