"Before entering the Chessboard of Origin, you must seal your cultivation," the Chess Paragon instructed, his voice echoing through the grand palace. "Your piece’s powers will be amplified according to your ability to comprehend their profundity. All pieces start as Grade One, but they can be evolved up to Grade Three based on your comprehension abilities. You may only use one piece ability at a time, but you can deploy all three pieces simultaneously. However, I advise against spreading yourself too thin."
The key to success in this competition lay not only the strategic prowess but also in the ability to comprehend the profound nature of the pieces.
"You shall form teams of two," the Paragon continued. "One will be designated as the ’Monarch,’ possessing either a King or Queen piece, while the other will be known as the ’Tactician,’ commanding a complementary set of pieces. Crucially, there shall not be two Monarchs within the same team."
"The Monarch and Tactician will share the responsibility of guiding their team to victory," the Paragon explained. "However, only one team can emerge triumphant."
"If, by any means, you find yourself in possession of three identical pieces—black, white, and gray—you will be granted the power to fuse them together and create an Origin Piece," the Paragon declared, his voice laced with intrigue. "The abilities of these Origin Pieces will remain unknown until they are forged. However, be warned that their power comes at a price. Each Origin Piece can only unleash its abilities a maximum of two times throughout the entire competition."
"One final rule," the Paragon concluded, his voice resonating with authority. "In order to achieve ultimate victory, your team must traverse the board and reach the Origin Square located at its very center. Only by placing an Origin King or Origin Queen piece upon this sacred square can you claim the ultimate prize."
"To engage your opponents, position your piece adjacent to theirs, either directly in front or behind," the Paragon instructed. "When two pieces meet, a clash ensues, and only one shall emerge victorious. However, be mindful that each piece possesses a limited number of abilities, and once these are exhausted, your opponent may seize control of your piece."
The experts nodded, committing the Paragon’s words to memory. Every move would have consequences, one needs to choose their battles wisely.
"Should you lose all three of your pieces, your team will be eliminated, leaving the King or Queen to continue alone," the Paragon emphasized, his tone grave. "The ultimate goal remains the same – to reach the Origin Square and place your Origin Queen or Origin King piece upon it."
"It’s roughly as what we expected," Dong Xian’er said in a low voice.
"That shouldn’t be everything, right?" Murong whispered in a low voice.
Not all who come here seek to be the paragon disciple. All of the people here are renowned experts. Many wouldn’t accept being someone else’s disciple.
"Since all of you don’t come here to seek my discipleship, there are additional two rewards," the Chess Paragon said, his voice attracting everyone’s attention again.
"Here it is," Lin Xue said, his eyes turning serious.
"Those who are to reach the origin square will be granted a request from me," the Paragon continued. "Other than killing someone or harming anyone, I would make sure to fulfill it."
As the Chess Paragon’s voice fell, a hushed silence permeated the atmosphere.
"To think that the Paragon would offer such a thing," someone murmured.
"Approximately twenty-four competitors are expected to participate in the contest."
"Twenty-four experts!" The woman in the azure gown’s eyes contracted. "How is that possible? It was supposed to be twenty-two. Where did these additional two come from?" To make sure that things would go according to plan, she had already killed the woman who was supposed to participate and taken her place. Logically, that shouldn’t have made any difference, but now...
"As for those who collect one origin piece, they will have the chance to request me to set an array or formation for them," the Paragon said. "In addition, they could stay at the Origin Square for one year!"
Three rewards! Numerous experts nodded, approvingly content.
"However, it appears we only have twenty-two participants present. Are we missing two?" the Chess Paragon remarked, slightly puzzled.
"Could someone have dared to be late to the Gathering?" The murmured question echoed softly amongst the crowd.
Heads turned, whispers grew, as eyes sought answers.
"Dong Rui, where’s your companion?" Dong Xian’er asked, her tone laced with a blend of curiosity and sarcasm.
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All eyes swiftly focused on Dong Rui, awaiting her response.
Dong Rui’s expression turned grim; indeed, this very question had preoccupied her thoughts for quite some time:Is it possible for Liang to escape the grasp of the Wandering Spirit Paragon?
The Chess Paragon raised an eyebrow, his voice resonant in the grand hall. "I hope they arrive swiftly. We’re about to begin."
As the Paragon’s words lingered, an energy ripple swept through the palace. Center stage, a figure materialized, the air around her buzzing with anticipation.
"My apologies for the tardiness," the figure said, her voice smooth and confident. "I trust I have not missed too much."
The experts turned their attention to the newcomer, their eyes filled with curiosity and speculation.
"It’s you!" Dong Rui eyes flickerd with surprise," What are you doing here?
Evana smirked coldy. "Why, to participate in the gathering, of course. Is it not obvious?"
Dong Rui snorted, her disdain barely concealed. She thought she had a rough idea of what Evana was after.
"Greetings, Uncle," Evana said, bowing slightly towards the Chess Paragon.
"Uncle?" The term sparked amusement among the crowd.
The Chess Paragon bellowed with laughter. "Had I known you were coming, I would have sent for you personally!"
"I wouldn’t dream of troubling you, Uncle. I’m simply here to gauge my skills," Evana replied, shaking her head gently.
As Evana’s gaze swept across those gathered, a flicker of confusion passed through her eyes. One expected face was conspicuously absent.
Just then, another figure appeared near the entrance, moving quietly, seemingly unaffected by the numerous gazes fixed upon him.
Relief washed over Dong Rui at the sight. For a moment, she had been unsure of her next steps had Liang failed to arrive.
Approaching the gathering, Liang offered a respectful bow. "Greetings, everyone. I hope my tardiness is excused; a matter at the mountain range detained me."
The mention of the mountain range elicited understanding nods. The Abyssal Mountain Range was notoriously unpredictable, a place of innumerable dangers.
"The mountain range?" The Chess Paragon raised an eyebrow, his face turning serious for a moment as his eyes fell on Liang.
While Liang’s confrontation with the Three Yin Spirit Lords had not gone unnoticed, such events were frequent occurrences in the mountain range.
Despite the palace existing as a separate realm, isolated from the mountain range, only individuals possessing an Ethereal Will on par with the divine or greater could detect disturbances outside, It wouldn’t be surprising if the Chess Paragon had even witnessed the battle firsthand.
Observing the Chess Paragon’s solemn expression, attention quickly shifted towards Liang, with Lin Xue appearing particularly surprised. Having encountered Liang before, Lin Xue remembered him as a figure shrouded in mystery, yet that was all there seemed to be. However, in this moment, Lin Xue found himself unable to even detect Liang’s aura.
"Haha, it appears this old man has spent too much time in solitude. Your tardiness is forgiven, little brother."
With a grand gesture, the Chess Paragon unleashed from the Chessboard of Origin numerous beams of ethereal light. These beams cascaded down upon Liang and Evana, bathing them in a nurturing radiance.
As the brilliance dimmed, Liang and Evana experienced a vibrant surge of power flowing within them. Glancing down, they noticed in their hands were no longer empty but now grasped symbolic chess pieces.
Liang’s hand was clasped around a sleek, black knight, while Evana’s fingers enclosed a majestic, white queen.
Their eyes met, a silent understanding passing between them.
The pawns," the Paragon continued, "can move forward one square at a time, except for their initial move where they can move two squares. They can capture enemy pieces diagonally forward one square. Their unique ability allows them to merge with another pawn of the same color, creating a more powerful piece."
"The rooks," the Paragon said, "can move horizontally or vertically up to ten squares. Their unique ability allows them to swap places with any other piece on the board, friend or foe."
"The knights," the Paragon explained, "can move in an ’L’ pattern - two squares in one direction and then one square perpendicularly. Their unique ability allows them to jump over other pieces, both friend and foe."
"The bishops," the Paragon continued, "can move diagonally up to ten squares . Their unique ability allows them to heal any friendly piece on the board."
"The queen," the Paragon said, "is the most powerful piece on the board. She can move up to ten squares along a rank, file, or diagonal. Her unique ability allows her to cast a powerful spell that can affect multiple enemy pieces."
"The king," the Paragon explained, "is the most important piece on the board. He can move one square in any direction. His unique ability allows him to teleport to any empty square on the board thrice per game."