The chess game is like life, through this intense battle devoid of iron and fire. Violet, as a veteran, could infer the opponent’s general character from their moves.
Pure and transparent, though possessing great wisdom, he always used straightforward strategies. Unlike a certain cunning priestess who might suddenly sneak into the opponent’s home territory during the game.
Therefore, the girl’s words were indeed sincere.
If it were her former self before becoming Violet, she would almost certainly lose. Human calculation abilities and thinking speed are limited. Even if one can see through the opponent’s thoughts, the ever-changing nature of the game means that even an unexpected coincidence could lead to complete failure in such a head-to-head struggle.
But after becoming a deity, Violet’s memory had significantly improved, along with reaction speed, calculation ability, and a host of other attributes that were unimaginable before. This allowed her to leverage her extensive experience to suppress the young man in white and ultimately win with a surprising move.
Despite the priestess’s generous praise, the young man could only respond with a helpless smile.
“You flatter me, my lady. I have been devoted to this game for over three hundred years. I thought that even in the land where Wisdom Chess originated, it would be hard to find an opponent. I intended to teach you a thing or two, but I overestimated myself. I am truly ashamed...”
The young man in white did not immediately remove the chessboard and pieces from the table. Instead, fearing to disturb the positions, he carefully pushed them aside. Seeing his cautious actions, Violet waited for a moment, gradually calming the somewhat nostalgic excitement that had arisen from the fierce contest.
“Since I won, does that mean I have passed the second question? What is the third question?”
The priestess had figured it out. These so-called three questions were entirely at the discretion of the young man in white. Their difficulty was entirely within his control. Thus, for an ordinary person to pass, getting on good terms with this examiner seemed crucial.
Though Violet had no such intentions, her previous absorption and unintended immersion in that book had unexpectedly aligned perfectly with the young man’s interests. As a result, he should not make things too difficult for her now.
Indeed, upon hearing her words, the young man’s face revealed unmistakable regret and helplessness as he softly asked, “Are you leaving already?”
Violet nodded. “I still have matters waiting for me to attend to, matters concerning the ultimate answers I have been seeking. It is necessary for me to witness and prevent the impending disaster firsthand. It’s not just a responsibility, I believe it is the right thing to do... All things in heaven and earth exist with a purpose, some actions must be taken, and some must be avoided. It is simply how things are.”
The source of this c𝓸ntent is frёeweɓηovel.coɱ.
Hearing this, the young man was momentarily stunned, then laughed heartily.
“What a splendid philosophy of knowing what to do and what not to do! Wonderful! You have a profound understanding of the world, a pure heart, and an open mind, well-versed in both ancient and modern knowledge. Truly a remarkable person! Meeting you today makes my thousand-year wait worthwhile! Hahaha!”
With a gentle wave of his folding fan, a white light beam descended from the top of the grand library. Violet immediately recognized it as a portal to the outside world but didn’t rush to leave. Instead, she turned to the young man with some curiosity.
“What does this mean? Aren’t you going to ask the third question?”
“Of course, the rules cannot be broken. Asking the question is necessary. However, I believe this final question will not be difficult for you. Given your urgency, why not let me express my admiration for you by making it a bit easier?”
“Oh?”
“Hehe, please listen to the question.”
With that, the young man stood up, took on a serious expression, clasped the folding fan in his hand, and bowed slightly in a gesture of friendship.
“My name is Wenqu, humble as it may be. May I ask for your esteemed name?”
“...Haha~”
After a moment of silence, Violet smiled.
Wenqu, the young man, smiled back.
Shortly after, they silently understood each other and stopped. The black-haired girl stood up, took steps toward the light beam, while Wenqu simply smiled and remained standing by the table, without any interference.
Until the end, Miss Priestess finally turned around and nodded satisfactorily towards the young man.
“You’re quite impressive, and this place is quite remarkable too. If we have the chance, perhaps we can exchange more knowledge and experiences—playing chess, drinking tea, and chatting. Wenqu, right? I’ll remember that name.”
“I’m Violet. Well then, until we meet again.”
With that said, the girl stepped into the light beam, turning into light and disappearing without a trace.
The young man nodded with a smile, watching the priestess leave smoothly.
“Violet... A charming woman with her own melody, haha. Calm yet elegant, she’s a world apart from those two who relied on convenience and only answered one question. With this, the outcome should be foreseeable.”
Countless specks of light floated up as Wenqu’s figure slowly began to fade like foam. However, he paid no mind, keeping his gaze fixed on the chaotic chessboard of black and white intersections, his smile once again becoming rich and pure.
“The appointment is fulfilled, the duty is done. It seems it’s time for me to go back. Although it’s regrettable not to see the final outcome... Haha, Olivia left the demon seal. It’s not meant for future tricks, after all. Cleverness can sometimes be one’s own undoing.”
“Violet... I’ll await your arrival there. How about another battle when the time comes? Hahaha, marvelous! Absolutely marvelous!!!”
The gentle laughter echoed in the ancient and quaint grand library, but Wenqu’s figure had already disappeared without a trace.
........................................
The light fluctuated several times, and Violet had reappeared inside the profound temple.
“Wenqu... He’s quite an interesting guy, and his name...”
The priestess chuckled and shook her head, admitting that he had indeed provided her with great convenience and help. What was originally supposed to be a troublesome test turned out to be just reading a book, playing a game of chess, and leaving a brief introduction.
She wondered if the grand library would continue to exist after this incident. If it did, occasionally coming to read and play chess would be a delightful thing. However, the one called Wenqu, whose name was out of place in this world, seemed to be extraordinarily mysterious. He appeared as if just an incarnation, giving the impression of having no power, yet clearly concealing some profound background. Of course, that was expected. Otherwise, why would the demon allow him to guard the temple’s second challenge?
Well, fate would bring them together again someday.
...It should be soon.
If it wasn’t clear at the beginning, looking back now, Violet could see that the first challenge of the twelve zodiac guardians tested pure strength, while the second challenge with the white-clad young man, Wenqu, represented adaptability, intelligence, and knowledge—the test of wits.
It truly seemed like the demon was screening candidates to inherit its divine position, ensuring that only the most suitable individual would succeed.
But then, one thing didn’t make sense at all.
Why did Silvester clear the challenge so quickly? Why did the demon leave behind tokens that could act like a backdoor, allowing one to skip the test?
If anyone could pass the challenge so easily by just possessing a token, did these carefully designed tests still hold any meaning?