الشطرنج الخالد - Book 06 Chapter 009

“Wait! Wait!” Gu Hai suddenly raised his eyebrows.

Gu Hai suddenly recalled the black hole that appeared when Zang Yulian played the zither.

“Zang Yulian, play the Supreme Ascendant Longevity Piece again,” Gu Hai said with a frown.

Everyone felt confused, but Zang Yulian started playing anyway.

Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding!

When the zither music rang out, Gu Hai extended his hand and waved. Then, a black hole appeared in front of him once more.

Jesus’s expression changed. “This is the passageway leading to the negative immortal firmament?”

“This is the entrance to the Six Paths Immortal Firmament?” Siddhārtha extended his hand, looking forward to touching it.

Buzz!

However, Siddhārtha could not touch the black hole at all.

“Huh?” Siddhārtha said in shock.

“The entrance?” Long Zhanguo likewise extended his hand to touch it.

Buzz!

Long Zhanguo also touched nothing.

“Zang Yulian, you did not manage to touch it at Mister Laozi’s residence? Try again,” Gu Hai urged.

Zang Yulian tried to touch the black hole as she played the Supreme Ascendant Longevity Piece. Nevertheless, she failed.

Then, Gu Hai carried Zang Yulian.

“Don’t!” Zang Yulian blushed. There were many people here.

“Continue playing,” Gu Hai said seriously.

Zang Yulian’s hands moved nonstop, playing the guqin. Gu Hai stepped into the black hole while carrying her.

“Ah!”

Zang Yulian immediately fell to the ground.

“You can’t enter? Why can’t you enter?” Gu Hai frowned extremely heavily.

“Why can’t I enter? I came here with you previously!” Zang Yulian said anxiously.

I can’t return to the Divine Continent?

“A swap has to happen to maintain a balance. Because Sun Wukong is in the Six Paths Immortal Firmament, only one person can return,” Laozi analyzed, frowning.

“Sun Wukong appeared in the Six Paths Immortal Firmament, so Zang Yulian made up for it in the Sa’s Immortal Firmament? This can be considered a swap?” Gu Hai’s expression changed.

“I…I can’t return?” Zang Yulian said in shock.

“Perhaps,” Gu Hai said with a faint, bitter smile.

Zang Yulian cannot return?

“If I can’t return, then what about Long Zhanguo and the Supreme Wa?” Zang Yulian said in confusion.

“They are different. They were dead previously, no longer considered people but items, so they were not counted. Furthermore, even though Long Zhanguo revived, he lost all his accumulations. He is no longer the Long Zhanguo of the past. If my guess is right, there will also be something different about the Supreme Wa when she revives. Now, they are considered a part of the Sa’s Immortal Firmament.” Laozi shook his head.

“What about Gu Hai?” Long Zhanguo looked at Gu Hai.

Why can Gu Hai go back?

“Mister Gu? Perhaps he had some other fortuitous encounter. How unfortunate that this fortuitous encounter only permits him to return himself.” Laozi looked at Gu Hai.

Laozi had already guessed that Gu Hai had a fortuitous encounter but did not question him about it.

Since Laozi did not ask, the deities and immortals in the surroundings did not dare to interject even though they felt curious.

“Mister Laozi, have you never thought about going back with me?” Gu Hai looked at Laozi.

Gu Hai understood that Laozi had already guessed something, possibly even that the black Go stone was in his possession.

Laozi shook his head. “Both the positive and negative immortal firmaments are cages. What is the difference between going and not going? Since the Supreme Ascendant appeared there, it means that that Supreme Ascendant could not do anything, either. If I went there, I would have to start again? Hah! There’s no need. What is the difference between going and staying?”

At the side, Siddhārtha and Jesus nodded with faint, bitter smiles when they heard what Laozi said.

However, Gu Hai bowed to Laozi and the others to express his gratitude.

“Since you obtained Yi Qiu’s legacy, perhaps you are his hope. Things might not be better if we interfered. This is your fortune and your challenge. You have to shoulder it,” Laozi said.

Gu Hai nodded.

“Mister Gu, must you return?” Jesus asked out of curiosity.

Gu Hai smiled bitterly and nodded. “I have friends and family that I worry about there. I have to return.”

“You have to return?” Zang Yulian’s expression immediately turned stiff, appearing anxious.

If it were before, Zang Yulian would not have cared about Gu Hai’s feelings. Now that the two would be in separate worlds, she finally felt flustered. Perhaps they might never see each other again.

“Long Zhanguo, very sorry for bringing you here. Perhaps you might never be able to return,” Gu Hai said with a bitter smile.

“I’ve already died once. Everywhere is the same.” Long Zhanguo shook his head.

“Perhaps you can bring souls back, like how you did with Long Zhanguo?” Jesus speculated while frowning.

“Perhaps it might be possible. However, would you be willing to?” Siddhārtha countered with a smile.

“Huh?” Jesus paused for a moment.

Commit suicide and let Gu Hai take me away? Then, reforge my physical body in the Six Paths Immortal Firmament? Gu Hai would have full control over my three spiritual souls. Furthermore, I might not be able to adjust to the Six Paths Immortal Firmament.

Jesus showed a faint, bitter smile as he shook his head.

“That won’t work. While my revival seems simple, it was fraught with danger.” Long Zhanguo shook his head.

“Oh?” Everyone felt bewildered.

“While I was dead, I was unconscious. No, it should be that my spiritual souls are asleep. I had no idea how long I slept. I did not feel any change in time or space. However, I felt that I had a brush with destruction.” Long Zhanguo shook his head.

“That means spiritual souls might be completely obliterated when traveling between two immortal firmaments?” Laozi frowned.

Everyone felt fear in their heart and no longer thought about heading to the Six Paths Immortal Firmament.

“You can only summon others after you capture Sun Wukong and send him back using the Go Dao ritual array,” Laozi said while shaking his head.

“Gu Hai, when are you returning?” Long Zhanguo looked at Gu Hai.

“The times of the two immortal firmaments do not correspond to each other, so I will return immediately after the Supreme Wa revives,” Gu Hai said seriously.

“I’ll give you a few letters before you return. I hope my trusted men will not hate you,” Long Zhanguo said with a bitter smile.

“Many thanks,” Gu Hai answered as he nodded.

“Long Zhanguo, since you are staying, I have no way to help you with the things of the mythical world. However, I do have some businesses on Earth that I can pass on to you,” Gu Hai said.

Long Zhanguo nodded.

Zang Yulian felt disappointed and frustrated. Although she had no way of following Gu Hai back to the Six Paths Immortal Firmament this time, there might still be other ways. Perhaps Gu Hai could summon her over. Perhaps Gu Hai could use Lin Waner’s Supreme Ascendant Longevity Piece to return here to see her. Everything was up to Gu Hai. What if Gu Hai chose not to do that? Zang Yulian suddenly felt flustered.

“Mister Gu, since there are some correspondences with the Six Paths Immortal Firmament, how about you let Gautama and the Lord of Primordial Beginning explain their cultivation methods to you? You would have something to rely on, which would make things easier when you return,” Laozi suggested.

“Many thanks,” Gu Hai said seriously.

“Actually, there is no point speaking too much on certain things. Everyone walks a different path. You can only take reference from them. They cannot become your path. Hah…how unfortunate! You won’t be able to bring those divine tools and enchanted treasures back. The two immortal firmaments need to maintain a balance,” Laozi said.

“Alright.” Gu Hai nodded.

In the following days, the various deities and immortals explained their cultivation methods and cultivation journeys to Gu Hai. Indeed, Gu Hai could not follow these paths. Doing so would defeat the purpose. They were taking different paths, after all. However, this did not prevent him from taking reference from them.

Gu Hai listened as he organized Yi Qiu’s documents.

Yi Qiu did not leave behind any Go game records. This was what Gu Hai found the most unfortunate.

Long Zhanguo quickly studied and absorbed the knowledge of Earth, continuously enriching himself. Like Gu Hai, he was a studious person. He never stopped, wanting to understand everything as soon as possible.

Sixty-four days passed in a flash.

Boom!

Suddenly, a loud sound rang out.

The lid of the Eight Trigram Pill Furnace suddenly burst open. The Supreme Ascendant Sovereign withdrew the fire.

“Uh!” A woman’s voice came from the Eight Trigram Pill Furnace.

As the deities and immortals waited, Zang Yulian flew into the pill furnace with a set of clothes and helped dress the Supreme Wa.

“Who are you?” The Supreme Wa’s voice suddenly rang out.

“You don’t recognize me?” Zang Yulian exclaimed.

“My head! It hurts!” the Supreme Wa said in some pain.

Gu Hai felt worried as he waited outside the Eight Trigram Pill Furnace.

Suddenly, Laozi looked at Gu Hai. “Mister Gu, what’s going to happen with your two women when you leave?”

“My…? Ah! Mister Laozi, did you misunderstand?” Gu Hai said with a bitter smile.

“Misunderstand? I don’t think so. I’m not sure about the Supreme Wa. However, we have been observing Zang Yulian during this time. She sticks closely to you. Surely, you can tell, right?” Laozi said with a smile.

Gu Hai sighed softly. Then, he said with a bitter smile. “However, they can’t return. I can only think of some other way in the future.”

“Only in the future?” Laozi looked at Gu Hai.

Gu Hai narrowed his eyes and said, “It’s fine for Zang Yulian. However, it is not suitable for the Supreme Wa to appear in the Six Paths Immortal Firmament again. Otherwise, when the Six Paths Immortal Firmament investigates…hah…”

“What do you intend to do, then?” Laozi asked Gu Hai.

“Mister Laozi, this humble one has an unreasonable request!” Gu Hai said.

“Oh?” Laozi prompted.

“Zang Yulian is the Six Paths Immortal Firmament’s Supreme Ascendant. When I leave, there will be no one to take care of her. Would you take her in as your disciple? Perhaps you might not think much of the Six Paths Immortal Firmament’s Supreme Ascendant Dao. However, I would feel more assured if she studied under you,” Gu Hai said seriously.

“You are worried about Zang Yulian as well?” Laozi smiled.

“It can be considered so,” Gu Hai said with a bitter smile.

“I’ll think about it.” Laozi shook his head and did not immediately agree.

By now, the Supreme Wa had already put on clothes, so Zang Yulian brought her out of the Eight Trigram Pill Furnace.

When the Supreme Wa came out of the Eight Trigram Pill Furnace, she appeared slightly tense and nervous. When she saw the surrounding deities and buddhas, she felt even more afraid.

The Supreme Wa? Afraid?

Gu Hai’s expression changed. Could it be as Long Zhanguo had said? When their spiritual souls traveled between the two immortal firmaments, they suffered damage? However, she is the Supreme Wa!

The Supreme Wa seemed somewhat afraid when she saw the others. Then, she noticed Gu Hai.

“Benefactor? Benefactor, is that you?!” The Supreme Wa suddenly teared up with excitement when she saw Gu Hai. She quickly rushed over.

“Benefactor?” The surrounding people appeared confused.

Long Zhanguo and Zang Yulian appeared curious at this moment.

“I am Xiaorou! Benefactor, do you not recognize me?” The Supreme Wa appeared slightly worried.