Second update! The current Qi WanJie, let alone continuing the game with Jun MoXie, one would believe that even if any other player from the Illusionary Manor took his place, Qi WanJie would still inevitably lose!

He lowered his head again, gazing at the scattered black and white pieces on the board, and in that moment, despair washed over him completely! With a casual sweep of his hand, he pushed the board aside, bowed his head deeply, and in a choked voice admitted, "I... concede." The moment those words left his lips, everyone present was utterly astonished!

Since the very beginning of the match, it had been apparent that Jun MoXie was dominating Qi WanJie; Qi WanJie had been purely on the defensive, utterly incapable of mounting any real counterattack! Now, halfway through the game, both sides had already played their decisive moves! Once this move was made, the situation devolved into a clear choice: either one would perish, or both would suffer mutual destruction! Life, death, victory, and defeat were about to be determined! Yet, Qi WanJie chose to concede at this very juncture!

A careful look at the board state confirmed that the black pieces held a significant advantage, commanding the entire attack. However, the white pieces had maintained an exceptionally thick defense; even if victory seemed remote, a steadfast defense still offered the possibility of weathering the storm and perhaps even turning the tide. Had Qi WanJie truly calculated every step from here until the endgame? Was that why he conceded early?

Qi WanJie looked up blankly, his eyes hollow, and suddenly said in a low voice, "I am truly no match for him. In truth, this match should never have begun, for I was defeated before the first move was even placed! Playing with an unsettled heart is the greatest taboo for any strategist! If the state of mind is unstable, how can the game be stable? Brother Mo is truly masterful; I yield wholeheartedly! I accept this defeat completely!"

Jun MoXie let out a soft breath. Winning this round was far from easy; the mental toll exacted was even greater than fighting a full-scale battle. Still, everything had unfolded largely as anticipated. From the moment Jun MoXie began telling that story, Qi WanJie never interrupted. It could be said that the outcome was sealed from that point onward! Yet, he still managed to struggle through to the mid-game, thanks to his profound foundational skill and tenacious strategic awareness!

Jun MoXie deliberately offered that first couplet but then admitted he couldn't produce a matching second one. This act planted a deep psychological flaw—a mental demon—right in Qi WanJie's heart! The moment Jun MoXie first encountered Qi WanJie, he recognized the man's core nature and immediately devised a plan to deal with him! This person craved fame! Furthermore, he was hypocritical. Such a personality leads to an extreme preoccupation with gain and loss!

Admittedly, Qi WanJie possessed extraordinary talent, having scaled the peaks of Go strategy. Achieving fame so young naturally bred a certain arrogance, a common affliction of youth, which was perhaps forgivable. However, this arrogance had forged in him an ingrained sense of self-importance and disdain for others. In this entire world, if there was one person whom Qi WanJie might regard with true reverence, it could only be the Chess Sage, Hua WuCuo! Others, even if the Nine Nether's foremost young master returned to the mortal world, might not move him to show deference! This was because Qi WanJie had never cultivated profound mystic energy...

Therefore, although Jun MoXie only knew the name of the Chess Sage, this did not prevent him from fabricating a captivating narrative, using Hua WuCuo’s esteemed reputation in Go to suppress this young Chess King of the Illusionary Manor! This was merely the first step in the entire design. Once the arrogance of Qi WanJie was successfully suppressed, making him realize the vast gap between himself and the Chess Sage, Jun MoXie would then seize the opportunity to claim that he himself had dueled the Sage and stood on equal footing... naturally striking another blow to Qi WanJie's confidence! Following that, at the opportune moment, the couplet was introduced. Just as Qi WanJie was fully immersed in trying to formulate a matching line, the game abruptly began! By then, Qi WanJie was already seated across the board. To outsiders, it might not appear sudden, but to Qi WanJie himself, it was an extreme shock—like being lost in a daydream only to be suddenly jolted awake, and then immediately thrown into an intense confrontation filled with countless unprecedented, ingenious moves... With such a state of mind, such a condition, how could he not lose? Moreover, right when the game reached its fever pitch, and Qi WanJie’s nerves were taut like a drawn bowstring, ready to snap, Jun MoXie suddenly brought up the couplet again. Even though it was merely Jun MoXie sighing to himself, Qi WanJie cared about it immensely... Thus, that casual utterance became the final straw that crushed Qi WanJie, leading to his complete breakdown! From the moment they met, Jun MoXie had laid traps at every turn, guiding Qi WanJie step-by-step until he reached a point of no return!

In truth, Jun MoXie’s actual skill at Go was nowhere near as lofty as Qi WanJie had assumed. However, Young Master Jun’s inherent Go aptitude and chess knowledge played a crucial role. During the actual match, unless the Young Master deployed epoch-transcending brilliant moves surpassing five thousand years of history, it would have been difficult for Qi WanJie to truly believe that Jun MoXie's strength could contend with the Chess Sage Hua WuCuo! Coupled with the subsequent layered stratagems, it became utterly impossible for anyone to guard against! Even if Qi WanJie had miraculously managed to resist this psychological warfare, Jun MoXie still held a final trump card...

Young Master Jun’s unique secret technique, Mental Manipulation, was capable of compelling ordinary people like Qi WanJie, who had not cultivated mental defenses, to do whatever he wished without the slightest resistance! While this method was somewhat overt and easily detectable by masters of mystic arts, securing victory was never in doubt! Second round, Mo JunYe wins!

As Miao XiaoMiao voiced the result with visible relief, everyone fell into a profound silence. The first and second rounds were statistically the two matches where the Zhan family held the highest probability of victory, yet both were lost to the overwhelming strength of their opponent.

What could possibly follow? Those who had intended to compete in literary skill, after hearing the impromptu poem, "Difficult to meet, difficult to part," that Jun MoXie casually recited, immediately backed out of the contest! Who could confidently produce such a soul-stirring, timeless masterpiece? If they dared to compete, Jun MoXie could simply say: "You just need to compose a poem roughly as good as the one I just murmured," and they would truly be trapped—not only inviting utter humiliation but also shame that would make them wish to vanish!

Miao XiaoMiao looked at Jun MoXie with twinkling eyes. She was far less worried now than she had been initially, and she found herself increasingly drawn to this Ethereal Physique. Recalling, "Life's long sorrow flows east like the river," and then, "Difficult to meet, difficult to part," and now the lingering, deeply affectionate yet detached "Song of the Funeral Flowers" seemed to echo in her ears... Miao XiaoMiao’s heart stirred uncontrollably, unable to contain itself. At this moment, no one noticed the young Chess King had already slipped away shamefully from his seat, as if the youth who had once stunned the Illusionary Manor with his chess mastery was now utterly insignificant! With the third contest yet to begin but the atmosphere already turning cold, Zhan QingFeng and Zhan YuShu exchanged a look, both feeling a pang of anxiety. Putting themselves in his shoes, if they were the ones preparing to challenge him, they might also feel a chill down their spines. This fellow was simply too monstrous! It seemed there was nothing in heaven or earth that he didn't know, didn't understand, or wasn't skilled in! Who is this person? You claim to possess the exceedingly rare Ethereal Physique of the Ages, so why don't you cherish it and focus on cultivating your mystic arts, instead pouring your mental energy into these extraneous pursuits? You excel in music and Go, and now, a mere fragment of poetry has silenced all challengers. Are you even human?" Watching the servants hastily clearing the chessboard and pieces, Zhan YuShu suddenly had an idea, letting out a long sigh. "Previously, I often heard the fame of Hua WuCuo, the contemporary Chess Sage of the Profound Profound Continent. Legend holds that this man never miscalculated a game in his entire life! And every action he took was marked by meticulous planning and extreme self-discipline! Maintaining such rigor under immense acclaim is truly rare in this world. After hearing Brother Mo's narration today, my reverence for this contemporary Chess Sage has deepened immeasurably... Hua WuCuo truly lives up to his name, truly worthy of being the Chess Sage!" This man acted like a resentful woman secluded in her chamber, inexplicably launching into a monologue, swaying his head mournfully as if he hadn't tasted meat in ten years, pouring out his autumnal sorrow at the window.

Jun MoXie did not respond, because he knew that Zhan YuShu’s posturing was a tactic, waiting for him to play along. But how could Young Master Jun grant him this opportunity! He would simply watch the solo performance and see what the man was truly trying to achieve... "Indeed, the Chess Sage’s might shakes the world; truly worthy of being a master of his generation."

With no reply, Zhan YuShu grew awkward. Zhan QingFeng, helpless and unsure of his younger brother's objective, reluctantly stepped forward to back up his sibling. "Correct. For the next round, we were supposed to compete in literary talent against Brother Mo, and we even prepared the theme. But now, I have changed my mind."

Zhan YuShu said with a wide, beaming smile to Zhan QingFeng. Since no one else would address him, the brothers continued their scripted exchange. Though both currently wore smiles as bright as spring breezes, they were inwardly extremely embarrassed, feeling like monkeys performing on a stage... "Oh? YuShu, what idea have you changed?"

After waiting a moment longer with no further inquiry, Zhan QingFeng had to take the lead himself. Damn it, he thought, if I have to be thick-skinned, then so be it, who dares to question me? The two brothers were unaware that their attendants weren't truly oblivious or unwilling to speak; it was because Young Master Jun wanted to watch their opposing act that he used Mental Manipulation to instantly subdue them all! At this moment, they could barely manage to breathe, let alone speak. Everyone was utterly bewildered: Why do I have absolutely no impulse to speak? Even saying a simple "Yes" right now would instantly win the favor of the Zhan brothers... but they simply couldn't open their mouths. It was bizarre... (To be continued, more chapters available, please support the author and legitimate reading!)