The third chapter explodes! "Brother Mo also mentioned earlier that the Chess Sage once posed a top couplet to him during a game. Now, since we don't have a good topic either, why don't we borrow the Chess Sage's top couplet and challenge Brother Mo? If Brother Mo can answer it right here and now, we'll concede this round. Wouldn't that be clean and straightforward!"

Zhan Yushu put it forward with great generosity.

"Yushu, that's a brilliant idea."

Zhan Qingfeng nodded repeatedly, "Let's do just that."

The two brothers conspired together, and no one else dared to interject; they simply settled the topic for the third round between themselves!

Everyone present, including Miao Xiaomiao and Jun Moxie, was utterly dumbfounded: Wasn't that too shameless?

To achieve such a level of shamelessness wasn't just a realm anymore; it had become a domain!

Wang Yue had already admitted he couldn't answer it, and in fact, he was the one who first brought up the couplet. Now, they were turning around and using that very couplet to deliberately stump him? That took a special kind of talent!

"How can you do this!"

Miao Xiaomiao's face flushed crimson with anger: "Brother Mo was the one who presented this top couplet first. If he were to use it to test you, it would at least be understandable. But now you're turning it around to challenge him... Zhan Yushu, do you even know how to write the word 'shame'?"

"Little Sister Miao speaks erroneously,"

Zhan Qingfeng smiled faintly. "This was originally a prompt set by the venerable Chess Sage for Brother Mo. We are merely fulfilling the old man's wish, hoping Brother Mo can finally complete it. Using it as the topic now is simply to give Brother Mo an extra push of motivation; I believe Brother Mo will understand our good intentions..."

"Ha!" "So, you're saying you've actually done something good? Should the Chess Sage Hua Wucuo, or perhaps Brother Mo himself, thank you for this? Preposterous!"

Miao Xiaomiao laughed in fury.

"That's not necessary. Whether we receive thanks or not, we don't care. As long as Brother Mo can provide the corresponding bottom line, the Chess Sage's wish will be fulfilled. Even if we lose another round, it means nothing," Zhan Yushu chuckled, shamelessly stating his case.

"For one person to be this shameless, it has truly opened my eyes! Truly, when a person reaches the nadir of depravity, they become invincible in this world!"

Miao Xiaomiao looked upon them with boundless contempt. "The Zhan Family of Huanfu will now truly become notorious throughout Huanfu. What a joyous occasion to celebrate."

The moment Zhan Yushu proposed this method of competition, Jun Moxie nearly burst out laughing.

Damn it, you guys are truly naive! I said I couldn't answer it on the spot, and you actually believed me?

This top couplet might seem absolutely impossible at first glance, but across the vast history of China's five thousand years, talents have emerged in droves. Once a top couplet has a proper answer, the matching bottom line is usually found relatively quickly, especially if one takes the time to unlock the core principle. You two blockheads! Self-satisfied blockheads!

"The degree of shamelessness displayed by you noble brothers has truly reached the pinnacle,"

Jun Moxie curled his lip. "To use a story I once recounted as a point of inquiry against this genius... Your quick wits are truly astounding. This great genius must offer a word of respect—truly from the heart, top to bottom, utterly impressed."

Zhan Yushu’s face reddened, and he straightened his expression, becoming exceedingly domineering. "For the third round, we are testing couplets! If you can match our top line, you win. If not, you lose! It’s that simple! Listen closely, our top line is: 'Heaven acts as the Go board, the stars as the pieces; who dares to play?' Young genius Mo, provide the corresponding bottom line!"

"Nonsense! I have already stated that when Hua Wucuo presented this couplet that day, I could not immediately provide the bottom line! Now, you deliberately use this to make things difficult—what is your intention? Furthermore, when did this top couplet become yours? Can your Zhan Family be any more shameless? Do you have any semblance of noble bearing left for a distinguished family?"

Jun Moxie adopted an air of righteous indignation, angrily pointing an accusing finger.

"What, is the great genius Mo scared now?"

Seeing the possessor of the Ethereal Constitution suddenly lose his former composure and appear agitated, Zhan Yushu couldn't help but gloat inwardly.

Good thing you handed me such a perfect topic. How could such an eternal, absolute couplet be answered in a moment? Especially since he himself admitted he couldn't match it immediately—it's the perfect way to corner someone. I was honestly wondering how anyone could stump you before. This time you’ve brought a rock down on your own foot, and it’s a solid crack! This feeling is simply too good. "I do not accept this method for the third round!"

Jun Moxie frowned, appearing unconcerned. "This is simply unreasonable troublemaking on your part!"

"Oh? Is the great genius Mo preparing to concede?"

Zhan Qingfeng asked sinisterly.

"A joke! How could I concede? How could I lose?"

Jun Moxie displayed an expression of bluster covering inner panic. "It's just that I need time to think it over properly."

"Then take your time thinking. As long as you figure it out today, that’s fine! We are in no rush, so no one can say we're bullying you! We have plenty of time!"

Zhan Yushu was quite pleased. You spent several years failing to match this couplet before; how could you possibly succeed in just half a day? It was impossible for him to come up with the answer now!

A moment of silence fell between the two sides, then Jun Moxie suddenly spoke again. "Unfortunately, I still find this arrangement deeply unfair! You are using my own prompt to set me up—what a ridiculous situation!"

Jun Moxie knitted his brows. "Besides, there's no benefit involved. Who would gamble with you over something extra like this?"

"May I ask what the great genius Mo desires?"

Zhan Yushu sneered coldly. "Name any condition you wish, as long as you can match the bottom line! Everything else is negotiable!"

What is 'bluster covering inner panic'? This is it. He clearly feels he has no hope of matching the bottom line and is trying to weasel out of it. When it comes to reneging, I am the master of this art. I must block every excuse you try to use. Since you definitely can't match the bottom line, what does it matter how many conditions I agree to!

"Are the conditions truly open to my choosing? That's excellent. Actually, my condition is quite simple, one I believe both of you brothers can easily fulfill. I just want to know exactly how you control Lin Qingyin, compelling such a noble and refined scholar to compete for you, and also, what benefits did you offer Qi Wanjie? If I manage to match the bottom line, I demand that in front of everyone, you recount the entire process without concealing a single detail. Of course, the prerequisite is that you must swear a Blood Oath to guarantee its truthfulness. As for the oath's wording, you don't need to bother thinking; just copy the one from before!"

Jun Moxie chuckled, indeed setting forth a "simple" condition that the Zhan brothers could meet but would certainly never agree to.

Originally, Jun Moxie had no intention of involving himself in this affair!

His primary goal for this trip was, after all, the Seven-Colored Sacred Tree. No matter how ambitious the Zhan Family was, they had no bearing on him! No matter how many talents the Zhan Family possessed, they lacked the capability to infiltrate the Heavenly Punishment Forest! Although the Zhan Family practically monopolized power in Huanfu, in Jun Moxie's eyes, they held little weight!

The internal strife of Huanfu was also irrelevant to him. In fact, the more chaotic Huanfu became, the less time they would have to interfere with the Profound Profound Continent!

If they were wiped out completely, it wouldn't matter...

But having been pressed step by step to this point, the Zhan Family’s repeated, shameless aggression had truly started to annoy Jun Moxie! The trouble was, he couldn't reveal his true strength yet. Moreover, even if he could, the current actions of the Zhan brothers were, on the surface, merely personal conduct and not necessarily linked to the entire Zhan Family. It hadn't reached the point where he should spill blood across the entire city in a fit of rage...

Secondly, he couldn't help but consider Miao Xiaomiao. Since meeting her, this woman wearing a veil had constantly been helping him, backing him up at every turn. If she hadn't been here today, he likely wouldn't even have the semblance of fairness and impartiality he currently enjoyed!

Miao Xiaomiao, as a mere woman, risking exposure in a non-familial relationship and one so newly formed, worked tirelessly on his behalf. How could Jun Moxie not be moved?

Huanfu was currently dominated by the Miao Family. If the Zhan Family harbored ambitions of seizing power, the Miao Family would inevitably be the first target. Only by overthrowing the Miao Family could the Zhan Family rise!

Jun Moxie felt that having accepted Miao Xiaomiao's assistance, it would be morally wrong for him to remain indifferent to the Zhan Family's conspiracies, as it would violate his principles of acting according to his heart and seeking straightforward retribution.

However, he lacked a suitable excuse at the moment. Coincidentally, Zhan Yushu offered the proposition of open terms, so he naturally decided to go along with the flow. This was precisely why the young master Jun adopted this guise of foolishness and played out the current scene.

In reality, Young Master Jun never expected the Zhan brothers to actually reveal all their secret manipulations. What Jun Moxie truly wanted was merely their "agreement." Once he won this round, regardless of whether the Zhan brothers disclosed their clandestine methods or not, the outcome would remain the same.

Because once this day's events were combined and relayed back by Miao Xiaomiao, it would certainly draw intense scrutiny from the high-ranking members of the Miao Family towards the Zhan Family!

By then, if the Zhan Family wished to plot their schemes silently as before, it would surely be much more difficult...

Any old power-broker who has lived a long life and wields great authority is not easily fooled; none of them are docile lambs! These old foxes have all risen through years of conspiracy and calculation.

Therefore, Jun Moxie proposed this condition that seemed irrelevant to him but was critically important to the Zhan and Miao Families!

Zhan Qingfeng and Zhan Yushu were both momentarily stunned. Why did he ask for this? Had he detected something, or was he deliberately making things difficult to evade the couplet challenge?

And what practical meaning did setting such a condition have? Even if you couldn't match the bottom line, even if you luckily succeeded, if we flatly deny any coercion or temptation used on those two, what could you possibly do to us? Or perhaps there was some hidden trickery involved? The only critical point now was that Blood Oath—must they really swear it again? (To be continued. If you wish to know what happens next, support the author and authentic reading!)