Mysteries of Immortal Puppet Master

Chapter 1564: Chapter 646: Foundation Establishment

Three Lights Heavenly Dao Cave Mansion.

The mountain path outside the cave mansion was serene, with a gentle cloud tide brushing against the green stone steps, like a silent white ribbon winding around the mountainside.

Tunneling light descended from the sky, wind stirring the garments, the jade pendant clinked softly.

The visitor arrived at the cave mansion’s entrance, gathered their spirit light, softened their steps, and presented the visit letter.

Ning Zhuo sat deep within the cave mansion.

Gongsun Yan stepped forward with a visit letter, approached Ning Zhuo, and whispered, "Young Master, Situ Xing has arrived first."

Ning Zhuo glanced at the visit letter and reached out to take it.

Situ Xing’s handwriting was sharp, the strokes hidden and restrained, like a sword sheathed.

The paper of the visit letter glimmered with faint starlight, and as Ning Zhuo’s fingertip touched it, a coolness seeped through his skin like a slender spring. He said, "Invite him in."

Gongsun Yan acknowledged and withdrew.

Situ Xing wore a dark robe, the waist belt deep black as ink, the cuffs embroidered with dense star patterns. The long sword behind him remained sheathed, yet a cold sword intent drifted through the air of the cave mansion with his steps.

Starlight fell upon his brow and eyes, accentuating his stern visage.

"Brother Ning." Situ Xing greeted with a simple bow.

Ning Zhuo rose to return the gesture, smiling, "I didn’t expect Brother Situ to arrive first."

Situ Xing’s lips moved, as if wanting to smile, but ultimately only a barely visible curve appeared: "If I were slower, Shen Xi and Lin Jinglong would have beaten me here."

Ning Zhuo invited him to sit.

Situ Xing placed his hand on his knee, fingers slightly tightening: "The Three Brave of Xiang Sect, I’ve heard of their many achievements since the beginning of my cultivation. These three share life and death, their foundations intertwined, and ordinary Golden Core Cultivators rarely even have the chance to flee when encountering them."

Situ Xing’s voice grew deeper: "Brother Ning, I’ve had a duel with you and witnessed your three matches against Flowing Gold Guest. I’m certain you still have many things unshown."

"But this time, you face the Three Brave of Xiang Sect."

Situ Xing shook his head and took out a small box from his sleeve.

The box was thin and exquisite, no more than three inches long and about two inches wide, crafted entirely from star-patterned black wood.

The lid was plain, devoid of complex decorations.

Situ Xing placed the wooden box on the table, sliding it in front of Ning Zhuo: "This item is called Astral Tribulation-Shifting Chess."

Ning Zhuo’s gaze tightened.

Situ Xing opened the wooden box.

Inside the box lay quietly two chess pieces.

One black, one white. The black piece was smooth as night, its surface dotted with faint starlight, like a distant starry river reflected in a deep well.

The white piece was bright as frost, edged with a delicate silver halo, upon closer inspection one could see concentric chess patterns embedded within, forming a miniature starboard.

The two chess pieces clearly motionless, yet faintly connected by a thread of Qi Mechanism.

Star light from the cave mansion poured over them; the white piece trembled slightly, and the black piece emitted a low hum from the box like lingering strings.

Situ Xing pinched the black piece between two fingers.

His fingers were long, the pads bearing calluses from years of sword cultivation. The black piece turned between his fingers, starlight falling upon the chess surface, seemingly swallowed and dissolved within.

"Among Cultivation Hundred Skills, chess emphasizes layout, eye play, ko fights, and sacrifice of pieces. This treasure embodies the ’ko’ aspect," Situ Xing said, "The white piece acts as the anchor for return, the black piece as the guide for movement. To use it, one must first place the white piece in a safe location and secure it with Mana. In critical moments, activating the black piece lets one shift back to the location of the white piece."

As he spoke, his fingertip gently bounced.

The black piece traced a slender bright arc through the air, landing on the table.

Ping.

A clear sound, and a palm-sized star-patterned chessboard suddenly appeared on the table. The silver lines crisscrossed nineteen paths, disappearing in a flash, the starlight within the cave mansion also slightly shifted, seemingly drawn by an unseen position.

Ning Zhuo’s eyes lit with a hint of interest: "How far can it traverse?"

Situ Xing replied, "Golden Core Treasure, with a maximum range of three hundred miles. In places like the Myriad Images Sect’s Main Mountain Gate, dense with formations, the distance will be compressed to tens of miles, or even shorter. If encountering Nascent Soul level experts sealing space with their Mana, success depends on the intensity of their seal. Faced with Taoist Artifact... don’t expect it to prevail."

He stated cleanly, with not a hint of exaggeration.

Ning Zhuo nodded. This forthrightness from Situ Xing added credibility to his words.

Situ Xing returned the black piece to the box: "This item is not an Attack Treasure. It grants only one complete shift opportunity. Once used, the black piece will crack, and the white piece will shatter. If only used to move small objects, it might last a few more times. If moving a person, then only one tribulation."

One tribulation. There are ko fights on the chessboard, and cultivator life-and-death has its tribulations too. A single thought, worlds apart.

Ning Zhuo reached out, gently stroking the edge of the wooden box.

The ebony was cool to the touch, the grain hiding starlight, calm and solemn.

"Thank you, Brother Situ," Ning Zhuo said.

Situ Xing rose. He arrived swiftly and departed without dilly-dallying. Before leaving the door, he paused.

"Ning Zhuo." He didn’t turn, his voice not loud but clear, "If you really face the Three Brave of Xiang Sect, don’t think about fighting over momentary pride. On the chessboard, only those who survive have the right to finish the game."

Ning Zhuo responded: "I have learned."

As Situ Xing walked out, Shen Xi arrived.

He and Situ Xing were entirely different in demeanor.

Shen Xi wore a dark blue long robe, the fabric smooth like freshly tailored, the cuffs and collar embroidered with dense Nine Palaces patterns, neatly arranged.

Upon entering the cave, Shen Xi’s gaze first fell on the star-patterned wooden box not yet put away. His eyelashes moved slightly, then returned to normal.

Ning Zhuo did not conceal it.

Shen Xi laughed: "Haha, let Situ Xing beat me by a step."