[Name]: He Jiemin
[Realm]: Myriad Law Realm - Stage 5
[Destiny Template]: Chess Player (Gold)
[Attributes]: Predicting Heavenly Secrets (Gold), Fortune's Backlash (Black), The Chess Master (Blue)
[Chess Player]: You have a natural talent for games of strategy and are extremely sensitive to the pieces on the board.
[Predicting Heavenly Secrets]: You possess a special method to perceive the secrets of heaven. [Fortune's Backlash]: You will soon make an erroneous decision, resulting in a backlash from fortune itself.
[The Chess Master]: The world is the board, all living things are the pieces. You are a terrifying chess player.
[Fate]: Because he misjudged Lin Yun's strength and his own power, he is killed...
[Recent Turning Point]: In the battle with Lin Yun, he recognizes the gap in their strength and swiftly changes his fighting style. Using the Star-Scattered Chessboard, he successfully suppresses the tactically-unskilled Lin Yun, but overlooks the overall strategic layout.
In a battle between masters, just a single glance was enough for Fang Yu'er to know that the fight between these two would be incredibly fierce. As for who would have the last laugh, no one could say for sure. Even she couldn't see through it. The two men might look simple enough, but when they went all out, it was a different story.
Prince Zuo Cheng had been extremely worried, especially since all of his other men were no match for Lin Yun. If he were to actually die here, it would be a complete joke. He had not yet conquered his great empire. There were still so many places in this world he had yet to see. He absolutely could not die here like this.
"Ahem, Mister He, I'll have to rely on you for this," the prince said. "This boy doesn't know what's good for him. He needs to be taught a good lesson today."
Hearing the prince's words, He Jiemin just smiled faintly. "What is Your Highness saying? We came here this time precisely to ensure your safety. No matter what this boy wants to do, since he has dared to show you such great disrespect, we naturally have a reason to kill him."
He Jiemin had been itching to make a move for some time. If he really let Lin Yun expose everything about the Crimson Ghost Sect, the consequences would be dire.
But just then, Lin Yun spoke. "Prince Zuo Cheng, I know you desperately want to kill me, but don't you want to know what your allies from the Shangqing Temple are truly plotting? Do you really think those people are acting out of the goodness of their hearts, just to help you?"
Faced with the prince, Lin Yun spared no effort in planting his seeds of doubt.
Prince Zuo Cheng, as expected, began to ponder this. He had also found it curious before. The Shangqing Temple was an incredibly powerful sect. Even if they were looking for a partner, it should have been His Majesty the Emperor. The resources he controlled were not enough to warrant such an随意 (suíyì - casual/arbitrary) allocation of their power. Yet, they had come to him.
"Your Highness, there is no time to waste on this boy! I fear he is just trying to stall for time. It will be troublesome if the Emperor's reinforcements arrive!" He Jiemin interjected. If His Majesty seized this opportunity, all of their previous efforts would be wasted. Even Prince Zuo Cheng couldn't just stand by and watch that happen.
"Give this fellow a quick end. Let this matter be over and done with," the prince commanded. "As for what comes after, I will naturally explain it to His Majesty myself."
Lin Yun's expression turned grim. He hadn't expected Prince Zuo Cheng to actually order the attack.
"Prince Zuo Cheng, I came here this time to give you some intelligence. To be honest, before I…"
Before Lin Yun could finish his sentence, the scene before him suddenly changed. In the next moment, he found himself standing in the middle of a starry void.
He Jiemin, now clad in a white battle robe, stood far in the distance. In front of him stood rows of soldiers, their expressions emotionless, staring at Lin Yun like stone statues.
"What is this place?" Lin Yun wondered. "Another dimension? No… that's not right. Nothing here feels real." He looked around, bewildered, with no idea how he had arrived here. But he quickly realized that this place was not real.
He Jiemin spoke. "Of all the young men I have seen, you are certainly the most peculiar. Back then, to control the disobedient sword cultivators, Gu Xiande changed their method of cultivation. He thought that would be enough to bring all of them under his control, but he never expected that, in the end, a little monster like you would still appear."
As he said this, He Jiemin's tone held a note of genuine admiration. He had to admit, Lin Yun's performance in this battle had been truly impressive. He had single-handedly taken down all the numerous experts in the entire princely estate. This was an outcome that even Prince Zuo Cheng would be too embarrassed to speak of. It was a complete humiliation.
"Hmph, compared to you people, I am truly nothing," Lin Yun retorted. "Do you have any idea what your actions will bring? The appearance of the Zhenhuang Hall means endless pain and nightmares. This world barely avoided such a disaster, yet you people this time…"
Lin Yun was genuinely angry. Compared to the people before him, the so-called Zhenhuang Hall seemed to be nothing special in their eyes. He couldn't understand it. Why did they speak of these things so lightly, when achieving them was anything but simple?
"Hmph, what is the meaning of you saying all this to me here?" He Jiemin said, annoyed. "Do you think that just by stopping the Crimson Ghost Sect, this won't happen? Look at the entire cultivation world. This is an unchangeable cycle. The Zhenhuang Hall will always appear after a certain period of time. This time, it is merely a bit earlier."
He Jiemin couldn't be bothered to explain further. "You are now within my Star-Scattered Chessboard. Next, you will obediently accept your fate. I know you are strong, boy, but I would like to see just what special tricks you have up your sleeve."
He Jiemin made his move. The soldier-like chess pieces beside him began to advance on Lin Yun, step by step.
And Lin Yun's own pieces? They stood like wooden figures, completely motionless.
Faced with the powerful enemy pieces, they were defeated in an instant.
At first, he hadn't paid it much mind. But when he saw one of his pawns being captured, he felt his own Yuan Qi instantly weaken. He immediately realized that all of this was inextricably linked to him.
This man… was he using chess pieces to fight?