Beyond Lingtai Temple, one could see the mountains stretching in all directions, a view that was breathtakingly clear. Yun Qianyue could even spot the northern mountain pavilion and waterfall where she and Ye Qingran had grilled fish. She wondered whether it was her vision or the exceptional vantage point here that allowed her to see so far.
Yun Qianyue couldn't help but admire, "Indeed, this is a true 'To ascend and view all mountains as small' moment, fitting not only for Mount Tai but for here as well."
"Mount Tai? Where is that?" Rongjing halted and looked back at her, his calm gaze glinting with curiosity.
"You wouldn't know even if I told you!" Yun Qianyue replied smugly, raising her eyebrows.
"'To ascend and view all mountains as small'—quite fitting," Rongjing observed, leaving the question alone. He continued walking, then suddenly leaped and descended straight down the cliff.
"What?" Yun Qianyue, watching Rongjing, couldn't help but widen her eyes in shock. She rushed barefoot to the edge of the cliff where he had disappeared. Peering over the edge, all she could see was dense mist, stretching endlessly downward, with no bottom in sight. The cliff's height must have been thousands of feet. For a moment, she thought Rongjing didn't look like someone who'd take his own life—but if he did meet his end, it would surely be a cause for celebration. She and Ye Qingran could clink glasses in a night of revelry.
As she entertained this pleasant thought, a light shadow suddenly emerged from the mist below, shooting up gracefully and landing back on the cliff in an instant, shattering her daydream. She couldn't help but click her tongue—so typical! Just when she'd hoped he'd perish and be rid of his pestilent ways. And that martial skill... it was enviably impressive.
Seeing Yun Qianyue crouched on the cliff edge barefoot, Rongjing raised his brow in mild surprise. "What, worried about me?"
"Only in your dreams! I just don't want to miss out on that orchid wine," Yun Qianyue replied, pulling herself back from the cliff's edge.
"Come along, then. I'll open it for you now." Rongjing's soft smile lingered as he returned to the stone Yun Qianyue had been sitting on earlier.
Yun Qianyue took a few steps before noticing her bare feet. While these weren't bound or constricted like some, they were still delicate, small, and alabaster-white. Clicking her tongue, she walked over the stones toward him, staring at the wine jar in his hands. "Is that really the ten-year-old wine you and the 'Half-Immortal' hid away? It doesn't have any fragrance at all."
"Half-Immortal?" Rongjing looked at her, puzzled.
"Ahem, that's what I call him," Yun Qianyue clarified. "Half-Immortal's nickname with me is 'Conman Sage.'"
"Haha, interesting! I've heard of Half-Immortal but not of 'Conman Sage,'" Rongjing chuckled, then answered her previous question. "If the scent leaked, the aroma would dissipate, losing its refined taste."
"Hurry up and open it, then!" Yun Qianyue licked her lips, feeling parched after the hike—this would be perfect to quench her thirst.
"Put your shoes back on first. Though it's early summer, the mountain top can be a bit chilly," Rongjing remarked gently, glancing at her bare feet.
"Such a busybody!" she muttered, putting on her shoes and socks.
"Go wash your hands in the spring water over there," Rongjing added.
With a frown, Yun Qianyue reluctantly rose and went to rinse her hands in the cool stream running from a rock crevice. Returning to sit in front of him, she urged, "Alright, time to open that precious wine!"
"Certainly." Rongjing gave a light press on the seal. With a pop, the cork shot out, releasing a wave of rich fragrance.
"Wow, is this top-tier brandy?" Yun Qianyue exclaimed, feeling enveloped by the aroma. The entire mountaintop seemed drenched in the scent, even the drifting wind absorbed it. She felt as though the world was suddenly bathed in the colors of blooming flowers; everything seemed exquisitely beautiful because of this wine.
"Brandy?" Rongjing looked at her, perplexed again.
"It just means it's an exceptional wine!" she explained offhandedly, her eyes fixed on the wine jar in his hands. The wine inside was a crystal-clear liquid, faintly tinged with blue, and with a blush of red—a color as alluring as a beauty's rouge. She reached out to grab it.
Rongjing evaded her grasp. "How about drinking while playing chess?"
"With wine, who needs chess? No way!" Yun Qianyue immediately shook her head.
"No chess, no wine," Rongjing replied.
"Fine, fine! We'll play. Do you even have a chessboard?" Yun Qianyue conceded, predicting that he wouldn't let her drink so easily.
Rongjing retrieved a board from his sleeve, handing it to her.
Yun Qianyue quickly took it, setting up the pieces with practiced speed and prompting him, "Hurry up!"
Taking out two cups, Rongjing placed one in front of each of them. Seeing her eager gaze, he said, "First, the rules. Three moves per round—whoever wins gets to drink; the loser... gets nothing."
"You're the Heavenly Saint's top prodigy! Isn't this just a way of denying me any wine at all?" she huffed. "No deal! You promised me half a jar. Are you going back on your word?"
"I did promise half a jar, but I never said you'd drink it all at once," Rongjing replied, and as she prepared to argue, he added calmly, "Let's play a Linglong Chess Game. This 'Linglong Chess Game' was crafted by a brilliant figure several centuries ago. It's never been solved. I stumbled upon it and found that it requires two players to play."
He continued, "With this game, whether or not one knows chess is irrelevant; it's entirely based on intuition. The game disregards inner strength, intelligence, or any strategizing—it purely tests one's ability to move in the moment. Trapped within the board, the game's mystery unfolds in layers like the shifting heavens. So, you see, it's still uncertain who will win and who will lose."
Intrigued, Yun Qianyue's eyes sparkled. "So mysterious?"
"Indeed," Rongjing nodded.
"Alright! So, do you know how to set it up?" she asked.
"There's a diagram here; we'll set it up together." Rongjing handed her a diagram.
Yun Qianyue accepted it and at first glance saw an ordinary game setup. But on closer inspection, she found it wasn't quite so simple. After a third look, she couldn't help but marvel. Every part of the game was like an intricate nine-ring puzzle, each move interlocking with the next. The creator of this board must have been incredibly skilled, a true mastermind. The name Linglong Chess Game was indeed well-deserved.
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The Dandy's Duchess
ChickLit"The Dandy's Duchess" tells the story of the youngest and most talented general of the National Security Bureau, who sacrifices his life for his country and finds his soul transported to another world, where he is reborn as Yun Qianyue, the only leg...
