DEMI GODS AND SEMI DEVILS BOOK 4 OF 5 (SONG OF THE CAVE IMMORTAL) by Jin Yong

Victory Or Defeat, How Can It Be Predicted? - Part 4

Duan YanQing has extremely high chess skill, previously he played chess with the Yellow-Brow Monk at Dali, he dominated the match and the Yellow-Brow Monk was unable to ward him off, currently, after removing a large group of white chess-piece the situation reversed, he no longer needs to worry about the life and death of that large group of white chess-piece, his no long blocked by his own troops, instead he can move around freely which is vastly different from previous situation where he got trapped in.

Jiumozhi, Murong Fu and the rest are unaware that Duan YanQing is secretly guiding, Xu Zhu chess moves are wonderful and brilliant, he captured two small group of black chess-piece in succession, everyone cannot help but cheer.

XuanNan muttered to himself: "Originally, this chess match is tangled in gains and losses, victory and defeat, thus no one can break it, when Xu Zhu made his move he didn't care about life or death, he didn't care about victory or defeat, unexpectedly he manage to break through this life and death situation and finally free himself......" XuanNan comprehended the principles faintly, however his still hesitant and unsure, he spent his entire life studying martial arts, however its different from the martial arts prescribed by Buddhism, suddenly he pondered: "Deaf Mute Old Man and the Eight Friends of HanGu indulged in miscellaneous skills, in the end their martial arts fell short against Ding ChunQiu, previously i make fun of them and say they deviate from their original path. But i spent my entire life practicing martial arts, i was not diligent in practicing Buddhist meditation, i am anxious about life and death, i am even worse and also deviate from my original path." As he thought of this, his entire body break out in cold sweat.

Initially, Duan Yu paid close attention to the chess match, but afterwards he just stare at Wang YuYan, he became even more dejected as he look at her, Wang YuYan's gaze never left Murong Fu. Duan Yu pondered: "Its better for me to simply leave, its better for me to simply leave! I will only suffer more misery if i stay here, maybe i will even vomit blood." But how can he willingly take his gaze off Wang YuYan? His in deep thoughts: "I will wait for Miss Wang to turn her head over to me, then i will tell her: 'Miss Wang, congratulations in meeting your cousin, today fate brought us together and we see each other again. I will be leaving now!' if she reply: 'Ok, please leave!' then i will simply leave. But if she reply: 'There is no hurry, i still have something to say to you' then i will stay and wait for her instruction."

However in reality, Duan Yu is fully aware that Wang YuYan will never turn around and look at him, she will never say: 'There is no hurry, i still have something to say to you'. Suddenly, Wang YuYan's head started moving slightly. Duan Yu heart start thumping madly: "She is turning her head over!" but she only gave a soft sigh and call out softly: "Cousin!"

Murong Fu's attention is focused on the chess match, he saw the white chess-piece had gained the upper hand, its currently advancing forward and pressing, he thought: "I can come up with these few moves easily. But the first move is always difficult, the first move is simply too weird, i will never be able to think of it." Unexpectedly he did not hear Wang YuYan calling him.

Wang YuYan gave another soft sigh and she slowly turns her head.

DuanYu's heart start jumping madly: "She is turning her head over! She is turning her head over!"

Sure enough, the pretty face of Wang YuYan turn and face him. Du Yan saw she is slightly depress, there is hidden bitterness in her eyes, he pondered: "After arriving with Murong Fu, her expression was always happy and joyous, how come she is not happy now? Don't tell me.....don't tell me she worry about me a little?" her gaze move to the right and interlocked with his, Duan Yu took a step forward, his about to say: "Miss Wang, you have something to say?" but Wang YuYan's gaze slowly move away and look at a distant place, once again her gaze return back to Murong Fu.

Duan Yu's heart plunged, he felt endlessly agony: "She did look at me, but it is 10 times worse than if she didn't look at me at all. She look at me but she still ignore me. She look at me but i never registered in her heart. She is only thinking about the affairs of her cousin, why would she even care about Duan Yu. Sigh, its better to simply leave, its better to simply leave!"

As for Xu Zhu, he followed the instructions of Duan YanQing and made another move, looking at the current situation, no matter how the black chess-piece responds it will definitely be taken by the white chess-piece, but if the black chess-piece takes a step back then the white chess-piece can rush out of this encirclement, at that time the white chess-piece will have the entire field and the black chess-piece will not be able to keep up anymore.

Su XingHe pondered for a long time, he smiled and made a move. Duan YanQing transmitted his voice: "7th row 8th column!" Xu Zhu followed his instruction, although Xu Zhu chess skill is poor but he still knows enough and his aware that the 'Zhen Long' is already broken, he clap his hands and smiled: "It seems its over?"

Su XingHe is smiling, he cupped his hands and said: "Little divine monk is talented and brave, congratulations."

Xu Zhu quickly returns the courtesy and said: "I don't dare, i didn't make this......" his about to say that he receives guidance from his martial grandfather, the voice transmitted into his ear again: "You cannot reveal this secret between us. You are still in danger, you have to be extra cautious." Xu Zhu thought it was another instruction from XuanNan, he immediately said: "Yes, yes!"

Su XingHe stood up and said: "My Master arrange this chess formation, for over 10 years no one is able to break it, little divine monk finally broke this 'Zhen Long', i really can't thank you enough." Xu Zhu don't understand the underlying reason, he said modestly: "Its just an accident, its all thanks to the elders here, old senior you really flatter me, i don't deserve your praise."

Su XingHe walk to the front of the three wooden house, he held out his hand to respectfully welcome the guest and said: "Little divine monk, please enter!"

Xu Zhu saw these three houses are really odd, there are no doors, he don't know how to enter or what his suppose to do when he enters, he stood at his location and is undecided. Suddenly the voice transmit into his ear again: "You finally open up a path on the chess match, its all due to a hard and painful battle. There is no door on the wooden house, just use your Shaolin martial arts to forcibly create a path." Xu Zhu said: "Please pardon my offense!" he entered into horse stance, he raise his right hand and strike his palm on the wooden board.

His martial art is limited, previously Ding ChunQiu wave his sleeve and he immediately collapsed, the XingXiu disciples captured him easily, his situation was really lucky and he manage to preserve his internal energy. But in front of so many martial art experts, his palm strength is really insignificant and not worth mentioning, luckily the wooden board is not strong, there is a 'KaLa' sound and the wooden board split open to reveal a small crack. Xu Zhu strike his palm 2 more times and finally manage to cleave open the wooden board, but his palm already felt painful.

Crocodile Deity of Southern Sea burst into loud laughter and said: "The hard and strong skill of Shaolin is really sloppy and ordinary." Xu Zhu turn his head and said: "Junior monk is the most useless disciple from Shaolin, my martial art is superficial, but it doesn't mean the martial arts of Shaolin is lousy." Suddenly the voice transmit into his ear: "Quickly enter, don't turn your head back, ignore the bystanders!" Xu Zhu said: "Yes!" he move forward and quickly entered the house.

He heard Ding ChunQiu shout: "This is the house of my sect, little monk how can you enter without permission?" immediately there is two loud slamming sound, Xu Zhu felt a burst of strong wind coming at him, its trying to drag him back out, but immediately after he felt two violent force bumping his back and buttocks, he cannot help but somersault straight into the house.

Xu Zhu narrowly escape death, just now Ding ChunQiu send out his palm and made a sneak attack, his trying to kill him, Jiumozhi use his [Controlling Crane Skill] to try and drag him out. But Duan YanQing use his crutch to block the palm from Ding ChunQiu, Su XingHe stood between Xu Zhu and Jiumozhi, his left hand dissipate the [Controlling Crane Skill], his right palm smack two times and send Xu Zhu into the house.

The power in the two palm is strong and violent, Xu Zhu body smash through a wooden partition and his forehead smash through another wooden partition again, he became dizzy and disorientated, he fainted, after a long time he finally stood up and touch his forehead, its already swollen and there is a huge lump. He look around, the house is deserted and empty. He tried to look for a door but the house did not have any windows or doors, there is only a hole made when he smash through the wooden partition. He stand around stupidly and finally thought of crawling out through the hole.

But suddenly he heard a deep and low voice of an old man coming from a wooden partition: "Since your here, why you still wish to go out?"

Xu Zhu turn his body around and said: "I invite old senior to give direction and point out the path."

The voice said: "You create your own path, nobody can teach you. My chess formation, no one can break it for over 10 years, you finally broke it today, what are you waiting for come over here!"

When Xu Zhu heard the words 'my chess formation' his hairs stood up and he cannot help but be terrified, he trembled and said: "You....you....." he heard Su XingHe narrate how the chess formation was created by his 'deceased master', but this voice, is it human or ghost? The voice said again: "Opportunity is fleeting, i waited for 30 years, i don't have much time to wait for you anymore, good child, quickly come here!"

The voice is kind and benevolent, evidently he did not have any evil intention, immediately Xu Zhu use his left shoulder to bang the wooden partition, 'KaLa KaLa', the wooden board had long decayed and rot, a hole open up immediately.

Xu Zhu gave a quick glance and entered, he was startled, its yet another deserted room, however a person is sitting in midair. The first thought that came to his mind was: "Ghost!" he was so frighten that he wanted to turn around and escape, but he hear the person say: "Sigh, its a little monk! Sigh, its a ugly little monk, difficult, difficult, difficult! Sigh, difficult, difficult, difficult!"

Xu Zhu heard him sigh 3 times and said 'difficult' 6 times, he concentrated and look at the man, he finally saw clearly, it seems there is a black rope around the body of the man, the rope is attached to a beam and his suspended in midair. But the wooden partition is coloured black, the rope is also black, thus he can't differentiate the rope immediately and he assumed the man is sitting in midair.