I entered the annex, recalling Han Baoling's sword techniques. Although there were eyes watching me, they soon disappeared. After meditating and pondering those techniques for about half an hour, I still couldn't figure it out and sighed deeply.
"Huuu..."
I have no idea what's going on.
' Huashen Style?'
It was one of the martial arts schools that had supported the White Lotus Sect, just like the Fengshen Style. I couldn't confront him about it right there, so I let it go, but if what he said was true, Han Baoling's martial arts were also related to the White Lotus Sect.
I hadn't really heard much about the Huashen Style from Li Guang. Unlike the Fengshen Style, which was a bitter rival, the Huashen Style was just something that existed. In fact, whenever I tried to ask about it, Li Guang would show clear signs of annoyance.
Thinking about it now, his reaction seemed closer to 'not wanting to mention it' rather than 'not knowing.' That alone was evidence that Li Guang actually knew a lot about the Huashen Style. As I was thinking about all this, Han Jincheng entered the annex, opening the door.
"Mr. Bai Xiong, you are quite an interesting person."
Han Jincheng, the young master of the Han family, still had a dazzling appearance. I was surprised by his sudden visit and slightly raised my body, but he said,
"In the past ten years, the family head has rarely shown such interest in someone else, let alone revealed a secret technique. It's truly remarkable."
"What do you mean? Just seeing that one move won't make my martial arts improve. I'm not some great genius."
I growled, feeling that his words were mocking me.
The Dark Scripture Martial Arts Competition is only two days away. Gaining enlightenment from just one sword move and becoming stronger by then is something that only happens in novels. I even thought that both Han Baoling and Han Jincheng were just toying with me.
However, Han Jincheng smiled strangely and snapped his fingers.
Then, two beautiful maids walked in from beyond the door and placed a large wooden board on the floor. When I looked, I saw that it had 19 lines drawn on it. I knew what it was and muttered,
"Go (Weiqi)?"
It was a game where black and white stones were alternately placed to compete for territory, and the winner was determined by the superiority of the territory. Despite its simplicity, it required considerable mental agility and judgment, which is why scholars enjoyed it. I had also played it occasionally with Wang Liang to clear my head during my three years of study.
Han Jincheng said,
"Do you know how to play?"
"I only know the basics. Why did you bring this?"
"Let's play a casual game, if you don't mind."
I glanced at the board and said bluntly,
"Fine. My head is already aching, why should I play this?"
"Haha. Haven't you been on adventures countless times? If you take a little time for me, you'll gain something."
"......"
I knew Han Jincheng had some intention in playing Go, so I had no choice but to sit opposite him. My mind was in turmoil, and I really wanted to clear my head.
"Alright."
"You can take black. I'll take white."
"Black is advantageous, is that okay?"
"You said you only know the basics."
"I'm not that easy to underestimate."
Wang Liang was so skilled that I always lost when we played, but he often praised my abilities. Whether it was out of consideration or not, I was confident in my ability to read the board and make moves. Han Jincheng said,
"Since playing casually isn't fun, let's make a bet."
"What kind of bet?"
"The loser will grant the winner one wish."
"... Alright."
Han Jincheng is the young master of the Han family. If he wanted to, taking my life would be as easy as turning a hand, so I accepted without hesitation. After all, I felt like I was going to die soon anyway, so I was somewhat resigned.
The game began. I started placing my stones calmly, following the orthodox strategy. After about fifty moves, Han Jincheng said, looking surprised,
"You are indeed quite skilled. I'm one of the best players among the scholars in Luoyang..."
"Focus on the game."
"Haha..."
Han Jincheng smiled and placed a stone.
Clack
"The major battle has begun."
As he said, the game on the board suddenly turned into a fierce struggle between my black and his white. This was entirely because Han Jincheng had refused a simple game and instead opted for a decisive battle. It was a fight where it was hard to predict who would win. When I glanced at Han Jincheng, he said,
"Win or lose, that's the way it is."
"I will survive."
"Then show me how."
Clack
Clack
The game progressed rapidly, with over a dozen moves in quick succession. I was playing to my usual level, but suddenly the game became difficult as two major battles emerged. I was in deep thought when Han Jincheng said,
"Can you read the board?"
"To be honest, I'm not sure."
"Most skilled players wouldn't be able to read this board. I deliberately made it complex."
I raised an eyebrow.
"It sounds like you intended for it to be this way."
"Exactly. I guided it."
"Don't get too cocky. If you guided it, I wouldn't have missed it."
Han Jincheng smiled.
"If you don't believe me, I'll end this game in a draw."
"Rubbish!"
It was impossible. If I couldn't sense any signs, how could he make such a move? Determined to save my major battle and humble him, I racked my brain and played hard. About half an hour passed.
Clack
"......!!"
I felt a sense of futility with Han Jincheng's move.
'How could this... It's a draw.'
I didn't need to finish the game to know. My major battle seemed doomed but survived, and Han Jincheng's territory also recovered. As we both found ways to survive, we ended up with perfectly equal territories. It was a perfect draw.
Losing my words, I looked at Han Jincheng, who said,
"How about it? Is it fair?"
"... So what? Did you come here in the middle of the night just to show off your Go skills?"
"Huh... You still don't understand."
Han Jincheng sighed softly and said,
"Survive first, then kill. After you survive, you can plan to kill others. I didn't manipulate the game; I just appropriately blocked your repeated aggressive moves. That alone allowed me to cover my weaknesses and find a way to save your major battle."
"......!!"
My face felt hot. His words resonated with me. I thought I was making brilliant moves, but all of them were read by Han Jincheng. It wasn't just a difference in skill but in the attitude towards the game.
As I was silent, Han Jincheng said,
"Remember, surviving can be winning."
"Surviving is winning...?"
I had never thought of it that way, so I repeated his words in a daze. Han Jincheng nodded.
"What's difficult about rushing in and fighting for life and death? Even a child with a sword can challenge an adult. The important thing is deciding when and how to use that sword. Otherwise, you'll end up being trampled by the strong, mocked, and your will crushed. That's life."
"......"
"Rest well."
Han Jincheng said this and left the annex.
I pondered Han Jincheng's words.
Luck?
'Oh... Now that I think about it, I've been incredibly lucky this time.'
I felt as if cold water had been poured over my head, realizing that my journey since entering Luoyang had been a series of lucky breaks. If that official hadn't mentioned the Han family, and if I hadn't thought of becoming a guest of the Han family, what would have happened? By now, dozens or hundreds of Luoyang experts would have been fighting to the death to kill me and get the gold ingots. If the elite members of the Demonic Path's Asura Sect had joined, I would have likely died in an unknown place, just like before.
Avoiding such a future, getting a safe hiding place, obtaining information about the Dark Scripture Martial Arts Competition, and even seeing the secret techniques of the Huashen Style could only be described as incredible luck. If I had chosen any other path, I would have certainly died.
Looking back, it was as if a million-to-one chance had befallen me. I had rarely experienced such luck in my previous reincarnations, so I felt a bit dazed as I reflected on the past.
"Can't be..."
At that moment, I recalled a conversation with Tian Wuzhen.
[That's right. I offered the technique of the Dark Night to the Venerable Tai Xu to shake off misfortune. Thanks to this, you, the future owner of the Dark Night, will receive a great gift from the Venerable Tai Xu.]
[Gift? What kind of gift?]
[I don't know. But since the Venerable Tai Xu is a god who interferes with fate, it might be related to that.]
"......!!"
I opened my eyes wide.
This level of luck could only mean one thing.
The Venerable Tai Xu had interfered with my fate and bestowed me with luck! Despite my casual approach, where I could have died at any moment, my life had remained intact, and I had grasped the threads of fortune—this was the result of the Venerable Tai Xu enhancing my luck due to the technique of the Dark Night.
'No, no, that can't be... I can't be so sure.'
But soon, I could confirm this prediction.
Whoosh!!
"......!!"
After about eight weeks of meditating and practicing, sometimes pondering Han Baoling's sword moves, something happened. It seemed that some experts from the Asura Sect had come to invite me to the competition, but they left under the pressure of the Han family. Just as I was stuck in a routine of endless practice, a sudden enlightenment struck me. My mind became incredibly clear, and I realized the parts where I had been struggling with the Thundering Shadow Treasure Killing Technique.
That's right.
If my talent was lacking, I could just adapt the Xuantian Divine Skill!
The Wudang Sect's Xuantian Divine Skill was a different flow that supported the eight meridians of my body, unlike the Thundering Spirit Technique. I had only used it as an additional channel for my energy because my qi was so abundant. But upon reflection, the Xuantian Divine Skill had a power that helped understand the flow of yin and yang and enhanced brain function, a traditional feature of Wudang's divine skills.
It worked!
I tried the Thundering Shadow Treasure Killing Technique while incorporating the incantations of the Xuantian Divine Skill, and my brain easily adapted to performing multiple calculations at once. It helped me execute the complex and intricate moves of the Thundering Shadow Treasure Killing Technique much more smoothly! I realized that I had suddenly advanced to a proficient level in the technique, as if I had practiced for years.
Moreover, the inspiration I got from Han Baoling's sword moves filled the gaps in the Thundering Shadow Sword Technique, making the illusions and transformations even more intense. My martial arts had improved dramatically, as if my previous clumsiness had been a lie.
This wasn't due to my intelligence. It was a supreme level of luck, a rare inspiration that might come once in a lifetime, now firmly attached to me. It was clearly artificial.
"Damn...!!"
I cursed, tears streaming down my face, overjoyed.
It was truly unexpected, but thanks to the Dark Night, I had a gut feeling that my future reincarnations would be much easier due to this luck.