"I trust him. He will win." the empress spoke as she had absolute faith in him.
The National Teacher asked, "Is he proficient in Go?"
"I don't know." the empress said with a mysterious smile.
National advisor shook her head in confusion.
Kai said with a mocking smile . "Are you afraid?"
The old man gritted his teeth. "Hmph!. Let's do it your way. I will keep my word if you win."
With a flick of his wrist, the Go board appeared out of thin air. Both sat down, preparing for the game.
DING!
[Detected Host need for Go skills]
[Reward granted – Go Master (Divine Level)]
["Host, you have mastered the go skill."]
Kai glanced at the board and smiled. "You can go first."
The old man scoffed. "Do you even know the first move gives an advantage? or are you trying to insult me?"
Kai grinned.. "Not only the first move, but two moves. Of course, you'll need it. Otherwise, the game would be too boring."
The game continued as both started to make his move. Old man scoffed, made his move with a little smile.
'Why is he so calm and indifferent even though he is at a disadvantage? Does he have a backup plan or is he just a fool who doesn't know what's going on.'
The old man, though annoyed, kept his composure and made his move as if he was confident enough about his victory, the thought of losing didn't crossed his mind.
Kai countered perfectly, blocking the old man's every move.
Old man smile faded out as Kai made a brilliant move even he can't think of, sweat began dripping from the old man's forehead.
'How is he doing this? Even with a two-move handicap, he's still outplaying me at every turn.'
"Why hasn't he given up?" Xiao Hong asked, confused and ignorant of the game. "Is the old man really caught in the game?"
Xiao Zheng, watching closely, replied, "The old man must have a plan. Let's wait and see."
The old man, now visibly shaken inside, could barely keep his composure.
'How can he see through every move I make?'
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the old man gave up. "I lost this game. Thank you for the game."
Everyone was stunned. The old man, known for his unmatched Go skills, had lost to Kai. The generals, furious, tried to sneak attack on old man's signal, but their strikes had no effect on Kai's protective barrier.
"Still as hard as a turtle shell," Xiao Zheng muttered, clearly frustrated.
Just as they were about to charge again, the old man stopped them with a sharp gesture. "Apologies, Emperor Kai."
Kai unfazed. "I won't see you off. Remember your promise. If you break it, there won't be a second chance."
Kai turned and walked back to the Empress's side, who smiled at him, her faith unwavering. Everyone present there chanted in unison "long live your majesty."
"You knew how to play. "the empress asked with a slightly shocked expression.
"I am good at many more things you will see later." Kai spoke lightly in empress ears.
…
"Let's go back," Old man sighed inwardly.
Xiao Zong, his voice filled with worry, asked, "But the Emperor…"
The old man shot him a glare, silencing him instantly. "Enough. We're going back."
Xiao Zheng, still wondering, questioned, "Sir, why didn't you deal with Kai earlier and eliminate him, he can be a threat to emperor?"
The old man, his voice filled with reluctance, replied, "This brat is unfathomable. His Go skills have reached the Divine level and I can't even sense his cultivation. Even if we had attacked him together the outcome would have been same"
"What?" Xiao Zong exclaimed. "Divine level?"
The old man's gaze turned sharp. "Enough. Let's return to His Majesty and avoid provoking him further. we must notify the emperor soon."
"He won against the national advisor of the Xianwu dynasty."
"He even took on the two great emperors at the same time and defeated them ."
Back at the palace, the elders and officials were in awe of Kai's prowess, discussing one after another. While everyone was praising there was a light smile on the empress's face.
And as preparations for the wedding continued, one thing was clear—Kai's reputation had reached new heights, and the entire kingdom was waiting to witness what came next.
As everyone was talking, praising Kai. A translucent screen appeared in his eyes.
[HOST! HOST! The sect is in under attack]
"We shall take our leave, the sect is in trouble" Ling Tian spoke.
"What happened! We must go back now." empress hurriedly spoke.
One elder spoke "your majesty, we also need you here to stabilize the situation."
"You can take the national advisor with you." the empress suggested.
Kai and elder agreed and both departed to the starlight cascade sect.
Kai and the elder arrived at the gates of the Starlight Cascade Sect under the pale glow of the crescent moon. The once serene atmosphere was shattered by the oppressive aura. Disciples huddled in fear, and the sect's protective barrier flickered ominously, its glow dimming as if under siege.
Kai's gaze swept across the scene, and his expression turned into one of mild annoyance. "Troublesome," he muttered, cracking his knuckles lazily.
Outside the barrier stood four figures, three elderly men radiating profound cultivation levels and a younger disciple whose sneer oozed arrogance. The young man held a glowing talisman in his hand, pulsing with energy that seemed to disrupt the sect's barrier.
"Who dares to attack my sect behind my back?" Kai's voice was soft, but it carried an undeniable weight.
The young man turned, his smirk widening. "Ah, you must be Emperor Kai, the so-called Ancestral Master of this Starlight cascade sect. How timely of you to arrive. Hand over the barrier, and perhaps we'll leave a few disciples alive."
Kai tilted his head, his eyes narrowing ever so slightly. "Barrier? You barged into my sect, threatened my people, and now you expect me to just... hand it over?"
"Exactly," the young man said, as if it were the most reasonable request in the world.
One of the older men, his long white beard flowing like a river, stepped forward. "Young man, you should listen to my disciple. It would be unwise to provoke the Sky Tempest Alliance. Surrender now, and your sect may yet survive."
Kai yawned, covering his mouth lazily. "Sky Tempest Alliance, you say? Never heard of it. Must not be very important."
The young disciple's face darkened. "How dare you mock us!"
Kai's gaze sharpened. "How dare you interrupt my day?"
Before anyone could react, Kai vanished and reappeared in front of the young man. With a casual flick of his wrist, he slapped the disciple's face. There was no flash of energy or dramatic explosion—just a dull thud.