As Gu Hai traveled, more people started following him.
Gu Hai did not care. He also did not hide his movements, as there was no need to. On the contrary, it was safer for him to travel openly. He was Elite Hall’s Water Division Master. At the very least, the overt factions did not dare to take rash action. With his reputation for ferocity, the covert factions would also exercise restraint.
Not long later, Gu Hai stopped, having arrived at the Dragon Pinning Sect.
Countless cultivators had already gathered in front. Fog veiled the Dragon Pinning Sect.
Everyone could vaguely see a large island floating in the air. This island was conical in shape, with a flat top and tapered bottom, looking very strange.
Square-shaped clouds accompanied the floating island. Strangely, there were Go puzzles on these clouds.
These cloud Go puzzles spread out, slowly moving around the Dragon Pinning Sect.
Far away, a cultivator sat on the ground with a cloud Go board in front of him as he played Go.
When a cultivator at the side extended his hand, that cloud Go board split into two. No, it would be more accurate to say that it replicated an identical Go puzzle. The new Go puzzle landed before that other person. Then, that person started playing the puzzle on that cloud Go board.
“Go boards?” Gu Hai said, feeling bewildered.
“Division Master Gu, this is the Go puzzle ritual array that the Dragon Pinning Sect laid. They said that they would give a reward of ten superior-grade spirit stones for every Go puzzle solved,” a cultivator at the side said.
“Oh?” Gu Hai showed surprise on his face.
“These Go puzzles are very incredible. Now, five hundred of the three thousand have been solved. Initially, it took one month to solve one hundred Go puzzles. The speed of solution increased only after the three Go masters of the Thousand Islands Sea appeared,” that cultivator explained.
Buzz!
It seemed that someone solved a Go puzzle. Suddenly, that cloud Go puzzle dispersed, turning into cloud and fog that headed for the floating island in the sky. The floating island immediately became blurrier.
The cloud Go puzzle that someone else played at the side also vanished. It seemed that once a particular Go puzzle was solved, there was no need for it to continue existing.
Just at this moment, a yellow-robed man strode out from the foggy ritual array.
“Division Master Gu, look. That is a Dragon Pinning Sect disciple!” someone at the side explained.
Then, that Dragon Pinning Sect took out ten superior-grade spirit stones and respectfully gave them to the person who solved the Go puzzle.
The surrounding cultivators immediately felt envious. Ten superior-grade spirit stones equaled one hundred thousand inferior-grade spirit stones—an astronomical sum.
“What is the purpose of solving the Go puzzles?” Gu Hai asked, frowning.
“I don’t know. This started about one month ago. The Dragon Pinning Sect invited those with superb Go skills inside. Perhaps they might know,” one of the men at the side said while shaking his head.
“Oh? The three Go masters that you mentioned went in as well?” Gu Hai asked, some suspicions stirring.
“Indeed. The three Go masters are Nascent Soul Realm experts of the Thousand Islands Sea. Their Go skills are very formidable, able to suppress everyone else’s. If you want to enter the sect, you have to solve the puzzles. The more you solve, the more welcome you will be,” that person explained.
“Division Master Gu, you showed extraordinary Go skills in the Innate Realm. How about you give it a try? At the very least, you can earn ten superior-grade spirit stones when you solve a puzzle,” that person said with anticipation.
“Indeed. Mister Gu, you can give it a try. We have been studying these Go puzzles for a long time, but we still could not solve them.”
Gu Hai frowned slightly.
That person suddenly leaped into the sky and extended his hand towards the moving cloud Go boards surrounding the Dragon Pinning Sect.
Whoosh!
That cloud Go board immediately split into two. One of them remained in the sky while the other descended and arrived before Gu Hai in the blink of an eye.
“Mister Gu, do you want to give it a try?” that person invited respectfully.
Gu Hai looked at the Go puzzle, then at the Dragon Pinning Sect with a complicated expression.
Gu Hai guessed that Ding Rui was in the Dragon Pinning Sect. Hence, this should not be an ordinary event with rewards; there would be plenty of danger. However, with his greater strength, he had started to take an interest in Nine-Five Island’s dragon vein.
One needed to proceed according to one’s strength. When one was too weak, one would not get opportunities to participate. Now, he could try checking it out.
“That’s fine!” Gu Hai nodded. Then, he sat down and started playing Go.
The cloud Go board had Go stone bowls at the side. Gu Hai picked up a Go stone and placed it on the board.
Clack! When Gu Hai set down the Go stone, the Go puzzle started moving as well.
Countless cultivators watched fixedly as Gu Hai played.
——
Inside the Dragon Pinning Sect:
Ding Rui and Long Wanqing faced each other again.
As the Dragon Luring Jade’s protective barrier covered Long Wanqing, Ding Rui could not do anything to her.
“Humph! Long Wanqing, stop being stubborn. I just don’t want to be heavy-handed with you. Otherwise, even the Dragon Luring Jade cannot save you!” Ding Rui said coldly.
Long Wanqing looked at Ding Rui coldly. “Ding Rui, you don’t want to be heavy-handed on me? What is the difference between killing me and locking me up here?”
Ding Rui stared coldly at Long Wanqing.
“You are worried about my maternal grandfather, right? If I do not die, my maternal grandfather will not pursue this too far. If I die, he will definitely pursue this to the end. Hahaha! In the end, you are still afraid of my grandfather!” Long Wanqing sneered.
“Long Wanqing, I need to obtain this dragon vein. I’ll give you some more time. If you continue being stubborn… Humph! Even your maternal grandfather failed to figure out your mother’s death. He is not omnipotent. I can make you die the same way your mother did!” Ding Rui said coldly.
“Huh?” Long Wanqing’s pupils suddenly constricted as she coldly eyed Ding Rui. She could tell that Ding Rui was not faking.
“Au…aunt!” Ding Dong’s voice came from outside the hall.
Soon, Ding Dong entered the hall. He looked at Long Wanqing with a complicated expression.
“Greetings, Elite Hall Master!” Ding Dong said respectfully.
“Humph!” Long Wanqing snorted coldly and ignored Ding Dong.
“What are you doing here?” Ding Rui asked coldly.
“Gu…Gu Hai is here!” Ding Dong replied with a bitter smile.
“What?” Ding Rui’s face sank.
“Gu Hai?” Long Wanqing appeared somewhat shocked.
“Indeed. That old demon… I did not expect this. He destroyed the Great Feng Mafia Family and the First Song Sect. Now, he is here at my Dragon Pinning Sect. Aunt, what should we do? This Gu Hai is a ruthless person. Earlier, a disciple reported that Gu Hai alone killed all the First Song Sect disciples. Alone!” Ding Dong said bitterly.
“He killed all the First Song Sect disciples by himself? That’s impossible!” Long Wanqing exclaimed in shock.
How can that be possible? Just about a year ago, I presided over Gu Hai’s breakthrough to the Innate Realm. He only just reached the Innate Realm, and he slaughtered all First Song Sect disciples? That’s about five or six thousand people, right?
Ding Dong smiled bitterly at Long Wanqing, indicating that it was the truth.
Long Wanqing’s eyelids twitched wildly. Only now did she feel that while she had thought highly of Gu Hai’s abilities, she had still underestimated him by too much.
She could explain the situation in the Innate Puzzle World with Gu Hai’s Go skills, but Go skills could not explain this. This was purely his capabilities.
Gu Hai? Elite Hall’s Water Division Master?
Suddenly, Long Wanqing’s eyes lit up. Since Gu Hai is here, could he…?
Ding Rui turned her head to look at Long Wanqing. Revealing a cold smile, she asked, “Long Wanqing, are you hoping that Gu Hai will come and save you?”
“Huh?”
“Stop hoping. I’ll immediately capture him and lock him up as you watch. How about that?” Ding Rui said.
“Ding Rui?” Long Wanqing coldly eyed Ding Rui.
“Au…aunt, perhaps we should not capture him now!” Ding Dong suggested.
“Huh?” The two women gave Ding Dong confused looks.
“Gu Hai is currently solving the Go puzzles.” Ding Dong smiled bitterly.
“So what if he is solving Go puzzles?” Ding Rui asked, still confused.
“This Gu Hai possesses astonishing Go skills. He already solved one hundred Go puzzles within a short time!” Ding Dong explained.
“One hundred Go puzzles? You are not joking, right? How long did he take?” Ding Rui exclaimed in surprise.
“Eight hours!” Ding Dong said.
“That’s impossible. How could he solve one hundred Go puzzles within eight hours?” Ding Rui asked in shock.
“It’s true. Gu Hai played five Go puzzles at once, but his movements were as smooth as flowing water. He solved the five Go puzzles at an extreme speed before starting on the next five. He did not appear like he was dealing with difficult Go puzzles but more like he was just playing against amateurs…” Ding Dong kept smiling bitterly.
“Played five Go puzzles at once? What do you mean by that?” Ding Rui exclaimed.
“That is playing five Go puzzles simultaneously!”
Ding Rui: “…!”
Long Wanqing also appeared shocked. “Gu Hai’s Go skills are truly extraordinary!”
“Aunt, should we still capture him? He solved one hundred Go puzzles in eight hours and is still going strong. At this pace, he is even more incredible than the three Go masters we invited into the sect,” Ding Dong marveled.
Ding Rui appeared uncertain.
Capture Gu Hai? However, Ding Rui wanted to solve the three thousand Go puzzles quickly.
“Alright, then. Let him continue solving them!” Ding Rui said in a cold voice.
Long Wanqing revealed a faint smile. At this moment, Long Wanqing finally understood Venerable Liu Nian’s words. For a useful person, that person’s capabilities were the best protection.
“Long Wanqing, think it over. You do not have much time left!” Ding Rui said coldly before turning to leave.
“Ding Rui, you want to silence me and not leave any traces behind. Doesn’t that mean you will have to silence everyone who knows? That is to say, you will have to kill off the entire Dragon Pinning Sect, not sparing anyone. After all, only a dead man does not speak!” Long Wanqing said coldly.
Long Wanqing said this to Ding Rui’s back. However, her eyes wandered to the nearby Ding Dong.
Ding Dong trembled and turned his head to look at Ding Rui. However, he did not say anything as he walked out with Ding Rui.
Bang! The hall’s doors closed again.
However, Long Wanqing revealed a faint sneer.
——
In a small courtyard inside the Dragon Pinning Sect:
A red-clad old man was playing Go. One hundred cultivators stood in the surroundings, discussing in whispers.
“Master’s play is very smooth!”
“Be quieter. Master is currently competing with the Southern Sea Go Master in speed. Don’t startle Master!”
“Yes!”
“Senior Brother, Master is the Northern Sea Go Master. Since he is not antagonistic with the Southern Sea Go Master, why don’t they just play each other to decide the victory? Why use such a method?”
“Indeed. Every Go puzzle solved nets ten superior-grade spirit stones. While that is precious to others, it is nothing much to Master!”
“That Southern Sea Go Master is also quite strange. He traveled so far to Nine-Five Island to play the Dragon Pinning Sect’s Go puzzles.”
“Perhaps…perhaps it might have something to do with those people in the building?”
As the spectators chatted, they glanced at a nearby pavilion. The Northern Sea Go Master had left instructions about that building. Although the people following him could enter the sect, they were not to interrupt.
These people could walk about as they pleased. This was also the same for the Southern Sea Go Master’s side. No one was to interrupt.
A white-clad man leaned against a window in the pavilion as he drank fine wine. He narrowed his eyes as he looked at the Northern Sea Go Master’s Go board.
The white-clad man enjoyed an excellent vantage point from this building. Not only could he see the large group of people surrounding the Go board, but he could also see the Southern Sea Go Master’s Go board on the other side.
“The Southern Sea Go Master and the Northern Sea Go Master? If you want to become my substitute and obtain my inheritance, bring out all your skills. However, your Go skills… Ha! They are just passable!” the white-clad man sneered as he drank.
Just at this moment, a gray-clad subordinate ran over and whispered, “Ninth Young Master, Gu Hai is here as well.”
“Oh?” Ninth Young Master narrowed his eyes.
“He is outside solving the Go puzzles. Furthermore, he is doing so at an extremely rapid pace.”
“Gu Hai? He is here? That’s good! That’s good!” Ninth Young Master’s eyes lit up.
