The black stone lay on the center star point of the board, an eye-catching presence.
Zhuo Yun watched it, her expression complex.
"This..." Zhuo Zifang and the others were also dumbfounded.
Starting with a move on the Celestial Point!
Even the Chess Sage was startled by the collective gasp and emerged from outside to observe, her brow furrowed.
"Xin'er, you've been so reckless and deceitful to your grandmother just because you admire him, letting him come to the Go academy to cause trouble?"
Li Xin stammered, "No, Grandma, Marquis Anguo is a very skilled Go player..."
"How skilled?" the Chess Sage asked coldly.
"I've played with him for several days and never won a single game..." Li Xin mumbled.
Everyone's expressions shifted!
While Li Xin's Go skills were no match for the Chess Sage or Zhuo Yun, she was undoubtedly one of the top players in the Liang Kingdom.
Never winning a single game?
Even Zhuo Yun couldn't guarantee an unbroken winning streak against Li Xin.
"It's true..." Li Xin's face reddened as she looked at Liang Xiao, her eyes flickering.
Zhuo Yun took a deep breath and sat down opposite Liang Xiao. "Starting with the Celestial Point, Marquis Anguo, what is the meaning of this?"
Liang Xiao replied without hesitation, "It's to express my disappointment in your so-called Way of Go. I must make you understand that even with a Celestial Point opening, you have no chance."
The benevolent Chess Sage showed a rare flash of anger. "Golden corners, silver edges, and belly of grass; starting with the Celestial Point is a great taboo. With this move, you are far too arrogant. I wish to see what tricks you can conjure."
Zhuo Zifang and the others also felt a pang of unease.
The saying "golden corners, silver edges, and belly of grass" originated from the fact that the victory in a Go match ultimately depends on the territory enclosed by both players. To enclose more territory than the opponent before they do, players typically prioritize securing the four corners first, as these offer the highest efficiency for enclosing territory. Then, they move to the four edges, which have a lower efficiency, and finally, they contest the center of the board, which has the lowest efficiency.
For example, enclosing eight stones in a corner can yield sixteen points, on an edge eight points, while in the center, it yields only four points – a vast difference in efficiency. Corners not only provide more territory but are also easier to defend and harder to attack. The player who takes the initiative gains a significant advantage.
Facing the "Jinling Go Immortal" and at the Chess Sage's residence, opening with a Celestial Point move clearly indicated Liang Xiao's deliberate intent.
"I feel I have failed Marquis Anguo, but when it comes to Go, I will show no mercy. Marquis Anguo, I grant you permission to take back this move and start anew," Zhuo Yun sighed.
"No need. I am in a hurry. Just play," Liang Xiao urged.
Suppressing her resentment, Zhuo Yun finally picked up a white stone and placed it in a corner.
On the imperial road in the capital, carriages raced along.
Qin Feng, Zhi Rou, and the remaining five members of the Hengjiang Six Beauties were invited to the Go academy as guests.
Inside the carriage, Qin Feng wore a troubled expression.
He had just received intelligence from his subordinates that the Go Demon might have let slip something he shouldn't have.
Thinking of Yue Hongxiu's intelligence-gathering abilities, Qin Feng couldn't help but worry for Liang Xiao.
He had been ordered to assist Liang Xiao in resolving the matter with Zhuo Yun, which was why he had accepted Li Xin's invitation and persuaded the Go Demon: "If anyone asks you about the master of Yunxiu Studio, say this..."
However, if Liang Xiao was exposed, Yue Hongxiu might indeed reprimand him publicly.
After all, the Northern King's Guards only obeyed the Emperor and the Commander of the Guards, whose status was nearly equivalent to that of the Xuanwei Commander.
Upon arriving at the Go academy, Qin Feng found hundreds of Go players gathered outside the Chess Sage's residence, all murmuring amongst themselves.
"So the master of Yunxiu Studio is Marquis Anguo. What's with the Celestial Point opening? Isn't that too presumptuous?"
"This is simply Marquis Anguo playing around. You can't expect someone who governs the country to be a great Go player. He even conceded defeat when playing against me!"
Hearing the discussion, Qin Feng was shocked and immediately led his wives to the Chess Sage's residence.
After being granted entry, Qin Feng rushed in, his gaze fixed on the game board, as if a fishbone were stuck in his throat.
The game had already concluded. Black stones dominated most of the board, with white stones scattered sparsely...
And Liang Xiao was playing Black!
"This..."
The scene on the chessboard choked back all the conciliatory words Qin Feng had prepared.
Zhuo Yun stared blankly at the board, speechless for a long time.
Everyone, including the Chess Sage and Liang Xiao's wives, was utterly stunned.
Zhuo Yun had lost so miserably?
"I concede," Zhuo Yun finally lowered her usually proud head, crestfallen.
Luo Qingxue and the others also breathed a silent sigh of relief.
Even the Chess Sage was rendered speechless!
Liang Xiao smiled faintly. "You have not yet lost."
Everyone looked at Liang Xiao with confusion.
"We will play ten games fairly. If you can win even one game against me, Liang Xiao, I will leave the Go academy immediately and fully support you in staying in Liang and dedicating your life to Go, without a word of objection."
As soon as Liang Xiao finished speaking, the entire hall was struck as if by lightning!
Winning one game out of ten was the very condition Zhuo Yun had previously proposed to Liang Xiao!
Zhuo Yun almost choked to death on the spot, shaking her head with a wry smile. "Once a move is played, it cannot be regretted. How can I go back on my word? I will go back and pack, and return to Daqian with grandfather..."
"No need! Continue playing. I simply want to make you and everyone in this academy understand that whether it is blind evasion or arrogant self-importance, the Way of Go is not worth a second glance," Liang Xiao said calmly as he cleared the board and switched to white stones, his words carrying an irresistible authority.
After an intense internal struggle, Zhuo Yun's trembling hand picked up a black stone...
"What?"
Mu Cheng, who was accompanying Su Wanqing and her son in the palace, also received an urgent message from Qin Feng.
Liang Xiao might be exposed?
Recalling the animosity between the Chess Sage, Yue Hongxiu, and the Liang family, Mu Cheng carefully considered the situation and decided to personally travel to the Go academy. Su Wanqing requested to accompany him.
"His Imperial Majesty has arrived!"
As the eunuchs announced his arrival, the bustling Go players in the academy parted ways and knelt in reverence.
Mu Cheng, with Su Wanqing by his side, was urgently announced and entered the Chess Sage's residence.
Upon entering, Mu Cheng's gaze fell upon the chessboard in front of Liang Xiao. "Hmm?"
This time, Liang Xiao was playing White.
On the board, white stones controlled most of the territory, the victory already decided, with no suspense remaining...
"Could it be that Liang Xiao won?" Mu Cheng asked Qin Feng, leaning closer.
Everyone only then noticed Mu Cheng and was startled, bowing one after another.
"No need for pleasantries. Tell me, what is the current situation?" Mu Cheng asked urgently.
"Marquis Anguo won ten games..." Li Xin replied, her face flushed.
"What? How many games did they play?" Mu Cheng frowned.
"Ten games..." Yue Wenxin replied with a smile, her face beaming.
Mu Cheng looked bewildered and turned to the Chess Sage. Seeing her nod, he was utterly speechless.
What was going on? Wasn't this child the Jinling Go Immortal, who had thoroughly mastered the Chess Sage's teachings?
Zhuo Yun simply stared down at the chessboard, her spirit broken.
She had lost all ten games, and in the end, she had even emulated Liang Xiao's Celestial Point opening, only to be utterly defeated...
Liang Xiao appeared calm, but in reality, he felt bored.
He had seen the game records provided by He Zizhang and couldn't even bother to look at the end.
In his middle school years, he was already a nationally renowned Go prodigy, having won every award.
After the advent of artificial intelligence, Go had become increasingly uninteresting.
Later, the brother who had rescued him from the ruins and given him the most beautiful flowers in the world tragically sacrificed his life while fighting drug lords.
Upon receiving the devastating news, Liang Xiao resolutely chose to enlist.
From then on, the Go prodigy, upon whom the world had placed so much hope, disappeared. Ten years later, a "Heavenly General" emerged, inheriting the codename of that special forces soldier.
"I, am utterly convinced..." Zhuo Yun murmured, gathering her courage. She looked up at Liang Xiao and sighed, "Master, would you like to try playing a game against him?"