Your Majesty, Please Stop!

Chapter 36: Sword Technique - Go and Chess

Compared to the awe-inspiring presence of Murong Xiu, Xin Zhuo remained calm.

He felt that this Murong young master was a bit strange. His blood qi was abundant yet elusive, his realm was slightly higher than his own, around the seventh rank, but it seemed illusory.

It was unclear whether this person was strong or weak, but things had already developed in the worst possible way according to his expectations - breaking the jar and refusing to submit.

If things went wrong, it could trigger a chain reaction among the people below the peak, leading to collective resistance.

Therefore, this battle had to be fought.

After considering for a full ten breaths, he decided to give it a try: "Alright, if you lose, Su Miss's punishment will be increased by ten more strokes!"

The people below the peak immediately became restless.

Murong young master, on the other hand, remained calm with a smile on his lips: "Alright!"

Then, like a startled swan, his brocade robe fluttered as he thrust out his sword. It flowed like a reversed galaxy, leaving behind a trail of sword qi that resounded like the roar of a dragon and tiger, deafening the ears.

The air around them buzzed, and the piercing and dazzling sword qi shot in all directions.

One person, one sword, soaring through the sky, captivating the hearts of onlookers.

"A sword sweeping through the clear sky!"

"Great!"

A wave of cheers erupted from the people below the peak.

Xin Zhuo's mind was somewhat unsettled. He couldn't understand this strange Sword Technique. How could the Sword Qi be released externally?

Now that the arrow was on the string, he had to let it fly.

"A chaotic and incomprehensible Saber Technique!"

He also made his move, gripping the knife in his right hand and displaying the "Marvelous Dance in the Air" Qinggong technique. He met the sword head-on and slashed horizontally.

One side was dressed in coarse clothes, wielding a shabby knife with a tarnished reputation, performing ugly movements.

The other side was dressed in brocade, wielding a famous sword, displaying astonishing elegance and grace.

The contrast was stark.

Everyone's gaze followed the two figures as they moved.

"Clang!"

The sound of weapons colliding resounded in all directions.

Xin Zhuo landed heavily, retreating three steps. His coarse clothes were already cut with more than ten large and small cracks.

On the other hand, Murong Xiu's brocade robe fluttered like a rag as he flew backward. In mid-air, he spat out a mouthful of blood, his precious sword fell, his hair in disarray, and his elegance vanished in an instant.

"Bang!"

He fell down the steps, face down, sliding down along the steps in a pitiful state.

The entire scene fell into a deathly silence.

Even those with or without eyes could see that Murong young master had lost.

A seventh rank expert, a renowned young master, had suffered such a miserable defeat.

Xin Zhuo, a petty thief at the eighth rank, had defeated someone at a higher rank. How decisive was his victory?

The beautiful opening was followed by a brutal beating that was difficult to accept.

And Su Miaojin, who was watching all this, saw the light of hope that had risen in her desolate eyes disappear once again.

"The great leader is mighty!"

Huang Dagui and Bai Jianxi and others, who were slow to react, raised their arms and cheered, unable to hide their satisfaction on their faces.

Xin Zhuo leaned on his knife, his eyebrows slightly furrowed. This Murong Xiu was indeed quite strong. His realm was one rank higher, and under his own upgraded Saber Technique, he was unharmed. The key was that he could release Sword Qi externally, which was equivalent to a main sword with a group of small sword buffs. After traveling for so long, this was the first time he had seen it. If the opponent were stronger, he might have been the one defeated.

At the foot of the peak, as they watched Murong Xiu, who had fallen down the steps and lay in a prone position, everyone hurried forward: "Murong young master, are you alright?"

Murong Xiu waved his hand to stop them from approaching, elegantly stood up, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth calmly, and still had a gentle smile on his face: "As you all said, this thief is indeed strong. I have to admit that he is a capable person, but his abilities are limited. In terms of martial arts, he is definitely below me. Allow me to give it another try!"

As he spoke, he gracefully ascended the steps again, as if nothing had happened.

When he reached the peak, he smiled gently: "I'm here again. I am Murong Xiu, the Murong Xiu who is as beautiful as jade!"

Xin Zhuo rubbed his nose and said, "Miss Su Miaojin's punishment has already accumulated twenty-two counts. Are you sure you want to try again? If you lose this time, ten more counts will be added!"

"Just ten counts? No problem!" Murong Xiu waved his sleeve casually, appearing calm and composed.

Of course, it's no problem for you. You're not the one administering the punishment. Su Miaojin's breathing became rapid for a while, and she simply closed her eyes.

Xin Zhuo smiled and said, "Alright!"

Murong Xiu calmly said, "But this time, we won't compete with martial arts!"

"What are we competing in then?" Xin Zhuo asked in surprise.

"We'll compete in a game of hand talk! If I win, all the cruel punishments against Miss Su will be erased!"

"Hand talk? Chess? I don't have it here!"

"I have it!"

Murong Xiu waved his hand, and a beautiful maid in a green dress came from below the mountain, swaying her waist, carrying a large plate of chess pieces.

"Master!" Cui Ying'er and the others looked at Xin Zhuo.

Playing chess is something that scholars would do, not mountain bandits. They had never heard of the master of the house playing chess before. This was somewhat unfair.

Xin Zhuo waved his hand to stop them. He also had a bit of a competitive spirit. In his previous life, he had been beaten and bullied by the park uncles and teachers in various ways. He was not as good as others in some aspects, but he was better in others. He didn't know how skilled the people here were, and he couldn't resist the urge to try. Su Miaojin was in his hands. If he lost, he could still resort to tricks. What did a mountain bandit like him have to fear?

"Let's do it!"

"Agreed!"

The chessboard was placed on the ground, and the two of them sat cross-legged. Xin Zhuo played as black, while Murong Xiu played as white.

White goes first.

For a while, there was silence all around, with only the sound of chess pieces being placed on the board.

At the foot of the peak, those who were skilled in qinggong had already climbed up the trees to observe from a high vantage point. Those who couldn't perform light body techniques could only tiptoe and stretch their necks, trying to catch a glimpse of any clues from the body language and movements of the two.

On the peak, Cui Ying'er and the other five people looked surprised. Why was the master of the house so accommodating today? They simply gathered around the chessboard to watch. If they couldn't understand it, at most they could tell whose moves looked better.

Even Su Miaojin, who had a knife pressed against her neck, opened her eyes and watched attentively. Hand talk was the most common leisure game among nobles, and she was also a skilled player among her close friends in the women's quarters.

But as she watched, she felt that something was off. Murong Xiu's moves were truly exquisite. Xin Zhuo did know how to play, but he used unconventional moves. However... there was always a hint of strangeness.

After two incense sticks' worth of time.

"Dragon Slaying Checkmate! You lose!" Xin Zhuo placed his final piece.

Su Miaojin let out a sigh of relief. The gap was too big. Xin Zhuo's chess skills were as strange as his martial arts. He looked ahead but thought six moves ahead. He always made unexpected moves in unexpected places, while Murong Xiu was cautious and made inferior moves.

Ten more cruel punishments were added, making it thirty-two counts!

"Impossible, impossible... What kind of devilish moves are these?" Murong Xiu lost his elegance. Holding a chess piece, his gaze wandered, and large beads of sweat dripped from his forehead.

Xin Zhuo remained silent. This was the unconventional way of playing from the park uncles.

Murong Xiu's forehead became increasingly sweaty. After a long time, he regained his composure, smiled lightly, and pushed the scattered chess pieces. "Your chess skills are mediocre. You need to put in more effort. How about we..."

The crowd at the foot of the peak instantly erupted into a commotion. Did he just lose?

Xin Zhuo decisively interrupted and refused, "Time is limited, we'll only play one game!"

"Oh, I see..."

Murong Xiu wasn't angry either. He casually glanced at the sun and elegantly stretched his waist. "Since that's the case, let's play something else. If I lose, Miss Su can add twenty more counts. If I win, all counts will be erased. Dare you or not?"

The crowd at the foot of the peak, densely packed, fell silent once again. Many people's faces had changed from nervous excitement to confusion and hesitation.

Su Miaojin's chest rose and fell irregularly as she clenched her silver teeth.

Xin Zhuo also opened his heart, "No problem. What do you want to play?"

"Chinese chess! I will never lose!"

"I don't have it!"

"I have it!"

Murong Xiu clapped his hands, and another maid in white, with a twisting waist and a charming smile, brought a chessboard up the peak.

(End of this chapter)