Alert! The Dragon Lord has emerged from seclusion!

"There are 181 black and 181 white stones, which is the total number of the heavens."

If each of the three hundred and sixty-two children requires a wisp of primordial energy... Lin Chen is currently only at the Nascent Soul stage, and although his primordial chaos energy is abundant, it is absolutely impossible for him to support more than three hundred wisps.

"Of course, young friend Lin can also ask his companions for help." Master Yitian's gaze swept over Su Qingxue and Ye Qingcheng. "Both young ladies possess special origins that can be infused into the chess pieces. However..."

His smile deepened: "Their origins are different from your chaotic energy. If you inject them into the chess pieces, they may clash and cause the game to collapse."

"At that time, it will still be considered a defeat."

A dead end is neither advancing nor retreating.

Ye Qingcheng gritted her teeth: "This is clearly a scam!"

Su Qingxue looked at the pale golden lamp and suddenly said, "What if the three of us merged our origins and used the chaotic energy as a guide to harmonize and infuse it?"

A hint of surprise flashed in Master Yitian's eyes: "Theoretically, it's feasible. However, for the three of them to harmonize their origins, their minds must be completely in sync. If there's even the slightest mistake, they will backfire on each other."

"Can you...do that?"

Lin Chen exchanged glances with Su Qingxue and Ye Qingcheng.

From fighting side by side in Kunlun to braving the Ruins together, they have long since forged an unspoken understanding through life and death.

"We can give it a try." Lin Chen nodded and sat down on the futon on the right first.

Su Qingxue and Ye Qingcheng placed their hands on his back, one on each side.

"Let's begin."

Master Yitian, holding the white piece, gently placed it on the center position of the chessboard.

"The first son, occupying the center of heaven, will determine the fate of the world."

The moment the white piece was placed, a warm white light shone on it, and a vast and pure Taoist essence spread out.

Lin Chen picked up the black piece, pondered for a moment, and placed it on the star position.

"Defense is the best offense."

As the black piece fell, Lin Chen channeled a stream of chaotic origin into it.

At the same time, Su Qingxue's Xuan Yin Qi and Ye Qingcheng's Shuang Yin Qi also flowed into his meridians.

The three forces converged within Lin Chen's body. Initially, there were indeed minor conflicts, but the chaotic energy acted as a mediator, allowing them to temporarily merge and transform into a hazy stream of energy that flowed into the black pieces.

The black pieces shone with a chaotic light.

Master Yitian's eyes showed even greater admiration: "Excellent skill."

The game continues.

The white pieces move like flowing clouds and water, their layout grand and imposing, each piece carrying a certain rhythm of nature, subtly suppressing the black pieces.

Lin Chen's black pieces, on the other hand, played steadily and cautiously, advancing step by step, occasionally launching surprise attacks, but quickly retreating.

Su Qingxue and Ye Qingcheng were completely focused on controlling their source output.

They could feel that with each move they made, a trace of their own essence was being drained away.

Although the numbers were small, they added up to a lot. After only twenty or so, sweat was already beading on the foreheads of the two men.

Lin Chen's energy expenditure was even greater.

He not only had to output the primordial chaos, but also had to continuously harmonize the three forces, placing an extremely heavy burden on his mind and spirit.

By the time the thirtieth move was made, the game had reached the middle stage.

White has established a strong position, like a dragon coiled and a tiger crouching, forcing Black into a corner.

Master Yitian placed a piece, sealing off the last escape route for the black pieces, and smiled, saying, "Young friend Lin, the situation is clear. Now concede defeat, and I can decide to leave only your soul here, and let the two young ladies leave."

Lin Chen stared at the chessboard, then suddenly asked, "Has your cultivation reached the Nascent Soul stage?"

Master Yitian was taken aback, then nodded frankly: "That's right."

"The origins of a Nascent Soul cultivator are naturally deeper than those of us in the Nascent Soul or Golden Core stages," Lin Chen said slowly. "Therefore, this game is inherently unfair."

"What you're betting on is that our very essence will be exhausted first."

"Yes," Master Yitian did not deny it, "but that's the rule."

Lin Chen suddenly laughed: "What if... I don't follow your rules?"

He picked up a black piece with his fingers, but instead of placing it on the board, he gently pressed it between his eyebrows!

"What are you doing?!" Master Yitian's expression changed slightly.

Su Qingxue and Ye Qingcheng also looked at Lin Chen in astonishment.

"Master Yitian, you said that for each move, a wisp of primordial energy must be infused," Lin Chen said calmly. "But you didn't say that this energy must be 'complete'."

His chaotic nascent soul between his brows opened its eyes, and the chaotic seed in his arms shone brightly!

"The Way of Chaos can manifest in countless forms. A single origin can give rise to myriad energies—"

The black piece in Lin Chen's hand suddenly burst out with a dazzling gray light, and within that light, hundreds of strands of chaotic energy as thin as hair faintly appeared!

"This one child contains three hundred of my chaotic energies."

"According to the rules, is this count as one piece, or three hundred pieces?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the black piece was slammed heavily onto the chessboard!

It didn't land on any point, but rather—it was placed right in the center of the chessboard!

Click!

A crisp cracking sound rang out.

Centered on the landing point of the black piece, spiderweb-like cracks appear on the surface of the chessboard.

The two lamps behind Master Yitian shook violently at the same time, their flames flickering erratically.

"You...you dare to ruin the game!" Master Yi Tian's expression finally changed, and he abruptly stood up. "This is the magic treasure 'Zhou Tian Chess Manual' bestowed by the Alliance Leader, you..."

"The game is over." Lin Chen stood up, his body surrounded by chaotic energy. "As you said, the one who breaks the game wins."

He pointed to the pale gold lamp: "Light it."

Master Yitian stared intently at Lin Chen for a long while, then suddenly burst into laughter, "Excellent! What a magnificent Chaotic Dao Body! What an unconventional approach!"

He flicked his sleeve, and a beam of golden light shone into the lamp.

The lamp wick suddenly burst into flame, emitting a brilliant golden light that illuminated the entire fourth floor.

The lamp on the right, however, dimmed rapidly and eventually went out.

"You've passed this level." Master Yitian's smile faded, and he gave Lin Chen a deep look. "But let me remind you, young friend."

"Breaking the rules may feel good, but some rules... are the laws of heaven and earth. The fifth level, 'Reincarnation Tribulation,' I hope you will behave yourself."

After he finished speaking, his figure gradually faded away, disappearing along with the stone table and chessboard.

A staircase leading to the fifth floor appears.

Ye Qingcheng breathed a sigh of relief, her legs went weak, and she was supported by Su Qingxue.

"That was...that was close." She said, still shaken. "What if that old man had turned on us?"

"He won't." Lin Chen shook his head. "The gatekeepers of the Heavenly Dao Alliance seem to be bound by some kind of rule. As long as you break the deadlock within the rules, they will acknowledge it."

Su Qingxue frowned: "But your chaotic energy... can it really evolve into three hundred streams? I see that your aura is quite weak."

Lin Chen smiled wryly: "It was just a bluff. That move did indeed drain nearly 30% of my source energy. The so-called 'three hundred streams of energy' was just a facade."

"But he dared not gamble—the properties of chaotic energy are unknown, and he was afraid that I really had some tricks up my sleeve."

He paused for a moment to catch his breath, then looked at the fifth step: "However, Master Yitian is right, the fifth step is probably not that simple."

"'The Cycle of Reincarnation'... Just hearing the name sounds ominous."

"Who cares?" Ye Qingcheng gripped the Frost Soul Sword tightly. "We'll just keep attacking layer by layer."

The three continued on their way.

At the top of the tower, the man in white robes looked at the scene on the fourth floor reflected in the water mirror before him, and gently tapped the windowsill with a chess piece in his hand.

"Breaking the deadlock and winning... Interesting."

He turned and looked at the altar.

Among the seven soul lamps, Luo Yunyi's silver flame weakened even further.