The world of film and television begins with Hikaru no Go

Shen Yilang spoke in great detail on the podium, while Ban Heng sat below, adjusted his glasses, and remained silent.

Zhu Dayong, unusually, didn't curse; he just snorted, "Why didn't you break it back then?"

Shen Yilang was silent for a moment, then said, "Because I don't dare."

The classroom fell silent for a moment.

"I was afraid that if I cut in, White would use the outside area. But I calculated later that those uses wouldn't be fatal. White could only gain a few points of territory at most, while Black would gain more in the corner." Shen Yilang looked up at Zhu Dayong. "So, my judgment at the time was wrong. Not because I couldn't calculate it, but because I was afraid."

Zhu Dayong stared at him for a few more seconds before nodding.

"Good to know."

These four words, however, were the most beautiful words that Teacher Da had ever said to him.

After spending a month at the dojo, Longyan had already become familiar with the students.

His fashion sense has improved a lot, mainly because Ban Heng took him to buy several new clothes. Although they weren't designer brands, at least they were clean and tidy.

Long Yan also got a haircut and shaved his beard, making him look much more energetic.

But his chess style hasn't changed; he's still wild and unreasonable.

The group of students generally improved their Go skills, not because Long Yan taught them any specific moves, but because Long Yan showed them another possibility for Go.

So this is how chess can be played.

It turns out that sometimes, the unreasonable can win.

It turns out that losing a game isn't scary; what's scary is not daring to play.

Shen Yilang's chess moves have become noticeably more flexible, no longer as rigid as before.

Cut your losses when you need to, push forward when you need to, and dare to take risks when necessary.

Ban Heng noticed this change and privately told Zhu Dayong, "Shen Yilang's recent game has been a bit different."

Zhu Dayong snorted: "It is a bit different. Before, he played chess like he was reciting a book, but now it sounds like he's talking."

Do you think it's a good thing or a bad thing?

"That's a good thing." Zhu Dayong, unusually, didn't nitpick. "He used to be too tense, but now he's relaxed. In Go, being too tense makes it easy to break down."

Ban Heng smiled and said nothing more.

Time passed day by day, and before we knew it, it was March 9th.

The LP Cup finals have begun. It's a best-of-five series. The first and second games will be played in Fangyuan City, China, while the remaining games will be played in Seoul, South Korea.

Before the match, the lobby on the first floor of the chess academy was packed with reporters.

Go media from China, Japan, and South Korea were almost all present, their cameras and microphones aimed at the entrance.

This marks the first time in LP Cup history that Chinese players have swept both the top two spots – Zhang Rui versus Yu Xiaoyang, the "new king" and the "old king" of Chinese Go, a match described by the media as a "change of eras".

Yu Xiaoyang arrived first.

He was wearing a dark gray suit, his hair was neatly combed, and his expression was calm, showing no emotional fluctuations.

As he approached the entrance, reporters swarmed around him, shoving microphones in his face.

"Mr. Yu, this is your second time reaching the LP Cup final. The last time was seven years ago when you lost to Lee Chang-ho. What are your thoughts on facing a junior who is more than twenty years younger than you this time?"

Yu Xiaoyang stopped and glanced at the reporter who had asked the question. He said calmly, "Chess knows no age, only winning and losing."

"So what's your opinion on Zhang Rui 9-dan? Everyone says he's an undefeated legend. How good do you think your chances of winning are?"

Yu Xiaoyang did not answer the question, but simply nodded slightly before walking into the chess academy.

The reporters looked at each other in bewilderment—

"Teacher Yu is really quiet today."

He's not usually very talkative.

"But there are exceptionally few today."

A few minutes later, Zhang Rui arrived.

He stepped out of the car, wearing a black coat and with a blank expression.

The flashbulbs went off immediately, but he didn't stop and walked straight into the chess academy.

"Zhang Rui 9-dan! Zhang Rui 9-dan! What are your expectations for the finals?"

Zhang Rui paused for a moment, turned his head, and glanced at the reporter who had asked the question.

"win."

After leaving that one word, I continued walking forward.

Reporters were used to this answer, and no one was surprised.

The game room is the famous Yugen Go Room. The room is not large, but it is decorated in a very solemn manner.

The chessboard is made of torreya wood, with a warm and lustrous color, and the chess pieces in the basket are clearly black and white.

Yu Xiaoyang was already seated.

Zhang Rui walked in, the two exchanged a glance, and then bowed slightly as a greeting.

Guess first.

Yu Xiaoyang guessed correctly and went first with black.

Zhang Rui didn't care, because no matter what, he would be the one to win in the end.

The competition began at 10:00 AM.

Yu Xiaoyang, playing black, made his first move on the star point in the upper right corner.

Zhang Rui followed closely behind, in the lower left corner.

The third move is Black's small eye in the upper left corner.

The fourth move, White's lower right corner – 3-3.

The sound of pieces being placed echoed softly and briefly in the game room.

The atmosphere in the spectator room was completely different.

Several chess players from the Chinese Chess Academy sat in the front row, with synchronized chess scores displayed in front of them.

Kuwabara sat in the middle, holding a folding fan, but he didn't open it.

"Another three points." Fang Xu, a ninth-dan player, said in a low voice, his tone carrying an indescribable emotion, both helpless and admiring.

"Which game of his doesn't involve the 3-3 point?" Xu Hou chimed in from the side. "I'm about to throw up from watching it."

"But you have to admit, his 'three-three' strategy is truly effective. When others use the 'three-three' strategy, they are giving their opponent an advantage; when he uses it, he is establishing a foothold for himself. It looks the same, but it's actually completely different."

Kuwabara didn't speak, but just stared at the chessboard, tapping his folding fan lightly in his hand.

On the chessboard, Yu Xiaoyang's response was very composed.

Black places a piece in the lower right corner, sealing off the area.

Yu Xiaoyang didn't try any tricks or imitate Zhang Rui's "unreasonable hand" style; he simply followed his own style, which he had cultivated for forty years, and proceeded step by step.

During the opening phase, neither side played quickly, nor slowly.

Zhang Rui's move rhythm remained consistent, ranging from ten to thirty seconds.

Yu Xiaoyang took a little longer, but still didn't spend more than five minutes thinking.

After entering the middle game, Yu Xiaoyang began to exert his strength.

Black played a "leaning" move on the left side, attempting to break through White's territory.

This move is very tricky, not a conventional one, and carries a hint of Yu's "demon blade" style—light, unpredictable, and impossible to defend against.

In the spectator room, Kuwabara's eyes narrowed slightly.

"Yu Xiaoyang is in good spirits today."

Fang Xu nodded: "That's right, with the teacher's hand on your side, no one dares to lower theirs."

"But he dared to do it because he knew that he couldn't play by the rules against Zhang Rui. Only by using unconventional methods could he possibly win."

But Zhang Rui's response stunned everyone.

Instead of getting bogged down in the local fight, White opted to play a different move – in the upper right corner, at the 3-3 point.

Another three points.

Moreover, it's a mid-game point of 3-3.

There was a moment of silence in the spectator room.

"This..." Xu Hou opened his mouth, not knowing what to say.

Fang Xu stared at the chessboard, his brow furrowed: "Isn't Zhang Rui, 9-dan, being... too casual?"