Yang Guo travels back in time to become Duan Yu, a different kind of Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils.

Don't go to Mirror Lake, let's make a date for drumming and chess.

There are limited houses at Xiaojing Lake, and the people around the lake are entangled in complicated relationships and unresolved grudges. Yang Guo and Mu Wanqing do not want to stay here and cause further awkwardness, so they plan to go to a nearby town to find an inn to stay temporarily.

Zhao Shuhuai, who was traveling with Yang Guo, naturally stayed close behind him. Yue Laosan followed even more eagerly at the very back.

He had just fought with the three dukes and four guards of Dali by the lake and had a deep grudge against them. The people of Dali are usually upright and respectful, and they hate him the most for his rudeness and arrogance. The two sides already dislike each other, and staying at Xiaojing Lake would only cause more trouble.

More importantly, he still had Yang Guo's secret Toad Stance technique firmly in his mind, and refused to stray even a step away from his cheap master.

The four of them then left Mirror Lake Lodge and settled down at an inn outside the lodge.

The next morning, Yang Guo intended to return to Xiaojing Lake to greet Dao Baifeng and Duan Zhengchun, but Zhu Danchen rushed over with unexpected news.

It turns out that Prince Duan Zhengchun of Zhennan, his wife Dao Baifeng, along with Ruan Xingzhu, Qin Hongmian and their entourage, had already set off overnight for Bianliang.

Zhu Danchen respectfully relayed the message, instructing the Crown Prince not to go to Bianjing for the time being, but to focus on taking good care of those around him and ensuring the safety of Zhao Shuhuai and her sisters.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Shuhuai felt a slight tremor in her heart.

She glanced sideways at Yang Guo beside her, knowing that the Duan couple's hasty departure for the capital was most likely due to her...

This matter arose from his private departure from the palace and his wanderings in the martial world, which concerned the diplomatic relations between the Song and Dali dynasties and was by no means a trivial matter.

At this thought, a faint blush crept onto her cheeks, and her heart was filled with mixed emotions.

After hearing the instructions, Yang Guo had no choice but to return to Little Mirror Lake as instructed.

Having been entrusted with this task, I must take care of all my sisters, and I cannot show favoritism to any of them. Although Azi is mischievous, cunning, and eccentric, she is ultimately Duan Zhengchun's flesh and blood.

Although Duan Zhengchun was not his biological father, he raised Duan Yu for twenty years. Yang Guo, having inherited this profound kindness, could not easily repay it.

When the group returned to the shore of Mirror Lake, they discovered that Azi had already disappeared without a trace, having quietly left sometime earlier.

No one dared to delay, and they immediately split up to search in all directions.

Not long after, Yue Laosan swaggered back, carrying someone in his hand, and shouted gruffly, "Master! I just bumped into a suspicious fellow outside. Something was off about him, so I brought him back for you!"

With that, he casually tossed the man aside, and the man landed heavily on the ground.

Yang Guo nodded to himself, thinking that the Crocodile God of the South Sea had indeed made some progress. In the past, with his violent nature, he would have broken the other's neck without saying a word. It was already rare that he was spared today.

The man on the ground was dressed in simple gray clothes, his expression blank and downcast, silent and not looking around. After slowly getting up, his eyes fell directly on Yang Guo, fixed and unwavering.

A moment later, he respectfully presented a plain letter with both hands, making mumbling sounds and gesturing with his hands to indicate that Yang Guo should accept it.

Upon seeing his appearance, Yang Guo knew he was deaf and mute, and understood. He accepted the invitation with both hands, slightly clasped his hands in thanks. The man bowed in return, did not linger, turned and left quickly, his steps hurried, his coming and going silent, extremely strange.

"This person is quite strange. He's deaf and mute, yet he traveled a thousand miles just to deliver a letter?" Zhao Shuhuai frowned slightly, full of doubt.

Yang Guo also felt something was amiss. He ran his fingertips over the invitation and slowly unfolded it.

The handwriting on the post was elegant and graceful, with a transcendent style. The content was clear at a glance: On the full moon of this month, Su Xinghe, the leader of the Deaf-Mute Sect, will set up a rare chess game at Leigu Mountain to make friends through chess. He will issue invitations to heroes from all over the world to attend and discuss chess. The signature was simply two characters: Su Xinghe.

"The Deaf-Mute Sect? Su Xinghe?"

Mu Wanqing leaned closer at the sound of the voice, her cool and aloof expression revealing a hint of unfamiliarity and curiosity: "I've never heard of this Mr. Su before. May I ask which reclusive master he is?"

Of the four, Yue Laosan had the longest experience in the martial world and the most diverse knowledge. He immediately patted his chest and began to speak in a gruff voice: "Don't underestimate this man! This Mr. Su is a first-rate extraordinary figure in the martial world! In his early years, he was known as Mr. Clever Argumentator. He was eloquent, knowledgeable about ancient and modern times, and knew all the strange and unusual stories and secrets in the world. His martial arts skills were also profound."

Unpredictable, without the slightest ambiguity!

"Unfortunately, he later encountered some evil spirit and became deaf and mute! From then on, he called himself Deaf-Mute and founded the Deaf-Mute Sect. Most of the disciples he accepted were deaf, mute, or disabled. For decades, he lived in seclusion in the deep mountains and rarely got involved in the conflicts of the martial world!"

Old Yue became more and more excited as he spoke, continuing, "There's another secret! This old fellow had eight prized disciples in his younger days, known as the Eight Friends of Hangu Pass! But we don't know what terrible trouble they caused back then, so Su Xinghe, in a fit of rage, expelled all eight of them from the sect! He strictly forbade them to never mention the sect again, never see each other, and never rekindle their old friendships!"

"For a century, everyone in the martial arts world has been discussing and speculating, with rumors flying everywhere, yet no one has ever known the true reason. They simply believe that the master and disciple have completely fallen out and severed all ties!"

Yang Guo, Mu Wanqing, and Zhao Shuhuai listened intently.

After a falling out with his master, the expulsion of his eight disciples, the seclusion of his sect, and decades of silence from the martial world, he has suddenly issued a wide call for heroes, opening his gates to invite heroes from all over the world to gather at Leigu Mountain.

This matter is full of strange twists and turns, and is by no means as simple as an ordinary gathering of martial arts practitioners.

Yang Guo had no interest in the game of chess, but upon hearing about the legendary life and solitary life of this wise and eloquent gentleman, he became somewhat interested.

In his previous life, he had befriended many extraordinary and unconventional individuals, such as the Herb Fairy, the Human Chef, and the Holy Mother. Su Xinghe's life was one of unparalleled prosperity followed by a life of deafness, muteness, and loneliness, a peculiar situation that suited his temperament quite well.

"The intricate chess game and the grand drumming gathering sound extremely interesting," Yang Guo said with a soft laugh as he closed the invitation. "We currently have no..."

"I'm tied up with other matters, and this place isn't far from Leigu Mountain, so why not take a detour and see for myself? I'd like to broaden my horizons and see what mysteries are hidden in this world-renowned chess game."

Yue Laosan loved to join in the fun, so he was naturally the first to cheer when his master was going.

Mu Wanqing was always quiet and undemanding, and she only followed Yang Guo's lead, so she never refused anything he asked.

Only Zhao Shuhuai possessed a delicate and insightful mind.

She grew up in the deep palace, where she was constantly accompanied by top-ranking chess players. From a young age, she learned superb chess skills, far surpassing those of ordinary martial artists. She knew that the Prince of Zhennan and his wife had gone to Bianliang, and that her secret departure from the palace would be exposed sooner or later. She wondered how many more days she could enjoy this carefree and leisurely life in the martial world.

Since the future is uncertain, why not take advantage of this time to fully appreciate the magnificent scenery of the martial arts world?

She had heard about the Heroes' Gathering at Dasheng Pass from Yang Guo and longed to attend it ever since. Now that the Chess Tournament at Leigu Mountain was happening, she naturally didn't want to miss it.

Zhu Danchen, who was carrying out a royal order, had to return to Dali immediately to present the letters from Duan Zhengchun and Dao Baifeng to Emperor Baoding, so he could not accompany the emperor.

The group immediately agreed on their itinerary, packed their belongings, and bid farewell to Xiaojing Lake.

As for Azi, Yang Guo knew her well. This little girl was cunning and clever, full of tricks, and her cunning skills far surpassed those of ordinary people. She was usually the one who tricked others, and very few people could control her. Therefore, he was not too worried and let her come and go as she pleased.

The four people and four horses set off from Xiaojing Lake and headed west.

First, they entered Xinyang City to replenish their provisions and prepare their horses. The city streets were bustling with activity, with a constant stream of martial arts practitioners coming and going. Everyone was talking about Leigu Mountain, Deaf-Mute Valley, and the Zhenlong Chess Game.

Heading west, passing through Ruzhou, we gradually approached the territory of Luoyang, the western capital.

The further west you go, the denser the crowds of people from all walks of life become. Disciples of prestigious sects, heroes of the greenwood, wandering hermits, and members of various gangs come in an endless stream, all heading towards Leigu Mountain.

The official road was bustling with carriages and people, and rumors were rampant. Some said that the game contained unparalleled martial arts techniques, others said that it concealed the thousand-year-old secrets of the Xiaoyao Sect, and still others speculated that the game was related to the fate of the martial arts world and a change in the martial arts landscape.

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