The Way of the Blind Girl Chess Saint

Ji Yingting was wearing a thin autumn outfit, a gray-white short dress, with her fair thighs exposed.

After a long competition, it's time to relax for a while.

At least for the next few months, Ji Yingting doesn't want to participate in any major tournaments. Maintaining a high level of chess skill requires mental rest.

[Passengers, please fasten your seatbelts. The spaceship will be landing in Moonlit City soon.]

Yongyue City...

Ji Yingting opened her eyes and looked down at the scenery below. Yongyue City was a city that accompanied her childhood memories.

I miss Minghaiji Middle School, and the Seventh Music High School, Yinxian High School, where I only attended one day of school before skipping classes like crazy.

“Ji Yingting…”

"Sorry to keep you waiting."

The girl with long orange hair gently brushed a strand of hair from her forehead. She was wearing a green and white school dress, and a hint of relief appeared on her indifferent face. Shang Gongying had returned to normal life a week earlier than Ji Yingting.

"Congratulations on becoming a professional fourth dan! I watched the finals the day before yesterday."

"Yeah, a professional third dan is pretty good too. Thanks for your hard work..."

Ji Yingting stole a glance at her opponent, hesitating to speak. Her demeanor was vastly different from when they first played against each other; she no longer possessed the same domineering and assertive air.

Perhaps because of her experience in the professional Go world, Shang Gongying's personality has become much gentler, while her orange eyes have become even more profound.

"I said, the 10-dan Go Academy has also disbanded, so where do you want to go back to?"

"I guess we'll have to go back to Minghai Princess for now..."

Ji Yingting thought about it helplessly for a while. The 10-dan Go Academy was gone, but Ming Haiji's school district house remained. She didn't want to go to high school, nor did she want to live in a dormitory. Otherwise, why would she stay in a hotel when she finally got to go back to her hometown?

After getting into the taxi, while Shang Gongying squinted, Ji Yingting also took out her phone and looked at it for a while. It seemed that many people had sent her text messages.

Unfortunately, I can't read at all!! I'll just use the voice system!

[Sakuraba-nee, are you back in Crescent Moon Province? Let's go out for a meal to celebrate!!!]

"Oh? That's Xiaotong's voice. But Mingyue City is so far away. I don't want to go on any more long trips today."

Ji Yingting secretly memorized the way An Ruotong's name was written. Even though she was born blind, her memory as a professional Go player was very strong.

【Dear Sakuraba, congratulations on becoming the champion!~】

"Huh? Who's this?"

The message clearly stated the name "Ji Xingquan," but Ji Yingting didn't recognize her grandmother's voice at first. After all, who would have thought that her elderly grandmother would speak with the voice of a prostitute?

Is he one of my die-hard fans? How disgusting. Ji Yingting blocked him without thinking.

[Sakuraba-senpai, if you have some free time recently, could you come back to school? I have something important to discuss.]

"Hmm...??" Upon hearing this news, Ji Yingting frowned slightly.

It was a new message from this morning, but no matter how long she stared at the two-character name, she couldn't tell whose voice it was.

Ji Yingting took off her headphones and shook Shang Gongying's leg. "Hey, say this name to me."

"Lin...Lin Hao?"

"Who is it?" Ji Yingting tilted her head in confusion.

"So, why are you asking me this..." Shang Gongying was speechless.

Lin Hao, Lin Hao? Which chess player is he?

Senior? Wait, I remember now!

Ji Yingting suddenly clapped her hands. Isn't this the Go club president of Minghaiji Middle School? I remember he even reached the third dan in the provincial competition and officially took over Wang Xi's position.

What important matter could an amateur Go player have to ask me? I'm going back to Minghaiji anyway, so I might as well go and check it out on the way.

.............

"Has Lin Hao not arrived yet?"

Sitting in the office of Minghai Ji Middle School, Ji Yingting asked while serving tea.

Sitting across from her junior high school homeroom teacher, the woman asked with a smile, "Sakuraba is a professional Go player, how come you have time to come back to junior high to visit your teacher?"

"Uh-huh"

Ji Yingting nodded, her eyes twitching. She had clearly been seen by the teacher by accident and led into the office. She couldn't very well say that she didn't want to see the teacher, could she?

"Ah!! Sakuraba-senpai!! I'm late!"

A moment later, Lin Hao rushed into the office.

His once short black hair had grown long enough to be braided, and he had grown much taller, looking much more mature than the crew-cut boy Ji Yingting vaguely remembered.

Walking down the corridor, Ji Yingting, with her stunning beauty and emerald green hair styled in twin ponytails, became the focus of all the students' attention. However, she overheard some unexpected news.

"Teacher Chen Xiao has resigned?"

Teacher Chen Xiao recommended Zhu Huangfu to compete with her just two months ago, so she must have resigned in the last few days.

"Yes, the junior high school league training camp is coming up soon. We won't be qualified to participate without a mentor leading the team! By the way, Sakuraba-nee has been a professional Go player for a year now, right? Her results are pretty good, aren't they?" Lin Hao asked with a smile.

"Not bad...?" Ji Yingting was slightly taken aback.

It seems that Lin Hao didn't contact her to congratulate him on becoming the champion, but rather because he knew nothing about the Three Lives Cup.

That's true. Amateur players and those trying to become professionals are completely different. For example, in a junior high or high school club, even if you're the president, the world of amateurs and the world of professionals are two completely different dimensions.

Aside from fans and netizens who enjoy watching chess matches, even Minghaiji Middle School probably received the news of their victory a few days later.

"Hmm, it's pretty good, isn't it?" Ji Yingting asked with a smile, her cute expression leaving Lin Hao somewhat bewildered.

"So, you want me to lead the Minghai Ji Middle School team to the training camp?"

"Well, after all, Sister Sakuraba is a professional Go player. She can guide everyone and also temporarily serve as Teacher Chen Xiao's advisor. We will make sure the school pays her according to Teacher Chen Xiao's salary," Lin Hao said confidently, patting his chest.

Since Minghaiji Middle School produced a professional Go player, the number of Go enthusiasts joining the school has been increasing daily. Schools that used to win the junior high school league championship have become worthless. As the president of the Go club, Lin Hao's decisions are rarely opposed even by the school leaders.

Does this guy really not know about the salaries of professional Go players? Ji Yingting found it somewhat amusing.

But she didn't say anything; instead, she thought about it seriously for a while.

"how long?"

"One month...is that okay?" Lin Hao was a little embarrassed. If he were to serve as an advisor, it would be better to continue until the junior high school league.

"Of course, you don't have to come every day!! If Sakuraba-senpai wants to participate in the hand-to-hand combat, you can come anytime, or even once every three days is fine!"

"No... I won't participate in the hand-to-hand combat."

Ji Yingting shook her head. Hand matches are equivalent to promotion matches for professional Go players. Only the most ordinary professional Go players, or old Go players who are declining, would try to improve their rank through hand matches.

As they approached the entrance of the Go club, Ji Yingting gently put her hands behind her back. "Well, I just finished a competition recently and want to rest for a while, so I'll tour your Go club for a bit first."

Snap, snap, snap, snap...

As soon as the door was pushed open, the quiet sound of chess pieces being placed filled the air. Dozens of chess boards were arranged in the modernly decorated classroom, with deep blue screens, resembling the color of the ocean, separating the tables and chairs. In just one year, the Minghai Ji Go Club had grown at an astonishing pace.

Everyone in their school uniforms is so focused...

Ji Yingting opened her eyes a crack, a slight feeling stirring within her heart, and wandered around the center of the classroom.

There are quite a few rank-level players in the Minghai Ji Go Club, but of course... it's actually very rare to find a fourth-rank player in a junior high school club.

To become an amateur fourth dan, an average person needs at least five years of training.

As for amateur fifth dan... due to the special competition system of Go, an amateur fourth dan who wins first place in the city's high-dan group cannot be promoted to fifth dan unless they achieve the top three in the city competition twice in a row.

As a result, the annual Provincial Tournament has become an indispensable battleground for all amateur chess players. This year's Provincial Tournament... should be held in Yongyue City, right?

..........

"Hmm? This woman..."

At the same time, a girl with long black hair and a few strands of white highlights paused slightly, her dark eyes widening instantly as she stared at Ji Yingting walking around nearby.

"Ji Yingting...?"

The girl's voice was extremely weak, and her petite body trembled uncontrollably.

She had long heard that Senior Ji Yingting had become a professional Go player after graduating from Minghai Ji, but... seeing Ji Yingting in person, with a face exactly like the girl in the match the day before yesterday, was Ji Yingting really herself? She was now a professional fourth dan!!

"Xiao An, what's wrong?"

"N-nothing..."

The white-haired girl shook her head. She could feel Ji Yingting's gaze fixed on her, and involuntarily clenched her white Go stones. Xiao An, an amateur fourth-dan player, was the strongest member of the Go club. If nothing unexpected happened, she would definitely be a key player in this junior high school league.

A short while later, she breathed a sigh of relief after Ji Yingting turned and left.

Junior high school ends at 3 p.m., but the Go club practice continues until 5 p.m. Ji Yingting sat in the lounge and drank a few sips of tea. The first-year junior high girl opposite her didn't even dare to breathe loudly.

She wore light green twin ponytails and a gray short dress. Compared to an immature middle school student, Ji Yingting's milky white thighs were incredibly pleasing to the eye.

Even though she was stunned by Ji Yingting's stunning beauty, the short-haired girl couldn't recognize which celebrity she was. She was a new member who had recently joined the Go club and had been excluded because there were no seats left for her to play against.

Ji Yingting suddenly asked, "Do you know what that white-haired girl's name is? She's the one with the long hair, the one who looks very young. I saw her playing a three-in-a-row handicap game."

"White hair? Are you talking about Xiao An?" The short-haired girl paused slightly, then responded softly.

"Xiao An is our ace! She reached amateur fourth dan just starting junior high!! Isn't that amazing?" As she spoke, you could see a hint of envy in the little girl's eyes.

"It's nothing special. There are plenty of people who go on to become professional Go players after junior high school," Ji Yingting said casually, leaving the little girl speechless.

Professional Go? Are you kidding me? Are there any professional Go players around my age?

I'm only at amateur level 7, I can't even get into the world of ranked matches, let alone becoming a professional!

"Is that so?" The little girl didn't dare to refute and lowered her head sheepishly.

.......

"The game is over, everyone gather together!!"

At five o'clock sharp, Lin Hao clapped his hands in the center of the classroom, and many club members gathered around.

"Everyone should know about Teacher Chen Xiao's resignation. I've been working as a regular consultant recently. But it's not a holiday, and the high school entrance exam is approaching, so almost all the teachers are busy."

Our Minghaiji Go Club's schedule can't be ruined just because we don't have an advisor. The selection date for the official participating members is in three days, and the advisor will be temporarily appointed by Ji Yingting, a senior alumna of Minghaiji from last year.

Behind Lin Hao, Ji Yingting sat at the chess table and waved to everyone with a smile.