Chapter 50: The Chess Master (Part 2)

The man hearing this displayed an expression of astonishment. He immediately bowed low before Fang Guohuan and said, "I, Bai Guangyao of Tongling, have met Master Fang. I implore you, Master Fang, to take action in the future and abolish that eunuch's murderous chess technique."

"Bai of Tongling..." Fang Guohuan started in surprise. "The renowned chess master Mr. Bai Guangjing of Tongling—may I ask what relation he is to you?"

Bai Guangyao replied with a pained expression, "That was my elder brother. So, Master Fang knew him as well."

Yuchi Yunlu chimed in from the side, "Mr. Bai Guangjing was a dear friend of mine. It is a tragedy that he, too, fell victim to that eunuch master’s ghostly chess."

Bai Guangyao said regretfully, "When the incident happened to my brother, I was away visiting friends. I never imagined such a disaster would strike my own home, leaving me unable to slay the enemy in time."

Fang Guohuan sighed and said, "You two may not be aware, but on the very day Mr. Bai Guangjing met his misfortune, two friends and I were in pursuit of the eunuch master Li Ruchuan just outside the city of Tongling. Unfortunately, we were a step too late, and Li Ruchuan managed to escape."

Bai Guangyao was startled. "Afterward, I heard from my brother's disciples that they had failed to kill the eunuch master outside Tongling that day, but then encountered three young men who seemed to be seeking revenge against him as well. So, it was you and your companions, Master Fang."

Yuchi Yunlu lamented, "Had you arrived a step earlier, Master Fang, not only would Mr. Bai Guangjing have been spared the bane of the ghostly chess, but perhaps you could have restrained the eunuch master Li Ruchuan on the board."

Fang Guohuan shook his head with a sigh. "Failing to catch Li Ruchuan and missing the chance to play against him back then—perhaps his time had simply not yet come."

Bai Guangyao sighed heavily. "To think that my brother was inexplicably murdered by the very game he played all his life! It is inconceivable! I have sworn a solemn oath to wear only plain mourning clothes until I track down that eunuch. I shall not cast off these robes until the debt of blood is repaid."

Yuchi Yunlu said to Fang Guohuan, "Mr. Bai is a renowned martial arts expert of our time, possessing supreme skills rarely matched by any."

Bai Guangyao shook his head. "I bear the burden of martial skill in vain, for I cannot avenge my brother. It is of no use."

Yuchi Yunlu suggested, "The incident was extraordinary and defies common reason; it must be treated as a special case. I ask that Mr. Bai tell Master Fang about what occurred two months ago."

Bai Guangyao began, "To avenge my brother, I traveled far and wide in the martial world, hunting the culprit. I frequently heard of a string of murders occurring across the land involving chess. Many masters and experts died just as my brother did, under the ghostly chess of a man known as the 'Eunuch Master.' That eunuch kills invisibly through chess; it chilled my heart. To wreak such havoc on the world—he is either a demon or a monster. Two months ago, I finally tracked down this chess devil."

Fang Guohuan listened intently, his expression grave.

Bai Guangyao continued, "At the time, this eunuch was accompanied by a swordsman bodyguard. Upon learning his name, I was stunned: the man was none other than Yu Ruoxu, a man whose swordsmanship is unrivaled, long hailed as the world's greatest swordsman. To this day, I do not understand why the illustrious Yu Ruoxu would risk his life to protect that eunuch."

Fang Guohuan explained, "The eunuch master Li Ruchuan once pleaded for mercy before the Emperor, saving the life of Yu Ruoxu, who had committed a capital crime. To repay this debt, Yu abandoned his post as an Imperial Guard and left the palace with Li Ruchuan to protect him. He does not realize he is aiding a villain, which only makes Li Ruchuan more brazen in using his evil chess arts to hunt down and kill masters for his own amusement."

Bai Guangyao exclaimed, "So that is why! No wonder Yu Ruoxu guards him with his life. After we exchanged names that day, Yu Ruoxu, having heard of my humble reputation, showed me mutual respect. For some reason, Yu Ruoxu seemed not to believe that the eunuch’s chess possessed the power to kill. He argued that his master’s chess was peerless and that he only sought out experts for the sake of competition; any loss of life was purely accidental and had nothing to do with his master. He insisted that unless someone could defeat his master on the board, no one would ever be allowed to approach or harm him. Despite my respect for Yu Ruoxu, I had to avenge my brother, so we clashed. His swordsmanship was truly legendary; we fought for over a hundred rounds without a victor. In the end, forced to use our ultimate techniques, we both suffered grievous injuries."

Fang Guohuan was secretly struck with awe at the depth of Bai Guangyao's martial skill, having fought Yu Ruoxu to such a stalemate.

Bai Guangyao continued, "Severely wounded and unable to continue, Yu Ruoxu managed to support the eunuch as they retreated. With no other choice, I eventually made my way to the Yuqi Manor and met Master Yuchi. I have spent the last two months recovering here. I realized that since the vengeance stemmed from chess, it could only be resolved through chess if I were to have any hope of restraining that eunuch. That is why I consulted with Master Yuchi to hold this chess assembly, hoping to lure him out. My plan was to engage Yu Ruoxu while the other experts restrained the eunuch. This plan failed—perhaps Yu Ruoxu and the eunuch grew suspicious and dared not show themselves."

Yuchi Yunlu added, "Though the plan failed, it unexpectedly brought Master Fang Guohuan here. Your chess has reached a transcendent realm, Master Fang, and you would surely be able to withstand the murderous force of Li Ruchuan's ghostly chess. However..." Yuchi paused. "During this assembly, the experts were using 'grand strategy' moves on the board, intending to lure Li Ruchuan into a game. I was truly worried at the time. If he had actually appeared while you and the other master were not yet here, I fear he might have used the momentum of the games to strike us all down. We took a great risk today."

Fang Guohuan was startled. "If the chess masters and Li Ruchuan had played with grand strategies, and all the experts and the attendants setting the pieces were within the aura of the board, the consequences, had he truly arrived, would have been unimaginable."

Bai Guangyao asked in disbelief, "Is that eunuch's chess power really so formidable?"

Fang Guohuan replied, "Li Ruchuan’s murderous chess relies on the scale of the game. If the arena is large and the strategy grand, it becomes no different from a battle on the board. The murderous force generated could be even more fierce and violent. Neither the players nor the onlookers—especially those with higher chess skill—nor even the attendants would be able to escape the killing intent generated by the match."

Upon hearing this, Yuchi Yunlu and Bai Guangyao broke out in a cold sweat. Yuchi whispered, "How fortunate!" feeling a lingering terror.

Fang Guohuan added, "Of course, this is merely a hypothesis, but it is a distinct possibility." He then looked perplexed. "Given the nature of a chess player, Li Ruchuan should not have missed this chance to display his skill against so many masters. Why did he not appear? And why has he suddenly vanished from all intelligence during this period?"

Bai Guangyao realized, "That must be it! Ever since Yu Ruoxu was severely wounded in our battle, he has been unable to protect the eunuch. To ensure their safety and hide from their enemies, they must have retreated to a remote place to heal."

Fang Guohuan nodded. "That makes sense. No wonder they seem to have disappeared, and no more chess-related murders have occurred."

"However," Bai Guangyao continued, "my wounds have healed over these two months. Yu Ruoxu's wounds will surely heal as well, and he will eventually return to protect the eunuch as they continue their chaos."

Fang Guohuan and Yuchi Yunlu felt their hearts sink.

Bai Guangyao sighed, "With a bodyguard like Yu Ruoxu, killing him outside of chess is difficult, and those outside the game have no cause to strike. Only on the board is there a chance to restrain him. Even if I cannot kill him, I must abolish his murderous path of chess to prevent other masters from suffering as my brother did. Master Fang, your cultivation in chess is supreme; you are the only one capable of this task."

Fang Guohuan declared resolutely, "For the sake of both public justice and private duty, I must play a game with the eunuch master Li Ruchuan. Even if I cannot overcome his power, I would rather see both our paths of chess destroyed than allow this ghostly art to continue to harm others."

Bai Guangyao praised, "Master Fang is truly a chivalrous soul of the board! If you can restrain that eunuch, it will be a blessing for all the chess players in the world!"

Fang Guohuan replied, "As a practitioner of the Way of Chess, in these troubled times, I have an inescapable duty. If Li Ruchuan continues to use his evil arts to kill masters, the very foundation of chess will be eroded. Once the elegance of meeting a worthy opponent is lost, future generations will see chess as nothing more than a minor trick, losing the true depth of the game forever."

Yuchi Yunlu said with reverence, "Few in history, like Master Fang, have viewed the Way of Chess as a grand philosophy. It is a world of its own, accessible only to those with deep cultivation!"

Fang Guohuan smiled. "The Way of Chess mirrors the heavens, follows the earth, and harmonizes with human affairs!"

Fang Guohuan and Yuchi Yunlu then took their leave of Bai Guangyao, exiting the secret chamber and returning to the Chess Hall. Yuchi Yunlu suddenly remembered something and muttered, "Mr. Zhong Shiyuan, the famous fast-chess expert from Hebei, should have arrived by now. Why is there still no word from him?"

"Zhong Shiyuan?!" Fang Guohuan asked in surprise. "Is Mr. Zhong, the finest exponent of fast chess in the world, coming as well?"

Yuchi Yunlu nodded. "Indeed. To deal with Li Ruchuan at this assembly, I invited Mr. Zhong to assist. According to the schedule, he should have arrived long ago; perhaps he was delayed by other matters. As for the 'Chess King of Jiangnan' Tian Yangwu, he is far away in Suzhou, and the other great master, Liu He, lives in Shu. Because the assembly was organized in such haste, I was unable to invite them."

Fang Guohuan said, "Of the high masters in the world today, these three hold the longest and greatest reputations. The current flourishing state of chess in our dynasty owes much to their influence. I have had the honor of meeting the Chess King of Jiangnan, Mr. Tian Yangwu, but although I have long admired the masters Liu He and Zhong Shiyuan, I have never had the opportunity to meet them."

Yuchi Yunlu smiled. "The matches between such experts reveal different realms of understanding. Given your transcendent cultivation, Master Fang, you already stand above these three great masters."