“I truly hadn’t heard about this. Thank you for clarifying, Brother Shen.”

Yang Lingrui finally understood Li Qingwan’s situation at the academy through these words.

Considering what Zi He had mentioned earlier—that Elder Li Yuande arranged for Li Qingwan’s entry into ChengTian Academy—it must have involved the West Concubine’s influence.

It was highly probable the West Concubine herself had become Li Qingwan’s protector within the Zhuhu Dynasty.

Tiger-Chasing Palace, Western Expedition Hall.

Ten chessboards lay arranged in the great hall.

Li Qingwan stood motionless before the second board from the right, deep in thought.

The first board to her right already showed her victory—she’d won by half a point with white stones.

As she pondered her next move, the West Concubine materialized silently in the hall.

She observed from behind as Li Qingwan finally placed her stone.

The second game lasted two full days.

When victory came, Li Qingwan exhaled slowly.

Without turning, she addressed the presence behind her: “You always choose these impossible deadlocks.”

“Because you’re a living deadlock.”

The West Concubine’s voice held no warmth.

“Fail to solve these thousand deadlocks, and your shift to the Path of Martial Arts remains delusion.”

“Miss the deadline, and you’ll kneel beneath that Lanyue old monster.”

Her bluntness cut like steel.

The West Concubine had sponsored Li Qingwan for one reason—this girl mirrored her own potential to become a Martial Cultivator.

Beneath the National Master, the Zhuhu Dynasty boasted three guardians at the perfect realm of Spirit Communication:

The Faceless Man from that chess game—leader of the Immortal Patrol Office.

The Exterminate Evil Division’s Leader Xing (Zi He’s superior), and the Prison’s Warden.

Though only at seventh-level Spirit Communication herself, the West Concubine held equal status to these guardians.

Being the emperor’s favorite concubine helped, but her true value lay elsewhere—she alone in the dynasty walked the Path of Martial Arts.

This cultivation path had vanished from Canglan Island, accessible only through rare epiphanies.

Born to warriors, the West Concubine first embraced martial arts cultivation.

Countless battles forged her breakthrough into Martial Cultivation during the western expedition campaigns.

Yet for all its glory, the Martial Cultivator’s path held a flaw—in single combat, they often fell short against peers from other disciplines.

But if she were given a well-trained army, the combat strength of a Martial Cultivator would change fundamentally and explode exponentially.

On the western expedition battlefield, West Concubine, at the early stages of Spirit Communication, commanded a million soldiers and cornered a late-stage Spirit Communication cultivator until he abandoned his cultivation, sacrificing his body to let his primary spirit escape.

During pivotal battles that elevated Tiger-Chasing from a small nation to a dynasty, she repeatedly turned the tide of war, becoming indispensable to their victories.

Now at the seventh-level of Spirit Communication, her return to leading armies would make her combat strength second only to the Tiger-Chasing national master.

Knowing how crucial martial arts cultivators were for expansion, the Tiger-Chasing Emperor and national master negotiated with Lanyue Sect after West Concubine noted Li Qingwan’s potential to pursue the Path of Martial Arts. The result delayed Li Qingwan’s handover by fifteen years.

Unaware of the true motive, Lanyue Sect believed Li Yuande had bargained his life through some ritual to buy Li Qingwan time. If she could transition from the Way of Chess to the Path of Martial Arts within fifteen years, Tiger-Chasing would protect her at all costs—even war with Lanyue.

Li Qingwan used only the dragon-slaying technique in chess battles because failure meant hellish consequences. The restriction placed by the Tiger-Chasing national master barred her from suicide. If she failed to switch paths, they’d surrender her when the deadline came.

West Concubine watched Li Qingwan place stones on the third chessboard. “Five years passed, yet you’re twenty games behind.”

“I know.”

*Tap. Tap. Tap.*

Li Qingwan’s rapid moves summoned a swirling gray-white aura around her. Noticing she’d entered combat enlightenment, West Concubine held back further remarks.

“A breakthrough?”

After confirming Li Qingwan’s stability, West Concubine withdrew her spiritual thought—a delightful surprise after years of failed guidance.

“That academy’s stone worked. I’ll request rewards from His Majesty.”

Pondering what made Li Qingwan abandon her lingering attachment, West Concubine vanished, reappearing at ChengTian Academy’s Celestial Script Cave Heaven. A flick of her incantation parted the entrance like water.

…

Six days later, the academy’s cloud ship reached Daoyuanshan’s gates. Initially thrilled by the voyage, young disciples soon retreated to cabins to cultivate, bored by scenery.

Daoyuanshan’s Grand Elder hosted a welcome banquet before settling guests in premium quarters. Qiu Ran, clad in Purple Lightning robes, was greeted by cheering disciples:

“Welcome back, senior sister!”

“Senior sister, your efforts honor us!”

“With you, we’ll crush Wanhuamen!”

As Daoyuanshan’s senior sister and a key contender, Qiu Ran drew crowds. Other disciples glanced at the competition’s other favorite—Xiao Yize, who smiled amiably, nodded at Qiu Ran, then left with He Shenglai.

“Calm as ever. Confident?” He Shenglai teased inside their cave.

Xiao Yize slumped onto a cushion. “Truth? I beat Qiu Ran ten years ago because Thunder techniques are easy to learn but hard to master. Now she’s refined Daoyuanshan’s thunder flame True Intent. Only Shen Yue can match her full power.”

He Shenglai chuckled. “Surrendering already? So Wanhuamen loses?”

“Not quite.” Xiao Yize wagged a finger. “If my junior brother wins after I lose, a draw’s fair, no?”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep