"Impossible!" Nan Liangyu shook his head, firmly rejecting the idea.
"We have tried to move the pieces on the Celestial One Chessboard, but they all seem to be rooted in place. Even my master couldn’t budge them an inch."
Zhao Ya fell silent upon hearing this. After carefully studying the previous game records and comparing them to the current chessboard, he suddenly said, "May I take a closer look?"
"Uh... this..." Nan Liangyu hesitated.
It’s not that he didn’t trust Zhao Ya, but this matter wasn’t up to him.
The Celestial One Chessboard is extremely important to the Celestial One Pavilion.
It’s safe to say that the Pavilion’s transcendent status since its founding relies on this chessboard.
For this reason, strict protective measures have been established; ordinary people can’t even glance at it, let alone enter.
Only because of Zhao Ya’s special status did Nan Liangyu bring him here.
But now that he wants to get close to the chessboard, Nan Liangyu found it hard to decide.
Just then, an aged yet charismatic voice emerged from the cottage behind Nan Liangyu.
"Liangyu, why didn’t you notify me of our distinguished guest’s arrival?"
At the sound of this voice, Nan Liangyu immediately bowed and stepped aside, respectfully saying, "Master."
Soon, an elderly man with a youthful spirit and an ethereal demeanor walked over slowly.
This was He Nandou, the current Pavilion Master of the Celestial One Pavilion and Nan Liangyu’s mentor.
Smiling, he said to Zhao Ya, "For several days, I’ve felt a warmth between my brows, signaling the arrival of an esteemed guest. Indeed, today sees the honored arrival of Temple Master Zhao’s Golden Body."
He Nandou was exceedingly courteous, showing no arrogance despite Zhao Ya’s youth, but instead, sincere respect.
Having been given enough courtesy, Zhao Ya reciprocated politely.
With a clasp of his hands, Zhao Ya said, "Pavilion Master He is too kind. I happened to pass by and heard you were studying the chessboard here. My curiosity got the better of me, so I intruded. I hope Pavilion Master He will forgive me."
This statement also served to alleviate any blame from Nan Liangyu.
After all, as an outsider, bringing Zhao Ya here might breach certain taboos.
He Nandou understood this perfectly and laughed heartily.
"Though young, Temple Master Zhao handles matters flawlessly, which truly earns my admiration as an elder," He Nandou remarked before shifting the conversation.
"I heard you wish to enter the chessboard for closer inspection. Have you found any clues?"
Zhao Ya shook his head, "No! To be honest, although I have some knowledge of chess principles, the Celestial One Chessboard is immensely profound, not something easily deciphered. I’m merely curious to take a look inside."
"Of course, if you find it difficult, just consider I never mentioned it."
Zhao Ya spoke candidly, causing He Nandou to gaze into his eyes, visibly moved.
Not all of He Nandou’s earlier words were mere formalities.
For days, he had an inexplicable sense of an impending notable visit.
Unlike Nan Liangyu, who could only detect a person’s intent after contact, He Nandou’s feeling was subtle, like a premonition—a capability achieved only through extensive mastery of the Celestial One True Power.
Zhao Ya’s arrival affirmed this intuition.
Truth be told, the mere identity of Temple Master of the Azure Dragon Temple wasn’t enough to command He Nandou’s attention.
For someone of his level, earthly fame and power are but fleeting reputations.
The crucial part was He Nandou’s vague sense that the chessboard’s forthcoming change might revolve around Zhao Ya.
Moreover, He Nandou was astonished to find he couldn’t see through this young man at all.
Which was quite shocking.
Though Zhao Ya had recently gained fame, even leading the Azure Dragon Temple in defeating Jingping Saint with his strength alone, he seemed to lack some depth from He Nandou’s perspective.
From birth, even if he had started cultivating in the womb, Zhao Ya could only have trained for about twenty years, hardly matching half of He Nandou’s lifetime of practice.
Yet the facts brazenly contradicted this.
He Nandou found Zhao Ya’s depth utterly unfathomable.
Even standing right before him, he couldn’t sense any of his aura.
This naturally left He Nandou profoundly astonished.
However, being a seasoned figure in the Jianghu, He Nandou calmly regained his composure, then smiled slightly.
"Where are these words coming from, Temple Master Zhao? The Celestial One Chessboard is not solely the possession of our Pavilion, but an extraordinary spectacle between heaven and earth. If you’re confident you won’t be affected by the chessboard and can retreat unscathed, feel free to proceed. Our Pavilion won’t stand in your way."
He Nandou first distanced himself from responsibility.
For who could guarantee that Zhao Ya wouldn’t encounter problems within the Celestial One Chessboard?
Preemptively clarifying this would be preferable to laying blame afterward.
This way, it offered nothing but benefits to the Pavilion.
If Zhao Ya could indeed find a clue or trigger changes within the chessboard, it would be ideal.
Even if not, the Pavilion suffered no loss.
As for any harm or damage to the chessboard...
Ridiculous.
Generations of Celestial One Pavilion Masters have exhausted their minds devising various methods to uncover the chessboard’s secrets, even using cannons, yet nothing changed at all.