Chapter 1033: The Cosmos as a Chessboard, Stars as Pieces
Editor: Henyee Translations

The trial of illusions had undoubtedly been a humbling experience for Jiang Chengxuan and his companions.

After regaining their composure, they continued their journey with renewed determination.

This time, the long winding path presented no further anomalies, and they proceeded with a light step, walking steadfastly among the swirling mists.

For several days, they encountered only minor mechanisms and illusions, which, while intriguing, lacked the terrifying intensity of the earlier trials.

It was as if the path was playing a more gentle kind of game with them, manifesting bizarre illusions such as suddenly turning into birds to fly over mountains, dodging the pursuit of divine eagles, or shrinking a hundredfold to navigate canyons and battle gigantic worms.

These illusions were undoubtedly more benign than the monotonous road they had traversed earlier, offering a form of respite.

Eventually, as expected, after overcoming these successive hurdles, a new challenge emerged before them—a terrifying black tide surged in front of them, its roaring waves echoing like dragons across the heavens.

A dense aura of death churned in the void, ancient and vast, painting grim expressions on the faces of Jiang Chengxuan and his companions.

What lay before them was a sea of death, rich with the most potent rule of demise, wildly more violent than any realm of life and death Jiang Chengxuan and Shen Ruyan had previously encountered.

The power contained within this sea of death was formidable, with each surging wave possessing a force nearing that of a Mahayana Daolord.

Facing such peril, even Jiang Chengxuan found it extremely difficult to contemplate crossing by force.

He resorted to using the Heavenly Calculation Technique, eventually pinpointing a breakthrough clue—a massive white pillar within the sea of death.

After briefing Qin Shenwu and others, Jiang Chengxuan and Shen Ruyan hesitated no further.

Transforming into elegant streaks of light, they located the stark white pillar amid the black sea. Dodging terrifying waves of death, they safely landed on its platform.

Surrounded by endless surging waves, they felt as if the world was capsizing around them. Fortunately, both were wielders of the rule of death, and their manifested powers significantly mitigated the assaulting forces.

The meaning of the white pillar was clear. Jiang Chengxuan and Shen Ruyan worked in perfect harmony—one manifesting the rule of death for defense, the other probing with the rule of life.

Instantly, under the stimulation of the rule of life, the white pillar thundered, unleashing vast powers of life from within the sea of death, shooting up into the sky. Huge white pillars, imbued with the power of rule, firmly rose from the sea of death, significantly calming its destructive force.

But the trial was not over yet.

Terrifying forces burst between the rising white pillars, linking them together and forming what appeared to be a symbol in the void. This scene was staggering—the vast sea of death lit up with beams of white light shooting from all directions, interconnecting, and slowly forming an enormous chessboard that blotted out the sky.

Gigantic celestial bodies, the stars, began to emerge mysteriously from the void, expanding from tiny points into black and white chess pieces.

Each piece, a black or white star, contained immense power.

The cosmos itself was the chessboard! Life and death were the means! Stars were the pieces!

Such unfathomable power left Jiang Chengxuan and Shen Ruyan utterly astonished. This was the power of an immortal, where all beings seemed as insignificant as dust in their eyes.

Even cosmic stars could be manipulated with ease, showcasing supreme dominance.

Standing on the chessboard, even someone as astute as Jiang Chengxuan couldn’t help but feel a mix of awe and exhilaration.

Boom!

The void thundered once more, and the sea of death surged again, with massive waves reaching for the heavens, pushing a star-chess piece forward.

As the pieces moved into place, it became clear that this was a game of life and death, only navigable through the power of the rule of life and death.

To cross this sea of death, they had to win this game of chess.

Immediately, Jiang Chengxuan activated his Heavenly Calculation Technique, discerning the positions of each chess piece and reversing countless karmic scenarios in his mind.

In an instant, his mind processed thousands of moves, far surpassing any human chess master.

As the powers of destiny converged, Jiang Chengxuan manifested the Five Elements Samsara World, furiously stomping on the white platform, and charged towards a white star turned chess piece.

Suddenly, a horrific wave of death surged towards him, the rule of death pressing down hard.

Evidently, placing a piece on this chessboard required more than just wisdom—it demanded strength surpassing that of a Mahayana Daolord.

Facing the onslaught of the deathly waves, Jiang Chengxuan remained composed. The rule of life erupted from him, manifesting as a colossal white fist that flew directly towards the incoming wave.

With a deafening crash, the two forces collided, unleashing a terrifying explosion. The titanic wave was shattered by Jiang Chengxuan’s punch, dispersing into a shower of dark rain across the sky.

“Go!” he shouted, channeling his spiritual power into the white star chess piece. The massive star began to slowly shift across the celestial chessboard.

Each move was a battle—a complex interplay of placement, deduction, calculation, and confrontation. This scene was repeatedly enacted on this grand chessboard of life and death.

While Shen Ruyan held off the relentless death waves, securing time for Jiang Chengxuan, his mind raced with computations, tapping into the profound depths of deductive power. At that moment, it was as though he was engaged in a cosmic game of chess with an immortal.

Every move required the force of a Mahayana Daolord to be executed, and the game was thrilling to the core. Even the onlooking Qin Shenwu and the others felt their throats dry up from the tension.

Such a confrontation was terrifying and grand, a spectacle only possible at the core of an immortal’s cave.

The pinnacle duel of intellect and magical power unfolded amidst the tumultuous sea of death.

Jiang Chengxuan and Shen Ruyan, battling against the creator’s will, engaged in a life-and-death struggle, making their moves with no regrets.