Thanks to the meeting by West Lake last time, Yan Shouyi's prestige has reached its peak, and he can command absolute obedience within the Min Jiao.
Eliminating the traitorous National Master of the Min Jiao is the common wish of all descendants of the Min Jiao, so Yan Shouyi's call to action was immediately met with a response from everyone.
Major factions were organizing their elites, preparing to converge in Xichuan.
While other factions were busy with their preparations, the leader of the Min Jiao, Yan Shouyi, was playing chess by West Lake with his father, Yan Chou.
Perhaps sensing the impending decisive battle, both father and son cherished their time together. It was rare for them to sit together so peacefully, doing what fathers and sons should do.
In a distant pavilion, Long Feicheng hovered in mid-air, watching from afar. Impatiently, he exclaimed, "What time is it, and Yan Ge still has the mood to play chess with his godfather!"
"Oh, stop making noise!" Luo Ning, who was knitting a sweater, glared at Long Feicheng. "What do you know? When they play chess, they are actually talking. I suspect Uncle Yan Chou is teaching Yan Shouyi how to fight this battle."
"Hmph! How can I not understand? I'm telling you, Luo Ning, they should let me participate in this chess game too. I have a lot of experience in combat command!" Long Feicheng retorted unconvincingly.
Luo Ning didn't believe him. She smiled and said, "Never mind anything else, just tell me, how should Yan Shouyi make his next move?"
Long Feicheng sneered, "Knight to C3."
"...Didn't you realize they were playing Go?"
"Uh... Go doesn't have chariots, horses, or cannons, right?"
It turned out that Long Feicheng not only didn't realize that Yan Shouyi and Yan Chou were playing Go, but he also didn't know the difference between Go and chess!
Luo Ning rolled her eyes and said helplessly, "If Zi Tong weren't pregnant and Yi Yao hadn't gone to the Northeast, I really wouldn't want to talk to you, you idiot."
...
By West Lake, Yan Shouyi and Yan Chou were playing chess. Their chessboard and pieces were exquisitely carved on the spot.
Yan Chou made a move, capturing a few of Yan Shouyi's white stones, and casually asked, "Have you persuaded the righteous sects?"
"It's settled, and Old Yu is leading the charge," Yan Shouyi replied calmly, continuing to place his stones and set up his formation.
"Well, the decisive battle is in six days, but Ah Gong and the others are still in Siam. They probably won't make it in time for the decisive battle," Yan Chou said.
"The National Master is a hidden danger, and my evil thoughts are also a hidden danger. These two matters must be addressed simultaneously," Yan Shouyi replied. "From what I know of the National Master, with the combined forces of the two factions, there's a ninety percent chance of killing him. Whether Ah Gong and the others are present or not will have little impact on the outcome."
"What about the remaining ten percent?"
"The remaining ten percent is because I fear the National Master may still have a trump card. After all, he has prepared for a thousand years. He might have set up an inescapable net in Xichuan, waiting for us to walk into it."
"Well, in that case, why do you still intend to attack Xichuan?"
"The National Master's injuries are not fully healed. Even if it's risky, we must try. Otherwise, once he recovers, our casualties will only be more severe."
Yan Shouyi had long been prepared for casualties. He could only try his best to minimize them.
Yan Chou held a chess piece, pondered for a moment, and then slowly placed it down, saying, "Actually, for your decisive battle with the National Master, your father-in-law and I have also made preparations."
Yan Shouyi was stunned. "What preparations?"
Lin Zhitong's father, Lin Ruofu, was just an ordinary person. What help could he provide in this matter?
"Look closely at the chessboard," Yan Chou said, pointing to the board.
Yan Shouyi lowered his head and observed carefully. Suddenly, he realized that the layout of the chessboard was the same as the Min Jiao stronghold by West Lake.
He couldn't help but marvel at Yan Chou's superb chess skills, managing to make him play unconsciously, eventually forming the shape of the Min Jiao stronghold.
"Do you mean that the Min Jiao stronghold is a contingency plan you two prepared for me?" Yan Shouyi asked curiously.
Yan Chou slowly nodded. "When I designed the Min Jiao stronghold, I considered all factors. I was particularly worried that you might encounter an invincible opponent in the future, so the Min Jiao stronghold itself is a massive formation. If you ever encounter an enemy you cannot defeat, you might be able to lure them to West Lake and use the giant formation of the Min Jiao stronghold to eliminate them."
Was this formation so powerful?
Yan Shouyi frowned. "What formation is buried beneath the Min Jiao stronghold?"
"You've heard of this formation. It comes from the Lushan Sect, and it's called the Nine Dragon Desolating Array."
Yan Shouyi's pupils contracted.
Previously, Tong Jingcheng had set up the Nine Dragon Desolating Array at three feng shui points in Rongcheng to resurrect his wife, whose soul had scattered, and to provide energy for the final Refining Desolation Rebirth Grand Array.
He never expected that such a grand array was also hidden beneath the Min Jiao stronghold.
Yan Chou continued, "The Nine Dragon Desolating Array is the main array. Inside it are nine hundred and ninety-nine killing arrays, nine hundred and ninety-nine illusion arrays, and nine hundred and ninety-nine bewildering arrays. If you fail to kill the National Master in this decisive battle in Xichuan, find a way to lure him to Rongcheng and kill him using the Nine Dragon Desolating Array."
Yan Shouyi couldn't help but rub the bridge of his nose and say, "Dad, when it comes to planning, you are truly formidable."
"You are a father now too, so you can understand my feelings somewhat," Yan Chou said faintly. "A father is willing to sacrifice everything for his child."
Moreover, everything Yan Shouyi bore was originally Yan Chou's responsibility. It was just that his grandfather, Yan Baixiang, could not bear to watch his own child die under the tribulation of fate, so he transferred all these responsibilities to Yan Shouyi.
For Yan Chou, everything he did for Yan Shouyi was partly out of paternal responsibility and partly out of guilt.
With the Nine Dragon Desolating Array as a trump card, Yan Shouyi's pressure eased slightly.
Just as he was about to push away the chess pieces and start a new game, Wang Jiwan, with a grave expression, interrupted their father-son game.
"I have some bad news."
Yan Shouyi did not panic and calmly asked, "What happened?"
"Those people from the righteous sects are up to no good!" Wang Jiwan said angrily. "After the news of the two factions joining forces to encircle and suppress the National Master spread, many arrogant third and fourth-rate righteous sects, wanting to make a name for themselves by killing the National Master, are now heading towards Xichuan. They won't wait for the main army to assemble but will go into the mountains on their own to find the National Master's hiding place and strike him before everyone else!"
These teammates are like pigs!
Don't they know their own limitations!
Even Yan Shouyi was infuriated.
The people of the righteous sects had become too accustomed to a life of comfort over the years. They had forgotten that there were always people better than them and heavens beyond the heavens. Their minds were filled with the pursuit of fame and fortune. Now, they were making such a move that would alert the enemy and lead to their own deaths!
"Contact Yu Lumin and ask him if he can stop those imbeciles!" Yan Shouyi stood up and said.