The man across from Watanabe Guyou was dressed in white, ornate robes adorned with jade ornaments, and a cloud crown atop his head. He appeared very young, much like a boy.
However, his aura was faint and elusive, giving a sense of etherealness, clearly indicating he was no ordinary individual. He sat opposite Watanabe Guyou, on equal footing.
Seeing this person, Chen Fan was taken aback, greatly surprised.
The young man looked towards Chen Fan, smiled slightly, but the smile held a sense of vicissitude, creating a peculiar contrast with his youthful appearance.
Chen Fan's pupils contracted.
This young man was peculiar, very unusual. Those who could sit as equals with a martial arts grandmaster were, by nature, extraordinary.
"Mr. Chen, we meet again."
Watanabe Guyou saw Chen Fan and said, "I just didn't expect it to be here, not in the capital."
Chen Fan walked over and sat on another mat, saying, "I heard Mr. Watanabe was recuperating in the capital. I didn't expect you to return to your country so soon?"
Watanabe Guyou said, "I've heard of Mr. Chen's exploits, defeating the seven grandmasters under Alliance Leader Zuo Lifu in one battle, truly astonishing."
"To the extent that it affected my own fight with Grandmaster Xiao Kai; very few people paid attention to it."
"I wonder, Mr. Chen, what is your purpose in boarding the Mayflower?"
Chen Fan said indifferently, "I'd like to know that too. Mr. Watanabe and Mr. Ryūyū, why did you suddenly change your minds and board this cruise ship to leave Da Xia?"
"Don't you know our reason, Mr. Chen?" Watanabe smiled.
"I really don't know!" Chen Fan replied.
"Is Mr. Chen playing coy while knowing everything?" Mitsui Kumata said, "If you are unwilling to state your reason for boarding, then, Mr. Chen, even though your status is unusual, we will have to be impolite and ask you to leave."
Chen Fan felt a bit strange. Judging by their tone and words, Watanabe Guyou and Mitsui Kumata believed he was here to confront them?
"I'm just looking for someone," Chen Fan said vaguely after a moment's thought.
Watanabe Guyou and the others exchanged glances, their expressions becoming serious. Especially in Watanabe and Ryūyū Jūbei's eyes, there was a hint of apprehension.
"May I ask who Mr. Chen is looking for?" Mitsui Kumata asked, outwardly respectful but with an aggressive tone.
Chen Fan sneered and said, "What, do I have to report to you? Are you interrogating me here?"
"In any case, it's not you I'm looking for."
Mitsui Kumata's gaze turned somewhat grim, and a hint of ruthlessness appeared in his eyes.
The young man sitting opposite Watanabe Guyou pondered.
Watanabe glanced at the youth and said, "Why doesn't Mr. Chen tell us frankly?"
Chen Fan scoffed, "Why should I tell you frankly?"
"Mr. Chen's martial arts cultivation is profound, but here, facing me, Ryūyū Kensei, and Lord Ise Shrine Priest, you won't get any advantage."
Watanabe Guyou said, "Since you refuse to be frank, we can only ask Mr. Chen to disembark."
Chen Fan said indifferently, "So much nonsense, and you still want to expel me? Then try it."
Mitsui Yūta said coldly, "Mr. Chen, your status cannot help you. This ship, strictly speaking, is our Sakura Country's territory. You boarded without a ticket and with malicious intent; expelling you is already showing leniency."
Chen Fan said casually, "Then what are you waiting for? Shouldn't you have expelled me when we were downstairs?" He genuinely wanted to see how Wu Zhao would react if Mitsui Yūta tried to expel him.
"Mr. Chen, do you really think you're invincible?" Mitsui Yūta said angrily, looking at Ryūyū Jūbei. "Kensei Ryūyū, please escort this person off the ship. We don't need such a destabilizing factor on the Mayflower."
Ryūyū Jūbei made no move. He squinted at Chen Fan, deep in thought. His swordsmanship was based on the three-sword style. The so-called three-sword style meant killing the opponent and ending the fight within three strikes. If he couldn't kill his opponent in three strikes, he would be in great danger. This philosophy made his swordsmanship extremely sharp and powerful; at the same level of cultivation, few could survive his blade.
However, Chen Fan was no ordinary person, having gained fame in the capital by defeating seven grandmasters. Even if the deaths of the seven grandmasters weren't directly at Chen Fan's hands, it still warranted caution. Surviving an encirclement by seven grandmasters was itself an astonishing feat.
"I propose this," the young man, who looked like he stepped out of a painting, suddenly said. "Since Mr. Chen refuses to back down, how about a game of chess?"
"If I can win even a slight advantage tomorrow night, I request Mr. Chen to explain his true intention for boarding and then disembark. If Mr. Chen wins, then we apologize for our rudeness. As long as our objectives don't conflict, Mr. Chen is free to do as he pleases on the ship."
Chen Fan looked at the young man, feeling as if his eyes were like swirling vortices, like the deep, unfathomable night. He hadn't expected the youth to make such a proposal. Watanabe Guyou had mentioned this person was a shrine priest, and combined with his attire, Chen Fan was not unfamiliar with his identity. This Ise Akiyo was likely a Japanese Onmyoji, and judging by the surname Ise, he must be from Japan's oldest and most mysterious Ise Grand Shrine.
Japan's martial arts world primarily focuses on swordsmanship, and their swords are knives, quite different from Da Xia's. The most mysterious in Japan's martial arts world are the famed ninjas. However, Onmyoji are even more mysterious than ninjas. These Onmyoji typically train in various shrines, their cultivation methods are quite esoteric, more akin to cultivators like Yin Yazi. It is said that the shrine priests in the Grand Shrines worship Japan's deities and can borrow the power of these deities, making them incredibly powerful. As the Lord of the Dark Night, Chen Fan had carried out missions in Japan and had a rudimentary understanding of these matters.
After a moment's thought, Chen Fan nodded, "Since Shrine Priest Ise has such elegant interest, a game of chess is also acceptable." He did not wish to engage in direct violent conflict with Watanabe, Ryūyū, and Ise. His enemies were Wu Zhao and the Brotherhood; Watanabe Guyou and the others were certainly not friends, and he was unsure of their purpose on the Mayflower. However, if he could avoid direct confrontation, Chen Fan would naturally be pleased.
Mitsui Yūta had no objections and immediately ordered someone to bring a chessboard and pieces. Watanabe and Ryūyū Jūbei, the two grandmasters, also rose and walked towards the door, seemingly unconcerned. They appeared to have great faith in Ise Akiyo's strength.
The chessboard was set up, and Ise Akiyo made a gesture, saying, "Mr. Chen, please."
Chen Fan went over and sat down. He glanced at Ise Akiyo, whose gaze was deep and whose expression had become solemn, and said, "Shrine Priest Ise, you first!"
Playing chess was certainly not just about playing chess; there would undoubtedly be other underlying implications. However, Chen Fan was not very familiar with the methods of these Onmyoji and was unsure of how the game would proceed.
Ise Akiyo was not polite. He picked up a chess piece and placed it on the board with a *snap*. Instantly, the wind and clouds changed, and an invisible ripple emanated from the chessboard, spreading through the entire quiet room. The space seemed to fluctuate.