DEMON EMPEROR

Chapter 15: BITTER DEFEAT

Jiang Ji led Ba Bel to a location still on the banks of the River of Death Spirits, where there was a stone table and chairs. Ba Bel had never heard of such a place near the Earth and Heaven Sword Sect in his previous life.

"Hmm, it seems I arrived a little too early!" Jiang Ji stroked his long white beard.

Ba Bel then noticed that the stone table had carvings resembling a chessboard. In addition, there were chess pieces on the table.

"Can you play chess?" Jiang Ji noticed Ba Bel observing the stone chessboard.

"This junior understands the rules but isn't skilled at playing," Ba Bel replied.

"No problem, I'll give you a three-point lead. Play with me." Jiang Ji certainly didn't expect Ba Bel to be proficient in chess given his age.

Ba Bel nodded, then sat facing Jiang Ji. As Jiang Ji wished, Ba Bel placed four of his white pieces on the chessboard.

"Oh, not bad." Jiang Ji raised an eyebrow, observing the position of the pieces Ba Bel had set up. He then began placing his own pieces.

Jiang Ji initially laughed and praised the moves Ba Bel made at every opportunity, but after fifteen minutes of play, there was no more laughter or praise from Jiang Ji.

"I made a mistake, let's start over. I'll still give you a three-point lead." Jiang Ji realized his position was disadvantageous; even if he continued, he wouldn't win.

Ba Bel nodded his head. He then cleared the chessboard and began a new game. Ba Bel once again placed his four pieces first, and this time Jiang Ji played seriously against Ba Bel from the very beginning.

Twenty minutes later, a frown appeared on Jiang Ji's forehead. "Ahem, it seems I'm still underestimating you. How about we replay, and this time I'll only give you a one-point lead? Are you willing?"

Ba Bel didn't refuse; his face remained expressionless as he cleared the board and started their chess game again. Ba Bel was actually quite surprised himself; he possessed clearer thoughts and better focus than before. His combat experience from his previous life could also be applied as strategy in chess.

"As I recall, I wasn't this skilled," Ba Bel mused to himself, recalling the past year when he had begun learning skills he hadn't touched in his previous life. His comprehension was excellent. Previously, Ba Bel thought this was due to his 101-year-old mental state, but perhaps there was something else.

The third match between Ba Bel and Jiang Ji this time lasted almost an hour before Jiang Ji, once again, conceded.

"Lad, you seem younger than your actual age, don't you? How old are you, really?" Jiang Ji asked, frowning.

Jiang Ji initially thought Ba Bel was nine or ten years old, judging by his physique, but after seeing Ba Bel's chess skills, Jiang Ji began to doubt it.

Ba Bel scratched his cheek, a little hesitant to answer, but finally said that he was only six years old now.

"Six... ugh!" Jiang Ji's eyes widened, and he choked on his own breath when he heard Ba Bel's reply. "Lad, don't lie to an elder!"

"This junior is not lying, this junior is truly six years old," Ba Bel replied with an awkward smile.

Jiang Ji stared sharply into Ba Bel's eyes; he could see that the boy before him was not lying. For Jiang Ji, losing a chess game to a ten-year-old was already embarrassing, let alone if the reality was that he had been defeated by Ba Bel, who was only six.

"Once more! This time we play fairly!" Jiang Ji's voice rose slightly; he felt his dignity was at stake this time.

Ba Bel coughed softly. As he recalled, Jiang Ji was known for always being calm in all situations, but it seemed the stories he had heard in his previous life weren't entirely accurate.

An hour later, Jiang Ji covered his face with both hands. Jiang Ji could feel his cheeks burning hot from the embarrassment he suffered; losing four consecutive times against a boy like Ba Bel greatly wounded his pride.

"Senior, if you don't wish to play anymore, may I take my leave? It will be dark soon," Ba Bel said, looking at the sun, which was almost setting.

Jiang Ji then snapped out of his reverie. He also just remembered that he had actually come to play with a friend, but it seemed the person he was waiting for wouldn't be able to make it today.

"Where do you live? It's already dark; let me escort you home." Jiang Ji's face appeared calm again, as if nothing had happened before.

Ba Bel refused, explaining that he could go home by himself. Jiang Ji stared at him for a long moment before saying, "I will wait for you here every day; we will play again."

Jiang Ji clearly didn't want this situation to end with four consecutive losses on his part. Ba Bel scratched his head before nodding slowly and bidding farewell.

After ensuring Jiang Ji wasn't following him, Ba Bel began using the wind-step technique to return to the Earth and Heaven Sword Sect.

"This child can use a body-lightening technique?" Jiang Ji could still see Ba Bel quite clearly, even though Ba Bel was already in the distance.

Jiang Ji was actually impressed by Ba Bel's intelligence. He hoped the boy was from the Earth and Heaven Sword Sect. However, the direction Ba Bel was heading did not lead to his sect's gate.

"Aside from the Earth and Heaven Sword Sect, there's only the Medicine Furnace House. But it's impossible for that child to come from there, isn't it?"

Jiang Ji had actually planned to play chess with the leader of the Medicine Furnace House Sect. Their two sects could be considered friendly with each other, and the distance between the two sects wasn't very far, but if traveled by an ordinary person, it would take up to five days.

Jiang Ji could only shake his head gently and hoped Ba Bel would reappear tomorrow. He intended to recruit Ba Bel into the Earth and Heaven Sword Sect if Ba Bel wasn't already part of any sect.

Ba Bel returned to Bamboo Villa with an uneasy heart, worried that he had made a big mistake by meeting Jiang Ji today.

"Every action I take can change history. If I'm not careful, the future that unfolds will be vastly different from what I experienced before..." Ba Bel thought hard as he looked at the four Water Bamboos before him, the harvest he had obtained today.