When Earth Awakened, I Became a Sword Saintess

Chapter 8 : The God-Devouring Chess

8: The God-Devouring Chess

To be scored on by an own goal from a corner kick taken by a girl, the soccer team captain Zhang Biaoyang would probably have a hard time holding his head up in school for some time.

As for Yuyin's kick, although she was very good at sports, it was mostly accidental. To deliberately kick a living person in the face from dozens of meters away? That was still something to be said.

Because of this, Zhang Biaoyang had to swallow this loss, but he couldn't blame Yuyin on the spot, otherwise, it would only make him look even more foolish. After all, he was a big-shot figure in the school.

But Yuyin simply flipped her long hair, didn't even spare a glance at Zhang Biaoyang sitting on the grass, and left without a word, leaving only the amazed gazes of everyone behind.

This really wasn't Yuyin intentionally acting cold and aloof. At this moment, her heart truly had no time to care about other things.

At this moment, in Yuyin's consciousness, some ancient and trance-like words, as if formed by a flowing solar corona, were appearing. These words would not go away, as if waiting for Yuyin to make a decision.

"Do you want to start the God-Devouring Chess?"

Below were two options.

"Yes" "Very much so"

...

Yuyin came to the grove behind the tennis club's locker room. This place was quite secluded.

She leaned her back against the white cement wall, her chest heaving deeply, not from nervousness, but from the intense exercise she had just undergone.

She chose "Yes."

Although the two options seemed no different, she felt that "Very much so" seemed a bit too eager.

In Yuyin's empty, dark consciousness, heaven and earth changed. A vast expanse of land appeared before her eyes. In the distance, mountains and islands stood tall, and clouds and mists drifted.

At the edge of the clouds and mists, it seemed she could see the edge of this world. She looked around, feeling as if she was high above an extremely large, square world...

"This is just like..."

Yuyin couldn't help but recall a poem: "The vast sky is like a round cover, the land is like a chessboard, the people of the world are divided into black and white, coming and going to contend for glory and shame."

A chessboard.

This world really was like an extremely large chessboard. No wonder it was called "God-Devouring Chess."

"But 'God-Devouring Chess'? Isn't that name a bit too arrogant?" Yuyin couldn't help but think wryly.

Ding-a-ling. A melodious, ancient sound like wind chimes rang out.

Five illusory yet seemingly real stone platforms appeared before her eyes. On each platform, smoke rose, and five strange figures appeared.

On the central platform was a White Ape.

Next to it was a stooped little ghost holding a lantern, with a lecherous expression.

Further to the side was a human-faced, snake-tailed carp, swimming in place.

On another side was a pair of birds nestled together, occasionally crying out "Yao Ru, Yao Ru."

On the last platform was a black shadow, its form unknown.

"These... these things, aren't they the same demonic spirits and ghosts I saw last night?"

"Why are they appearing here?"

Before Yuyin's eyes, at a spot some distance from the central White Ape, another line of flowing, radiant text appeared. The script seemed to exude a certain gentle, yet unpredictable, ancient will.

The text read: "To start the God-Devouring Chess, you must first obtain chess pieces."

"Chess pieces?"

Yuyin couldn't help but look at the White Ape. Were these the chess pieces? But they were so lifelike, no, they felt alive, looking at her with the same malicious intent as last night.

New text appeared again: "Do you want to try and lure this White Ape?"

"Ah!?"

Yuyin couldn't help but frown. "What nonsense!"

She actually berated the ancient will with righteous indignation...

The script trembled for a moment, turning into a golden mist, and then changed again.

"Then let us rephrase. Do you want to use Soul Charm Points to Charm a chess piece?"

At the same time, a few words appeared in the lower left corner of her conscious vision.

"Soul Charm 5"

Soul Charm Points? Yuyin remembered the 5 Soul Charm Points she gained from her kick that shocked everyone and hit Zhang Biaoyang in the face.

The text read: "Spend 1 Soul Charm Point to attempt to Charm this chess piece, but there is a chance of failure."

Yuyin thought she had 5 Soul Charm Points, so she decided to give it a try.

Looking at the somewhat lecherous eyes of the White Ape, Yuyin thought for a moment and chose the little ghost next to it.

How to Charm, Yuyin didn't know, but she just thought in her heart, "I choose this little ghost."

Ding!

The little ghost disappeared in a pillar of light and mist.

At this moment, an ancient will naturally guided Yuyin to look down. About a dozen meters below, in a patch of weeds surrounded by a forest, a team of little ghosts appeared, five in total. Some were holding bamboo clappers for patrolling the night, some were holding gongs and lanterns, waiting there.

Success!

When Yuyin looked over, some ancient and gentle words appeared above their heads.

"Night Patrol Little Ghost, one-star, White grade."

"Do you want to dispatch the Night Patrol Little Ghosts?" the text asked.

Yuyin didn't know what would happen, but she thought, "Then let's try dispatching them..."

"Please be more decisive." The golden text grew larger.

Yuyin was startled. She felt that these words were warning her. If she hesitated, it seemed she might encounter some kind of danger.

"Dispatch." Yuyin thought with certainty.

The team of little ghosts, which had been aimless, immediately started to move, walking towards the forest. But Yuyin found that she couldn't control where they went or what they did.

Beyond this clearing, the world was shrouded in a thick fog. Although Yuyin had a high vantage point, she couldn't see everything clearly. However, as these Night Patrol Little Ghosts passed through, patrolling and making their rounds, the surrounding fog would be dispelled.

But after the little ghosts passed, the fog would return on its own.

"What are these little ghosts going to do?"

There was no answer.

Yuyin watched the little ghosts with interest for a while. These fellows were not lazy at all, patrolling quickly through the forest. The sound of gongs and clappers echoed in the fog-shrouded woods, truly eerie.

About a quarter of an hour passed, and there was no discovery. The little ghosts had already walked quite far.

So Yuyin controlled her consciousness and returned to the initial clearing.

The five stone platforms were still overhead.

"I still have 4 Soul Charm Points. Let's try to Charm another one."

Yuyin chose the White Ape this time.

Charm successful!

Three idle White Apes appeared on the clearing.

"White Ape, one-star, White grade, special ability: pick fruit. Reminder: quite lecherous."

"Dispatch, dispatch!"

Yuyin had no good feelings for the lecherous male White Apes and immediately dispatched them. She didn't care if they were eaten by tigers in the forest.

The White Apes used their hands and feet, climbed onto a tree, and shuttled through the large trees, letting out ape cries that echoed through the mountains and forests.

Wherever the White Apes went, they could also dispel the fog. They were more flexible in the trees than the Night Patrol Little Ghosts.

A long time passed. The White Apes found some fruit and began to eat. After eating, they hung from the branches, yawning, living a very leisurely and carefree life.

"..."

"Am I watching an animal documentary!?" Yuyin thought impatiently. These White Apes were not only lecherous, but also lazy? But it seemed there was nothing she could do. She could only control their dispatch, but she couldn't give more commands.

Just then, some movement seemed to come from the direction of the Night Patrol Little Ghosts.

Yuyin quickly followed with her consciousness.

She saw the team of Night Patrol Little Ghosts in the forest fighting with a Mountain Demon.

This Mountain Demon was more than half the height of a man, had a pig's face, was very stout, and was swinging a large wooden club.

One of the Night Patrol Little Ghosts had already been beaten to the ground. Yuyin was a little scared, but she also wanted to help her own little ghosts, but there was nothing she could do but watch.

Finally, relying on their superior numbers, the little ghosts defeated the Mountain Demon.

The Mountain Demon was surrounded by the little ghosts and slowly beaten to death.

Yuyin couldn't help but feel that although these guys were not very strong, their hearts were ruthless enough.

After the Mountain Demon died, it turned into a hazy mist of light and scattered towards the sky above the forest.

"Disappeared?"

Just as Yuyin was wondering, these streams of light mist actually flew towards her.

Yuyin didn't know why and subconsciously wanted to dodge, but the mist of light, shimmering with a crystal spiritual glow, was very fast and followed her, quickly seeming to fly into her body.

But at this moment, Yuyin only had consciousness. Where did the body come from?

A strange, never-before-experienced feeling that made her whole body feel comfortable spread from her lower abdomen.

"Obtained a Source Spirit. Current Primordial Energy value is 60." the text said.