Star Odyssey

Chapter 1543: Playing Against a Grandmaster

Lu Yin took a deep breath and carefully observed what lay before him. The star energy had been evenly divided into black and white pieces, and anything that blocked the sourceboxes' danger fields would be wiped out. He just needed to agitate the chaotic danger field to destroy his opponent’s star energy pieces, and one move could affect the entire board.

"This junior will choose white," Lu Yin said respectfully. After all, he was supposed to be a member of the White Dragon Clan.

Grandmaster Qiu Ling revealed a small smile. "I usually play against those old monsters, so it’s rare to play against a junior."

She then lifted her foot and stepped into the sourceboxes’ danger zone.

While there were two sides to the game, whoever entered first risked triggering the danger field, which made going first more dangerous. Naturally, in a game against Long Qi, Grandmaster Qiu Ling was the first to step in.

A sourcebox’s danger zone was very sensitive and could be extremely dangerous. If this were not the case, then Lockbreakers would not be held in such high esteem. There was no movement or even the slightest fluctuation as Grandmaster Qiu Ling entered the danger zone. It was as though the danger zone did not even sense her presence.

Lu Yin's expression grew dignified as he observed the board.

Grandmaster Qiu Ling did not press him, and she instead waited quietly.

Lu Yin did not move for an entire day, and no one made any attempts to urge him forward during this time. Eventually, after another half a day passed, Lu Yin finally made his move and entered the danger zone as Grandmaster Qiu Ling had done.

While his actions appeared simple, Lu Yin’s movement encompassed multiple layers of calculations, and he had only become capable of moving around after studying the entire danger zone. It was impossible for someone to safely enter the field without first understanding what they were entering.

Upon seeing Lu Yin successfully step onto the game board, Grandmaster Qiu Ling praised him, "It’s quite impressive for you to successfully take this step. It’s very difficult for anyone to be as calm as you when playing this game for the first time. Let’s begin. You may take the first move."

Lu Yin raised a hand and flicked his fingers. A powerful gust of wind shot out, inciting a vibration along a specific portion of the sourceboxes’ danger zone, which caused a strand of dangerous energy to move out. The entire danger zone seemed to boil, and in doing so, it began destroying the colored star energy strewn across the game board.

It was not only the black-colored star energy that was destroyed, but also the white, though far more of the black was destroyed.

The audience was fascinated even though most of them were incapable of understanding what they were seeing. Regardless, they were all aware that every single move of this game required the players to not only consider their own safety, but also to simultaneously find a move that destroyed as much of their opponent’s colored star energy pieces as possible. Each move’s success was determined by how well a Lockbreaker could manipulate the sourceboxes’ danger fields while also testing their awareness of those fields.

"No two sourceboxes in the entire universe are the same, which similarly means that no two games of Stable Zone are the same. Whether there are two sourceboxes, three, or even more, the superimposed danger fields from the sourceboxes will produce different danger zones. Every game is like watching the birth of a new sourcebox array. This is Stable Zone." Master Deng Guo stared at the field of the game while wishing that he could also participate. Every Lockbreaker dreamed of playing against an Array Grandmaster.

Lu Yin was in no position to pay any attention to anything happening in the outside world. Since he had taken his turn, Grandmaster Qiu Ling could naturally take action as well, though she made her move instantly and casually. The danger field that Lu Yin had manipulated to destroy the black star energy pieces suddenly changed. He was swept up as well; the new danger field destroyed not only his white star energy pieces, but it also attempted to destroy him. This was not just a game, but also a competition that could determine the life and death of the players.

Sweat rained down from Lu Yin's forehead as he moved. He was not able to immediately reverse the situation, but he could still proceed step by step.

Grandmaster Qiu Ling also continued to make moves. There were no rules regarding turns in Stable Zone, and the players were allowed to take action when and how they wished. A player could remain still and wait or continuously move. But everything was based off of their understanding and ability to manipulate the sourceboxes’ danger field.

Lu Yin continued to agitate the danger field in order to suppress Grandmaster Qiu Ling's manipulations, and the Grandmaster approved of his actions. "Continue."

Lu Yin smiled. This was quite an interesting game, and it was far more exciting than the stereotypical lockbreaking session.

Everyone around them nervously watched on as the two sourceboxes continuously shredded the void with their superimposed danger fields. The red energy emitting from the sourceboxes was strange and dark, and most people felt they were burning just from looking at it.

Atop the small game board, Lu Yin and Grandmaster Qiu Ling continued to play their game. Even though their match was far removed from the destructive games normally played between two Grandmasters, people still found the game shocking.

Not everyone was aware of this particular game’s existence, and few were qualified to play or even watch a game be played.

Even in terms of the entire Perennial World, how many Lockbreakers had the qualifications to play this game?

Lu Yin was quite thrilled to be able to play, and his smile grew larger and larger. It really was incredibly interesting; every time Grandmaster Qiu Ling moved, Lu Yin had to exert tremendous effort in order to handle what she threw at him while also retaliating. This game did not take his cultivation or abilities into consideration—only his lockbreaking skills.

He was nowhere close to being Grandmaster Qiu Ling’s opponent, though the game was an amazing opportunity for Lu Yin in and of itself. He could feel that his understanding of the sourceboxes’ danger field was rapidly improving. This improvement was not possible from just lockbreaking. No wonder rumours had it that this game was typically played by Array Grandmasters..

After just a short time playing, Lu Yin had observed no fewer than a hundred changes in the sourceboxes’ danger zone, and seeing these changes gave him a much greater understanding of the danger zone, allowing him to move faster and faster.

Grandmaster Qiu Ling's original admiration for the youth had now transformed into surprise, and after two days of playing, she was completely shocked.

When they had first started playing Stable Zone, she had been able to wear Lu Yin down and push him to the brink with any random move. But at the moment, she was taking actions much faster than before because Lu Yin was clearly responding much faster and more efficiently. He was rapidly learning the sourceboxes’ superimposed danger fields, and his speed of comprehension was incredible. It surpassed that of all other juniors Qiu Ling had ever seen before.

.

In fact, this youth might even surpass her own abilities when she had been his age.

Eventually, Grandmaster Qiu Ling started manipulating more than the danger field, and she also started moving her body. She started to flutter between the black and white star energy pieces along with Lu Yin. The two of them danced in the danger zone that could kill at any moment.

Master Deng Guo was utterly speechless. If he were playing against Grandmaster Qiu Ling, he might not have been able to move about so freely. Long Qi had understood the sourceboxes’ danger zone far too quickly. Master Deng Guo also remembered that he had already been shocked by how quickly Long Qi had repaired the defensive sourcebox array on the second array base. But now, the youth’s talent was on full display.

He realized that he should have accepted the youth as an apprentice while at the second array base, and he now regretted his actions at that time. This Lockbreaker would definitely become a higher ranked Array Master at the very least.

Ni Huang and other Semi-Progenitors glanced at each other. Lu Yin was truly giving an exceptional and even perfect performance.

Xia Taili was stunned by what she saw; was this really happening? Was this guy really that talented at lockbreaking?

Luo Zhong's mouth curled up into a smile; this was Lu Yin! He was an incomprehensible genius who had come from the edge of a backwater planet in the Outerverse, only to eventually unite the Outerverse and rise up to surpass all of his peers throughout the entire Fifth Mainland.

The hunched Liu Song was similarly amazed; this youth was truly comparable to the Long Xing of back then.

The longer Elder Shi stared at Lu Yin, the more of a resemblance he found between Long Qi and that person. The heroic appearance, the level of talent, the… demeanor.

The sourceboxes' danger zone was completely different from what it had originally been, as Lu Yin and Grandmaster Qiu Ling’s manipulations made it continuously shift and change.

If Grandmaster Qiu Ling had been able to easily destroy Lu Yin's white star energy pieces at the beginning of their game, then at present, she needed to put forth greater effort.

"Long Qi, do you find this game interesting?" Grandmaster Qiu Ling suddenly asked.

Lu Yin replied, "Very."

"Then let’s add another one." Qiu Ling was intrigued by Lu Yin’s talent, so she raised a hand and brought out a third sourcebox. This sourcebox’s danger field possessed a strange rhythm that did not produce any attacks, but it did mentally stun those affected by it. The moment the rhythm overlapped with the existing danger zone, everything changed completely.

Lu Yin was shocked. The change introduced by the third sourcebox's danger field would very likely completely destroy his white star energy pieces, causing him to lose. As he looked around, he saw that Grandmaster Qiu Ling was continuously manipulating the danger zone to prevent her black star energy pieces from being destroyed. Fortunately, this prevented her from being able to attack Lu Yin, as she was occupied with protecting her own star energy pieces. This gave Lu Yin enough time to react.

He quickly attacked, but the addition of the new danger field had completely changed the board, which fully invalidated Lu Yin’s previous comprehension of the danger zone.

Suddenly, a chill ran down his back; the sourceboxes' danger fields had already reached him. He spun around as a wave pulsed out, followed by a sharp red energy. The danger fields of the three sourceboxes had overlapped with each other, and the current danger field surrounding Lu Yin was so powerful that it had even surpassed an Envoy’s strength. Lu Yin suffered an attack, and it opened up a massive wound on his abdomen that bled profusely.

Many people in the audience gasped in shock.

Ni Huang's expression changed slightly, and he wanted to stop the game.

Lu Yin gritted his teeth while he continued to evade the attacks. He had no way to pay any attention to the white star energy pieces, and he was focused entirely on staying alive.

Ultimately, he was able to stay alive even in the chaotic danger zone. After all, he had the Channeling Diagram, the Teleportation Formation, and a multitude of secret techniques. However, he was not able to pay any attention to the white star energy pieces as all of his focus was spent on ensuring his own survival. Lu Yin’s white star energy pieces were rapidly diminishing.

Several days had already passed, but there were times when Array Masters would play Stable Zone for several years. Several days was nothing in comparison.

"The more sourceboxes there are, the more complicated the sourceboxes’ superimposed danger zone will be, and consequently, the more complicated the game state. It’s said that in ancient times, there was a Grandmaster who played against people while using more than ten sourceboxes at once, which means that the danger field was comparable to the sourcebox array protecting the array bases." Master Deng Guo was amazed.

Once again, Lu Yin managed to evade an attack from the danger field. He was gradually coming to understand the changes occurring around them. Only after that was he able to spare some attention to check on his white star energy pieces. To his shock, he found that not many of the white pieces had disappeared.

"Not only are you able to quickly adapt to a changing danger zone, but you were also able to defend your own star energy pieces while doing so. Long Qi, you're surprising me more and more. I really want to know how far you can climb." Grandmaster Qiu Ling’s voice spoke up, but Lu Yin could not understand her words.

When had he protected his white star energy pieces? He had not paid them the slightest attention, but as Grandmaster Qiu Ling had mentioned, the white star energy pieces had not been destroyed, and Lu Yin was even being credited for this accomplishment. No, this was not right. Lu Yin had always been a cautious person. He looked over at Grandmaster Qiu Ling to check her eyes, but all he saw was encouragement.

Something was not right. With the introduction of the third sourcebox, a steady rhythmic pulse dictated the flow of the danger zone, and that pulse affected the entire game board. Given the situation, could the white star energy pieces have been left untouched by pure luck? That was impossible. In that case, who had given Lu Yin the credit?

Lu Yin felt puzzled, and he looked at Grandmaster Qiu Ling in confusion, but she explained nothing. "Continue. Our game has not finished yet."

As far as Lu Yin was concerned, the game should have ended long ago. However, with Grandmaster Qiu Ling’s assistance, the game reached a truly shocking level. This worked to portray Lu Yin as a genius Lockbreaker, and it was also many people’s first impression of the youth. They saw him as someone who was able to hold out against an Array Grandmaster and whose talent truly deserved the Array Grandmaster’s unfettered praise. This youth was a true genius Lockbreaker.

As the last white star energy piece disappeared, Lu Yin exited the sourceboxes’ danger zone.

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