Chapter 84: The Art of Chess and the Spirit Within

When Fire City was in turmoil, Hu Mo was leisurely playing chess in the Hu residence. His opponent was not Cang Ling this time, but Elder Fu.

Cang Ling was always elusive; no one ever knew where she was at any given moment, and in the next instant, she might appear somewhere entirely different.

"Young master, your move is extraordinary. I must admit, I am deeply impressed," Elder Fu sighed, his face showing surprise as he gazed intently at Hu Mo.

Hu Mo shook his head gently and smiled, "It was just a random move, Elder Fu. Your chess skills are far more refined than mine; I am merely trying to keep up."

Though Hu Mo spoke modestly, every move he made was indeed remarkable. Having learned from the legendary chess game in his previous life, he had devoted considerable effort to mastering the art, elevating his skill to the level of a national champion.

"Oh, young master, you are too humble. Judging by your chess alone, you far surpass me. And as for the meaning behind the moves, I am nowhere near your depth. I believe even the Marshal would struggle to match you," Elder Fu sighed, placing a piece with difficulty. As soon as he made his move, he realized how flawed it was and laughed, "Young master, I've lost again. Your trap was perfectly set; I walked right into it, as if offering myself up, haha..."

Hu Mo smiled lightly and said softly, "Elder Fu, you flatter me. I am nothing special. By the way, you mentioned the meaning behind the chess moves earlier. What difference is there between me and my grandfather? Why couldn't he match me?"

Elder Fu shook his head gently, packing away the chess pieces with a wry smile. "If your skill is nothing special, then chess itself loses all meaning. Speaking of the difference between you and the Marshal—it's quite obvious. The Marshal's chess carries a grandeur, every move infused with an intense aura of battle, honed from years of campaigns. Your chess is different: it has both the regal grandeur and an indescribable sinister undertone, endlessly variable and unpredictable. If the Marshal were to play against you, his chances of winning would be slim."

Elder Fu's sharp gaze rested on Hu Mo, excitement and joy lighting his face. He was genuinely happy, both for himself and for Hu Yi Hu and the Hu family.

Hu Mo smiled, "If you keep complimenting me, Elder Fu, I fear I might grow arrogant. My abilities are still lacking; this world is ruthless, and currently, I am not strong enough to avoid being devoured. I am well aware of that."

He slowly stood up, gazing at the verdant lotus pond before him. The climate of the Skyfire Empire was especially suited for lotuses, and they flourished all year round.

Elder Fu finished tidying the chessboard and sighed, standing behind Hu Mo. He understood the meaning behind Hu Mo's words—he too had felt such helplessness in the past, but as the years passed, his heart found peace. Otherwise, he might have been consumed by the wild battle energy of the King of Carnage era.

"Young master, these facts exist regardless of how much we resist or try to avoid them; we can never remain untouched. It’s like learning to fight—you must first learn to endure being beaten. Only after being bitten by the world can you truly feel its reality, and that feeling is most important. You understand this, don’t you?" Elder Fu smiled gently, standing quietly beside Hu Mo, his words filled with profound meaning.

Hu Mo shook his head, exhaling deeply. "Elder Fu, I fear I might simply be chewed up and spat out by this world. If I die, what use is there in experiencing anything further? Isn’t that so?"

"Indeed, you have a point, young master. But that doesn’t apply to you. You won’t be so easily devoured," Elder Fu’s tone shifted, as if speaking in riddles.

"Haha... Elder Fu, I am still far too inexperienced before you. It’s not that I can’t be devoured, but rather that I must not be. I cannot lose," Hu Mo laughed heartily, a confident smile appearing on his face. He understood clearly what he needed to do; ever since he made his first choice, defeat was never an option.

"Precisely—you cannot lose!" A commanding voice rang out behind Hu Mo, heavy and carrying a powerful soul-stirring force.

"Grandfather, you’re back. How did your conversation with the old man go?" Hu Mo turned around, smiling.

"Smooth? You must be dreaming. This time, we truly offended Old Xu; it seems we’ve gained another enemy." Hu Yi Hu sighed. Though he had shown fearless vigor during the dispute, he knew in his heart that having one more enemy like the Xu family added immense pressure.

Hu Mo smiled, pouring Hu Yi Hu a cup of tea and handing it over. Hu Yi Hu drank it in one gulp; at Zhu Yan’s place earlier, he had talked himself dry, and when he wanted water, he found his cup crushed in his hand. Thirsty and troubled all the way home, this incident had brought him much inconvenience.

"Grandfather, rest for a bit and listen to me. The events at the social gathering were truly unforeseen. If those three hadn’t spoken so harshly, I wouldn’t have turned against the Xu family so soon."

"Well done! I never said you shouldn’t hit them," Hu Yi Hu suddenly grinned, happily patting Hu Mo’s shoulder, clearly satisfied with his actions.

Hu Mo was momentarily stunned, then smiled bitterly. "Grandfather, surely you’re not mocking me? I’ve caused such a mess, and you say I did the right thing?"

"Haha, you did exactly right! If it’s right, it’s good!" Hu Yi Hu’s satisfied smile made Hu Mo feel slightly uneasy under his gaze.

"As a man of the Hu family, you must have courage! Mo’er, remember this well: Hu men must not be bullied or oppressed. You can lose, but you must not hide! Years ago, your father fought another man over a woman and seized her away, which led to your birth. Do you know who that man was? He is the current emperor of the Skyfire Empire, Zhu Yan. Your father did this knowing the other was the crown prince, which made me very proud! So what you did last time was absolutely right!" Hu Yi Hu laughed, heavily patting Hu Mo’s shoulder.

Hu Mo was speechless. Only now did he realize how reckless his father had been—fighting the emperor over a woman, and from Hu Yi Hu’s account, it seemed the future ruler had suffered a humiliating defeat. Compared to that, Hu Mo’s own actions were trivial.

Hu Yi Hu, seeing Hu Mo’s dazed expression, gently patted his head. "My good grandson, the road ahead is long, and such things are inevitable. At least this time, we enjoyed ourselves; who cares what they do next! Even if we did nothing, they might still act against us. It's all the same, so fighting back is a gain—just thinking about it feels great! Haha..."

Hu Yi Hu’s hearty laughter, so full of Schadenfreude, left Hu Mo speechless once again.

"I understand, grandfather. I know what to do, rest assured. Oh, by the way, what verdict did I receive? I won’t be jailed or beaten, will I?" Hu Mo asked gloomily. His words made Hu Yi Hu instantly glare, and he landed a swift knock on Hu Mo’s head.

"You rascal, so little faith in your grandfather? I put my reputation on the line for you—if you were to be beaten or imprisoned, what face would I have left? For now, stay home quietly for a month, avoid trouble, your goals are mostly met. Know when to advance and when to retreat; don’t act recklessly," Hu Yi Hu said, cutting straight to the heart of what Hu Mo was thinking. His insight made Hu Mo admire him even more.

"Alright, grandfather’s command is law. I’ll rest at home for a month, and wait for my brothers’ triumphant return. Heh, grandfather, after I’ve trained the Star Battalion, I’ll be challenging your Fire God Army. When we win, don’t punish me!" Hu Mo joked, which made Hu Yi Hu laugh.

"You arrogant brat—I'd like to see how strong your soldiers are! Whenever you challenge, I’ll accept!" Hu Yi Hu said grandly, realizing in that moment that his grandson was indeed cut from the same cloth, equally competitive and spirited.

After exchanging a few words, Hu Mo hummed a little tune as he walked toward his courtyard. Along the way, the maids and servants looked at him differently.

They had heard of Hu Mo’s deeds; their feelings toward him were admiration and awe. Rumors circulated among them—apparently, their young master had endured humiliation, pretended to be a wastrel, played the rogue, but his true nature was the opposite of his outward actions. He was the embodiment of charm and wisdom, heroism and chivalry, and all the maids were smitten with him.

Hu Mo knew it was wrong to discriminate against the maids, but as he walked, dozens of them cast flirtatious glances his way, and even some young male servants sent him coy looks, leaving him quite unsettled.

Where once he overheard servants criticizing him, now they discussed how handsome, elegant, and powerful he was. Even Hu Mo, whose skin was notoriously thick, felt a bit shy and apprehensive.

How he wished Lin Nan were by his side, at least to draw some of the women’s attention away. But his chosen personal guard had vanished for several days, and Hu Mo suspected Lin Nan had eloped with Cang Ling.

Lost in thought, Hu Mo soon found himself near his courtyard. This time, he was not assaulted by Bing Huo; everything seemed calm—so calm it felt unnatural.

Before he reached the gate, Hu Mo suddenly heard the laughter of several girls. He stopped in his tracks, staring blankly and muttering to himself, "What’s going on? How did the Hu residence suddenly gain so many women?"

Thinking of the residence’s beautiful ladies, his skin prickled and he instinctively stepped back.

At that moment, someone suddenly patted his shoulder, startling him so much he jumped. Unfortunately, he landed on a stone, and in his distraction—even as a Battle King—he lost his balance and fell backward.