Solar Blood Masters (166)

Chapter 166 - Pi Muram

Raphael and Lu Jade followed the spider guards deeper into the Spider Den. As they passed, the spiders whispered amongst themselves.

“What are they doing here? A bull and a snake… in Pi Muram’s lair?”

“Could they be here to… challenge our leader?”

“If they cause trouble, Pi Muram will annihilate them.”

“Right. Right.”

Raphael observed the strange architecture of the Spider Den. Walls woven from amethyst webs and crystals. Spider silk, thicker than any he’d seen before, formed intricate patterns, creating a mesmerizing, almost hypnotic effect. Despite the unsettling glares and the ever-present sense of being trapped within a web, Raphael felt… at peace.

But then, he noticed something peculiar. The den, despite its numerous inhabitants, was eerily quiet.

“Why is it so quiet?” he asked.

The lead guard replied, “It is the hour of Pi Muram’s chess game. No one may disturb him during this time. His focus must be absolute.”

…

Elsewhere.

Within a grand amethyst structure at the gorge's heart, Pi Muram sat before a large chessboard.

He was a magnificent spider with dark purple exoskeleton, and his sixteen legs, adorned with intricate silver bands, tapped a rhythmic beat against the floor. Dressed in flowing Confucian robes of pale grey silk with thin purple stripes, he radiated an aura of regal dignity. He was deep in thought, his eight eyes fixated on the chessboard, each move a calculated step in a complex game he played… against himself.

He extended a mental hand and picked up a chess piece. He was about to place it…

When the door creaked open.

A spider guard scurried in.

“Emperor Pi Muram, honored guests are here to see you.”

“Wenxun, did I not instruct you to not disturb me during this hour?” Pi Muram was stern, his eyes narrowed.

“Forgive my intrusion, Emperor, but… this matter is… urgent.”

“Explain yourself.”

“The victors of the Great Divine Tribulation are here to see you.”

Pi Muram’s brow furrowed. “Sindoll sent them?”

“I don’t know, Emperor. But they await your audience. What shall I do?”

“Send them in. The sooner I find out why they are here, the sooner they can leave.”

Wenxun complied, then step out of the chamber. Seconds later, Raphael and Lu Jade entered the chamber. Wenxun closed the door behind them. He knew it was rude to eavesdrop.

Raphael observed the room. Several stone tablets, etched with ancient runes, were positioned around the room. Pi Muram sat before the chessboard, fixated on the pieces.

‘He’s playing by himself? How strange.’

Raphael stepped forward and cupped his fists respectfully. “Greetings, Emperor Pi Muram—”

“Why have you disturbed me?” Pi Muram’s sharp tone cut him off mid-sentence.

‘How rude! He didn’t even acknowledge Big Brother’s greeting. If Grandma Thienika was here, he wouldn’t be so haughty.’ Lu Jade fumed silently.

“We are here to… borrow the Amethyst Silk Scriptures,” Raphael revealed his mission.

Pi Muram’s eyes narrowed suspiciously. So, it WAS Sindoll. She’d coveted his clan’s scriptures for millennia. And now, she sent these two? A 2nd Layer Nightmare Calamity and a 7th Layer Calamity? What a waste of his time.

“My answer… is no. Leave now. I need to get back to my game.”

“But, Emperor, we only need it for a few hours. We’ll return it. I promise.”

“I said, leave. Or I shall have you forcibly removed.”

“Ok. No need for violence.” Raphael turned to leave, disappointed.

Lu Jade hissed, “Big Brother, should we mention Thienika? It might make him reconsider. It worked on those guards.”

Raphael pondered, then his gaze settled upon a stone tablet near the door. “Socratiosis benglium nuwa… North Druid Chessboard… What a weird name.”

Just as they were about to reach the exit, Pi Muram stopped them.

“Wait. What did you just say?”

“What? I didn’t say anything.” Raphael was defensive, not knowing what Pi Muram meant,.

Pi Muram pressed the matter, “Just now you glanced at that tablet. You spoke.”

“I just said… ‘What a weird name.’”

“No. Before that?”

“The North Druid Chessboard?”

Pi Muram was stunned. So he hadn't misheard. There was no way for this bull to know that name. It had been a closely guarded secret for millennia, known only to a select few within his clan. This bull… he’d read the ancient text upon the tablet. But how? Was it a fluke? He had to be certain.

“Come here, bull.”

Raphael approached the chessboard.

“I’ll make you a deal. If you can beat me in a game of chess, three rounds, I’ll consider lending you the Amethyst Silk Scriptures.”

“Really?!” Raphael’s eyes lit up. He sat down eagerly. “Deal!”

He hadn't realized he didn't know how to play chess. He stared at the board, then whispered to Lu Jade, “Little Lu, how do I…?”

Pi Muram, sensing his intent, used his mental power to push Lu Jade into a corner. “This game is between me and the bull. Stay out of it, snake.”

Lu Jade hissed in frustration, but he couldn't disobey a 1st Layer Emperor Calamity.

Alone, Raphael picked up a chess piece. His hand trembled.

‘What have I gotten myself into?’

…

Raphael stared at the chessboard while nervously holding a black obelisk piece in his hand. Three minutes had passed since Pi Muram made his opening move, yet Raphael remained frozen. His brow furrowed in concentration.

‘Was my assumption about this bull’s intellect wrong? Was it merely a fluke that he deciphered the tablet's inscription?’ Pi Muram wondered, his eight eyes narrowed in thoughtful contemplation.

Raphael’s mind pot was boiling over with thoughts. This game… It was a chaotic jumble of black and white squares, of strangely shaped pieces. Each piece seemed to possess its own set of rules, its own limitations. He tried to make sense of it all, to find some semblance of order amidst the chaos, but it was futile.

‘Damn it! What am I supposed to DO?!’

Finally, giving up on any attempt at strategy, he placed the obelisk randomly on the board.

Pi Muram’s multiple eyes widened slightly. ‘Hmmm, that position… It’s the cornerstone of the ‘Diffusion Gambit’. Could it be… that this bull is more cunning than he appears?’

The Diffusion Gambit was a risky yet potentially rewarding opening strategy. It involved sacrificing a pawn early on to gain control of the center of the board. Pi Muram had studied this gambit extensively, playing countless variations against himself, refining his counter-strategies to perfection. He’d even created his own variation, the ‘Pi’s Diffusion Gambit’, a complex sequence that had baffled even the most seasoned chess masters in Yama Yaguai. He smiled. It would appear… this bull had inadvertently stumbled upon a challenge worthy of his intellect.

…

The game continued.

Pi Muram, with his mastery of chess, easily countered Raphael’s seemingly random moves. Each placement was a calculated step in a complex strategy.

Raphael, on the other hand, struggled. His moves were clumsy, impulsive. It was obvious he was unfamiliar with the intricacies of the game.

Pi Muram won the first two rounds decisively.

‘This bull… his intellect is… underwhelming. Perhaps I was mistaken.’

He was about to offer Raphael a consolation prize, a few ancient scrolls on basic chess strategies, when he noticed the bull’s demeanor shifting. Raphael’s massive form trembled, sweat trickled down his brow, and his breathing grew heavy.

Then… a green eye flickered open on his forehead.

It was Lingshi's Gem of Knowledge, now bonded with Raphael, granting him access to the Painting Sage’s vast wisdom and memories.

And within those memories…

…a lifetime of chess mastery unfolded. Strategies, tactics, openings, gambits, endgames… It was as if Raphael had been playing chess for millennia.

The tables turned.

BAM! BAM! BOOM!

Raphael’s moves were no longer random. They were precise, calculated. His pieces moved with a newfound purpose; a strategic maneuver in a grand design that had Pi Muram’s eight eyes widening in shock and disbelief.

Raphael unveiled a new strategy, a combination of the Diffusion Gambit and a defensive formation he called the 'Bull's Fortress', its complexity and elegance was something he hadn’t envisioned before starting his game.

He sacrificed two pawns and a rook, seemingly weakening his position.

Eager to capitalize on this perceived advantage, Pi Muram pressed his attack, pushing his pieces deeper into Raphael’s territory.

But it was a trap!

Raphael’s remaining pieces, positioned strategically, formed an impenetrable defense. His moves were now a blend of aggression and subtle manipulation, forcing Pi Muram into making mistakes.

Raphael won the third round flawlessly.

Pi Muram was stunned. ‘Impossible! This bull… he’s playing like… like… a master!’

He couldn't comprehend.

Raphael’s newfound mastery defied logic. How could a creature who'd seemed so clueless just moments before, suddenly become a chess prodigy?

The fourth and fifth rounds followed the same pattern.

Raphael, with his ‘Lingshi Eye’ and the Painting Sage’s memories guiding his every move, dominated the game. His ‘Bull’s Fortress’, coupled with unexpected, aggressive maneuvers, shattered Pi Muram's defenses, leaving him utterly defeated.

Pi Muram stared at the chessboard in disbelief. His eight eyes had lost their luster as those intricate calculations faded into a dreadful truth.

He’d been beaten.

By a bull.