This chapter has been brought to you by me, and WanderingGummiOfDoom.
Chapter Three Hundred and Fifty Four – The Wasteland Beast Chessboard
Bam bam bam.
The sound of knocking on the door woke Nan Yue up. She really had been too tired yesterday and slept deeply. She opened her heavy eyes, and opened the door to the room. When she saw the people that come outside, all the drowsiness instantly disappeared.
The person that had knocked was Chi. His face was full of a warm smile. Behind him was a large crowd of people. Nan Yue found many of them familiar to the eye. But when she saw the House Elder of the Purple Lotus Yao Art House, she couldn’t help but still.
“Nan Yue, did we disturb your rest?” Chi’s tone was filled with warmth and concern, and none of the usual sternness as though he had become a completely different person.
“Oh, no no.” Nan Yue instinctively shook her head.
She finally recalled what those old looking people that looked familiar were. They were the elders of the yao art house.
Two, three… … twelve!
Nan Yue’s scalp turned numb. All of the elders of the Purple Lotus Yao Art House Council of Elders was standing in front of her home! These elders that usually were high up and indifferent all had smiles on their faces, and harmonious auras. All of the upper level of the Purple Lotus Yao Art House was here without an exception.
Seeing Nan Yue still where she stood, Chi instantly understood what it was. He couldn’t help but smile and say, “What? Are you not going to invite us in to sit?”
“Oh oh oh!” Nan Yue finally reacted and seemed to wake up from her dream. She hurriedly moved away from the door. “Please come in, come in!”
The procession streamed in.
The House Elder examined the bare room and said with a slight smile, “Student Nan Yue is really living simply! As expected of the role model of our house’s other students. Our other students should learn from this valuable attitude.”
Nan Yue sweated. She wasn’t simple, she was just poor. At this moment, she did not know how to respond, and could only murmur in agreement.
“However,” the House Elder’s tone changed as he said passionately, “as the Chief Student Elder of the Purple Lotus Yao Art House, Student Nan Yue should shoulder a heavier burden! This is too far away, and not convenient. Oo, The house’s Purple Lotus Park has a Spirit Clarity Residence still empty. Student Nan Yue will find it much more convenient when moved over there.”
Chi’s gaze showed threads of admiration. Spirit Clarity Residence was the highest level of residence in the Purple Lotus Yao Art House. There were only three suites in total. The House Elder actually gave one to Nan Yue. The most valuable part of the Spirit Clarity Residence was the Spirit Clarity Pool. It could increase the cultivation speed of the consciousness. To say nothing of the high price in constructing the Spirit Clarity Pool, it could only be built on special geological forms.
After that, the elders took their turns to persuade and were unparalleled in their friendliness.
Nan Yue seemed to go through the entire process as though it was a dream. She did not know what to do. She only gradually refocused when the House Elder and the others had left for a while.
Chief student elder? She had become the Chief Student Elder? And they had given her a Spirit Clarity Residence to use?
Was she still dreaming?
But when she pulled herself out of the initial excitement, she quickly understood the crux. It was not hard to guess what the attitude of the House Elder and the elders were for.
They were here for Daren!
Even though they hadn’t mentioned one word about Daren today, but Nan Yue was one hundred percent certain that they had come for Daren!
No, she had to report this to Daren!
She suddenly remembered today was the day the first prison formed.
Thinking to this, she instantly became excited. She inspected her consciousness. Even though she had not fully healed her injuries, but she had recovered enough to enter the first prison. She instantly entered meditation and directly entered the first prison.
———
“Argh, motherf***er!” the pained Zuo Mo wailed.
It had been a long time since his consciousness had been wounded. The long-absent pain appeared again. The feeling of pain seemed to have grown even stronger.
“This is the result of trying to show off,” Pu Yao mocked neutrally.
“Ouch … … ouch, which guy was scheming against me? No, I can’t have suffered for nothing, I have to return it!” The pained Zuo Mo still exposed his vengeful nature.
“You aren’t a match,” Pu Yao said mercilessly.
“How can it be known without a fight? Tell me quickly!” Zuo Mo looked as though he would not give up and was murderous.
“Crystal Void Qian Liu.”
“Crytal Void Qian Liu? What thing is that?” Zuo Mo’s face was curious.
“It isn’t a thing, just a three hundred years little yao.”
“Che, just a three hundred year little yao.” Zuo Mo said unconcernedly.
A tendon throbbed in Pu Yao’s forehead. He forcibly suppressed it. “He comprehended water breath.”
“Water Breath?” Zuo Mo instantly became alert and said braggingly, “That was water breath? Didn’t it get destroyed by my Archaic Wasteland Sacrificial Art!”
Your Archaic Wasteland Sacrificial Art … …
The tendon in Pu Yao’s forehead jumped again. He pretended to be calm and said, “That was an imprint he left behind three hundred years ago.”
“An imprint left three hundred years ago!” Zuo Mo jumped in fright. “In other words, he was this powerful three hundred years ago?”
“Right.”
The expression on Zuo Mo’s face changed as he said embarrassedly, “Peace is valuable, peace is valuable. It’s not good to fight and kill for nothing!”
Ignoring Pu Yao’s disdainful gaze, he asked curiously, “Why did his imprint attack me? I didn’t offend him.”
“He finds you an eyesore.”
Pu Yao’s caused Zuo Mo’s expression to become even more embarrassed. “It seems that Ten Finger Prison is really a dangerous place. I should not go to such a kind of place.”
Pu Yao heard this and thought inside, no, if Zuo Mo was afraid and did not go to the Ten Finger Prison in the future, it would be a troublesome matter. He was very familiar with Zuo Mo’s personality. This guy could not be forced, and could only be tempted. If there were enough benefits, this guy would howl and charge.
“There’s a bit of danger, but there are also many benefits.” Pu Yao’s expression was indifferent as though he was speaking objectively. “You destroyed his imprint, and swallowed his water breath bead. Haven’t you felt anything?”
Zuo Mo finally remembered after Pu Yao’s remember the bead he had swallowed before he had fainted. He hurriedly made an examination and immediately found the water breath bead.
A glowing dewy bead floated in his sea of consciousness. The sea of consciousness where a sea of flames danced had a lively and abundant humidity. The faint moisture spread from the dew bead. Wherever the moisture passed, the wounded consciousness was like burnt soil receiving nurturing and became full of life again. Zuo Mo felt unspeakably comfortable.
This was something really good!
Zuo Mo’s mind moved. The dew bead flew in front of him and a warm moisture blew into his face.
“The water breath bead can heal?”
To make Zuo Mo understand the value of the water breath bead, Pu Yao naturally spoke endlessly. “Not just healing. With it, you will have an easier time comprehending your own water breath. Once you have comprehended water breath, it will merge into the water breath that you comprehend. You will have an easier time casting the great majority of water yao arts, and water element spells, their power would also be greater.”
“This powerful?” Zuo Mo felt very excited. He was clear to the value embodied. With this water breath bead, it meant that his affinity to water had increased. This would increase the strength of a major type of yao arts and spells.
Water element spells, ge knows them! He cast a [Little Art of Cloud and Rain] with pride. A palm-size could instantly floated in his palm.
Hm, the cloud ball from the [Little Art of Cloud and Rain] this time was different than before.
The cloud ball seemed to be alive. The threads of rain that fell seemed to contain vitality. When they landed in Zuo Mo’s palm, then sunk into Zuo Mo’s skin and disappeared. Zuo Mo felt refreshed.
The sixth level of [Little Art of Cloud and Rain]!
Zuo Mo’s eyes widened, his face full of disbelief. Just with the addition of a water breath bead, his [Little Art of Cloud and Rain] had leveled up to the sixth level!
The sixth level of [Little Art of Cloud and Rain] was significantly useful!
Zuo Mo was overjoyed.
Treasure! Great treasure!
“Can this even be called a treasure?” Pu Yao seemed to know Zuo Mo’s thoughts, and an imperceptible smile floated on the corners of Pu Yao’s mouth. He continued to tempt Zuo Mo, “The water breath was just from the prison-breaking battle of the first prison. Each prison of the Ten Finger Prison has something good. Only what is in the later prisons can be called treasures.”
“Each prison has their own?” Zuo Mo’s eyes lit up.
“What? Are you interested?” Pu Yao glanced at Zuo Mo with deliberate calmness.
“Interested! Very interested!” Zuo Mo nodded frantically. He rubbed his palms and said warmly, “Pu Yao, let’s get them all! So many treasures, they can’t be wasted!”
“This will depend on your skills.” Pu Yao did not refute it. “The later prison-breaking battles will be more powerful than this.”
Countless jingshi spun in Zuo Mo’s eyes. He drooled and said with a stupid smile, “That’s nothing, we can wear them down, wear them to death!”
The water breath bead was wondrous as expected. Not long after, Zuo Mo’s injured consciousness was healed. Zuo Mo was full of praise, and desired the other treasures even more.
“Let’s go, you have not named your prison battlefield yet,” Pu Yao said as he pulled Zuo Mo into Vast Water Clear Skies.
Zuo Mo looked at the unfamiliar environment, his mouth wide, and his face stunned.
The criss-crossing river flows from before had all disappeared. The shards of stone under his feet had also disappeared. What replaced them were squares of different colors. The various colored tiles extended into the distance like an enormous chess board.
“What what is this?”
“Nothing big.” Pu Yao suppressed the shock inside and said in a normal tone. “You broke the first prison left by someone before you, so the first prison will be reconstructed.”
“Oh, so it’s like that.” Zuo Mo’s face showed realization
He casually walked forward and stepped into a green square. There were no changes. He stepped into another square, and there was still no change.
It just changed appearance.
The shock in Zuo Mo’s heart disappeared. He felt it was very boring, and his expression disappeared.
Suddenly, the scene in front of him changed again.
He seemed to have flown to a very high place and was looking down from an aerial view. He saw an enormous chessboard, the disorderly tiles formed a strange shape. The figure seemed slightly familiar to Zuo Mo. He quickly understood what the pattern was. Wasteland beast, that was a wasteland beast!
“Create a name.” Pu Yao’s light voice sounded at Zuo Mo’s ears.
“Wasteland Beast Chessboard.” Zuo Mo’s mind moved, and he blurted out.
Boom boom boom!
The sound was like thunder. The pattern of the wasteland beast on the chessboard seemed to suddenly become alive. A thread of grey smoke came out of the chessboard, and in a blink, turn to a wasteland beast.
The lantern sized red and vicious eyes, the bleak and disdainful presence, the roiling and shapeless body.
It glanced at Zuo Mo and suddenly burrowed back into the chessboard.
The chessboard under him once again became what it was originally.
In the minds of the yao that had excitedly charged into the first prison, three words floated up simultaneously—Wasteland Beast Chessboard!
Translator Ramblings: Zuo Mo’s proven history of terrible names have been broken … … actually, the name come from what Pu Yao’s teacher created so this isn’t really something he made. Nan Yue is so protective of her Daren … …
Thanks for the chapter!
Meatbun delivery~
Thank you for the chapter ( ●w●)
chessboard?!
I am truly impatient to know what would happen in next chapter with every chapter in this novel~
The hell! This is like a never-ending-cliff~
Thanks
I hope next chapter we will be shown the abilities of the new Wasteland Beast Chessboard. Should be pretty badass and frustrating, just like Zuo Mo.
aww…. i was a fan of Ge’s little Treasure prison…
thank you for the chapter
Thank you so much!! 😘😘😘
Thank you! <3
Thanks for the chapter 😀
Just the other day, wyhcwe was saying that WOC is pretty unique among xianxia novels in that it’s absolutely not formulaic. That’s so true! The typical xianxia story is very very chuunibyou (sorry for the Japanese word, I hope everyone understands the meaning) and follows an established pattern of clichés that can be found in pretty much every example of the genre. WOC is different. The hero is not a chuunibyou prick, and the story is refreshingly original.
These are some of the ways in which WOC breaks the xianxia pattern. I’m sure y’all can think of many others.
1) “A real man knows when to fight and when to bow.”
Zuo Mo doesn’t pick fights when he’s certain to lose. To protect his little life, he will kowtow and humble himself if needed. Even after hundreds of chapters, being much stronger and with an army at his command, he’s still clear on this. He mentioned it during the battle at Hundred Flowers Sect: if a dozen jindan attack at the same time (or, Heaven forbid, someone higher than jindan) the only thing to do is surrender and beg for mercy.
The typical chuunibyou hero is full of pompous empty lines like “A real man chooses death over indignity!” “A man’s knees are golden, I don’t kowtow just because some guy is strong!” “This is my way of life, take on anyone who challenges me!” “I don’t submit to any authority of Heaven or Earth!” (All are actual literal quotes.) Usually, after babbling like that some time, the dumb brat ends up trounced and about to be executed… but then, always, some overpowerful elder arrives and says “Ah, good boy! I like his spirit!” and saves him. Yup, just like that. 🙁 Really crappy, but, sadly, really common.
2) “We defeated those baddies, and now you’re asking me what to do with them? Kill them all, stupid!”
Abusing and tormenting enemies is standard behavior for a chuunibyou hero. It’s a rule: enemies must suffer. Especially women. Especially beautiful young women who happen to be high-born and rich and proud and conceited. Some authors will eagerly write whole arcs, dozens of chapters, just to describe the harassments and humiliations and violences the psychotic hero inflicts on some arrogant elite girl who rubbed him the wrong way.
Zuo Mo doesn’t care one bit about sadistic games. When enemies really make him angry, his way of dealing with the problem is getting rid of them ASAP. Like, say, that pretty girl who was head manager at Hundred Flowers Sect. Remember the scene where they find the Flower Slaves? In a normal xianxia novel, that would have been the perfect excuse for a long string of chapters where the hero inflicts pain and punishment on the “evil bitch” in the name of justice. Zuo Mo simply beheaded her and didn’t waste any time in dumb games. A refreshing change.
3) “Grr! Grr! Mess with ge? Ge smashes!”
Chuunibyou heros are always showing off. Imagine a typical protagonist who suddenly gains some incredible power. Now he can kill the sworn enemy who always bullied him! Ah, but wait: he won’t go just like that. First, the time and place have to be carefully selected. Second, the audience must be as big as possible; if it’s a tournament, and important people are watching, all the better. Third, during the combat, the hero will take things SLOWLY. Toy with his opponents. Reveal his true power only little by little, so as to repeatedly amaze the spectators. And all the while he will keep making smug faces and spewing affected, pretentious lines. Because, you see, he doesn’t just want to bump his enemy and be done with it; he wants to put on a show that will make him look SUPER COOL! It’s contrived and unrealistic, and, most of all, very dangerous: toying with your opponent is the same as gambling with your life, and no sane person would do it in a real fight.
Zuo Mo is not a violent person. When possible, he prefers to evade his foes and thus avoid the trouble of having to fight. But when he finds himself in a situation where he has no choice but to fight, looking cool is the least of his worries. Actually, more often than not, when forced into a fight, his fury and outrage send him into a sort of battle trance that makes him look like a total weirdo! Especially the creepy mumbling: “Dare to bully ge? You’re courting death! Fight with ge? Ge will kill you! Touch ge’s jingshi? You’re finished!” Call it queer, call it scary, call it anything but showing off. Most of all, call it a realistic scene with a hero who doesn’t care about appearances because he’s 120% focused on winning and surviving — the exact opposite of the standard xianxia fight.
(Mind you, as a bit of tongue-in-cheek humor, the author sometimes has the women watching Zuo Mo’s performance go squee and call him dashing and handsome. Zuo Mo himself is usually freaked out by this bizarre reactions, hehe.)
These are just a few examples off the top of my hat. I could go on, but the post is too long already. If you wanna, feel free to add to the list! 😉
wall of text
Here’s one that should be obvious:
4) Zuo Mo is in this cultivation business for the *jingshi*. He doesn’t want ultimate almighty invincible power to dominate everyone else and create a legend, as it’s the case with 90% of MCs in martial arts webnovels. He just wants cash.
He comprehended sword essence in lianqi, which could have made him the heir of the Ice Dragon Sword and set him to become a superxiuzhe… but instead he returned to farming, cuz there’s no money in sword training. It’s all about the bucks.
Another one: every mc is absurdly handsome, and as their cultivation increase they become more and more “beautiful”, their skin becomes clearer and glosser, etc… also, every female that cames in contact with them is a supreme goddess that makes any male go mad with lust. Here, we have a zombie face, who after making a breakthrough has reached the level of… “pse”, and the closest to a love interest is so hideous people can only look at her when she wears a mask.
*clap clap*
so true!. this novel is one of the few that constantly surprise me! dont get me wrong, i love the usual masturbatory novels but it just make the non typical novels even better.
Thanks for the chapters!
Thanks for the new chapter! I think Nan Yue is an excellent disciple. I hope she sticks around on Zuo Mo’s adventures.
So whats the purpose of this essay ?
Essay?
Thx 4d CH
This chapter seemed short, or is it because not all too much happened? Anyway, looking forward to the mysteries in the chessboard. Can he still go on this deconstructing spree considering he’ll be destroying his footing? Would be interesting if there are chess pieces which do … Things….
Thanks for the chapter!
The stuff with Nan Yue and Qian Liu make the chapter seem shorter than it is because we spend less time on Zuo Mo.
Thanks for the chapter!
Much thanks.
Thanks for the chapter😀
Thank you for the chapter!
Hmm 10 prison levels, so I guess that four of the remaining 9 will be complementary to his remaining four elements. How about the remaining 5 then??
Must they all elements? I think it’s just the later prisons are harder than the previous ones.
I still wouldn’t call that a great name. It is however, very accurate 😉
I wonder what kind of affects it will have and what reactions the yao will have to it.
Also wondering what the prison breaking battle for the next person to challenge that prison would be like.
Probably very, very horrifying. they’ll probably have to deal with a strengthened Wasteland Beast, with perhaps some of the Yao arts Zuo Mo used to deal with the previous stuff (like the fireball) as a warmup before that. At least, that seems to be how it works judging by what happened here.
I would expect that there first little yao arts would pummel them then crazy hard lightning storms against them. After they make it past all that the beast awakens…..(rip)
I wonder how effective that storm of little yao arts would even be against normal yao. It was pretty much tailored to his opponents after all.
u-u
thnks for the chapter!
GAAAA!!!!! FEED ME MORE CHAPTERS!!!!!
600chapters to go so 2 years more of this ride 😮
Hehe, yay, two more happy years! <3
Let's hope wyhcwe is up to the task and willing to keep on going to the very end. 😉
Thanks!
This chapter is too short , need moar moar moarrrrr . Thanks for the chapter 😀
Oh, so he had no control over the creation, just naming? Makes me wonder how the new look gets chosen.
Also…forming the shape of *shapeless* wasteland beast…eh…
He has some control because the prison took its “theme” from what he used in the battle. This will be explained in future chapters.
Spoiler…daym
Thanks for the chapter!
A palm-size could instantly floated in his palm.
could -> cloud
Meh, I Think its a pretty crappy name to be honest.
Well, if Pu’s teacher is still kicking around somewhere, he’s going to be in for a bit of a surprise. 😛
Thanks…
Little Nan… so cute… ^_^
Nan yu lives for daren because daren hers and hers ALONE
Y-yandere!?
Nooooo. She would never hurt daren. She’s too sweet and pure.
Thanks for the chapter!
I can’t wait until Nan Yue checks in with Zuo Mo being all worried and he’s all like ‘The Elders are willing to give you great things for knowing me? Good, good! Take them for all they’re worth!’
Thanks for the chapter WYHCWE and WanderingGummiOfDoom! Haha thank goodness the Prison Battlefield shaped into something that didn’t require Zuo Mo to get creative with.
Why do I feel as if Lil’ cliffy evolved into a Great CLIFFard
1) “Zuo Mo finally remembered after Pu Yao’s remember the bead he had swallowed”, second remember should be reminder?
2) “A palm-size could instantly floated in his palm.” Could = Cloud.
3) Hold me, I’m scare. The Sacrificial Wasteland is strong enough to override ZM’s jingshi fetish AND naming sense?
Thanks!
Thanks for the chapter,
Ugh, it came out, but not as bad as it could’ve been.
Nan yue, cute…
personally I really want to see the dangers to others in the chessboard.
How will this chess board train those that come? will it deconstruct their yao arts with little yao arts? How will this effect their future war potential? Will Nan Yue ever get to challenge that wasteland beast?
How will the elders react to that chessboard? do the yao even play chess?
the other thought is what did he leave behind in that wasteland art? I mean that water bead was left for him what did he leave behind?
I ship Nan yu
Wasteland Beast Chessboard! Great name! Ge has improved his naming sense 🙂
I absolutely I’ve how Pu Yao knows how to manipulate ZM. I can’t wait till he beats all 10 prisons. I wonder who the final boss/prisoner is. If it’s truly a prison, its holding something strong no?
Perhaps… but I suspect “prison” here means “dungeon” as in a rpg game. That is, an area with traps and dangers where you must reach objectives to earn rewards.
Remember, in the past, the two words were practically synonyms. The word “dungeon” in old English originally meant a castle prison.
Actually, come to think of it, I always felt that Ten Finger Prison was a strange name… I wonder if Ten Finger Dungeon wouldn’t make more sense?
Wait.. That name is actually good! More than decent! What happened! How is this possible! My whole life is a lie!
Thank you very much for the chapter.
As expected of Ge. Thanks for the chapter!
I’m surprised nobody is talking about this… HE JUST USED LITTLE ART OF CLOUD AND RAIN AS A SIXTH GRADE SPELL, this is the one he worked up to third grade all by himself from a measly first-grade common scroll.
I think this is a pretty big milestone, and not just for his reputation and abilities as a yao. Consciousness, Ling power, and the physical body are apparently interconnected, and all that.
Hi
Hi
Kinda a shame its not a horendous name, now future generations will have a much harder time figuring out that it was him that beat the prisons.
thank you for your hard work mate!!
Little Nan is mine! MINE!
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That’s actually an alright name. And please don’t let ZM get involved with all the yao politics because of that yao girl
I like the name xD