Four hours later, Meng Hao had reached the mountain’s peak, iron spear in hand. He walked up, look around, finally noticing the large flag stuck into the ground. Underneath the flag was a bag. Its surface was a mass of rioting colors; looking at it made you feel as if it could suck your mind out. Everything around it seemed to ripple and grow blurry. When Meng Hao laid eyes on it, he palpitated with eagerness and started panting. He grabbed the multicolored bag, and when he did, the flag fell to the ground.
Conversations had buzzed among the onlookers in the Demonic Forest as they watched Meng Hao calmly walked up the mountain, collecting huge amounts of Spirit Stones and medicinal pills. When the flag toppled more conversations broke out.
They gazed at Meng Hao with shock and envy, and then watched as he disappeared over the other side of the mountain.
Shangguan Xiu glared at Meng Hao murderously as he vanished. He didn’t dare to pursue him; there were too many things about him he didn’t know. Even though Shangguan Xiu’s desire to kill him was stronger than ever, he also knew that it was almost too late to reach his medicinal plant. Gnashing his teeth, he stamped his foot onto the ground, looking very pitiful indeed. But anger pushed away his depression. He would have killed Meng Hao already, if he could only have thought of a way.
As he watched Meng Hao disappear onto the other side of the mountain, Wu Dingqiu’s laughter rang out over the plateau. Eccentric Song stared with wide eyes as Meng Hao took his bag of the Cosmos. The blood drained from his face, and he seemed heartbroken. Now more than ever he regretted putting his bag of the Cosmos onto the mountain. He just couldn’t believe what had happened. This time, he really couldn’t endure any longer. He flicked his sleeve, and prepared to pursue the damnable Meng Hao. But, before he could leave, Wu Dingqiu once again blocked his way.
“Wu Dingqiu, you still dare to block me!” shouted heartbroken Eccentric Song. “The flag is fallen. You didn’t win our bet, and I didn’t lose. The trial by fire is over. If you continue to obstruct my way, you can’t blame me for attacking you!”
“Fellow Daoist Song, we agreed ahead of time that neither of us would leave before we finished this game of Go. You are a grand, illustrious Cultivator of the Southern Domain. Don’t tell me you’re going to go back on your word? When I made to leave earlier, you wouldn’t let me. Yet you wish to leave before finishing our game?” Wu Dingqiu laughed as he used Eccentric Song’s own words against him. Not a trace of a frown remained on his face, which was now filled with a wide smile. He clearly would not allow the other man to leave. Seeing the bag of the Cosmos taken away had filled his heart with joy. Eccentric Song had waved that bag in front of him mockingly for hundreds of years; to see him hoisted on his own petard was wondrous to the extreme.
“You…” Eccentric Song glared murderously at Wu Dingqiu, and didn’t say anything for a long moment. Then, he gritted his teeth and stamped his foot down, shaking the mountain so hard it seemed it would collapse. But considering his status and prestige, he could do nothing more than sit back down and begin playing Go again.
Of course, Wu Dingqiu wouldn’t let him have his way so simply. He stroked his beard as he looked at Eccentric Song’s unsightly expression. Laughing, he very slowly picked up a Go piece and then purposefully put a very thoughtful expression onto his face. After a very, very long time, he slowly put the piece onto the board, his face solemn, as if he intended to make this game last for months.