Zhao Luo looked at the disciple who had jumped down on the black block, as there were a total of eight blocks between them since he was standing on a white block.

'No. There are ten rows and ten columns so it isn't a 'simple' chessboard.'

Zhao Luo realized as he continued to look around but how could the inner disciple let himself be ignored like this just because this character in front of him was simply too handsome.

"Ahem."

The inner disciple made a relatively loud sound while pretending that he was clearing his throat just to get Zhao Luo's attention focused on him.

Zhao Luo had indeed turned his eyes on the disciple in front of him who looked a little angered.

'Is he mad?'

Zhao Luo wondered, not knowing that he was the reason.

"Listen here, Junior."

The inner disciple said to Zhao Luo.

'Junior?'

Zhao Luo was taken back by the way he was being addressed us but he held himself back and showed a smile while his lips twitched.

"If you are done looking around then let me explain to you about myself and the place you are at."

The inner disciple told Zhao Luo before pointing his index finger at himself.

"I am Bu Xing but you can call me Senior Xing. Consider me as your misfortune."

The inner disciple told Zhao Luo with an evil grin that was slowly carving upon his face.

"Senior Xing, why are you my misfortune?"

Zhao Luo looked confused as he innocently asked this eccentric senior who stood around 100 meters away from him but for some reason, they both had no need to be loud as their voices traveled to each other as though they were standing right next to each other.

"Hmmm."

Bu Xing looked disturbed over Zhao Luo's question.

'Should I tell him the reason or....'

He wondered while feeling reluctant to answer Zhao Luo's question.

Bu Xing was one of the nicest disciples of the inner hall, yet no one dared to be close to him except a senior. No junior would come to him for any kind of advice and none of his peers or those who were at his level would stay with him. No matter how nice he was to others, he would bring misfortune to them, just like his name.

Slowly as almost everyone left him, he started to change. He started pretending to be an evil person. He would act like someone who intentionally ruined things for others, just like what he was trying to show Zhao Luo.

But as Zhao Luo questioned him, Zhao Luo saw a tragic look in senior Xing's eyes that he couldn't miss even if he tried. 

'What was that?'

Zhao Luo wondered as he waited for Bu Xing's answer who looked lost in his thoughts,

"Y-you don't need to know. Just focus on where you are."

Senior Bu Xing suddenly opened his mouth with a flustered look.

'Nod.'

Zhao Luo nodded since he too wanted to know.

"Where am I? Where are the others?"

Zhao Luo questioned the Senior who again had the same evil grin hanging on his face.

"So you finally noticed. The inner hall has several zones. The first zone is the test zone, where the outer disciples who hope to become an inner disciple are gathered."

Bu Xing waved his hand around and continued.

"Your friends are also in the test zone, but you can't see them neither can they since the test zone has several hundred small rooms like the one you are in."

Zhao Luo nodded as he heard the senior calmly explaining to him.

'He isn't that bad.'

Zhao Luo mumbled while looking at Bu Xing who was waiting for Zhao Luo's question, in case, he didn't understand something, just what a nice senior would do.

"What room is this one then?"

Zhao Luo questioned while pointing downward since the room looked like a barren land except for the unusual stage they were on and Bu Xing instinctively answered it as though he knew what the question would be.

"This test room is a little special. It's been three years since this room was used. Only the winner of the Outer Hall is tested here or as you juniors call it, the 'King' of the outer hall."

'I see. Last year's winner of the outer hall ranking tournament was Mo Suo and before that, it was Senior Cutie and they never tried to become an inner disciple when they held the title of the King. But the stage looks like something that only someone like me would know about.'

While Zhao Luo was looking back on what he knew, Bu Xing was already talking again.

"The stage you are on is a game board. Just like the dragon road of the outer hall, this is a relic of the other world, modified by the Sect. There are ten rows and ten columns. You see this statue behind me?"

Senior Bu Xing started telling Zhao Luo about the stage that the two were on while the statue was behind Bu Xing.

'As I thought, it is indeed from there.', Zhao Luo thought as his doubts were indeed true.

"The dragon statue."

He had been glancing at it from time to time but he never had time to look at the statue more closely like now.

The statue was a four-meter tall dragon with red wings which were opened to its full wingspan while the dragon's base had a square shape with each side being a meter long which showed that it was indeed a piece that will be used on the stage they were on.

As Zhao Luo looked at it slowly moving his gaze down and then back to Bu Xing, he saw a serious expression on Bu Xing's face as though something was about to go down.

"Think of a beast that you want to use as your piece."

Bu Xing instructed Zhao Luo while the dragon piece with the crown on its head moved on the same block where he was while almost touching his back. 

"A beast?"

Zhao Luo tried to think of a beast that could rival the aura of the dragon with the red wings in front of him.