What a pity, there are far too few people of such great wisdom—so rare throughout the ages. If one cannot step outside the game, no matter how well one plays, one remains within it, inevitably lost in confusion. It is easy to enter the game, but hard to leave.

This kind of match cannot be finished in a short time; everyone watched with rapt attention.

William Thompson was well prepared, and Andrew Carter suddenly seemed rejuvenated. The clash between the veteran and the rising star, both at their peak, made for an exceptionally brilliant game.

The battle between the two eventually became a contest over the tiniest details, with neither willing to yield. There was no time limit for this match. As a top master at the pinnacle of the field, William Thompson could sit for three days and nights without issue, while Andrew Carter, having just drunk green ice tea infused with marrow-cleansing elixir, was in an incredibly vigorous state, if not completely transformed.

As the game progressed, both players moved slower and slower. After seven hours, they finally approached the endgame, yet the outcome was still uncertain.

At this point, Ethan Brooks was already certain that Andrew Carter was no match for William Thompson; Go relies heavily on talent. For Andrew Carter to become a national player and be so renowned at home and abroad for decades, he was certainly no slouch. But compared to William Thompson, he was still a notch below, even though this was the best state Andrew Carter had ever been in his life.

Yet William Thompson was still on the rise, with much room for growth. Not to mention, if the green ice tea had been given to William Thompson instead, with its ability to calm the mind and clear the spirit, the outcome might have already been decided.

It seemed action was needed now. Suddenly, William Thompson made several brilliant moves, and Andrew Carter struggled to respond.

Ethan Brooks stood in a corner, unnoticed by anyone, and took out the Eight-Tone Soul-Shaking Flute. This flute did not require blowing; as long as spiritual power was infused according to the method, it could be used.

“You can’t play there. This last point is crucial. Let’s do it together.”

“Ah…” Just as Andrew Carter, fully focused, was about to make his move, his hand trembled and his heart jolted in shock—the voice really sounded again.

With previous experience, Andrew Carter was now quite adept, and with his body and mind in great shape, he quickly calmed his inner fear: “You… who are you!”

Andrew Carter knew that as long as he thought of what he wanted to say in his mind, he could communicate with the other party.

“The Buddha said: it cannot be spoken. There’s no time to chat now, just play as I say.” Ethan Brooks naturally wouldn’t reveal his identity, and the voice from the Eight-Tone Soul-Shaking Flute was completely under his control. Even if Matthew Hill had just introduced Ethan Brooks to Andrew Carter, or if Ethan Brooks had appeared beside Andrew Carter a few times earlier, he would never connect it to Ethan Brooks.

With this change and disturbance, William Thompson’s mind also drifted slightly from the game, though it was far from “stepping outside the game.”

What’s wrong with the old man? At this moment, William Thompson’s feelings toward Andrew Carter had completely changed—this was the most exhilarating game he had ever played since his debut. A sense of respect for Andrew Carter arose naturally. Among all the top players in the country, including Andrew Carter, few could earn his admiration; these people were not particularly outstanding.

If he had focused solely on himself, he would have dominated the country long ago, reaching an invincible state. But what use was that? It would do nothing for the overall state of Chinese Go, so what he needed to do was more than just make himself strong.

But now, Andrew Carter, who had repeatedly surprised him, had earned the right to join him in this endeavor.

William Thompson had already made up his mind: regardless of the outcome, as long as Andrew Carter was at the Kaizhu Go Club, the club would be part of the Go Grand Alliance he intended to organize. And according to his original promise, all members of the Go Grand Alliance would receive funding from one million to one hundred million in the initial stage.

“Pa…”

“Oh!!” William Thompson instantly snapped back to attention, as Andrew Carter suddenly changed his strategy.

Finally, the mysterious person had appeared—today, they had shown remarkable patience, waiting until now to intervene. William Thompson had been mentally prepared for this. He put aside all other thoughts and focused entirely on the game, ready to face this sudden change.

From the moment Ethan Brooks intervened, the match reached a new level of excellence, and the final battle became even more intense. Two hours later, the match ended.

William Thompson lost by a narrow margin. At this moment, the spectators who had watched for nearly ten hours erupted in exclamations and cheers.

The outcome of this match no longer mattered; such a brilliant game was a once-in-a-century event.

“Don’t let your imagination run wild. I’m not the wandering ghost you think I am. At your age, you should know that a frog at the bottom of a well sees only a patch of sky, while a climber sees the heavens beyond.” With the result decided, Andrew Carter finally voiced a thought that had tormented him for three days. Ethan Brooks was speechless—he actually thought he was a wandering ghost. At a time like this, acting like a master and giving him a scolding was more effective than any explanation.

“As I said before, the Kaizhu Go Club is qualified to become a member of the Go Grand Alliance.” William Thompson looked at the approaching Matthew Hill and, after speaking, turned his shining gaze to Andrew Carter: “Old Wang’s performance today truly impressed William Thompson.”

Andrew Carter knew best in his heart that his extraordinary performance was inexplicable, and that he only won with the help of that mysterious master. He gave a wry smile and said, “It wasn’t my doing—I’m not your match.”