The Seven Arts Monk: I, Wuhua, Play Chess

The world knows that the 'Seven Arts Monk' Wuhua is a rare Buddhist prodigy of Shaolin—master of seven arts: qin, chess, calligraphy, painting, swordsmanship, medicine, and poison. He is revered for his profound Buddhist teachings and noble character, a paragon among the righteous young generation. But no one knows he is also the remnant of the Fairy Water Palace, the son of the Heavenly Wind Sect leader, and the hidden chess master behind the 'Listening Tide Pavilion,' the underground ruler of the Jiangnan waterways and black market. When Chu Liuxiang's irrefutable evidence is about to expose his true identity, at the critical moment, a past-life memory not of this world explodes in Wuhua's mind—he has read the entire 'Legend of Chu Liuxiang' and knows every step everyone will take next. 'So, I was destined to die in this game,' he smiles, lowering his eyes, and escapes by feigning death, leaving behind the legend of the 'departed monk.' From then on, the Jianghu only knows the tale of the 'monk's passing,' while the master of the Listening Tide Pavilion quietly emerges. In public, he is a monk chanting sutras and worshiping Buddha; in secret, he uses qin and chess as blades, and information gaps as his net, calmly orchestrating schemes in the martial world and meddling in court affairs. Scholars are captivated by his demeanor, experts fall to his cunning hands, and even the righteous still chant sutras for his soul—unaware that the Buddha they revere is the black hand controlling the world's chessboard. From a martial arts conspirator to the behind-the-scenes chess player of the world, this game he intends to play with elegance, dignity, and—flawless precision. — Description from novelcodex.org