Fan Lang went alone to keep the appointment and pay a visit to the Square Circle Domain Lord. Led by an attendant, he arrived at a study.
The location chosen for receiving guests carried certain implications. Only guests who were either close or highly valued would be received in the study; everyone else would be received in the sitting room.
This detail alone revealed the Square Circle Domain Lord's attitude toward Fan Lang.
Fan Lang entered the study. The person who had led him there bowed and withdrew, leaving him to walk in alone.
The room was classically elegant, with exquisite bookshelves and famous calligraphy and paintings hanging on the walls. The scenery within the paintings moved, and wisps of floral fragrance drifted out from them.
A table stood in the center of the study, with a chessboard and stone bowls upon it. Across from the table sat a man with refined, graceful features, dressed in a loose robe woven in intermingling black and white.
He was the Square Circle Domain Lord!
Square and circle—the chess pieces were round, while the chessboard was square. Everyone knew that the Square Circle Domain Lord was a chess fanatic whose greatest passion in life was playing chess.
"Greetings, Domain Lord," Fan Lang said with a salute.
"No need for formalities. Raise your head," said the Square Circle Domain Lord.
"Thank you, Domain Lord."
"Do you know how to play chess?"
"I'm a terrible player."
"No matter. As long as you can play, that is enough. Come and play a game with me. I want to have a proper chat with a talented genius like you, someone who has recently risen to fame. Talking alone is rather dull; playing while we talk will be just right."
"Then I'll make a fool of myself."
Fan