Three years later, beside a pool within a verdant forest, the gentle sound of a zither drifted through the air, melodious and pleasing, drawing several snow-white sika deer to wander over.
Looking over, one could see a middle-aged man in a blue gauze robe seated cross-legged atop a boulder by the pool, casually playing the zither with great ease.
Not far from him, a black-haired old man and a white-haired old man sat facing each other with a square chessboard between them, taking turns placing pieces across its grid.
The black-haired old man was dressed impeccably, without the slightest wrinkle in his robes. His dark hair was tied high with meticulous precision, and his whole person appeared neat and sharp, like an unsheathed sword displaying all its edge.
The white-haired old man sitting opposite him appeared far more slovenly. He was none other than Immortal Venerable Rehuo.
The black-haired old man held the white pieces, and his playing style was fierce and decisive. Every piece he placed struck the board with force, producing a crackling sound. Immortal Venerable Rehuo, on the other hand, deliberated at length and moved unhurriedly, placing every piece softly and soundlessly.
However, the black-haired old man had long grown accustomed to this and never urged him. After each move, he would close his eyes and contemplate the subsequent lines of play.
Yet Venerable Jingyang, who was nearby, could no longer bear to watch. He immediately laughed and cursed, "Old ghost Rehuo, your slow and plodding nature is truly unbearable. Could it be that you were some ten-thousand-year-old river turtle that cultivated into a spirit? Hahaha!"
"Fellow Daoist Duan hasn't said anything, so why are you, you old drunkard, butting in? Go on, go drink your horse piss somewhere else!"
Immortal Venerable Rehuo rolled his eyes at