On an open-air balcony on the seventeenth floor of the Sky-Reaching Tower, complete with a small bridge and flowing water, two men were playing chess.
The man seated on the left was a refined-looking middle-aged man of about forty. His long hair was tied into an ancient-style topknot, and his features were quite handsome.
He stared intently at the chessboard for a long while before lightly placing a piece.
Sitting opposite him was a young man around thirty with a crew cut.
Compared to the middle-aged man, his posture was far more casual. One foot rested on the stone bench, his robe hung open on one side to reveal a T-shirt beneath, creating a rather bizarre outfit.
The crew-cut young man had long since grown impatient. When the middle-aged man finally made his move, he let out a long breath and immediately placed a piece of his own.
"Changqing, when will you ever get rid of that impatient habit of yours?"
The middle-aged man shook his head. "I told you long ago, chess is not merely chess. Like reading, it is a way to calm the mind. If you keep going like this, when will you ever attain Path Seeking?"
"Third Senior Brother, I've improved a lot already."
Liu Changqing waved a hand dismissively. "I can sit here obediently and play chess with you. Don't you think I've changed tremendously in just a few days?"
The middle-aged man was momentarily speechless. This time, he did not deliberate and quickly placed a piece. "You lost."
"Three games are over. I'm free now, right?" Though he had lost, Liu Changqing looked delighted. He pushed the chessboard aside, leaned back in his chair, and began to doze off.
"By the way, how is the matter Teacher assigned you—taking in disciples and passing on