A Bad Chess Player Probes, Plans Formed Within Floating Fragrance Tower

Chen Duan's expression remained unchanged. He casually placed another piece on a different spot with a "snap," subtly creating a new restraint while calmly replying:

"Senior is too kind. It is you, Senior, who is truly admirable for reaching the Five Levels at your age. You must have endured great hardship, practicing day and night, to barely achieve your current realm, right?

To capture my abandoned piece, those steps you took just now must have been painstakingly planned."

"Not at all, not at all. I am merely of average talent. In my youth, I indulged in pleasure, carousing until I was forty or fifty. Then one day, I suddenly felt it was meaningless, so I casually practiced a bit. I never expected to stumble into the Five Levels.

Young friend, your move is flawed. I captured your piece simply by following the flow; there was no painstaking effort involved."

Le Buxiu shook his head and swayed, dropping another piece to block one of Chen Duan's paths.

The sound of the pieces landing was crisp and continuous.

Wu Sheng listened to their conversation from the side, feeling increasingly uneasy. Why did it always feel like there were hidden barbs?

It was as if two invisible forces were engaged in a silent battle, using this small chessboard as their arena.

What surprised him even more was the actual state of the game.

Between their words, it was as if two peerless masters were playing a game on the chessboard, using heaven and earth as the board and all living beings as pieces, exuding an aura of supreme skill and high-class demeanor.

But when he looked closely at the moves on the board, he almost choked.

What kind of garbage moves were these?

He carefully observed Chen Duan's placements and found that the latter was not deliberately conceding. The lines of play were awkward and messy, completely lacking any strategy, exhibiting the skill level of a complete beginner. Naturally, there was no trace of pretense.

However, because the two of them exuded an extraordinary aura, Wu Sheng found it difficult to interrupt.

This scene felt strangely familiar, inexplicably reminding him of when Chen Duan discussed medicinal theories with his junior brother Shi Jie.

But that time, it was because he genuinely didn't understand medicine and couldn't comment. What was the situation this time?

He didn't understand chess?

He glanced at the chessboard.

No matter how little he understood, he was still better than these two terrible players.

He had a feeling that these two were not just playing chess, but were engaged in some kind of contest he couldn't comprehend.

But what exactly were they competing over?

Wu Sheng was utterly perplexed.

Just as his thoughts were in disarray, he heard a crisp "snap" as Le Buxiu placed the last white piece in a corner of the board.

Immediately, Le Buxiu waved his large hand.

"Young friend, you have skillful hands. I have lost! I suddenly feel unwell today. Someone, see the guests out!"

Wu Sheng was completely stunned, not reacting at all.

A moment later, Wu Sheng and Chen Duan found themselves standing on the street outside the tower.

Wu Sheng's mind was still a complete blank.

He truly couldn't understand why Le Buxiu would immediately turn hostile and ask them to leave as soon as the game ended.

Chen Duan acted as if nothing had happened. Instead, he patted Wu Sheng's shoulder with a cheerful expression and said with a smile:

"Brother Wu, your friend's chess skills are quite good. Today's game was quite enjoyable. Come, I'll treat you to a drink."

So what exactly was going on?

Wu Sheng, full of questions, was nevertheless pulled along by Chen Duan without any room for protest, heading towards another restaurant.

And at this moment.

Up in the Floating Fragrance Tower.

"Hmph! This damned brat, he doesn't understand how to be considerate of an old man at all!"

Le Buxiu grumbled unhappily. He rested his head on a beauty's lap, allowing her slender fingers to massage his temples, relieving the anger in his heart.

"Xiao Si, how was it? Can you deal with this guy?"

A young man sat beside the chessboard. It was Xiao Si, sent by Hong Sanniang.

Xiao Si didn't answer immediately. His expression was solemn, his eyes fixed on the messy black and white pieces on the board.

He picked up a black piece with two fingers and tried to inject a trace of True Qi into it.

However, as soon as the True Qi entered the piece, it encountered strong resistance and was immediately forced out.

Xiao Si tried several more times, with the same result.

It wasn't until the fifth attempt, when he slightly increased the output of True Qi, that there was a "crack." The piece suddenly exploded, turning into a puff of powder. A few wisps of faint red True Qi escaped from the powder and immediately dissipated into the air.

"This True Qi is truly formidable," Xiao Si couldn't help but exclaim.

"Even you can't neutralize it?" Le Buxiu propped himself up halfway, his tone teasing, "Doesn't Sanniang always praise you for being so capable? How did you young people train?"

Facing Le Buxiu's questioning, Xiao Si simply shook his head. "I am not as good."

"Really? Are you joking?"

Le Buxiu sat up straight, his expression turning serious.

"He must have sensed my presence just now."

Xiao Si's gaze was deep. "He's strong, at least stronger than me in terms of True Qi cultivation."

He picked up a few more chess pieces and tried again, but the result was the same – the pieces exploded one after another.

"Hiss~"

Le Buxiu gasped. "This person's background is likely not ordinary. He's not from Medicine Valley, and Little Wu treats him like a brother, their relationship is clearly close. If he has such a powerful ally, why would Little Wu go to such great lengths to ask this old man..."

He stroked his beard, lost in thought.

Xiao Si, standing beside him, mused, "It's because some matters require the use of Floating Fragrance Tower's intelligence network. And... Senior Le, you are ultimately an outsider. Wu Sheng approached you from the beginning with an agenda."

"You mean, Little Wu wants to scheme against me, an outsider?"

Le Buxiu frowned, then shook his head. "Hmm... it doesn't seem like it. He appeared to be full of sincerity."

"It's hard to say, the human heart is unpredictable. You can interact with both of them more and observe slowly. Once you understand their true intentions, then you can make a decision."

Xiao Si's attitude was also ambiguous. Recalling Wu Sheng's attitude towards Le Buxiu, and considering the words spoken and certain promises made, there did seem to be sincerity.

"Alright, I'll do as you say! I'll arrange for a few of the tower's girls to be sent to Chen Duan right away."

"I'm afraid that won't work. Judging by his words and actions, he doesn't seem like someone who indulges in sensual pleasures."

"Then send him money?"

"A Five Levels master wouldn't lack such things, especially here in Chuzhou."

"Hiss~ If he doesn't want wealth or pleasure, perhaps he wants power? I don't have the ability to keep Floating Fragrance Tower as it is; I'm barely managing."

Xiao Si pondered for a moment. "This person has strong martial arts and a heavy aura of the martial world. Why not treat him as a fellow martial artist for now, with neither subservience nor arrogance, and see how it plays out?"

"That makes sense! I'll personally bring a few jars of fine wine and pay him a visit another day!"

Several days later.

Yingcheng, night.

The moonlight, like frost, spilled into the quiet courtyard.

Chen Duan's figure danced under the moon, practicing the moves of Fuhu Fist over and over again.

The wind from his fists howled with the might of a tiger roaring in the mountains, yet it was different from usual.

With every punch thrown, not only did Fuhu True Qi surge, but a wisp of Vast Qi also flowed along, converging at the point of impact.

This was a combined killing move he had conceived in a flash of inspiration a few days ago, Vast Tiger Soul Divine, which he was currently trying to perfect. His intention was to integrate the Vast Qi Nourishing Spirit Technique with Fuhu Fist, allowing the Vast Qi and True Qi to intertwine and resonate, thereby creating an absolute counter and destructive force against Malevolent Spirits.

In his free time, he repeatedly refined it, striving to achieve perfect balance between these two forces of vastly different natures.

After another set of movements, the Vast Qi, like a tired bird returning to its nest, flowed back into his dantian, and the layer of True Qi on his fists receded.

Chen Duan stopped, his breathing long and steady. His gaze swept over the recently purchased courtyard. The middle-aged man who had shown him the house had called it a "haunted house" and said there was something unclean about it.