The Chess Player

The study door was left ajar, spilling out a dim, yellowish light.

Li Tui stood still outside the door, tucking the box of tea he held closer to his chest before freeing a hand to knock. His knuckles struck the wooden panel, producing a few muffled thuds.

"Enter."

It was the voice of Zhao Mingsheng.

Li Tui pushed the door open and stepped inside. Two oil lamps were lit in the study, casting a hazy glow that bathed one side of Zhao Mingsheng's face in light and left the other in shadow. He sat behind the desk, holding a yellowed book. Seeing Li Tui enter, he glanced up briefly before returning his gaze to the page.

"The Third Young Master asked me to bring you some tea." Li Tui bowed and placed the black lacquer box on an empty spot on the desk.

"Did he say anything else?" Zhao Mingsheng asked suddenly.

Li Tui lowered his eyes and replied, "The Third Young Master also said that he read the Annotations on the Treatise of Nourishing Qi today and found a few parts unclear, so he would like to ask for your guidance."

Zhao Mingsheng's eyebrows twitched almost imperceptibly.

He reached out and slowly rolled up the calligraphy he had just finished writing, setting it aside. His movements were deliberate, as if he were deep in thought.

"Annotations on the Treatise of Nourishing Qi..." He repeated the title, his gaze landing on Li Tui's face. "Why did he suddenly decide to read this?"

Li Tui's reply was steady: "I do not know."

Zhao Mingsheng stared at him for two breaths, then suddenly smiled. The smile was faint, never reaching his eyes. "He has certainly improved."

The smile lines at the corners of his mouth lingered for a moment before fading away. Zhao Mingsheng did not look at the box of tea again, nor did he continue to press for answers; he simply leaned back and tapped his fingertips lightly against the open book.

The glow of the oil lamp flickered, making his half-lit face appear somewhat blurred.

"Sit."

The command was flat, devoid of any discernible emotion.

Li Tui did not sit, remaining instead with his hands lowered, standing two steps away from the desk.

Zhao Mingsheng did not insist. He closed the book and looked up at him. "Counting it up, you have been in the manor for nearly half a year now."

Li Tui lowered his head, his posture respectful. "Yes. It is entirely thanks to your grace in taking me in, sir, that I have been able to have a stable meal in this manor."

Zhao Mingsheng shook his head slightly, a movement so subtle it was barely noticeable. "That is not the case. The manor has its own rules; once a spiritual root is detected and the conditions are met, it is only natural to take one in." He leaned back further, resting against the chair.

Li Tui did not respond.

Zhao Mingsheng nodded to himself, his gaze lingering on Li Tui's face for another moment. "You are much more composed than when you first arrived."

He stood up and paced to the window. The night outside was thick and heavy, and Li Tui could see nothing.

"In the matter of cultivation, one must let things take their natural course." Zhao Mingsheng stood with his back to Li Tui, his voice drifting over slowly. "One cannot be impatient, and one... must not be chaotic."

Li Tui looked up at his back. The indigo-colored casual robes shimmered with a dull light under the lamp, the fabric over his chest rising and falling slightly with his breath.

"There have been many matters in the manor lately." Zhao Mingsheng turned around, his gaze falling back onto Li Tui's face. "The Third Young Master has a restless nature; you must put in more effort while serving by his side."

"I understand."

"It is good that you understand." Zhao Mingsheng walked back behind the desk and sat down again. He reached out to pick up a teacup and lifted the lid, but he did not drink, merely staring at the tea leaves floating and sinking within.

The study fell silent, save for the faint crackling of the lamp wick.

After a long while, Zhao Mingsheng finally set down the teacup and looked up at Li Tui. "You are a smart man."

"A smart man should know what things ought to be done and what things ought not," Zhao Mingsheng said slowly. "Some spectacles may look lively, but if you get too close, you are liable to get burned."

He paused, then added, "Keeping to your own place and doing your duty well is the only way to last."

Li Tui's heart sank slightly.

These words sounded like ordinary advice, but the tone and the look in his eyes... they were clearly drawing a line.

"I will keep that in mind." Li Tui bowed in acknowledgment.

Zhao Mingsheng watched him for a moment, then suddenly waved his hand. "Go."

Li Tui took two steps back and turned to leave the study. The door closed behind him, sealing off that dim, yellowish light.

Inside the study, Zhao Mingsheng did not move.

He watched the closed door panels for a long time before finally speaking slowly, his voice lowered, as if addressing someone else: "This child... that thing in his chest is quite interesting."

A faint, mocking chuckle came from the shadows.

"Blood Fiend Qi that condenses but does not dissipate—it is indeed quite interesting," a hoarse voice replied, sounding as if it were seeping out from the deepest corner of the room. "But it is merely a trinket for a Qi Refiner; it cannot stir up any waves."

Zhao Mingsheng did not respond, only picking up his teacup to take a sip. The tea had long since gone cold, tasting bitter and astringent.

He remained silent for a moment, tapping his fingertips against the desk twice.

Suddenly, he asked, "Do you think he will be a variable?"

There was a moment of silence in the shadows.

"A variable?" The voice let out a low laugh, the sound as dry as rubbing dead leaves together. "A chess piece with a bit of strange flesh growing on it—how much could it change? The chessboard is only so large, and there are only so many hands holding the pieces."

The words were left unfinished, but the meaning was clear.

"That is true." Zhao Mingsheng exhaled slowly and leaned back into his chair. "Then... let us watch a little longer."