Playing Chess in the Snow, Ever a Madman Obsessed with the Way!

"Impatience leads to mistakes."

Zhongli calmly moved a piece, directly breaking through the opponent's check.

"Check again!"

The old man shouted and moved another piece, putting him in check once more!

Without saying anything, Zhongli calmly defended again, resolving the check.

At that moment, snowflakes began falling from the sky again, quickly turning into heavy snowfall!

"It's snowing. Old man, it's time to go."

"Old man, we want to go home."

"Old man, go back already."

The onlookers gradually left, and some tried to persuade the old man to head home early as well.

But the old man stubbornly insisted on finishing this game.

"Check again!"

The old man grew somewhat impatient. He launched one attack after another, capturing pieces in rapid succession.

"Defend again."

Thick snow had already accumulated on Zhongli's head and shoulders, yet he remained as steady as a mountain.

"Take your piece!"

The old man stared at the board, calculating in his heart. As long as he captured this piece, he could launch a killing blow afterward.

The man before him would have no power left to resist. He would definitely lose!

"Chess must be played slowly. Impatience brings chaos."

"Check!"

As Zhongli spoke, light flashed in his eyes. He raised his hand; his opening move was like a spear, and when the piece fell, it was check!

"I... I'll defend!"

The old man's expression changed. He vaguely sensed that the situation on the board had shifted!

"Check again!"

Zhongli made another move, his momentum turning even sharper. If before he had been like a spear just showing its edge—

Then this time, he drove straight for the heart, piercing the vital point!

"Defend again!"

The old man felt that the situation was beyond saving. He could only keep defending, but with every retreat—

All his previous advantage vanished!

The heavy snow from the sky had dyed both his hair and beard snow-white!

"Checkmate!"

Zhongli moved again. This time, it was a true killing strike. Several pieces formed an inescapable checkmate!

He had checkmated the old man!

"I... I lost!"

The old man's face was full of disbelief. He had clearly held such a huge advantage before.

Yet in just a moment, the situation had reversed, and he had been checkmated without any ability to fight back!

"That was a good game. All right, I should head back now."

Zhongli looked at the sky, stood up, and prepared to go home.

"Don't go! Don't go! Let's play again, one more time!"

The old man hurriedly stood up and called out loudly.

"No. It's time for me to go back and eat."

Zhongli replied without looking back. He simply left, carrying victory with him and leaving behind a proud silhouette.

The old man watched Zhongli's departing back, then slumped onto the stool and stared wordlessly at the position on the board for a long time.

He felt that he had lost more than just a game of chess. He had lost the decades of his life!

He had lost the pride of half a lifetime!

He replayed the endgame in his mind. In his heart, Zhongli still sat across from him.

He played against that phantom in his mind once more, piece after piece falling!

After the silence, it seemed as though blades and swords clashed!

The snow continued to fall from the sky, covering the board as well. The old man stopped moving.

He looked at the chessboard, recalling the way Zhongli had placed that final piece.

There had been no smugness in victory, only a matter-of-fact calm, as though the outcome of this game had long been destined.

The old man's heart was filled with regret. If I hadn't been greedy for that one piece...

If I had continued advancing steadily, I definitely could have won this game!

But it was too late for regret now. He had already lost. Life could not be replayed, and moves could not be taken back!

The old man's family arrived and urged him to return quickly, lest he catch cold.

But the old man did not react at all. After a long while, he let out a long sigh.

He raised his head to look at the sky. Snow fell onto his face, cold to the bone, and it reminded him of the past.

After awakening his Chessboard Martial Soul, he had begun traveling everywhere to seek opponents.

He had been to Heaven Dou Imperial City and Star Luo Kingdom, playing against all kinds of masters.

He had won and lost, and he had even gained incomparable glory, but in the end, he had still chosen to return to his hometown.

Whenever he had nothing to do, he played chess with the old men in the village, living his days in leisurely comfort.

But he had never expected that on another ordinary morning, he would encounter such a young man.

Just one game of chess had shattered the pride of most of his life!

"Old man, the snow is getting heavier. We need to go back!"

The old man's wife called out loudly.

"Ah, the chessboard is like reality. Until the very last move, no one can be certain of victory or defeat!"

"I actually became complacent so easily just because I captured a few pieces before. I really shouldn't have."

The old man reached out and knocked over his king. The pieces fell and struck the board with ringing clinks.

The sound seemed to strike the old man's soul, like his silent sigh!

By the time Zhongli returned home—

"Zhongli, how did you find your walk around the village today?"

Qin Qi slumped on the sofa with a dejected expression. He had finally cleared all the snow away.

Yet it had started snowing again. All his effort had gone to waste. If he had known, he would not have shoveled the snow.

"It was all right. Quite interesting."

Zhongli replied calmly, having not taken that game of chess to heart at all.

In his long life, it had merely been an ordinary game of chess.

Compared to the Archon War, compared to the games he had experienced in the past—

This game had been far too bland.

As the two spoke, Xue Yan and Xue Wu came down from the second floor. They spotted Zhongli at once.

Zhongli saw them as well.

"Let me introduce them. This is the mother and daughter, Xue Yan and Xue Wu. They'll be staying with us temporarily."

Qin Qi placed extra emphasis on "mother and daughter," reminding Zhongli that Xue Yan only looked young and was actually already a mother.

"Hello."

Zhongli nodded and spoke.

"Hello."

Xue Yan and Xue Wu nodded in greeting as well.

Xue Yan looked at Zhongli and observed him for a long while before reaching a conclusion: this man was definitely not simple!

After seeing the beautiful appearances of her and her daughter, he had not shown the slightest emotional reaction.

He was as indifferent as a stone. Either he liked men, or he was some master with an exceptionally profound state of mind!

"This is Zhongli, a consultant of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. He was kicked out because he kept running up a tab for meals, so he's staying with me temporarily."

Qin Qi introduced him.

"The director grew up. Maybe she entered that rebellious phase or something."

"She wasn't like this before."

Zhongli said.

"Greetings, Mr. Zhongli."

Xue Yan greeted him politely on the surface, but inwardly, she could not help complaining.

How could someone who looked so dignified have been kicked out of his home?

And this little kid is strange too. Why would he take in someone like this?

"Mr. Zhongli, I have long heard of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor's reputation. I hope we can have dealings in the future."

Xue Yan spoke politely. She had never even heard of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, but polite small talk was polite small talk. Even if she had not heard of it, she had to pretend that she had.

"Hm?"

Qin Qi tilted his head in confusion, while Doro and Guga also tilted their heads adorably.

Did someone in your family die, or were you hoping someone in your family would die?

Why would you want dealings with the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor for no reason? Were you tired of being alive?!