On the twenty-sixth day of the fourth month, in the Separate Courtyard outside Tower City.
Fang Qianyuan sat upright in black robes, draped in a broad, flowing cloak patterned with dark gold clouds, finely crafted by the sect's Heavenly Craft Institute.
Across from him sat an exquisitely beautiful woman in flowing white robes.
She was none other than Immortal Maiden Qingmeng, Fang Lian, who had remained in the area these past days, seemingly always bustling about on his behalf and unwilling to leave.
Incense burned in the room. Wisps of smoke drifted endlessly from the Copper Crane's long beak, lending the surroundings a warm, peaceful air. Yet one of them remained like ice that had not thawed in ten thousand years, without the slightest romantic inclination, while the other seemed hesitant, her heart full of things she did not know how to put into words.
The atmosphere seemed somewhat strained.
"Immortal Maiden Qingmeng, it's your turn." After a long while, Fang Qianyuan looked at Fang Lian again and finally reminded her.
"Oh." Fang Lian answered distractedly. Seemingly realizing that she had been lost in thought for too long, she hurriedly placed a stone at random.
Fang Qianyuan remained composed and swiftly answered her move.
At this, a trace of regret immediately crossed Fang Lian's face. Only then did she realize she had made a terrible move, burying a perfectly good little dragon of stones just like that.
"No more, no more." Deeply embarrassed, Fang Lian hurriedly placed two stones on the board to concede, then offered a compliment. "I never imagined that not only was your cultivation profound, Young Master Fang, but your skill at Go was so remarkable as well."
Fang Qianyuan looked at her and could not help smiling faintly.
In truth, his skill at Go was hardly