Chapter Twenty-One: A Game of Chess

The girl in white led Liang Yan to another corner of the bamboo grove, and with a magician’s flourish, she produced a white jade chessboard from her storage pouch, placing it atop a large stone. She also took out two boxes of chess pieces, one black and one white.

After drawing lots, it was decided that the girl in white would play black and go first, while Liang Yan would play white and take the second move.

With slender fingers, the girl in white picked up a black piece and, with a crisp snap, placed it squarely in the very center of the board.

“Tengen!” Liang Yan squinted, a hint of anger flickering in his eyes.

In chess, one values the gold corners, silver edges, and grassy heart; usually, the opening move claims a corner, then the sides, and only later does the battle extend to the center. Placing the first piece at Tengen was a sign of disrespect to the opponent, implying a vast superiority in skill and a clear contempt for Liang Yan.

Suppressing his irritation, Liang Yan thought to himself, “I’ll let you be arrogant for now. We’ll see who has the last laugh.” With this in mind, he swiftly took a white piece and placed it on the board. The girl in white responded in kind, and thus began their silent contest amidst the bamboo.

...

Time slipped by, and dusk soon approached. By now, Liang Yan’s lips were tightly pressed together, sweat beading on his brow. Though he had always prided himself on his skill, the deeper this game went, the more alarmed he became. Now, he found himself with no way out.

In contrast, the girl in white remained as composed as ever, even humming a little tune from time to time.

At last, after much deliberation, Liang Yan placed another piece. The girl in white glanced at the board and immediately responded. Upon seeing her move, Liang Yan looked up; the black stones had formed an unassailable force, while the white pieces were scattered and broken, battered remnants across the board. With a helpless sigh, he conceded defeat.

The girl in white chuckled, affecting the air of a seasoned elder. “Junior Brother, your skill is passable. You forced me to use thirty percent of my strength. But you still have much to learn.”

She continued, “Still, a bet is a bet. Now it’s time for you to address me respectfully as ‘Senior Sister’ three times.” She put particular emphasis on the words “respectfully.”

Liang Yan wore a resigned expression, but he was a man of his word and had no choice but to accept the outcome. He clasped his fists, bowed deeply, and respectfully called her “Senior Sister” three times.

The girl squinted, clearly relishing the moment, and patted Liang Yan on the shoulder with a solemn tone, “Your talent is not bad, Junior Brother. But chess is an art that requires diligent practice. If you persevere, there’s no telling what you might achieve in the future.”

Liang Yan noted that she was about his age—thirteen or fourteen at most—but she insisted on acting like a venerable senior, which made the scene all the more amusing.

He was, after all, a young man at heart, and unable to hold back, he suddenly burst out laughing.

The girl had been standing with one hand behind her back and the other resting on Liang Yan’s shoulder, adopting the manner of a reclusive master. But Liang Yan’s laughter broke the illusion, and her face darkened.

Yet, after a moment’s contemplation, she said, “Don’t say I never give you a chance. If you’re not convinced, come challenge me again tomorrow night at the summit of Cangmu Peak. If you can beat me just once, I’ll hand over the Barrier-Breaking Pill without reservation.”

“Is that true?” Liang Yan’s eyes shone with hope.

“Nonsense! Would I lie to you over a mere Barrier-Breaking Pill?” the girl replied, tossing him a token.

“Don’t say I’m being unfair. This is the Chess Path Discipline token. With it, you can go to the Chess Path Library and borrow chess manuals. But with your current skills, you’re still no match for me.”

Liang Yan caught the token. It bore the image of a stone chessboard, but there was no indication of whether it was for inner or outer sect use; beneath the chessboard, a single character—“Butterfly”—was engraved. Stowing the token away, Liang Yan nodded. “Very well. I’ll be there tomorrow night.”

The girl seemed satisfied. As if recalling something, she added, “Oh, I nearly forgot—Cangmu Peak... Never mind, take this as well.” She handed him a piece of sheepskin.

Liang Yan looked down and saw it was a map, the routes haphazardly drawn, but the destination was clearly Cangmu Peak. Suddenly, he remembered that the sect map Uncle Zhou had given him in the past didn’t include such a place.

When he looked up to ask, the girl was already walking away, her humming echoing through the bamboo, evidently in high spirits. Liang Yan shook his head with a wry smile, put the map away, and headed down the mountain.

That night, Liang Yan went straight to the Chess Path Library and borrowed a chess manual he deemed useful, returning to his quarters to study through the night. His pride had been wounded by his defeat at the hands of a mere girl, igniting his competitive spirit.

Since his cultivation had stalled, he resolved to best her at chess, especially with the Barrier-Breaking Pill at stake.

All night, Liang Yan pored over the manual, marveling at how the chess theory of cultivators surpassed all he had known before. Though he didn’t sleep a wink, he felt as if a new world had opened before him.

The following evening, Liang Yan followed the map to the summit of Cangmu Peak. The mountain was barren and desolate, save for a single ancient tree at its peak, lush and verdant.

Beneath the tree sat the girl in white, a chessboard before her with a puzzle in progress. She held a white piece in her hand, hesitating over her next move.

Liang Yan quietly approached and glanced at the board. The black pieces were relentless, poised to devour the whites in the next instant. No matter how the whites maneuvered, they seemed doomed, a dragon stranded in shallow waters.

After a long look, Liang Yan sighed, “The white stones are finished. I fear there’s no turning this game around.”

The girl in white looked up, “So you say as well... This puzzle is truly too difficult to solve.” She paused, then added, “But did you know, someone once found a solution for this endgame?”

Liang Yan was taken aback, studying the board with renewed disbelief. It seemed almost impossible.

But the girl in white began gathering up the pieces and smiled at him. “You’re quite punctual—arrived early, in fact.”

Liang Yan thought to himself, “You were here before me.”

They sat down before the board, drew lots, and as before, the girl in white took the first move. This time, however, she did not begin at Tengen, but at the small star point. Liang Yan, having learned from his previous overconfidence, played carefully and steadily from the start.

Liang Yan’s talent for chess was not lacking; it was simply that his previous knowledge was mundane, no match for the chess of immortals. After the painful defeat, he had reflected deeply, and a night’s study at the Yi Xing Pavilion had broadened his horizons greatly.

Many hidden threats he had failed to grasp the day before now became faintly perceptible. He even managed to spot and parry some of the girl’s key attacks.

Throughout the match, the girl pressed the attack like a general storming a fortress, while Liang Yan defended as though besieged. At first, they seemed evenly matched.

However, the girl’s momentum was relentless, her attacks unceasing. Though Liang Yan managed to hold out for several rounds, his strength soon faltered. One misstep spelled disaster, and with that, the game was lost.

Bitterness filled Liang Yan’s heart. The girl’s skill was so far above his own—winning the Barrier-Breaking Pill from her seemed as difficult as reaching for the sky.

But this time, she did not mock him. Instead, she stared at the chessboard, lost in thought.

After a long silence, she said quietly, “What did you do last night? Did you really go to the library to study chess?”

Liang Yan managed a bitter smile. “I did.”

She looked up at him. “All these moves you played today—did you learn them from the books?”

Liang Yan was momentarily taken aback. “Yes,” he replied reflexively, then quickly corrected himself. “Not entirely. The manuals are fixed, but playing against you is not the same as playing a book. For instance, on move twenty-three, I—”

He began to explain his reasoning and approach, move by move.

“And as for move one hundred thirty-seven...” But before he could finish, the girl waved her hand, cutting him off.

“That’s enough. I’m tired. You should go back.”

Liang Yan was puzzled, but seeing she had nothing more to say, he could only take his leave. As he turned to go, her clear voice rang out behind him, “From now on, you may come find me here at this hour every night. If you ever manage to beat me, I will honor our wager.”

Liang Yan felt a surge of joy and replied without looking back, “Then I’ll thank you in advance for the pill, miss!”

The girl in white, hearing his cheeky remark, spat in mock annoyance, “Hmph! Braggart!”

Yet, as she watched Liang Yan’s figure recede along the mountain path, she muttered to herself, “His progress in chess is nothing short of miraculous. Could such genius truly exist in this world?”