Placing the Pieces

Luozi Lake got its name from the dozens of round stones of varying sizes and shades, light and dark, scattered in the lake, resembling pieces on a Go board.

During the heyday of the imperial dynasty, the game of Go flourished, producing quite a few dazzlingly brilliant masters. Unfortunately, as the dynasty declined, the once prosperous scene of playing and competing on street corners could no longer be seen.

As they passed through a mountain, shimmering waves appeared before their eyes. The most eye-catching was not the pieces in the lake, nor the stone house by the lake, but the woman sitting on the round stone in the center of the lake.

She wore an old gray robe, her white hair loose. She sat motionless in the mountain breeze, now holding a black cat in her arms.

They were looking for Chi Juntian to confirm the safety of Wen Hui and Qingyuan. Seeing this scene, they all felt somewhat relieved.

Xie Lang called out "Qingyuan". The black cat turned its head, saw him, and moved its body, trying to break free from Chi Juntian's hold, but to no avail. It could only let out a weak "meow".

Chi Juntian slowly opened her eyes, her gaze indifferent.

At this moment, a deliberate coughing sound came from the stone house.

Chen Weichen looked up and saw Old Cripple hanging on the window frame. After their eyes met, Old Cripple began cursing loudly: "You son of a turtle surnamed Chen! You really sold out this old man! Letting this demon woman capture me!"

Young Master Chen was a bit stunned.

The current situation was a little complicated.

He replied, "Old Cripple, where is my Ah Hui?"

Old Cripple shouted, "Tell me after you rescue this old man from the demon woman's hands!"

Young Master Chen then headed towards the stone house. But someone was faster than him. A gray shadow rose from the lake and in an instant arrived at the door of the stone room.

Chi Juntian coldly said, "Noisy."

Then came Old Cripple's miserable scream: "Junior Sister, Junior Sister spare my life--" From the window, it seemed he was dragged away by the ear.

Young Master Chen assessed the situation and felt that Chi Juntian was the most powerful here. He waited humbly at the door for Chi Juntian to come out, and said, "Senior Chi, my Wen Hui..."

Xie Lang was even more humble: "Senior Chi, my junior sister..."

Chi Juntian looked at the black cat in her arms: "Yours?"

"Yes," Xie Lang hurriedly said, "Just an ordinary house cat, nothing special, of no use to you Senior..."

Chi Juntian held the cat with one hand, placing the other on its back, and said coldly, "Warm hands."

--Then she walked straight past the two.

Xie Lang: "..."

After Chi Juntian left with no intention of returning the cat, the Daoist almost jumped up and down: "Disaster from a treasure, disaster from a treasure! Poor Qingyuan was born with such a good fur coat!"

The completely ignored Young Master Chen was quite depressed: "But my Wen Hui isn't carrying any treasure..."

The two of them caught up with Chi Juntian and heard her ask Ye Jiuya, "Xie Yan is dead?"

Ye Jiuya: "Dead."

Chi Juntian said lightly, "To perform the sacrificial rites with the power of one person, admirable and formidable."

Ye Jiuya asked her, "Senior, do you have any other arrangements?"

"I can only do this much. Anything more will anger the Heavenly Dao," she said. "The rest depends on your fate."

Xie Lang whispered, "But with the decline of the dynasty, won't it just become an object like Jinxiu Ashes? You already have that."

Lu Hongyan answered him, "Without destruction, there can be no establishment."

Qingyuan meowed, turning her head to look at Xie Lang.

The two gazed at each other, looking especially pitiful.

Chen Weichen returned to Old Cripple's window and called out to the very haggard-looking Old Cripple, "Old Cripple, how did you get caught?"

Old Cripple looked at him mournfully: "The demon woman wants to do something big and was afraid I would interfere, so she simply captured me to keep by her side."

Young Master Chen fanned himself and smiled, "This is a matter between you martial siblings. If she wants to capture you, obviously you can't blame me for selling you out."

Old Cripple glared at him without speaking.

Chen Weichen then asked, "Where is Ah Hui?"

Old Cripple told him, "Your Ah Hui has been tormented badly by the old demon woman."

Chen Weichen frowned, "What does she want Ah Hui for?"

Old Cripple shook his head, "In principle, this young lad of yours has an extremely good fate, very suitable to be used as the heart of a qi formation. But there's no need to torment him like this. This old man hasn't studied in recent years--I can't figure out what exactly she's doing."

Chen Weichen thought for a moment, then continued, "Where is he?"

Old Cripple motioned with his eyes towards Luozi Lake outside, "Below."

Chen Weichen sighed in distress.

He then asked Old Cripple, who was in tattered clothes, "She is Chi Juntian, calling you martial brother, so you are Xiao Jiuzou?"

Old Cripple grinned, "Although this old man is old, back in the day I was also a romantic hero renowned throughout the land."

He closed his eyes, very intoxicated, but unfortunately his appearance was no different from any beggar on the street.

Chen Weichen didn't ask how he had fallen to his current state. He was about to return to Ye Jiuya's side.

"Little Chen," Old Cripple stopped him, "The demon woman exposed this old man's background. Shouldn't you also report your own origins? Surnamed Chen, in all the world I can only think of one person."

Chen Weichen smiled, "Actually, telling you is fine, but also useless."

"If you don't want to say, then forget it," Old Cripple yawned. "Kindly reminding you, although the world doesn't know, my junior sister and I were expelled from the Tianyan Sect decades ago. But, what we should know, we know in full. Just by looking at your fate and destiny, we immediately know your origins are special. Be careful my crazed junior sister doesn't use you."

The smile on Chen Weichen's face faded a bit, "No need to worry about that. If she could see through my origins, she would know that if she wants to revive her disciple to be a chess piece to defy the Heavens, she wouldn't need me."

Old Cripple said, "Oh? I'm getting more and more curious about you."

Chen Weichen turned his head and saw Ye Jiuya coming this way to find him. He quickened his speech, "Old Cripple, can you see what method she wants to use to defy the Heavens?"

Old Cripple shook his head, "People are born with fate. Anyone with the idea of defying the Heavens either wants immortality or to advance their realm endlessly. It's just that my junior sister is incomprehensible now, I can't tell what she's thinking either."

Chen Weichen: "Then what about you? You said back then that you and her bet on who could find the method for immortality. How will you do it?"

The old cripple continued shaking his head: "This old man already told you long ago - I lost hope a long time ago."

So, when Ye Jiuya arrived, he only heard the old man's slightly disappointed voice getting lower and lower: "If the heavens want you to die at a hundred years old, extending it another hundred years is already the limit. Humans are born between heaven and earth in the first place, how can the way of heaven be easily defied?"

He knew the old cripple in the stone house was no ordinary person, and had an eccentric temperament. Even though Chen Weichen seemed to have a deep friendship with this person, he didn't let his guard down. Thinking that he ultimately needed to get closer in order to ensure Chen Weichen's safety, he walked over. But now it seemed like they were discussing some serious matters.

Ye Jiuya maintained a distance that wouldn't be offensive: "Discussing something?"

"Not discussing anything, just reminiscing." Seeing him come over, Chen Weichen's eyes flashed with a hint of a smile. Without any reluctance, he left the old cripple and walked to his side.

The old cripple waved his hand dismissively: "Go, go, don't bother me anymore."

Chen Weichen then said to Ye Jiuya: "He said Senior Chi hid Ah Hui under the lake, but Senior Chi won't pay any attention to me."

Ye Jiuya said indifferently: "I'll go ask Senior."

Having found support, Chen Weichen happily followed.

Chi Juntian's expression didn't change in the slightest: "If you want, just take him away."

She waved her sleeve, stirring up shocking waves on the lake surface. Between the rising and falling, a few iron chains and a stone chamber were revealed. Her right hand made another grabbing motion, and a figure was brought up, falling towards them.

Ye Jiuya leapt up with his qi, his figure ethereal, catching the person and landing back on the ground.

Anyone with discerning eyes could see that Wen Hui was currently unconscious and in an extremely poor condition.

"He'll naturally wake up after resting for a few days," Chi Juntian replied blandly.

Chen Weichen looked at her, his expression grim.

Handing the person over so easily was suspicious.

However, he had no other options. Feeling very aggrieved, he could only first place the pale-faced and ice-cold Wen Hui into the horse carriage.

"Senior, what is the meaning of this?" Ye Jiuya frowned.

Chi Juntian seemed to smile, turning to leave with a sweep of her sleeve, coldly saying: "The way I've acted my whole life, why must I explain myself to anyone."

Chen Weichen swallowed his anger. To keep the peace, he tugged at Ye Jiuya, not knowing whether he should be troubled by the perplexing situation at hand or happy that this person finally spoke up for him.

While Xing Qiu looked at Chi Juntian's retreating figure, his eyes shining: "Unbridled, how unbridled. Even the State Preceptor wouldn't dare say those words just now."

Ye Jiuya glanced at Chen Weichen: "Returning to the city?"

"Can only return to the city." Young Master Chen was still depressed after all, his entire being a bit listless.

"Brother Chen, Brother Ye, if there are no urgent matters - I want to pay respects at Lord Xie's grave." Xing Qiu retracted his gaze from Chi Juntian, sighing: "Although he originally had the intention to die, I'm also an accomplice. After returning that day and thinking it over, I felt very sorry. I had promised the monk I would do good deeds."

- Lord Xie was hastily buried not far from here the other day. It was on the way, so Xing Qiu's suggestion was reasonable and there were no grounds to refuse.

Thus, they took the mountain path over.

On the way, Chen Weichen asked Ye Jiuya: "Have you ever considered defying the heavens in pursuit of longevity or advancement in cultivation?"

Ye Jiuya: "I have not."

"I thought so. Your Sword Pavilion has always respected the way of heaven." Chen Weichen's expression relaxed a bit and his voice also softened: "In my view, Senior Chi's behavior is strange, who knows what she's planning. After reviving Emperor Yan and resolving your obsession, don't get involved with her and this business of defying the heavens. Return to Mount Liuxue to practice your sword."

He looked at Ye Jiuya and suddenly had the impression that this person seemed a bit more gentle. On a whim, he softly added another sentence: "Be good."

It was probably the first time in Ye Jiuya's life hearing such an indulgent and helpless "be good". His expression was a bit unnatural. Shifting his gaze, he faintly acknowledged it.

Xie Lang felt the atmosphere between these two was extremely strange and couldn't help shrinking to the side.

Out of the corner of his eye, Chen Weichen saw Lu Hongyan observing him—this eccentric and willful girl had developed some suspicions for unknown reasons and had recently been secretly watching him.

He could only clear his throat, lacking confidence: "You too."

The girl vaguely replied with an "mm" - at least she wasn't opposing him like in the past few days.

Rounding a bend, they arrived at Lord Xie's burial site.

To their surprise, standing amidst the scattered paper money in front of the fresh grave was another familiar face.

- It was the scholar Zhuang Baihan.