Immortal of the Ages

Yun Xiao and Lian Xi strolled over to the Old Palace, a place more forgotten than a ghost town, hidden away in a bamboo grove that hardly anyone bothered to visit anymore. It was a so-called palace that was really just a humble yard with a few shabby houses that made the rest of the world seem bustling by comparison.

"Are you sure there's treasure here?" Yun Xiao remarked, eyeing the surroundings with a mix of curiosity and skepticism.

"Hey, I never quite said there was treasure here. This spot is more of a library for rejected items—books with missing pages or tales long forgotten. People have been coming here for ages, thinking they'll find something precious, only to end up with a handful of dust and a bucket of disappointment," Lian Xi replied.

Yun Xiao just nodded, taking in the layer of dust that seemed to cover every surface, a testament to the years of neglect.

As they chatted, they wandered into the courtyard and were greeted by the sight of an old man, lost in a world of black and white on a chessboard.

"Lian Xi, my girl, is that you?" the old man perked up, his eyes suddenly gleaming with a spark of recognition. "Come, play a game with your old uncle."

Lian Xi, half amused and half exasperated, tugged at Yun Xiao, saying, "He's the chess master who's never been bested. I'd rather not walk right into a trap."

But before they knew it, they were standing right in front of the old chess sage.

"And who might this young fellow be?" the elder inquired, his interest piqued.

"Ah, this is him," Lian Xi said with a smile, introducing Yun Xiao to her Uncle Feng Qingcong.

"Pleasure to meet you, Uncle Feng," Yun Xiao greeted him with respect, piecing together that this man was another of Dean Yu's brother disciples, much like the memorable Uncle River.

With a chuckle, Feng Qingcong invited, "Since it's your first visit, how about a couple of rounds of chess?"

Embarrassed, Yun Xiao admitted, "I've never really played before."

Feng Qingcong just smiled. "Do you at least know the rules?"

"I haven't the faintest," Yun Xiao said, straight to the point.

"Perfect, I'll teach you. Have a seat," Feng Qingcong insisted with enthusiasm.

"Uncle Feng, maybe I should play with you instead," Lian Xi said, rubbing her forehead in resignation.

"No, no, your skills are decent, which makes it less intriguing. I'm keen to see if a blank slate like him can spark some novelty!" Feng Qingcong's eyes gleamed at Yun Xiao like he was eyeing a plump goose. "A master and a novice—it's bound to ignite a destined spark. I'm all anticipation!"

With nothing pressing on his schedule, Yun Xiao nodded and took a seat opposite Feng Qingcong.

"Let's start with the basics—one plays white, the other black," Feng Qingcong began, delving into the rules while Yun Xiao listened intently.

After a short while, Feng Qingcong smiled and asked, "Got it?"

"Ready to start," Yun Xiao nodded.

Feng Qingcong chuckled, "Love the boldness! I'm known as the chessboard's killer genius."

Yun Xiao smiled lightly, "I'll take white."

"Chess is all about thinking ten steps ahead. Lose enough, and you'll start winning," Feng Qingcong mused, encouraging Yun Xiao not to be disheartened.

And so, they began. Yun Xiao played swiftly, each move decisive.

"A true genius!" Feng Qingcong soon erupted in laughter and awe.

For a first-timer, Yun Xiao's skill was astonishing, leaving Feng Qingcong, a connoisseur, in shock. But as the game progressed, his laughter faded, his expression growing more serious by the minute, sweat beading on his forehead.

Yun Xiao, on the other hand, remained serene, a smile playing on his lips.

Was the outcome already clear?

Lian Xi watched, her nerves on edge.

Then, Feng Qingcong burst into laughter, placing a black piece with a sense of liberation. Eyes blazing, he challenged, "What do you think?"

Yun Xiao smiled, placing a white piece calmly, "Predictable. I predicted this move."

Feng Qingcong sneered as he made his next move. "You're too young. I predicted your prediction!"

"Oh?" Yun Xiao's smile widened, placing another piece that dramatically altered the board, the white pieces engulfing the black. Victory was his. He stood, leaving behind the words, "And I predicted that you would predict my prediction."

BANG! Feng Qingcong's chair legs snapped in two, sending him tumbling to the ground. Eyes wide, breath heavy, he was the picture of disbelief.

"No! No! No!" He raged at the heavens, tears streaming, then leapt up to cling to Yun Xiao's legs.

"Uncle Feng, what's the meaning of this?" Yun Xiao was more than a little embarrassed.

"One more game! No, make it two, best two out of three..." Feng Qingcong pleaded.

"Sure thing," Yun Xiao chuckled, then held out his hand. "But this time, there's a fee."

"I'm broke!" Feng Qingcong blurted out.

"No cash, no play," Yun Xiao quickly withdrew his leg.

Lian Xi watched, dumbfounded by the spectacle.

Seeing Feng Qingcong still clinging, she stepped in front of Yun Xiao with a laugh. "Uncle Feng, if you want to mooch off his chess skills, I might just spread the word about your loss."

"Please don't..." Feng Qingcong looked as if he'd been struck by lightning.

He stared at the young duo, his mind buzzing, unable to comprehend his defeat.

"I'm off to explore the Old Palace. If I find something, I'll take on Uncle Feng again," Yun Xiao said, suddenly serious.

"So, you're not coming back, huh! What's there to find in that old junkyard, just piles upon piles of rubbish..." Feng Qingcong looked dejected. "I've always despised those who win once and run!"

"We'll see about that." With that, Yun Xiao ventured into the Old Palace.

Inside, everything was worn and torn. Before him stood some dilapidated bookshelves, laden with dusty tomes. Flipping through a few, he found their contents mediocre at best, hardly comparable to the techniques in the Ancestral Sword Tomb.

Lian Xi and Feng Qingcong followed him in.

"To be honest, it's all trash here. If you want real treasures, better to earn them fair and square. There's no such thing as a free lunch. Don't go around expecting handouts," Feng Qingcong huffed.

Still sore from his defeat, he seemed to be goading Yun Xiao.

"Uncle Feng," Yun Xiao turned, asking earnestly, "What was the highest grade piece of junk in this Old Palace before?"

"Highest grade piece of junk...?" After stroking his beard, Feng Qingcong replied, "Of course, there's that!"

"What?" Yun Xiao asked.

Diving into his bosom, Feng Qingcong fished around before tossing out a tattered, musty tome that seemed to carry the essence of his personal aroma. "This is the gem! Once a Mid Yang grade masterpiece from the Primordial Scholar's Palace, unrivaled a millennium ago. Alas, now only half remains."

"Mid Yang grade? That's remarkably high," Lian Xi remarked with surprise, looking at Feng Qingcong, "Such a profound art must have many techniques. Even if only half is left, mastering the first few moves would be immensely valuable. Why is it left here in this Old Palace?"

"You'd have to see for yourself what half means." Feng Qingcong chuckled.

Lian Xi leaned in close to Yun Xiao, peering into the book in his hands, almost fainting at the sight.

What Yun Xiao held was literally half a book, torn down the middle, not just missing half its pages but split into two halves, with Yun Xiao holding just the left side.

This was even worse than being split top to bottom.

Had it been torn horizontally, at least the name of the art could be deciphered. But now, with only the left half, all that could be made out were the words "Polar Yin..."

Opening the first page, Yun Xiao saw half a diagram of a human figure, followed by—

"The essence of heaven and earth's Yin and Yang..." and then nothing.

The next line read:

「The essence of creation from a chessboard...」

And then nothing again. Nearly every line was missing its latter half.

Lian Xi now understood why this half-book was relegated to the Old Palace.

It wasn't just a minor art; it was utterly lost.

"How about it? Is the grade high enough?" Feng Qingcong asked Yun Xiao with a smile.

"High! Quite fascinating," Yun Xiao flipped a few more pages, "Is this art named Polar Yin-Yang Chess?"

"Indeed." Feng Qingcong sighed.

"It shares some similarities with our recent game of chess," Yun Xiao observed seriously.

"Yes..." Feng Qingcong inhaled deeply, "It was the pinnacle of our Chess Dao lineage, sadly torn asunder and forever lost due to internal strife among our ancestors."

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