Xie Yongguo sighed. "The younger generations surpass the older ones, and this Mr. Chen has a boundless future and extraordinary abilities. Xingchen, you must make friends with him from now on."
A trace of contempt and indifference flashed across Xie Xingchen's eyes.
Xie Xingxuan simply let out a direct harrumph.
A quarter of an hour later, Chen Feiyu and Xie Anxiang walked out. It was evident that Xie Anxiang's complexion had improved significantly. In high spirits, he insisted on dragging Chen Feiyu along for a few games of Go, leaving Chen Feiyu with no choice but to accept with a helpless smile.
"Xingxuan, brew some tea over there. Oh, by the way, didn't Grand Master Zhiguang of Mount Wutai's Guangji Temple send a box of premium Tieguanyin two months ago? Go get it out and let our young friend Chen taste it," Xie Anxiang said with a smile.
Xie Xingxuan was taken aback. The Tieguanyin brought by Grand Master Zhiguang was a precious treasure that her grandfather guarded like a baby; she never expected him to take it out just for Chen Feiyu.
*Humph, you're really getting off easy.*
Xie Xingxuan glared at him, then went to change into a blue-and-white, body-hugging qipao that looked graceful and elegant before she began brewing the tea.
Xie Xingxuan was already a top-tier goddess with stunning looks and an extraordinary aura. As she brewed the tea, her movements were practiced and her demeanor serene. Combined with the wisps of white steam rising from the tea, she exuded a unique charm and beauty.
Xie Anxiang could hardly wait. Soon, the Go board was set up, and Xie Anxiang and Chen Feiyu sat facing each other.
Suddenly, Xie Anxiang asked awkwardly, "Right, look at this brain of mine. I forgot to ask—does young friend Chen know how to play Go?"
Chen Feiyu said modestly, "I wouldn't dare say I know how; I just understand a thing or two."
"Oh, no matter, it's just making friends through chess. I'll let you have a handicap," Xie Anxiang chuckled, harboring a faint sense of disappointment.
Xie Yongguo smiled. "Mr. Chen, you might not know this, but my dad is crazy about chess and possesses profound skill. Even quite a few national players are no match for him, and as he gets older, his game has only grown sharper. Nowadays, I don't even dare play against the old man myself."
"Not at all, not at all," Xie Anxiang waved his hand modestly, but his smugness was impossible to conceal.
Xie Xingxuan showed no mercy whatsoever in cutting Chen Feiyu down to size, saying, "Hmph, if you ask me, someone had better just surrender now to save himself from crying and making a fool of himself when he loses."
A faint look of contempt flashed through Xie Xingxuan's eyes.
He had achieved success at a young age and everything had always gone smoothly for him. With a great deal of pride in his chest, he looked down on his peers—let alone Chen Feiyu, who was quite a bit younger than him.
Although Chen Feiyu possessed remarkable medical skills, in his eyes, that was all it was. Deep down, he didn't think much of Chen Feiyu at all.
Chen Feiyu glanced around, taking in the expressions of everyone present, a mysterious smile playing at the corners of his lips. "Elder Xie, let's begin."
Growing up in the mountains, he had frequently been forced by his master to play chess, which had long since forged his profound Go skills—reaching the supreme realm of "Entering the Spirit."
Among the nine grades of Go, the first grade is Entering the Spirit, the second is Contemplation, the third is Embodiment, the fourth is Nether Penetration, the fifth is Strategic, the sixth is Subtle, the seventh is Combat, the eighth is Foolish-looking, and the ninth is Clumsy Guarding.
Among them, wandering in the realm of the game with marvelous insights beyond comprehension is called "Entering the Spirit."
Of the nine grades of Go, "Entering the Spirit" is the highest!
Chen Feiyu played black first, the smile at the corner of his mouth deepening.
*I've already reached the realm of Entering the Spirit. Playing chess with you really feels a bit like an adult bullying a child.*
Chen Feiyu lightly pinched a black stone and placed it on the star point.
At first, Xie Anxiang paid little attention.
A moment later, Xie Anxiang gradually grew solemn, taking longer and longer to think. In contrast, Chen Feiyu looked relaxed, occasionally glancing over at Xie Xingxuan's exquisite figure, which made her both embarrassed and annoyed.
Nearby, Xie Yongguo and his son Xie Xingchen, who were watching the match, grew increasingly astonished in their hearts; they never expected Chen Feiyu to be so formidable at this.
By the mid-game, Chen Feiyu had already claimed half the board and severed the white stones' great dragon.
At this point, the outcome was decided.
Xie Anxiang let out a sigh and wryly smiled. "I've lost. To think I held a condescending attitude at the start, never imagining young friend Chen's Go skills would be so profound. It only highlights how modest young friend Chen's character is. By comparison, I am truly ashamed."
*Grandfather actually lost?*
Xie Xingxuan was shocked. She never imagined that apart from his unfathomable medical skills, Chen Feiyu was also this formidable at Go. Comparing people truly made one want to die of frustration.
Xie Yongguo's heart was even more shaken. He knew more than Xie Xingxuan did—he knew Chen Feiyu was not only a skilled physician but also a martial arts expert, yet he had no idea Chen Feiyu also possessed such impressive attainments in Go. He truly wondered what kind of master could cultivate such an outstanding individual.
A trace of surprise appeared in Xie Xingchen's eyes, causing him to take Chen Feiyu a little more seriously—though only just a little.
Chen Feiyu chuckled. "You flatter me, Elder. To be able to last this long against me, you're quite impressive yourself."
"Ahem..." Xie Anxiang's old face flushed red. Was that supposed to be a compliment? Why did it sound like an insult?
Xie Anxiang rolled his eyes and suddenly smiled. "I'm getting on in years; my brain can't compare to you young people. I think it would be better if you played a game with Xingchen instead. How about it?"
Xie Xingxuan said excitedly, "Yes, yes, let my big brother step up! He'll definitely make Chen Feiyu surrender."
Even the corners of Xie Yongguo's mouth curved into a smile.
Chen Feiyu was somewhat curious. Even Xie Anxiang had lost to him; could Xie Xingchen be even more formidable than his grandfather?
As if seeing through Chen Feiyu's doubt, Xie Xingxuan proudly explained, "My brother is crazy about Go. When he was eleven, he became the disciple of China's only Chess Saint, Nie Guangping, and is hailed as a genius throughout the Go world. Do you think my brother is good at Go or not?"
Xie Xingchen said modestly, "Xingxuan flatters me. My Go level is just so-so—nothing more than a 9-dan professional."
It sounded modest, but in reality, it was a subtle show-off, because a 9-dan Go player already had few rivals in the present world!
*The disciple of China's only Chess Saint? A 9-dan professional? This is getting interesting.* Chen Feiyu's interest was piqued, and he also wanted to see how his 9th-grade Entering the Spirit realm compared to a modern 9-dan Go player.
Xie Anxiang stood up and yielded his seat, secretly chuckling to himself as he waited for Xie Xingchen to avenge him.
Xie Xingchen sat down opposite the board, and instantly, his aura turned sharp like a drawn sword, changing into a completely different person in an instant.
Xie Xingxuan smiled triumphantly. "Chen Feiyu, my brother is extremely formidable. Do you need him to give you a three-stone handicap? Don't end up losing too miserably and claiming we from the Xie Family are bullying you."
Before Chen Feiyu could speak, Xie Xingchen already shook his head and said, "No. My nature has always been to use my full strength even when a lion hunts a rabbit. No matter who the opponent is, I will give it my all."
Xie Xingxuan wrinkled her delicate nose, knowing her older brother had always been like this. She smiled and said, "Chen Feiyu, then you're definitely going to lose a miserable, miserable death later."
Chen Feiyu smiled mysteriously. "It seems you think I'm bound to lose. How about this, why don't the two of us make a wager? I don't need him to give me a three-stone handicap. If I lose, I can agree to one condition of yours—no matter what condition it is. Of course, if I win, you must agree to any condition of mine. How's that?"
*Any condition? Could it be...*
Xie Xingxuan thought of something and couldn't help glaring at Chen Feiyu, her heart growing secretly shy.
While she was still hesitating and struggling, Xie Anxiang and Xie Yongguo already had stars in their eyes, growing excited.
Putting aside the fact that Chen Feiyu possessed unfathomable medical skills at such a young age, just being a Nether Penetration expert made him a rare talent indeed. No matter how much money was spent to recruit him, it would be worth it.
Now there was such a wonderful opportunity to make Chen Feiyu owe the Xie Family a favor in the form of a condition; this was simply pie falling from the sky.
The two men exchanged glances. This game of Go was worth it!
Xie Anxiang thought a step further: for Chen Feiyu to dare make this bet knowing full well that Xie Xingchen was the Chess Saint's disciple—could this be his initiative to show goodwill to the Xie Family?
At this thought, Xie Anxiang's heart stirred with excitement.
"Xingxuan, accept the bet," Xie Yongguo immediately said.
Xie Xingxuan also felt she was overthinking things. Her older brother was a top-tier expert of 9-dan rank; no matter how formidable Chen Feiyu was, he absolutely couldn't be her brother's match. There was completely no need to worry.
With this thought, Xie Xingxuan's beautiful eyes darted around, and she hummed, "Fine, I'll take your bet. Don't go back on your word when the time comes."
"Rest assured, whatever Chen Feiyu does, his words are always as good as gold!"
Xie Anxiang and Xie Yongguo looked at each other, both seeing the joy in the other's eyes.
Although Xie Xingchen didn't understand why his father and grandfather were so happy, with his own Go skills, defeating Chen Feiyu was by no means a difficult task.
"Since that's the case, let's begin," Chen Feiyu said, a fighting spirit quietly rising within him.
"Good."
Xie Xingchen replied. Xie Anxiang, Xie Yongguo, and Xie Xingxuan immediately perked up, waiting for the two to play.
In this game, Xie Xingchen played black first. As the saying goes, "gain the initiative, and you maintain the initiative." With the advantage of the first move, Xie Anxiang felt even more at ease in his heart.
Soon, the two began a fierce battle.
Xie Xingchen truly lived up to his reputation as a 9-dan Go expert; his skill was several notches higher than Xie Anxiang's, and playing against him made Chen Feiyu feel somewhat pressured.
Of course, it was only "somewhat pressured."
During the opening phase, the two were virtually neck-and-neck. Xie Xingchen was secretly astonished, while Xie Anxiang's jaw dropped, a faint, ominous premonition stirring in his heart.
*Could Xingchen lose to Chen Feiyu? No, that's absolutely impossible.*
Xie Anxiang bolstered his own confidence.
In the mid-game, Xie Xingchen gained a slight upper hand. The black stones occupied quite a few advantages, and his great dragon was about to take shape, while Chen Feiyu's white stones seemed to still be struggling.
Xie Anxiang and the others breathed a sigh of relief. Although Chen Feiyu's Go skill was even more formidable than imagined, he was still slightly inferior in front of a 9-dan master. It seemed Xingchen was bound to win this game.
Just as the game narrowly reached the endgame phase, Chen Feiyu's gaze suddenly turned sharp. His previously sweeping and expansive playing style abruptly changed, engaging the black stones in a fierce battle down to the finest details, causing the black stones to retreat step by step.
Xie Xingchen frowned slightly, cold sweat appearing on his forehead. The time he needed to think grew longer and longer, and his pace of play grew slower and slower.
Though Xie Anxiang was merely a spectator, he was still frightened into a cold sweat by the flashing swords and sabers on the board.
Finally, when Chen Feiyu's white stones completely severed the great dragon, a wry smile surfaced at the corner of Xie Xingchen's mouth. He said, "I've lost. You are very strong. In you, I seem to see the shadow of my revered master. I yield."
Xie Anxiang, Xie Yongguo, and Xie Xingxuan were utterly shocked. Xie Xingchen—the disciple of China's only Chess Saint and a 9-dan Go master—had actually lost to Chen Feiyu! If they hadn't witnessed it with their own eyes, who would believe such a claim if spoken aloud?
"This... how is this possible? My brother is a supreme expert of 9-dan rank! How could he lose to Chen Feiyu?"
In her shock, Xie Xingxuan muttered to herself.
With an arrogant expression, Chen Feiyu declared, "In the endgame phase, I am invincible in this world!"
*In the endgame phase, I am invincible in this world!*
An overbearing declaration, arrogant to the extreme!
Xie Anxiang and the others were shocked once again.
Xie Xingchen gave a wry smile, yet found himself unable to refute it.
Having completely cast aside his earlier contempt, he said sincerely, "You are truly formidable, and I concede defeat. Perhaps, throughout all of China, only my master could steadily defeat you."
Chen Feiyu smiled without a word. The sole Chess Saint in the world? Perhaps he could pose a certain threat to him, but to speak of "steadily defeating" him was nothing more than wishful thinking.
Xie Anxiang and Xie Yongguo sighed, feeling profoundly disappointed inside. It felt even more painful than losing a billion dollars.
That being said, who could have imagined that Chen Feiyu's Go skills would reach such a profound degree? Combined with his mastery of both medicine and martial arts, he was truly a freak of nature!
Xie Xingxuan was left completely dumbfounded. She never expected that in the field of Go—her brother's greatest specialty—he would actually lose to Chen Feiyu. Didn't this mean she would have to fulfill any condition Chen Feiyu demanded? If he were to target her...
At this thought, Xie Xingxuan felt both ashamed and annoyed. Her cheeks flushed rudely, and her eyes held a hint of vexation, giving her a unique, captivating beauty.
"For young friend Chen to possess such profound Go skills at such a tender age truly makes me ashamed," Xie Anxiang praised sincerely.
"You flatter me, I was just playing around for fun," Chen Feiyu said with a smile.
The surrounding people nearly fainted. If playing around for fun resulted in this level of skill, what did that make the rest of them?
Xie Xingxuan glared fiercely at Chen Feiyu. He really knew how to act innocent after profiting—humph!
At this moment, Xie Yongguo suddenly spoke up. "Right, Mr. Chen, the medicinal ingredients you requested earlier are almost ready. Come with me."
Joy blossomed in Chen Feiyu's heart as he stood up and followed him outside.
Inside the room, Xie Xingxuan said vexedly, "Big Brother, be honest with me—did you deliberately let Chen Feiyu win?"
She had always believed that aside from a few top-tier Go masters, her brother practically had no rivals. Yet he had now lost to the unknown Chen Feiyu; there definitely had to be some trick behind it.
Xie Xingchen gave a wry smile. "Little sister, stop teasing me. During the opening and mid-games, I still had the strength to put up a fight against him, but in the endgame, the gap was truly too vast. To put it simply, if I face Chen Feiyu again in the future, I'll have at most a thirty percent chance of winning."
Xie Xingxuan was shocked. She had originally thought that even if her brother lost to Chen Feiyu, their skill levels should be roughly similar. Only now did she realize that Chen Feiyu was actually so terrifyingly strong that even her brother only had a thirty percent chance of victory. Didn't that mean that in present-day China, apart from the Chess Saint himself taking the field, Chen Feiyu was already invincible?
"No, you were no match for him even during the opening phase," Xie Anxiang suddenly mused. Seeing the shocked expressions on Xie Xingchen and his sister, Xie Anxiang continued, "From the very beginning, he had absolute certainty of victory, which is why he lured Xingxuan into making the bet, thereby making her owe him a favor and maximizing his gains.
To have all the changes and circumstances—both inside and outside the chessboard—clearly grasped in his chest, and to guide situations to his advantage... that is true strategic positioning. It is simply a divine and enlightened realm. From now on, our Xie Family must go all out to befriend Chen Feiyu."
To receive such high praise from her grandfather shocked Xie Xingxuan. As for Xie Xingchen, amidst his wry smile, a fierce fighting spirit surged within his heart.
*Next time, I will definitely defeat you!*
Xie Xingchen clenched his fists.
Meanwhile, Chen Feiyu followed Xie Yongguo to the gazebo in the villa's garden.
On the stone table inside the gazebo lay a variety of Chinese medicinal herbs, emitting a rich, fragrant medicinal aroma.
Chen Feiyu cast a rough glance over them and discovered that several of the herbs were quite aged with abundant medicinal potency, which naturally brought him joy.
Suddenly, Chen Feiyu's expression turned one of surprise as he noticed a few rare ingredients missing. While they were sufficient to refine the Gujing Pill, the chances of refining the "Xuanyang Pill" he needed were not very high.
However, for Chen Feiyu, whose cultivation was currently at a bottleneck period, the Xuanyang Pill was absolutely indispensable if he wished to break through.
Xie Yongguo said awkwardly, "It seems Mr. Chen has noticed. It's not that our Xie Family didn't put in the effort, but those few medicinal ingredients are simply too rare; they don't exist on the market. In all of Mingji City, I estimate only the Xu Family would have them."
"The Xu Family? Is it also a major family? How do they compare to your Xie Family?" Chen Feiyu asked in surprise.
Xie Yongguo said proudly, "Compared to our Xie Family, the Xu Family is naturally far inferior. However, the Xu Family's situation is somewhat special, and their status is rather transcendent."
"How so?" Chen Feiyu grew interested.
Xie Yongguo explained, "The ancestors of the Xu Family were once imperial physicians in the royal court. Developing down to the present day, they have become a true medical dynasty. There is even a highly respected and venerable divine physician holding down the fort within the family. Many major families have received favors from the Xu Family in the past, which is why their status in Mingji City is quite transcendent.
Nowadays, more than half of the circulating Chinese medicinal ingredients in Mingji City are controlled by the Xu Family. Therefore, if Mr. Chen needs superior herbs, you can only go to the Xu Family to request them."
***
"The medical dynasty—the Xu Family? It looks like I'll have to deal with the Xu Family in the future." A mysterious smile appeared at the corner of Chen Feiyu's mouth.
He also wanted to see how his medical skills compared to the so-called medical dynasty. Besides, the Xu Family held superior medicinal ingredients in their hands, which were precisely what Chen Feiyu urgently needed right now.
Xie Yongguo smiled. "Next week, an auction will be held, and the Xu Family will also bring out a few rare medicinal ingredients to be auctioned. If Mr. Chen is interested, we can go take a look together. Perhaps you'll make some gains."
"Go, I must go!" Chen Feiyu's eyes lit up.
"Alright, I'll have Han Muqing pick you up then. In addition, there is one more matter—and speaking of it, I was the one in the wrong first," Xie Yongguo said awkwardly.
"What matter?" Chen Feiyu asked curiously.
"Come out." Xie Yongguo clapped his hands. Soon, from the other end of the garden, a middle-aged man emerged. He was dressed in a red Tang suit, wore a jade thumb ring, and walked over respectfully and apologetically.
"Jiang Tianhu?" Chen Feiyu raised an eyebrow, only then remembering that yesterday at the restaurant, Jiang Tianhu had claimed his backer was the Xie Family.
That's right, this person was none other than Jiang Tianhu. He walked over, stood respectfully behind Xie Yongguo, and smiled awkwardly. "Mr. Chen, we meet again."
Yesterday, after seeing Chen Feiyu get into the same car as Xie Xingxuan and Han Muqing, his legs had turned weak with fright, and he immediately went to Xie Yongguo to gather information.
When he further learned that Chen Feiyu was a master of both medicine and martial arts, that even Elder Xie Anxiang's terminal illness had been cured by Chen Feiyu, and that the Xie Family was going all out to befriend him, he had tumbled straight to the ground in terror, lingering fear gripping his heart.
That was what led to today's scene, where Xie Yongguo stepped forward while Jiang Tianhu came to make amends.
Xie Yongguo smiled. "Mr. Chen might not know this, but Tianhu is one of our Xie Family's people. Whenever there are difficult matters to resolve in the business world, I have Tianhu handle them through his own methods, and he has rendered quite a few meritorious services.
Yesterday he offended Mr. Chen, and I have already given him a severe scolding. I hope Mr. Chen can forgive him this once for the sake of our Xie Family. Tianhu, why aren't you apologizing immediately!"
At the end of his sentence, Xie Yongguo's tone turned stern as he glared at Jiang Tianhu.
Jiang Tianhu caught the hint, immediately bowed deeply to Chen Feiyu, and apologized, "It was my eyes that were blind to Mount Tai and offended Mr. Chen. I beg Mr. Chen to forgive my transgression. I happen to have a bay-view villa worth over thirty million, which I would like to offer to Mr. Chen as an apology gift. I hope Mr. Chen can forgive me this once on the grounds that I didn't know who you were."
As he spoke, Jiang Tianhu took out a set of keys and placed them respectfully on the stone table.
He had spent a massive fortune buying that villa, and it had just been renovated without anyone having lived in it for even a single day. Giving it away now made his heart ache with excruciating pain.
However, compared to his life and limb, a villa was ultimately an external possession.
At this moment, Chen Feiyu sat on the stone stool of the gazebo, while Jiang Tianhu bowed respectfully beside him to apologize—the scene appeared extremely bizarre.