Early the next morning, the sun had barely risen over the Phoenix Soul Pavilion, casting golden light across the dew-kissed stone courtyard.
Fang Yuan and Xiao Pei sat within the open-air garden pavilion, its elegant roof supported by red lacquered columns, surrounded by blooming lotus ponds and trimmed spirit bamboo.
A carved stone Xiangqi board lay between them, pieces already scattered in the midst of a fierce match.
The black and red pieces were sculpted from polished obsidian and crimson jade, clearly of high quality.
Xiao Pei squinted at the board and wiped sweat from his forehead as if he were in battle.
"Alright… your horse is wide open. Don't think I don't see that!" he huffed, sliding his red chariot forward along the central file. "Chariot to 5-4!"
Fang Yuan didn't even look rattled. With a serene flick of his fingers, he moved his black elephant diagonally. "Elephant to 3-5. Blocking your attack."
"Damn it," Xiao Pei muttered. "Why are you always so calm?"
