Starting at the Nascent Soul stage, a rogue cultivator is incredibly poor.

Several months later.

Outside Tingzhu Pavilion in Xuanxian City, a light drizzle falls like silk.

A simple pavilion stands by the water, its eaves dripping water like curtains. Inside, a stone table and benches sit, and a pot of tea steams gently in the air.

This place is almost exactly the same as when Qingyouzi left it. The basic defensive and early warning formations are still operating quietly, untouched by anyone.

Looking across the entire Xuanxian City, various array formations shimmered and intertwined, their layers nested, exuding a solemn and imposing aura, truly like an impregnable fortress.

He had only glanced at it briefly and was secretly alarmed. The scale and ingenuity of such a formation were probably only something that a legendary Nascent Soul cultivator could forcefully break through.

At this moment, Qingyouzi sat alone in the pavilion, holding a teacup and taking a small sip.

On the stone table in front of them, a jade chessboard lay quietly, with black and white pieces arranged in a staggered pattern, indicating that the game had reached its middle stage.

He picked up a lustrous white piece, but did not rush to place it. His gaze slowly swept across the nineteen lines, as if he were deducing something, or perhaps waiting.

Suddenly, his brow twitched almost imperceptibly.

Qingyouzi's expression remained unchanged. He simply picked up two other empty cups, filled them with warm tea until they were seven-tenths full, gently pushed one cup to the empty seat opposite him, and slowly placed the other cup aside.

The tea rippled slightly, reflecting the misty rain outside the pavilion.

About ten breaths later.

Xu Changxing's figure appeared on the bluestone path outside the rain pavilion.

He walked with a composed demeanor, but when he saw the cup of tea, still steaming, placed on the stone table opposite him, a hint of surprise flashed across his eyes, which quickly turned into deeper caution.

How could the other party predict his arrival so accurately? This level of divine perception is probably more than just a little stronger than his own.

He composed himself, stepped into the pavilion, nodded slightly to Qingyouzi, and sat down on the stone bench opposite him. His gaze swept over the cup of tea, he hesitated for a moment, then picked it up, took a small sip, and praised it:

"Good tea."

He put down his teacup, looked at the chessboard, then at the calm-looking Qingyouzi, and got straight to the point:

"Fellow Daoist, your return to the city is even more impressive than before. I have come here today with a matter I wish to discuss with you."

He paused, observing Qingyouzi's reaction.

"I wonder what your opinion is on the current situation in the city? In these turbulent times, it would be a pity if someone of your great talent were to remain a recluse."

Qingyouzi, holding a white piece, remained focused on the chessboard. Upon hearing this, he did not look up, but simply said:

"Fellow Daoist Xu, you've come despite the rain; could it be that you wish to persuade me... to temporarily reside under the patron tree of Xuanxian City?"

His tone was flat, revealing no emotion, yet it sent a slight jolt through Xu Changxing's heart. The other party had indeed anticipated this.

Qingyouzi finally placed his piece, and with a soft snap, the white piece nestled in a corner of the board. It seemed ordinary, but it subtly affected the energy of a group of black pieces on the flank.

"Fellow Daoist has discerning eyes."

Xu Changxing composed himself, picked up a black piece, and thoughtfully placed it in a certain spot, both as a response and as a test.

"Xuanxian City is now actively seeking talented individuals to jointly resist the demonic calamity. With your abilities, if you wish to stay, the city will do its best to satisfy your needs for cultivation techniques, secret manuals, elixirs, precious materials, and even cultivation partners. Even the prestigious and transcendent position of 'Supreme Elder' is not out of the question."

As he spoke, his gaze remained fixed on Qingyouzi.

Qingyouzi's fingertips caressed another white piece, his gaze still fixed on the chessboard, as if his entire mind was focused on this small space.

"It's certainly nice to take shelter under a big tree."

He spoke slowly, his voice as clear as the rain outside the pavilion, yet carrying a chill.

"However, a large tree has deep roots; and with deep roots, branches become tangled and intertwined. Even under the shade of trees, it is difficult to avoid getting dusty and having vines entangle it."

He placed his piece, and there was another soft sound. This piece was not a direct attack, but it subtly reinforced his own corner and at the same time threatened the connection of the group of black stones in the center.

"Qing is used to being carefree, prefers a gentle breeze and flowing water, and is not used to being restrained."

He looked up and met Xu Changxing's gaze for the first time, his eyes calm and unwavering.

"Xuanxian City is a towering tree, while I, Qing, am merely a fleeting cloud passing through this place. Clouds have no fixed abode, gathering and scattering with the wind; forcing them to stay on a branch would only cause them to lose their natural freedom."

Xu Changxing paused slightly in his hand holding the black piece. The other party was politely declining, and the reason was both reasonable and respectful.

He pondered for a moment, then placed his black piece, attempting to open up a new position in the center, and said at the same time:

"Though clouds are free, they must ultimately rely on the heavens. Today, the sky is gloomy, a storm is brewing, and demonic energy shrouds the heavens. A lone cloud drifting alone risks being swallowed by the gloom or blown away by the gale. By clinging to a giant tree, it can at least find temporary safety, protect its body, and wait for the clear sky to clear before soaring through the universe again. Wouldn't that be better?"

These words seemed to carry a hint of concern and warning.

Upon hearing this, Qingyouzi's lips seemed to curve into a very faint smile.

He fell silent, focusing intently on the game.

Over the next dozen or so moves, Xu Changxing became increasingly cautious in his moves, sometimes attempting to entangle and attack, and sometimes consolidating his own position.

However, Qingyouzi remained calm throughout. When the white pieces were placed, he would either nimbly avoid the sharp edge, calmly resolve the attack, or seemingly retreat but actually harbor murderous intent.

His playing style is not aggressive or forceful, but rather meticulous and subtle. He always manages to gain the upper hand in seemingly ordinary responses and limit the expansion of Black's pieces.

Especially when Xu Changxing tried to steer the conversation toward the specific conditions for "joining" or the greater cause of "fighting the ancient demons together," Qingyouzi could always gloss over it with seemingly unrelated chess moves or focus on the clever handling of a particular local area, making it difficult for his opponent to delve deeper.

"Those who follow different paths cannot make plans together. However, though their routes may differ, they may still coexist for a while."

After Qingyouzi made a sharp thrust, he suddenly spoke, his voice clear.

"My path lies within myself. With the demonic calamity before us, it is the duty of every human cultivator to fight against it. This heart and will have nothing to do with whether or not one dwells under a particular tree."

His words not only demonstrated his stance against the ancient demons, which aligned with the grand goal of Xuanxian City, but also reiterated his clear rejection of the offer to join.

Xu Changxing understood.

He looked at the chessboard and realized that while his black stones seemed to have a large external influence, they had actually been subtly cut off and eroded by the white stones. Several seemingly alive stones were actually short of liberties. He tried to break through, but found that the white stones were like thin veils of mist, seemingly effortless, yet incredibly resilient, blocking all escape routes.

Fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

He managed to handle a few more moves, albeit with some difficulty.

Qingyouzi picked up the last crucial white piece, hovered it over the board for a moment, scanned the entire board with his eyes, and then gently placed it down.

"despair."

A soft sound, not heavy, yet it seemed to strike Xu Changxing's heart.

The game is over.

White did not launch a major offensive, but with a slight advantage, it completely secured the victory.

Leave the other party with nowhere to go.

Xu Changxing stared at the chessboard, remaining silent for the time it takes to drink half a cup of tea.

Finally, he let out a long breath and gently placed the remaining black pieces back into the chess set.

He stood up and solemnly cupped his hands in greeting to Qingyouzi.

"Fellow Daoist's chess skills are superb, and your mind is meticulous. I, Xu, admire you."

His tone was complex, containing both regret for not achieving his goal and a hint of admiration for the person before him.

"I apologize for bothering you today. Since you have made your decision, I will not say any more. If you need any assistance in the city in the future, please feel free to contact me."

Qingyouzi also rose to return the greeting:

"Fellow Daoist Xu, you are too kind. I have gained quite a bit from today's game of chess. Please."

Xu Changxing said no more, turned and stepped into the increasingly dense rain curtain, his figure quickly disappearing into the depths of the bamboo shadows.

Qingyouzi stood alone in the pavilion, gazing in the direction he had left, his gaze calm yet containing a hint of complexity.

He had originally planned to take the opportunity to inquire about rare refining materials or "Celestial Fruit" from the other party. However, he abandoned that plan as soon as the other party arrived.

"That's enough."

He muttered to himself and looked away.

A thousand miles away, in a secluded pavilion somewhere in Xuanxian City.

Xu Changxing's figure appeared, and he bowed respectfully to the blurry gray figure standing by the window:

"Fourth Elder, he... is unwilling to join."

The gray figure didn't turn around, but simply waved casually, its voice hoarse and flat:

"It's alright. This person is resolute and determined; he is not someone to be trifled with. You cannot force him to stay."

Xu Changxing was slightly puzzled:

"Elder, is this really how it ends...?"

The gray figure interrupted him, speaking slowly:

"Do you really think he didn't know you didn't come alone?"

Upon hearing this, Xu Changxing's expression suddenly changed:

"this......"

"It's not your fault."

The gray figure finally turned slightly to the side, revealing an ordinary-looking old man with deep, ancient eyes.

"Qing Youzi's spiritual sense is extremely powerful, far surpassing others of the same level. Before you arrived at Tingzhu Pavilion, he prepared tea to welcome you; when you sat opposite him, his gaze repeatedly and intentionally swept over the place where I was hiding."

A glint of shrewdness flashed in the Fourth Elder's eyes:

"He already knew I was watching him secretly, yet he still made his moves with such composure, his words so subtle and tactless. His fearlessness only proves that his strength is definitely no less than mine."

He looked again at the rain outside the window, his tone carrying an undeniable determination:

"This matter ends here. Pass down the order: this person can only be befriended, not offended, and there must be no covert obstruction or investigation. Before we truly understand all his background and connections, Xuanxian City... should not take the initiative to provoke this obstacle."

Xu Changxing's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly lowered his head:

"Yes, I understand."

Silence returned to the attic, broken only by the patter of rain outside the window.