The Stars Are Not Bright, Everything Is Not Yet Well

The ferry accelerated, the wind whistling loudly as it filled the sails in the open waters.

The youth named Bai Lu looked at Chen Xia, and after a moment, asked curiously:

"Do you play chess too?"

"I know a bit of Chinese chess and Go, and I can play tic-tac-toe as well," Chen Xia replied with a light chuckle, then asked, "Would you like to play a game?"

He really enjoyed the vigor of these young people. Perhaps it was because he had truly grown old, but he always found himself drawn to the company of the youth.

Though he himself looked quite young.

Chen Xia chuckled softly as he rubbed the tip of his nose, waiting for the young man's response.

"I haven't been learning chess for long either. Let's have a friendly match then," Bai Lu responded calmly, giving a slight wave of his sleeve.

There was no youthful arrogance, only steadiness in his demeanor.

But soon he would lose that composure, and regret agreeing to play chess with Chen Xia.

Mainly because he had never seen the opening move of attacking with the horse, making Chen Xia seem less like he was there to play chess and more like he was there to fight.

Bai Lu held a chess piece, his expression somewhat heavy, hesitating to make a move.

Perhaps he was considering whether or not to take action.

If he did, he might be accused of making a big deal out of nothing. If he didn't, he'd have both his horses taken in the opening.

Chen Xia, on the other hand, was already quite satisfied, having given the young man a good lesson. He lightly tapped the chessboard and said with a smile:

"It's just a game of chess, don't take it too seriously."

"Alright," Bai Lu replied stiffly, continuing to make his move.

The young cultivators watching around them could see that Chen Xia didn't seem to be playing chess properly.

Because apart from attacking the horses in the opening, Chen Xia hadn't taken any of Bai Lu's other pieces afterward.

But Chen Xia's expression was very serious, as if he was thinking hard about his next move, not looking like he was throwing the game at all.

Could it be that he was actually playing seriously?

The young cultivators watching couldn't quite figure it out, wondering if Chen Xia's chess skills were just that poor, completely overwhelmed by Bai Lu.

"Alright, alright, I give up," Chen Xia said, his disadvantage too great, so he simply decided to stop playing.

"Haha, Bai Lu is no ordinary person. Even the elders in our sect couldn't beat him before. They said Bai Lu has an extraordinary talent for chess," the petite girl Yu Jun laughed from the side.

"I'm also extraordinary when it comes to chess," Chen Xia replied.

Though in his case, "extraordinary" might be more of a negative term.

Yu Jun blinked her eyes, then asked curiously, "Where are you from? Which sect on the Ancestral Star are you joining?"

Chen Xia smiled lightly and replied, "I come from a remote, rundown star. I'm not joining any sect, just coming to the Ancestral Star to find someone and broaden my horizons along the way."

"Oh, I see. That's good too. There are many opportunities on the Ancestral Star. Who knows, you might just find your own destiny," the girl replied with a smile, filled with the kindness and beautiful hopes for the future unique to youth.

The ferry sailed at a moderate pace.

Yu Jun's gaze remained fixed on Bai Lu, a faint smile on her face. She didn't speak, just watching him contentedly.

"Yu Jun, once I enter the sect and find a master, gaining recognition from the sect, when I return to our hometown in the future, those elders won't dare look down on me anymore!" Another young man nearby declared proudly, his face beaming with arrogance.

Yu Jun turned her gaze back, the faint smile replaced by an encouraging one as she nodded and said,

"You can do it. After all, you had the highest aptitude when we were in the sect. Among the three of us, Hao Lin, you should be the fastest to break through and achieve the most."

From this conversation, it seemed the three were not only from the same hometown but had also been in the same sect before.

At this moment, all three young people wore excited smiles, feeling that their future was boundless and bright ahead.

This is how youth should be full of expectations.

It's quite nice.

Chen Xia nodded slightly, not saying much more, just sitting quietly at the bow of the boat.

After a while, the young Bai Lu took the initiative to strike up a conversation with him.

"Hey, I still don't know your name."

"Chen Xia."

Chen Xia wrote out his name on the chessboard.

Bai Lu also wrote out his own name, then asked with a smile, "Do you really like playing chess?"

"I quite enjoy it. I've been playing for a long time. It's one of my few hobbies," Chen Xia replied, then asked curiously,

"What do you think of my chess skills?"

"Uh..." Bai Lu hesitated for a moment, then forced a smile and said, "You play quite well, it's just..."

"You have a discerning eye," Chen Xia interrupted, giving a thumbs up in praise, then added with a sigh,

"Everyone who's played chess with me says my technique is superb and my skills are exquisite!"

"Pfft." Yu Jun finally couldn't hold back her laughter and said, "The people who've played chess with you must all be terrible players, right?"

"I don't know if they're terrible, but they're all old fogies," Chen Xia shook his head in response, not minding the girl's blunt honesty.

Hao Lin, standing to the side, wore a look of disdain, thinking Chen Xia was just another incompetent person not worth talking to.

Young Bai Lu, on the other hand, showed an apologetic smile and said to Chen Xia,

"Yu Jun likes to speak carelessly. Don't be angry. Actually, your chess skills are quite good. You just need a bit more polishing."

Chen Xia nodded, thinking Bai Lu was quite polite, much like himself when he was young.

When he was young, he would apologize after hitting someone and pay compensation after killing someone.

In any case, he was quite polite back then.

But now he wasn't as polite as in his youth. Now, if he killed someone, he might not necessarily pay compensation. He might even have to eliminate those seeking compensation.

Perhaps this is what growing up means.

Young people always have a lot to talk about, and the atmosphere was lively.

Chen Xia quite enjoyed this atmosphere now, feeling a sense of vibrant energy that made him feel he was still trendy.

Although he wasn't really old now, just a young man of thirty thousand years or so.

The ferry continued on its journey.

Chen Xia also became familiar with them, often playing chess with Bai Lu.

After playing for a long time and many games, Bai Lu realized that Chen Xia wasn't actually a terrible chess player. He was deliberately playing this way.

This man seemed to have an obsession, always attacking the horses in the opening, determined to take both of them.

When Bai Lu asked Chen Xia why he was so adamant about this, Chen Xia calmly replied,

"Just to make a pair for your horses."

Bai Lu was left speechless, feeling that Chen Xia was no longer a proper person in his mind. After all, no proper person would do such a low-quality thing.

Fortunately, Bai Lu always won the chess games, so he could maintain his composure. Otherwise, having his horses taken and losing the game would be enough to shake most people's Dao Heart.

During this time, Bai Lu curiously asked Chen Xia who exactly he was going to find on the Ancestral Star.

Chen Xia smiled lightly and replied, "An old friend."

"How old are you to have an old friend?" Bai Lu asked curiously.

"Indeed, not very old. But the one I'm looking for is an old friend from even younger days," Chen Xia nodded in response.

Bai Lu understood, his expression hesitant. He felt it wasn't right to ask, but emotionally, he couldn't help but inquire,

"Have you contacted him in advance? Does he still remember you?"

"Good question," Chen Xia chuckled and nodded, pausing for a moment before saying,

"He should remember."

"Mm, I'm sure he remembers," Bai Lu encouraged and comforted, then asked, "Is this old friend of yours doing well now?"

"I suppose so," Chen Xia answered.

Bai Lu's expression became worried again. Though young, he understood the principle that wealth and status are not easily shared.

Let alone just an old friend.

The unique melancholy of youth appeared on his face again. After hesitating for a while, he softly said,

"If you can't find your old friend, you can come find me. I might be able to help you enter a sect."

"Can you enter a sect yourself?" Chen Xia leaned back in his chair and asked in return.

"I should be able to. I've investigated all those tests, and there shouldn't be any problems," Bai Lu nodded confidently.

"Then I wish you a bright future," Chen Xia turned his head, gazing out at the vast starry universe.

"I wish you success in finding your old friend too," Bai Lu returned with a smile.

"It's alright, I'm not in a hurry. Since it's an old friend, we should take it slow," Chen Xia said with a slight smile, sitting under the dim starry sky, then muttered,

"Besides, I haven't thought of an opening line yet."

The starlight was dim.

Everything was not yet ready.