Crafting an Immortal Race with Daily Hexagrams-Chapter 292 - 190: Jade True Thunder Mansion

Shen Chongming said something and then looked in the direction of Yi Xianting.

He saw seven or eight cultivators gathered there, all holding their breath and staring at the old man sitting on the stone bench with his eyes closed.

Shen Chongming felt a stir in his heart and walked over together with Chen Youran.

When the two of them got closer, they discovered that the old man’s eyes were tightly shut, devoid of any breath, and a faint golden light shield enveloped the old man’s body along with the chessboard.

On the chessboard in front of him, black and white pieces were crisscrossed. Judging by the number of pieces, it was obvious that twenty to thirty moves had been played.

In the void in front of the old man, a black piece hovered, trembling slightly, as if it didn’t know where to land at the moment.

Seeing this scene, Shen Chongming immediately thought of the strange phenomenon he had encountered last time at Yi Xianting.

The apparition once said that this was not his opportunity and told him to find "Brother Zhang."

Not understanding much about Chess Dao, he only watched for a while before pulling Chen Youran away.

However, they hadn’t walked far when they heard the exclamations of the other cultivators from behind.

Shen Chongming turned around and saw a shocking scene.

The old man who had been sitting upright on the stone bench was now slowly disintegrating, turning into starry specks and being absorbed by the chessboard stone table in front of him.

After the old man’s body completely dissipated, the black and white chess pieces on the board slowly floated up and automatically returned to the chess boxes on both sides.

Seeing this scene, Chen Youran’s beautiful eyes widened.

"Is that person dead!?"

Shen Chongming nodded gravely, guessing that the old man likely didn’t pass the test and was directly obliterated.

After the exclamation from the cultivators around the board, a middle-aged man in a scholar’s robe struggled with his expression, his eyes suddenly flashing with determination, as he took a few steps forward and respectfully bowed in front of the stone bench: "Junior Qi Yanfei, dares to challenge Senior to a game."

As his voice fell, the golden light shield slowly dissipated.

Subsequently, the middle-aged scholar’s robe man hesitated for a moment before choosing to sit on the stone bench reserved for the black side.

Once he settled down, the golden light shield slowly rose again, enveloping him.

Shen Chongming shook his head slightly, glanced at the peak where he had previously obtained the "Cloud Seal Jade Pivot Thunder-Invoking Minor Skill," and said, "Let’s go," before continuing to move forward.

...

Black Water Pond Manor.

Shen Yuan was lying on a recliner in the backyard, holding an ancient book and studying it carefully. Hu Yufen, with graying temples, was sitting quietly in the pavilion, leisurely embroidering something.

The recliner was usually placed away from the pavilion in the courtyard.

But recently, Shen Yuan had moved the recliner into the pavilion.

Next to the recliner, a big black dog lay on the ground lazily, its dark eyes half-closed, seemingly somewhat drowsy.

"What’s been up with you lately?"

"Not going to the Black Water Pavilion to cultivate?"

Hu Yufen rubbed the embroidery needle between her hair and spoke gently.

Lying on the recliner, Shen Yuan glanced at her briefly, then turned another page of the book and said, "Why, am I bothering you?"

Seeing Hu Yufen remain silent, he supported himself on the armrests of the recliner, slowly sitting up straight, and smiled at her.

"In the past, whenever I went to cultivate, you always complained."

"Spending all day just on cultivation, ignoring the children and household matters."

"Now that I’m not cultivating, you say this..."

"You old woman, you’re always full of issues."

Upon hearing this, Hu Yufen immediately lifted her head and glared at him, saying, "Huh?! Who are you calling full of issues?"

"You tell me, for most of these decades, haven’t you been cooped up in the Black Water Pavilion cultivating?"

"Now you suddenly keep hovering in front of me all the time, and I’m not allowed to say anything?"

Shen Yuan grinned.

"Say it, say whatever you want... as long as you like, say whatever you want."

Faced with his gaze, Hu Yufen paused in surprise, then placed her embroidery and needle in the basket, pulled a stool over, and sat down in front of him.

"Husband, is there something on your mind?"

Looking at his wife’s graying hair and feeling the vitality and energy in her body noticeably wane.

Shen Yuan felt a bit sad but still smiled and said, "What could be on my mind?"

"The children and grandchildren can all stand on their own, and there’s nothing in the family for me to worry about."

"Cultivation naturally needs a balance between work and rest; after cultivating for decades, can’t I take a break?"

Hu Yufen gave him a suspicious look, then smiled and said, "Rest, rest however you like."

Having spent most of their lives together, how could she not know Shen Yuan’s thoughts?

But for herself, she was already quite content.

Married into the Shen Family for decades, the first half of her life had many ups and downs, and she endured quite a lot of hardship.

But now, life is good, children and grandchildren fill the house, and even great-grandchildren are in sight. If there was one regret, it was not seeing the third son Shen Wen’an and Wei Qiuling have a child.

Sighing softly, Hu Yufen looked at the distant sky and said gently, "You don’t have to keep me company all day; if you need to cultivate, you should..."

"Heh..."

Shen Yuan’s light chuckle interrupted her.

"You old lady, for decades, whenever I persuaded you to cultivate, you’d scoff, following openly yet disobeying in reality."

"Now it’s the opposite, you’re persuading me."

"You often mentioned in the past, being old, not wanting to trouble the children and grandchildren, yet now don’t you realize they’re all worried about you?"

Hu Yufen turned her head and said, "Worried about what?"

"I’m in good health, living a long life is not a problem."

Shen Yuan leaned forward and, grasping her hand firmly, said, "Living a long life is something that should satisfy ordinary people."