This man was none other than the one Qiu Ruoxi and Ye Xunhuan had encountered at home earlier.
Although she could only see his back, having just seen him and recognizing his outfit made it easy for Qiu Ruoxi to identify him.
"Girl, who else do you think he could be?" the man said casually. "But you have quite a sharp tongue, thanking them earlier, and now you're cursing them directly."
"They were guarding my mother-in-law's grave; I should be grateful," Qiu Ruoxi said seriously. "Even if they leave now, I should treat them as honored guests, even benefactors, when we meet again!"
"But they blocked me from paying my respects to my mother-in-law. It's their lack of human understanding, forcing a child to be unable to fulfill their filial duty, thus becoming enemies…"
"So, are they benefactors or enemies?" the man asked softly.
"Both a benefactor and an enemy!" Qiu Ruoxi declared firmly. "If they let me through, it would be a great favor!"
The man did not speak immediately but pondered for a while before saying slowly, "What you said makes sense!"
"But they didn't stop you from going in; they just want you to rely on your own ability to go through!" the man said casually.
"Are you saying to defeat them?"
"That's up to you," the man said softly. "If you can get them to let you pass on their own, that's also a skill!"
Qiu Ruoxi was at a loss for words; getting these two guys to let her through willingly was impossible.
Though the two guys were as expressionless as stone carvings, Qiu Ruoxi could sense that getting them to let her through was like a delusional dream.
"But, back to the point, getting them to willingly let you through is no small feat."
"Can't you say something to them, and I'll be able to pass?"
"You silly girl!" the man chuckled lightly. "I can't let them let you through, nor will I help you; it all depends on your ability."
After hearing the man's words, Qiu Ruoxi no longer paid attention to him.
No matter how much she spoke to this guy, it was completely useless; he wouldn't help her, Qiu Ruoxi, in any way.
And for Qiu Ruoxi to get through on her own was even more impossible.
Seeing Qiu Ruoxi silent, the man spoke again, "Girl, let's do this. Play a game of chess with me. If you can beat me, I'll distract the four of them and let you pass—how about it?"
Upon hearing the man's words, a bright light shot forth from Qiu Ruoxi's eyes: "You mean it?"
"Of course!" the man replied heavily, "As long as your Go skills surpass mine, today I'll help you through."
"A gentleman's word!"
"Is a promise that cannot be pursued!"
Qiu Ruoxi wasn't just adept in business; she had dabbled in both Go and chess. Although she didn't dare claim mastery, she was undoubtedly skilled enough to challenge professional players.
Now, hearing the man mention Go, Qiu Ruoxi naturally agreed.
"But you're always facing away from me; how do we play this game?"
"I have my ways!" the man said, pivoting in speech and directly addressing the two men nearby: "I'll use your chess set!"
The two men didn't respond or object, simply taking out their usual Go set.
Although the pieces were the same black and white as those outside, this board was carved from a slab of stone.
After the board and pieces were set, the man immediately said to Qiu Ruoxi, "Girl, I'll let you go first!"
With that, the man slid smoothly towards the board as if on wheels, still facing away from Qiu Ruoxi.
"Are you really going to play facing away from me?"
"Girl, I know you want to know who I am, but even if I turn around, you wouldn't recognize me!" the man said evenly. "Let's just play the game; you start!"
Upon hearing the man's words, Qiu Ruoxi said no more. Knowing she had no way to make him turn, she simply picked up a white piece and placed it on the board.
While Qiu Ruoxi played chess with this man, Ye Xunhuan was already at the gravestone of Qin Fenghuang.
Embedded in the gravestone was a photo of Qin Fenghuang, smiling broadly, looking both happy and kind.
Staring at the photo on Qin Fenghuang's gravestone, Ye Xunhuan's face was full of pain and complexity, and he couldn't help but recall his final meeting with Qin Fenghuang.
When Ye Xunhuan last saw Qin Fenghuang, Qin Fenghuang was already terminally ill and beyond help.
Yet, at that time, Ye Xunhuan had no idea, or perhaps had not kept in touch with Qin Fenghuang at all.
During that period, the world almost lost track of Ye Xunhuan; he was continually seeking vengeance, avenging his mentor and brothers, destroying Shadow Blade.
It was during this time that Qin Fenghuang was stricken by melanoma, a skin cancer considered the king of cancers!
And by the time it was discovered, it was already too late. Although Qin Fenghuang was persistently trying to treat it, cancer has always been a medical enigma worldwide, let alone such melanoma, which mostly turns out malignant upon detection.
By the time Ye Xunhuan returned from vengeance, Qin Fenghuang was on the brink of death, even though Ye Xunhuan had immense abilities and could summon countless medical pioneers for Qin Fenghuang, and even perform surgeries himself, it was all too late.
At that time, Qin Fenghuang was solely relying on medication and oxygen to painfully hold on, just to wait for Ye Xunhuan's return and see him.
Once she saw Ye Xunhuan, Qin Fenghuang seemed to achieve profound satisfaction and no longer fought the illness, awaiting death slowly.
In less than two days after Ye Xunhuan returned, Qin Fenghuang departed this world.
This plunged Ye Xunhuan into unbearable agony, as if he was struck by a severe blow.
If he had occasionally returned to see Qin Fenghuang while exacting revenge, perhaps the outcome would be different. Cancer couldn't be conquered in the medical field, but to Ye Xunhuan, cancer wasn't necessarily fatal.
He had ways to keep Qin Fenghuang alive.
Yet, upon his return, everything was too late; all was settled. Even with his unparalleled abilities, he couldn't alter the outcome, left only to watch helplessly and painfully as Qin Fenghuang passed away.
In the aftermath, Ye Xunhuan sank into a long period of depression, drowning his sorrows in alcohol every day like a mere shell of a person.
Now, gazing at Qin Fenghuang's gravestone, scenes from the past flashed relentlessly through Ye Xunhuan's mind like black-and-white film reels.
This filled Ye Xunhuan's heart with pain and regret.