"Phew, Xu Fan, you lost..."

As Old Kang's mind was filled with countless thoughts, before long, the chess game reached its endgame.

On the board, the white pieces had the black pieces cornered with no escape.

Standing behind Xia Yanyu, Yi Qiu hummed triumphantly and said, "What's the matter, Xu Fan, struck speechless by your defeat?"

"Let me tell you, if my miss hadn't gone easy on you, you would've lost long ago, understand?"

"Yi Qiu!"

Seeing Yi Qiu taking the chance to berate Xu Fan upon his defeat, Xia Yanyu shot Yi Qiu a sideways glance.

She looked apologetically toward Xu Fan and said, "Xu Fan, please don't take it to heart, Yi Qiu is just spouting nonsense."

"Er, how about this, let me continue playing chess with my teacher, and you watch closely. Maybe you can learn something."

After this game was over, Xia Yanyu felt that playing another round with Xu Fan wouldn't be very interesting anymore.

She was far superior to him in skill; a one-sided massacre wasn't something she particularly enjoyed...

"Teacher, what do you think, should we continue?"

She looked over to Old Kang, feeling that it was more interesting to spar with a master.

"Silly disciple, don't you find your confidence a bit ridiculous now?"

Old Kang didn't nod in agreement to her invitation but instead started to rebuke her.

Xia Yanyu furrowed her brows in confusion, not quite understanding his meaning.

"Teacher, what do you mean...?"

Old Kang shook his head and said, "Don't play chess with me, continue playing with Xu Fan."

"But..."

Old Kang was almost commanding in his insistence, and Xia Yanyu couldn't help but resist.

Playing chess with a novice was utterly unhelpful for one's chess skills...

"Silly girl..."

Looking at Xia Yanyu's puzzled expression, Old Kang sighed helplessly.

"You're currently stuck at a bottleneck in your chess skills, unable to advance beyond a professional sixth dan. The best method is to spar more with masters."

"Now, your opportunity has arrived, a very strong master is sitting right in front of you. Why don't you seize the chance and ask him for guidance?"

"Ah?"

Xia Yanyu was taken aback; did Old Kang mean to say that Xu Fan was a master?

But he had just clearly lost to her...

"Old Kang, you're not joking, are you? Could this guy be even stronger than you?"

Yi Qiu, who was listening on the side, also couldn't help but laugh and cry.

He thought, why has Old Kang suddenly started such a joke...

"Ah, you two are so naive. Can't you see that he was deliberately going easy on you?"

Old Kang shook his head somewhat helplessly, thinking to himself why he had taken such a foolish disciple.

"If Xu Fan hadn't intentionally gone easy on you just now, you would have lost long ago, understand?"

After voicing the harsh truth, Old Kang looked respectfully toward Xu Fan.

"Young friend, how about from now on you don't hold back and seriously give a few rounds with my silly disciple? She really needs the guidance of a master right now."

Old Kang spoke with sincere enthusiasm; Xia Yanyu had talent in Go, but she seldom experienced setbacks in her games. To continue advancing, she had to face setbacks.

"Er, this..."

Xu Fan touched his nose awkwardly; he had indeed intentionally gone easy on her, not expecting the old man to just come out and say it.

"Old sir, not to hide it from you, I did hold back just now, but to play seriously, there's no need for that..."

"You know, girls, we have stronger pride. What if I get thrashed and end up crying..."

After finishing his sentence, Xu Fan awkwardly grinned. He preferred to avoid trouble, which was why he had let her win.

"Xu Fan! You!"

But his thoughtless remark had stoked the competitive fire in Xia Yanyu, who slammed her palm down on the table right then and there!

Ever since she had taught herself chess, she had crushed her contemporaries and even defeated many more experienced players with over a decade of chess playing; most of them were no match for her!

Xu Fan was even younger than her, with only a few years of chess under his belt. She simply couldn't accept that this guy could beat her!

"I'm not as fragile as you think!"

Xia Yanyu coldly stared at Xu Fan and said, "Fine, since the teacher has praised you so highly, let's play a few more rounds. I want to see your true skill level for myself!"

"Uh, well..."

Xu Fan felt a bit awkward. This woman's competitive spirit was so strong...

"Or maybe we should just forget it. I'm really afraid I might make you cry later, and that would be quite upsetting..."

"You!!!"

To Xu Fan, it was as if she didn't even register on his radar, which made Xia Yanyu's chest heave with anger!

She glared at Xu Fan furiously and gritted her teeth, "Don't talk yourself up so much. You're not leaving today unless you play a few rounds with me."

"..."

Xu Fan heaved a silent sigh. This woman was probably just being stubborn, and there was no stopping her.

"Alright then, three more games."

He couldn't avoid it anymore; Xu Fan reluctantly agreed. After tidying up the pieces, he started the second game with Xia Yanyu.

He still offered the first move to his opponent.

Once she had placed her first piece, he quickly placed his black piece down.

This was a habit formed over many years, one that he couldn't change. Moreover, there was no need to think too hard when playing against a player like Xia Yanyu...

Soon, his opponent's white pieces were routed and scattered, and Xu Fan silently started to go easy.

In the past, under the introduction of that old immortal, he had played against a few who claimed to be prodigal young chess players. When he had played seriously, he made those with too much pride cry.

These experiences had left a deep impression on Xu Fan, and he definitely didn't want to repeat such an awkward situation.

This time, he intentionally held back half of his strength, but sadly, in the end, Xia Yanyu was still left without a leg to stand on.

"Hmph, continue!"

Xia Yanyu, unaware that Xu Fan was holding back, merely felt that this round had slipped through her fingers!

In the next game, if she just paid a bit more attention, she was sure she could win against Xu Fan!

After arranging the pieces, she commenced the second game.

But, inevitably, the outcome was the same.

No matter how hard she tried, the white pieces under her control were eventually decimated.

Xu Fan, that guy, was always just a bit stronger than her. And it was that bit that she, no matter what, could not surpass...

"Continue!"

After giving Xu Fan a stern look, Xia Yanyu, puffed up with anger, started the third game.

During this game, she focused all her attention and vowed to use her full strength to utterly defeat Xu Fan!

She gave it her all, but still, defeating Xu Fan completely was something she just couldn't manage...

"Hmph, I just didn't play well just now. Let's go again..."

After contemplating her mistakes on the chessboard, Xia Yanyu was ready to battle once more.

Xu Fan couldn't help but give a wry smile.

"Um, Xia Yanyu, the three games I promised you are over, and you've lost them all..."

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