The middle-aged man in the white robe furrowed his brows, staring at the 'chessboard' in front of him, seemingly encountering some difficult problem he couldn't solve, hesitating to make a move.
The monk in the yellow robe opposite did not urge him, fiddling with the chess pieces with one hand, and merely said softly:
"Brother Lu need not be hasty in deciphering this game. I seek not victory, only to hone my skills."
The middle-aged man in the white robe discarded his previous humble demeanor, responding with a faint smile:
"Did Brother Tibo not just say, that black pieces and white pieces in the game are beyond our control; either the black consumes the white, or the white consumes the black? The black seeks no victory, yet cannot avoid winning; the white doesn't wish to engage, but must win... It seems all depends on who plays the better move."
The monk in yellow slightly shook his head:
"The white pieces might not have much chance of winning today."
