Extra 1: Xinghui and the Chess Game

In the courtyard by the starry sea, time seems to be stretched out and yet stand still.

The vines on the bamboo fence quietly climbed an inch further, and the wind chimes under the eaves sang an ethereal song day after day. The "sun" formed by his will rose and set. In the laws of the new world, this was more like a breathing rhythm than the strict time scale of the old days.

Yinglong sat in the courtyard beneath a magnolia-like tree, its blossoms shimmering like tiny stardust. Before him lay a guqin. Its body was carved from a single, warm, chaotic stone, its strings condensed from a ray of spiritual light drawn from the depths of the starry sea. He had crafted it for her, using only the most primordial materials from the dawn of this world.

Her fingertips plucked the strings lightly, without creating a tune, simply letting the clear and deep notes flow out as her heart desired. The music blended into the sound of the wind, the waves, and the wind chimes, not being abrupt but becoming part of this courtyard concerto.

He sat on a stone bench not far away, not holding a scroll in his hands, nor deducing the laws of nature, but simply watching her quietly. His gaze was no longer a perceptive scrutiny, but more like admiring the most satisfying "scene" in this new world.

The song ends, but the lingering sound remains.

Yinglong pressed the trembling strings of her zither and raised her eyes to meet his focused gaze. At first, she felt a little uncomfortable, but now she was used to it. In fact, in the depths of those empty eyes, she could even read a faint hint of... satisfaction.

"The shapes of the clouds today are quite interesting." He suddenly spoke, breaking the silence.

Yinglong followed his gaze and looked up at the sky. In the soft and bright sky, a few wisps of flocculent clouds floated, slowly changing shape with the invisible air currents, sometimes like a soaring dragon, sometimes like a crouching lion, agile and natural.

"Hmm," she said softly. In these eternal days, even observing the changing clouds became a delight worth savoring.

He stood up and walked to her side, but did not sit down. Instead, he stood beside the piano, looking down at the piano body that was glowing with light.

"In the old days, cranes flew over Kunlun." He suddenly brought up the past, his tone as calm as if he were telling someone else's story. "In the Dragon Palace of the East China Sea, mermaids also sang at night."

Yinglong's fingertips paused. Those memories of the old times now seemed a bit distant.

"Those...are all gone now," she whispered.

"Hmm," he replied, reaching out and brushing his fingertips across a string, creating a soft hum. "But here, there will be new ones."

Shortly after he finished speaking, several crane-like birds, composed entirely of pure light, flew out from the distant clouds. They gracefully skimmed across the sea, leaving behind a trail of clear chirps. And from the depths of the Starry Sea, a faint, ethereal song could be heard. It wasn't the lament of a mermaid, but rather the lament of a water spirit.

He always had this ability: whenever she mentioned something or simply thought about it, he would let this world naturally produce the corresponding creation. It wasn't a deliberate attempt to please her, but more like an instinctive adjustment to make the environment she was in more perfect.

"I always feel like something is missing." He looked at the light cranes merging into the clouds and suddenly said.

Yinglong looked up at him with questioning eyes.

His gaze turned to the corner of the courtyard, where the white jade chessboard was placed.

"Another round?" The interest in his eyes reappeared.

Yinglong laughed. Since settling here, he'd probably used this chessboard more often than any other object. She put down her guqin and walked over to the chessboard with him, sitting down.

He still plays black and she plays white.

The moves are still silent, and the chess moves are still as one wishes.

This time, however, his black spots were no longer as wild and unrestrained as they had been at first. Instead, they held a subtle guiding tone. It wasn't a deliberate concession, but rather a demonstration of the laws and rhythms of "balance" and "cycles" in this new world that she hadn't yet fully grasped.

Yinglong watched intently, gradually becoming absorbed in it. She discovered that following his chess moves, her soul seemed to resonate and refine with the rhythm of his moves, and her understanding of the power of the New Heavenly Dao had unconsciously deepened.

At the end of the game, a perfect harmonious pattern appeared on the chessboard again.

He looked at her expression of realization, but didn't say anything. Instead, he raised his hand and put the chess pieces on the chessboard back into the chess pot one by one. His movements were neither hurried nor slow, with the calmness that comes from the passage of time.

"Are you hungry?" He suddenly asked after putting away the last white piece.

Yinglong was stunned. At their level, they no longer needed food or drink. But when he asked this...

He spread out his palm, and spiritual energy gathered in it, quickly condensing into several fruits. The fruits were shaped like peaches, but their bodies were as crystal clear as amethyst, with starlight flowing inside and emitting a sweet and alluring fragrance.

"It's made from the spiritual mist from the edge of the Starry Sea, mixed with a wisp of the early sun's energy." He handed the fruit to her, "Try it."

Yinglong took one and found it warm to the touch. He put it in his mouth and the flesh instantly turned into a warm stream, carrying the warmth of the sun and the vastness of the sea of ​​stars, nourishing his limbs and bones. The taste was unexpectedly good.

There was a flash of surprise and... joy in her eyes.

He watched the subtle changes in her expression, and those eyes that had always been empty seemed to be tinged with a hint of warmth.

"It's okay." He still used these two words to evaluate, but his tone seemed a little softer than when he evaluated the chess game.

The afterglow of the setting sun (let's call it the setting sun) elongated the figures of the two people, casting them on the white stone ground of the courtyard, intertwining them.

The wind chimes are still ringing, and the sea of ​​stars is still boundless.

The eternal days flow quietly amidst the seemingly plain music of piano, chess games, casual conversation and a new fruit.

There are no waves, but deep down there is warmth and companionship that only they can understand.

And this may be the best destination that can be reached after destruction and rebirth.