In this chapter, the narrator explains that it took him 20 years to begin to understand the ancient Chinese sword technique known as the "primoridial sword technique." He explains that he exchanged some moves with the young man, and that he already has some understanding of the technique. He is amazed that the two of them complement each other so well. He wonders why they are competing against one another, and wonders if they are just trying to rank the world. The two men have been sparring for 45 minutes and have exchanged thousands of moves. The narrator wonders how long this will take to catch up with his five parts of the ancient sword technique, and he wonders if the two men will continue like this. He marvels at the speed with which the pieces of the chessboard have moved. The game of chess seems to have some meaning, but he cannot understand it.