In the dark studio, a pillar of light shone down from the skylight. Dust floated within, and the floor was vaguely covered in drawing paper.
There were many different shapes and sizes of evil spirits drawn on them. A single glance was enough to make one feel a ferocious aura.
However, none of these drawings were complete. It was as if the painter had lost interest in them halfway through.
Chu Danqing lay on the drawing paper, his limbs stretched out. His face was pale and he had lost a lot of weight. His eyes were wide open, filled with fear that had yet to dissipate.
"Danqing, are you ready?" An old voice came from outside the door. It was Chu Shidao.
"Yes, master." Chu Danqing said weakly. He pushed himself up from the floor and walked to the drawing table. It was the only tidy place in the room. All the brushes had been cleaned, and the paint had been arranged neatly.
The smell of blood permeated the air.
There was a drawing in the middle.
Chu Danqing lowered his eyelids, trying his best not to look at the drawing. He rolled up the framed drawing bit by bit before heaving a sigh of relief.
It was as if this was not a drawing he had drawn himself, but a beast that would bite.
The door was split in half, and dazzling sunlight poured in wildly.
Chu Danqing covered his eyes with his hands and gradually saw a blurry figure. He hurriedly bowed and said, "Master."
Chu Shidao felt a pang of pity when he saw his disciple's appearance. The Emerald Blood of Painting had given him incredible talent, allowing him to draw paintings that far exceeded his cultivation level. However, he had to pay a huge price for it. It could be said that he had truly poured his heart and soul into it.
"Let's go!"
"Where to?" Chu Danqing was somewhat at a loss. He was so immersed in the world of the drawing that he had almost forgotten about the competition.
"Cloudwisp Island."
Chu Danqing suddenly came to his senses. He recalled how he had been drunk by Li Qingshan a few months ago. His face flushed unnaturally.
It was after that day. He began painting in seclusion and did not step out of the studio for nearly six months.
His shameful behavior after drinking must have been spread far and wide. After all, they were enemies. It was inevitable. He hated himself for being too careless. He gripped the scroll in his hand tightly. His anger, humiliation, and depression all merged into the painting. He must teach Li Qingshan a harsh lesson.
Ah, so embarrassing! After such a long time, I hope everyone has already forgotten about it. Li Qingshan, I will never forgive you!
Chu Danqing followed Chu Shidao anxiously. They arrived outside Cloudwisp Island and saw that many bamboo forests had been cut down. It had become a field or an orchard, and a few Agricultural School disciples were currently working on it.
"What a waste." Chu Shidao snorted. This serene and elegant atmosphere. It was originally suitable for painting, but unfortunately it fell into the hands of a layman like Liu Chuanfeng.
Passing through the bamboo forest. When they arrived at the Bamboo Loft, Liu Changqing sat on the veranda, sipping tea. He raised his cup and nodded with a smile. Liu Chuanfeng and Sun Fubai sat beside him.
However, none of these people managed to attract Chu Danqing's attention, as that wretched Li Qingshan strode over. His face brimmed with a radiant, confident smile as he bowed calmly. "Master Chu, fellow Chu, you've finally come."
Chu Shidao nodded and said to Liu Changqing, "Fellow Liu, this isn't the place for the competition. Why did you bring us here?" This was the school of Painting's island. He didn't want to see it destroyed.
Liu Changqing said, "The competition will be held in the school of the Military's Great Martial Arts Field. However, the school of Novels has some objections to this wager, so we've invited both parties here to discuss it."
Chu Danqing glared at Li Qingshan. "What, you want to run away?"
"Of course not." Li Qingshan smiled and looked back at Liu Chuanfeng. After obtaining the nominal approval of the school of Novels' head, he Just Now said, "I just feel that this competition is very unfair!"
Chu Danqing said, "You were the one who personally agreed to it. How is it unfair?"
Li Qingshan said frankly, "Cloudwisp Island is the foundation of our school of Novels. If we lose, we'll naturally be left with nothing. If we win, we'll just be defending something that belongs to us in the first place. Grandmaster Chu, do you think this is fair?
"We only agreed because we had no other choice. If the school of Painting can't come up with a suitable wager, I'll ask Family Head Liu to cancel this competition."
"Now, it's not something you can cancel just because you want to. What wager do you want? Let's hear it." Chu Shidao stared at Li Qingshan with sparkling eyes.
It was true that he had never thought about the wager. In his opinion, the school of Novels was bound to lose. There was no need to set up such a wager at all.
Right now, this brat clearly knew that he was going to lose, so he was bluffing and trying to run away. If he insisted on refusing, Liu Changqing naturally wouldn't help him cancel the competition. He was just afraid that this brat would refuse to participate and say that the school of Painting was forcing him.
Since you want a wager, I'll give you one. What's wrong with that?
Li Qingshan said, "I don't know what I have that can match the value of Cloudwisp island. Please tell me, grandmaster Chu!"
"I'm a poor painter. I don't have anything valuable, just a few small paintings. This painting is my final work. If you find it suitable, then that's fine. If you find it unsuitable, then you can directly admit defeat! "Chu Shidao casually took out a painting and said proudly.
Liu Changqing blurted out, "Don't tell me it's the Heavenly Maiden Scatters the Blossoms?"
Throughout his life, Chu Shidao was most skilled at painting beauties. Not only were the beauties he painted life-like, but their emotions were no different from a real person's as well. However, they did not possess the various flaws of a real person. The beauty in the painting had already surpassed the beauty of the secular world.
As a result, there was a saying, "Even if you have three thousand beauties, it's still not as good as a painting from Shidao". It was renowned throughout the nine prefectures of the Ruyi commandery.
The Heavenly Maiden Scatters the Blossoms was his final work. It was rumored that before he painted it, his hair was already grey, but after he finished painting it, his hair turned white overnight.
The Marquis of Ruyi fell in love with it the moment he saw it. He was willing to pay a great price to purchase it, but he said, "This is my disciple's wife. I can't give it to anyone else."
If someone else said that, they would probably treat it as an excuse, but Chu Shidao had spent his entire life taking a painting as his wife. Even Chu Danqing had to refer to the beauty from the painting as his mistress when he saw her.
The Heavenly Maiden Scatters the Blossoms was the heavenly maiden he had left behind for Chu Danqing.
When the Marquis of Ruyi heard that, all he could do was drop the matter. He could not ruin this beautiful story.
The scroll unfurled, and all the men present were stunned. The scroll closed up.
They were actually unable to recall the heavenly maiden's appearance. They only remembered her fluttering clothes, the scattering petals, and the scattering of fragrant pavilions. The fragrance of the flowers lingered clearly in their noses. The heavenly maiden's appearance changed and gradually stabilised, but it was the most beautiful appearance in everyone's hearts.
Liu Changqing's thoughts immediately reached back to several decades ago. Back then, he was still a scholar, and it was also the season of falling petals. A young girl swayed on a swing, giggling like silver bells. She was his teacher's youngest daughter.
Later on, they were separated, and he had seen all sorts of beauties and kept countless beautiful concubines. Her appearance could not even be described as beautiful, but the feeling she gave him could not be replaced by any beauty. Even she could not.
Time slipped by. The feeling back then had already blurred, but when he saw the painting, it suddenly became clear again, as if it was yesterday, as if it was now. A glance back and a smile might not be alluring, but it was enough to win someone's heart. Even if he had to spend thousands or tens of thousands of spiritual stones, it would be worth it.
Li Qingshan came to his senses. When he looked at Liu Chuanfeng and Sun Fubai again, they both had the same expression. It was obvious that they were reminiscing about the past.
Only Chu Danqing was in a daze. His teacher had long said that he would leave this painting for him to be his wife, but he had never seen it with his own eyes in order not to distract him. He had great expectations in his heart, but now that he saw it, he felt that it was not as moving as the beauties his teacher had painted in the past. Yet, everyone who had seen this painting said it was good, and they were in a daze because it was strange.
Chu Shidao was secretly pleased. This painting was the result of his life's work, and it had completely reversed his previous style. In the past, he had painted expectations. When cultivators offered him spiritual stones, he would paint the most beautiful woman in their hearts.
This painting, however, was full of memories. It could easily break through a cultivator's firm psychological defenses, touch the softest part of one's heart, and evoke the most beautiful memories. Expectations might change with one's status, but the memories would never fade. Like an old jar of wine, the longer it was kept, the more delicious it became.
The one who truly touched you would always be you.
Only when he noticed his disciple's expression did Chu Shidao realize that he had miscalculated.
Eleven years ago, Chu Danqing was merely a little beggar. All he could think about was eating buns. Even eating meat was too extravagant for him. Now, although he was aroused, he was like a blank piece of paper in this aspect. He did not care about memories at all.
If Chu Shidao used this thought to paint a plate of steaming white buns, he would really be drooling.
"Alright, I agree." Li Qingshan said. However, it was not because of his beauty or divine guidance. Instead, it was because the aura emitted by the painting had clearly surpassed the level of a spiritual artifact. However, it could not be called an artifact. In other words, it was not an artifact at all. It was more like a powerful living being sealed in the painting.
If he were to duel with this heavenly lady in the painting, even he himself would not be confident of winning. In any case, it was definitely a good thing.
Moreover, Li Qingshan was only trying to maximize his benefits. If Chu Shidao was really stingy, he would not have given up on the competition. He was already satisfied with this result.
Liu Changqing said, "Alright, then let's sign the contract. No one is allowed to go back on their word!"
On the Great War Island of the militarists, the spectator stands with huge pillars of varying heights were already packed with people. Seeing the arrival of a group of people, discussions immediately broke out.
"Qingshan." Han Qiongzhi, who had been waiting for a long time, quickly walked up to him. She wanted to give him a hug, but after looking around, she bit her lip and was too shy to do so.
Li Qingshan's eyes lit up. Today, she wore a large red palace dress, and the corners of her dress were embroidered with magnificent peonies. If an ordinary woman wore this dress, it would probably seem too gaudy. Only she had such a confident and flamboyant disposition and such a moving bearing. She seemed like a ball of blazing flames, and her beauty was beyond compare.
The noble bearing of a woman from an aristocratic family, which was originally hidden behind her bold and unrestrained habits, was gradually revealed and extremely moving. It seemed that after the date, she had become more and more adept at dressing. Her black hair, which originally only reached her shoulders, had unknowingly draped down her back.
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