Upon hearing those words, everyone suddenly recalled that the test between him and Lu Xun hadn't ended yet. Their gazes immediately turned to Elder Tian.
"You win..."
Elder Tian sighed, his face filled with bitterness.
Competing with the painter in terms of appreciation?
What a joke! Even if he wanted to say that he had lost, he couldn't bring himself to say it!
Furthermore, the fact that he had written his name on it raised the painting by a whole level.
"Miss Zhang, this is your Spirit Calming Tea!"
Zhang Xuan was victorious. Tian Gang passed the teacup over. Steam floated in the air, and a fragrance assaulted one's nose. Even before drinking it, one could already feel refreshed and refreshed.
Taking the teacup, just as everyone thought that the young man would drink it and enjoy the fragrance, he flipped his palm and slowly poured the tea onto the floor.
Hualala!
The fragrance permeated the surroundings.
"Miss Zhang..."
Seeing such a precious cup of tea being poured away, Liu Ling, Huang Yu, and the others were shocked. Looks of disbelief appeared on their faces.
This was Spirit Calming Tea! Countless people wished to drink it, but they couldn't... Even a master teacher apprentice like Huang Yu wasn't qualified to pour it away...
What a waste of a treasure!
Looks of pity appeared on everyone's faces.
"Zhang Xuan, my grandfather invited you to drink such a precious tea out of goodwill, yet you poured it away. What do you mean by this?"
Tian Long abruptly stood up.
Someone offered you tea, yet you poured it away right in front of him. This was clearly not giving him face.
Furthermore, even he wasn't qualified to drink this tea. Yet, this lad wasted it. This was unforgivable.
Regardless of whether the other party was a grandmaster painter or not, he couldn't hold himself back anymore.
"What a pity!"
Ignoring the other party's roar, Zhang Xuan placed his hands behind his back. Gazing at the lush greenery outside the hall, he sighed.
"Stop putting on an act. You were the one who poured the tea, and now you're saying that it's a pity. Do you really think that there's no one in my Tian Clan capable of doing so?" Tian Long raged.
You were the one who poured the tea, and now you're saying that it's a pity? What are you trying to do?
Are you doing it on purpose?
The others were confused as well. They couldn't figure out what Miss Zhang was up to.
Liu Ling, Zhuang Xian, and the others looked at one another in bewilderment.
As master teachers, they possessed incredible eye of discernment, allowing them to see through many things. However, when it came to the young man before them, they realized that their eye of discernment was completely ineffective.
He was unable to see through the other party's cultivation, what he was thinking, and what he was intending to do next.
It was as if this guy was wrapped in a mystery.
Not to mention, to pour away the tea and offend Elder Tian … What in the world was he up to?
If there was really no room for maneuver later, should he step forward and dissuade them?
Just as everyone was confused, Zhang Xuan turned around and looked at Elder Tian.
"Tranquil Tea, the mind is clear and tranquil. It grows at the summit of Mount Han and is plucked after the flower has bloomed. Originally, when brewed well, it can allow one to maintain a heart as tranquil as water for a hundred breaths. This cup, however, can only maintain it for twelve breaths. Such good tea leaves are wasted. If that's not a pity, what is it? "
"You... How did you know that this tea can only maintain Heart of Tranquil Water for twelve breaths?"
Upon hearing those words, Elder Tian, who was infuriated, couldn't help but be taken aback.
According to the books, the effects of the Tranquil Tea could be maintained for a hundred breaths. However, no matter how he brewed it, he could only maintain it for around twelve breaths. Initially, he thought that the records were nonsense. However, upon hearing the casual words of Miss Zhang, he was astonished.
Didn't you not drink it?
You didn't drink it, and yet you know the effects of my tea?
"You used the water from the well in the Three Gardens Platform and placed it under the sun for two days before boiling it for an hour to brew the tea. Then, you used [Seven Hearts Coiling Hands] to brew the tea. The teapot and tea set were made by Master Ceramist Wu Qingzi personally. In order to brew this pot of tea, you bathed and changed your clothes in advance. You ate a vegetarian diet for seven days and adjusted your state of mind to the state of tranquil water. You strived for perfection in everything, fearing that you would make a mistake. However... the Tranquil Tea that you brewed didn't reach its maximum effect. In fact, it could even be said to be a defective product! "
Zhang Xuan waved his hands casually.
"You..."
As though he had seen a ghost, Elder Tian didn't even realize that the teacup in his hand had fallen onto the table.
The other party's words... couldn't be more accurate!
The water used to brew the tea was indeed the water from the well in the Three Gardens Platform. Zhang Xuan had also used the Seven Hearts Coiling Hands to brew the tea, and the tea set was made by the Green Lantern. He bathed and changed his clothes before brewing the tea, and he ate a vegetarian diet for seven days...
These were all his secrets. Even Liu Shi and the others weren't aware of them, and even Tian Long wasn't aware of them. How did this Miss Zhang know of them?
Furthermore... How could she explain everything so clearly?
It was said that a true grandmaster of the Way of Tea was able to discern the flaws and problems in a tea just by looking, smelling, and tasting, thus guiding one to improve.
Could it be that... he wasn't just a grandmaster painter, he was a grandmaster of the Way of Tea as well?
If that was the case, wouldn't it be possible for him to break through the final bottleneck and reach a higher realm?
Elder Tian's body trembled in agitation, and his body trembled uncontrollably.
Just as he was about to ask the other party about it carefully, Tian Long suddenly bellowed furiously.
"How dare you say that grandfather's tea is defective? Who do you think you are? Do you believe that I won't teach you a lesson right now... "
Hearing those words, Elder Tian's eyebrows shot up, and he nearly fainted on the spot.
He had already reached a bottleneck in the Way of Tea, and he had been unable to achieve a breakthrough even after so many years. Yet, the other party was able to point out the situation of brewing the Spirit Calming Tea. If he were to offer some guidance, he might just be able to achieve a breakthrough. Yet... this fellow interrupted him. Wasn't he just messing around?
Furthermore, you want to teach a grandmaster of the Way of Tea a lesson...
You bastard who cheated your grandpa.
If not for you picking on this Miss Zhang, I wouldn't have been so prejudiced against her. If I could have befriended her, I wouldn't have offended her.
Damn it!
The more he thought about it, the angrier he got. His beard curled up, "Shut up!"
"Ah? Grandfather... "
Tian Long didn't expect his grandfather to berate him in such a manner. He froze on the spot with a dumbfounded look on his face.
"Scram to the side, don't get in the way!"
Waving his hands grandly, Elder Tian hurriedly stood up and walked up to Zhang Xuan. Clasping his fist, he bowed respectfully, as though a student, "Miss Zhang is right. The tea that I brewed is indeed... defective. It doesn't bring out the true effects of the Spirit Calming Tea..."
He had no choice but to admit it.
There was nothing wrong with the other party's words. He must have seen through something. If he were to deny it now, he would incur the other party's disgust. If so, he might just miss out on an opportunity to improve himself.
"This..."
"The Spirit Calming Tea can allow one to maintain Heart of Tranquil Water for a hundred breaths?"
Hearing Elder Tian admit to it, the crowd burst into an uproar. They stared at the young man as though he was a monster.
This was especially so for Huang Yu and Bai Xun. They tugged on their hair furiously, feeling as though they were on the verge of losing their minds.
Didn't this Miss Zhang know nothing about the Way of Tea when she first arrived?
How could she be able to see through all of this with a single glance, even making Elder Tian lower himself and admit his mistake?
By the side, Lu Xun and Wang Chao were even more frenzied.
Isn't this fellow a trash?
To be able to produce a painting of the fifth level, to be able to win Elder Tian's respect for the Way of Tea... Who in the world has ever seen such an incredible trash?
"I beseech Miss Zhang to point out where I went wrong so that I can correct it and not waste such valuable tea leaves."
Admitting that he was unable to bring out the effects of the Spirit Calming Tea, Elder Tian looked at Zhang Xuan respectfully.
"I came to your Tian Clan as a guest, and I was invited by the three master teachers. Yet, I ended up being looked down on by them..." At this point, Zhang Xuan shook his head. Turning to the elder before him, he asked, "Do you think that treating a grandmaster painter like this is the proper way to treat a guest?"
"I..."
Elder Tian felt awkward.
It was one thing if the other party was an ordinary person. However, he was a grandmaster painter, and there was a high chance that he was a grandmaster in the Way of Tea as well.
It was one thing for him to not respect such a person, but to even test him...
This was blatant disdain.
Master teachers couldn't be humiliated, and the same went for grandmasters as well.
Regardless of which occupation it was, those who had reached the level of a grandmaster were existences that transcended countless living beings. Even in a Conferred Kingdom, they were respected existences. Yet, he actually made such a foolish mistake...
"Honestly speaking, I didn't want to say too much. However, since you are sincerely seeking my guidance, I can give you a word of advice."
Zhang Xuan glanced at him impassively. "Fine wine in a luminous wine cup. Even fine wine requires specialized tools, needless to say, famous tea. Spirit Calming Tea is used to calm one's mind. Even though the Green Lantern is a treasure left behind by a master, it is clearly of the fire attribute. Fire represents heat, so how can one calm one's mind? This is the first reason. "
"The Way of Tea is the way to calm one's mind. Bathing and changing one's clothes, abstaining from vegetarianism for seven days, is a form of respect for one's actions. However, if one is to calm one's mind, how can there be a birthday banquet? With so many people, one's mind is already disturbed, so how can one brew the most perfect Spirit Calming Tea? This is the second reason! "
"Take a good look at these two points. Perhaps, they might be beneficial to your Way of Tea. I still have matters to attend to, so I won't be staying any longer. Farewell!"
Zhang Xuan waved his hands and walked out.
"Miss Zhang, please wait a moment..."
Before he could take two steps, Elder Tian hurriedly rushed forward.
"Miss Zhang, the two pieces of advice you have given me have enlightened me. This is a small token of my appreciation, please accept it."
After which, with a wave of his hand, a box appeared in his palm. Opening it lightly, a rich aroma of tea gushed out.
"Spirit Calming Tea leaves?"
"This should be... two taels, right?"
"Tianxuan Kingdom only produces three taels a year, yet you are giving away two taels at once?"
Upon smelling the fragrance, the eyebrows of Liu Ling and the others twitched in shock.
This was definitely a huge gift!
One must know that Spirit Calming Tea was something that even Emperor Shen Zhui rarely got to drink. Thus, it was clear how precious it was. For Elder Tian to give away two taels of tea leaves at once, enough to brew it more than a dozen times... Wasn't he being a little too generous?
"Looks like... Miss Zhang's two suggestions might sound ordinary, but they must have been of great help to Tian laoshi. Otherwise, it would be impossible for him to be so generous..."
While he was shocked, he also understood that the gift wasn't given for free. For Elder Tian to take out so many tea leaves at once, it meant that... the other party had pointed out the crux of the matter, and Elder Tian had benefited greatly from it.
Without even drinking the tea, with just a glance, she was able to point out the crux of the matter, causing Elder Tian to willingly give away the tea...
How many surprises did this Miss Zhang have in store? Were there any that they didn't know?
(The second chapter is here. Laoya will continue writing the third chapter. How much of an outburst I can achieve today will depend on how much support you all have. Even though our monthly votes have risen to sixth place, there isn't much of a difference between us and seventh place. Everyone, please continue to support me! Laoya is responsible for the outburst, so let's try our best to reach the climax of the Teacher Evaluation today! Please!)
You've already exceeded your reading limit for today. If you want to read more, please log in.
Login
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
