Chapter 1439: Zhang Xuan Wins?

As the foremost talented woman of the Zhang clan and the most brilliant genius among calligraphers and painters, she had already demeaned herself by disregarding status and competing with an unknown nobody. Instead of being grateful, he was so careless...

Is this what you call being serious?

Who paints seriously without using a brush or special paper, but with a longsword?

She was so frustrated she felt like exploding, while Jian Qinsheng beside her swayed, wanting to spit blood.

He had just told the other party that coming here represented the Way of the Sword, and now he was using a sword to paint...

A sword is sharp and cold; using it to paint is many times more difficult than using a brush. I only meant for you to remember your identity and responsibilities, not to lose the big for the small...

But I didn't tell you to do this!

She used the Azure Saint Fox Brush, Flowing Light Paper, and the Snow Mud technique... a myriad of methods emerging endlessly, while you, like an ordinary craftsman, carve on a stone slab... Do you have to be so frivolous?

His face full of despair, he didn't need to think—this competition was surely lost.

Does this guy have iron in his head?

Zhang Wuchen also opened his mouth, unable to close it for a long time.

He had seen people with problems in their heads, but never one with such a big problem.

Painting with a sword... what madness is this?

Probably thinking he can't surpass Zi Qing and doesn't want to lose face... Elder Wuzhen speculated.

Hmm...

After thinking for a while, unable to understand the other's intention, Zhang Wuchen had to nod.

Zhang Ziqing, known as the foremost talented woman of the Zhang clan, was no weaker in painting and calligraphy than some veteran eight-star peak calligraphers and painters. At the same age, even knowing that the person before him had passed the Master Teacher Pavilion, he didn't think he could succeed.

Unable to win and unwilling to lose face, the only option was to be unreasonable. When he lost, he could shift the blame to the paper and brush.

Understanding his intention, he shook his head and looked forward, then was stunned again.

He saw Zhang Xuan, holding a longsword, with the sword tip a full foot away from the stone slab. His arm kept turning, the longsword danced, and sword qi crisscrossed, covering the entire rock but leaving no trace on it.

It was as if he was performing a shamanic dance alone, completely incomprehensible.

Is this kid... crazy?

I think so; otherwise, why would someone dance with a sword?

The surroundings were dead silent, everyone's faces wooden.

They had seen all kinds of painting methods—some elegant, some manic, some flamboyant, some solemn... like Zhang Ziqing just now, every stroke full of spirit, giving a sense of beauty. But this one, jumping around like having a seizure, leaving no trace on the stone slab... was he just playing?

Even Zhang Ziqing kept rubbing her eyes, wondering if she had misseen.

He had been so arrogant just now, saying he had never lost a competition, but as soon as he started... he became like this?

Done, finishing work!

Just as she was bewildered, she saw the young man before her exhale, wipe the sweat from his forehead, and wearily sheathe his longsword.

Whoosh!

The stone slab landed on a nearby table, placed side by side with her Mountain Bamboo Painting.

That's it?

Turning to look, she saw that the incense she had just thrown had just gone out, exactly on time.

The timing was perfect, but... what was this stone block?

I was competing in painting and calligraphy, not carving. Besides, even if it were carving, there should be patterns on it. Nothing at all, empty—what is this?

Most importantly... he just waved the sword for ten or twenty breaths, did nothing, then looked tired and pale...

Couldn't he at least pretend more convincingly?

Are you sure this is your painting? If it's not done well, I can let you start over.

Unable to hold back any longer, she looked over.

Since she was competing with him, she naturally wanted to win fair and square. If he hadn't performed well, she didn't mind giving him another chance.

It's done, no need to start over...

Smiling, Zhang Xuan extended his hand in a gentlemanly manner: "Use the Wu Dao Mirror to examine it!"

"Testing?"

Seeing his beaming smile, Zhang Ziqing couldn't help her face twitching.

He had taken a stone, not even leaving a single mark on it, and compared it to my peak eighth-level painting...

Not the slightest worry... Where did his confidence come from?

"That's right!" Zhang Xuan nodded. "Of course, if you voluntarily admit defeat, there's no need for testing!"

"Voluntarily admit defeat?"

Zhang Ziqing gritted her teeth.

He had taken a stone, scribbled around it with a sword, tossed it here, and now wanted me to admit defeat...

I've seen crazy people, but never one this crazy.

"That's right, such a remarkable painting took me immense effort to complete. In such a short time, it's nearly impossible to create another!"

Letting out a breath, Zhang Xuan looked into the distance, his eyes filled with loneliness and solitude.

"Immense effort?"

"Can't create another?"

Everyone staggered.

There was nothing on the stone, not even a trace of damage—give it to a dog, and even a dog could make it!

And he calls it effort... Effort, my foot!

"Are you sure you want to use the Wu Dao Mirror?"

Seeing his utterly unflappable demeanor, Zhang Ziqing snorted.

"Of course!"

Waving his hand, Zhang Xuan exuded the air of a lofty master.

"Fine, I'll make you lose fair and square!"

With a cold snort, unable to hold back any longer, Zhang Ziqing tapped her finger, and the Wu Dao Mirror once again floated in the air.

"This junior, Zhang Ziqing, humbly requests the Wu Dao Mirror to pass judgment and determine the quality of the paintings..."

She extended her finger, gently tapped, and a beam of light enveloped the mirror.

Whoosh!

The Wu Dao Mirror seemed instantly activated, emitting a multicolored glow. Its reflective surface turned downward, and in the blink of an eye, it had enveloped the Mountain Bamboo Painting.

"The Mountain Bamboo Painting: the bamboo has spirit, the mountain carries wind, perfectly blending weather and nature—neither abrupt nor contrived. It has already reached the peak of the eighth level, a rare work..."

After a short while, a voice sounded from within the Wu Dao Mirror.

Hearing the verdict, Zhang Ziqing breathed a sigh of relief, her brows involuntarily lifting with pride.

To receive such an appraisal from the Wu Dao Mirror meant that this painting of hers, even if not as good as her previous 'Winter Snow Trek,' was not far off.

"Let's see how the Wu Dao Mirror judges yours..."

Confident of her victory, she snorted coldly and looked over again.

Zzzzz!

After commenting on her work, the Wu Dao Mirror swept over the stone on the table.

It paused for a moment, then swept again.

Seeming uncertain, it swept a third time.

After three consecutive scans, it stopped, and the voice that had just spoken slowly sounded again.

"This painting is rare... Compared to the former, it wins!"

"Wins?"

Her body swaying, Zhang Ziqing thought she had misheard; her eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.

How... had the Wu Dao Mirror started lying through its teeth too?

This piece of junk... you could pick up several like it anywhere—how was it rare?

"Uh, what's going on..."

Zhang Wuchen and the others stood frozen, dumbfounded.