Chapter 290: A Draw?

The Xuan paper, which had shown nothing at all, now, under Zhang Xuan's shake, saw the accumulated ink flow apart. The many footprints left by the savage beast connected to form a picture of a rugged plum tree.

Where the ink flowed, a pitch-black, withered trunk appeared, with a few plum blossoms scattered on it. Though they were only buds and looked somewhat desolate from afar, for some reason they gave a sense of biting cold as winter approached.

The place where the savage beast had fallen became two jagged rocks, and the marks left by its fur turned into wrinkles of varying depth on the rock surface.

A winter plum grew from the rock crevices, standing proudly in the bitter cold. Young Master Ji Mo used a profusion of flowers to highlight the peony's nobility, but this winter plum, without a single blossom to embellish it, evoked a sense of unyielding pride that none dared to rival or even stand beside.

Unintentionally vying for spring, it lets all other flowers envy.

Seeing this painting was like seeing the painter walking alone at the edge of the world. What does it matter if others ignore me? What if they don't understand? As long as I maintain my pride, I am still worthy before heaven and earth!

"I... why am I crying?"

"Me too. I feel like I see someone who, though misunderstood, still strides forward without any hesitation!"

"This is... the third realm of painting and calligraphy, Intent Residing?"

"Yes, otherwise it couldn't have resonated so deeply with us at just a glance..."

...

The surroundings fell silent.

After a moment of stillness, many people were moved to tears by the desolate aura of the painting, their eyes reddening.

Paintings and calligraphy with high artistic conception can influence the viewer's mood, and clearly, this one was such a piece.

"A savage beast painted... a third-realm Intent Residing painting?"

As the crowd was affected by the charm of the winter plum, Vice President Cheng Feng felt his lips trembling and his body shaking slightly.

Others could see it, and he naturally recognized it as well. Under the young man's shake, the painting that had been nothing a moment ago instantly elevated countless levels, not only brimming with spiritual energy but also opening up its artistic conception instantly.

Even they would need a long time to conceive and paint a work of this level.

A savage beast took a few steps, rolled over... and then shook to produce a painting...

Even having witnessed it with his own eyes, he still felt as if he were dreaming.

It was utterly unbelievable.

"The key was the final shake!"

Vice President Wu was silent for a moment: "How much ink remained on the Xuan paper, how to shake, how much force to use so that the ink flows to form the trunk and complete the painting... All these details must be perfectly integrated in the mind; a single misstep and it wouldn't work!"

"Yes, it looks simple, but it actually involves great knowledge. Different paper and ink yield different effects. To achieve this realm with a single shake, such insight and control over painting and calligraphy—even I cannot do it..."

Though reluctant to admit it, Vice President Cheng Feng still nodded involuntarily.

It seemed the savage beast was painting and the young man did nothing, but in reality, the most important part was the final shake, like adding the finishing touch. A slight deviation would lead to a huge error, turning a third-realm Intent Residing painting into nothing.

Shaking the painting, ink splattering everywhere, yet finding the most suitable force and the best method...

This showed that from the very beginning, the young man had absolute control over the painting, knowing what it would eventually look like and what level it would reach...

This required a profound understanding of painting and calligraphy and a complete sense of the overall composition in the mind... Not even they, nor even the three-star painting and calligraphy master president, could probably do it!

"This... impossible..."

Young Master Ji Mo, who had been smug and eager to embarrass Zhang Xuan, saw the winter plum appear under the shake. He stumbled back a few steps, his face pale, and felt he was going mad.

A random savage beast caught, dipped in an ink pool, thrown onto Xuan paper, and it became a third-realm painting...

Since when were third-realm paintings so worthless?

He had worked hard, painted until he almost vomited blood, and only reached this level. This guy did it so easily...

Could it be that his talent was truly inferior to a savage beast?

The young servant in blue who had brought Zhang Xuan was also pulling at his ears frantically. If not for the crowd around, he might have gone mad.

As a service staff at the Painting and Calligraphy Masters Guild, relying on salary and commissions, he earned only a few thousand gold coins a month, at best ten thousand. And this guy just grabbed a random savage beast, threw it on paper, and produced a work worth millions...

Damn!

Why work so hard? If he had caught this beast earlier to paint, wouldn't he have become a millionaire by now?

The painting apprentices who had moved the tables earlier were even more teary-eyed.

Some of them had studied painting and calligraphy for over ten years, yet could only produce works at the Recording Realm. They dared not even dream of the so-called Lively or Intent Residing realms.

Seeing with their own eyes a savage beast produce a painting of a higher level than theirs, they suddenly felt that all their years of study and hard work were... fucking useless.

It was good that they hadn't collapsed on the spot.

"Two vice presidents, may I ask whether this work counts as a win or a loss?" Seeing the painting take shape as expected, Zhang Xuan smiled lightly and looked over.

This painting, as the two vice presidents had imagined, depended most on his final shake.

Even if he could control the savage beast remarkably, how could it possibly create a third-realm work?

The final shake, making the ink flow into a complete picture, used the library's ability to avoid all wrong methods.

Without flaws, it was naturally correct.

When to shake, how much force, in what direction, how to lift the Xuan paper... all had their rules. A single mistake would not work.

Fortunately, it succeeded.

"This..."

The two vice presidents exchanged glances.

"Your winter plum painting and Painter Ji Mo's peony painting have both reached the third realm of painting and calligraphy. Though the styles differ, they are on par. Therefore, I declare this contest..." After a moment's hesitation, Vice President Cheng Feng announced: "A draw!"

"A draw?"

Zhang Xuan shook his head, not surprised.

To be honest, his painting was actually of a higher level than Ji Mo's peony painting. However, given the stakes between them and that the latter was a future elite of the guild, if he were declared the loser, would he really kneel and apologize and leave the guild?

If that happened, it would inevitably cost a genius.

Declaring a draw offended neither side and was the most perfect outcome.

Of course, this Young Master Ji Mo might no longer be as imposing as before. Though it was a draw, it was a draw with a savage beast—meaning he was on par with a beast... He would surely be talked about wherever he went.

Zhang Xuan didn't care about this; such a situation was brought on by Ji Mo himself.

"A draw? It's a draw!"

"This is best..."

"Yes, no hard feelings..."

...

Hearing the verdict, the crowd also understood and began discussing.

"Very good. Both of you are painting geniuses. You should get along well in the future..."

After announcing, Vice President Cheng Feng smiled and was about to mediate between the two when Young Master Ji Mo steadied his breath and stepped forward: "Two vice presidents, please wait!"

Everyone turned to look in unison.

"Just now, everyone saw the painting. The most crucial part was his final shake. Without it, it wouldn't even have reached the level of Recording Reality, let alone Intent Presence!"

Ji Mo looked at Zhang Xuan and sneered coldly: "In other words, his painting was a collaboration between a man and a beast. Together, they only matched my level. How can that be considered a tie?"

Everyone was stunned.

Everyone knew that a beast painting would only hold things back. To produce a calligraphy and painting at the Intent Presence level under such circumstances fully demonstrated the other party's skill.

Knowing this, he still said such words—it could be said he was shameless to the extreme.

However, strictly speaking, the other party indeed collaborated!

In calligraphy and painting, there are clear rules: if one person paints, no one else may touch it, not even offer guidance.

The beast painted the plum blossoms, Zhang Xuan's shake formed the branches... thus creating this work. Neither could be omitted.

A work created through collaboration, compared with a single person's work, is indeed... unfair.

"Oh, so what do you mean..."

Seeing him so shameless, Zhang Xuan was not angry, but looked over.

"Simple: I win this competition. You only matched my level through collaboration, so you can only be considered the loser!" Ji Mo snorted.

"Master Ji, a tie is not a bad outcome..."

Unexpectedly, he was so graceless, Vice President Wu was somewhat displeased.

What kind of painting could a beast make?

Clearly, with this young man's help, such a level was achieved.

Under these circumstances, although it was a collaboration between man and beast, in fact, this young man's painting skill was extremely high to accomplish this. Offering a tie was already giving you a way out, yet you're still not satisfied?

Deputy Hall Master Cheng Feng was also very unhappy. Just as he was about to speak, he saw Zhang Xuan wave his hand and look over with a smile: "What Master Ji says makes some sense. Since you insist this is a collaboration between me and the beast, then let it be a collaboration. But this doesn't count as a tie. I'd like to ask... how can I get you to admit defeat?"

"Admit defeat?"

Ji Mo sneered: "I am always fair and won't cheat you. If this painting were a work at the fourth realm, the Startling Swan realm, I would immediately admit it. Unfortunately, it's not! A collaboration only matches me—how can it be a tie?"

"Well said. I seem to have nothing to say!" Zhang Xuan showed no anger, but shook his head with a smile.

"Since you have nothing to say, then admit defeat..."

Ji Mo's eyes lit up. Just as he was about to continue, he saw the young man opposite him curl his lips and look over with pity: "Are you so sure... this painting only reached the third realm?"

"What do you mean?"

Ji Mo glanced at the rice paper on the table. The ink was not yet completely dry. Although it was good, it was only the third realm, impossible to surpass. He sneered coldly: "Stop putting on airs here. Since you admit defeat, hurry up. No matter how much you say, this painting can't become the fourth realm..."

"That's not necessarily so..."

Zhang Xuan looked over calmly: "Vice President Wu, may I trouble you with something?"

"Please speak!" Vice President Wu nodded.

"Does the guild have a torch? May I borrow one?" Zhang Xuan said.

In a place like the Calligraphy and Painting Guild, lighting uses night pearls, with a warm glow, bright and dazzling like daylight.

This brightness is great but has no heat. Now it's autumn, and the room is already a bit chilly. It's only because everyone is a cultivator that they don't mind.

"Yes!"

Vice President Wu looked at him doubtfully, then waved his hand. An apprentice withdrew and returned shortly, carrying a torch.

"Hold it near the painting and roast it!" Zhang Xuan instructed without taking the torch.

"Yes!"

Glancing at Vice President Wu and seeing his approval, the apprentice approached the Cold Plum Blossom painting.

The torch was blazing hot. As soon as it came near, the still-wet ink slowly began to solidify.

Rumble!

As the ink dried, the feeling changed again, instantly transforming.

Around the previously slightly black flower buds, a faint white now appeared, as if in full bloom, emitting fragrance everywhere.

Whirr, whirr, whirr!

Several butterflies flew in from somewhere, as if attracted by the floral scent, landing on it and lingering long.

"This is... the Startling Swan realm?"

"How is that possible?"

...

Everyone felt a shock throughout their bodies, as if going mad.

When the ink was black, it was only at the Intent Presence realm. After roasting, it actually became the Startling Swan realm. How could this happen?

But if it weren't the Startling Swan realm, how could it attract butterflies to gather? And even faintly emit the fragrance of plum blossoms?

Stagger, stagger, stagger, stagger!

Ji Mo even stepped back several times, his face turning pale.

He had just said he would admit defeat if the other party's painting was at the fourth realm. Never in his dreams did he expect that roasting it with a torch would achieve that...

Is it real or fake?

He had examined the painting several times; it was definitely only at Intent Presence. Why did its realm improve after roasting with a torch?

"This is fake... You must have used some cheating method!"

Shaking his head vigorously, unable to believe it, Ji Mo's voice turned fierce as he roared madly.

"Cheating?"

Zhang Xuan shook his head, looked around, and fixed his eyes on Vice President Cheng Feng: "Vice President, have you discerned the reason?"

"I see a bit, but I'm not sure if it's correct."

Vice President Cheng Feng's expression was grave: "The beast that painted just now is called a Cyan Swift Beast. It likes to make nests in wet soil. Our ink is ground from black inkstone. These two seem unrelated, but in fact, wet soil contains components that neutralize black inkstone. When heated with a torch, it lightens the color."

"The Cyan Swift Beast was brought over without washing, so its body was naturally covered with fine wet soil. When mixed with the ink ground from black inkstone and then heated, the effect immediately manifested, causing the petals of this painting to seem in full bloom, thus... greatly enhancing the artistic conception!"

"This requires a profound understanding of taming beasts and the properties of various substances. You..."

At this point, Vice President Cheng Feng still couldn't believe it.

The scene just now seemed magical—roasting with a torch elevated a painting from the third realm to a higher level—but in fact, it integrated countless pieces of knowledge, creating a predetermined outcome that was bound to appear.

In fact, even without roasting with a torch, as time passed, after a day or two, this painting would automatically advance to the Startling Swan realm.

To achieve this, one must have a thorough understanding of taming beasts, substance properties, and many other things. A young man under twenty accomplished this...

Damn!

Is this world crazy, or am I crazy?