Alice followed behind William, who handed over the book he had been reading earlier to her.
He obtained this book from the bookstore using his superpower to take it remotely, but now he certainly can’t just throw it away and make it disappear in front of everyone.
Evelyn also trailed behind, feeling that William wasn’t showing much courtesy towards his cousin.
Yet, it might be because they had a good relationship that William treated his cousin this way.
Bella was extremely efficient in getting things done, quickly locating the staff and arranging for a studio to be set up.
York Brimstone got wind of this news, realizing that William was possibly about to paint. He hurried over with a group of painters, and soon they all gathered by the side of the studio.
York Brimstone had convinced himself that even though this young man, William, might understand how to appreciate art, it didn’t necessarily mean that the artwork he produced would be good.
No, no, no!
It must definitely be a bad painting!
If William had a high level of mastery in painting, he would have become famous a long time ago.
After all, the art circle wasn’t that large; if a young artist of high caliber suddenly appeared, how could he not know about it?
Everyone knew that famous artists could easily earn money.
Some painters could value a random piece at several hundred thousand US dollars, demanding a down payment first and only starting to paint when they felt like it.
This name, William, was something he had just heard of; how could he possibly be a high-level painter?
York Brimstone composed himself, ready to watch William embarrass himself.
Young man, did he really think that having some knowledge of art appreciation made him arrogant and ignorant of his own limitations? Did he really believe that painting was such a simple task?
As William approached the studio, he acted as if York Brimstone and his group were invisible, speaking only to Bella, “No one is allowed in. I don’t like being disturbed when I’m painting.”
Bella felt somewhat embarrassed, as this wasn’t her territory. She could only turn her gaze toward York Brimstone, “Mr. Brimstone, what do you think…”
York Brimstone’s face was incredibly sour. Although he had not witnessed William’s painting skills, this demeanor was somewhat reminiscent of a master painter.
“Let him go in and paint!” York Brimstone waved his hand dismissively. He couldn’t possibly insist on going in to observe, could he?
Generally speaking, young artists hoped to receive guidance from him, considering it a great honor to have him observe their work.
Yet, William’s attitude seemed to suggest that it was York Brimstone and the others who were the inexperienced apprentices, and he himself was the master-level artist.
York Brimstone did not object, so naturally, no one else felt it was appropriate to enter.
William walked into the studio with Alice and then closed the door.
“Haven’t you mentioned before that you wanted to learn how to paint?” Walking over to the table, William casually picked up a paintbrush and said, “Watch closely later, and leave your signature on it afterward.”
“Huh? Why should I sign it?” Alice was somewhat surprised.
Raising an eyebrow, William suddenly became stern: “A good artist must learn to write their own name well. I am only asking you to sign your name, are you afraid you can’t do it well?”
“Well… no, I’m not,” Alice became a bit nervous.
“Prepare my painting tools.”
At this moment, William had no interest in handling trifles such as organizing canvases and mixing paints; he had begun to concentrate all his energy on sensing the art he was about to create. He had reached a kind of realm, an instinctive realm, where every movement naturally integrated with some kind of truth in the universe, a state even he found hard to control.
If he personally prepared all the tools and materials, the art he created would gain additional power.
In today’s world, very few people could truly understand and grasp the realm of a Soulmancer. William didn’t want his painting to directly induce some kind of supernatural phenomenon, causing the viewer to experience a strong spiritual shock or realization.
Alice quickly put down the book she was reading, walked swiftly to the drawing table, and began to prepare the painting tools for William.
After thinking for a while, William decided he would create a very simple piece of art, a painting that did not require too much effort and labor.
He also needed to teach Alice how to paint, which might be the greatest challenge.
“Never mind, I will paint two pieces. You can watch me closely while I paint the second one.”
Alice nodded repeatedly.
William glanced at the palette next to him, dipped the paintbrush into a bit of oil paint, and then started to paint swiftly.
Just a few strokes, simple yet powerful. Even though he painted rapidly, in no more than a minute, a concise oil painting of a young eagle appeared before Alice.
“This…” From the moment William started painting, Alice’s gaze was firmly drawn to the tip of his brush.
The moment the brush touched the canvas, she felt as if she was bewitched.
Those few strokes seemed like the origin of life, utterly breathtaking.
It was as if she could see the young eagle on the canvas breaking out of its egg, the wings seeming ready to flap at any moment, to soar out of the canvas.
In just that instant, energy within her body whirled crazily, nourishing her internal organs.
Alice had only recently started to learn the way of the Soulmancer. Other Soulmancers started enhancing their bodies with various substances before the age of ten, while she had missed the optimal period for power development. Although her mastery had been rapidly advancing under William’s guidance, her foundation was not very solid.
Just in the brief moment earlier, her physical condition had improved at least twofold.
“Master… I need to use the restroom,” Alice said, her face turning red. How could she think of going to the restroom at this time?
“Go ahead!” William probably knew what was happening.
Alice had realized something new; impurities in her body were being expelled by the energy. For a typical Soulmancer, this process would result in bodily filth, but Alice, following William’s enhancement method, would just need to excrete it normally.
There was a restroom in the studio; Alice rushed in with a red face. Then, tumultuous sounds could be heard from inside; even with the door closed, it should be audible.
“I’m so embarrassed to death!” Alice clenched her small fists, tears nearly streaming down her face.
Having diarrhea at this time was utterly disgraceful.
Ah, ah, ah!
She wondered how William would perceive her now.
Her goddess-like image was ruined!
It was over, over!
Alice was in the restroom for nearly ten minutes, and when she went to flush the toilet, she glanced down and turned pale with shock. ．ｔ
The contents were a mix of black and red, with an unbearable stench. My God, did she excrete that?
Being medically trained, she knew this condition indicated either stomach bleeding or hemorrhoids…
Or did she have some kind of terminal illness?
Fear was written all over Alice’s face. She knew her stomach was fine.
Hemorrhoids? Even less likely!
Could she really have contracted some terminal illness?
Exiting the restroom, Alice pouted, her eyes red and teary, as she walked pitifully towards William and said with a cry in her voice, “Master, I might have contracted some terminal disease. Can you check on me? I did a quick check on myself and everything seemed normal, but… but… please check for me.”
William, who was intently mixing paint, extended his hand and flicked her forehead with his middle finger, asking, “Was what you expelled filthy and unbearable?”
Touching her forehead, Alice exclaimed, “How did you know? You… you…”
She initially wanted to ask if he had been peeping, but then realized that she had closed the door; how could William have peeped?
Then it dawned upon her that her master was a Soulmancer, the kind with unfathomable abilities. Could he possibly have some kind of x-ray vision?
No way!
Could her master really have been spying on her?
As Alice pondered this, her face turned red again. Just a moment ago, she was worried about having a terminal illness, but now she was engulfed in extreme embarrassment.