Chapter 163: I'll Just Draw Another One!
Translator: StarveCleric Editor: GaiaNove
No eyes?
Did he really forget to draw it, or was there another hidden reason?
Everyone was filled with doubts.
Regardless of humans or animals, the eyes are the most expressive. The painting can't be considered complete without their eyes having been drawn.
For an incomplete painting to reach the pinnacle of the second level?
"Brother Zhang, this is..."
Lu Chen turned to look at Zhang Xuan with a look of utmost confusion.
"Oh, I will add them in now..." Zhang Xuan smiled. The brushes began to dance once across the canvas, this time swiftly adding in the missing parts.
Weng!
The moment the eyes were drawn, it was as if the painting was jolted awake. A peculiar sensation permeated into everyone present. All of the humans and animals within the painting seemed to have come alive in an instant, and it was as if these creatures simply could just take a step forward and traverse into the real world.
"This...?"
Noticing the change in the painting, Master Lu Chen and Master Yuanyu were astounded. Their eyes widened in disbelief.
Qiuqiu!
Before they could even speak, the sound of canaries echoed in the courtyard. A group of birds flew to the painting excitedly and danced on it.
"Breathtaking Verisimilitude? Can this be the fourth level Breathtaking Verisimilitude?" Watching the situation before him in a state of bewilderment, Bai Xun asked.
Master Lu Chen had introduced the four levels of a painting previously to everyone here. For the birds to be attracted to the painting and linger around it, it was clear that the painting had reached the fourth level, Breathtaking Verisimilitude.
Didn't the two master say that this painting could only reach the second realm at the very best?
Why... had it transformed into a fourth level all of a sudden?
"Could it be... because of those eyes?"
Covering her mouth in shock, Huang Yu's body trembled in astonishment.
To think that she would have a chance to personally witness a fourth level masterpiece in the making... This is truly something that she didn't imagine to be possible before.
Weng!
However, before she could recover from her shock, the canaries in the painting quivered for a brief moment before flying out from the painting. These canaries danced a few rounds with the other birds before disappearing into thin air.
All of the other figures also seemed to have emerged from the plane of the canvas, smiling at the audience and clasping their hands together in a bow before disappearing slowly.
"This... This isn't a fourth level painting..."
Upon seeing this sight, Master Lu Chen's mouth had fallen so wide that a chicken egg could be stuffed in easily. After a long period of shock did he manage to gather a few words out of his mouth, "That is... a fifth level painting... Spirit Creation!"
"Spirit Creation?"
Huang Yu and Bai Xun were puzzled.
Aren't there only four levels to painting? Why is there a fifth level out of nowhere?
What had happened?
They were slightly stupefied by the occurrences before them.
"Reality Depiction, Spiritual Canvas, Infused Intentions, and Breathtaking Verisimilitude... These are the most common painting realms that were passed down by mouth from generation to generation. Actually, there is another level above all else and that is Spirit Creation! A painting that has achieved such a level possesses the breath, spirit, and soul of a master painter. As though being granted a soul, the painting obtains the ability to absorb spiritual energy so as to grant the beings within it life."
Master Yuanyu's lips were quivering, "I thought that this existed only in the legends... To think that I would have the honor to witness it for myself..."
The composed Master Yuanyu could not control his intense trembling of his body.
He felt as if the world was going insane.
Just a moment ago, he criticized the other party for being hypocritical, and perhaps that with a few years of experience he could maybe produce an Infused Intentions painting. Yet... The other party immediately created a fifth level masterpiece!
A painting of this level... Probably less than a handful of it were created since the inception of Tianxuan Kingdom!
Even the Ink Daylily Canvas which Huang Yu and Bai Xun were vying for is only a fourth level pinnacle. It is still a far way off from reaching the fifth level.
Those who are able to produce a painting of the fourth level are termed as a master. On the other hand, those who are able to produce a painting of the fifth level are respected with the title, grandmaster. To think that he said that a grandmaster painter was hypocritical, disrespectful, and unpunctual...
The heck!
Am I going insane?
Master Yuanyu felt a stinging sensation on his cheeks. If there was a hole in the courtyard, he would definitely drill himself into it.
That was simply too embarrassing.
To speak the truth, he would even have willingly waited for three days without a single word of complaint to watch a grandmaster create a masterpiece.
"Fi... Fif... Fifth level?"
"There is a fifth level?"
Huang Yu and Bai Xun finally came to a realization and their gazes immediately shot toward Zhang laoshi.
Lu Chen is a secluded expert and he isn't bothered with the affairs of the world. He only knew that Zhang Xuan was a teacher, but he wasn't aware of the exact details. Master Yuanyu also just got to know Zhang Xuan, so he didn't know of the latter's background.
However, Huang Yu and Bai Xun had been to Hongtian Academy and knew a lot about Zhang laoshi's background.
It is said that he is a trash who scored zero in the Teacher Qualification Examination and his students all left him...
But the truth is that he possesses the strength of a Pixue realm pinnacle and the abilities of a grandmaster painter, having not even reached twenty...
Have you ever seen such an incredible trash?
If he is trash, then what are we?
The elites of the trash?
Brother, how are you so amazing? Do you need to be so talented?
Furthermore... If you are so amazing, why did you randomly draw about earlier, as though you knew nothing at all?
Furthermore, to browse through books for four hours straight...
With this kind of level, is there any need for you to browse through books? Do you even need to adjust your state? Even if you were to randomly draw a painting, it would at least be of the fourth level...
"Master Zhang, Grandpa Zhang, can you... give me this painting? As long as you give it to me, I am willing to do anything for you!"
Just as everyone had yet to recover from their disbelief, Bai Xun suddenly turned to Zhang Xuan and looked at him expectantly.
"Give it to you?" Zhang Xuan was taken aback.
"Indeed. Given how I usually treat you respectfully and how I obediently obey all of your orders... Please give it to me..." Bai Xun hurriedly added in.
"Bai Xun, what are you doing? This is something Master Zhang had just created and his emotions are infused into it. How can he simply give it to someone else so casually? I think it would be best that you spare your efforts!" Seeing how shameless the other party was, Huang Yu frowned and reprimanded him. Then, she swiftly turned her gaze to Zhang Xuan and said, "Master Zhang, I am the first one to get acquainted with you. I won't ask you to give it to me, but why don't you... sell it to me? You can offer any price that you like, and as long as it is within my means, I won't have a single word of complaint!"
"You..."
Initially, when Huang Yu reprimanded him, he thought that his actions were truly inappropriate. Yet, it turned out that Huang Yu had other intentions for saying so. Bai Xun was speechless.
Not expecting that this beautiful assistant master teacher would be so scheming and shameless, he harrumphed and spoke through gritted teeth, "Grandpa Zhang, I don't mind paying any amount that you come up with as long as you sell this to me. No matter what, my offer will surely be higher than hers!"
"Bai Xun, why are you causing trouble now? Didn't you want Master Lu Chen's Ink Daylily Canvas? I won't fight with you over that one. Now, I only want this one. Surely you should be content now..."
Huang Yu spat through her gritted silver teeth.
"I don't want that Ink Daylily Canvas anymore, so don't vie with me over this, alright?" Bai Xun didn't have any intentions to step down at all.
"..." Lu Chen.
Previously, these two fellows had been vying so intently for his painting that if they could, they would even come to blows over it. The main purpose of this examination today was to determine who had the qualifications to attain it... Yet, now that Zhang Xuan's painting had appeared, all of them abandoned it immediately...
The heck!
Can you have some principles?
Do you have to be so materialistic?
"You... Bai Xun, why must you always go against me?" Huang Yu was infuriated.
"You are the one who is going against me! I was the one who first expressed my interest in this painting..." Bai Xun said.
"Enough!"
Seeing the two of them arguing ceaselessly, Master Lu Chen's complexion darkened and he flung his sleeves furiously.
Hearing his word, the two of them certainly did not dare to bicker anymore.
Lu Chen is the emperor's tutor. No matter what, he is considered as an elder to them. They would be courting death if they were to continue to bicker before him when he had already expressed his annoyance toward their behavior.
"Even if it is a grandmaster painter, painting a fifth level masterpiece requires a great amount of effort and spirit. Few of such works are born in an entire generation. This painting was created with much effort by Brother Zhang Xuan, so it should be his choice whether he should keep it for himself or gift it to you. Don't you think that you two are going overboard bickering over his painting like that?"
Master Lu Chen spoke authoritatively.
His words made sense. Even a grandmaster painter would find it difficult to produce paintings of the fifth level. After all, too many factors such as one's state of mind and one's form are involved. It isn't something one can produce on a whim.
That's precisely the reason why even though the Grandmaster Painter Mo Chenzi's reputation rung far and wide a century ago, such that countless master painters came to pay him a visit, he did not leave behind many works of the fifth level. Even the Ink Daylily Canvas that Lu Chen treasured is only at the fourth level pinnacle.
This shows how precious and valuable every fifth level painting is. It contains the heart and soul of its creator, so it is too unreasonable to expect its creator to simply gift or sell it.
If a painting of such level could be bought that easily, given Lu Chen's wealth, how could it be possible for him to not even have a single painting of that level?
It is the product of someone else’s effort and is not for sale. Yet, you two are bickering here over it. Aren't you two making it difficult for him to step down from this awkward situation?
"We were reckless..."
"Master Lu, Master Zhang, I was wrong..."
Taking in his reprimand, Huang Yu and Bai Xun immediately realized their mistake and their faces were full of awkwardness.
The other party did not even mention selling it, and yet, they had already begun to bicker over the item. They have truly embarrassed themselves...
"Brother Zhang Xuan, they are still young, so please do not blame them for that..."
After reprimanding the two, Master Lu Chen turned to Zhang Xuan with an apologetic expression.
However, not only did the other party not get angry, he even looked at him with shining eyes. Master Lu Chen was still puzzled at his reaction when he heard the other party's voice resonating, "Master Lu Chen... Is there really someone who is willing to buy my painting? Can it really be sold for money?"
"Cough cough!"
Upon seeing his reaction, Master Lu almost choked on his saliva. If a painting of such caliber cannot be sold for money, doesn't that mean that no one would pick up his painting even if it was dumped on the ground?
He nodded his head speechlessly, "Your painting has reached the fifth level and if you sell it, it should be worth at least two million. Furthermore, it is a unique, one and only product that cannot be found elsewhere on the market..."
"Two million? That's great!"
Delight appeared on Zhang Xuan's face. He turned around to face Bai Xun, "Bai xiao wangye, if you really want it, I will sell it to you for two million!"
"Ah?" Not expecting such a twist, Bai Xun was shocked by Zhang Xuan's reaction.
"Master Zhang, sell it to me..."
Huang Yu said anxiously.
"Calm down, if you want it, I will draw another one for you. It's not like it's a big deal..."
Zhang Xuan waved his hands to calm down the latter.
"..."
Lu Chen and Yuanyu's eyebrows twitched and they stared at Zhang Xuan as though they were looking at a monster. They almost fainted on the spot.
Draw another one? Not a big deal?
Brother, even if you are a grandmaster painter, this is a painting of the fifth level... Draw another one?
You speak as though it is like buying the cabbages in the market...
Are you sure you aren't joking!
If such an incredible painting can be created that easily, paintings of the fifth level wouldn't be so rare that not a single one can be found in the Tianxuan Kingdom.