Chapter 163: Deceiver?

"Read a book?" Lu Chen and Yuan Yu exchanged peculiar glances.

"We asked you to paint, anything, just to show your true ability... And you want to read a book? What does reading have to do with painting?"

On the side, Bai Xun and Huang Yu, who had been expecting to witness Zhang Xuan's grand display of skill, were utterly bewildered as well.

They're about to paint, and only now are they thinking of reading... Isn't that a bit too late for last-minute cramming?

More importantly... Sir, you're already at this level, will reading even help?

"Yes!" Zhang Xuan replied, suppressing his embarrassment as he met their peculiar gazes.

He was truly at a loss. Painting? He wished he were a master, capable of instantly producing works of the third or fourth realm, displaying immense power and prowess.

But in reality, he couldn't even hold a calligraphy brush properly, let alone know how to use a paintbrush... How could he possibly paint?

While he could discern all flaws and absorb the contents of any book for his own use, he couldn't instantly become a true master of painting and calligraphy. That would only be possible if he observed enough painting techniques to synthesize a unique Heaven's Path secret manual.

The information compiled by the library, when forming correct methods, made practice highly efficient and straightforward. If this truly worked, perhaps he could indeed become a master in a short period.

"What type of book do you wish to read? Could it be, young friend, that you've reached a bottleneck in your painting and calligraphy studies?"

After a long pause, Master Lu Chen couldn't help but ask.

Painting and calligraphy, much like martial arts, can also present bottlenecks. Many individuals achieve the third realm after just a few years of study, while countless others never even reach the first realm in their entire lives.

He simply couldn't fathom the situation. After a long moment of hesitation, he wondered if the young man before him had encountered a bottleneck and was seeking a breakthrough.

Otherwise, why would he decide to read a book just as he's about to paint? The two are entirely unrelated; they couldn't be further apart!

"No, it's not that. It's... it's just that I find it difficult to transition my mindset freely. Before each painting session, I need to read extensively to relax, which then allows me to create higher-quality works!"

After a moment of thought, Zhang Xuan came up with an excuse.

He certainly couldn't tell them that he didn't even know how to hold a paintbrush, and that he wanted to read books... to actually learn how to paint.

If he were to reveal that, they'd probably consider him insane and beat him on the spot.

Painting and calligraphy are even more challenging than martial arts. To achieve the mastery of Lu Chen and Yuan Yu requires decades of dedication, countless ruined canvases, and numerous worn-out brushes. It's impossible to succeed otherwise. To know nothing and expect to learn after just a short read...

Isn't that just dreaming? Even if you're going to lie, at least make it a believable one...

"A truly fine piece of art is connected to one's state of mind, luck, and opportunity... At your young age, it's certainly challenging to produce remarkable works if your mindset isn't properly adjusted."

Master Yuan Yu, standing nearby, nodded in agreement.

Master Lu Chen also offered no objection.

Painting and calligraphy are an art form, not a physical fight where one's strength can be measured directly, or where one can perform adequately even when not at their best.

If one cannot find the right state, even the most skillful drawing will lack soul and thus cannot be considered a true masterpiece.

"This is just my habit... Hmm?" Zhang Xuan was surprised when the two masters didn't refute him, as he had been ready to offer further explanations.

Then, he suddenly understood.

The principles of art are universal.

Back when Wang Xizhi composed the Preface to the Poems Collected from the Orchid Pavilion, he was heavily intoxicated when he completed it. Upon sobering up, he attempted to rewrite it but found he could never surpass his original, intoxicated effort. This illustrates the importance of one's state.

Just like Master Yuan Yu before them, whose most remarkable painting was the "River Birds" scroll; even if given brushes and paper now, he surely couldn't recreate it.

Everyone has a masterpiece, a work influenced by many factors. Therefore, his claim of not being in the right state and needing to read to adjust was entirely plausible.

"Lu Chen, don't you have a good number of painting and calligraphy manuals and rare editions in your study? Let young friend Zhang Xuan go in and have a look. We'll wait here for him to get ready, and then he can demonstrate his painting skills to us!"

Master Yuan Yu suggested.

"My study?" Lu Chen's mouth twitched involuntarily.

The last time this young man had a breakthrough, he left the study in disarray, and Lu Chen still felt a lingering apprehension from that incident.

Nevertheless, he was also curious to see the extent of Zhang Xuan's abilities, so he nodded. "Alright, Ah Cheng, please escort young Zhang over there!"

"Thank you very much, Master!" Zhang Xuan breathed a sigh of relief, realizing he had successfully fooled them, and followed the butler, Cheng Bo, back towards the study.

The last time he had visited, he was searching for secret manuals on the sixth level of the martial artist realm, the Aperture Opening stage. This time, however, he was looking for books on painting and calligraphy, a fact that even surprised himself.

While Zhang Xuan entered the study, the atmosphere in the reception hall remained somewhat peculiar.

"Reading to adjust one's state of mind... Master Lu, I've never heard of such a practice before," Huang Yu couldn't help but interject.

As a knowledgeable apprentice to a renowned master, she honestly admitted that she had never witnessed such peculiar behavior in her life.

"Adjusting one's state of mind varies from person to person; it's hard to generalize," Master Yuan Yu remarked after a moment of contemplation, as Lu Chen remained silent. "Actually, this relates to habit. There was once a powerful cultivator who, before achieving renown, used to sell firewood..."

"I know, Master, are you referring to Elder Luchai?" Bai Xun asked.

Elder Luchai's true name was Luchuan, but he was known as Luchai because he earned his living by selling firewood before he rose to prominence.

He had reached the peak of the Profound Attainment Realm, rarely encountering rivals throughout the entire Tianxuan Kingdom, and had become quite renowned.

From a common firewood seller to a renowned master across the kingdom, Elder Luchai was always an inspiring figure, motivating young people, and many were familiar with his exploits.

"Precisely, Elder Luchai. You are aware of his challenging path to fame and his rigorous cultivation, but perhaps you don't know that before engaging in battle, he, too, needed to adjust his state of mind. His method of adjustment was chopping firewood; he would often lock himself in a room and chop wood for an entire day until his mental state and overall condition reached their absolute peak."

"Now that you mention it, Brother Yuan, I recall a renowned master from a century ago, known as 'One Sword Pacifies the River,' the lone swordsman Wu Jiangping. I heard that before he became famous, he was a bamboo weaver. Before every battle, he would adjust his state of mind by weaving baskets, which allowed his skills to reach profound levels, earning him universal awe!"

Master Lu Chen added.

"Indeed, there are many such instances. It's not strange that young Zhang Xuan needs to read to adjust his mindset, it's just that..."

Yuan Yu paused at this point.

"Brother Yuan, please speak freely!"

Lu Chen smiled as he looked at him.

"Just now, while you were painting, I observed him closely for a while and also deliberately questioned Huang Yu and Bai Xun. I noticed... he seemed utterly perplexed, as if completely oblivious to painting and calligraphy, even... he didn't discern anything at all!"

Recalling the recent events, Yuan Yu shook his head. "Brother Lu, you previously mentioned he could even perceive the flaws in your 'Summer Autumn' painting and the 'Crimson Roaring Sky' scroll. He shouldn't have worn such an expression!"

Master Yuan Yu, being a physician, was skilled in subtle observation. Zhang Xuan's undisguised astonishment while watching Master Lu Chen paint was clearly visible to him.

"Doesn't understand? That's impossible, isn't it?"

Master Lu Chen, lacking Yuan Yu's keen observational skills, found it difficult to believe.

Zhang Xuan, after all, had immediately discerned the artistic arrangement of his courtyard upon entering, then peeled back the rice paper of the 'Summer Autumn' painting to reveal its hidden contents, and even pointed out the errors in the 'Crimson Roaring Sky' scroll...

With such discerning insight, even superior to his own, how could Zhang Xuan possibly be completely ignorant of painting and calligraphy?

"That was my impression too, but it's possible I was mistaken..."

Master Yuan Yu shook his head slightly.

He remained genuinely curious about Zhang Xuan.

Before Zhang Xuan's arrival, Master Lu Chen had spoken of him as a truly exceptional talent, sparking Yuan Yu's intense curiosity. However, upon meeting him in person, Yuan Yu admitted to feeling a touch of disappointment.

True masters of painting and calligraphy typically possess a unique demeanor, yet he detected none of it in Zhang Xuan. Furthermore, when discussing painting, Zhang Xuan had been hesitant and evasive, leading to unavoidable suspicion. If it were not for his friendship with Lu Chen, Yuan Yu would likely have directly questioned him.

If Zhang Xuan truly possessed painting and calligraphy skills comparable to theirs, he would certainly not behave in such a manner.

"Could it be... that he knows nothing at all? Is he merely faking it?"

This thought suddenly emerged, causing Master Yuan Yu's brows to furrow.

If that were the case, many inconsistencies would suddenly make sense.

Precisely because he knew nothing, he stalled and made excuses, claiming he needed to read when asked to paint.

His complete ignorance of painting would explain his bewildered expression while watching Lu Chen paint, making him seem even less discerning than Huang Yu and Bai Xun.

And it made sense; being less than twenty years old, even with extensive knowledge of painting and calligraphy, what level of mastery could he possibly achieve?

He probably researched his old friend's artwork beforehand, then deliberately made insightful comments, pretending to be knowledgeable when in reality he was just a fraud.

If this was indeed the case, he would need to caution his old friend to be wary; he would make sure to advise him later.

"Brother Yuan, weren't you planning to visit someone this afternoon? Waiting here like this, won't it delay you?"

Just as Yuan Yu was wondering how to voice his suspicions, Master Lu Chen's voice broke his thoughts.

"Oh, I heard that a renowned master named Yang Xuan has arrived in the royal city. He reportedly resolved the issues afflicting Ling Tianyu's wife and Du Miaoxuan with extraordinary methods, so I wanted to visit him!"

Master Yuan Yu nodded.

Ling Tianyu's wife and Du Miaoxuan were both his patients, and despite his best efforts, he had been unable to resolve their physical ailments. It was unexpected that this Master Yang Xuan had managed to cure them all in such a short time. As a master of medicine himself, Yuan Yu naturally wished to visit him, hoping to receive guidance that would further his own medical knowledge.

"A renowned master?" Master Lu Chen exclaimed, filled with disbelief.

Lu Chen had always led a secluded life, so he was unaware of Yang Xuan's rising fame throughout the royal city.

"Indeed. Why don't we visit him together this afternoon? I know you've long aimed to break through to the Fourth Realm in painting and calligraphy but haven't succeeded. Perhaps with a renowned master's guidance, you could achieve a breakthrough!"

Master Yuan Yu chuckled.

"Excellent, it's settled! After we assess them, we'll depart," Master Lu Chen exclaimed, nodding excitedly.

As Zhang Xuan arrived at Master Lu Chen's residence to assess Huang Yu and the others, a youth carrying a long spear entered the classroom. It was Mo Xiao, Zheng Yang's childhood playmate and close friend.

Both had sought apprenticeship under Wang Chao, but while Mo Xiao succeeded, Zheng Yang became Zhang Xuan's student instead.

"I've just learned a new spear technique these past few days, and I specifically came here to spar with you!"

Mo Xiao flicked his long spear, and his entire being seemed to merge with the weapon, emitting a sharp, chilling aura that made one's brows furrow.

"Alright!" Zheng Yang responded, raising his own long spear and standing proudly, utterly unfazed.