Chapter 556: You Owe Me My Bird

Spiritual entities, endowed with sentience by a painter, absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth and emerge from the artwork.

Because they are not living beings, these spiritual entities are more sensitive to spiritual energy and demand higher quality. It's almost impossible for ordinary spiritual energy to sustain them for long. Even the concentrated spiritual energy from the discourse of a five-star master would find it extremely difficult to make them remain for an extended period, let alone that from two-star or three-star masters.

Precisely for this reason, this assessment is not as easy as it might seem. Otherwise, so many master teachers would not have been unaware of its true difficulty.

In Master Su’s opinion, although Zhang Xuan possesses some talent in painting and calligraphy, he is, after all, only a three-star painter (assessed in Tianwu Kingdom). The principles he teaches are also the most fundamental basics, so it would likely be quite difficult for him to gather enough spiritual energy to make the spiritual entities persist for a longer time.

“If he were explaining cultivation, he might last around fifteen minutes. After all, Elder Yun himself could only sustain it for thirteen minutes!” Hall Master Kang said after a moment of hesitation.

To confirm the assessment content, Elder Yun, a dignified four-star master teacher, had specifically tested it and could only sustain it for thirteen minutes.

This Zhang Xuan, when explaining cultivation, could even captivate Hall Master Kang. It wouldn't be difficult for him to surpass that result.

However, fifteen minutes would be his absolute maximum.

After all, the more basic the content being explained, the less likely it is to stir up spiritual energy.

“He’s lecturing on painting and calligraphy right now, and it’s so basic. I doubt he’ll last even eight minutes!”

“Indeed!” Master Su nodded.

Although neither of them were painters or calligraphers by profession, they had read many related books and knew that this young man was explaining the most basic concepts. Furthermore, with no obvious spiritual energy fluctuations around him, it was unlikely he could sustain it for a longer period.

“Only eight minutes? It will be difficult to get first place,” Master Ling couldn't help but interject. “Young Master Ruohuan, a four-star painter and calligrapher and a four-star master teacher, will definitely exceed ten minutes if he lectures!”

Both of them nodded simultaneously.

Since Jun Ruohuan is familiar with spiritual entities and is also a master teacher, sustaining them for ten minutes wouldn't be difficult for him. If Master Zhang only lasts eight minutes, not to mention first place, even second place would be difficult.

“Look quickly, the spiritual entities seem to be shaking and on the verge of dissipating!”

Everyone looked in unison and indeed saw the many birds depicted in the painting: their chirps were growing fainter, and their bodies swayed continuously, as if they could vanish at any moment.

“It’s only a little over three minutes? His score can’t be this poor, can it?”

“Indeed, even without a lecture, they can last for over two minutes. What’s going on?”

Everyone frowned.

Once the spiritual entities emerged from the painting, they could persist for over two minutes even without the spiritual energy from a lecture. Now, after just over three minutes, they were already swaying, indicating that Master Zhang's lecture had a negligible effect on them.

“First place is mine!”

Young Master Ruohuan’s eyes brightened increasingly.

Judging by the current situation, this fellow wouldn't even last five minutes and would likely be close to sixth place, if not exactly sixth. Although his own scores in the first two rounds were a bit lower, with this opportunity, he could completely turn the tables and secure first place!

Those from lower realms will remain just that. The Master Teacher Tournament assesses comprehensive abilities, not merely a high state of mind or strong power alone guaranteeing victory.

“It seems letting him go first was a good thing... He’s inexperienced, and it serves him right to suffer a loss!”

A corner of his mouth lifted in a smirk.

No matter how formidable this fellow is, he only came from a lower kingdom. So many master teachers haven't heard of spiritual entities persisting; what could a bumpkin possibly know?

It seems that for the next assessment, if he goes first, he definitely won't get a good score.

The more he thought about it, the happier he became, almost laughing aloud.

Fu Xiaochen also breathed a sigh of relief. In the combined scores of the first two rounds, his rank was third. If this fellow kept winning championships, Fu Xiaochen would certainly be eliminated. Seeing this situation, he finally felt at ease.

“Good, he didn’t stir up any trouble…” Elder Yun wiped his forehead.

He had thought this fellow would be like in the first two rounds, causing some kind of incident that would leave him in a sorry state. Now, it seemed he had overthought things. Perhaps in painting and calligraphy, he only knew the basics and wasn't proficient in other areas...

Relaxed at heart, he was just about to wait for the spiritual entities to disappear, tidy up the painting, and call the next participant when he suddenly remembered something, freezing and stiffening his body.

“No… If they were about to dissipate, they shouldn’t be able to last more than a few breaths. Why are they still here? And although these spiritual entities are shaking violently, there are no signs of them disintegrating…”

Normally, once spiritual entities start shaking, they dissipate quickly, lasting only a few seconds. How could these have been shaking for two or three minutes and still be continuing?

“Something’s not right! How do they look like they’re disintegrating, yet they feel like they’re becoming more solid with each shake?”

“It truly is…”

He noticed something was wrong, and so did the others.

When the spiritual entities appeared just now, they all observed carefully. They knew that once they started shaking, the spiritual energy that had been painstakingly gathered would decompose and not last long.

But this one before them, accompanied by Master Zhang’s lecture, was shaking like a feather duster. A normal flying bird would probably shed feathers all over the ground, yet this entity, made of spiritual energy, not only didn’t dissipate but showed a strong tendency to solidify more and more…

When other spiritual entities shook, it meant they were about to dissipate, but the ones before this fellow seemed to become more vibrant with each shake…

What was going on?

“No…”

His brows knitted into a knot. As a few more minutes passed and it was about to break the ten-minute mark, the shaking spiritual entities, far from breaking apart, became increasingly vibrant, as if truly alive. Elder Yun suddenly remembered something, his pupils contracting: “Could it be…”

“This… impossible!”

A low cry escaped him, followed by a look of utter bewilderment.

“What’s wrong with Elder Yun?”

“Are all the elders who assess this young man going to end up like this?”

Seeing the usually composed Elder Yun, just like Elders Wu and Bai, also appearing to be having a fit, everyone’s mouths twitched.

The first two who assessed this fellow had all vomited blood and were severely injured. Now this one was acting the same way… Was there something strange about this young man, or what was going on?

“Elder Yun!” Hall Master Kang couldn’t help but step forward and patted his shoulder. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing… I just thought of something unbelievable…” Elder Yun said, recovering his composure.

“Something unbelievable?” Hall Master Kang frowned.

“Look…” Elder Yun pointed to the spiritual entities before Zhang Xuan. “These spiritual entities started shaking a while ago. Now it’s been almost ten minutes, and not only have they not dissipated, but they’ve become increasingly solid…”

Hall Master Kang nodded.

Everyone saw it and found it strange. Could there be some underlying issue?

“If I’m not mistaken, this isn’t them dissipating, but rather…”

Elder Yun’s lips trembled slightly: “True Rhyme Agitation, Spiritual Entities Transcending the Mundane!”

“Transcending the Mundane? Are you referring to… the seventh realm of painting and calligraphy? Works that reach this realm depict animals and plants that appear truly alive, possessing their own consciousness, flying outside the artwork, and not disappearing for a long time?” Hall Master Kang’s eyes widened; he found it hard to believe.

“Exactly!” Elder Yun nodded.

“That’s not right! I know about spiritual entities transcending the mundane. It requires a six-star painter or calligrapher to modify or redraw the artwork to succeed. Lecturing… how could that possibly work?”

A painter or calligrapher who has comprehended the concept of spiritual entities transcending the mundane can easily paint birds that soar in the vast sky and gallop through the clouds, simply by creating artwork.

It is said that there was once a formidable six-star painter who painted an immortal crane on a wall. The crane broke through the wall and left amidst the dispersing clouds, leaving behind the legend of an immortal riding away on a bird.

There was also a grandmaster of painting and calligraphy who, when attacked by a beast tide, painted a peak spiritual beast that intimidated the surroundings, scaring countless spiritual beasts into fleeing in terror and not daring to oppose it.

Any profession, when cultivated to a profound realm, will possess unfathomable abilities and means.

However, all these occurrences require at least a six-star painter or calligrapher to paint on the spot or to add/revise strokes on an existing artwork. He had never heard of lecturing spiritual entities to make them transcend the mundane.

“The content of Master Zhang’s lecture is highly compatible with these spiritual entities. Not only did it cause spiritual energy to converge, but it also triggered the Heavenly Impartation of Teacher’s Wisdom, making these spiritual entities cultivate unconsciously. If I’m not mistaken, these shakings are to remove the previously superficial spiritual energy, making their power more solid—that is, transforming emptiness into substance!”

“Transforming emptiness into substance? This… how is this possible?” Hall Master Kang was startled and almost fell on the spot.

Was that even true?

A lecture causing spiritual entities to transform from emptiness into substance and transcend the mundane… why did it feel like he was listening to a fantastical tale?

“I don’t dare believe it either, but besides this situation, there’s no other way to explain it!” Elder Yun said.

Even if he had guessed it, he wouldn't dare believe it, which was why he was so flustered.

“If it’s true that painting makes spiritual entities emerge, then the painting is their nest, and they can return to it. But with this kind of lecture, which makes them transcend the mundane… will the spiritual entities still return to the artwork?”

Suddenly, Hall Master Kang thought of a problem.

When an immortal rides a crane away, or spiritual entities are born from paintings, even if they transcend the mundane, they still return to the painting to rest. But this one before them, which transformed by listening to a lecture, has no roots or attachments. Once it truly condenses into form, transforming emptiness into substance, where would it go?

If it keeps flying for several months without returning to the artwork, how would his score be calculated? We can't just let everyone keep waiting indefinitely!

“Ah? Oh no, don’t let him continue lecturing…”

He paused for a moment. Elder Yun remembered something and cried out in haste, but before his cry had finished, he saw the many birds depicted in the artwork before him stop shaking and suddenly let out a long, collective cry.

Chirp chirp chirp! Tweet tweet tweet!

The sounds were pleasant to the ear, filling the hall as if a real flock of birds had arrived, playing and chirping, providing an unusual enjoyment.

The birds that had previously appeared somewhat illusory now seemed to have undergone a transformation; their feathers became more solid, and their claws and beaks became heavier, as if they had truly come alive.

After their cries, these birds simultaneously flapped their wings, rose into the air, darted straight into the distance, flew out of the main hall, and disappeared from everyone’s sight.

Seeing these birds fly away and only a blank piece of paper remaining on the table, Elder Yun froze in place, his body swaying.

This was a supreme artwork left by his teacher, one he cherished and had never shown to anyone. Even his best friends rarely got to see it.

He had thought it was just a simple assessment. Who knew… these spiritual entities actually flew away!

Damn it!

With the spiritual entities gone, what was the use of this blank paper?

He had just breathed a sigh of relief, thinking the other party wouldn't cause trouble, but then this happened… Was this fellow here for the competition or just to cause trouble?

He flashed to Zhang Xuan’s front, Elder Yun’s eyes bulging with anger, wishing he could strangle this fool in front of him.

“My birds! Give me back my birds…”