“You?”
Everyone was taken aback.
Hall Master Sai’s eyes even rolled around.
Based on what Sun Qiang said, the other party was a painter. But… even if the other party was a painter as well, to fathom the true meaning behind a painting made eight hundred years ago… That was an impossible task!
Furthermore, the birds in the painting were neither spirit beasts or savage beasts; since it couldn’t be identified at all, how could one bestow it with a name?
Putting aside how the painting wouldn’t fetch a high price, more importantly, it was a crime to ruin such a valuable art piece!
“This…”
Luo Qin scratched his head in embarrassment, not knowing what to do.
The main reason why he explained the entire matter so carefully was so as to dispel the other party’s thoughts. Who knew that his words would only egg the other party on…
Are you that frenzied for money?!
If it was that easy to come up with a title that would bring out the true disposition of the painting, there would have been at least a single success case in the past few years.
Hu!
Disregarding the crowd’s response, Zhang Xuan flicked his wrist and took out a brush. Then, he placed the painting on a table in the room.
It might be difficult for others to fathom the thoughts of the painter and find a suitable name for this painting, but he was different!
The Library of Heaven’s Path could provide him with the ideal name immediately!
If he were to write the name, he would surely be able to bring out the true disposition of the painting, thus inducing a leap in the value of the painting.
“It can’t be that… you’re serious about doing it!”
Seeing Zhang Xuan dab his brush in ink, Hall Master Sai hurried forward to persuade him otherwise.
“You should reconsider your actions, that’s… a supreme treasure left behind by our predecessors…”
This treasure had been passed down within the Appraiser Hall from generation to generation. To have it destroyed right before him… He couldn’t allow himself to simply look on by the side.
“Since it can raise the value of the painting, why shouldn’t I do it?” Zhang Xuan chuckled.
“But what if you fail…” Hall Master Sai was agitated. He was just about to continue speaking when Sun Qiang walked up to him with a heated gaze.
“Hall Master Sai, judging from your experience, it seems like you think that our young master will fail. If so… why don’t we wager on it then? There’s no need to make it too big, three thousand spirit stones will do!”
“…” Hall Master Sai’s body swayed.
What the heck was this!
Can’t at least one of you two be normal?
One insisted on bestowing a name on the painting while the other one was challenging him to a wager so confidently… What’s wrong with you two!
Hall Master Sai’s complexion was extremely awful. He was tempted to accept the wager but upon recalling the tragic fate that befell Elder Chen, he backed down.
This fellow was an incredible figure who could win even the acknowledgement of the Harmonious Stream of Flowing Goblets… Perhaps, he might really find the words to bring out the true disposition of the painting.
“Regarding the wager… I’ll pass!”
With a pale face, Hall Master Sai backed down.
“Ah?” Taking this scene into sight, Luo Qin widened his eyes in shock.
Hall Master Sai clearly didn’t believe that Zhang shi could come up with a correct name, and he was determined to stop him. Yet, with a word from a servant, he immediately backed down from fear…
What was going on?
When did the hall master become so easy to talk to?
Just as Luo Qin was perplexed over the situation, he suddenly felt a violent disturbance in the spiritual energy in the air. It seemed to be to be gathering at an area not too far away from him, and vaguely, he could hear the chirping of the birds.
Qiu qiu qiu!
The sound was crisp, and even though it wasn’t too loud, everyone within the auction hall could hear it clearly.
“Ah…”
Following the direction from where the sound came from, he realized that in his short moment of hesitation, that Zhang shi had already finished writing a name on the painting. Upon ‘seeing’ it, the birds chirped and flew excitedly, as though delighted to be given a name.
“This is… Elation of Unearthed Disposition, Enlightened Spirit? The heck… What the heck is going on?”
Luo Qin’s mouth twitched in agitation, and his body trembled violently.
“Enlightened Spirit… That is a work of the seventh level, a masterpiece that only a 6-star painter can produce…” Hall Master Sai’s vision went dark.
He had just thought that the other party would fail when the other party came up with a name that not only brought out the true disposition of the painting, he even induced the phenomenon ‘Elation of Unearthed Disposition, Enlightened Spirit. This… Was this really happening before him?
The first six levels of painting were as followed: Reality Depiction, Spiritual Canvas, Infused Intentions, Breathtaking Verisimilitude, Spirit Creation, and Spirit Wisdom!
Normal 3-star painters could only produce a painting at the level of Spirit Creation, and a Spirit Wisdom painting could only be created by the hands of a 4-star and 5-star painter.
Going beyond the sixth level, Spirit Wisdom, the seventh level was a realm that only 6-star painters could hope to reach… Enlightened Spirit.
At this level, all of the living objects within the painting would come to life, and they would possess their own intelligence and they could acknowledge their own master. In fact, they could even soar out of the painting and they wouldn’t disappear even after a day or two…
In other words, a painter who had reached this level of enlightenment could easily draw out birds and soar to the skies.
It was said that a formidable 6-star painter had once drawn a crane on a wall, and it materialized from the wall. Then, riding on the crane, he soared into the distance, leaving behind the legend of Soaring on the Heavenly Crane.
Initially, this drawing should have only been at sixth level pinnacle, and it was still a far way off from reaching the next realm. Even if the name one came up with was able to bring out its true disposition, it should only have added slightly to the harmony of the painting…
Yet, Zhang Xuan’s name allowed it to immediately surpass its limits and reach the seventh level instantaneously…
The heck!
Am I insane, or is this fellow mad?
Are you a monster? How in the world… did you manage to do it?
Hall Master Sai’s body froze and his eyes were filled with frenzied. At the same time, relief gushed through his body. He felt that it was a blessing that he didn’t wager with Sun Qiang. Otherwise, he would probably end up in the same state as Elder Chen…
Actually, the frenzy wasn’t just limited to the group in the suite. The entire auction hall also broke out in commotion. The ongoing auction for the [Cold Yin Sword] also abruptly came to a halt.
The dancing birds weren’t just limited to within the suite; they flew through the windows and danced around the auction hall. The bright red flying birds resembled mini suns in the evening, illuminating the entire place with its brilliance.
“What… are those?”
“These birds are illusory beings. Someone has created a painting of the seventh level…”
“A seventh level painting? A 6-star painter? Th-this…”
“Which senior is it? Is this painting for sale? If it is, I’ll be willing to put all of my fortune into it…”
“So do I!”
…
The dancing birds formed a spectacular sight within the auction hall. Everyone’s eyes reddened in excitement.
Even the most formidable painter in the Myriad Kingdom Alliance was only at 4-star pinnacle.
The legendary Wu Xuanzi from eight hundred years ago had reached 5-star, but it was a pity that… he didn’t leave behind any works.
Yet, a work that could only come from a 6-star painter had suddenly appeared in the room. How could the crowd not go into a frenzy?
“This… It can’t be the doing of that Zhang shi, could it?”
The host, Elder Chen, upon seeing that no one’s attention was on him, immediately turned to look at the suite where the birds appeared from and he immediately frowned.
That was the hall master’s suite… He couldn’t think of anyone else other than that unfathomable young man who could cause such a huge commotion.
…
While the crowd outside had fallen into a frenzy, Zhang Xuan, who had just completed the painting, kept his brush and smiled at the dumbfounded Luo Qin, “May I know if this painting is worth 5000 spirit stones like that?”
“Five thousand? Worth, it’s definitely worth that amount…”
Recovering from his shock, Luo Qin hurriedly nodded his head.
Just a named sixth level pinnacle painting was already worth 5000 spirit stones. A painting of the seventh level… Even if it was sold for 10,000 spirit stones, there would probably be someone who would be willing to fork out the sum!
Just by casually writing a few works, this young man had raised the value of the painting by twenty times. This… It would be a gross underestimation to say that his words were worth gold!
Fearsome!
Curious to know what it was that the young man wrote that transformed a sixth level pinnacle painting into a seventh level one, they hurriedly turned their gazes to the painting. However, upon taking a look, their bodies swayed and they nearly fell to the floor.
It was just five squiggly words — [Rousing from the Drunken Dreams]!
These five words weren’t written in any conventional form of calligraphy; rather, it felt as though it was written right after one woke up from a drunken stupor. Even though it was squiggly, there was exquisite in a very different manner. Not only weren’t they out of place, it seemed to complement with the bizarre birds on the painting, harmonizing the painting into one entirety.
“Rousing from the Drunken Dreams? This is the name of the painting?”
Luo Qin grabbed his hair frenziedly.
If it was anyone else, they would surely be racking their brains to think of the origin of the bizarre birds, given that they were the main theme to the painting.
Yet, this fellow simply went on to write Rousing From the Drunken Dreams… And what was even more frightening was that… he was right!
Could it be that… the legendary Wu Xuanzi drew this painting right after he woke up from a dream after drinking the previous day?
If that was the case, wasn’t this way too difficult to guess!
Furthermore… how in the world did this fellow know about it then?
“Indeed, this painting is indeed made by Wu Xuanzi right after he woke up from his drunken stupor!” Zhang Xuan confirmed everyone’s doubts.
Unable to accept this outcome, Hall Master Sai asked, “But… but… what spirit beasts are those birds? Why haven’t I heard of them before?”
He had stumbled by this painting back then when he was challenging the Harmonious Stream of the Flowing Goblets, and for this, he had flipped through innumerable books, but he was unable to find an answer.
Since this was Wu Xuanzi’s work, these birds should at least have a name.
“Oh… They’re called White Purity Birds!” Zhang Xuan said.
“White Purity Birds? That can’t be! White Purity Birds have long wings, purple beaks, golden claws, red head, and they’re slightly plump as well. Not only does these birds not possess those unique traits, they clearly possess a slim physique…”
This time, the one who spoke was Zhao Feiwu. She felt that there was a clear problem in Zhang Xuan’s analysis.
The White Purity Bird was a commonly seen spirit beast, and its unique characteristics made it extremely easy to identify. On the other hand, these bizarre birds didn’t possess a sliver of those characteristics, so how could they be White Purity Birds?
If those were really White Purity Birds, Hall Master Sai and the others would have long identified the painting.
“Oh, when Wu Xuanzi drew this painting, he was still slightly intoxicated so he depicted the White Purity Birds inaccurately, resulting in their current forms…” Zhang Xuan explained.
“Inaccurate depiction?”
At that moment, everyone trembled in shock.
Who could have thought that a 5-star painter would make such a fundamental error!
“Indeed. When he woke up from his stupor, he realized how ridiculous his drawing was, and he thought that if it were to get out, it would surely affect his reputation. However, he found it a waste to tear it apart as well. Thus… he removed his name and signature, thus resulting in this incomplete work!” Zhang Xuan said.
It was recorded amidst the flaws in the Library of Heaven’s Path. Initially, when Zhang Xuan first saw it, he felt that it was ridiculous as well.
But this was the truth.
If it wasn’t so ridiculous, Wu Xuanzi would have surely left behind his name, and the painting would have never reached the Appraiser Hall.
“Th-this… is the result of your appraisal?”
Hall Master Sai’s teeth clattered together, as though fearful of the terrifying monster before him.
