295: Chapter 145: Flourishing in Both Calligraphy and Painting_4 295: Chapter 145: Flourishing in Both Calligraphy and Painting_4 From the rear, one by one, the faces of the Peak Masters and disciples from the Painting Peak turned extremely unsightly.
Not only had Qing Mozi won, but he also had a sharp tongue, humiliating them as well.
Yet, they could not retort, for they had truly been defeated by him.
Even with several Peak Masters stepping up, they hadn’t been able to secure a win.
“Wait a moment.”
Cao Zhen, wielding a Divine Weapon, flew directly onto the Dao discussion platform and looked at Qing Mozi, calling out, “The competition isn’t over, and you’re leaving?”
“Oh?
Has someone else been brought in?” Qing Mozi glanced at Cao Zhen’s Peak Master attire, halted his steps, and asked with curiosity, “All the Peak Masters of the Hundred Peaks Sect’s Calligraphy and Painting Peaks are here, so which Peak Master might you be?”
Cao Zhen stowed away his Divine Weapon and said indifferently, “Four Treasures Peak, Peak Master, Cao Zhen.”
“Four Treasures Peak?” Qing Mozi paused for a moment, as if recalling something.
Then, he turned around and started to walk away.
As he walked, he still had a disdainful expression on his face and said, “I thought it was someone significant, but it turns out to be the Peak Master of the Hundred Peaks Sect’s lowest-ranked mountaintop.
Let’s forget it.
A Peak Master ranked last is probably not even as good as the disciples of the top fifty peaks.
Besides, the Painting Way is different from cultivation; do you understand painting?
I’m in a hurry, so let’s not embarrass yourself.”
Cao Zhen’s face showed a hint of displeasure.
Like all who came to discuss the Dao, Wu Jianzi was very polite and never so arrogant.
This kid was simply insufferable.
Surrounding them, Song Xianbi, seeing that Qing Mozi was about to leave the Dao discussion platform, quickly called out, “How come?
Leaving?
Are you afraid?”
They had no choice; if the opponent left now, Hundred Peaks Sect would suffer a great humiliation.
Since Peak Master Cao had dared to come, then presumably, he also had some understanding of the Painting Dao.
They could only hope that Peak Master Cao could overpower the other.
“Afraid?
That’s a joke.
I, Qing Mozi, afraid?” Qing Mozi stopped, looking at Cao Zhen with impatience, and said, “You want to discuss the Dao with me?
Come on, let me see the level of your Painting Way.”
Cao Zhen had already turned around and picked up the brush from the nearby desk, starting to paint on the paper.
“The way you hold the brush seems okay.
I’m curious to see what you can actually paint.” Qing Mozi looked down at Cao Zhen’s painting with disdain.
Suddenly, he was completely dumbfounded.
On the rice paper, a majestic gate stood tall with colorful clouds swirling above.
Eighteen Red-crowned Cranes, each with a distinct expression, were circling in the sky, while two others stood on the roof ridge, looking back at one another…
Qing Mozi’s entire being radiated light from all around.
Enlightenment!
He had an epiphany!
Around him, the Peak Masters and disciples from the other Painting Peaks had the same experience, one by one falling into an epiphany.
At a glance, more than a dozen people were caught up in their epiphanies.
Moments later, Qing Mozi came out of his enlightenment and looked at Cao Zhen in astonishment, “You…
how do you possess such a high level in the Painting Way?
The eighteen divine cranes, each different in posture, the clouds in the sky and around the palace painted with fluid strokes, further accentuating the cranes in flight and their elegant figures, creating an atmosphere of auspiciousness and celebration…”
Cao Zhen, however, seemed completely nonchalant, saying to Qing Mozi, “Is that all you see?
Look again, appreciate it more.” He was starting to enjoy these two words very much now.
“Appreciate it more?
Could there be some deeper mystery?” Dan Qingzi took another look at the painting.
Next to him, all the Peak Masters and disciples from the Painting Peaks who had regained their senses also turned their gazes back to the artwork.
However, no matter how they looked, they couldn’t see any further secrets within the painting.
What did Peak Master Cao mean?
As they pondered, nearby, a surge of powerful mana once again stirred.
Qing Mozi, he had entered into another epiphany.
“This…
he’s had another epiphany?”
“One painting, two consecutive epiphanies!”
“What incredible talent!”
“We, most likely, fall far short!”
Everyone inwardly sighed.
The same painting had invoked enlightenment in many, but they simply weren’t qualified.
It wasn’t that the painting wasn’t good enough, but rather they lacked the necessary enlightenment.
A few Peak Masters and talented disciples were enlightened by it, but they only had a single epiphany, whereas compared to Qing Mozi’s two, the difference was clear!
What was even more astounding was Peak Master Cao.
Peak Master Cao, a single painting, and over a dozen people had enlightenment, revealing his profound mastery.
“Peak Master Cao, he was already formidable in the Calligraphy Dao, and now I hadn’t expected him to be equally skilled in the Painting Dao!”
“The true paragon of both calligraphy and painting, this is what it means to excel in both!”
“What extraordinary talent!”
Amidst everyone’s astonishment, Qing Mozi finished his enlightenment and looked at Cao Zhen, who was dressed in the attire of a Peak Master.
For a moment, he didn’t know how to speak or what to say as his mind went blank.
Cao Zhen, seeing Qing Mozi standing there like a dumbstruck crane, couldn’t help but recall Wu Jianzi from the other day.
He laughed and said, “Now that you have seen the painting and had two consecutive enlightenments, you must have found your Painting Dao.
Since you’ve seen my calligraphy as well, shouldn’t you regard me as your Pathfinder in the Painting and Calligraphy Dao?”
“That calligraphy, was it yours too?” Qing Mozi was shocked.
The next moment, he came to his senses, knelt down, and kowtowed three times, saying with shame, “I was wrong; I was too arrogant before.
I am not worthy to comment on your painting and calligraphy, and I never expected that, despite my arrogance, you still deigned to guide me.
I am deeply grateful.”