NOVEL SIMPLE Chapter 269.1
“You’ve already painted it?”
Yaoyao thought for a moment and blurted out, “It’s not that pile of sh*t, is it?”
Lin Beifan: “…”
“How can you say that?” Lin Beifan tapped her head with his paper fan.
Yaoyao let out an ‘aiya’, clutching her little head, and looked up to say, “Isn’t that right? Even calling that thing you drew a pile of sh*t would be a compliment. Even sh*t has its dignity!”
Lin Beifan: “…”
“I don’t want to talk too much about it now. You’ll understand eventually!”
Both of them looked towards the center of the room, where the Master Painter was still practicing his martial arts, having switched to a different sequence. It was so confusing that everyone present didn’t know how to begin their drawings.
“Alright, I’ve demonstrated it five times now, you can start painting!”
The Master Painter finished his sequence, stroked his beard with a smile, and said, “I’ll give you an hour to paint whatever you’ve seen!”The real test had begun. The remaining six candidates all stood in front of their desks, deep in thought.
An hour passed quickly.
“Alright, time’s up. Those who haven’t finished, put down your brushes!”
The Master Painter first approached the representative from the Demon Sect, Jiang Menshen, and said with a smile, “Let’s see what you’ve drawn!”
Jiang Menshen revealed his drawing, which was a fierce-looking dragon.
“Why did you draw a dragon?” the Master Painter asked.
“Master, because in your martial arts, I saw a huge, elongated figure that was faintly discernible, coiling and spiraling, sometimes diving into the sea and sometimes emerging from it, roaming freely between heaven and earth. So, I guessed that you were performing the Dragon Fist!”
The Master Painter nodded slightly: “Not bad, you have some insight!”
He moved on to the second person.
The second person was the representative from the Buddhist Sect, One-Hearted Monk, who had drawn a turtle.
“Why a turtle?” the Master Painter inquired.
“Amitabha!”
One-Hearted Monk said with a compassionate gaze, “Because the Master’s martial art is stable, the movements are slow but smooth without any flaws. The attack might be lacking, but the defense is more than sufficient, just like a turtle!”
The Master Painter nodded: “You’re also not bad, you have some insight!”
He approached the third person.
The third person was the representative from the Taoist Sect, Mysterious Pine, who had drawn something quite peculiar—a nine-section whip and a shield.
“Why these two items?” the Master Painter asked.
The other party first greeted with a bow, then said, “Because from the Master’s martial art, I saw both the flexible and changeable shadow of a snake and an impregnable defense. So, I surmised that the Master was practicing a battle of offense and defense, with the weapons being the nine-section whip and the shield, which is why I drew them!”
The Master Painter nodded with satisfaction: “You’re also quite good!”
Then, the Master Painter looked at the drawings of the other two people but made no comment.
It seemed that their drawings had not satisfied the Master Painter.
Finally, it was Li Shihua’s turn.
The Master Painter let out a ‘huh?’ quickly stepped forward to her, lifted her drawing, and asked, “Young lady, why did you draw the Black Tortoise?”
Li Shihua shyly lowered her head and said softly, “Because in the elder’s martial art, I saw something snake-like, its body soft and coiling around a stable and imposing figure! The only creature with such an image is the legendary turtle-snake, the Black Tortoise! So, I drew it! Master Painter, I don’t know if my drawing is correct?”
“Though not exactly correct, it’s not far off either!”
The Master Painter laughed heartily: “I didn’t expect someone as young as you to see it that far. It’s very good, very perceptive! Would you be interested in becoming my last and most cherished disciple?”
Li Shihua was stunned!
Although she had always dreamed of becoming the Master Painter’s disciple, she had never imagined that this dream could come true!
It was too incredible, like suddenly winning a billion-dollar jackpot!
Not even a pie falling from the sky could describe such a stroke of luck!
Everyone present was also stunned!
The Master Painter, giving up on the other experienced artists, had chosen a young girl with no cultivation at all as his disciple?
Everyone looked over, their eyes filled with skepticism.
Can such a frail little girl do it?
“Little girl, would you like to become my disciple and learn the supreme art of painting?” Master Painter asked again.
“I would! I would!” Li Shihua nodded dizzily.
Whether it was a dream or reality, agreeing was the right thing to do!
“Very good, very good!”
Master Painter was extremely pleased. “All those in the rivers and lakes can bear witness! From today onwards, you are my only direct disciple!”
“Congratulations, Master Painter, for finding an excellent disciple!” everyone said in unison.
“Thank you everyone!” Master Painter laughed heartily once more.
***
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