Sword Sect Outer Sect

Chapter 330 The Seal Falls
Under the sunlight atop the pavilion, the monks watching the ceremony gathered in small groups, conversing in hushed tones.

"The legacy of Senior Wu Daoxuan has lasted for a thousand years. This sacred event is so grand. I wonder which fellow practitioner will be able to win the prize and obtain the senior's precious calligraphy."

The speaker was a rogue cultivator from the Central Region.

"It's hard to say, it's hard to say."

A person next to him shook his head: "Leaving aside the painting cultivators in Qingzhou of the Tang Dynasty, it seems that the Daoist disciple of the Yunmo Sect in the Qi Kingdom who entered the Dao through painting is also among them."

An elderly man from a sect in the Qi Kingdom stroked his beard and said, "This man is also a lover of painting, and he is very well-informed in the art circle."

He looked in Wu Xingzhi's direction and lowered his voice: "I think that Wu family disciple didn't expect Daozi Moling to appear here either."

"It seems that there may be some extraordinary treasures hidden in this garden."

"You know what, the people from Chu who came this time are all quite capable."

In the core area for the observing cultivators, Lou Zhengze, the sect leader of the Xuan Yuan Sect, was all smiles as he stood side by side with Wu Xingzhi, a disciple of the Wu family in charge of this trip to the old garden, chatting with him.

"Fellow Daoist Wu, it is truly a blessing for us cultivators to have the opportunity to see the Holy Image of Daoist Mo Ling on this trip."

Lou Zhengze spoke sincerely: "From what you just said, friend Xingzhi, was it at the behest of Senior Wu Xunzhi that you were in charge of this painting competition?"

"Yes, that's right. Actually, when I went to the State of Chu before, it was he who sent me there."

"Hehe, I am truly grateful for your care for our remote little sect."

He paused for a moment, then suddenly said, “I know I am being presumptuous, but in our cultivation, we aspire to great heights only when we encounter a true dragon. I have heard that Senior Xunzhi is now a Nascent Soul cultivator. Therefore, I would like to take the liberty of presenting a humble letter to the Wu family, humbly requesting that Senior Xunzhi, when he has some free time, grace our Xuan Yuan Sect with his presence and offer his guidance.”

"Although the State of Chu is remote and humble, we are willing to devote the entire clan's resources to welcoming you warmly. May my friend convey our message?"

Upon hearing this, Wu Xingzhi maintained the composure and humility befitting a scion of a prominent family, but inwardly he was pondering something else entirely.

How could he not know Lou Zhengze's intentions?
It's just a common tactic used by remote minor clans to try and gain prestige by associating with the Wu clan.

Elder Xunzhi was easygoing and had given guidance to countless juniors during his travels. How could he possibly remember a cultivator he had met and who had given him guidance when he was at the Golden Core stage?

Wu Xingzhi smiled calmly and said, "Sect Leader Lou, you flatter me. Elder Xunzhi is always traveling around the world, and his whereabouts are uncertain. I will certainly inform the clan of your sincerity."

"If the elder has time, he may inform your clan."

The words left room for maneuver, but the hope of inviting Elder Xunzhi to the State of Chu was truly slim.

A hint of disappointment flashed in Lou Zhengze's eyes, but he quickly concealed it and repeatedly cupped his hands in thanks: "Thank you for your trouble, Fellow Daoist Wu! Thank you for your trouble!"

Beside Lou Zhengze, an aged face gazed around, sweeping over the cultivators participating in the painting practice.

This time, only one cultivator from the Dongyuan Sect came.

Shen Yu looked at Sun Zhenglun, who was also in the audience, and was somewhat surprised.

Could it be that my guess was wrong?
Song Yan didn't show up... or perhaps he didn't have the black jade at all.

An indescribable sense of unease welled up inside me.

Elder Shen has not been doing well in recent years. He always felt that since the incidents in Jiran Valley and Changping, everything has gone wrong for him.

Perhaps due to some issues with his state of mind, his progress in cultivation has been extremely slow.

Years have passed, and not only has his cultivation not improved at all, but his vitality and spirit have also continued to decline as his lifespan has been depleted.

The path to the Golden Core was naturally hopeless, and the sect was already persuading him to condense a false core.

That would be acceptable, better than slowly decaying and dying like this.

The ostensible purpose of accompanying the sect leader to Daozi's hometown was to boost the reputation of the sect's painters and broaden their horizons.

In truth, deep down, he harbored a sliver of unrealistic fantasies.

However, reflecting on his own actions, he naturally blamed everything on the culprit, Song Yan.

If given the chance, he vowed to kill this boy to vent his hatred and fulfill his desires.

At this time.

In the center of the venue, as the last cultivator to participate in the painting emerged from the scroll, Dao Zi Mo Ling slowly opened his eyes.

He first dispersed the last remaining incense from the center.

Now that all the cultivators have completed the painting process, there is no longer any point in burning incense.

Then, raising his hand and pointing, a wisp of dark spiritual energy slowly surged from everyone's bodies and condensed between their brows.

Then, wisps of smoke flew back to Mo Ling.

In an instant, a huge surge of spiritual energy spread out, and the cultivation levels of all the cultivators present, which had been sealed, were restored to their original state.

Caught off guard, the spiritual power of several Golden Core cultivators surged forth like a river bursting its banks, leaving the other Foundation Establishment cultivators breathless for a moment.

It wasn't until the cultivators resumed their cultivation techniques and regained control of their spiritual power that the situation gradually returned to normal.

The cultivators looked at the faint black spirit; this Nascent Soul stage technique was truly unpredictable.

With their cultivation restored, the atmosphere in the arena became much more lively. The cultivators who had completed their painting exercises were either full of confidence or filled with trepidation, waiting for their works to be judged.

However, Dao Zi Mo Ling did not immediately begin to examine the painting as everyone expected.

Instead, he raised his hand to gesture towards the painting of the monk who was closest to him.

"Gentlemen, please affix your signature and seal to your paintings."

His voice was calm, yet it astonished the assembled cultivators: "This painting was completed by you all together. You may leave your names on it."

"After the critique is over in a moment, I will also leave my mark on it."

wow...

In fact, most of the content in this painting was painted by the senior artist Wu Daoxuan.

It only left a small blank space for future generations to fill in.

Unexpectedly, the senior Wu Daoxuan bestowed upon them, his juniors, the right to sign their names on these paintings.

The monks watching the ceremony were naturally discussing it amongst themselves, but Wu Xingzhi was not surprised.

Dao Zi Mo Ling used to appear very rarely, but every time she did, it was the same.

To share the same painting scroll with the master painter.

Let's not even talk about any other rewards; this alone makes it far more valuable than any precious spiritual item.

It should be known that countless people seek the Dao and immortality, but throughout history, those who have truly cultivated to the point of immortality are extremely rare.

For most cultivators, it is already extremely difficult to leave their name on any path in the cultivation world so that future generations of cultivators will know it.

But now there is an opportunity to appear alongside a name that has been passed down through the ages.

How could this not stir the emotions of everyone present?

At this moment, even those proud and arrogant young masters from aristocratic families, and those Golden Core painters who were originally obsessed with winning and losing, were now breathing heavily.

Subsequently, some of these cultivators were the first to react, turning their gazes to Song Yan, the only one who had chosen a portrait.

I couldn't help but feel a pang of envy.

Originally, it wouldn't have mattered, but now, regardless of how well the other person painted, the painting in his hand has become a unique piece.

It's astonishing how incredibly lucky this person is.

Song Yan felt a little embarrassed by everyone's stares.

Who could have predicted this would turn out like this?

Without further hesitation, everyone took out their ink brushes and seals and left their signatures.

Song Yan was a little confused. These cultivators who participated in the painting process were all painters who painted all year round and had their own seals, which was perfectly normal.

Where can I get this seal made myself?

Forget it, I'll just use the Sword Sect's Taixu Sword Nourishing Seal to stamp it.

Besides, I didn't paint this myself; Xiao He painted it.

If you really want to leave a mark, you can add it later.

He picked up his pen and wrote Xiao He's name, then quietly took out the Sword Nourishing Seal from his Qiankun Bag, borrowed Senior Brother Lin Qing's inkpad, and stamped it on the end of the painting.

As the last person put away their paintbrush and seal, Daozi Moling casually waved his hand.

In an instant, all the paintings held by those who participated in the painting practice flew out one by one, layer upon layer, and hovered in front of Dao Zi Mo Ling.

The review of the artwork will begin immediately.

Those watching the ceremony noticed that the pressure from the Nascent Soul cultivator had disappeared, and it seemed they could move forward. Wu Xingzhi took the lead, and the others followed behind him, arriving at a short distance away, also wanting to see the paintings.

Mo Ling's gaze fell on the first landscape painting, created by a renowned independent painter from the Central Region.

On the painting, layer upon layer of mountains rise, and the vast expanse of water is shrouded in mist, dotted with a few fishing boats and small villages. Mo Ling's gaze lingered for a moment before she slowly commented.

"The mountains are majestic and the clouds and water are dynamic, but the overall atmosphere is somewhat stagnant and lacks a sense of vastness and openness. The essence of mountains and water lies in their accessibility, visibility, explorability, and habitability, drawing visitors into a picturesque realm... Yizhong."

As soon as he finished speaking, a small seal suddenly appeared beside Dao Zi Mo Ling and landed at the end of the painting next to the seal of the rogue cultivator.

The painting then returned to that person's hands.

The rogue painter accepted the gift with both hands and bowed to Daozi Moling from afar.

Next are several paintings of flowers, birds, fish, and insects.

"The charm of flowers and birds lies in their vitality and spirit. They may be vigorous and exuberant, or solitary and serene."

"This painting is technically skillful, but it merely captures the form, lacking spirit and true charm. It is classified as a 'Bingzhong' (a type of Chinese painting)."

"...Yizhong."

The judging proceeded in an orderly manner, and Daozi Moling would offer guidance regardless of whether the painting was good or bad.

The artists benefited greatly from this.

"Um……"

"The pavilions are majestic, the structure is rigorous, and the rules are strict. Every stroke is based on solid foundation and skillful technique, reaching the pinnacle of meticulous brushwork."

"Too much craftsmanship, too much adherence to rules, below Grade A."

This was the first painting to be rated as Grade A, and even Song Yan took a few more glances at it.

Very good indeed.

However, to him, a layman, each painting was quite good, and he couldn't see any difference between them.

However, Xiao Song was not in the mood to look at the paintings. Instead, he felt a little flustered because each painting was displayed in the sky above the painting training ground, and everyone could see it.

Xiao He drew her own true likeness.

Song Yan glanced at the cultivators from the Xuan Yuan Sect, especially Shen Yu.

If that old bastard finds out, it could really be troublesome.

The problem wasn't with Shen Yu himself, but with the Golden Core cultivator beside him.

Shen Yu was also a Foundation Establishment cultivator and could not see through the concealment of the water mirror hairband.

However, if a Golden Core cultivator were to extend their divine sense, they could naturally see through their disguise.

His mind raced.

Over there, the monk who created this painting was young and handsome, with an otherworldly air, which aroused much discussion among the onlookers.

A reserved smile appeared on his handsome face as he bowed slightly to Mo Ling.

A murmur of envy and amazement rippled through the surrounding cultivators who were watching the ceremony.

"Heh, so that must be Jiang Yunzhi, the Dao Child of your Yunmo Sect."

"Indeed, Yunzhi's skill in painting is no less than mine."

"A bright future awaits..."

However, the discussion quickly subsided.

Dao Zi Mo Ling suddenly stopped, staring at a painting, slightly lost in thought.

As soon as the painting was displayed, even the cultivators watching from the outside felt a faint aura of power and menace.

But in the painting, a hundred ghosts roamed about.

A fierce tiger drives away many ghosts and monsters, and sitting on it sits a burly man with a leopard's head, piercing eyes, an iron face, a bushy beard, and a turban.

His eyes were wide open, exuding an imposing aura without anger.

Two little devils carried a huge black and gold longsword on their shoulders.

"Um……"

Even Daozi Moling nodded slightly when he saw the painting.

"This is the appearance of a ghost or god. Its form is rugged but its spirit is complete. It possesses inner power and a natural aura."

"Although the writing is still somewhat immature, its form and appearance are all real... Grade A!"

This only fueled the discussion among the crowd.

Who is this woman?

"I don't know. He seems to have come alone. Perhaps he's a wandering cultivator from out of town? Zhong Ali..."

This name might be familiar to a small number of people in the crowd.

Wu Xingzhi frowned in thought, wondering about the woman's background.

He suddenly turned his gaze to Wu Yuqian, who was standing to the side, looking shocked on behalf of his friend: "Yuqian, I saw this person chat with you for a few minutes earlier. Do you know who he is?"

Others may not know, but Wu Xingzhi does. It seems that being ranked in the top rank is the highest evaluation ever recorded.

No one has yet reached the level of A.

Wu Yuqian suppressed his surprise and replied respectfully, "Uncle, Fellow Daoist Zhong is a successor of the Luofu Sect. When I was traveling away from home, I met him by chance and we traveled together."

"A disciple of the Luofu Sect!?"

The two made no attempt to conceal their identities, and Zhong Ali's true identity quickly became known.

The Central Region is home to numerous sects. Apart from the reclusive Dan Sect and Gui Valley, there is also a saying of eight major sects.

The Luofu Sect is one of them.

Very few disciples of the Luofu Sect actually roam the world, but each generation and each individual is exceptionally talented and possesses unparalleled strength.

Unexpectedly, this woman is actually a contemporary disciple of Luofu.

Jiang Yunzhi's smile froze slightly. It was already extremely rare to be ranked in the top tier. He had thought he would be able to win first place this time, but he never expected such a person to appear out of nowhere.

Zhong Ali herself was also bewildered, having just woken up from a long reverie. Looking at the scroll that had flown back into her hands, she seemed somewhat incredulous.

Daozi Moling is still reviewing the paintings.

Lin Qing's landscape painting was quickly appraised and ultimately received a grade of B or above.

Lin Qing accepted the painting and, having received such high praise and personal commentary from a senior, felt that the trip had been worthwhile. She bowed deeply to Mo Ling.

Soon, it was Song Yan's turn... Actually, it was Xiao He's work.

Some quiet murmurs arose in the room.

Compared to the meticulous craftsmanship or grand scale of other paintings, this one does appear rather simple and rough.

Dao Zi Mo Ling slowly said, "The technique is very shallow, and the layout and coloring are also rather simplistic."

This opening led many to secretly think that it was probably a C grade.

After all, figures are the most difficult to draw, and yet they are drawn in such a rudimentary way.

"However, the eyes and brows are full and vibrant, not bound by physical appearance, and this charm is truly rare."

"In portraiture, the most important thing is the spirit and charm... Yi Shang."

Is he at the same level as Lin Qing?
This assessment surprised many people, and even Song Yan himself was somewhat taken aback.

This painting was done casually by Xiao He, yet it received such high praise from Dao Zi Mo Ling.

"Could she really be a genius?"

Although Song Yan was surprised, the surrounding cultivators didn't pay much attention, after all, there were two first-class paintings in front of them.

It's just a minor B-level position, nothing worth paying attention to.

Dao Zi Mo Ling's hand twitched slightly, and the seal fell down. Just as he was about to casually return it to Song Yan, he saw the Sword Sect seal at the end of the painting, and his hand immediately stopped moving.

He then put the painting back into his hands.

"what?"

(End of this chapter)