Mythical Scroll Artist: Starting with the God of Wealth, Zhao Gongming

Chapter 102 Third Master Xue

"Personal, I like it."

There was a sense of shared vision in Third Master Xue's eyes.

"Excuse me, I'm sorry to disturb your rest." Wu Xian was still very polite to the security guard.

Master Xue waved his hand and laughed, "It's alright~ it's alright. But your divine diagram is quite something. Aren't you Lingling's apprentice? Why isn't it a necromancy-related divine diagram?"

"Uh, my thoughts are rather scattered, including those related to the undead."

As he spoke, he released the Black and White Impermanence figures for a demonstration.

“I knew it,” Master Xue chuckled, his eyes suddenly turning serious. “That scroll of yours with the black tiger looks strange. Is it an ancient scroll?”

Upon hearing this, Wu Xian felt as if struck by lightning, his heart pounding wildly.

“Don’t be nervous, I’m not interested in ancient scroll painting techniques,” Master Xue smiled with narrowed eyes. “I just didn’t expect to find a scroll painter with ancient techniques in a small place like ours.”

Wu Xian breathed a sigh of relief and tentatively asked, "Do you have any knowledge of ancient scroll painting techniques?"

"I've seen it, but I don't know much about it."

"..."

"Of course, if you have any questions about mixing pigments, I wouldn't mind giving you some pointers," Third Master Xue said with a chuckle.

Wu Xian's eyes brightened slightly. "What a coincidence, I do have some questions I'd like to ask you."

I had heard from my master's sister that her third uncle was highly skilled in paints, and I finally had the opportunity to ask him for advice.

Master Xue smiled slightly and gestured for Wu Xian to enter the house.

Wu Xian leaped to the front of Master Xue's door. As soon as he entered, he was suffocated by a pungent smell that gave him goosebumps.

The huge villa was so big that there wasn't a place to put your feet down. Bottles and jars full of paint were everywhere, and all sorts of monster materials were piled up haphazardly, which was truly an eye-opener.

"Ask away. As long as it's a question about paint, this old man can answer it for you." Master Xue's words exuded a calm confidence.

“I recently discovered that the spiritual structure of some materials can serve as a reference for pigment mixing,” Wu Xian asked humbly, “May I ask if this is a common phenomenon?”

Master Xue exclaimed in surprise, "Wow~ you've figured it out to this extent?"

Wu Xian was puzzled.

"The situation you described is quite common and belongs to the advanced knowledge of spiritual pigment mixing," Master Xue explained. "The closer the material is to the concept of the scroll, the more obvious its reference value."

For example, different fire-attribute monster materials can serve as a reference for the selection of fire-attribute scroll pigments.

“I see,” Wu Xian said, suddenly understanding. “In other words, to formulate a more suitable pigment, one must seek inspiration from the spiritual structure of suitable materials.”

“That’s right,” Third Master Xue said noncommittally, “but when looking for inspiration, it’s best to combine it with the laws and patterns of the divine diagram, so that you can find the right spiritual structure more accurately.”

Upon hearing this, Wu Xian couldn't help but ask curiously, "Are you also a scroll painter?"

“That was true before, but I have only so-so talent in painting scrolls,” said Master Xue. “Now I specialize in studying pigments.”

"Aren't pigments just for serving the purpose of painting scroll design?" Wu Xian asked, puzzled. "If we set aside the design of the painting scroll, what else is there to study?"

Master Xue teased, "Then you underestimate the role of spiritual pigments. For example, spiritual medicines are derived from the mixing of pigments. So-called pigment research is essentially the research and exploration of spiritual substances."

Come on, take a look at this. Do you recognize it?

Master Xue casually picked up a paint bottle and tossed it to Wu Xian.

"This is... a divine power factor?" After examining it, Wu Xian vaguely sensed that something was wrong. "This divine power factor seems to be different from a normal divine power factor."

“It is quite different,” Third Master Xue said with burning eyes, “This is one of my research goals.”

"What?!" Wu Xian's scalp tingled instantly. "You concocted this using spiritual substances?"

Master Xue remained noncommittal.

"Divine power factors can be concocted?"

"Why not?" Third Master Xue asked with a smile, "How are divine power factors generated?"

"It was condensed and transformed from a Domain Scroll copy." "Then that settles it. If a Domain Scroll copy can convert spiritual energy and spiritual matter into divine power factors, why can't we directly synthesize divine power factors using spiritual energy and spiritual matter?" Third Master Xue retorted.

Wu Xian was speechless.

"Want to learn? I can teach you," Third Master Xue asked with a squinting smile.

“I would,” Wu Xian replied without hesitation, “but you probably wouldn’t teach me for no reason, would you?”

“Clever lad,” Master Xue said with a sigh, not bothering to hide anything, “the deeper you delve into the research, the more you feel a sense of powerlessness.”

"What sense of powerlessness?" Wu Xian asked, puzzled.

"Limited by the limitations of the scroll painter's talent," Master Xue said with a wry smile, "Synthesizing divine power factors relies heavily on referencing the laws and patterns of the divine diagram. The more complex and comprehensive the laws and patterns, the better."

Wu Xian suddenly realized, "So you want to draw upon the principles of my Divine Diagram?"

“That’s right,” Third Master Xue nodded. “I think the laws in your divine diagram are very comprehensive, at least much more comprehensive than my eldest niece’s divine diagram. How about we do something mutually beneficial?”

"Authorized original?" Wu Xian asked hesitantly.

It's not necessarily a bad thing for someone to help him comprehend the laws of the divine diagram, since the copyright is with him anyway, and the other person's insights and benefits will all go to him for free.

Just like Tang Beng's research on the Autobots.

"Yes."

“But it seems that it’s impossible to produce an authorized original copy of the ancient scroll painting,” Wu Xian said awkwardly.

"..." Master Xue's expression froze. "I saw that you had several ideas for drawing that divine picture scroll, but you haven't managed to complete a single one?"

Wu Xian nodded awkwardly but politely.

Master Xue's lips twitched for a long time, clearly unwilling to give up this opportunity. "When can you make it? Just make one."

"Well... I can't say for sure," Wu Xian said helplessly, spreading his hands. "However, I'm currently working on condensing another set of divine diagrams, specifically this one of Winged Fire Star Lord. Could you make do with it for now?"

With that, he released Winged Mars.

"This one?" Master Xue stared at the Winged Fire Star Lord for a moment, observing and sensing it. "It seems quite comprehensive. Strange, are all your scroll-drawing ideas this comprehensive?"

Wu Xian smiled sullenly.

There's nothing we can do about it; after all, the mythological figures of our Chinese civilization are generally well-rounded in moral, intellectual, physical, aesthetic, and labor education.
Furthermore, don't be fooled by the fact that Winged Fire Star Lord may not seem to be of a very high level. The subsequent Twenty-Eight Constellations Divine Diagram is quite extraordinary, and it is very likely that it contains certain laws and patterns of the Four Symbols.

"Hurry up!" Third Master Xue nodded in agreement: "I need it urgently."

"It'll be done soon," Wu Xian said confidently. "But before that, could you teach me something?"

Master Xue nodded thoughtfully, "How much you can learn depends on your own ability."

Immediately, he began explaining to Wu Xian from the most basic level.

……

On the main street of the North District late at night.

Tang Qingxuan struggled to sit up, slumped against the wall, and took out several potions from his dimensional bracelet.

Under the influence of the medicine, his injuries gradually healed, and he regained some strength.

However, his mind and consciousness were still in a daze.

The scene of being unilaterally beaten kept flashing through my mind, and shock, confusion, grievance, self-doubt... all sorts of complex emotions intertwined in my heart.

"How can this be?"

Tang Qingxuan struggled to his feet, looking at Wu Xian's small villa with lingering fear.

She couldn't understand why such an outrageous scroll painter would exist in such a remote and impoverished place.
Moreover, that kid was just a peasant, without any scroll painting tradition.

powerful! too strong!
It's so powerful it's suffocating.

(End of this chapter)