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

Chapter 3 The Jade Rabbit Brings Wealth
"I'm sorry, I don't remember very clearly myself," Wu Xian said, feigning embarrassment.

When his grandfather was hospitalized, Boss Tiao's personalized service was a lifesaver for him.

So, based on Tang Tiaotiao, I drew a lively and cute two-dimensional Jade Rabbit pounding medicine for her under the moonlight, and based on the legend of the Jade Rabbit, I made some modifications and created a simple background story.

At the time, Tang Tiaotiao was busy reporting to her teacher and didn't listen carefully at all, so it's no surprise that she can't remember it now.

But things are different now.

Now that Tang Tiaotiao has been accepted into Dengfeng Art Studio, he can no longer be charged the price of a "graduation project," since the Jade Rabbit is his "original creation."

Ding!
Jump Boss: [Transfer 10000 Spirit Yuan], just to give you a little thrill. Think it over carefully, because my first step in my scroll painting career depends on you.

"Sister Jump, you're so generous. Let me think about it carefully."

Wu Xian decisively accepted the payment and paid attention to the changes in the God of Wealth beside him.

With the arrival of 10,000 yuan, the aura of the God of Wealth noticeably increased, and strands of golden light gathered around him.

This is the power of the God of Wealth; as long as Wu Xian's wealth increases, it can have a certain impact on the level of the God of Wealth's spirit painting.

The "Wealth and Prosperity" talent can also enhance his fortune, bringing him more opportunities to make money.

As for the radiant light surrounding the God of Wealth, that is the effect of "protection by wealth".

Wealth growth, capital flow, and the creation or acquisition of valuable items can all generate wealth energy, which accumulates without limit within the God of Wealth.

It is similar to a special type of energy consumption.

It can be used to resist all kinds of damage, so theoretically speaking, as long as there is enough wealth, the God of Wealth can be invincible.

In addition, wealth energy can also be used as a special cultivation resource for the God of Wealth, which can be refined and absorbed.

"I remember now, it was about the Jade Rabbit bringing wealth, wasn't it?"

Wu Xian pretended to be deep in thought, a mischievous smile playing on his lips.

"...Isn't it the Jade Rabbit pounding medicine?"

"Oh, right, the Jade Rabbit pounding medicine... the Jade Rabbit pounding medicine..."

"Never mind whether it's bringing wealth or pounding medicine, the important thing is my little jade rabbit, the little white rabbit that lives on the moon. How did you come up with that? And the key is that it even got the approval of the scroll painting rules. It's amazing."

"Maybe it was just luck, we just happened to run into the right person," Wu Xian casually replied.

That's right, the creations of scroll painters rely on imagination, but not just any imagined object can be transformed into an extraordinary scroll. It must be based on reason and evidence, be logically consistent, have images and settings that corroborate each other, and be recognized by the rules of scroll painting.

Most of the various picture scrolls in the world today originate from people's fears, desires, and fantasies.

Most of the so-called mythological systems are derived from and imagined from various other-dimensional worlds.

Only those top-tier dojos preserve some of the historical and cultural heritage of the previous era.

"Do you remember?" Tang Tiaotiao asked anxiously.

"Well... I remembered part of it. After all, it was just a flash of inspiration. You know I often have bursts of inspiration, and when I have too many, I easily get confused and can't remember them clearly."

Without wasting any words, Tang Tiaotiao transferred another 10,000 spirit coins. "Then think hard. This young lady is still counting on Little Jade Rabbit to build up her territory in the art studio and recruit followers."

"..." Wu Xian didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

This girl is great in every way, except she has a bit too much of a "streetwise" air about her.

I wonder how they were trained?
Judging from her brother's handsome and talented demeanor, Tang Tiaotiao should logically be a refined and intelligent young lady from a prominent family.

How did she end up with the air of a gangster's heiress?
Can't figure it out.

“I remember now,” Wu Xian said, feigning a sudden flash of inspiration. “Legend has it that there lives a rabbit on the moon, pure white as jade, known as the Jade Rabbit. It is the messenger of the moon goddess and likes to help humans pound medicine. The medicine that it pounds is endowed with magical powers by the gods, bringing happiness and well-being to people…”

The story was one I had written before; I'm just revising and restating it.

It was originally just a half-real, half-fictional "second creation," but it was still worth Tang Tiaotiao's offer.

If it were an authentic story, it wouldn't be this price.

Tang Tiaotiao listened very attentively and was completely absorbed this time.

"Let me make this clear beforehand, this is just a story I made up on a whim. Even if it's recognized by the scroll's rules, it might not actually become a scroll." Wu Xian warned him beforehand, since it was a story mixed with falsehoods, and it would be a miracle if it were to be completed.

"Hehe, have some confidence in yourself. I have a feeling this time will work!"

After saying that, he happily hung up the video call and started trying again.

Wu Xian looked at the huge sum of 20,000 yuan in his account as if in a dream.

Is this the true value of the God of Wealth?
"I wonder what Grandpa's reaction will be when he sees so much money."

It was getting late, but Grandpa hadn't returned yet.

After putting away the God of Wealth statue and going out to ask around, I discovered that none of Grandpa's usual rag-collecting teammates had returned yet.

"North District?"

While pondering, Wu Xian decided to go and take a look at the North District.

North Street is far away, and Grandpa and his old friends rarely go there. Moreover, it is near the dimensional gate, and the people coming and going are more mixed.

Shortly after, we arrived at the North District.

From afar, one could see the dimensional gate towering in the city, with twisted dimensional rifts connecting it to the top, like the gaps in a series of dimensional cracks.

On the other two sides, there are two similar dimensional gates that echo each other.

The three dimensional gates connect to three different dimensional worlds: the Mechanical Wasteland, the Zerg World, and the Mysterious Abyss.

A hundred years ago, three dimensional riots descended upon Yaoyang City. The human army of spirit tamers and scroll painters fought desperately to resist and finally suppressed and sealed the three dimensional rifts, and used them to build three dimensional gates.

Sanzaigang got its name from this.

Today, thanks to the three major dungeon entrances, Sanzaigang has transformed from ruins into a renowned otherworldly port.

It is also the outpost for conquering other dimensions and the forefront for researching other dimensions.

The only downside is that it's not as safe as the new city area, and there are frequent leaks and disturbances from extradimensional creatures.

The North Block appears dark and dilapidated, but it is actually a thriving commercial area. Of course, the city's prosperity has nothing to do with Wu Xian; his main target is the garbage cans in the nooks and crannies.

Sure enough, they soon found Grandpa and his old friends.

At this moment, the old men are guarding their dilapidated tricycles, confronting a group of people.

"Old men, leave your stuff and get back to your territory. North Street is not a place for you." The leader of the group was a middle-aged, burly man covered in scars, with a fierce and menacing appearance.

"We're all just trying to make a living, why can you pick up trash but we can't?"

Grandpa Wang, one of the elderly scrap collectors, was full of resentment, but he knew that the other side had more people and were stronger, so he could only try his best to reason with them.

"Enough with all this nonsense," the blond thug next to the scarred man sneered. "If it weren't for your age, we would have beaten you to a pulp already."

"Everyone has their own difficulties. How about this: we'll keep some, and you can have the rest, what do you say?"

Grandpa Wu Changming gritted his teeth and spoke in a humble voice.

"You're actually trying to bargain? You think you're so great?"

The blond-haired thug picked up a steel pipe, intending to make an example of Grandpa Wu Changming.

At the critical moment, Wu Xian delivered a flying kick, sending the blond-haired man flying away, and coldly surveyed the scarred man and his group.

"Xian'er, what brings you here?"

Grandpa Wu Changming was surprised but also a little flustered, after all, the other side had a lot of people and strength.

Wu Xian patted his grandfather's hand to reassure him, and silently stood in front of the old men.

Just as the blond-haired man was about to retaliate after getting up in a disheveled state, he was stopped by the scarred man's gaze.

"Not bad, young man. Tsk tsk~ Level two spiritual energy cultivation," the scarred man squinted at Wu Xian. "Are you that old man's grandson?"

Wu Xian remained noncommittal.

"Interested in joining me?" the scarred man asked confidently. "We're all psionic warriors from poor backgrounds. If we want to get ahead, sticking together is the best option."

If you join us, we'll let bygones be bygones today, how about it?

Wu Xian glanced at the trash can next to him and answered irrelevantly, "You guys just make a living by scavenging through the trash in the North District?"

"What, you look down on us garbage collectors?" The scarred man raised an eyebrow and mocked, "Two years, two years at most, and I guarantee you'll be able to collect a painting of your own!"

"Looks like there's a lot of money to be made in this North District," Wu Xian thought to himself in surprise.

The scarred man and the others exchanged a smile.

"How's it going? Are you interested?"

"Sorry, I don't need it." Wu Xian said calmly. The people in front of him were all level one or two psionic warriors, with the strongest, the scarred man, only having level three psionic cultivation.

A day ago, he definitely wouldn't have been able to beat them.

But now that he holds the [True Lord of the Mysterious Altar - Zhao Gongming] in his hands, he is not flustered at all.

Psionic warriors and spirit tamers are from completely different worlds.

It's basically equivalent to the difference between being empty-handed and wielding a powerful weapon.

"Looks like you're going to have to suffer the consequences of your actions!"

The scarred man's face darkened, and the air thick with tension.

Seeing this, Grandpa Wu Changming hurriedly tried to drop his things and pull Wu Xian away, but Wu Xian raised his hand and took out a scroll, indicating that he could rest assured.

Wu Changming and Grandpa Wang, who were in a panic just a second ago, were stunned.

"A scroll?!" The scarred man and his group stared wide-eyed, both surprised and doubtful. "This kid is already a Spirit Master?"

"Wait, why is that scroll blood-red? Do scrolls even have this rank?"

"Never heard of counterfeit goods used to scare people, have you?"

"I knew it~ He didn't look like someone who could afford a scroll."

"But why is the border of that scroll gold? It can't be the original scroll, can it? Are you kidding me?"

"This is so fake! Even my kids' toys aren't this fake."

"A bluff," the henchmen sneered. "Brother Liang, let him see what a real scroll painting is like!"

The scarred man squinted as he examined the scroll, feeling somewhat uncertain. He could clearly sense the spiritual fluctuations emanating from it, yet the red scroll itself left him completely bewildered.

"I underestimated you, kid!" The scarred man sneered, pulling a scroll from his chest. "But you have money to buy scrolls, yet you still come to the North District to steal our jobs. Is that really necessary?"

Wu Xian didn't expect that the other party also had a scroll, which was a good opportunity for the God of Wealth to practice his skills.

The copper shaft, with white edging, is merely a rubbing of a scroll that cannot be improved.

In addition, the overall attributes and abilities of the rubbing scroll are much weaker than those of the original and duplicate. If the original scroll is 100%, then the duplicate scroll retains 90% of the attributes, while the rubbing only has 80% of the level.

"Boy, take a good look! This is Master Sun's masterpiece, the Demon-Slaying Blade!"

The scarred man proudly announced the name of the scroll, and slowly unfurled it, revealing a stylish and cool machete leaping out from the scroll.

The moment the scarred man grasped the Demon-Slaying Blade, his aura surged, exuding an overwhelming domineering presence.

"A weapon scroll?"

Wu Xian was secretly surprised. Judging from the spiritual fluctuations emanating from the Demon-Slaying Blade, it was slightly higher than that of the God of Wealth, and should be a two-star painting spirit.

Unfortunately, it was just a rubbing of a copper shaft.

"Subtle vacuum, Divine Firmament Zhao Gong, commands thunder and lightning, moves fire and wind, with a roar from the divine tiger, all ghosts vanish without a trace..."

You like shouting slogans and showing off, don't you?
Dude, I have one too, and it's even cooler and more awesome than yours.

As soon as he finished speaking, the scroll unfurled, and the Black Tiger Mystic Altar True Lord appeared from within it. His spiritual body coalesced amidst dazzling golden-red divine light, and his majestic eyes swept across the crowd, causing the scarred man and his companions to choke with fear.

(End of this chapter)