Dream Walker: Feng Shui Master Bai Ya

Driven by curiosity, Shang Muchen wandered over to Ma the Cripple's house and saw that there was a cordon around the door and the house was blackened by fire.

Seeing that no one was around, he went to the window and looked into the room, and was startled.

Ma the Cripple's house burned down, leaving a huge black mark on the wall—a graffiti of a black horse.

After observing carefully for a long time, Shang Muchen was certain that the horse was not a blackened mark, but rather a painting on the wall.

This immediately reminded him of several graffiti he had seen recently.

Dog, rat, dragon, rabbit, snake, and now even horse...

Is there an art enthusiast who's been taking photos all over the city to collect all twelve zodiac animals?

Shang Muchen opened his phone and entered the six graffiti locations into the map app. He was shocked to find that the six locations were almost exactly the same distance apart.

Remembering his fourth uncle's advice, "It's better to avoid trouble," Shang Muchen shook his head and tried to put the matter out of his mind.

As dusk fell, Shang Muchen took the subway back to the 157 Art District. Just as he walked through the shopping street, he heard someone calling his name.

Looking back, it was indeed Fatty Wang.

"Mr. Wang, it's so late, why are you still out for a stroll?"

"Here are a few tickets to the art exhibition," Fatty Wang said with a smile as he approached with his two henchmen. "Master Baiya, you were a great help to me during the last rat extermination operation."

The small courtyard in the northeast corner has been rented out for a good price.

Once I receive the first rent payment, according to the rules of the underworld, I'll give you a share of the profits!

"Hey, you've already seen the art, no need to be so polite." Shang Muchen smiled as he accepted the exhibition tickets, saying, "I'm very happy with this, it's a great reason for a date."

"These tickets are free, no big deal. If you want more later, I have plenty. I'll have my underlings deliver them to you," Fatty Wang said with a smile.

"This art exhibition is by a 76-year-old artist who loves traditional Chinese painting."

"Oh my, at this age, he must be an art master."

"He's not necessarily a master, he's just old."

The old man has been creating traditional Chinese paintings and calligraphy for a full eight years. Wang Da Pangzi grinned mischievously.

"What do you mean? A 76-year-old artist has only been painting for 8 years?"

So you only started painting after you retired? Did you graduate from senior citizen university before you started creating art? Shang Muchen laughed as well.

Fatty Wang patted Shang Muchen on the shoulder and said with a smile, "Actually, he's a retired leader who helped everyone a lot when he was in office. Now everyone's just playing around with him."

That being said, this is the world of martial arts.

When people talk about artists, they imagine someone with long, unkempt hair, or someone with a full head of white hair, in their seventies or eighties.

These preconceived "impressions" are often more attractive to the audience than the art itself.

Imagine a 76-year-old man with a full head of white hair, a dignified appearance, and a ruddy complexion, standing there like an old sage. Anyone who looks at him would think he is a master of traditional Chinese painting and a giant of calligraphy.

As for whether his works are good or not, and why they are good, not many people necessarily understand.

Even if we take a step back and assume the worst, they could say:

The age and experience of veteran artists alone are enough to defeat young people!

So, good looks are justice, and finding a good partner is a form of spiritual practice.

"Mr. Wang, you're right. I need to pay attention to that too," Shang Muchen nodded with a smile.

After chatting for a few minutes and parting ways with Fatty Wang, Shang Muchen, clutching the art exhibition ticket, was thinking about Sa Sanqi.

Although I now live in Sa Sanqi's house, I don't really know him. I only know that he was a romantic who committed suicide after a breakup.

He was also a rich second-generation heir, very wealthy, and passionate about art, but his work received little attention and went unnoticed.

What works has Sa Sanqi created?

Go home and visit your family.

Pushing open the door, Shang Muchen saw few ghost residents, so he turned on the lights, changed his clothes, and headed straight for the art studio located at the far end of the second floor.

Since moving in, Shang Muchen has never entered this room. Firstly, Jilibeng had instructed him that Sa Sanqi didn't like others touching the paintings he was working on, and secondly, Shang Muchen knew nothing about art and had no interest in it.

However, since he came with curiosity, Shang Muchen cautiously knocked on the door first and then mumbled a few words:

"Uncle Sa, are you there? I'm not here to cause you any trouble, I'm here to learn about art and admire your masterpieces..."

With no response, Shang Muchen gently pushed open the door to the art studio.

The art studio was nothing special, furnished with a paint table, a tool table, and two large cabinets.

On one side by the window, there was a huge easel.

The easel was covered with a tarpaulin, so it was impossible to know what was painted on it.

Shang Muchen exchanged a few more polite words, and when he did not hear a response from Sa Sanqi, he gently lifted the tarpaulin.

Upon seeing the painting, Shang Muchen was astonished.

This is an unfinished oil painting with a very complex composition, exceptionally rich colors, and extremely abstract content. But the most striking feature is the ouroboros painted in the center of the painting.

This lifelike ouroboros is exactly the same as the one Shang Muchen saw in his dream in the detention center. Under the moonlight, it casts mottled two-dimensional shadows all around the scene.

At the same time, if viewed from a different angle, one can vaguely see that Sa Sanqi also drew ouroboros eggs in the picture.

However, the egg is very light in color, and the painting technique is also very novel. It can only be seen from the side angle through the reflection.

Shang Muchen exclaimed from the bottom of his heart that Sa Sanqi's painting of the ouroboros was truly stunning, wonderful, and outstanding.

Good works don't need expert appreciation; even a layman can see the goodness in a truly good work.

At this moment, Shang Muchen felt this way. This painting was simply too beautiful. The combination of colors and geometric shapes not only completely restored the appearance of the ouroboros in his dream in the detention center, but also sublimated its artistic atmosphere.

After observing for a while, Shang Muchen suddenly noticed that Sa Sanqi seemed to have used fluorescent paint when painting, as the painting could glow even in the dark.

Upon realizing this, Shang Muchen quickly turned off the lights and observed by the moonlight.

Sure enough, in the dark room, the painting completely transformed into another form. The ouroboros retreated back into its egg, and the entire picture was filled with densely packed, small but exquisite figures and scenes, like a dream.

Shang Muchen was so shocked that he was speechless and stood there dumbfounded.

Just then, Sa Sanqi's coughing sounded from behind.

Shang Muchen quickly turned around. Sa Sanqi's ghost stood timidly at the door, pleadingly saying, "Shang Muchen, please don't ruin that painting. I haven't finished it yet."

"No! I would never destroy it! How could I destroy it! Uncle Sa, this painting is amazing! I'm blown away by it!"

"Sigh, stop flattering me... Nobody can understand my paintings."

"I can understand it!" Shang Muchen said decisively, "because I saw this ouroboros with my own eyes!"

"What?!" Sa Sanqi's spirit trembled violently, his voice shaking. "You...you're talking nonsense!"

"I didn't go home yesterday. I spent the night at the Shanbei Detention Center and saw an identical ouroboros in my cell."

"You...you really saw it?" Sa Sanqi asked excitedly, brushing aside the long hair covering her eyes. "I saw it in my cell at the detention center too!"