When the second wisp of Age Qi was removed from Miss Zhuifeng's body, An Le's breathing quickened.
Something was wrong!
According to his experience, this Age Qi could only be used once a day against a target.
He had tested it on Fairy Yun Rou before, but why was he able to pull out a second wisp today?
Was it because of Miss Zhuifeng or because of An Le?
An Le immediately recalled that the only difference between him and Fairy Yun Rou was that he had stepped onto the path of cultivation!
Perhaps… the increase in his cultivation level could increase the number of times he extracted Age Qi every day?!
The more Age Qi there was, the easier it was for An Le to become stronger…
They complemented each other.
With a thought, a light screen popped up.
[Name: An Le]
[Age Qi: 3 wisps]
[Age Dao Fruit: Cultivation Genius (0/10)]
[Cultivation Technique: Qi Drawing Breathing Technique (1 wisp)]
[Skill: Zhao Zu's Long Fist (Incomplete) (1 wisp)]
...
On the light screen, there were three wisps of Age Qi.
What made An Le feel that it was a pity was that the second wisp of Age Qi extracted from Miss Zhuifeng was not the Golden Age Qi, so it could not condense into the Age Dao Fruit.
"Just enlightened? That's too late." Miss Zhuifeng knew nothing about An Le absorbing Age Qi from her.
"It's fine. I'm satisfied to be able to step into cultivation," An Le replied with a smile.
"Young Master An, you have a good mentality." Miss Zhuifeng smiled brightly and straightforwardly. "If cultivators of my generation could have such a mentality, there wouldn't be so many people stuck at the bottleneck. Because they couldn't break through, they took the wrong path and fell into the demonic path, ruining their future and life."
"Cultivation is not without risks."
Miss Zhuifeng found An Le more and more pleasing to the eye.
The two of them walked along the limestone road in the Lin Residence and passed by courtyards and houses.
When many servants saw Miss Zhuifeng, they put down the things in their hands and bowed respectfully. Although Miss Zhuifeng was a maidservant, her status in the Lin Residence was clearly very high.
Miss Zhuifeng brought An Le to the reception hall. From afar, she could see many people gathered in the hall.
"Young Master An, we're here."
"You can be considered the last painter. There are now 30 painters gathered in the Lin'an Prefecture. All of them are quite famous."
Miss Zhuifeng pointed at the central hall and smiled at An Le.
"Why did you invite so many painters…?" An Le asked curiously.
Miss Zhuifeng glanced at An Le's handsome side profile and didn't hide anything. "You'll find out soon anyway, so there's no harm in telling you."
"The main purpose of inviting the painter this time is to paint for the young masters of the Lin Residence who are about to set off. The order was given by Matriarch. You also know the style of the Lin Residence. Just like the Old Minister, they are loyal and righteous. Once they go to the battlefield, they will gamble on the Lin Residence's glory to fight. Only by killing the enemy can they exchange for the Eight Treasures Heavy Eaves Waterdrop Heavenly Wave Pavilion and the stone tablet jade workshop."
"The Old Minister died in battle previously. Three of the seven young masters of the Lin family died in battle. The eldest young master died outside the pass, and the second and third masters didn't even have bones left. The Matriarch's lifespan was approaching its end, and she became more and more nostalgic. She couldn't bear to forget the faces of her children and grandchildren who died in battle in the future, so she invited the painter just to leave a memory."
As Miss Zhuifeng spoke, her voice became lower and she was in low spirits.
When An Le heard this, he fell silent.
Painting to send them off was just to let the elders in the residence see the painting and remember them. It was not to the extent that even the faces of the sons and descendants would be forgotten by the blurry memories in the future. This loyalty was touching.
"I will definitely do my best," An Le said seriously.
Miss Zhuifeng collected her emotions and grinned at An Le. "You should stand out from the other painters first."
"Ninth Sister was very surprised by your painting technique. That's why she got Constable Huang to search for you. Don't disappoint her."
An Le cupped his hands and bowed with a solemn expression.
Then, under Miss Zhuifeng's lead, they stepped into the central hall.
As soon as they entered the hall, many gazes swept over like needles. There were many people in the hall. They all looked like Confucian scholars and their ages fluctuated.
After all, they were all competitors. Everyone knew that if the painting could satisfy Matriarch Yu of the Lin Mansion, there would be many benefits.
Thus, An Le, this new competitor, naturally did not have a good expression on his face.
As he was the last to arrive, he was near the door.
After settling An Le down, Miss Zhuifeng entered the hall and sat down beside a beautiful woman. An Le glanced over and saw that this woman had a pair of willowy eyebrows. She was as gentle as water and her face was slightly covered in makeup, making her look stunning.
However, An Le only took a glance before he turned his gaze away and scanned the entire hall. His heart was suddenly stirred, and there was only one thought left in his mind…
Was this heaven?
There was too much Age Qi!
It even blinded his eyes like a flower.
Especially near the high hall, almost everyone's bodies were intertwined with Age Qi. There were at least ten wisps…
There were many, such as the luxuriously dressed noblewoman sitting at the head of the table. Her body was wrapped in Age Qi, and there were probably a hundred wisps.
An Le looked at the noblewoman. With a thought, he absorbed a wisp of Age Qi with some difficulty. However, he had just extracted the Age Qi from the noblewoman.
Immediately, the lady looked over with a deep gaze. It was like waves rising from the vast ocean, causing An Le to feel immense pressure on his back.
The noblewoman sitting in the main seat frowned slightly. She felt a little strange. When she met the young man's gaze, her calm Primordial Spirit could not help but jump.
However, the young man's spiritual energy was weak and his cultivation level was so low that it was unnoticeable. The noblewoman gave up on the idea of investigating and said softly, "Painters, do you all know why the Lin Residence invited everyone here?"
"The young masters of the Lin Residence are about to set off. I hope that you can draw their faces so that we women can remember them in the residence. When we're free, we can look at their paintings and miss them."
"Don't worry, Madam Hua. We'll definitely do our best. Actually, Madam Hua can just invite me over. I've been painting for dozens of years and have deep insights. There's no need to go through so much trouble," an old painter said as he stroked his beard.
Madam Hua chuckled. "Master Liu Qingyan is a famous painter in Lin'an, but this painting for the young masters is of great importance. Of course, we have to be more serious."
"If you draw it well, the Lin Residence will definitely reward you handsomely."
Madam Hua sat upright on the sandalwood chair. She had a beautiful face and curved black eyebrows. Her aura was graceful and unfathomable.
She glanced at the painters and said with a gentle smile, "Then, everyone, please move to the Heavenly Wave Water Pavilion. I've already arranged for people to set up tables and chairs there, as well as the painting materials. There'll only be one painter chosen. I hope everyone will do their best."
As soon as she finished speaking, Madam Hua stood up leisurely and led the way towards the Water Pavilion with the people from the Lin Residence.
The painters followed. Seeing that the noblewoman did not pursue the matter, An Le exhaled slightly and followed the crowd like a little transparent.
The Water Pavilion was located behind the Heavenly Wave Pavilion. It was built next to a large pool in the manor. Three sides faced the water, and the fish in the pool were like brocade flowers. Opposite the Water Pavilion was the Eight Treasures Heavy Eaves Waterdrop Heavenly Wave Pavilion. One could see the magnificence of the Heavenly Wave Pavilion, and the scenery was uniquely good.
The Water Pavilion was tidied up and there were 30 tables on it. The tools were all placed on the tables. It was obvious that they had long been prepared.
All the painters found their desks and sat down. They were either grinding ink, pondering, or stroking paper.
Madam Hua sat in the main hall of the Water Pavilion. From this position, she could see the painters painting on the empty ground.
Suddenly, Madam Hua raised her eyebrows and saw a young man raising his hand at the end of the table.
It was the young man who had caused Madam Hua's Primordial Spirit to move slightly earlier.
"What's the matter, Young Master?" Madam Hua said softly. Her voice clearly reached An Le's ears from afar.
When An Le heard this, he took a deep breath. "Madam, my painting tools are a little different. I need a wooden frame, a few pieces of thick paper, some charcoal, a small knife, and a white steamed bun."
What kind of weird request was this?
Madam Hua was stunned. The painters present also had strange expressions.
The master named Liu Qingyan stroked his beard and sneered. "Painting with charcoal? Unreasonable nonsense! Young people only know how to entertain the gallery. How ridiculous."
How could a piece of charcoal compare to a brush? How could such a painting be good?
Many painters chuckled and shook their heads in disdain.
An Le's expression did not change.
In the main hall of the Water Pavilion, Ninth Sister Lin Qingyin slowly stood up. "Sister-in-law, I invited this young artist. His painting is indeed different from ordinary people, but it's precious because it's realistic. The person in the painting is like a living being on a piece of paper."
"Since it's an artist hired by Qingyin, there's no harm in trying." Madam Hua looked at Ninth Sister dotingly and then sent someone down to prepare.
After a while, everything An Le needed was prepared.
After Madam Hua and the others prepared the tools for An Le, they picked up the celadon cup on the table and took a sip of warm tea. They said calmly, "Since everyone is ready, let's start painting."
"I'm sitting here. Draw me."
Madam Hua finished speaking.
The painters below were all shocked. Their faces were flushed, and their hands trembled as they held their pens.
What kind of status did Madam Hua have? She was the official wife of the eldest young master of the Lin Residence. The eldest young master had long been conferred the title of marquis, and Madam Hua had been personally conferred a first-grade title by the Emperor. Her status was incomparably noble.
It was a great honor to paint for Madam Hua, but it also made the painters feel pressured.
After pondering for a while, the painters grabbed their brushes, drank their ink, and began to write. They drew lines on the familiar script.
Most painters drew people with brush strokes. It was easy for raw rice paper to diffuse when absorbing water. It was suitable for writing. If it was cooked, it could be used for painting.
The Water Pavilion was quiet, and the sound of flowing water was crisp and pleasant.
The painters placed their brushes on the paper. The sound of the brush tip rubbing against the paper was like a sea of bamboo.
An Le, on the other hand, remained where he was. In addition to the form, the charm was more important when drawing a character. Capturing the divine charm was the key to the sublimation of the painting.
He took a deep breath and slowly raised his head. His gaze landed on the graceful and beautiful noblewoman.
Suddenly, he closed his eyes slightly.
He might have a better way of observing the divine charm than others.
He had a thought.
A wisp of the Age Qi that he had painstakingly extracted from Madam Hua appeared in front of him.
I observe the divine charm through age!
The Age Qi was not an ordinary gray Age Qi. It bloomed with golden light, like a burning incense stick. The scene slowly appeared like water ripples.