Madam Hua's cultivation level was high and her Spirit Refinement cultivation level was considered extraordinary in the entire Great Zhao. She was the wife of the First Mountain Lord of Sacred Mountain and had the Spirit Refinement inheritance of Sensory Temple. Her Primordial Spirit was so powerful that it could travel 1,500 kilometers outside her body and treat sunlight as nothing.
With such a cultivation level, it was very unbelievable that she could not sense An Le's cultivation level.
After sizing it up carefully, she realized that the broken bamboo sword that the youth had pinned to his waist released an indistinct sword intent that swam around the youth's body, blocking the prying of her Primordial Spirit.
"This bamboo sword… Where did it come from?"
Madam Hua took a deep breath and frowned slightly. She closed the Great Confucian book in her hand and her expression turned solemn.
The bamboo sword looked broken and ordinary, but it contained an indestructible sword qi that was like a mountain that pressed down on the world.
Broken bamboo sword…
Madam Hua immediately thought of that existence in Great Zhao.
A hundred years ago, the old Emperor's uncle had picked up a broken bamboo sword and dared to fight the number one expert in the world, Emperor Yuan Meng, to death!
But how could the sword of such an expert be worn by An Le at his waist?
"It's a gift from an elder. The Water Ink Bamboo Stone Painting that I created was deeply loved by the elder. Therefore, he gave this bamboo sword to me. He hopes that I'll maintain a gentleman's spirit akin to the bamboo. I can be proud and not bend over for hardships."
An Le placed his palm on the bamboo sword and smiled.
Madam Hua glanced at An Le. This was a gift from an elder. Was this elder the old Emperor's uncle?
However, Madam Hua did not ask further. In terms of seniority and cultivation, that old Emperor's uncle was much higher than her.
After placing the book on the couch, Madam Hua stood up and put on her embroidered shoes. She looked at An Le and asked, "Young Master An, can I take a look at the sword?"
When An Le heard this, he did not refuse, nor was he worried that Madam Hua would snatch the bamboo sword.
Since Madam Hua could give him the Sword Waterfall Diagram for a painting, she naturally wouldn't snatch the bamboo sword for no reason.
An Le took off the bamboo sword at his waist and handed it to Madam Hua with one hand on the sword and the other on the hilt.
Madam Hua stood up and took it solemnly.
A powerful Primordial Spirit emerged silently, and a hurricane suddenly blew through the main hall of the Water Pavilion, causing Madam Hua's clothes and black hair to flutter.
Madam Hua sized up the broken bamboo sword carefully for a long time before sighing.
Without saying much, she returned the bamboo sword to An Le. "This sword is your great opportunity. Use your mental power to nurture this sword. Although this sword is a bamboo sword, it's like the backbone of a gentleman. It's the toughest in the world. No one can break it or destroy it."
"A gentleman's pride is unbreakable. As long as his backbone is unbroken, the sword will not break."
"I hope you can match this sword soon."
A look of admiration appeared in Madam Hua's eyes.
An Le held the bamboo sword. He didn't have a high cultivation level to look at the essence of the sword, but since even Madam Hua praised it, this sword must be extraordinary.
"Madam Hua, I'm here to ask for leave from you. The senior who gave me the sword will bring me to a place three days later. I'm afraid I won't be able to come to the Lin Residence to paint for the young masters for some time."
An Le cupped his fists.
When Madam Hua heard this, her eyelashes fluttered and she narrowed her eyes. "Three days later? I understand. Of course, I'll allow you to take leave."
Wasn't it the opening of the Sixth Mountain three days later?
From the looks of it, that senior had the intention of nurturing An Le. He actually planned to personally bring An Le to the Sixth Mountain to see if he could be chosen by the Sixth Mountain Lord to become a Mountain Guardian.
This was An Le's opportunity, so Madam Hua naturally wouldn't stop him.
An Le did not expect it to be so easy. The people of the Lin Residence were indeed good people.
"Thank you for your understanding, Madam Hua."
An Le thanked her sincerely.
Madam Hua's red lips curled up slightly. "There's no need to thank me. The young masters wouldn't have the time to let you paint in three days anyway, so let nature take its course."
"Last night, the Sixth Mountain of the Sacred Mountain issued a sword qi Mountain Opening Token. It will open its doors in three days to recruit the Mountain Guardian. You should know how mysterious and extraordinary the Sacred Mountain is. Cultivators in the Central Plains are proud to enter the Sacred Mountain. Even if they enter the Sacred Mountain as the Mountain Guardian, it's a good outcome. It makes people scramble for it."
"That senior most definitely wants you to give it a try."
Madam Hua chuckled.
An Le was enlightened. "So the young masters want to give it a try in three days?"
Madam Hua smiled and nodded.
An Le understood and cupped his fists to bid farewell, but Madam Hua stopped him.
"Young Master An, let's not paint for the young masters today. How about we paint your ink bamboo in the Heavenly Wave Water Pavilion?"
Madam Hua said softly. She was increasingly curious about An Le, who could attract the admiration of the old Emperor's uncle and even give him a bamboo sword.
Upon hearing this, An Le could not help but be stunned. However, he stopped in his tracks and cupped his fists. "Of course, but I'll have to trouble Miss Xi Xiang to go to the Martial Arts Hall to inform the young masters, Zhuifeng, and Miss Qingyin."
Madam Hua looked at Xi Xiang. When Xi Xiang heard this, she bowed slightly to An Le and Madam Hua. She held up the oil-paper umbrella and her graceful figure submerged into the hazy spring rain.
Madam Hua ordered the servants to prepare a table for painting, as well as brush, ink, paper, and inkstone.
Outside the Water Pavilion, the spring rain was blowing, and a cool spring breeze blew.
Madam Hua and An Le drank tea and chatted, asking about the situation of Spirit Refinement. If An Le had any questions about the Sword Waterfall Diagram, Madam Hua could give an accurate answer.
Coupled with the enhancement of An Le's [Innate Swordsman] Dao Fruit, he could quickly comprehend it and gain a lot.
An Le thought about it. He might not be able to see the young masters today, so he chose to absorb the Age Qi from Madam Hua.
With a thought, the [Age Qi] column on the screen began to jump.
Instantly, there was a wisp of Age Qi on Madam Hua's body. It swayed and finally escaped, lingering on An Le's fingertips.
Unfortunately, it was a wisp of gray Age Qi.
An Le was not discouraged. Molten Gold Age Qi was not that easy to obtain, so he continued to absorb it with difficulty. After two consecutive tries, he obtained two wisps of Age Qi.
He was overjoyed when he realized that one of the two wisps of Age Qi was actually Molten Gold Age Qi.
He had obtained three wisps of Age Qi from Madam Hua. To be able to obtain a wisp of Molten Gold Age Qi was already considered extremely lucky. Indeed, the stronger one's cultivation was, the higher the probability of obtaining the Molten Gold Age Qi.
Even though An Le's Spirit Refinement realm had stepped into the Embryonic Breath realm and his mental power had become much stronger, after absorbing three wisps of Age Qi consecutively from Madam Hua's body, he still could not continue.
An Le was already very satisfied. He was not in a hurry to look at the wisp of Molten Gold Age Qi that he had obtained from Madam Hua.
That was because, in Heavenly Wave Water Pavilion, everything was prepared. The table was laid out, and Liu Xiang was waiting for An Le to write.
Outside the Water Pavilion, there were two to three oil paper umbrellas moving leisurely like flowers blooming in the misty rain.
When Lin Zhuifeng and Lin Qingyin found out that An Le was going to paint at the Water Pavilion, they came with Xi Xiang.
Everyone entered the Water Pavilion in silence.
An Le had a bamboo sword at his waist, rolled up his wide white sleeves, held a brush, and dipped it into ink. He was already splashing ink on the clean rice paper.
Madam Hua sat upright on the couch and stretched out her long neck, which was like white jade, to watch the ink grow on the paper.
There was a hint of curiosity in her eyes.
...
...
The new rains of the spring river reached the west side of the window, and the dark clouds and mountains were far away from the trees.
The rain in Lin'an was misty and clouded.
A luxurious carriage slowly drove to the white jade stone sign of the Literary Department and stopped moving forward.
A burly coachman wearing a bamboo hat and a raincoat took out an oil-paper umbrella and handed it to the young man who lifted the curtain.
The young man got out of the carriage with an umbrella. His luxurious clothes made him look very noble.
"I'm going to see Second Headmaster. I'll be back soon. Wait for me at the stone archway."
Luo Qingchen held the umbrella as the spring rain fell like a curtain.
"Yes." The coachman nodded respectfully.
Luo Qingchen held an umbrella and strolled in the spring rain with his hands behind his back. He stepped on the limestone steps all the way to the many pavilions of the Literary Department that were hidden in the misty rain.
Last night, the Sixth Mountain suddenly issued a Mountain Opening Token, and the Sixth Mountain Lord was about to accept a second Mountain Guardian. The entire Lin'an Prefecture was shocked.
Luo Qingchen naturally knew.
He knew very well that ever since his battle with Li You'an, he had been defeated in one move and his Dao heart was covered in dust. He had lost the qualifications and courage to ascend the Sacred Mountain to converse with the Sacred Teacher.
However, the cultivators of the Central Plains took pride in entering the Sacred Mountain. Luo Qingchen was no exception. He was also somewhat tempted by the recruitment of the Mountain Guardian by the Sixth Mountain Lord.
This was also an opportunity for him. If he could enter the Sacred Mountain, his status and identity would be stabilized. Perhaps he would be like a withered tree returning to spring.
Luo Qingchen climbed eight hundred steps and walked along the mountain path. The spring rain splashed fine layers of water on the muddy ground. When he arrived in front of a building with white walls and black roof tiles, Luo Qingchen put away his umbrella and pushed the door open.
The lobby of the house was crowded with people, and the atmosphere of discussion was lively.
It was a unique contrast to the cold spring rain outside the house.
Hot water was boiling in the charcoal stove, and there were attendants waiting. When the water boiled, they would make tea and refill the water for the cultivators in the Literary Department's pavilion.
On the main table, two Confucian-robed old men sat upright, sipping hot tea. They were facing a painting, chatting and laughing, praising it endlessly.
When Luo Qingchen entered and saw the two elders in the hall, he could not help but be stunned.
He did not expect that two masters would come to the lecture hall today.
It was rare for Second Headmaster and Third Headmaster to gather together.
He did not say much and walked slowly in the room, planning to find an empty seat to sit.
The enthusiastic conversation of the surrounding scholars from the Literary Department entered his ears.
"This painting is called the Water Ink Bamboo Stone Painting. It uses ink to draw bamboo. The light ink and scorch ink alternate, and the thin stroke reveals the bamboo stem. It shows the proud quality of a bamboo gentleman. It's really different!"
"Third Headmaster came with a painting and asked us to admire it. He wanted us to learn the art of ink painting and bamboo painting. I was shocked when I saw the painting. I've never seen an ink bamboo painting before. This painting should be a new style."
"It's not just a painting. The poem 'From whichever direction the winds leap, I remain strong, though dealt many a blow.' and the quality of the bamboo complement each other. It's really extraordinary!"
...
The scholars from the Literary Department praised and communicated. They had clearly seen the paintings before.
"Excuse me."
Luo Qingchen said to the scholars in front of him.
The scholars hurriedly made way for Luo Qingchen to pass through and bowed with their hands in front of them.
Luo Qingchen returned the greeting and listened to everyone discuss the painting. He couldn't help but feel curious.
After Luo Qingchen passed, the scholars from the Literary Department continued their conversation.
"Although the mental power contained in the painting is rather weak and more like an artist's scribble, the sword intent hidden in the bamboo leaves is incomparably harmonious. This painting, poem, calligraphy, and intent are fused together. It can be said to be peerless!"
"I'm really curious. Who drew this incredible painting? Could it be written by the Third Headmaster himself?"
"Third Headmaster's painting of bamboo is famous for its craftsmanship. The poem and ink bamboo don't suit the Third Headmaster's habits. Furthermore, you haven't seen it. There's also an inscription on the painting. The painter's name is An Le…"
"Since it was brought out by the Third Headmaster, it must be a senior who is very close to the Third Headmaster."
"I wonder who Mr. An Le is?"
...
The spring rain outside the house was like pearls falling on a jade plate, unable to drown out the fervent discussions in the house.
Luo Qingchen's footsteps suddenly froze.