Is this what you meant by getting serious?
Which painter doesn't use a brush and paper in their painting but a sword?
While Zhang Ziqing was feeling so stifled that she could have exploded on the spot, Jian Qinsheng's body also trembled upon seeing the sight, and he nearly spurted blood.
It was just a moment ago that he had told the other party that he had come here as a representative of the Sanctum of Sages' swordsmanship when the next moment, he really used a sword to paint.
The blade of a sword was sharp and cold, making it far more difficult to draw and paint using it compared to a brush.
My intention was only to remind you of your own identity and responsibility so that you wouldn't lose sight of your goal due to these insignificant matters.
I didn't ask you to make things difficult for yourself and put yourself at risk of losing a challenge!
The young lady is equipped with the Empyrean Saint Fox Brush and Legacy Paper, and she has even executed the formidable Snowearth Painting Technique. On the other hand, as if an ordinary sculptor, you chose to carve a stone instead. Do you really have to take the challenge so lightly?
In this moment, despair was written all over Jian Qinsheng's face. Without a doubt, it was their loss this time around.
He could not even bear to bring himself to look on anymore.
"Could that fellow's brain possibly be rusty?" Zhang Wuchen was also shocked to the point where he could not close his mouth.
He had seen plenty of lunatics, but he had not seen one who was so mentally challenged before!
To paint using a sword… just what kind of lunacy was that young man up to this time around?
"Most likely, he feels that he's unable to surpass Ziqing, but at the same time, he doesn't want to embarrass himself," Elder Wuzhen hypothesized.
"That could possibly be the case." After some thought, Zhang Wuchen was still unable to decipher Zhang Xuan's intentions, so he could only nod in agreement.
As the number one painting genius of the Zhang Clan, Zhang Ziqing's aptitude in painting far surpassed that of her peers, and her skills were on par with most veteran 8-star pinnacle painters. Even if the young man had successfully cleared the Tower of Master Teachers, the crowd still did not think that it was likely for him to emerge victorious.
Since the young man was unable to win, the only way he would be able to save some of his pride was to mess up the entire challenge. This way, even if he lost, he could still shirk the responsibility to his brush and paper.
Coming to realize the young man's motive, Zhang Wuchen shook his head as he shot the young man another glance, and once again, he found himself in a flabbergasted position.
Wielding a sword in his hand, Zhang Xuan's sword tip was more than a chi away from the stone. He swung his arms non-stop, covering the stone with a barrage of sword qi. But for some reason, all of the sword qi seemed to brush past the stone, not leaving the slightest mark on it.
To the crowd, it appeared as if he was possessed by some kind of spirit. There was not a single person in the square who could comprehend what he was up to!
"Could that fellow possibly… have gone mad?"
"I think so, too. Otherwise, why the heck would he suddenly dance with his sword at this moment?"
The only expressions that could be seen on the crowd's faces were dumbstruck looks.
Most of them were from privileged backgrounds, and they had been blessed with the opportunity to see all kinds of painting techniques from master painters. Some painters preferred a more refined painting method, some adopted a wilder painting technique, some were fond of a more flirtatious painting style, and some chose a more stable and dignified painting manner.
With Zhang Ziqing, for example, every single one of her brush strokes was elegant, making it a pleasure to behold. On the other hand, the young man before him was dancing around wildly as if he was suffering from a stroke, and to make things worse, he was not leaving the slightest mark on the stone at all. Did he come here just to fool around?
Even Zhang Ziqing could not help but rub her eyes, wondering if she was seeing things.
It was just a moment ago that the young man had haughtily declared that he had never lost in any challenges before, and all of a sudden… he had suddenly become a madman prancing around the area?
"I'm done!"
While the crowd was still in a stunned state, the young man exhaled deeply and wiped off the sweat from his forehead before wearily flicking his sword back into his storage ring.
Hula!
The stone fell onto a table not too far away, just beside the Bamboo Painting that Zhang Ziqing had created.
"You're done?" Zhang Ziqing exclaimed in astonishment.
She subconsciously glanced at the incense stick that she had lit earlier, and it happened to extinguish at this very moment.
The young man did manage to finish his work on time, but… just what the heck was with that stone?
I'm competing with you in the field of painting, not sculpting! Furthermore… even if we were competing in the field of sculpting, you have to at least leave some marks on the stone in order for it to even be considered a 'sculpture'. Every single person here can testify that your sword hasn't touched the stone at all, so… what the heck are you up to?
More importantly… all you did was randomly swing your sword for around ten to twenty breaths? You didn't even do anything at all, so how did you get so tired that even your face has turned pale?
Even if you want to act, at least do it in a more convincing situation than this! It's almost as if you are taking all of us for fools!
Unable to stand it, Zhang Ziqing turned to Zhang Xuan and said, "Are you certain that this is the work you wish to challenge me with? If you aren't done yet, I don't mind giving you more time!"
Since she was competing with the young man, it would only be worthwhile for her if she defeated the young man when the young man was in his peak state. If the young man's condition had been a little off in the past hour, she did not mind giving him another chance to showcase his true capability.
"There's no need for that. I'm already done painting," Zhang Xuan said with a chuckle. He gestured forward gentlemanly with his hand and said, "We should get the Wu Dao Mirror to check on our work now."
"Check?" Seeing the smile on the young man's face, Zhang Ziqing's cheeks could not help but quiver in frenzy.
All you did was carry a slab of stone over! Even though you did swing your sword wildly for roughly twenty breaths, you didn't leave the slightest mark on it. Do you honestly think your slab of stone is able to match my pinnacle eighth level painting?
I really want to pry open your brain and see where you get your confidence from!
"Indeed." Zhang Xuan nodded. "Of course, if you admit defeat, we can simply skip the checking phase."
"Admit defeat?" Zhang Ziqing nearly burst into laughter.
You want me to admit defeat to a mere stone?
You must be off your rocker! Have you not taken your medicine today?
"Indeed! You should have seen with your own eyes how much effort I put in to complete this masterpiece. I think it would be impossible for me to produce a second one like this within a short period of time!" Zhang Xuan said with an air of solemnity. He gazed into the distance, and the solitude of a man who stood at the top of the world could be seen reflected in his eyes.
"Effort?"
"Masterpiece?"
The crowd nearly fell to the ground hearing those impetuous words.
The young man did not even leave the slightest mark on the stone, such that not even the slightest dent or chip could be seen. If this could be considered a masterpiece, then even a dog could be considered a master painter!
And the young man still had the cheek to say effort…
Effort my ass!
Seeing how fearless the young man was, Zhang Ziqing harrumphed in displeasure. "Are you sure you want to use the Wu Dao Mirror?"
"Of course!" Zhang Xuan exclaimed with a wave of his hand, assuming the disposition of a true expert.
"Very well… I'll make you concede to me!" Zhang Ziqing harrumphed coldly.
She waved her hand, and the Wu Dao Mirror appeared once more. She stretched her finger forward and tapped the Wu Dao Mirror lightly, and a brilliant ray of light immediately reflected from the mirror.
"Junior Zhang Ziqing beseeches the Wu Dao Mirror to help assess the mastery of the paintings we have before us!"
Hu la!
In an instant, the Wu Dao Mirror was brought to life. It emanated a radiance of seven colors, which swiftly shrouded the Bamboo Painting.
A short moment later, a voice emerged from the Wu Dao Mirror.
"Bamboo Painting. The bamboo culms are infused with life, and a breeze whispers amid the mountain, thus placing the painting in harmony with nature. It's neither abrupt nor excessive, a truly rare pinnacle eighth level masterpiece!"
Upon hearing the judgement, Zhang Ziqing visibly heaved a sigh of relief, and a look of pride surfaced on her face.
The fact that she had received such an appraisal from the Wu Dao Mirror meant that even if her Bamboo Painting still was not at the level of her 'Winter Snow Treading Portrait', it did not pale too much in comparison to it.
Knowing that everything was in her grasp, Zhang Ziqing shot Zhang Xuan a haughty glance. "Humph, let's see how the Wu Dao Mirror will judge your work!"
Tzzzzz!
After assessing her work, the Wu Dao Mirror began scanning the stone on the table too.
All of a sudden, it paused for a brief moment before resuming its scanning once more.
As if it could not fully perceive the artwork before it, it scanned the stone for the third time.
Only then did it finally come to a halt, and the voice from before appeared once more. "This painting is truly a one-of-kind masterpiece. I hereby judge this painting to be superior to the one from before!"
"Superior?" Zhang Ziqing staggered on the spot, and her eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets.
She could not help but wonder if she was hearing things.
Why would the Wu Dao Mirror suddenly say such incomprehensible words?
That shabby stone had just been picked off the street, so how could it be a one-of-kind masterpiece?
"What is going on here?"
Zhang Wuchen and the others were dumbstruck, too.