Chapter 97 - Three Swift Strikes (1/2)

Translator: CKtalon  Editor: CKtalon

All the disciples left the Grotto-Heaven Pavilion.

Yan Jin was dragged away by his brother, Xue Feng. Liu Qiyue needed to head to her other master’s place for cultivation.

Supremacy was the master of all Archean Mountain disciples that were admitted in the past three hundred years. He only gave simple guidance to his disciples during the lectures. The disciples had to search for the true direction in their cultivation by themselves! And if they were lucky, other Godfiends would accept them as disciples. For example, there were quite a number of disciples on Archean Mountain who took in Marquis Godfiends or Regis Godfiends as masters.

Liu Qiyue’s other master was Marquis Godfiend, Marquis Heavenstar. His archery skills were enough to threaten a Regis Godfiend. He was a master specially arranged for Liu Qiyue by Archean Mountain.

…

After reading in the library for more than an hour, Meng Chuan returned to Grotto-Heaven Pavilion.

Night had already fallen, and the cold wind blew. The Grotto-Heaven Pavilion was completely empty, and no one could be seen.

Oh? Meng Chuan walked to Grotto-Heaven Pavilion’s entrance and discovered a person walking over from afar. It was a gray-robed elder. He bowed slightly and said, “Lord Meng Chuan, please follow me.”

Meng Chuan nodded and entered Grotto-Heaven Pavilion.

After going through curves and bends, he saw a small pavilion in the garden. The long-haired man was leisurely sitting there. A pot of alcohol was being warmed. He flipped through a dossier as he drank.

The gray-robed elder bowed and retreated.

Meng Chuan walked closer and said respectfully, “Master.”

“Meng Chuan, you’ve practiced the Dao of painting since you were young. All of Eastcalm Prefecture’s artists were hired to teach you. You managed to paint Gallant Steeds at 13. Your artistic skills are excellent, and you’re already a top-notch artist in the present world. Apart from cultivation, you spend at least two hours painting every day.” The long-haired man smiled at Meng Chuan. “Am I right?”

Meng Chuan was shocked.

Many people had seen Gallant Steeds—his father, the clan Elders, Liu Qiyue, Yun Qingping, and many others.

“Having an inborn Essence Soul is extremely rare. According to what I know, there have only been three instances in human history for someone to have inborn Essence Souls. Their father or mother must have reached the Creation realm, and they have to pass a portion of their condensed strength to their child. Only then, can a baby have an inborn Essence Soul,” said the long-haired man with a smile. “Your parents are very weak. They are too far from the Creation realm. Clearly, it’s impossible for them to pass their power to you.

“There’s only one possibility. You’re at such a high realm at the Dao of painting and reached the state of the Dao and can seek answers from your inner self. That’s how you condensed an Essence Soul as a mortal.”

The long-haired man smiled at Meng Chuan. “Am I right?”

Meng Chuan was shocked. Before he could say anything, the other party had guessed that he had condensed an Essence Soul through painting.

“Master, you are truly wise,” said Meng Chuan respectfully.

“Not at all. I can sense your Essence Soul at a glance, so I guessed it,” said the long-haired man with a smile. “In human history, other than the three infants who relied on their parents’ power, the rest formed Essence Souls through external help.

“They were either good at playing the zither, painting, calligraphy, and even blacksmithing. Once their skills reach a certain point, they can reach the Dao Seeking state. Every time they seek answers from their inner self, their heart and mind will undergo a transformation. Their souls will also undergo a transformation,” said the long-haired man. “However, it’s too difficult for people to attain the Dao through extracurricular skills. It’s too rare.

“We’ve tried grooming such people, but it was useless! It’s impossible to groom a truly-skilled artist. Even if one becomes a top artist at the age of seventy or eighty, it’ll be too late,” said the long-haired man. “Furthermore, wasting too much time on these extracurricular skills will affect their cultivation in weapon techniques.

“After reaching the Realm of Dao with weapon techniques, they too can seek answers from their inner self,” said the long-haired man. “Since one can also achieve the same with weapon techniques, there’s no need for geniuses to waste their time on such extracurricular skills.”

Meng Chuan understood.

All skills were the same. Painting was a skill, but so were weapon techniques. When one was sufficiently skilled in weapon techniques, they could also seek answers from their inner self.

However, painting was a skill that allowed one to unleash one’s inner emotions. Weapons were meant to kill enemies. To reach the state of seeking answers from their inner self, one would have reached the Realm of Dao.

Weapon techniques had several realms: Unity, Force, Intent, Soul, and Dao. One could only seek answers from their inner self after attaining Saber Dao, testimony to its difficulty.

“You can be considered a genius in saber arts,” said the long-haired man, “but you are a peerless genius at painting. Just your art alone deserves your name to be put in history for a thousand years.”

“Master, you flatter me.” Meng Chuan felt somewhat embarrassed by the compliments.

He had never publicly revealed his proudest works, People Resonance and Facing the Morning Sun. He knew that compared to the famous artists and sages in history, he was in no way inferior. The claim that the Supremacy made was indeed true.

To be able to seek answers from his inner self, it meant that his skill had reached a peak. Just a painting of his was capable of affecting the minds of others.