Chapter 332 – Fighting Paintings with Paintings (2/2)

He arrived at the Cloudwisp association. Sun Fubai and Liu Chuanfeng were currently editing his novel urgently, but it really was quite the workload. It was a novel of a million characters, and they would have to change the entire story if they wanted to edit it. Moreover, they had to ensure continuity too. Even if they went without sleep or rest, it was not something they could complete in a few days.

Sun Fubai said, “Qingshan, time is just too tight.”

“All we can do is give it a try.” Li Qingshan then said to Liu Chuanfeng, “Help me draw some things.”

“I don’t have the time!” Liu Chuanfeng called out.

“Then I’ll go find another artist.” Li Qingshan remembered how the Cloudwisp association had quite a few artists too, who were hired to specially produce accompanying illustrations for novels.

Li Qingshan chose some young painters who were skilled in meticulous, realistic painting techniques, before telling them what he was thinking and getting them to paint it.

Ever since Li Qingshan had visited last time, everyone in the association knew that this was one of the three owners of the association, so they never dared to brush him aside. They immediately began to paint with everything they had.

Li Qingshan meditated in the meantime. A while later, a painter passed over the work he had completed. “Boss, do you think this’ll do?” The other painter began to speed up too.

Li Qingshan took a look. Sure enough, it was life-like and extraordinarily detailed. It depicted a boy of humble origins vividly, but Li Qingshan shook his head. “It won’t do. You’ve drawn him too well!”

Drawing it well was instead bad. The two painters exchanged glances.

“This is for children, so make it simpler, and don’t leave it black and white. I want full colour.” Li Qingshan affirmed his thoughts. The only way to express the wonders of this story was through pictures. Back then, he had read a picture book too.

And, he had to ensure that the pictures depicted everything. Little children had very limited vocabulary. With some further thought, he realised that what he was doing right now was no longer a so-called novel. Instead, it was a picture book or cartoon.

However, novelists in the beginning were based on rumors and gossip. They were not bound by words. Regardless of the methods he took, all that mattered were people understanding it and believing in it. He wanted to use the methods of the school of Painting to defeat the school of Painting.

He remained in the Cloudwisp association until night time. Finally, he decided on the painting style. However, no matter how he tried to simplify it, the works from the two painters were still much more detailed than the picture book in his memories.

Afterwards, he immediately gathered all the painters skilled in meticulous, realistic painting techniques and got them to copy the style. The story was extremely simple, less than a hundred pages in total.

In the end, Li Qingshan added naively simple narration at the bottom of the illustrations, and it was complete as a picture book.

Li Qingshan weighed it in his hand. This original draft was critical for summoning the characters in the book, as well as his trump card for defeating Chu Danqing.

Thirty kilometers away from Clear River city, in a small town.

Thump, thump, thump. Thump, thump, thump. A travelling pedlar swung a rattle-drum around with a carrying pole over his shoulders, walking along the small alleyway paved from stone.

A door opened within the alleyway, and a tiny head stuck out. “Pedlar uncle, is there candy?”

“There is. There’s sesame candy, barley candy, and crunchy candy. There’s each and every kind!” The pedlar cleared his throat and sang out a list of what he sold.

A group of children emerged like small monkeys, gathering around the pedlar. They all held a few copper coins.

“What’s this?” A child spotted a stack of colourful picture books on top of the goods. There were four words on there, but he only recognised the word “horse” or “Ma”.

The pedlar said, “Now you have some pretty sharp eyes. Take it.”

The children each received a book and flipped through it. Perhaps they still did not understand the contents too well, but the beautiful pictures alone had managed to enrapture them. They immediately began to hesitate. To buy candy or to buy the book?

“How much is the book? I’ll buy it!” said a little fatty. He was in possession of much more copper coins than his little friends.

“I’ll buy it too!” said the eldest child there. He had learned how to read from a private tutor, so he understood what the words were saying. He had been drawn in by the story immediately. Even if he had to go without candy, he would still buy it.

The pedlar said, “It’s free. It’s a gift. One for each person. Don’t take anymore than that!”

The children cheered.

“Can I take one too?” asked a child nervously. Compared to his companions’ cotton clothes, he wore patchy clothes, which made him seem particularly small. He did not have a single copper coin at all. He had only come to see what was going on.

“Take it!” The pedlar casually shoved two pieces of candy into the child’s mouth. The money he would make from giving out these books would be even more than clearing all the stock on him. He too was extremely happy over how he could have a prosperous year.

The pedlar travelled away, and the children gathered together.

“How pretty.” “What is this picture showing?”

The eldest child copied his tutor by clearing his throat. “Come, I’ll read it for you!”

Sun Shuping received a new draft from Sun Fubai. He planned on going back and familiarising himself with it first, thinking about how he would tell the story before teaching it to the other storytellers.

Although he felt like the novel had lost part of its charm after being edited, there were fortunately not any particularly major changes overall. As a matter of fact, if he could tell some of the turning points properly, it would be even more fascinating. Splitting open the Bright peak in a single stroke was much more interesting.

This youngest owner was not particularly old, but his writing ability was truly impressive. He was far better than that second owner, the Master of Wind and Moon.