Chapter 345 – The Heavenly Maiden Scatters the Blossoms (1/2)

In a dim painting studio, a streak of light poured in from the skylight. Dust floated through the air, and one could vaguely make out the floor to be covered in paintings.

The paintings depicted various forms and images of evil spirits and fiends. A single glance at it was enough to overwhelm a person with vileness.

However, none of these images were complete, as if the painter had lost interest in them after painting them half-way.

Chu Danqing lay on the paintings with his limbs spread out. His face was pale, and he seemed to have grown thinner. His eyes were wide open, still stricken with fear.

“Danqing, are you ready?” An old voice rang out. It came from Chu Shidao.

“Yes, master,” Chu Danqing said feebly and supported himself back to his feet, arriving before the painting; this was the only clean space of the entire room. All the painting strokes had been washed away, and all the colours were placed neatly.

The water he used to wash the brushes reeked of blood.

A painting was placed in the centre.

Chu Danqing shifted his gaze downwards, doing his best to avoid looking at the painting. He rolled up the mounted painting bit by bit, and only then did he let out a sigh of relief.

He behaved as if this was not a painting he had painted himself, but a vicious beast that could bite.

The door parted and dazzling sunlight poured in.

Chu Danqing used his hand to shield his eyes. He gradually made out a figure and bowed in a hurry. “Master.”

Chu Shidao also felt pained as he looked at his disciple’s shape. The Jade Blood of Vermillion and Black had granted him unbelievable talent, allowing him to produce works beyond his cultivation level, but it came at an extremely great cost. It truly took painstaking effort, or blood in other words.

“Let’s go.”

“To where?” Chu Danqing was rather lost. Submerged in the world of painting, he had almost forgotten about the battle.

“Cloudwisp island.”

Chu Danqiong suddenly jerked to his senses, and he remembered how Li Qingshan had gotten him drunk a few months ago. He could not help but redden slightly.

It was exactly after that day that he began to seclude himself from the world to paint. He had not left this studio for almost six months now.

His horrible behaviour after falling drunk must have been spread through the academy already. They were enemies after all, so this would be unavoidable. He just regretted that he had been too careless. As he gripped the painting firmly, he poured all of his humiliation and pent-up emotions into there. He had to teach Li Qingshan a vicious lesson.

Ah, how embarrassing! I hope everyone has already forgotten about this after so long. Li Qingshan, I’ll never spare you!

“What wasteful misuse.” Chu Danqiong snorted coldly. The serene, refined environment was originally very suited for painting. Unfortunately, it had fallen into the hands of a vulgar man like Liu Chuanfeng.

Passing through the bamboo forest on the path, they arrived before the bamboo loft. Liu Zhangqing sat on the porch, drinking tea. He raised his cup and nodded with a smile. Liu Chuanfeng and Sun Fubai were currently seated beside him.

However, none of these people managed to capture Chu Danqing’s attention, as the wretched Li Qingshan had strode over. A sunny, confident smile was plastered across his face as he greeted them with composure, “Master Chu, fellow Chu, you’re finally here.”

Chu Shidao nodded. He said to Liu Zhangqing, “Fellow Liu, here isn’t a place to battle, so why did you call us here?” This was about to become his school of Painting’s island. He did not wish to see it destroyed.

Liu Zhangqing said, “You’ll be fighting in the school of the Military’s Main Martial Arts stadium. The school of Novels has some objections to this gamble, which is why I’ve invited you both here to discuss it.”

Chu Danqing shot a glance at Li Qingshan. “What, you want to run away now?”

“Of course not.” Li Qingshan smiled and glanced back at Liu Chuanfeng. Only after obtaining a nod from this school leader who was technically in charge of the school of Novels did he say, “I just feel that this battle is very unfair!”

Chu Danqing said, “You personally agreed to it back then. What’s unfair about it?”

Li Qingshan said fervently, “Cloudwisp island is the foundation of our school of Novels. If we lose, we’ll obviously be left with absolutely nothing, and even if we win, we’ll just be keeping something that’s ours anyway. Master Chu, do you find that fair?”

“We only agreed to this in the first place because we had no other choice. If the school of Painting cannot produce a wager of equivalent value, then please cancel this battle, school leader Liu.”

“You can’t just cancel it because you want to now. What wager do you want? Mind if you tell me?” Chu Shidao stared at Li Qingshan as his eyes flickered.

It was true. He had never thought about a wager at all. He believed there was no chance for the school of Novels to win. There was absolutely no need for him to wager anything.