Chapter 69: Wondrous Blossom
“Uncle Zheng, there’s no need to worry. I will complete writing the latter part of the story soon.”
Sun Mo guaranteed.
The other party had already called him ‘little friend’ and he was also so generous. Hence, Sun Mo also changed his terms of address and spoke to Zheng Qingfang more respectfully.
“Alright then!”
Zheng Qingfang carefreely toasted and then continued to persuade, “However, you have to accept the ingots. Don’t worry, this sum of money won’t be considered in the author’s remuneration. I will also print out 1,000... no, 3,000 books. At that time, when the books are sold for money, I’ll deduct the capital of printing and the remainder of the money will go all to you.”
“That isn’t too good, right?”
Sun Mo frowned. By doing this, Zheng Qingfang would be working for free for Sun Mo.
“What’s not good about it? We must let everyone read such an amazing novel. If not, it would be the same as a bright pearl covered in dust, wasting heavenly materials.”
Zheng Qingfang spoke logically. As for the ingots, he didn’t mention anything about them.
As a high official, Zheng Qingfang naturally didn’t lack things like money. What he lacked were places to spend the ingots.
After reading Journey to the West, Zheng Qingfang instantly grew fond of the monkey king and Reverend Sanzang. If he didn’t give the ingots to Sun Mo, he wouldn’t be able to sleep well.
Zheng Qingfang had decided that when the printing was done, he would first send the books to his friends. If not, they would surely blame him for monopolizing such a good thing and keeping it a secret.
“Congratulations on obtaining your first loyal-to-the-death fan!”
The system teased.
“In that case, why don’t you give me a reward?” Sun Mo mentally spoke. (For the next book, I’m going to write my own stuff.)
The system replied, “heh heh.”
“Alright, a man must be more direct and generous. We shouldn’t be pushing a small thing like money around,” said Zheng Qingfang, his tone unyielding.
Upon seeing Zheng Qingfang grow impatient and because he was giving him the ingots out of goodwill, Sun Mo raised his cup and toasted. “Alright then, thank you Uncle Zheng for your kind intentions. In that case, it would be impolite if I still refused!”
“Don’t need to be so courteous and there’s no need to mind your etiquette. It’s too troublesome!”
Zheng Qingfang furrowed his brows as he waved his hands. “Be more free and at ease!”
What else could Sun Mo say? A loyal-to-the-death fan was simply so illogical and crazy!
From the start to the end, their topic revolved around the Journey to the West. Zheng Qingfang had the intention of digging out all the plotlines from Sun Mo.
Lu Zhiruo sat obediently at the side. She didn’t interrupt and didn’t even dare to breathe loudly. Only when she was pouring the wine would they be able to see her.
“Oh yes, if you want to publish it, we need to illustrate the book. Do you have any ideas on that?”
Zheng Qingfang asked.
This was his first time seeing something like this. Given the character of the master and the three disciples in the story, Zheng Qingfang was worried that the hired artist would have no way to capture the essence of the characters.
Sun Mo’s mind stirred. “How many illustrations do you need?”
“It depends on the context. However, the portrait of each character is a must.”
Zheng Qingfang had been an official for so many years and knew how to read people well. The moment he saw Sun Mo’s expression, he already guessed his thoughts. “Little Friend Sun is a great teacher, you most probably are a man of many talents. Could it be that you are skilled in painting as well?”
“Still passable!”
Sun Mo silently mused that during the morning, he could only draw a picture of a chick eating grains that was understandable by him and no one else. But after obtaining the painting technique, in terms of ‘character painting’, he could already be considered a grandmaster.
“Why do you need to be so humble? Do you think that the Absolute Great Teacher System doesn’t want face?” The system spoke unhappily. “Tell him loudly that you are a grandmaster painter!”
“Oh? When will you be able to hand the illustrations in?”
Zheng Qingfang was impatient. If the author of the book were to do the illustrations, the essence of the characters would definitely be captured.
“How about now?”
Sun Mo had to prepare for his lessons later on. He had to make sure that he performed well during the first public lecture. Hence, he didn’t have the time to keep running to the Reading Veranda.
“Ah?”
Zheng Qingfang revealed a puzzled expression and almost wanted to ask if Sun Mo was sure he could do it or not. Didn’t he need time to draw the character?
“You should have some ink, paper, and a brush here, right?”
Sun Mo had seen too many adaptations on the Journey of the West, and he was the one writing it in this world as well. As for the image of the characters, there was no need for him to think at all. They had long since been imprinted in his mind.
“You really don’t need some time to conceptualize?”
Zheng Qingfang gave a command to the old servant, which had been with him for tens of years, to prepare the necessary items. Forget it, he would just let Sun Mo draw what he wanted. No matter what, he still had to give Sun Mo some face as the author.
Besides, if the paintings couldn’t work out, it wouldn’t be too late for him to search for a master-class painter.
The long table was set; the ink, brush, and paper were also prepared. Meanwhile, the old servant didn’t retreat. He merely stepped two steps back and remained at the side, ready to provide assistance if they needed it.
Never look down on these two steps. They were perfect. He wouldn’t be too near to disturb the guest and wouldn’t be too far to let the guest feel slighted.
If one wasn’t from a major clan, it was hard for them to understand all these intricacies.
From just a single detail, one could see the foundations of a major clan.
Lu Zhiruo prepared the ink and became the little maid.
Sun Mo took up the brush. He had thought that he would not be accustomed to it, but after a few breaths, a sense of familiarity rose in his heart. It was like he had been painting for over ten years, and each stroke he made came from his heart.
He dipped the brush in ink as he began.
For the first character, Sun Mo chose to draw Zhu Bajie.
The grandmaster-level ‘Character Painting Technique’ allowed Sun Mo to draw out whatever he was thinking of. There were no discrepancies at all.
The first character was Zhu Bajie, something Sun Mo intended to draw as practice. However, what came out was much better than his imagination.
When Zheng Qingfang saw a pig-headed human wielding a nine-toothed rake, the scenes of Zhu Bajie he read about immediately floated in his mind.
Vivid, the creative concept was a perfect match.
“Nice!”
Zheng Qingfang praised as he involuntarily surveyed Sun Mo.
This youth looked only about 20 years old, but he had such high attainments in the field of painting.
Did he want to become a famous artist?
Upon thinking of this, Zheng Qingfang felt it was quite a pity. After all, the statuses of painters and artists were much inferior compared to a great teacher who focused on cultivation.
Sun Mo didn’t notice Zheng Qingfang’s gaze. Right now, he was completely immersed in the feeling of satisfaction when he painted. If it wasn’t for the current location not being suitable, he truly wanted to draw a ‘Yui Hatano’ out. The naked one.
There were no solutions to it. Sun Mo had never seen a clothed Yui Hatano before!
One painting, two paintings, three paintings!
Sha Wujing! Patriarch Subhuti! Little white dragon!
Sun Mo grew increasingly satisfied. It was like a new game he bought, a new movie he downloaded. If he didn’t get a kick out of it first, how would he have the mood to eat a meal?
Lu Zhiruo and Zheng Qingfang also got a kick from watching him. Their minds were completely filled with the story plot. Even the old servant at the side was standing on tiptoes, staring at the xuan papers on the table.
These characters were truly life-like. It felt like they could leap out from the xuan paper!
When the moon rose to its highest point, the ninth painting was the scene of the Great Sage Equal to Heavens with his fiery golden eyes kicking the alchemy cauldron as he flew into the sky.
“AWESOME!”
Zheng Qingfang finally couldn’t control his emotions and applauded while he praised.
“Yeah!”
Lu Zhiruo hurriedly nodded.
“I will rest after painting one more piece!”
Sun Mo wriggled his wrists and neck. He felt a little tired.
“How about Reverend Sanzang?”
Lu Zhiruo requested in a small voice.
“Sure!”
Sun Mo moved his brush. This time, he chose to draw Reverend Sanzang who was in the midst of journeying to the west. His cassock was no longer clean, and his body was covered in dust.
He was leading a white horse forward with a nine-ringed monk staff in his hand, bracing the desert wind while continuing forward with difficulty.
As he drew, Sun Mo recalled his path of pursuing education back then. He thought of how he had managed to stand stably in the no. 2 high school after his graduation. He took step by step as he slowly revealed his talent. In the end, he became a star teacher in high school and obtained the recognition of the old headmaster.
Now that he came to Tang Country of the Central Province, it was impossible for him not to miss home. But when he thought of Li Ziqi, Lu Zhiruo, and his newly recruited students, Sun Mo suddenly felt that he wasn’t afraid of anything and would bravely overcome anything in his way.
They believed in him. Since that was the case, he would do his best to teach them. He mustn’t let them down.
(Someone that ate soft rice?
A graduate from a rubbish school?
No talent? Just a salted fish that would lead an ordinary life?
Just wait and see!
Very soon, I’ll become a great teacher of the school, before becoming the number one great teacher in Jinling and eventually the entire Jiangnan...
I’m unworthy of An Xinhui?
One day, I will make all of you change your words and say that An Xinhui is claiming connections with me who will be in a higher social class!)
Sun Mo’s brush was like dragons and snakes, painting out the details.
Sanzang’s picture was finally done.
During this period, Sun Mo was sneered and snubbed by all the people. Everyone was calling him a soft-rice guy and rolled their eyes at him every single time. Although he appeared as if he wasn’t too bothered, in truth, he was unhappy from the depths of his heart.
Sun Mo was waiting for a chance, a chance to prove himself.
“Since this daddy arrived in this world and is also a teacher, I’ll do my best to prove that this daddy is stronger, more elite, more outstanding than the country bumpkins of the Nine Provinces!”
Sun Mo came to Middle-Earth, but his heart was still that of a youth.
His hot-blood hadn’t turned cold yet, his ambitions hadn’t dissipated!
If he encountered people looking down on him and vilifying him, just f*ck them! F*ck them ruthlessly until they knelt and searched for the bits of their broken teeth on the ground. F*ck them until they completely shut up.
The spirit qi in the surroundings gathered over at the end of the brush. With each stroke Sun Mo made, they flowed into the picture scroll.
“This...this is...the realm of Wondrous Blossom?”
Zheng Qingfang exclaimed in shock.
The so-called Wondrous Blossom was a realm that only an artist could reach. At the same time, it was also a type of marvel.
It meant that the painting painted by the artist was the same as reality. One’s point of view, minds, and spirits would also be swayed into intoxication when looking at it.
There were three levels to Wondrous Blossom.
The third level was the entire painting was as vivid as life. Due to spirit qi infusion, the painting would no longer be one of black and white. It would be filled with colors, brimming with a vibrant atmosphere within the painting.
As long as someone saw it, they would involuntarily halt their steps and couldn’t bear to shift their gaze away.
The second level was that the admirers of the painting would be influenced by the creative concept of the painting. Their emotions would lose control, they might fall in a daze, they might become indecisive, they might feel full of love, pain, or suffering. They would be mesmerized by the painting and wish to possess it for themselves, treating it like a precious valuable.
The first level was the highest level an artist could attain.
The admirers of the painting would find themselves completely immersed in it. It was like they had become characters living in the painting and would experience everything the character had experienced. They could gain comprehension from the characters in the painting.
Those people would then completely neglect the flow of time, pausing what they were doing and staring at the painting for several days and nights. They would be immersed so deep that they wouldn’t be able to extricate themselves.
Zheng Qingfang heard that there were quite a few paintings on this level. Ordinary people basically mustn’t look at them. Because, once they did so, they would no longer be able to shift their eyes away. It would be like their entire souls had been drawn into the painting. They would become something like an imbecile in real life and only want to accompany the painting forever.
Note:
Yui Hatano (popular JAV star)