Cloud-Washing Ink-Tracer

Keliou raised an eyebrow. "Then what do you want to paint?"

Without hesitation, Jingxing said, "I want to paint the highest peak on Azure Star."

"Azure Star is Ms. Herta's homeworld. The space station sits in orbit around it, and the researchers on the station see it through the windows every day." Keliou paused, an odd look on his face. "Although Ms. Herta has never admitted it herself, we all know she cares deeply about Azure Star. And in turn, the people of Azure Star hold Ms. Herta in great affection. They even held a planet-wide vote to rename Azure Star's largest ocean the Herta Ocean and its highest peak Mount Herta."

Jingxing pictured the Herta Puppet's petite frame and had a hard time keeping a straight face. "Those names are pretty cute."

"Ahem, don't say that in front of Ms. Herta." Keliou waved a hand. "After all, you can afford to offend her even less than I can, can't you?"

Yunli joined the conversation. "Azure Star is her homeworld. Would it do any good to paint something she's already sick of looking at?"

"The mountain may be from her homeworld, but my painting method is definitely one she's never seen before." Jingxing was confident.

"Oh?" Yunli's gaze turned dangerous. "Then why didn't you use an innovative method when I commissioned you?"

"You wanted me to use an exclusive secret technique for a few thousand Strale...?" Jingxing wore an expression that was hard to describe. "You really are greedy, Yunli."

"Tsk." Yunli curled her lip and stood up. "Fair enough. After all, you're the one who owes her thirty billion."

"Anyway, I won't be able to deliver the brush you want until two days from now at the earliest." She walked to the door and glanced back at Jingxing. "I'll choose the materials, decide on the design, and give it a name. I guarantee you won't find a single fault with it."

"I definitely trust your skills." Jingxing gave her a thumbs-up. "Who doesn't know Yunli is the best in the Furnace Palace?"

"Hmph, at least you know quality when you see it." Her voice gradually mingled with the other artisans' hammer blows. "Don't worry."

After Yunli left, Keliou wanted to accompany Jingxing to Azure Star. He said he wanted to press Ms. Herta about her submission and record Jingxing's process of gathering inspiration along the way.

Jingxing thought it over but politely declined. Having another pair of eyes watching him would be rather restricting.

Keliou didn't press the matter. He simply left Jingxing a Candle-Ink School emblem and asked him to make sure he got to see the painting that might become a Curio once it was finished.

For the next two days, without Yunli to keep him company, Jingxing wandered around the markets of the Zhuming Xianzhou. Whenever he saw something interesting, he took a picture and sent it to Robin.

Robin, in turn, always shared news she heard at the company—the Knights of Beauty had found nothing on Vesna IV, but instead of leaving, they had stayed to help the local residents, who had been touched by Idrila's fading light, rebuild. They had also driven away the Masked Fools and Mirror Holders who had come to cause trouble.

"Jingxing, you need to watch out for the Masked Fools when you travel alone, too. They love playing tricks on followers of Beauty."

"I'll do my best to watch out for them. I haven't even met a Masked Fool yet, after all."

Two days later, Jingxing received a message from Yunli and entered the Furnace Palace once again. The palace gates were half open, and even the wind blowing out from within was scorching. An apprentice led him to a forge on the west side, knocked twice, and ran off, as if afraid of being struck by sparks from the furnace inside.

Seeing that the door was ajar, Jingxing pushed it open. Yunli had hastily tied her hair into a high ponytail with a red cord and wore an apron over her clothes. She was wiping a long case with a soft cloth. When she saw Jingxing enter, she set the case on the table. "Open it and take a look."

Jingxing opened the case and saw a "brush" lying inside.

Its shaft was ink-black and felt considerably heavier than an ordinary paintbrush. It was covered in fine, folded lines, dense as pine needles and layered one over another, as though hundreds upon hundreds of hammer blows had been folded into it. A very faint cloud pattern was engraved around the middle of the shaft.

"Darksteel Cold Iron." Yunli leaned against the table with her arms folded. "It's a material used on the Luofu to forge flying swords. They talk about 'the sword following qi,' so this ore conducts Imaginary Energy very efficiently. You can try it."

Jingxing did as she suggested, channeling Imaginary Energy into it from his fingertips. The cloud patterns around the middle instantly brightened, lighting up one after another and slowly flowing along the shaft like layers of clouds come to life.

"Beautiful..." Jingxing murmured as he looked at the bristles.

The grayish-white bristles were woven from fused Imaginary crystals. They had looked like half-dried wool just moments ago, but as the energy flowed in, hundreds upon hundreds of bristles shimmered gold from their cores. Jingxing drew a stroke on a sheet of paper nearby. Ink seeped out naturally, its shade and intensity following his every wish, as smoothly as an extension of his own arm.

"Amazing." Jingxing couldn't help marveling. "It's even better to use than I imagined."

"Obviously." Yunli held a hint of pride at the corner of her mouth. "Who do you take me for?"

"Now look at the end of the brush." She lifted her chin.

Jingxing turned the brush around. Set into the end of the shaft was a teardrop-shaped piece of deep-blue jade with a cloud pattern, held tightly in place by a ring of antique-bronze clasps shaped like upturned eaves.

"I got the jade from Grandpa," Yunli said. "It's an old piece he'd kept tucked away for who knows how many years. He said it was just sitting there anyway, so he might as well give it to you to use."

Although Yunli hadn't yet explained how to use it, inspiration struck Jingxing. He deliberately drew a stroke on the paper first, then turned the brush halfway around and lightly swept the jade along the ink mark. The instant it came close to the paper, the jade gave a faint hum. The ink mark he'd just made rose whole from the paper like clouds and mist flowing backward, then curled into the jade.

The paper was clean again, without so much as a single fiber raised.

"Wow—that's incredible." Jingxing's eyes widened. "Sorry for the trouble."

"I already gave it a name. It's called Cloud-Washing Ink-Tracer." Yunli raised her head. "You'd better make a name for yourself with it. Don't let my... craftsmanship and these fine materials go to waste."

Jingxing put the brush back in its case and cupped his fists in a solemn salute. "Many thanks, Miss Yunli."

"Never mind the thanks." Yunli waved a hand. "Be practical. When you have time later, treat me to Qiongshi Bird Skewers."

"I'm leaving for Azure Star tomorrow." Jingxing paused. "No time like the present. How about today?"

Yunli stopped tidying the forge. "So soon? I thought you'd stay here a while longer."

"I have to go to Azure Star to gather inspiration, after all," Jingxing explained. "I need to stand at the foot of Mount Herta and see its bones and sinews with my own eyes. Only then can I paint a picture worthy of this brush."

Yunli stared at him without speaking for a long while. Eventually, she folded the soft cloth and tossed it into a wooden basin filled with water. "All right, let's go eat at Bright Heaven now."