Huliang in the Painting

Yes, what you see before you is not an illusion, but the real thing!

What is truly awe-inspiring and terrifying is not the magnificence and splendor of the scene, but the oppressive aura emanating from these objects.

If illusions are the beauty of the senses through optics and sound, then the real objects before us give a deeper feeling, a beauty that is closer to the world itself.

It was a shock that transcended the senses, and even aesthetics.

Li Qi once used a metaphor to describe this feeling.

A perfect mathematical formula doesn't matter what runes it's written in, what language it's written in, whether it's drawn, carved, or spoken.

These are merely vehicles. As long as you can understand the True Intention within these vehicles, you will be able to experience the breathtaking beauty of that formula, feel the existence of the Dao in the world, and be greatly shocked.

Because the formula is not simply a sensory stimulus, but a description of the essence of the world to others, which is the 'Tao'.

Such beautiful scenery, coupled with the ever-blooming and expanding Daoist aura, will surely give everyone who arrives here a breathtaking experience from the inside out.

It's truly amazing. In a place like this, someone below the second rank probably couldn't have managed to create something like this. Just who is this powerful figure with so much free time? Because these things have absolutely no practical significance; they're purely for show.

Golden Platform has no excessive ornamentation and is very simple, which is the kind of thing that Human Path like. As for Liesu, no one has ever paid attention to it. The reason it is the way it is is because that's how it was made. Its shape into a starry river was purely an accident. Nobody cares what Liesu looks like. As long as it works, that's enough. Just let it be left there naturally.

But the Daoist sect's version is purely for aesthetics.

"Yu, do you know anything about this? Which powerful figure has such intentions?" Li Qi asked Shen Shuibi beside him.

"I don't know, but it's perfectly acceptable to decorate it nicely. As long as you're happy," Shen Shuibi shook her head, not particularly surprised.

It's fine as long as you like it. Some people love to sing, some love to dance, some love to paint, and of course, some people love architectural art. Everyone should do what they like and there's no need to interfere with others.

As long as your hobbies don't infringe on other people's freedom, there's nothing to criticize. You can do whatever you want. That's Shen Shuibi's view on the outside world.

A typical Hidden World Faction.

Li Qi was naturally used to her attitude and shook his head slightly.

She is only curious about things that interest her, ignoring everything else and immersing herself in her own little world. Well... I can't say that's wrong.

That's why she always seems a bit dull, and sometimes she can be overly aloof.

It wasn't that she was indifferent; she wasn't deliberately ignoring others. She genuinely didn't care and was too lazy to look.

It's actually quite cute.

"Boss, we've arrived. Shall we wander around Huliang first? Or go straight to Penglai from here?" Old Ma landed on the Huliang port.

Huliang does have a port, but it's not mandatory to land at the port. You can actually land anywhere, but the port is more convenient, with a large open space where you're less likely to scrape your car.

If you insist on landing elsewhere, that's fine, but you'll have to bear the consequences yourself. There are no law enforcement agencies here.

Everyone's come to the mountains to cultivate immortality, so do whatever you want, nobody cares.

If you don't have public morality, then the wicked will be punished by the wicked. One day you will mess with someone you can't afford to mess with.

Li Qi understands this principle, and he's the type who would patiently wait for the red light at a deserted intersection late at night, so he'll definitely land at the border.

Stepping off the ground, Li Qi patted the immortal island.

It's nothing special; once you actually see it, you realize it's really just ordinary. Although the decorations are impressive and beautiful, they have no real practical significance.

In other words, unlike Human Path automation, the landscape here is purely for viewing, or even for the sake of being 'beautiful,' which affects its original function. For example, the staircases are made crooked and twisted for the sake of grandeur, and if you really want to walk on them, you will end up taking a long detour.

"The purpose of this is really... pure, to build this thing, a nuisance facility." Li Qi couldn't help but complain.

"It's really inconvenient. I'd better fly there myself." Shen Shuibi also realized the purpose of the facilities nearby, guessing that the great power who built this place only focused on aesthetics.

As for practicality... we're all cultivators, what need is there for practicality? If you can't fly, can't you at least jump?

If you don't know any of these, it means you don't deserve to be here. Sorry, no one will cover for you.

In that sense, the Daoist sect's indifference to the outside world... sometimes seems rather... unpleasant.

"Let's go, let's take a stroll Huliang." Shen Shuibi grabbed Li Qi at this moment, and the two of them took off together, flying into Huliang instead of taking the stairs.

Li Qi nodded naturally. Just like in Wushen Mountain and the Human Way city, the local customs and culture must be unique. He couldn't wait to see them.

Old Ma shrunk to the size of an eel and quickly caught up with Li Qi, climbing onto his shoulder.

Now it's the Dragoons' turn.

Hand in hand with Shen Shuibi, they walked into the magnificent city center of Huliang.

However, when they actually walked in, both of them were stunned. Li Qi then discovered an even bigger problem.

This is truly purely for the sake of 'art'.

All the houses exist, but no one lives in them, obviously because their purpose is not to live in them, but to look at them.

Li Qi quickly grabbed a passerby and asked, "Brother Daoist, may I ask—"

But before he could finish speaking, he saw that the pedestrians completely ignored him, didn't even look at him, and walked straight ahead.

Li Qi frowned, thinking the other party was just being cold. Then he grabbed another Daoist boy, whose cultivation level was lower, so Li Qi displayed his aura. That way, even if the other party was cold, he would stop and listen to him, right?

However, the young Daoist ignored Li Qi completely and was not even affected by the pressure; he simply left.

Li Qi immediately began to expound the True Knowledge Dao Charm!

Illusion?

However, after he gained true knowledge, the result it gave him was very simple: these things were no different from the information of a living person.

True Knowledge Dao Charm was just a sense and couldn't make judgments; he would only truthfully report what he perceived to Li Qi.

The feedback Li Qi received from scanning these Human Immortal beasts was no different from usual—the same fluctuations, the same material composition—there was absolutely no doubt that they were alive.

Li Qi immediately realized the problem and sped up, quickly circling the area several times.

Then, he finally came to a conclusion:

Here, none of the spirit pets, immortal beasts, or even the passersby and Daoist disciples are alive!

No, they are all alive, but they are actually made of clay. They have form but no intelligence or soul. They are just puppets that people have created using flesh and cells as raw materials. They are just for show.

However, these Human Path, children, and celestial beasts were integrated with the entire city, so the divine charm they exuded was just like the real thing, and Li Qi hadn't even noticed it before.

Even True Knowledge Dao Charm couldn't see through it!

It truly lives up to its reputation as a city built by a third-rank master. Although Li Qi dared not say it, the profound Daoist essence within it was something that a fourth-rank master could not achieve.

"What exactly is going on here..." Li Qi murmured, not knowing where he had arrived.

Looking at the map, this is indeed Huliang, no mistake.

But how could Huliang be a dead city?

At this moment, Shen Shuibi stopped Li Qi and said to him, "Wait, we might have gone to the wrong place."

"Isn't this Huliang?" Li Qi frowned.

"No, this is it, but Huliang is so big, we might not be in the right place. Old Ma, follow me."

Shen Shuibi seemed to have figured something out, so she took Li Qi and made a hand Hand Seals.

Old Ma immediately enlarged his body, carrying the two of them, and began to move forward following Shen Shuibi's Method Formula.

Li Qi watched intently as the rabbit deciphered everything before it.

As a series of Method Formula were cast, the scenery before them suddenly began to shrink.

Yes, it gets smaller.

"An illusion...? No, it's not an illusion." Li Qi shook his head; it couldn't possibly be an illusion.

True Knowledge Dao Charm and the Information Flow Vision make it impossible for him to fall into any illusion, he is even confident that he can see through the Heavenly Demon's illusion if it is just a simple illusion.

In fact, he did do that.

Therefore, everything around us is absolutely real, and not an illusion in any sense.

But Shen Shuibi didn't seem to be under much pressure, so let's wait and see.

As I thought about it, the scenery gradually shrank, from magnificent to ordinary, then to exquisite, and eventually even looked somewhat miniature.

Li Qi gradually realized that it wasn't the scenery that was getting smaller, but that he himself was getting bigger!

He immediately realized what had just happened!

But before he could react, he suddenly felt that the world in front of him had become 'clearer'.

It already looked like it had a movie filter on it before, but now it's like it jumped right out of the screen!

Then, suddenly, he took a deep breath and felt the world become so clear. Before he knew it, Old Ma had arrived at another place, a dilapidated thatched hut. Here, he seemed to be stunned by something, losing his ability to change, and looked around in panic.

However, Li Qi then turned his head to look.

He saw that behind him was the place where they had just come out.

That was a painting.

The former palaces, cities, and all the flowers, buildings, mountains, rivers, birds, beasts, fish, and insects are vividly depicted, as if they were about to leap off the page.

The brushstrokes are vigorous and lively, so vivid that they startle the viewer. No matter what it is, it is painted so realistically that it seems to come to life. It is truly a marvel of painting.

Just now, Li Qi and the others were in this painting, unknowingly becoming part of this magnificent work of art.

Look around again—

A painting, a bonsai, a small boat hanging up, a fishing rod, a raincoat, a table and a chair, a thatched hut—that's all.

Li Qi was amazed.

Mountains and rivers are depicted within the cactus, and the wall is painted with pictures of Huliang.

That huge, magnificent city belongs to Huliang... A painting, I wonder if it's just an ornament, or if there's some important matter that the painting needs to address?

It's all just a fleeting dream, nothing more. Looking back, I realize I was merely performing Dao Field in a snail shell; the true immortals are all outside the painting.

"That was just now..." Li Qi realized what was happening and got off Old Ma.

"There's Dragon Suppressing Formation here. Old Ma has lost his ability to transform. Let's leave this hut first," Shen Shuibi immediately replied.

At the same time, she knew Li Qi's doubts, and before Li Qi could ask any more questions, she continued to explain, "There are divine people whose brushes are unrestrained, breaking free from all conventions, weaving willows into misty silk, and transforming flowers into spring mirrors, creating ten thousand paintings that will be passed down for thousands of years. I suppose this is the kind of technique they use?"

After listening, Li Qi nodded.

Shen Shuibi's meaning is very simple. "Ten thousand paintings, a thousand years of fragrance." In other words, the artists who painted these images could depict gods, immortals, or True Immortal with remarkable realism. They could even use these images to represent these great beings in receiving sacrifices. As long as one worships these images, it is no different from worshipping their actual forms.

Such unparalleled painting skills must be like this! Li Qi and the others had already reached the fifth rank, yet they were so engrossed in the painting that they were unaware of it, thinking they were in Huliang.

Just then, an old Daoist priest walked in from outside, stroking his beard and laughing heartily, "Haha, you flatter me, you flatter me~, it's just that although I have a rudimentary understanding of painting, I can only depict some clay and wooden puppets. There is still a long way to go before I can create masterpieces and bring life to life with my brush."

Li Qi and Shen Shuibi immediately bowed, and even Old Ma lowered his head.

Being able to come out of the painting shows that the other party had no malicious intent. Moreover... from the subtle clues of entering and leaving the painting, the two of them could also determine that it was clearly not the other party who put them into the painting, but rather that they had entered it by mistake.

After bowing, Li Qi immediately said skillfully, "Senior's paintings depict ever-changing scenery, making the viewer feel as if they are truly there. The mountains and rivers are rugged and towering, covering a thousand miles of landscape in the painting. The bones of the rocks and the overlapping peaks, as well as the texture of the trees, are all exquisite. Looking at the various mythical beasts and spirits, their hooves and sparse numbers are all lifelike and full of spirit. The city's spine is crouching and craning, and the waves surge around it, which amazes people. Such a painter still speaks modestly, which makes this junior feel ashamed."

"You young man speak so eloquently, but you know whether you are humble or not. Be true to your level. By the way, who are you, and why have you wandered into my painting?" the old Daoist priest asked.

"My Xia Li Qi, and this is my wife Shen Shuibi. We were just about to go to Huliang, but somehow we ended up inside a painting. We hope you will forgive us, senior," Li Qi replied immediately.

As for Shen Shuibi, she usually hides behind Li Qi and pretends to be dead at times like this. Li Qi is always the one who talks to outsiders.

The old Daoist priest was stunned for a moment when he heard Li Qi's words, then suddenly realized and exclaimed in surprise, "Oh! I understand now, you went to watch the Demon Prince beat up the Little Heavenly Master, right? There have been too many people coming lately, so I placed the other side of the scroll on the side of the Huliang to block people. You were not blocked, and you even rushed into my painting?"