Dao Rhythm in the Clay Figurine

Zhou Wenyuan's outburst at Jiade Art Gallery was like a boulder dropped into a calm lake, quickly sending ripples through the exclusive circle of top collectors. News spread like wildfire that the anonymous Orchid Grass Painting, praised by Zhou Wenyuan as "Dao marks imbued with life" and "a divine work surpassing skill," sparked immense curiosity and controversy. Some scoffed, believing Zhou Wenyuan was being pretentious or had misjudged it; others were skeptical and began discreetly inquiring about the origin of the mysterious painting. The phone at Jiade Art Gallery was constantly ringing with inquiries about the Orchid Grass Painting's details and the artist's information, leaving the auction house manager both excited and troubled.

The instigator of all this—Goddess Nüwa—remained completely unaware, still wandering daily in her world of creation. To her, the Orchid Grass Painting that caused such a stir was merely one of many practice pieces she was relatively satisfied with, akin to a mark left behind after observing a spiritual herb in the Primordial Era, long forgotten. Her attention was more focused on the colorful clay.

After completing the "Xirang" sculpture, which contained her own Dao rhythm, Nüwa's interest in clay as a material grew significantly. She began attempting to sculpt more, more complex things. No longer limited to small animals, she started shaping figures, buildings, and even miniature landscapes of mountains and rivers that held specific artistic moods.

The ordinary colored clay provided by Lin Fan was imbued with incredible vitality in her seemingly delicate hands, which actually held supreme creative power. The ancient court ladies she sculpted had flowing robes and lively eyes, as if they would dance with the wind at any moment; the pavilions and towers she shaped, though only palm-sized, were meticulously constructed with ancient charm, even showing the patterns of roof tiles in the details; the miniature mountains and streams she piled up, though static, exuded an atmosphere of swirling mist and lingering moisture.

These sculptures also emitted faint and unique Dao rhythms, some elegant, some solemn, some lively, some profound. Lin Fan carefully arranged them in the limited available space in his room. Together with the "Breath Soil" sculptures, they transformed the small rental apartment into a miniature art sanctuary transcending time and space, exuding a peaceful and ancient aura that stood in stark contrast to the modern city outside the window.

Lin Fan moved among them daily. When practicing the Supreme Clarity Heart-Cleansing Mantra, he felt he was achieving twice the result with half the effort. Even his daily life felt serene, his mind calm and his thoughts agile. His admiration for Goddess Nüwa grew day by day. At the same time, he harbored a subtle worry—if these creations were to fall into the wrong hands again, the sensation they would cause would likely be far greater than that of the Orchid Grass Painting.

One day, as previously arranged, Lin Fan went to a small inn to visit the mysterious old man who had exchanged three "junk" items for basic necessities.

He knocked on the door. After a while, the old man slowly opened it. Having changed into clean, warm cotton clothes, the old man seemed a bit more spirited, but the bewilderment and weariness in his eyes remained. Seeing Lin Fan, a flicker seemed to pass through his clouded eyes as he stepped aside to let him in.

"Elder, are you settling in alright here?" Lin Fan entered the room and placed some fruit he had brought on the table.

The old man did not answer. He walked to the bedside and sat down, gazing blankly out the window.

Lin Fan noticed that the old felt bundle was still by the head of the bed, seemingly never opened. He ventured to ask, "Elder, regarding those items of yours... do you remember where they came from? Or do you remember where you came from and where you are going?"

Upon hearing this, the old man's body stiffened almost imperceptibly. He slowly turned his head to look at Lin Fan, his lips trembling slightly as if trying hard to recall something. In the end, he merely let out a long sigh and shook his head, "Forgot... forgot it all... only remember... to wait... to exchange..."

His words were still disjointed and illogical.

Lin Fan carefully observed the old man's expression and noticed that when he mentioned those items, a faint fluctuation seemed to appear deep in the old man's eyes, but it was quickly swallowed by bewilderment. He was convinced that this old man was no ordinary amnesiac; his memory seemed to be sealed or interfered with by some power, leaving only the deepest obsessions.

"What are your plans now?" Lin Fan asked again.

"Wait..." the old man repeated the word, "Wait... for the fated person... to complete... the transaction..."

Lin Fan understood that the "transaction" the old man spoke of was not yet complete. What he had exchanged his three broken artifacts for was merely temporary sustenance and shelter. Perhaps, in his hazy memory, the true "fated person" needed to help him accomplish something more important?

Seeing the old man's lonely and bewildered appearance, Lin Fan felt a pang of sympathy. "Elder, if you have nowhere to go for now, I can continue to pay for your room here. Please stay comfortably and take your time to think."

The old man looked up and gave Lin Fan a deep look. His eyes were complex and hard to read, containing gratitude, bewilderment, and a hint of... anticipation? that Lin Fan couldn't understand. He nodded and said softly, "Thank you... fated person."

Lin Fan sat for a while longer. Seeing that he couldn't elicit more information, he got up to leave. As he left the inn, his mood was somewhat heavy. This old man was like a mystery, entangling a potentially vaster, unknown world. And he himself seemed to have been drawn into this mystery.

Returning to his rental apartment, Lin Fan told Tong Tian and Nüwa about his visit to the old man.

"Memory sealed, obsessions deeply rooted," Tong Tian stated after listening. "Either a severe external blow or self-sealing to avoid something. Those three broken artifacts are the keys to his identity and past, and also the focus of his obsessions."

Nüwa said softly, "Judging by his state, he is not a wicked person. Wandering in this world, he is also a pitiable soul. Lin Fan, since you have become involved in this karma, let nature take its course. Perhaps helping him resolve his obsessions is also a good deed."

Lin Fan nodded. He thought the same. Since he had encountered this, he couldn't just stand by and do nothing.

"Senior, do those three broken artifacts have any use for you and Goddess Nüwa?" Lin Fan asked curiously. After all, they were fragments of suspected Primordial Era magic artifacts.

Tong Tian waved his hand, and the three broken artifacts flew from the corner to the table. He pointed to the wooden tablet with cracks. "Although the spatial Dao patterns contained within this object are incomplete, they reveal some subtle characteristics of this world's spatial structure, which differs from the Primordial Era. Contemplating these patterns may help me adapt slightly to this world's spatial suppression, increasing my divine sense's range by a foot or so."

He then pointed to the broken pottery bowl. "The residual 'Dust Purification' Dao rhythm in this bowl subtly aligns with a certain 'cleaning' rule in this world. Junior Sister could perhaps use this to gain a glimpse into the workings of this world's fundamental material laws."

Finally, he looked at the half-metal fragment, his eyes chilling slightly. "The malevolent energy in this object has merged with the fragment itself and is difficult to remove. It is of little use to us, but its material is hard and contains a sharp, metallic energy. It could be re-smelted to forge a mundane weapon for your self-defense."

Lin Fan's heart surged with excitement. Even mere fragments could help two Sages adapt to this world's rules? And forge a weapon for him? This "transaction" was incredibly worthwhile!

"However," Tong Tian changed the subject, "smelting this object requires invoking the power of earth fire or heavenly lightning, which is quite troublesome in this world. Let's put it aside for now."

Lin Fan's newfound excitement subsided, but he knew he couldn't rush things.

Just then, Nüwa, who had been quietly listening, focused her gaze on a colorful clay sculpture she had casually made a few days prior—a chubby, adorable cub of an Iron-Eating Beast (panda) holding bamboo. Its round body, distinct black and white markings, and innocent eyes exuded a comforting "serenity" and "cuteness" Dao rhythm.

Her heart stirred slightly, as if she had thought of something. She said to Lin Fan, "Lin Fan, if you have time tomorrow, would you accompany me out for a walk? I wish to go to... a place where the beings of this world gather to trade 'beauty' and 'creativity'."

"'Trading beauty and creativity'?" Lin Fan was taken aback, then quickly realized, "You mean... an art museum? A gallery? Or... a handicraft market?"

"All are acceptable," Nüwa smiled. "I wish to see the extent to which the mortals of this world understand 'creation' and 'art'."

Lin Fan understood. Goddess Nüwa wanted to delve deeper into the artistic achievements of modern humans. He thought for a moment. The largest art trading center in the city was precisely on "Wenbo Street," where Jiade Art Gallery was located. That area was filled with galleries, museums, and antique shops.

"Alright, Your Grace, I'll accompany you to Wenbo Street tomorrow," Lin Fan agreed. He also wanted to see how Goddess Nüwa would react after encountering modern art.

He had no idea that a storm, sparked by "beauty," was quietly brewing on Wenbo Street.

The next morning, Lin Fan and Nüwa went out again. Nüwa still wore a baseball cap and non-prescription glasses to conceal herself, but her unique aura was still difficult to completely hide.

Wenbo Street was the city's cultural landmark. The street was lined with galleries, art museums, antique shops, and cultural and creative stores of various styles. Pedestrians were numerous, including many fashionably dressed art enthusiasts and artists with distinctive temperaments.

Nüwa strolled along the street, her gaze curiously sweeping over the various paintings, sculptures, ceramics, and handicrafts displayed in the shop windows. In her eyes, there was admiration, contemplation, and a hint of faint... regret?

In some galleries, she saw realistic oil paintings with skillful techniques and ingenious compositions, and nodded, "Depicting all things, exhausting physics; the pursuit of 'form' by mortals in this world has reached its extreme."

In some modern art museums, she saw abstract, avant-garde, and even bizarre installations and records of performance art, frowning slightly, "Breaking boundaries, exploring the inner world, commendable courage. However, most are superficial, losing their core, merely having form without spirit, difficult to find true resonance."

In front of some shops selling replica antique porcelain and jade, she paused for a long time, gently stroking the patterns on the replicas and sighing, "The admiration for antiquity still exists, but the soul of antiquity is lost. They have the form but lack the spirit and vitality."

Lin Fan followed Nüwa, listening to her casual critiques, feeling immensely benefited. Nüwa's perspective completely transcended levels of technique and genre, directly addressing the essence of art—whether it contained "spirit" and whether it touched upon the trace of "Dao." In her eyes, most modern art either pursued form too much and lacked soul, or emphasized self-expression too much and detached from the resonance with heaven, earth, and all things.

As they walked, they arrived at the entrance of Jiade Art Gallery. A preview for an upcoming auction was underway, and the crowd at the entrance was noticeably larger, the atmosphere more lively.

"Let's go in and take a look," Nüwa seemed interested in the place.

Lin Fan's heart stirred, recalling the Orchid Grass Painting that had caused such a sensation, but he didn't mention it and followed Nüwa inside.

The interior of Jiade Art Gallery was elegantly decorated with soft lighting. Precious exhibits shone under spotlights. Nüwa walked slowly, her gaze calmly sweeping over the priceless antiques, calligraphy, paintings, jewelry, and jades.

When she reached the display case exhibiting the Orchid Grass Painting, her steps naturally came to a halt.

Lin Fan's heart leaped into his throat as he stared intently at Nüwa's reaction.

Nüwa gazed at the orchid painting in the display case, a piece she had casually sketched. A flicker of surprise crossed her eyes, followed by a look of understanding. She shook her head slightly and said softly, "So this item has ended up here. A casual sketch, yet it has drawn so much attention?"

Her voice was very soft, audible only to Lin Fan beside her. Lin Fan then confirmed that the painting was indeed Goddess Nüwa's work.

Just then, an excited voice came from nearby, "Madam, did you also notice the extraordinary nature of this painting?"

Lin Fan turned his head and saw that Zhou Wenyuan had appeared beside them at some point, looking intently at Nüwa... and the Orchid Grass Painting in the display case. He had clearly heard Nüwa's remark about a "casual sketch," but to him, it sounded more like a shared sentiment between kindred spirits.

Nüwa looked at Zhou Wenyuan, her gaze calm, and did not reply.

Zhou Wenyuan, however, was unfazed. He was completely captivated by Nüwa's unique aura. Although Nüwa wore a hat and glasses, obscuring her full appearance, her gentle, serene presence, as if integrated with the surrounding artistic atmosphere, made him, a connoisseur immersed in art for many years, instantly feel, "This person is no ordinary mortal."

He said excitedly to Nüwa, "Madam, you are so right! This painting, though seemingly simple, is actually a manifestation of the 'Dao'! Look at the brushwork, the spirit! This is something no mortal artist could achieve! I, Zhou Wenyuan, have appraised countless paintings in my lifetime, and I have never seen such... such a work that so closely approaches the origin of nature! The artist must be a hidden master! No, perhaps... an immortal descended to the mortal realm?"

He became more and more excited as he spoke, almost to the point of incoherence.

Nüwa listened to his praise, her expression remaining placid. She simply said lightly, "You flatter me. Plants and trees possess their own spirit; I merely captured it by chance."

Her words were meant as a humble remark, implying that the orchid itself had its own charm, and she had simply seized the moment to capture it.

But to Zhou Wenyuan, her words struck like thunder! His eyes widened in disbelief as he looked at Nüwa! Captured by chance? This tone... Could it be... Could this lady... know the artist?! Or even... is she?!

Once this thought arose, it grew like wild grass in his heart! The more he looked at Nüwa, the more he felt her transcendent aura, subtly harmonizing with the spirit of the Orchid Grass Painting!

"You... you..." Zhou Wenyuan's voice trembled with excitement, "You know the artist of this painting? Could you... could you introduce me? I will agree to any terms!"

Lin Fan watched nervously from the side and quickly stepped forward, blocking Nüwa. He said to Zhou Wenyuan, "Mr. Zhou, you've misunderstood. My aunt was just making a casual remark; she doesn't know the artist."

He was afraid Goddess Nüwa would be pestered and cause unnecessary trouble.

Zhou Wenyuan, however, did not believe him. His gaze passed over Lin Fan and fixed on Nüwa, "Madam! Please, you must grant my request! This painting is of immense significance to me, and to the entire art world! I wish to meet the gentleman or lady who could create such a divine work!"

His voice attracted the attention of many people around them.

Nüwa frowned slightly, feeling somewhat uncomfortable with Zhou Wenyuan's persistence. She ignored him and turned to Lin Fan, saying, "It's too noisy here, let's go."

"Okay," Lin Fan nodded quickly, shielding Nüwa as they prepared to leave.

"Wait! Madam, please stay!" In his desperation, Zhou Wenyuan reached out as if to grab Nüwa's sleeve.

The moment his hand was about to touch Nüwa, a gentle yet irresistible force subtly pushed him away, causing him to stumble and unable to get close.

Zhou Wenyuan stared in astonishment at his outstretched hand that had missed its target. He then looked at Nüwa's calmly retreating back, his shock immeasurable! That force just now... was absolutely extraordinary!

He became even more convinced that this lady must have a very close relationship with the artist of the painting! Or perhaps... she was the artist herself?!

Seeing Nüwa and Lin Fan about to leave the Jiade Art Gallery, Zhou Wenyuan was consumed by anxiety. He knew he couldn't let this potential sole clue slip away! He immediately whispered instructions to his assistant, "Quick! Follow them! Find out the identity and address of that lady! Remember, just follow from a distance, don't disturb them! Also, check the surveillance immediately; I want to know how they arrived!"

"Yes, Mr. Zhou!" The assistant immediately took the order and followed them out silently.

Zhou Wenyuan stood in place, watching the direction in which Nüwa disappeared, his eyes burning with intensity. He felt as if he had touched the edge of an artistic world that transcended the mundane! And the key to all of this lay with that mysterious lady!

He turned and looked again at the Orchid Grass Painting in the display case, his heart resolute. No matter the cost, he would find the artist! This was not just to satisfy his collector's obsession, but to pursue that elusive "Dao"!

Meanwhile, in the surveillance room of the Jiade Art Gallery, the security supervisor frowned as he watched a segment of corridor surveillance footage. The recording showed that a few nights ago, a blurry figure seemed to have placed a package into the suggestion box at the entrance of the Jiade Art Gallery before quickly leaving. That package appeared to contain the Orchid Grass Painting and some other paper scraps...

The clues seemed to be starting to intertwine.

On the other side, Lin Fan, shielding Nüwa, walked out of the Jiade Art Gallery, still feeling shaken.

"Your Ladyship, that person just now..."

"It's nothing, just an obsessed individual," Nüwa replied calmly, not taking Zhou Wenyuan's persistence to heart. She looked up at the sky and said softly, "The mortals in this world, in their pursuit of 'beauty,' are so persistent. Yet, what is true beauty? What is eternal? I fear most people have lost themselves in superficial appearances and value."

She seemed somewhat contemplative.

Lin Fan remained silent, understanding that Goddess Nüwa saw the superficiality and emptiness behind the prosperity of modern art.

"Let's go back," Nüwa said. "The outside world is chaotic; it's not as peaceful as home."

The two walked towards their rented apartment. Lin Fan did not notice that not far behind them, a figure was carefully hiding in the crowd, following them from a distance.

And shortly after they left Wenbo Street, even more explosive news began to spread among top collectors – Zhou Wenyuan had allegedly encountered the artist of the Orchid Grass Painting at the Jiade Art Gallery! A mysterious lady with an ethereal aura, who spoke of the "divine work" so casually, calling it a "casual sketch"!

For a time, all eyes turned to Zhou Wenyuan and that fleeting glimpse of the "mysterious lady." An undercurrent began to surge around Nüwa.

Lin Fan had thought it was just an ordinary art trip with Goddess Nüwa, but he never expected to attract an even more persistent and potentially more powerful "trouble" to their humble "Shelter."

The storm is brewing, and the wind fills the tower. The Dao rhythm within the clay figurines has already stirred the mortal world.