Taking Everything He Could

Jiang Che thought for a moment and said:

"Not being a fish, how could you know the joy of fish?"

Shao Jianbo froze at his words.

"Not being a fish, how could you know the joy of fish...?"

"Not being a fish... how could you know... the joy of fish..."

He savored the sentence carefully. At first, he was somewhat puzzled, but the more he thought about it, the brighter his eyes became.

"Interesting... interesting! Hahaha, Jiang Che, you're very interesting!"

Shao Jianbo seemed to have suddenly figured something out and began laughing heartily.

Jiang Che felt rather embarrassed.

He had merely recalled an allusion from his past life and casually followed it up with that line. There had been no deeper meaning whatsoever.

Seeing Shao Jianbo like this, Jiang Che had no idea what exactly he had realized, nor did he dare ask.

"Forget it. Whatever—so long as he's happy."

Jiang Che secretly shook his head.

"Tell me, what did you come to your senior brother for?"

Shao Jianbo patted the fish food from his hands and asked seriously.

Jiang Che then explained his purpose.

"Calligraphy? You actually know Calligraphy?!"

Shao Jianbo was somewhat surprised as he looked Jiang Che up and down.

He was growing more and more interested in Jiang Che.

At first, when he heard from his younger sister that Jiang Che had saved her, he had merely thought this junior brother was fairly skilled.

But after their interactions today, he increasingly discovered that Jiang Che was quite different from the rest.

If he were merely good at fighting or had excellent bones, Shao Jianbo would not actually care much.

There were too many people like that. Any random retainer at the estate was far stronger than Jiang Che was now.

Yet people who could strike him as interesting were few and far between.

"Come, follow me!"

With a grand wave of his hand, Shao Jianbo led Jiang Che to a study furnished with exceptional elegance.

Two large blue-green vases, each reaching chest height, stood at the entrance. Though their colors were understated, they possessed a remarkable sense of style.

An unknown incense burned in the study, giving off a faint, woody fragrance.

Jiang Che took a deep breath and instantly felt his mind clear and his entire body relax. He knew at once that this incense was no ordinary product.

Then he looked at the walls and saw them covered in all kinds of calligraphy and paintings. The brushwork was vigorous, its force seeming to pierce through the paper—none of them were ordinary pieces.

"What do you think of these calligraphy pieces and paintings?" Shao Jianbo asked smugly.

"At a glance, they're clearly the works of masters. Senior Brother Shao has excellent taste!" Jiang Che praised.

"This is actually my father's study. He collected all these calligraphy pieces and paintings, and treasures them dearly! Normally, he absolutely forbids anyone else from coming in." Though he said that, Shao Jianbo did not pause for a moment.

"This... isn't that a bit inappropriate..." Jiang Che's face twitched at once.

"It's fine! At worst, I'll get scolded. Hahaha! Don't be afraid. If anything happens, your senior brother will shoulder it!"

Shao Jianbo said it casually.

He looked left and right, then took down a calligraphy piece and came over to show it to Jiang Che.

"What do you think of this piece? It was written by Master Qin, who is renowned throughout the Capital City! My father only obtained it after great difficulty!"

Jiang Che examined it carefully and found the writing bold and vigorous, vast and majestic in bearing. It truly was a superb work.

"Fine writing, fine writing! Is there any paper and brush?"

The more Jiang Che looked, the more he wished to do so. Inspiration welled up within him, and he wanted to splash ink across the page at once.

"Yes!" Shao Jianbo's eyes lit up. He too wanted to witness this junior brother's brushwork, so he immediately brought him paper and brushes and helped grind the ink.

Jiang Che closed his eyes, repeatedly reliving the calligraphy piece in his mind.

Then, he entered Flow State and began to write.

Shao Jianbo watched from the side, and his eyes grew brighter and brighter.

He had originally thought that, as a Martial Artist, even if Jiang Che's Calligraphy was good, it would likely be no more than the level of an ordinary schoolteacher.

Of course, that alone would already have been quite impressive.

But he had never expected Jiang Che's Calligraphy to have already approached that of certain renowned masters!

Though there was still a gap between him and a top master like Master Qin, he was absolutely not weak!

Jiang Che completed it in one unbroken sweep. Before long, a calligraphy copybook was finished.

Suddenly, a line of small text flashed before his eyes.

[Calligraphy Proficiency +5]

"It rose by so much!"

Jiang Che was somewhat shocked. As expected, one still had to study the Calligraphy of famous masters!

Shao Jianbo looked at the copybook and clicked his tongue in wonder.

"Junior Brother Jiang, do you know that if you took this copybook out to sell, you could get at least fifty taels of silver?"

"Fifty taels? Senior Brother Shao, don't joke with me!" Jiang Che found it hard to believe.

"I'm not lying to you. How about I buy it directly for fifty taels? I might even make a little profit by reselling it later." Shao Jianbo smiled.

Seeing that he did not appear to be joking, Jiang Che was stunned.

Previously, even forging works had only earned him five taels of silver per piece.

Though his level had improved somewhat now, how could the price have risen so much?

"Could it be that the Wonderful Heart Studio shopkeeper cheated me before?"

But Wonderful Heart Studio was gone now, and its owner might even have disappeared. Even if he had been cheated, there was nothing to be done about it.

Besides, when he had been poor and downcast, he really had relied on forged calligraphy and paintings to earn some silver. Thinking of it that way, he no longer bothered to dwell on it.

"What Jiang Che cared about more right now was how quickly this proficiency was rising. If he could come here to write every day, he would probably reach the Perfection Realm soon...

"But this is Master Shao's study. I can't exactly have Second Senior Brother sneak me in here every day..."

Jiang Che found himself in a difficult position.

Coming once in a while was fine, but coming every day seemed like an overly presumptuous request.

At that moment, Shao Jianbo suddenly said:

"Junior Brother Jiang, why don't you come write here every day!"

"Huh? But this is your honored father's study..." Jiang Che was delighted inside, but he still hesitated. It would be awkward if Master Shao caught him here every day.

"It's fine. If my father knew you wrote this well, he would definitely agree too!" Shao Jianbo said with a smile.

"Then I shall respectfully accept rather than decline!" Jiang Che no longer refused. He truly needed this opportunity, so he agreed without hesitation.

"However, I have one small condition." Shao Jianbo blinked.

"Oh? Please speak, Senior Brother Shao!" Jiang Che said seriously. As long as the condition was not too excessive, he would agree to it.

"Could you sell all the copybooks you write to me? Fifty taels of silver for every piece!" Shao Jianbo said with a smile.

"This..."

Jiang Che had thought it would be some sort of condition, but he had never expected that Shao Jianbo merely wanted to buy his calligraphy!

He instantly felt that he had taken far too much advantage—eating his fill and packing some away too. He felt a little embarrassed.

"If Senior Brother Shao wants them, I can just give them to you. There's no need for money. Being able to come here and study these works is worth who knows how many taels already!" Jiang Che scratched his head.

"What are you saying, Junior Brother Jiang!" Shao Jianbo shook his head. "Do you know that your calligraphy is not much inferior to the famous masters of the Capital City? If you took it outside, it would certainly be sought after. It might even sell for a hundred taels per piece! I'm the one taking advantage of you!"

"Then... all right."

Jiang Che no longer stood on ceremony.

At worst, after his Calligraphy reached the Perfection Realm, he could write more and better-quality copybooks for him.

After all, he was about to break through Stone Skin, and he would need more things to replenish his Qi-Blood afterward. He truly needed money right now.

Besides, the Shao Estate really was wealthy.

He still remembered that when they had caught the Flower-Plucking Thief that day, Shao Shiliu had bought a two-thousand-tael necklace without even blinking.

Several dozen or a hundred taels might seem like a great deal to ordinary people.

But to people from one of the Five Great Families, it might be spent on a single meal.

"Oh, right, Senior Brother Shao. I want to buy some martial arts manuals, especially low-level martial arts that can be cultivated without Qi-Blood... I mainly want them for reference and study. Where might I buy them?"

Jiang Che suddenly asked.

With Flow State, focusing on Calligraphy alone was clearly not worthwhile.

He could not practice other things for the moment, so it would be best to learn another martial art or some other skill.

In any case, he cultivated quickly and would sooner or later reach the Perfection Realm.

Stacking up more talent skills was the cultivation method best suited to him.

And Senior Brother Shao was widely experienced, so Jiang Che felt that perhaps he might know.

"Martial arts manuals? Those are not easy to buy. After all, they're the things each Martial Arts Hall keeps under lock and key, and they rarely make their way outside."

Shao Jianbo suddenly thought of something.

"But if they're only low-level ones, you can buy them. It's just that..."