The Scholar Beyond the Painting, the People Within the Pavilion

Dressed in simple white, with a beautiful and serene appearance and a cool expression, she exuded an otherworldly aura as she walked, like a fairy untouched by worldly affairs.

The moment the woman appeared, the hall fell silent, several gasps escaping the silence before returning to normal. However, the gazes of the many men present began to wander, occasionally falling upon the woman in white.

The woman took a few steps, then turned around and walked straight towards where You Zui was.

You Zui stood there dumbfounded, as if his soul Spirit Projection. With Qiu Yan's perception, he could naturally guess that You Zui was so shocked that his soul was shaking and his Three Souls were wandering, unable to control himself!

"It seems this beautiful woman in white perfectly matches this scholar's aesthetic, to the point that he is completely infatuated and has lost his composure. He could easily be tainted by evil influences... Hmm?"

As Qiu Yan was thinking, he suddenly felt a chill rushing past and striking the scholar You Zui.

"Miss... please sit down."

You Zui shivered, then came to his senses. Ignoring everything else, he hurriedly walked over, bowed to the woman in white, and led her to a seat.

"Thank you, young master." The woman in white curtsied, nodded calmly, and sat down. Her entire movement was devoid of any hint of worldly concern, which made You Zui's soul fly away once again.

"Young master, what are you daydreaming about!" The pageboy beside him was the first to wake up, tugging at You Zui's sleeve and whispering.

"Yes, yes." You Zui suddenly woke up, a trace of confusion still lingering in his eyes, but his tone was much more composed. "Upon seeing you, young lady, it was as if I had seen a celestial being. I am deeply moved and wish to paint a picture to present to you. Xiao Yu, prepare the brush and ink!"

"Alright!" The pageboy, who had been secretly worried about his young master's earlier dazed and somewhat out-of-control behavior, immediately straightened his back and took out a pen, ink, and paper from his book box, placing them on the table.

During this process, the pageboy carefully positioned himself, occasionally stealing glances at the petite and charming waitress. However, upon realizing that the waitress hadn't noticed him, he became somewhat disheartened.

"Just moments before, You Zui was so shocked that he lost his composure, but suddenly he returned to normal and even displayed remarkable demeanor. Judging from the little page's behavior, this should be You Zui's true nature. What purpose is hidden behind this striking change?"

Qiu Yan had already found a table and sat down. Not far from him was the waitress, who looked wary.

Qiu Yan, however, remained unaffected. His eyes were fixed on You Zui, as he secretly pondered and sensed the changing atmosphere in the hall.

Not only him, but the guests at the other tables also paid more or less attention to the woman in white, and consequently noticed You Zui's actions.

The young scholar, dressed in thin clothes, suddenly exuded an aura of power the moment he picked up the brush. His mind became focused, he glanced up at the woman in white, then buried himself in thought, and finally, with a flick of his wrist, the brush tip landed on the paper, and he began to write.

As the ink gradually spread across the paper, its graceful and lingering charm began to emerge, quickly forming the silhouette of a woman, ethereal and otherworldly.

"Huh? The way this scholar paints is a bit like the young master. He is obviously thin and weak, and not very strong, but when he blows his nose, he is like a cultivator who has been practicing for a long time. He gives me a sense of vitality, as if his soul can take shape as soon as it Spirit Projection!" Hu Qi was also looking at You Zui, feeling slightly surprised.

"This scholar is quite accomplished in painting." At another table, someone else also noticed something. The speaker was a middle-aged scholar, and next to him sat a girl who looked quite young, about thirteen or fourteen years old, with a charming smile.

At the next table, a man with a bushy beard raised his thick, dark eyebrows. "Oh? He's very good at drawing?" This man was embracing a woman dressed like a village girl, one hand pinching her fair, jade-like face, while the other hand held a wine bowl filled with wine.

Human Path, "I wonder how this person's painting skills compare to Qiu Yan's?" This was a man dressed in Confucian robes with his hair loose. At first glance, he looked like a scholar, but if you noticed the hand holding the wine cup, you would know that he was not.

The hand was as white as jade, with taut flesh, clearly the result of rigorous training. Together with the longsword beside it, it revealed the person's identity.

Swordsman.

Beside him sat a spirited woman, who remained silent, only pouring wine with her head down.

"Huh?"

When the long-haired swordsman uttered the name "Qiu Yan," two surprised exclamations arose from the surrounding area. One came from Dai Guo, and the other from a scholar sitting in the corner, next to a noblewoman of elegant bearing.

The scholar was young, with some fuzz on his lip, but he was quite large, which made his deep robe look loose, though he was so thin that the robe seemed to hang loosely inside.

"What? You also know the name Qiu Yan?" the tall, thin scholar asked.

Sitting next to him was a woman dressed as a maid, with beautiful features and dignified manners.

Before the long-haired swordsman could answer, a slightly frivolous voice rang out. "Qiu Yan's name has recently spread far and wide in the Eastern Capital. Even passersby have heard of him. I've also heard that he lives in seclusion in the mountains, but he seeks fame and fortune, attracting many scholars to visit him."

"Huh?" Dai Guo glared angrily, wanting to slam his fist on the table and stand up, but as soon as he raised his hand, Qiu Yan grabbed it, as if it were bound by an iron band, making it difficult for him to move.

"Young Master..." Dai Guo looked at Qiu Yan, who slowly shook his head, then looked at everyone in the room with interest.

The owner of that frivolous voice was a young man of about twenty years old, dressed in brocade robes and wearing a cloak. His hair was tied up, revealing a smooth forehead that gleamed slightly. Beside him was a beautiful "woman," but with a little attention, one could notice the Adam's apple on the "woman's" throat.

Behind this person stood two men in tight-fitting clothes, motionless with resolute expressions; they were clearly guards or similar figures.

"Qiu Yan, why are you so agitated? Do you have any connection with that Qiu Sheng?" The young man in brocade noticed Dai Guo's actions and asked with a smile.

The burly man with the bushy beard suddenly laughed and interrupted, "Alright, Qiu Yan's reputation is known to everyone around Eastern Capital recently. But how is he connected to paintings? All I know is that this man is well-versed in the principles of Heavenly Principle, once defeated He Shuchang in a debate, and gained the favor of Little Master Chen."

The young man in brocade shook his head. "Your information is a bit outdated. Qiu Sheng has been painting a new picture every day recently, and several Grand Confucian have personally appreciated it. The news has already spread Eastern Capital."

"Oh? Qiu Yan's paintings are quite famous?" The burly man with the bushy beard was taken aback. His hand unconsciously squeezed, and the woman next to him cried out in pain. Her voice was soft and tingling, which made the burly man chuckle strangely.

"Not exactly famous..." The man in brocade shook his head, about to show off his knowledge, when he was interrupted by a voice—

"I had the pleasure of seeing Mr. Qiu's paintings a couple of days ago, and they were truly unforgettable. The painting skills and the spirit of the paintings are both excellent, and with his calligraphy as a foundation, they are extraordinary."

The person who spoke was actually You Zui, who was painting.

At that moment, he put down his pen, looked up and looked around, and said these words.

"Hmm? This person has seen the young master's paintings before?" Hu Qi and Dai Guo were taken aback upon hearing this, then understood. They knew that Qiu Yan had painted a few days ago and placed it in the Literary Pavilion. Occasionally, people would go to admire it. As long as you knew a few people in the academy and had some connections, it was not difficult to see it.

However, once the last piece is completed, it won't be easy to see it again.

As soon as You Zui finished speaking, the man in brocade frowned but did not refute him. The middle-aged scholar, on the other hand, stroked the petite woman beside him, showing interest, and then his gaze fell on You Zui's painting.

The painting depicts a woman in white, so lifelike, that she and the woman in white sitting next to You Zui look as if they were made from the same mold.

"What a wonderful painting!" the middle-aged scholar couldn't help but exclaim.

"Thank you so much, cough cough..." You Zui bowed in thanks, then coughed, his face pale. The woman in white reached out and patted his back and chest, but as she continued, You Zui's coughing became more and more severe.

"They've finally made their move?"

Seeing this, a glint flashed in Qiu Yan's eyes. His gaze swept across the painting and finally settled on You Zui.

"This You Zui first fled through the Lin Zhong, then was drenched in a downpour, leaving him physically and mentally exhausted. He then encountered this building and was overjoyed. Next, he was startled by the woman in white, losing his composure. But then he regained his former glory, his energy and spirit soaring, somewhat like a final burst of vitality before death. At this moment, he finished a painting, at the height of his power, which should have temporarily suppressed all his misfortunes. However, his Fortune. This series of twists and turns, the great joy and sorrow, mobilized all of his emotions and mental strength..."

Thinking of this, Qiu Yan suddenly understood, and then reached out and grabbed the waitress next to him.

"What are you doing?" the waitress cried out and tried to back away, but suddenly a Great Qi descended, binding her hands and feet and making it impossible for her to move.

"Don't panic, I just want to investigate further."

As soon as he finished speaking, Qiu Yan slapped the waitress's forehead with his hand, and the Heart Demon Fragment seeped into her.

This fragment had no intention of lying dormant. Once inside, it grew rapidly, absorbing all sorts of emotions to grow stronger. Then, with a stir, the girl's clear black and white eyes lost their luster, and most of her memories were read by the Heart Demon Fragment.

Everyone else's attention was drawn to You Zui, and no one noticed the little incident, except for Hu Qi and Dai Guo.

"Young master, you really don't know how to cherish women. Even if she is a mountain spirit, the beautiful woman she transforms into is still lovable. He is a talented man, why not use his emotions to move her, unravel the mystery, and stage a legend? You really don't understand romance..." Dai Guo thought of the plays he had seen before.

Qiu Yan naturally ignored Dai Guo's resentment, and with a change of heart, focused his mind.

"So that's how it is. The layout here is even more bizarre than I imagined. I never thought there would be such a type among demons."

As soon as the thought crossed his mind, Qiu Yan remained still, Myriad People's Heart Fire suddenly surged, splitting into two streams of Divine Sense that fiercely pierced towards the ground beneath their feet.

Shock!

The entire inn shook and bounced, erupting in pain. (To be continued. Please search for the novel for better and faster updates!)