A Heart-Piercing Painting Can Ruin a Reputation

After his initial surprise, Master of Nine-Rhyme Studio followed the young servant toward the pond.

From afar, one could see Lin Jianzhang, Gao Huanhun, and the others standing upright like pillars, muttering to themselves. As they approached, Master of Nine-Rhyme Studio could sense an aura of Riding the Wind, Charting the South from them!

This kind of aura, so free and unrestrained, as if unbound by worldly constraints, is exactly the realm that Master of Nine-Rhyme Studio yearns for. In the past, he tried to spread it to the world, but unfortunately only the sons of officials, nobles, and merchants could understand this kind of freedom.

However, seeing this state of mind on Gao Huanhun and the others made Master of Nine-Rhyme Studio realize a problem. Most of his disciples were not particularly talented; they were only accepted into his fold because they shared his ideals.

With their limited comprehension, after several years they had only learned the basics. They hadn't even grasped the essence of "Riding the Wind, Charting the South," let alone the spirit of "My Actions Are Mine to Govern fit."

"If someone had stirred their memories, using the scenery, atmosphere, and moonlight of the study courtyard to enter their dreams, they would have been able to fulfill their wishes, experience this ethereal realm, and express it outwardly."

At this point, Master of Nine-Rhyme Studio's gaze flickered slightly, noticing the young servant's hesitation, and he said, "Peng Kun, what do you want to say? Just say it."

The man named Peng Kun nodded, and asked with a hint of puzzlement, "I observed that the top scholar in the imperial examination had some reservations about you, sir, and even You Di. Why would he help your students reach such a level?"

"His You Di is exactly what's needed. His every move today has been under my control, and I deliberately sowed the seeds of hostility within him. On the day of the discussion, I will advance and retreat alongside the other Grand Confucian, allowing his hostility to fester and turn him into our enemy!"

Master of Nine-Rhyme Studio explained, then shook his head and laughed, "As for helping my student, you're mistaken. When has he ever helped him?"

"Then this..." Peng Kun was taken aback. He pointed to Lin Jianzhang and the others.

"Them?" Master of Nine-Rhyme Studio sighed. "Their so-called feelings are all false. They think they have gained some understanding, but in reality, they are looking at flowers through a fog. They see beauty, but they don't understand why. It's an illusion in their hearts, a fabrication of life!"

"Fabricated?" Peng Kun was taken aback upon hearing this.

Following Master of Nine-Rhyme Studio, he slowly walked up to Gao Huanhun and the others, composed himself, and spoke, reciting lines from the "Free and Easy Wandering" chapter.

As these words came from his mouth, the surrounding Force of Order followed, creating a scene of riding the wind at will. Like a gentle spring rain, it drifted and entered the seven orifices of Lin Jianzhang, Gao Huanhun, and others, seeping into their hearts.

Shock!

Lin Jianzhang and the others shuddered, their eyes widening as if they were about to wake from a dream. But this startled them did not actually wake them. After a moment, they calmed down again, still immersed in their inner world, greedily savoring all the sensations, unwilling to let a moment pass by.

Upon seeing this, Peng Kun was astonished. He could tell that his master had tried to wake the students but had failed. He was filled with horror!

"Qiu Yan's methods are so astonishing that even Master couldn't crack them?"

His thoughts seemed to have been seen through by Master of Nine-Rhyme Studio, who said, "It's not that Qiu Yan has a deep understanding of Order, but rather that he has a very precise and meticulous grasp of people's hearts. He discovered a desire in the hearts of my worthless students, hitting the bullseye, which is why they are so deeply involved and unwilling to extricate themselves."

"Unwilling to extricate oneself?"

"Not bad," Master of Nine-Rhyme Studio seemed to value the servant highly, offering earnest instruction without the slightest impatience. "The reason they haven't woken up is because they themselves are unwilling. That feeling, as if they have seen through the ultimate truth of heaven and earth, is a temptation that cannot be quelled by a few words of Sage."

As he spoke, he shook his head and said, "Then use your Qi and Blood to awaken them."

"Wouldn't that upset them?" Peng Kun wondered.

Master of Nine-Rhyme Studio said, "If there's not a trace, how will they remember this lesson? Go ahead and do as you please..."

Hearing his master say this, Peng Kun did not refute it. He stomped his foot, and his strength surged forth, causing the ground to tremble slightly. He opened his mouth and roared, his Qi and Blood merging into his strength, turning into sound waves that struck Gao Huanhun and the others.

Several disciples of the Nine Rhymes, who had been muttering to themselves, were suddenly awakened, their faces turning deathly pale!

After a while, they came to their senses and remembered what had happened earlier. They hurriedly went to look at the pool, but couldn't see anything unusual. They also looked for Qiu Yan, but he was nowhere to be found.

This sudden change left the group somewhat disoriented, a result of being forcibly pulled from their reverie, which had damaged their mental and emotional well-being.

"Don't bother looking anymore, the person is already gone." The voice of the Master of Nine-Rhyme Studio rang out, containing a calming and reassuring quality that soothed the damaged minds of the group.

"Teacher..." The group then snapped out of their daze and saw the figure of Master of Nine-Rhyme Studio. They forced themselves to calm down.

Master of Nine-Rhyme Studio glanced at the group and shook his head. "You all spend so much time reading and discussing the Dao, and when I test you, you answer fluently. But when it comes to the crucial moment, you can't apply your knowledge flexibly or calm your minds. It's clear you haven't studied hard enough and can't manage your own hearts. Tomorrow, each of you will copy a copy of 'The Human World'."

Gao Huanhun and the others then realized that they had unknowingly fallen into Qiu Yan's trap.

"Teacher, we were not careful enough this time. If it happens again..." the man in the wide robe said, stepping forward.

Master of Nine-Rhyme Studio shook his head. "Don't harbor any illusions. Qiu Yan was able to easily confuse you, not because you were careless, but because he was more skilled. Li Qing, you have extraordinary talent. Reaching his level is not difficult for you. There's no need to say more; just keep reflecting on your experiences."

The subtext of these words was that the man in the wide robe Li Qing, was not as good as Qiu Yan. This annoyed the others. Although they knew about Qiu Yan's extraordinary abilities, they felt that they had studied under a famous teacher and comprehended the meaning of nature, so they were not necessarily inferior to others. They all believed that if they took the Imperial Examinations, they might also be able to trigger extraordinary phenomena.

Now, judging from the teacher's words, it was clearly being told to them that Qiu Yan was superior to them, so of course they would feel dissatisfied.

"Um?"

As the group was lost in their own thoughts, Gao Huanhun down, caught a glimpse of a flash on the ground by the pond. When he looked closer, he realized that the sand on the ground was moving without any wind, revealing what lay beneath.

It was a picture drawn on the sand!

"Oh no! I clearly destroyed this painting just now, so why is it still here?" Peng Kun was shocked to see this. In a panic, he disregarded everything else and channeled his strength into the soles of his feet, trying to quietly push the sand to cover the painting again.

However, this tremor loosened the sand and soil, causing it to fly up and reveal the entire picture!

"This is..." Even Master of Nine-Rhyme Studio noticed it this time, and he stared intently. Then his expression suddenly changed, turning slightly ashen. He turned and left, only glancing at Peng Kun as he went, "Bring some sand and fake stones over tomorrow. Cover it with them. This painting has a spiritual charm, subtly conforming to the Order of military strategy. It's deeply embedded in the soil, taking root, and cannot be easily destroyed."

"Yes, I understand." Peng Kun nodded in agreement.

Li Qing, Lin Jianzhang, and Gao Huanhun all sensed something amiss in their teacher's words. They exchanged glances, and upon seeing the painting on the ground, a chill ran down their spines. They quickly turned away and left with the other students.

Soon, only Peng Kun remained.

He looked at the painting on the ground, then tried to channel his strength into the ground with his feet. Instantly, dust flew up, and it seemed that Peng Kun had shaved away a layer of the painting.

But when the dust settled, the painting was still there, and even became somewhat clearer due to the dust.

This painting, created on the ground without ink embellishment and limited by the characteristics of willow branches, has rather vague details. Yet, it possesses an inner charm, and its meaning is immediately apparent upon first glance.

This was a striking night scene depicting a magnificent courtyard. Visitors were being turned away outside, while inside, people were singing and dancing. At the head of the table sat an elderly man in a tall hat and wide belt, speaking with his head held high, seemingly giving a lecture.

The painting appears simple, but when combined with the events of the day, it becomes extraordinary. The brushstrokes further highlight its charm. The magnificent courtyard gives a sense of extravagance, while the visitor outside the gate reveals sincerity. The people singing and dancing in the courtyard seem unrestrained, and the person lecturing at the head of the table gives a sense of aloofness and arrogance.

The empty courtyard, a refusal, a solitary discourse amidst song and dance.

Even a martial artist like Peng Kun could see the deeper meaning.

"This painting is venomous! It can ruin a virtuous reputation! What a vicious method!"

For scholars, losing their official position, being convicted of crimes, or even losing their lives are sometimes not worth fearing. If it can enhance their public image, they will be happy to accept it. But if they are disgraced and their reputation is tarnished, it is worse than death.

Seeing that he could not destroy the painting, Peng Kun stopped insisting, took a cloth and covered it, planning to cover it with sand and fake stones the next day.

Meanwhile, Master of Nine-Rhyme Studio returned to his inner room. Suddenly, a black ripple appeared on the table, and a voice emanated from it—

"Well? Qiu Yan, do you have what you need?"

"It's highly likely to succeed," Master of Nine-Rhyme Studio said calmly, glancing at the black ripples. "If I'm not mistaken, he came here to build up his strength before the Daoist debate, intending to proceed cautiously. That's why I sent my student to step in and deflate his arrogance, then mislead him. Now it seems this person is too arrogant and overconfident. He may gain this extraordinary phenomenon, but he may also meet his end here! However, this person is also decisive, even resorting to a ruthless plan!"

A voice echoed from within the black ripples, "That's good. This is your chance to establish the Sage Worthies Hall. When do you plan to make your move?"

"Since Qiu Yan is so impatient, I don't need to wait any longer. After all, Zhou Yang has mentioned it a few times, so it's not good to delay any longer." Before he finished speaking, he pulled a piece of paper from the table and wrote down a date.

The moment he finished writing, the ink on the paper shone with brilliance, and an unrestrained spirit burst forth. Then the paper crumbled, and the fragments coalesced into a symbol, merging into a Karmic Thread of the Master of Nine-Rhyme Studio, who was visibly shaken.

"When he sold his calligraphy and paintings, my men tried to stop him, almost making it impossible for him to establish himself in Prosperity Capital. Now that he has just begun to integrate into the Order, his foundation is still unstable, so it's the perfect time to strike!"

ps:

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