So scheming!

The next morning.

Lin Zhishui said goodbye to his Little Snake. Once she went back to her room to sleep, he headed to his calligraphy and painting shop as usual. After all, he had promised to teach Yan Shanshui to practice copying calligraphy today.

Although he had said he would not take her as a disciple, he still had to give her a few pointers.

His actual ability only qualified him as a skilled calligrapher, lacking the artistic depth of a true master, but if all he had to do was spout theory and talk a good game, how hard could that be?

He would give her a few casual pointers. If she failed to learn, she could hardly blame him.

When Lin Zhishui arrived at the shop, Yan Shanshui was already waiting outside in a short skirt and T-shirt. Today, she wore her hair in a youthful ponytail, and her long, straight, beautiful legs stood out in the morning light.

"Good morning, Senior."

Yan Shanshui greeted him respectfully.

"Ahem, no need to be so formal." Lin Zhishui smiled and said, "Have you been waiting long?"

"It's only proper," Yan Shanshui said at once.

She knew that, with Senior Lin's extraordinary powers, he certainly knew when she had arrived. Naturally, she had to show her sincerity, so she had come an hour early to wait for him.

Lin Zhishui glanced at the pine beside the shop entrance. It seemed more vibrant, and even its needles looked a little greener. There were signs that the soil around its roots had been turned over, too. Yan Shanshui had probably done that.

Even though she had only just started tending the pine and could not possibly have produced results so quickly, he still offered a word of praise:

"This little fellow looks much stronger now. You've done a good job."

Yan Shanshui could not help smiling at his words. Hastily suppressing her delight, she said, "You're too kind. It was only a small matter."

For her, even a simple word of praise from a mighty being like Senior Lin, who knew the Three Sovereigns, Five Emperors, and Twelve Gods, outweighed the praises of millions of people in this world.

Although Qing had deliberately resumed his former appearance as a little pine to keep other mortals from noticing anything unusual, how could that possibly escape Senior Lin's discerning eyes?

Senior Lin must have seen his transformation at a glance, which was why he had praised her.

Lin Zhishui smiled faintly and walked over to unlock the shop, feeling deeply gratified.

He could understand how this girl felt. Both her parents were dead, and she was all alone. To her, praise from the older man she secretly loved was the best medicine for her wounds.

In that case, what harm was there in exaggerating a little?

Seeing the beautiful girl's irrepressibly upturned lips, her heartfelt surprise and smile, even his morning felt brighter.

"Did you bring a brush?"

After entering the shop, Lin Zhishui asked casually.

"Yes." Yan Shanshui nodded.

"You said you wanted to copy The Highest Good Is Like Water, right?" Lin Zhishui set his bag on the desk and said, "Go fetch that calligraphy sample."

Although he knew the girl had come up with this flimsy excuse just to get close to him because of her crush, he still had to play dumb rather than expose her.

Otherwise, he would either hurt her young, fragile heart, or she might abandon all restraint and shamelessly pursue him. What would he do then?

As the saying went, when a woman pursued a man, only a thin veil stood between them.

Although he considered himself an honorable man who would never betray Little Snake, what if the girl could not resist his charm, decided all she wanted was his body, and forced herself on him?

If a beautiful, long-legged girl like her forced herself on him, he suspected that the harder he tried to stand firm, the harder it would be to hold out.

He had better take it slowly. The stricter he was with her during practice, the better. If he could drive her away in a huff, that would be even better.

Before long, Yan Shanshui had prepared her brush and xuan paper, ground the ink, and hung The Highest Good Is Like Water, the calligraphy sample that shook her to her core, from the rod in front of the desk.

"Senior, I'm ready," Yan Shanshui said, sounding a little apprehensive.

Lin Zhishui looked at her brush and ink and said, "Go ahead. Copy my sample once first, so I can see how solid your foundation is."

"Yes."

Yan Shanshui took a deep breath and slowly soaked the tip of her brush in the ink in the inkstone beside her, feeling nervous.

Senior Lin wants to see my foundation. He must be testing my understanding and application of the Dao... Can I do this?

She gazed at the four characters of "The highest good is like water," then lifted her ink-laden brush, infused it with magic power, and slowly lowered it onto the xuan paper. As her magic power raced through it, the ink on her brush flowed across the white paper.

She concentrated her magic power with all her might, using the fragile brush and ink to turn her insights into the Dao and her understanding of its principles entirely into the Dao Resonance of the written characters.

Watching beside her, Lin Zhishui was rather indifferent at first, but after a couple of glances, he froze.

This girl... how was she this good?

From these few characters alone, from her handling of the brush tip, he could tell... her grounding in calligraphy was probably a little better than his actual ability!

Although it could not compare with the effortless, flowing strokes and artistic expression he achieved with his beloved brush, calligraphy of this caliber was already exceedingly rare for someone her age!

He had thought that, since Yan Shanshui had said she had practiced but had no interest in it, she might not be particularly good. Who would have thought she was this skilled?

Soon, she finished the final stroke.

Yan Shanshui lifted her brush and looked at the passage on the paper-"The highest good is like water. Water benefits all things without contention"-and grew even more apprehensive.

Every stroke of this line contained the Dao Resonance she sought to express.

For an ordinary cultivator at the second Heavenly Pass, expressing this degree of Dao Resonance through calligraphy was already a respectable achievement.

But compared with Senior Lin's writing, the difference was like heaven and earth.

Whether it was the Dao Resonance in the characters, her application of the Dao, her insights into its principles, or any other aspect... she could not compare with him at all.

Ah, the gap... really is enormous.

Yan Shanshui sighed inwardly and said somewhat apprehensively, "Senior, please forgive my poor attempt. I would appreciate your guidance."

Lin Zhishui was a little dazed.

How the hell was he supposed to give her pointers?

This girl's calligraphy was even a little better than his actual ability.

He could only clear his throat and say, "For someone your age, it's... passable, I suppose. Your foundation is decent, but you're a little nervous. Your use of force isn't free enough. You have the outward form, but little artistic depth. You still need diligent practice. Keep copying my writing."

Even he felt a little guilty saying that.

The girl was only fifteen or sixteen, yet he was judging her and setting expectations by the standards of a master calligrapher. That really was going a little too far.

But he had to preserve his dignity as a master. If word got out that a little girl had left him at a loss, how could he show his face?

"Free enough?"

At his words, Yan Shanshui fell into thought.

Yes, she had indeed been a little nervous, and her slightly unsettled state of mind had kept her magic power from flowing steadily. She had never expected Senior Lin to notice at a glance.

As for having little artistic depth... that was true, too. Hers was merely the Dao Resonance and artistic conception of the second Heavenly Pass. To an immortal powerhouse like Senior Lin, it must have been so shallow as to be negligible.

And Senior Lin's advice was practical, too. Unlike other senior disciples and elders who spoke in abstruse, mysterious terms, he had directly advised her to keep copying.

Exactly. As long as she diligently copied the Dao Resonance contained in Senior Lin's calligraphy, slowly experienced the Dao within it, and gradually made that understanding her own, the benefits would be endless.

Senior Lin had already placed his own calligraphy before her. What further guidance could she ask for?

As expected of an accomplished senior. A few brief words were worth more than a thousand.

Yan Shanshui sighed inwardly in admiration and said gratefully, "Thank you for your guidance, Senior. I understand. I'll practice diligently from now on, and I certainly won't let your guidance go to waste."

What? What did I even say for you to understand...?

Lin Zhishui was bewildered. Then, after thinking it through carefully, realization struck him.

Well, well. What a scheming girl!

He understood now.

The girl had probably said that deliberately to save his face.

After all, Yan Shanshui's goal had never been to learn calligraphy. It was to seduce him!

First, she had shown off her calligraphy to let him know she was no slouch, leaving him nothing to criticize and preventing him from being too strict. Perhaps she had even hoped to win his favor.

Then, all she had to do was pretend she had benefited immensely, implying that she was inferior to him, before displaying a diligent, eager-to-learn attitude. Until she reached a master's level, she could keep practicing in his shop, right up until she won him over.

So scheming!

Why were kids born after 2000 so scheming?

Lin Zhishui was left rather speechless. He could only force a smile and say, "The art of calligraphy is vast and profound. Take your time learning."

"I'll be relying on your guidance from now on, Senior," Yan Shanshui said at once.

The corner of Lin Zhishui's mouth twitched. He said nothing, merely muttering inwardly, As long as you don't force yourself on me. There's no way I'll fall for you just from spending time together anyway...