Chapter 238: Martial Path of Painting
Translator: chuchutrain Editor: DavidT , Rock
Off to the side, the blindfolded Yu BingYan was attempting to draw a painting. Since that day when they came to an understanding, Ling Tian no longer tried to hide any of his personal matters from Yu BingYan. On the contrary, it was Yu BingYan who felt embarrassed by how open he was. Right now, Ling Tian had commanded Ling Chen concerning some classified information in the Ling Family without bothering about her presence in the least. This gave her the feeling that Ling Tian already treated her as part of the family. Sweetness pervaded her heart, and even while blindfolded, her lips still raised up in a silly smile.
Strolling to the east wall, Ling Tian looked at Yu BingYan’s blindfolded artwork for the past two days. A total of six paintings hung in a neat row on the wall; from the first being a total mess, to the sixth, neatly done with not a single hair out of place. Ling Tian couldn't help but notice her visibly shocking rate of improvement. Clearly Yu BingYan had already grasped the concept of ‘drawing with one’s heart’. While her understanding was only at the beginning stage, it could still be considered a tremendous improvement!
However, what Ling Tian wanted was not just for her to master painting. He wanted to see if the paintings would contain a hint of martial skills within them. He hoped that with the continuous hints, Yu BingYan would be able to enlighten herself on this matter! However, Yu BingYan right now obviously didn't have that thought in mind yet.
Ling Tian sighed, patting Yu BingYan on her shoulder as he spoke, "Yan’er, take off your blindfold. Let Chen’er paint a picture for you to see!"
The corners of Yu BingYan’s mouth curled up into a smile as she obediently took off her blindfold. She excitedly spoke, "That’s great, to think that I could witness Sister Chen painting!"
Ling Chen forced out a smile, "Young Noble, why must you play me like this? While I might be better than Yu BingYan, it’s only because practice makes perfect. How about young noble personally painting once for her?"
However, Ling Tian shook his head, rejecting her. "How could you say that? From my teachings, Chen’er you have reached close to eighty percent of my skills, so how could that be merely the result of practice makes perfect? Furthermore, Yu BingYan hasn’t reached the required stage yet, so it would be more difficult if you ask her to extrapolate my skill rather than yours!"
Hearing as such, Ling Chen no longer declined, instead giving a sweet smile, "Since young noble wants me to make a fool out of myself in front of sister Yan, then I can only do so!"
Ling Tian only gave a faint smile in response. A flick of his sleeve and a piece of snow white paper floated up from amongst the stack of papers placed on the table. Another flick and the floating paper plastered itself onto the wall with a ‘pa’ sound. Almost instantaneously, while Ling Tian didn't move, four silver needles pierced the paper on all four corners, holding it firmly on the wall without any creases!
Ling Chen too didn't dare delay. With a single movement she appeared in front of the paper, and as though acting on instinct, picked up the brush and dipped it slightly in ink, then began to draw whatever she desired. With only the time taken to brew a cup of tea, a picture of an elegant noble wearing a silk robe appeared on the paper. The noble’s facial appearance was similar to Ling Tian’s, and on his surroundings was a winter scene, with white snow flying. Not far away from him was a winter plum tree, its blood-red flowers fighting to open against the weather. This was akin to putting the finishing touch, and adding vigor and spirit to the otherwise lifeless painting! What a good "Viewing the Plum Blossom in Snow"!
This painting was not only full of artistic conception, it also caused one to be absorbed into the person and scenery. To call it a masterpiece would not be an understatement, but Ling Chen finished it in one sitting, her brush moving like the flowing clouds and water, as though an immortal was painting the picture!
Her movements were even more ingenious, a while fast, then a while slow! This let the bystander Yu BingYan carefully observe every single move! In her eyes, every movement made by Ling Chen seemed to be merely a simple move, slow and leisurely; yet every single move carried with it a sort of natural flair, a feeling as though she had created an ideal scenario where success was guaranteed! However, in actual fact, her brush movements were immensely rapid like lightning, never touching the same place twice! Just based on Yu BingYan’s perceptions, these two contrasting styles appeared!
Extreme speed matched with pondering slowness!
Yu BingYan stared at Ling Chen with an expression of shock and disbelief! This was obviously a profound martial arts skill!
This was the first time that Ling Chen had shown off her skills in front of Yu BingYan. Before this, Yu BingYan had never known that Ling Chen’s martial arts had reached such a profound state! With the experience obtained from being in a millennium-old great family, she could tell that Ling Chen had already reached the peak of HouTian! Such talent and such profound cultivation, paired with her peerless beauty. Just look around, how many of such people could match up to her, and how many males could actually withstand her charm?
A huge sense of defeat suddenly rose up within Yu BingYan. She had long fallen head over heels in love for Ling Tian, and while she was aware of Ling Chen’s deep feelings for Ling Tian, she knew that Ling Chen was after all Ling Tian’s maid. While she addressed her as elder sister Chen, she had always thought of herself as Ling Tian’s first wife, and even when hearing that Emperor Long Xiang had bestowed a marriage upon Ling Tian, she was not ruffled at all. How could the princess of a small country be compared to the first miss of the Yu Family? However, she found out with shock that her greatest opponent to obtaining Ling Tian’s heart was actually Ling Chen!
Just as Yu BingYan was lost in her thoughts, Ling Chen had already completed her drawing and came over to Yu BingYan. Seeing her staring into space, she thought that she was shocked about her artwork and couldn't help but break into laughter, "Sister Yan, what’s wrong? You don’t need to look so stunned, all of my skills were imparted to me by the young noble, and because of my limited aptitude, I’m still unable to break past the concept of ‘Seeing a mountain is not a mountain’, unlike young noble who has already achieved the state of ‘seeing a mountain and one with the mountain’!
Yu BingYan received another bombshell to her already wounded pride, "You mean that Brother Tian’s skills are a notch higher than your masterpieces? I’ve seen him draw before, and while his skills were brilliant, they were at most on par with you! And what is this ‘seeing a mountain is not a mountain’ and ‘seeing a mountain and one with the mountain’?"
Ling Chen chortled at her incredulous look, "Young noble is accustomed to pretending to be a pig to eat the tiger. Since when has he ever displayed his true strength? All of Chen’er's arts were passed on by the Young Noble, could it be that he as the teacher is below me the disciple?"
Ling Tian joined in with a laugh, "The meaning of ‘seeing a mountain’ refers to the intention of the artist. Most people are only able to imitate to perfection and find it difficult to pass the barrier to a higher state. Yan’er has already achieved small success in your intention, and thus you’re at the initial state, ‘seeing a mountain as a mountain’. In this state, you’re able to input everything you’ve seen before on paper. Ling Chen is a notch higher, named ‘seeing a mountain is not a mountain’. In that state, the heart is like a canvas, always having an image that can be displayed on paper...."
Yu BingYan was initially already enthralled when it came to painting. While she knew in her heart that Ling Chen was an obstacle in her love life, she was aware that Ling Tian was also in love with her, and added to the fact that she was also on good terms with Ling Chen, she didn't dwell on it, instead eagerly asking question Ling Tian on the higher realms of painting, "How about brother Tian’s ‘seeing a mountain and one with the mountain’?"
Ling Tian casually remarked, "My realm is where I see the mountains, and I am one with the mountains. It is past your stage of existence, as well as Chen’er's realization. In this state, the art is me, and I am the art!"
Yu BingYan seemed like she was grasping at straws, as she replied, "I seem to have understood, but then again maybe not. Your analogy sounds like cultivation realms?"
Ling Tian gave an enigmatic smile in response, "There exist myriad possibilities for achieving the peak existence in this world. If you’ve reached a high enough state, why would you bother about defining terms? Using this reasoning, let me also paint a picture for you; as to whether you can understand it, that’s up to you."
Yu BingYan was so lost in her own thoughts that she didn't even reply.
Ling Tian’s mouth tugged upwards in a smile that was not really a smile as he flicked his sleeve; a fresh sheet of paper immediately attached itself on the wall, and with the curling of his fingers, a brush leaped onto his hand!
Without wasting a single second, Ling Tian twitched, and it was as though he had disappeared from the spot in front of Yu BingYan’s eyes, appearing miraculously before the paper. His brush heavily dropped down as though attempting to split heaven and earth, drawing a vivid line straight down!
If Ling Chen was in the realm of appearing slow yet being extremely fast, then Ling Tian now could be considered a tier above, appearing stationary but in fact drawing so quickly that he released a tremendous force!
Yu BingYan felt as though a heaven splitting sword had just cut open the skies themselves, abruptly slashing down! The line of black on the paper felt as though the night sky was revealed through the cut, the resplendent scene illuminating both the past and the present!
A simple brushstroke, and yet exuding such a torrential and vigorous aura from the paper! This stroke gave everybody who saw it a hair-raising experience!
Was Ling Tian actually drawing?! Or was the painting turning into Ling Tian?!
Ling Tian stood ramrod straight, immovable like a towering mountain! His eyes were focused, the brush on his hands darting about. In just a few strokes, a picture of a vast landscape with rivers and mountains was clearly displayed on the paper, as though it was real! They appeared like the artist himself, deep and profound, majestic and awe-inspiring.
At this particular moment, Ling Tian seemed to have completely fused together with the artwork into a single being, a miraculous encounter which one would find hard to believe! Not only that, but his art seemed to contain elements of martial skills, as though he had fused his martial path together with the painting itself! Just this sort of realm perfectly showcased his ingenuity and creativity, and his martial path was already at the level of being able to open a sect to accept disciples with the status of a grandmaster! All these accolades actually belonged to a mere teenager!
This sort of impossibility had actually happened, and even happened in front of Yu BingYan’s own eyes!