Chapter 16: Can You Paint?

Translator: Atlas Studios  Editor: Atlas Studios

It was the 18th of March, the Immortal Martial Era.

It was evening.

Ye Ping had been in the Qingyun Dao Sect for 15 days now.

He had completely comprehended all 1,460 sword moves of the Four Thunder Sword Techniques.

In other words, Ye Ping had reached the Peak realm of that set of sword techniques.

Now, it was time to comprehend the sword momentum in an epiphany.

The so-called sword momentum was the momentum of the sword.

There were a total of 1,460 sword moves in that set and if he were to execute all of time, it would be akin to radio calisthenics. Each move was stiff.

However, things would be different after condensing the sword momentum. As long as one executed a move with the sword, it would be equivalent to executing all the moves of the set.

Hence, sword momentum was very important as a single move was equal to a set of sword techniques.

The sword intent was an existence that was on a higher realm.

Powerhouses with sword intent would not have to manually execute moves with their swords at all. They could suppress all enemies by standing still in place.

Hence, the sword intent was the highest level.

Ye Ping spent fifteen days to comprehend the entire set of sword techniques. He believed that it wouldn’t take him long to comprehend the sword momentum next.

However, Ye Ping wasn’t arrogant because he knew that he had his Eldest Senior Brother to thank for his achievement.

It would have been hard for him to get an epiphany without his Eldest Senior Brother’s sword mark.

Ye Ping was not an ingrate and he would always remember Su Changyu’s kindness.

Ye Ping thought about how he had taken part in more than 50 Grand Immortal Ascension Meets, but none of the sects wanted to take him in. That made him very upset. But now that the Qingyun Dao Sect didn’t mind him, he would naturally bear in mind the kindness that they showed him.

At the thought of this, Ye Ping could not help but look at Su Changyu who was on the cliff near him, his heart filled with even more admiration.

“Eldest Senior Brother.”

Ye Ping called out.

Su Changyu sat on the cliff for several days in a row.

He didn’t know what was going on with him lately. He was fine during the day, but as soon as it was close to nighttime, he would somehow start feeling sorrowful and dejected.

Perhaps, it was because he had suffered a blow or because Ye Ping’s impressive aptitude made him doubt himself. He began to doubt if he was not suited for cultivating the Sword Dao.

However, at this moment, Su Changyu heard Ye Ping’s voice and couldn’t help but turn around.

“What?”

Su Changyu looked calm and composed.

“Eldest Senior Brother, I just want to inform you that I’ve already finished comprehending all 1,460 sword moves.”

Ye Ping said calmly below the cliff.

His words made Su Changyu, who was already depressed in the first place, feel even more upset.

He felt really bitter.

However, he could only suffer in silence. Most importantly, Ye Ping was clearly very competent but he still acted like a greenhorn.

On the other hand, Su Changyu was clearly weak but he had to act like he was very competent.

No matter how thick-skinned he may be, he still found it hard to tolerate.

“Get some rest then, don’t work too hard. Cultivators have to balance between work and leisure. You should understand that rushing things will lead to backfiring.”

Su Changyu spoke after a while. He told Ye Ping to rest for a while but he also felt very emotional.

Geniuses are not scary. Diligent geniuses were scary and would put others in a state of despair.

“Thank you for your guidance, Senior Brother.”

Below the cliff, Ye Ping nodded.

For the past 15 days, he had been diligently comprehending and even skipped meals. He didn’t take any breaks either.

Although he had to work hard, being too diligent would not be a good thing either. He had to rest at appropriate times.

‘Okay, I’ll give myself a two-hour break.’

Ye Ping nodded and sat on the ground to unwind.

He looked at the Qingyun Dao Sect.

The evening sun hung at the edge of the sky, reflecting a faint red hue above the sky of the Qingyun Dao Sect. Everything was calm, quiet, and poetic.

At this moment, Ye Ping stretched and glanced at the beautiful scenery of the Qingyun Dao Sect.

He couldn’t help but say coldly, “The evening sunset dyes the sky with streaks of red, covering the Qingyun peak.”

“I hope to learn the art of cultivation of Qingzhou.”

Ye Ping said.

He couldn’t help but recite a poem.

It was a poem written by a famous poet Lin Yongzhong in the Song Dynasty.

However, Ye Ping edited it slightly.

The minor change did not affect its meaning and that was probably the highest realm of literature.

Ye Ping was slightly proud of himself.

Although he was a good-for-nothing in the world of immortal cultivation, he was rather famous in Jin Nation.

However, Ye Ping was indeed being modest. He was more than just simply being famous in Jin Nation.

Making him talk would be an insult to his identity.

The four arts — music, chess, poetry, and painting — were the favorite of the nobles of the Jin Nation. Ye Ping happened to be a figure whom they looked up to. Hence, if not for the fact that it was a world of immortal cultivation, Ye Ping would definitely do well.

However, Ye Ping had no regrets.

In his eyes, all things were inferior to immortal cultivation.

At this moment, Su Changyu moved a little on the cliff at the back.

He changed his posture and shifted his gaze toward Ye Ping.

Firstly, it was because his legs had gone numb.

Secondly, Ye Ping’s poem had caught his attention.

Su Changyu was not very cultured.

However, he could tell from the lines Ye Ping recited that it was a good poem.

Thinking about Ye Ping’s origin, Su Changyu could not help but be curious.

“Little Junior Brother, I heard from Master that you used to be a scholar before you joined the sect. Is that true?”

Su Changyu asked.

“Senior Brother, I was somewhat of a scholar.”

Ye Ping hurriedly answered, not daring to be arrogant.

“Somewhat of a scholar?”

Su Changyu was curious. ‘What does somewhat of a scholar mean?’

“I haven’t been awarded a title after an examination yet so I can only be considered half a scholar.”

Ye Ping immediately answered without keeping him in suspense.

“Oh.” Su Changyu nodded though he did not understand it very well.

After that, Su Changyu continued to ask him questions.

“Little Junior Brother, do you know the art of painting?”

Su Changyu asked sternly.

“I do know a thing or two.”

Ye Ping answered very modestly.

“Draw a painting for me then.”

It was not a spontaneous idea, but rather, Su Changyu thought that if Ye Ping was good at painting, he would have something to brag about when Ye Ping rose to success in the future.

He could say, “See, the first Sword Immortal in Jin Nation has painted for me before.”

Su Changyu did not have many hobbies. His only interest was pretending to be impressive.

“Okay, Senior Brother, please wait a moment. I’ll go get the brush and ink.”

Ye Ping nodded.

He was good at painting but it wasn’t out of interest but because he joined a painting academy in his previous life for the sake of wooing a ravishing beauty. Then, it took him three hard years to master the art of Chinese painting but the beauty got together with a wealthy second-generation heir.

Hence, Ye Ping understood something out of that.

Learning how to paint could not save him from being a singleton.

Soon, Ye Ping returned with a brush, rice paper, and an inkstone.

He brought those items with him to the mountain but he hadn’t had a chance to use them yet. Now, it was the right time to put them to use.

After taking out the ink, Ye Ping looked at the evening scenery, and then at Su Changyu. He then began painting.

However, Su Changyu didn’t think much about it. He stood up and gazed at the evening sunset quietly in a dashing pose.

An hour later, the painting was completed.