Martial Saint through Reading

Chapter 67: Chapter 67: Has the Five Kui Oxen Painting Been Drawn?!

At those words, Yuan Zhong nodded emphatically.

As the person in charge of the gallery, he had attempted the challenge many times, conjuring up countless images in his mind, yet never once succeeded. He knew all too well how difficult it was to envision a fitting scene based only on five eyes.

”I just had someone look into that scholar. The news is, he once sold imitation paintings at Su Zhe’s Rain Paint Tower.” Yuan Zhong added.

”Sold imitation paintings?” Liu Sitong’s trace of expectation immediately vanished: ”Selling imitation paintings means his painting skills are not up to much.”

Imitation paintings aren’t worth much silver; established painters wouldn’t bother selling them. Only those still learning, aspiring to become painters, would do so.

”Enough. You may go for now.” Losing interest in the scholar, Liu Sitong and Feng Yuan listened no more.

Ever since they set up the Five Eyes Map challenge in the gallery, every so often painters from outside Baiyuan County would come to try their luck, but no one had succeeded—by now, it was nothing new to them.

”Yes.” Yuan Zhong withdrew respectfully.

The courtyard was left with only County Magistrate Liu Sitong and Lord of the Classics Feng Yuan.

”Lord Liuu, it’s been over a year now—do you really think anyone can see that the Five Eyes Map actually comes from the Five Kui Oxen Painting?”

Feng Yuan’s expression was grave; his gaze seemed to pierce through the walls, directed toward the gallery.

Liu Sitong also set aside his earlier indifference, shaking his head: ”The odds are slim. The Five Kui Oxen Painting has never been declared an authentic work, so few pay it any attention.”

”And this Five Eyes Map is merely the pupils from the eyes of the five Kui oxen, with their order scrambled.”

”To add to the confusion, I deliberately placed a Five-Eyed Ferocious Wolf Painting to mislead challengers. For anyone to associate the Five Eyes Map with the Five Kui Oxen Painting would require a truly remarkable gift for association and deduction.”

”Such astonishing talent—let alone Baiyuan County, even in all Xirong County, you might not find more than a handful.”

”Still... the world is unpredictable. Maybe Baiyuan County will produce such a talent.”

So Liu Sitong said, though his expression was casual, as if even he didn’t quite believe it.

”And Su Zhe...” Feng Yuan asked in a low voice.

”Su Zhe—ah, that kid’s painting skill isn’t good enough, but his mind is sharp. I painted five-eyed wolves, and he planned to paint a five-eyed violent bear.”

”...” Feng Yuan paused, an expression of resignation flashing across his face: ”Lord Liuu, perhaps you should remove the Five-Eyed Ferocious Wolf Painting. It’s too misleading...”

”Why remove it?” Liu Sitong smiled, ”If they can’t even discern that much, how can they hope to participate in the analysis of the Mountain and Sea Great Wilderness Scripture·Mountain Scripture?”

”Lord Liuu is right,” Feng Yuan agreed.

”By the way, how are those junior examinees you recruited? Any promise among them?” Liu Sitong asked.

Mentioning this brought a smile to Feng Yuan’s face: ”Quite good. Xiaang Changgu from the Upper Academy parsed the first segment in just twelve days. Xu He was slower, but only took three days more.”

”And that third son of the Chu Family, whom you asked me not to mention—Chu Ming?” Liu Sitong inquired again.

”Chu Ming...” Feng Yuan hesitated, ”The kid’s only been in the academy a few days and is already mixed up with Shen Yu. I haven’t had a chance to test him yet.”

”Shen Yu?” Liu Sitong’s brows furrowed slightly. ”Test him as soon as you can. If he lacks a gift for Ancient Shell Script, best cut ties early.”

”Rest assured, Lord Liuu, I don’t intend to get entangled with Shen Yu either.”

”Mm, time’s about up. There are still matters at the County Yamen—I’ll be leaving first.”

”Lord Liuu, aren’t you going to wait for the challenge results?” Feng Yuan looked toward the gallery.

”Heh, Su Zhe can’t make it; Yann Xuan’s no better. What’s there to wait for? Are you expecting that scholar who sells imitation paintings to surprise us?”

”He likely couldn’t even copy the Five Kui Oxen Painting to our satisfaction.”

Feng Yuan dropped his gaze to his teacup and sighed: ”Lord Liuu is right. I was being too optimistic. Someone gifted enough to deduce the Five Kui Oxen Painting from the Five Eyes Map—how could such a genius be making imitation paintings...”

With that, he slowly stood. ”There’s business at the academy—I must go as well.”

Just as the two were about to leave, Yuan Zhong came running in from outside, his expression somewhat anxious?

”My lords!” Yuan Zhong was nearly out of breath, but as he drew closer they saw his look was not anxious but rather excited?

”What is it, bustling about like this?” Feng Yuan demanded sharply.

”The p—” Yuan Zhong swallowed.

Liu Sitong responded flatly, ”Su Zhe finished the bear?”

”Tell him, challenge failed. Go home and think it over,” he said coldly, as if he’d foreseen everything.

”No, no, that’s not it...” Yuan Zhong swallowed hard, sweat beading on his forehead. ”Su Zhe... hasn’t finished yet...”

”Then is it that painter from Cyan Sun Pavilion, Yann Xuan?” Feng Yuan’s eyes sharpened, interrupting a little anxiously.

Yuan Zhong shook his head again, ”Not Yann Xuan, it’s...”

”Not this one or that one, Yuan Zhong—what are you trying to say? Can’t you just spit it out at once?” Liu Sitong rebuked.

Don’t I want to finish?

It’s just you two, always cutting me off...

Yuan Zhong swallowed again: ”The scholar has finished his painting!”

He spoke concisely, at lightning speed.

”That scholar?” Liu Sitong’s brows rose, his heart, for an instant, did beat a little faster, but he quickly regained his composure: ”What did he paint?”

In Liu Sitong’s view, the scholar must have painted something similar to the Five-Eyed Ferocious Wolf Painting based on the five eyes, which was why Yuan Zhong was acting so flustered.

But the Five Eyes Map challenge had been established to seek out geniuses with exceptional powers of association and deduction.

Simply painting something based on the Five Eyes Map proved at best they were a competent painter, but not the kind of talent they were seeking.

”He painted five Kui oxen at lightning speed!” Yuan Zhong announced. ”The moment it was finished, I knew it was extraordinary...”

”It’s just five oxen... hmm?” Suddenly Liu Sitong’s expression changed dramatically. ”What did you say he painted?!”

”Five... Kui oxen,” Yuan Zhong repeated.

!

At these words, Feng Yuan and Liu Sitong snapped their heads to face each other; raw disbelief erupted in both their eyes.

”Are you certain they’re Kui oxen?”

”Reporting to my lords, what that scholar painted looks exactly like the five Kui oxen on the Kui Ox Painting displayed at the front of the gallery. The only difference is the positions. He...”

Before finishing, Yuan Zhong saw Feng Yuan and Liu Sitong’s eyes widen, their breaths rapid.

”My lords...”

Yuan Zhong was just about to inquire if the entry was accepted when Liu Sitong urgently ordered, ”Bring the painting here!”

However, Yuan Zhong’s face showed difficulty at these words.

”What now?” Feng Yuan sensed something was wrong, his tone equally hurried. ”Speak plainly!”

Cold sweat broke out across Yuan Zhong’s back; he had never seen the two lords lose composure like this before. ”My lords... that scholar’s attendant said, if you want the painting, you have to pay three hundred taels of silver first...”

”Give it to him!”

To Yuan Zhong’s surprise, County Magistrate Liu Sitong agreed at once.

”My lord... not even a glance first...?”

”Just give it! Hurry and fetch the painting!”

As long as the painting was the Five Kui Oxen they wanted, three hundred taels—five hundred, a thousand—he would not begrudge it.

”Never mind, I’ll go myself!”

”Count me in!” Both men strode off swiftly.

In the gallery—

A crowd was whispering in low voices.

”The Five Kui Oxen Painting? That kid really knows how to make connections.”

”No one even knows who hung the Five Kui Oxen Painting in the gallery—there’s not even a signature, yet he actually thought of that one.”