Cultivating with Bragging System

Chapter 703 348: Entering the Path through Painting, Creation through Vivid Colors_2

Nie Linglan was extremely embarrassed and unwilling, but she couldn't resist Wang Xiu's relentless coaxing and ultimately gave in. It was quite strange. She had already seen all that should be seen and done all that should be done, yet wearing this garment filled her with an inexplicable sense of shame, and her body became even more sensitive.

Wang Xiu admired the newly transformed Nie Linglan.

He couldn't help but marvel to himself.

In the realm of art, Earth from my past life was simply unmatched! The aesthetic is simply exquisite!

After a long while, she finally regained some composure and asked with confusion, "Young Master, how did these clothes suddenly appear on me?"

Wang Xiu smiled slightly. "It's not just the clothes—haven't you noticed your skin?"

At Wang Xiu's words, it finally dawned on her. This body, although reforged by Wang Xiu using many divine materials, had been created with such a high degree of fidelity that he had even replicated her original minor flaws. But now, her skin was even whiter and smoother than before, with a faint blush. She was flawless from head to toe, just like the woman in the painting from a moment ago.

I've become the woman in the painting? The thought surfaced in Nie Linglan's mind, startling her.

Wang Xiu spoke slowly, "True and false, illusion and reality—who can truly tell the difference? Perhaps this entire world is but a book or a painting, and you and I... are merely characters within it? We simply have no way of knowing."

Recalling the exquisite mysteries of the Danqing Creation Technique, Wang Xiu was inwardly astounded.

This technique merges the principles of illusion and reality and possesses the power of Creation. With sufficient mana, one could create something from nothing, establish worlds within paintings, and even recreate Chaos. It is truly a supreme legacy that touches upon the very source of the Great Dao.

He picked up the brush and continued to paint. Before long, a sparrow appeared on the paper. Then, with a flash of spiritual light, the sparrow seemed to come to life. It flapped its wings twice, flew straight out of the paper into reality, glanced at Wang Xiu, and then flew out the window.

Seeing this, Nie Linglan's eyes widened in astonishment. "Is this... creation from the void?"

Wang Xiu smiled calmly. "Anyone with some attainment in entering the Dao through painting can achieve this. It's not so miraculous."

There was more that Wang Xiu left unsaid. For ordinary cultivators of the Dao of Painting, the objects they created could manifest as real for a time and be controlled by the painter. However, they were essentially just constructs of runes and mana, not true life. Once the mana imbued within them was exhausted, they would ultimately vanish.

But what Wang Xiu painted was truly real. If one were to dissect the sparrow he had just created, they would find blood, bones, and organs—everything complete and indistinguishable from a real bird, which would live until it died of old age.

With my current cultivation level, it's not difficult to paint true living creatures... The hard part is endowing these creatures with unique abilities and attributes...

Theoretically, Wang Xiu could even paint a True Dragon possessing a genuine Dragon Clan bloodline. But the mana required for that was far beyond what even the current Wang Xiu could muster. The higher the grade of the created object, the greater the difficulty.

But apart from that, Wang Xiu could now create ordinary spiritual items and Spirit Beasts without much effort. However, such creatures were not of much use to him, seeming rather redundant at the moment.

Of course, this was just one aspect of the Danqing Creation Technique. Beyond Creation, the technique's most important power was the conversion between illusion and reality. It could transform reality into illusion and illusion into reality. It could even exchange parts of the real and the illusory. Just as he had done a moment ago, Nie Linglan herself had not changed, but her skin, appearance, and clothing had quietly become that of the woman in the painting. The profound mysteries involved were difficult to describe with words.

This aspect of his divine skills, when used in battle, could produce powerful and unexpected effects.

...

Hearing Wang Xiu's words, Nie Linglan's gaze filled with even more admiration and reverence. "Young Master, you're truly amazing to be so proficient in the Dao of Painting as well... I was wrong before. I shouldn't have doubted you."

A slight smile touched Wang Xiu's lips. "Just admitting your mistake with words won't do. As punishment, you are not allowed to take off this outfit tonight."

Nie Linglan's face turned crimson as she whined coquettishly, "Young Master~"

...

The Azure Platform Assembly was destined to be the most bustling event within the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths for the next three months. Countless prodigies would gather in Cold Mountain City. Although the elder Painting Immortal had declared that this year's assembly would not discriminate based on background, origin, or status—as long as one was proficient in the Dao of Painting, they could compete.

But with so many people, it was impossible for everyone to swarm into Cold Mountain City at once, so there were procedures in place. Little Cold Mountain had established a Cold Mountain House in every major city of the Yaoguang Heavenly Realm. To earn a ticket to the Azure Platform Assembly, a painter had to have their work displayed in a Cold Mountain House, hung upon its White Jade Wall for a full month. There, it would be admired and judged by all. The creator of the most popular painting would be considered to have earned their entry ticket.

Of course, there were conditions to enter the Cold Mountain House in the first place. First, one needed to have sufficient fame, with numerous distinguished families and great clans to act as guarantors. If one lacked fame, they had to go out and earn it.

The entire world knew of the grand occasion that was the Azure Platform Assembly. As long as someone was truly outstanding in the Dao of Painting, there was no shortage of noble families and great clans willing to support them and help them enter the Cold Mountain House. If the artist succeeded and performed brilliantly in Cold Mountain City, both they and the family backing them would reap great rewards. Conversely, if anyone harbored ulterior motives and put forward some talentless fraud, the loss of face and the subsequent wrath of the Supreme would bring consequences no one could bear. Thus, while the rule seemed unreasonable, it subtly maintained true fairness.

Coincidentally, there was a Cold Mountain House right in White Jade City.

...

「Canglan Residence」

This was the place in White Jade City with the most scholarly atmosphere. Even before the Azure Platform Assembly was announced, this place was never short of scholars and beauties, its air filled with song and dance. The Nine Heavens and Ten Earths were immensely vast, and the paths of cultivation were all-encompassing. Scholars could cultivate the Scholar's Path, masters of music could cultivate the Path of Music, and those skilled in Go could cultivate the Chess Path. A thousand different Daoist Magics, all leading to the same destination, were on full display. Composing poetry and creating art were common pursuits in the cultivation world.

Now, with news of the Azure Platform Assembly, the place was livelier than ever. Every day, young talents from all over would come here to paint, exchange pointers, or issue challenges, all attempting to make a name for themselves. As a result, not only were there many artists, but the number of onlookers was simply countless. An unknown number of young ladies from noble houses and young masters from great clans milled about, all hoping to strike gold by discovering a promising candidate they could support for entry into the Cold Mountain House.

"I have dedicated myself to the Dao of Painting since childhood, for four hundred and seventy-two years, never slacking for a moment. I have just begun to grasp the true essence of painting. If any of you are willing to help me enter the Cold Mountain House, I will not let you down!"

[Ding! A nearby person has been detected bragging. Congratulations, Host, for receiving Mana +199!]

"I have painted nothing but tigers since I was a child and have thoroughly grasped their spirit and essence. I need only the right opportunity to bring them to life from the canvas. If someone is willing to help me, I am confident I can earn the recognition of the elder Painting Immortal!"

[Ding! A nearby person has been detected bragging. Congratulations, Host, for receiving Mana +699!]

"This old man's mastery of painting has reigned unmatched across the Southern Border for over eight hundred years! What do you wet-behind-the-ears youngsters have to compete with me?"

[Ding! A nearby person has been detected bragging. Congratulations, Host, for receiving Mana +888!]

"..."

The scene was incredibly boisterous.

In a corner, a white-robed scholar stood quietly, holding a folding fan as he admired the lake scenery outside the pavilion. Elegant and refined, he seemed to have stepped right out of a painting, standing in stark contrast to his surroundings. His presence immediately caught the eye of numerous young ladies from noble and prestigious families.

"Is this gentleman also a painter?"

Suddenly, a pleasant voice sounded from behind him.

Wang Xiu slowly turned around, his smile as warm as a spring breeze.