On a bright spring day, birds chirped merrily from the branches.
Young cultivators gathered in small groups, making their way toward the Rainbow Stone Creek. They carried no swords or blades, only folding fans, sachets, or jade pendants. Dressed in light robes with loose sashes, they chatted and laughed with their companions.
Compared to the boisterous and passionate martial trials or the solemn, tension-filled chess trials, the Calligraphy and Painting Examination had a much more relaxed atmosphere. After all, participants weren't paired off in life-or-death matches. If one felt their performance was lacking, they could start over with a fresh sheet of paper—as long as they remained within the time limit.
About seventy percent of the participants were disciples from Azure Cliff Academy, while thirty percent were Talismasters from other sects and families. Rarely did anyone like Song Qianji sign up just for the experience—in others' eyes, he was merely a Sword Cultivator with a hobby for calligraphy and painting.
Though Huawel Sect had countless hanging springs and waterfalls, this small creek held a unique, delicate charm and was known within the sect as Rainbow Stone Creek. The babbling water was so clear one could see the pebbles at the bottom—smooth, colorful stones covering most of the creek bed.
Beside the creek lay a flat, expansive meadow where grass grew tall and orioles flitted under the vast blue sky. Thousands of desks and chairs for the examination were set up in this scenic, spring-lit location.
Before the competition began, scholars strolled along the creek, fanning themselves and engaging in lofty discussions:
"I've long heard of Fellow Daoist Li's literary talent and masterful brushwork. What do you plan to write today?"
"I am but humble. The other day, while admiring the beauty of Yaoguang Lake, I happened to compose a quatrain."
"I've heard Brother Liu's plum blossoms are unparalleled in the academy. Will you be painting 'Plum Blossoms in Snow' again today?"
"After recently touring Huawel's landscapes, I think I'll paint 'Scenery of Huawel Mountain.'"
Though their conversations seemed casual, there were many nuances. Close friends sincerely praised each other, while rivals exchanged veiled barbs beneath compliments. A moment of inattention could lead to being verbally outmaneuvered or mistaking sarcasm for praise, becoming a laughingstock behind one's back.
Song Qianji passed through the fan-waving crowd, lifted the hem of his robe, and bent down to select pebbles from the creekbed. The lotus in the water jar under his eaves could use a few rainflower stones to fill the bottom.
The spring water wasn't cold—it flowed over his fingers, leaving a refreshing coolness that was just right. The stones beneath the water shimmered in myriad colors, and Song Qianji carefully picked through them, occasionally startling a few small silver fish that darted through his fingers.
After storing the rainflower stones in his Storage Bag, Song Qianji felt amused and satisfied, paying no mind to the whispers around him:
"Who is that? Did he drop something in the water?"
"He's actually picking up stones—is he out of his mind?"
"He looks familiar..."
A distant bell tolled from the mountains.
"All participants, please take your seats according to your numbers—" the Deacons announced in unison.
With laughter and promises to chat again, everyone found their assigned desks and chairs, laying out paper and brushes. Most Talismasters used Magical Artifact brushes, often meticulously chosen to suit them best, and their inks and pigments were far from ordinary. Huawel Sect provided no writing materials—everything had to be brought personally.
Song Qianji found his number, pulled out the chair, and sat down, his hands still wet from the creek. Just then, a clean, soft silk cloth was handed to him.
Meng Heze often passed him cloth, so Song Qianji accepted it out of habit. Only after wiping his hands did he realize—the ice-silk satin brocade was far too luxurious.
He looked up and saw the face of his Calligraphy and Painting Examination desk partner.The man had long brows and starry eyes, a sincere smile, and wore a Magic Robe embroidered with eighty-eight layers of water-cloud Runes. His belt was adorned with Merman King pearls, and on the desk’s brush holder hung a Rosy Haze Brush made of purple cloud patterns—a high-grade Magical Artifact.
From head to toe, he was practically covered in the word "luxury."
Song Qianji was taken aback. "Thank you."
The face seemed familiar, but he couldn’t recall where he had seen it before.
"You’re welcome." The tablemate retrieved the satin brocade as if it were just a rag.
He smiled and asked, "Just now, I saw you picking up stones from the stream—were you making a wish? My hometown has a similar custom."
Song Qianji: "...No, I just collect stones to fill my water vat."
The man nodded awkwardly. "I see. Will you be writing or painting?"
"Painting," Song Qianji replied.
The man’s eyes lit up.
Though they shared a table, most participants didn’t engage in conversation.
Once a contestant picked up their brush, they focused entirely on their work.
The sound of ink grinding filled the air, like silkworms nibbling mulberry leaves.
Amidst these orderly, methodical noises, the tablemate’s voice stood out even more:
"Fellow Daoist, why haven’t you started painting yet?"
Song Qianji sat leisurely, admiring the stream scenery, watching clouds and enjoying the breeze. "I haven’t decided what to paint yet."
The man was speechless. "And you still signed up like this?"
"Signing up didn’t cost anything," Song Qianji said.
This reasoning was irrefutable. Yet, who among the participants of the Calligraphy and Painting Examination hadn’t practiced hundreds or thousands of times in private, to the point they could write or paint with their eyes closed?
Only the two of them remained idle, even chatting.
Song Qianji took out pebbles from his Storage Bag and began playing with them.
His tablemate grew restless first and spoke up again: "You don’t know how to paint, do you?"
"I know a little," Song Qianji said.
At the Grand Assembly of Distinguished Appraisals’ Calligraphy and Painting Examination, someone who only "knows a little" dares to participate?!
The man looked utterly disappointed and sighed dejectedly.
He opened his inkstone, added water, and began grinding the ink. "Forget it, I won’t wait for you."
"Why were you waiting for me?" Song Qianji was somewhat intrigued.
The man said earnestly, "To be honest, I’m painting a landscape and wanted to reference your composition."
Song Qianji was speechless.
Why not just say you wanted to copy my work?
So that’s why he struck up a conversation earlier—he was setting me up.
Brush technique and artistic conception rely on years of diligent practice.
But composition requires ingenuity and aesthetic sense.
Especially for landscape paintings, as the saying goes, "The same mountain viewed horizontally appears as a ridge, from the side as a peak—each perspective offers a different view.The same mountain, painted from different angles, can convey vastly different momentum and artistic conception.
Contemporary landscapes emphasize artistic conception over form, with the Calligrapher Sage’s "distant mountains, nearby water" method being the most popular. To cater to preferences, most participants use this technique.
Moreover, out of ten painters, eight choose landscapes.
Song Qianji smiled wryly, wondering if the seating order was arranged by skill level.
If two underachievers were paired together, they shouldn’t rely on each other.
The man, meeting his gaze, thought he was being looked down upon and flushed slightly, defending himself: "I just struggle with composition! My brushwork is decent…"
"It’s fine, I don’t even know how to paint landscapes," Song Qianji said.
The man’s expression softened, and he comforted, "Then paint whatever you like best, whatever you feel like painting right now. Time is limited, don’t waste it."
Song Qianji thought for a moment. "Alright."
With that, he picked up his brush.
His tablemate craned his neck to watch. Seeing that Song Qianji used the cheapest, most common brushes and ink, he couldn’t help but show a sympathetic expression."You can use mine. I brought an extra set."
Song Qianji declined.
With just a few strokes, the outline of a small flower leaped onto the paper.
The flower had five petals, a slightly rounded center, and adorable pointed tips.
The other person stared blankly, thinking, How am I supposed to copy something like this?
But seeing how vivid the flower appeared—though only an outline, it seemed ready to bloom right off the page—they couldn’t help but ask curiously:
"Fellow Daoist, what kind of spiritual plant is this? It’s quite charming!"
"It’s not a spiritual plant, just a potato flower."
"Potato flower?" the person exclaimed in surprise, "Dao Ancestor above, so potatoes grow in the ground and actually bloom! I thought they grew on trees—you’re not fooling me, are you?"
Song Qianji: "...I’m really not."
Can we please not bother the Dao Ancestor over something this trivial?
Some cultivators came from families of immortal sects or noble clans, grew up eating spiritual rice and fruits, and began fasting early after starting cultivation, having limited contact with mortals—so much so that they couldn’t distinguish the five grains.
Song Qianji could understand that.
He said, "Actually, cucumbers bloom too."
The person’s expression shifted, and they spoke with sincere admiration, "Fellow Daoist, you are truly knowledgeable and well-traveled! May I ask your esteemed name?"
"...You flatter me. I am Song Qianji."
The person’s smile faltered, and they suddenly cried out, "So you’re Song Qianji!"
Contestants around them looked up, their gazes turning toward the pair:
"That’s Song Qianji? The leader of Huawel Sect’s Outer Sect?"
"These two are sitting together? Song Qianji is a tough one—that talkative, rich, but foolish waste might be in trouble."
Song Qianji coughed lightly, "Keep your voice down. You know me?"
"You’re famous!" the person grew excited, "But you rarely show yourself. We’ve only heard your name, never seen you in person. Everyone’s been guessing what kind of person you are... Now that I’ve met you, Fellow Daoist Song, you paint such fine potato flowers—just as the rumors say, free-spirited and unrestrained."
Song Qianji was baffled.
In his past life, people had cursed him as ruthless, scheming, and merciless.
Free-spirited and unrestrained? He couldn’t tell if that was praise or criticism.
"I heard that Meng Heze was trained by you?"
"Not by me," Song Qianji replied helplessly.
The other clearly didn’t believe him, slapping the table and complaining, "Last night, I was supposed to practice a sketch, then bathe, burn incense, calm my mind, and cultivate all night to prepare for today’s Calligraphy and Painting Examination. But I couldn’t resist going to watch Meng Heze’s arena match! He actually released sky lanterns—is that appropriate? Aren’t you going to rein him in?"
"Who even feels like taking an exam today after all that? But I have to say, those sky lanterns were truly beautiful... His new arena tactics—you taught him those, didn’t you?"
Once the person started talking, their words came rapid-fire, an endless torrent.
The rhythm felt strangely familiar to Song Qianji, who finally seized a moment to deny it:
"Absolutely not! I never taught him that!"
I didn’t, I’m utterly innocent.
The person still didn’t believe him, "Brother Song, my younger sister loves watching his arena matches too." Could Meng Heze throw his last flower to her before he leaves the arena tomorrow?"
"That... probably wouldn’t work."
Song Qianji had never heard such a bizarre request.
Sky lanterns and flower throwing—just how many tricks had Xiao Meng come up with behind his back?
It’s not easy.
Managing the flow of battle while directing scene changes, making it visually appealing while still winning.
If not for Meng Heze’s red jade Buddhist beads, he would likely have been overwhelmed and unable to keep up.My deskmate nodded understandingly: "That makes sense. With the sea of people below, a dark mass stretching as far as the eye can see, how could he possibly aim accurately? My apologies for the presumptuous question... Ah, we've chatted so much, yet I haven't even introduced myself. How rude of me. My surname is Ji, single-character name Chen."
A flash of clarity struck Song Qianji: "Ji Chen from Phoenix Immortal County?!"
The vaguely familiar face in his memory finally overlapped with the handsome one before him.
Ji Chen smiled wryly in embarrassment: "I didn't expect you'd have heard of me, fellow cultivator." He tried hard to explain, "Actually, I'm not that useless. I just can't handle composition..."
Song Qianji exclaimed in surprise: "Why are you taking the Calligraphy and Painting Examination?"
Ji Chen was even more astonished: "Why would you ask that, fellow cultivator? I've been studying calligraphy and painting since childhood."
Song Qianji stared blankly.
You, a future Grand Formation Master, studied calligraphy and painting since childhood?
"Have you started learning formation arrays yet?" Song Qianji asked.
Ji Chen made a pained expression: "I can't even draw a single Talisman properly. How would I have spare time to study formation arrays? Brother Song, please stop teasing me!"
Song Qianji didn't know how to respond.
Making Ji Chen study calligraphy and painting was like making Miaoyan wield a great blade, or sending Meng Heze to practice embroidery.
While he hesitated, commotion broke out ahead as many candidates set down their brushes and stood up to look.
Song Qianji raised his head to see two figures arriving late. Instead of taking their seats, they flew directly upward, sweeping toward the opposite cliff.
"What are those two doing?"
Ji Chen enthusiastically explained:
"You and I are just going through the motions, filling seats. The others are competing for the top hundred in the Grand Assembly of Distinguished Appraisals, or at most striving for the top ten. So we follow the rules, honestly putting brush to paper, showing exactly what we've practiced...
"But those two are different. They want to become the Calligrapher Sage's personal disciples. They must achieve victory through unusual means to catch the Sage's attention. Let's see what extraordinary moves they have."
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