Becoming a Sage Starts From Condensing the Essence of Time

Chapter 27: Old Man Shows off the Painting in the Pavilion of the Imperial Ancestral Temple, Young Man on Madam Hua’s Bed

The cold shadow of the moon flows, low on the double-roofed corridor.

The evening breeze blew away the evening clouds, and the moonlight shone down from the window, covering Luo Qingchen, who was standing in front of the window.

The coachman was burly and cupped his fists respectfully.

"Everything is normal for the young man. He just moved out of the inn today and moved to the residence in Imperial Ancestral Temple Alley. He goes to the Lin Residence to paint every day as usual."

The coachman thought of something and said, "By the way, this young man also made three wanted posters for the Black Office to help catch criminals."

Luo Qingchen, who was leaning against the windowsill, could not help but shake his head when he heard the coachman's words.

"This young man is really unaffected. His life is so comfortable… My Dao heart is covered in dust because of him. What right does he have to live so comfortably?"

"It's hard to calm down."

It was difficult to accept this. There seemed to be a ball of fire burning in his heart.

The dusted Dao heart made him need to vent the emotions in his heart.

Luo Qingchen walked to the window with his hands behind his back. Looking at the sky covered by the sunset clouds, he said slowly, "Old Luo, did you just say that he drew for the Black Office to help arrest the criminals?"

The coachman cupped his fists and said respectfully, "Yes, the painting is so realistic. It's not easy for the criminal to hide. He won't be able to escape."

"With Hua Jiebing protecting him, if I really attack the young man again, she will definitely dare to kill me."

"It seems like Hua Jiebing wants to be this young man's guardian…"

"The dignified Jade Guanyin actually wants to be the guardian of an eighteen-year-old youth who had just completed the enlightenment of cultivation, passed his Qi Blood Awakening, and barely entered Meditation…"

"I think she really admires this young man."

Luo Qingchen raised his hand as if he wanted to pick up the moonlight that had spilled on the windowsill, but there was not much emotion in his eyes.

"The Black Office is hunting down all the rogue cultivators in the martial arts world. All of them are extremely vicious. This young man painted for the Black Office, so it's reasonable for the criminal to kill the young man because of this, right?"

In the house, the coachman was stunned for a moment.

"Go and make the necessary arrangements. Hua Jiebing admires this young man so much. Perhaps the key to my Dao heart being cleansed is this young man."

Luo Qingchen waved his hand.

The coachman cupped his fists and bowed his head. "Yes."

...

...

Just as An Le was immersed in consolidating the Embryonic Breath Realm that he had just broken through, the old man took the painting and left the small courtyard. However, he was excited and happy.

He did not return to the Imperial Ancestral Temple. The pavilion of the Imperial Ancestral Temple was brightly lit with flames and incense offerings. However, he passed by the entrance of the Imperial Ancestral Temple and stepped onto Qingbo Street.

"Although Young Friend An's painting doesn't contain much mental power, the precious thing about it is that using ink to draw bamboo is enough to form a style of its own. Furthermore, the handwriting on this question also has a unique flavor. It's strange and upright. It's not randomly drawn."

"This kind of painting has to be reviewed by that old fellow from the Literary Department."

The old man stood on Qingbo Street and could not help but smile. Then, he walked towards the Literary Department. His speed became faster and faster, and the limestone under his feet seemed to be compressed and pulled.

Soon, he arrived at the Literary Department.

The Literary Department was also known as the Academy. It was built 8,000 years ago. After the Emperor, who had united the four seas and forged the cultivation path, established the Literary Department and the Martial Temple, he passed away.

Later dynasties continued to support the Literary Department and the Martial Temple. Countless descendants of wealthy families and prodigies would choose to cultivate in the Literary Department or the Martial Temple based on their respective strengths.

Nowadays, most of the high-ranking officials and nobles in the Imperial Court came from the Literary Department and the Martial Temple.

The old man passed through the white jade stone pavilion of the Literary Department and went to a remote pavilion with ease. When he arrived in front of the pavilion, he was told by the attendant at the door that there was no one in the pavilion.

"Senior, it has been three days since Teacher left the Literary Department to visit the Sixth Mountain Lord," the attendant said respectfully.

When the old man heard this, he frowned. "I should have gone straight to the Sixth Mountain. What a wasted trip."

As he muttered, smoke rose from under the old man's feet, and the night seemed to be surrounded by clouds.

In the next moment, he soared into the sky and left Lin'an Prefecture.

The evening clouds were all overflowing with coldness, and the silver man silently rotated the jade plate.

The Sixth Mountain.

It was ranked sixth on the Sacred Mountain, so it was called the Sixth Mountain.

There was a plateau in the mountains, and there was a pavilion on the plateau. As the stars moved, the pavilion seemed to have existed since time immemorial. Time and time could not affect it at all.

The old man landed on the mountain plateau, his plain clothes fluttering in the wind.

In the pavilion, two figures were playing chess. One of them was an old man in scholarly attire. He had a head of white hair, and time had left ravines on his body.

The old man was holding a white chess piece and frowning.

The other person was dressed in white and looked like a young man. He was meticulous and had a solemn expression. There was a huge pine sword case on his back. He sat upright on a carved stone chair in a pavilion, looking a little strange.

"Hahaha! Old man, you're really here!"

As soon as the old man's feet touched the ground, he immediately laughed to attract attention.

The two people in the pavilion did not even glance at him.

"Don't pretend that you didn't see me! I'm not here to fight with you. I have something good to share!"

The old man was angered by their disregard.

"Zhao Huangting, don't make a fuss. I'm about to win this game of chess against the Sixth Mountain Lord. If you make a fuss, I'll lose again," the Confucian-robed old man said with disdain without even raising his head.

"Bah! Old man Banshan, don't push the blame to me!"

The old man immediately retorted angrily. As soon as he arrived, the originally quiet mountain pavilion under the stars and moon became much noisier.

In the pavilion, the middle-aged man carrying the pine sword case had a calm expression as usual, as if nothing could stir up his heart.

The old man, Zhao Huangting, thought for a moment and stepped into the pavilion. He took out the painting and slowly opened it.

"You all know that I, Zhao Huangting, am the best at drawing bamboo, but today, I accidentally obtained an Ink Bamboo Stone Painting that drew bamboo with ink. Take a look."

The old man raised his chin and said.

The scroll was unrolled.

As the breeze blew, there seemed to be the sound of the bamboo sea. It was accompanied by a sonorous sword intent and the tenacity of a gentleman.

The old man in Confucian robes held a white chess piece in his hand and stopped moving.

Sword qi suddenly flowed out of the sword case behind the white-robed middle-aged man. The sword case trembled slightly, and there seemed to be a sword hum.

A strange look flashed across the eyes of the old man and the middle-aged man in white.

They turned their heads to the side and looked at the painting that was illuminated by the stars and moonlight.

...

...

The next day.

The warm spring sun shines on the earth.

An Le slowly opened his eyes from the courtyard. The branches of the old locust tree were luxuriant and swayed gently in the spring breeze, scattering a fresh smell under the morning light.

After consolidating his mind for a night, the second realm, Spirit Refinement Embryonic Breath, was successfully stabilized.

The originally boiling energy in his mind also calmed down like flowing water.

He stood up and practiced the Five Animals in the courtyard. He practiced Tiger Form, Bear Form, Deer Form, Ape Form, and Bird Form. His Qi Blood boiled and his strength carried the wind.

However, he did not activate the demon qi in the Demon Tempering Treasure Jade to temper his body. The main reason was that he was about to go to the Lin Residence to paint. If he were to temper his body, he would be covered in blood and it would be quite troublesome.

After the Five Animals were practiced, An Le's body was like a furnace with hot steam billowing.

Exhaling a mouthful of turbid air, An Le's Embryonic Breath Realm mental power made his aura even more extraordinary.

Holding the Imperial Examination Sage Book in his hand, An Le read as he walked out of the small courtyard. After eating a bowl of beancurd for breakfast in Imperial Ancestral Temple Alley, he read while walking towards the West Lake.

The West Lake was sparkling under the morning sun. The ripples on the flower boat were dazzling. An Le walked along the long dike of the West Lake and read his book. It was actually a different kind of satisfaction and comprehension.

By the embankment, many scholars and calligraphers had already gathered. They were either reciting poems or talking about flowers and willows, gossiping about the interesting things that had happened recently in Lin'an Prefecture.

An Le's strengthened mind even accidentally heard a discussion related to him. It was about the Lin Residence's recruitment of artists.

He smiled and retracted his mind.

Walking by the chatter and willows, he quietly read the Sage Book.

A moment later, Fairy Yun Rou flew over on her sword and arrived as promised. An Le held a book in his hand as he swept his gaze over and extracted the Age Qi. After strengthening his mind, he actually absorbed three wisps of Age Qi from Fairy Yun Rou today.

From two times a day to three times a day!

An Le's lips curled up and he was in a good mood.

Fairy Yun Rou landed on the boat and felt something, she saw the handsome and elegant young cultivator again.

She had not seen him yesterday, and now he was here again. He was clearly a cultivator, but he was only watching from afar. It was strange.

Fairy Yun Rou nodded slightly at An Le, then turned around and entered the flower boat. An ethereal zither melody floated out, melodious on the West Lake, like it was urging the rain.

After seeing Fairy Yun Rou and extracting from her, An Le headed towards Lin Residence.

Today, he had absorbed three wisps of Age Qi from Fairy Yun Rou's body. Together with the original eleven wisps, he had fourteen wisps. He was quite rich, and on the way to Lin Residence, An Le was thinking about how to distribute them.

It was the delicate maidservant who opened the door yesterday. When the maidservant saw An Le, her face turned red.

An Le smiled gently. "Good morning, Miss Liu Xiang."

"Greetings, Young… Young Master An." The maidservant returned the greeting.

...

...

Heavenly Wave Water Pavilion.

Ripples appeared on the surface of the large pond, and a tailed flower carp swayed leisurely in the green pond, creating ripples.

In the main hall, the morning breeze carried with it the coolness of spring.

Madam Hua wore a light shirt and took off her embroidered shoes, revealing her fair feet. She lay on her side on the couch and read the Literary Department's Great Confucian's "Literary Words".

Suddenly, Madam Hua was stunned for a moment. She frowned slightly and spread her mind. She sensed the green-robed youth who had just stepped into the Lin Residence. He had a rich aura and seemed to have changed completely.

What?

Madam Hua was stunned. There was even a hint of disbelief in her beautiful eyes.

"The day before yesterday, he entered Meditation. Today, he reached Embryonic Breath?"

"Could this young man be a Spirit Refinement genius?!"