Becoming a Sage Starts From Condensing the Essence of Time

Chapter 26: Water Ink Bamboo Shines on the Mind, Reaching Embryonic Breath Soon After Meditation

As an old man who was immersed in painting, he naturally knew about ink painting techniques.

However, since ancient times, painting bamboo had always been based on workmanship. It was so exquisite that the outline of the lines on a bamboo leaf had to be carefully carved.

However, who would have thought that bamboo could be drawn in such a carefree and… unruly manner?!

The leaves were like the blades of a swordsman. The stem was like the backbone of a gentleman!

Although it was not realistic, the layered feeling formed by the interaction between light and dark ink actually made this Water Ink Bamboo stone diagram lifelike. It was as if a breeze had blown past, and the thin bamboo pole swayed slightly, but it still stood proudly and looked otherworldly!

A new way of drawing bamboo!

The old man suddenly came back to his senses. He glanced at the old yellow wine that kept flowing out because of his loss of composure, but the old man was filled with satisfaction.

"What a good Water Ink Bamboo Stone Painting!"

"This has been a great experience!"

The old man drank the cold yellow wine in one gulp. When the wine entered his throat and stained his beard, it made him feel extremely carefree!

At this moment, An Le had fallen into a strange state.

Outside the window, the stars in the sky shone down like a veil on An Le's body.

The young man held the brush and stood quietly on the spot. His mind seemed to be boiling.

At this moment, the mental power refined by the Sword Waterfall Diagram seemed to be reflected with every bamboo leaf in the Water Ink Bamboo Stone Painting. Faint sharp sword intent condensed from the painting!

With this intent, An Le felt his Spirit Refinement visualization speed increase greatly!

The [Sword Dancer] Dao Fruit played a huge role at this moment. It was as if sword intent had seeped into the painting, allowing An Le's understanding of the [Sword Waterfall Diagram] to take a leap.

His mind was growing at a very impressive speed!

In the Niwan Palace, the blurry small sword began to gradually condense and take shape!

In the end, with a clang, sword light filled the air!

On the other hand, An Le's state of mind had also crossed a new realm. His five senses were enhanced, and he could even capture the spiritual energy of heaven and earth without breathing through his nose and mouth.

Embryonic Breath meant that one's mind would return to its origin like an embryo. It meant that one's mind would not be moved or affected easily. It meant that one's mind would stabilize.

The intent of the Bamboo Stone Painting and the intent of the Sword Waterfall Diagram complemented each other, causing An Le to use this opportunity to step into the second realm of Spirit Refinement, Embryonic Breath!

After a long time, An Le slowly opened his eyes. The power of his strengthened mind circulated, and in the darkness, it was as dazzling as the stars in the sky.

An Le did not expect a painting to have such an effect. No wonder the old man said that some famous paintings were not inferior to Dharma treasures. The painter's work could strengthen one's mind, so the painting would naturally benefit if one looked at it.

"Between broken rocks striking my root deep, I bite the mountain green and won't let go. From whichever direction the winds leap, I remain strong, though dealt many a blow."

"Bamboo Stone… What a good Bamboo Stone, what a good Bamboo Stone!"

The old man's praise came from the side. An Le stepped into the Embryonic Breath realm with his mind and smiled.

"Thank you for your praise, Senior."

"Ink painting techniques aren't rare, but it's rare to use ink to draw bamboo without adding a single color."

"Good poem and good painting. Young man, you've given me a surprise."

The old man nodded and carefully observed the painting that had yet to dry. His eyes could not help but be filled with admiration.

"Yesterday, you were ambushed at the entrance of Jing Street. Luo Qingchen relied on his cultivation to bully you and wanted to bend your back. You never gave in. Looking at your painting today, you naturally have the backbone of a gentleman. No wonder you could withstand the pressure without bending down."

"This poem, this painting is the reflection of your mind. Only then can your mind resonate with each other. You've just entered Meditation and you've already formed the Embryonic Breath."

The old man stroked his beard and praised An Le's Spirit Refinement talent.

In the end, the old man narrowed his eyes as he stared at the words that were signed.

"These calligraphy characters… are also very strange. They are written with the momentum of moving grass and moving brushes, but they are not moving. There are even hidden drawing techniques in them, making calligraphy as if they were writing orchids… Although the style of looking at calligraphy is deliberately arranged, the calligraphy is like a painting. The harmony between calligraphy and painting is unprecedented!"

The old man's evaluation could be said to be quite high. Of course, with the old man's eyesight, he could also tell that An Le's handwriting was not very skillful. There was still room for improvement.

However, when he thought about An Le's age, this flaw could be ignored.

"Young Friend An, your painting is something. I like it very much…" The old man stroked his beard and said.

Seeing this, An Le immediately understood what the old man meant. "If you like it, I'll give it to you. It's a blessing that this painting can be in the hands of those who admire it."

The old man laughed heartily when he heard that. "Young Friend An, you're right. A good painting requires human knowledge. Of course, I won't accept a painting from you for nothing. The sword intent in your Bamboo Stone Painting is self-produced. I'll personally bring wine tomorrow and… give you a sword. How about that?"

An Le's eyes lit up.

Who was this old man in front of him? How could the sword he gave be ordinary?

An Le would definitely not suffer a loss.

The old man didn't continue to talk to An Le about anything else. In fact, he couldn't wait to share the good painting with others. He carefully rolled up the rice paper, bade farewell to An Le, and left the small courtyard.

Looking at the old man's departing figure, An Le smiled. After tidying up, he began to sit cross-legged and cultivate his Spirit Refinement.

A painting allowed him to step into the Embryonic Breath Realm, but An Le was not arrogant.

Recalling the oppression Luo Qingchen had given him at the entrance of Jing Street, his current strength was far from enough.

The young man had a fierce tiger in his chest, calming his restlessness and waiting for an opportunity to lie low.

He sat in the small courtyard and bathed in the starlight and moonlight. He calmed his mind and consolidated his Embryonic Breath.

...

...

The night was dark, and thick fog rose up, covering the sky, causing the starlight and moonlight to lose their luster.

In the streets of Lin'an Prefecture, hurried footsteps suddenly sounded. A figure wrapped in black quickly fled like a black shadow.

A moment later, several knife-wielding constables in official uniforms rushed over. Qi Blood lingered around their bodies, and killing intent surged.

Huang Xian's eyes were cold as he looked at the dark but intersecting alley. He frowned. "Hu Jingang has already escaped! Continue chasing!"

The Black Office constables under him shouted and ran out to continue the chase.

Huang Xian's expression softened as he exhaled. He took out the painting in his arms and opened it. It was Hu Jingang, almost identical to the man who had escaped previously.

"Young Master An's painting is really godly."

"With this painting and the 500 taels of silver reward, as long as Hu Jingang is still in Lin'an Prefecture, he will be arrested sooner or later!"

After putting away the painting, Huang Xian also ran out and hid in the slightly cold spring night.

...

...

In a luxurious mansion.

Dozens of lit candles lit up the room as bright as day.

Luo Qingchen wore a thin shirt and sat cross-legged on the bed. The mental power around him surged, and his Qi Blood was also rolling under his skin like thunder.

He was trying to use his mental power to cleanse the dust on his Dao heart.

Previously, he had been defeated by Legendary Top Scholar Li You'an with a slap and his Dao heart was covered in dust. Prime Minister Qin had taken the Eastern Sea Heart Cleansing Pearl to help him wash away the dust on his Dao heart. He had also paid the price to join the Qin Residence and be controlled by them.

Yesterday, he was shocked by Hua Jiebing's Spring Rain Sword. That sword intent was planted in his heart like a seed of fear. Every time he cultivated, he would feel fear and his Dao heart would be covered in dust.

This was Hua Jiebing's act of punishment.

Although Luo Qingchen was unwilling, his strength was inferior, so he could only endure it.

Boundless mental power surged and whistled like a gale, extinguishing the candles in the hall. The darkness arrived as promised and devoured all light.

In the darkness, Luo Qingchen suddenly opened his eyes. He was sweating profusely, and beads of sweat rolled down his face.

He gasped for breath.

"No… I still can't… The sword will is carved in my heart, making me afraid and trembling. Every time I cultivate, it will appear like a ghost and disturb my will… With the power of my mind, it's not enough to erase it."

Luo Qingchen propped himself up on the bed with both hands, his hair falling down. He was extremely indignant.

Hua Jiebing was indeed powerful. Even in Lin'an Prefecture, where there were countless powerful people, she still had a certain status.

Such an existence had traumatized him too much.

"Just because of a young man who had just entered Meditation, Hua Jiebing planted a seed of fear in my heart so ruthlessly… A woman's heart is the most poisonous! Standing up for the young man was just an excuse. It's just that because I'm Prime Minister Qin's man, she used her actions to destroy my Dao heart! She destroyed my future!"

"When it comes to power struggles, I'm like a fish in a pond…"

Luo Qingchen closed his eyes. The more he thought about it, the angrier he got. His entire body trembled uncontrollably.

In his mind, the scene from yesterday lingered endlessly… It was like a nightmare that devoured his heart.

He saw the swords formed by the 3,000 droplets of spring rain slashing down.

He saw that the carriage beside him had been reduced to dust by the sword qi.

In the end, he even saw that the young man's back was still straight under his pressure!

The strange thing was that the young man's determined face even overshadowed Hua Jiebing's sword intent. It lingered in his mind and could not be dispelled…

His talent was originally extremely dazzling, but after being covered in dust one after another, he was probably already looked down on by many people. Not to mention advancing further, he might even lose his status in the Qin Residence and his prestige in the Literary Department.

This time, he was implicated because of a young man who had just entered Meditation.

This made Luo Qingchen rather frustrated. That young man… was worthy of interfering in his Dao heart?

"Old Luo."

Luo Qingchen exhaled and called out softly.

The door opened and a burly figure stepped into the house. It was the coachman who had driven the carriage for him previously.

"Sir."

The coachman cupped his fists respectfully.

Luo Qingchen stood up and wiped the cold sweat off his body with a towel.

"I told you to observe that young man. How is his situation recently?"