The Inverted Dragon's Scale

“Teacher Gu, which realm are you at? Is it the legendary tenth realm?”

“Everyone be quiet, listen to Teacher Gu explain——”

At Gu Huangwu’s side was a mixture of cheers and shouts, so loud that Li Muyang words could not be heard at all.

As one of the contestants, he was completely ignored by all.

But Li Muyang also did not care, because compared to Gu Huangwu, such an influential person, he was just a new student. The divine continent has more than billion people, how many can be of an equal to Gu Huangwu, a national master of this level?

Even he was jumping with excitement when he knew he was coming to attend Gu Huangwu’s lecture, let alone this group of people——and he was the king of millions of dragons.

“Again!” Li Muyang sighed gently.

Arrogance is a disease, to be cured!

The atmosphere was lively, bustling with noise and excitement, and students were eager to learn, causing Gu Huangwu to be in a very happy mood.

He waved his hand, explaining: “Students, no need to be anxious. The ten realms of painting, is something every painters should understand. I will tell you one by one in the future. But let’s watch the contest first today. Let’r take a look at the two fine paintings of our two contestants and judge them together. What do you think?”

Everyone agreed; no one would be so foolish to retort and disagree with anything Gu Huangwu said.

After Chu Ning added a few meticulous finishing touches to the painting, she then left five words on an empty place on the piece of white paper ‘The boy racing in spring’.

Chu Ning used regular Chinese calligraphic style and her handwriting not only showed her knowledge of the fundamentals, it was easy to tell that she practiced often and diligently.

There was a popular proverb in West Wind Kingdom: people of good birth are more hardworking than you. Just what can you compete in?

Chu Ning was a member of the West Wind Royal family, a precious princess. But whether it was calligraphy or painting she still worked just as hard as other people, it really was impressive.

Chu Ning once again carefully inspected her painting, before setting down her brush on the ink stone and said with a cheerful face: “Teacher Gu, fellow classmates, my peach blossom painting is finished. Teacher Gu and classmates please give me valuable advice. Chu Ning will definitely keep it in mind to motivate myself to improve to even more.”

Gu Haungwu made an inviting gesture with his hand. “Students, come look at it. See whether this painting ‘The boy racing in spring’ is good or bad, and what are the good points.”

A young man dressed in a silk robe came forward, studying the painting with penetrating eyes. “Genuine and sincere, bold colours that delight children. Chu Ning dug us a hole, she painted an orchard of densely packed peach trees, which made us mistaken that peach blossom would emerge in this peach garden——Look at the peach blossom in the boy’s hand, the buds are getting ready to burst, that makes people feel the vitality and vigour of spring.”

“The brushwork is bold and experienced, it seems she put in a lot of effort in painting. She is a princess of West Wind, but the fact that she could settle down to practice writing and painting is very admirable——”

“Iron Line drawing method perfectly captures the essence of Teacher Gu’s, look at the boy’s clothes, it seems like the clothes creases as he runs, like being blown by the wind——”

Every person who stepped forward to examine Chu Ning’s painting ‘The boy racing in spring’ gave positive evaluation, the praises never stopped.

Lin Canghai finally came forward and only cast a few glances at it before saying aloud: “it’s so-so, is it as good as they say?”

“You’re too loud.” Qiandu said.

“Why?”

“Look and see if the people around will attack you.” Qiandu pursed her lips into a tight smile.

“I’m telling the truth, who dares to attack me.” Lin Canghai said unconvincingly. “I admit it, her brushwork is bold and skilled, the lines are strong and striking. And she is an expert in conveying the spirit with lines, a classic Iron Line drawing technique, there are indeed some skills——However there are a lot of omissions. Let alone compared to you, she is far worse than me.”

“Her princess’s identity increases the glamour around her.” Qiandu whispered. “If this painting was created from other people’s hands, although everyone would think that this picture is good, but it will not raised to such a height. However, the picture was painted by a princess. She not only knew how to draw, more importantly she is a princess, so everybody naturally thinks this princess is amazing and very remarkable. Her works would also raise a level as a result of her identity.”

“Humph, I think those people just want to please Teacher Gu.” Lin Canghai was extremely contemptuous of those shameless boot lickers. “This Chu Ning is too cunning, she deliberately chose to use the Iron Line drawing technique that the ancestor of Teacher Gu created, and adding to this the pen and ink she used were also ones that Teacher Gu especially likes. Such a painting, would other people dare to say it’s not good? If they had not complemented it, isn’t that disrespecting Teacher Gu? If they all say that Chu Ning’s painting is good, then wouldn’t Li Muyang lose?”

Qiandu took a glimpse at Li Muyang and noticing that he was smiling at her, the corners of her mouth naturally curved into a smile. “It doesn’t seem so.”

After the students’ comments, it was time for Gu Huangwu’s evaluation.

Gu Huangwu went over to Chu Ning’s side, carefully studied the painting before he commented: “The good points have all been mentioned, I will no longer talk about the good points. Because what has been said is exactly what I want to say. Now, I will only discuss the flaws of the painting.”

Gu Huangwu gulped another mouthful of alcohol, raised his finger, pointing to the boy, and asked, “Do you see the problem?”

The crowd’s eyes followed his finger, shaking their heads. They could not find any problem, the boy was very cute, vivid and realistic.

“Look at the boy’s eyes.” Gu Huangwu said. “The boy is being chased by his friends, his eyes are full of joy but it should have a hint of panic. The boy should be afraid that his little companions would catch up to him, worried that they would snatch off the peach blossom from his hand——Is this the theme you want to show?”

“Yes.” Chu Ning nodded.

“You only expressed the boy’s joy through the painting, but did not draw the panic in the midst of his joy. Therefore, the boy’s eyes are not so lively and vivid, and it means that you have not carefully observed the child. Or you don’t like kids enough. Only when you like something, like a character, deeply understand it and carefully observe it, you would be able to truly express its spirit. Ancestor Gu Sanjue, in order to draw a good painting of a woman washing silk, for several months he squatted in the riverside observing the movement of a woman washing silk. The girl thought he was a pervert and scolded him, but the girl’s family thought that his family was rich and said that since he liked their daughter, he should bring gifts and come to propose——Ancestor said he was only painting, but he was once again chased and scolded by the village people, calling him a profligate.”

Everyone burst out laughing.

Everyone was familiar and frequently heard the story of Gu Sanjue. The story of Gu Sanjue being beaten and scolded in order to draw a woman washing silk became a favourite tale. Now that they personally heard it from Gu Huangwu’s mouth, a descendant of Gu Sanjue, the students felt it was even more amusing.

Chu Ning faced Gu Huangwu and bowed deeply. “Listening to Teacher Gu’s remarks, is better than reading ten years of books. This is really my mistake, and the boy is created from a figment of my imagination. I will definitely look at it carefully before I present it into painting in the future.”

Gu Huangwu nodded. “At such an age, to have such achievement, is already pretty good.”

Some people jokingly asked: “Teacher Gu, Chu Ning’s painting ‘The boy racing in Spring’ is in which realm?”

“The first realm, illusion.” Gu Huangwu said aloud. “It wants to use a number of children to express the scene, but because the boy’s eyes lack life, the expression was not outstanding.”

Chu Ning bowed again. “Thank you, Teacher Gu.”

To be able to enter the first realm was already very good. Moreover, to have someone like Gu Huangwu to comment that her painting is at the first realm, was very valuable. This remark was enough to make Chu Ning become famous in West Wind.

Gu Huangwu cast a glance in the direction of Li Muyang. “Let’s take a look at the work of student Li Muyang.”

“Teacher Gu, Li Muyang probably hasn’t finished yet? Do you want to give him some more time?”

“When Chu Ning was finished, I still saw him thinking strenuously. A subject that was created through frowning and hard thinking, I’m afraid it has lost the natural charm of ‘obtaining something accidentally with the wonderful hand’——”

“This contest, I’m afraid Chu Ning has won——”

“We should still take a look at it.” Lin Canghai argued angrily. “You haven’t seen Li Muyang’s work, how can you decide that Chu Ning has won? Such a contest is not fair at all.”

Chu Ning gave a sideways glance at Lin Canghai and said with a smile: “Teacher Gu, lets take a look at Li Muyang’s work, perhaps he really has some outstanding painting skills?”

She did not think that Li Muyang has any outstanding painting skills, but wanted Li Muyang to lose fair and square and admit defeat. In the presence of all the teachers and students she wanted to embarrass Li Muyang and make him apologise to her in public.

“We should.” Gu Huangwu scanned the crowd. “Seeing is believing. Whether it is a person or a painting, we must have this spirit. Don’t act on conjecture.”

All students nodded their heads in agreement, thinking that Gu Huangwu’s words were too damn right.

Under the direction of Gu Huangwu, the crowd walked over to Li Muyang’s painting.

Lin Canghai, in order to show his support for Li Muyang, led the crowd.

But the instant he caught sight of his piece of work, he was taken aback, immediately raced forward and shielded the painting with his back and said loudly to the crowd: “Li Muyang is not ready, please wait a moment.”

The crowd looked blankly at Lin Canghai, before bursting into loud laughter.

“Li Muyang’s painting is that intolerable that we can’t even look at it?” Someone said aloud.

“Yes. At this moment, you still say Li Muyang is not ready——you think we’re idiots?”

“You don’t have to let us see, we’ll just decide that Chu Ning is the winner, Li Muyang has to publicly apologise to Chu Ning and be her servant for a day——”

Gu Huangwu looked at Li Muyang, asking loudly: “Li Muyang, are you ready or not?”

Li Muyang looked back over his shoulder at his painting, then at Lin Canghai’s expression, hesitating: “I should be——ready?”