Chapter 28: Absorbing the Essence of the Dragon Vein (3)

Is this real?

Yan Chuan’s brush moved steadily, stroke by stroke. Liu Jin leaned in to watch closely, and what appeared on the white cloth was a painting.

Though rendered with nothing but black ink, the simple colors brimmed with vitality in Liu Jin’s eyes.

A bamboo cottage? Indeed, Yan Chuan was painting the very bamboo cottage where they had recently stayed. And around it?

As he gazed upon the work, Liu Jin felt a strange unreality, as if this place truly was the bamboo cottage itself.

Several small cottages, a tiny courtyard—Yan Chuan had not drawn the mountain behind, nor the surrounding bamboo forest. Only the cottage and its yard were depicted.

Outside, a wild wind swept across the lake, rain poured down in torrents, and in the heart of the lake a massive whirlpool formed.

The assembled soldiers were astonished.

Beads of sweat formed on Yan Chuan’s brow, yet his hand did not falter—he continued to paint, stroke by deliberate stroke.

With a sharp crack, the purple jade brush in his hand shattered into powder and was whisked away by the wind.

Yan Chuan did not pause. He grabbed the last purple jade brush, dipped it in ink, and resumed his work.

Thunder rumbled from the lake, echoing across the water.

High above, the young maiden’s eyes widened in amazement.

“This power in his brushstrokes… Perhaps only Master Wenruo could compare,” she murmured, swallowing hard.

Her immortal crane grew restless and agitated.

“What is it, Little Crane?” she asked in confusion.

The crane called out anxiously.

“What? Earthvein energy? You sense a disturbance in the earth’s dragon vein?” the maiden exclaimed in surprise.

The crane nodded vigorously.

“Dragon vein energy? Though it’s only a minor dragon vein, after thousands of years it must have accumulated a fair amount of dragon qi. Could he be trying to gather the dragon energy here?” she mused, her tone curious.

Below, the painting was nearly finished.

Once more, a crack appeared in the brush.

Yan Chuan pointed the brush at the painting, making a sweeping motion in the air.

“Gather!” he called softly.

With a thunderous roar, a great gust of wind erupted from the mouth of the lake’s whirlpool.

The wind shot skyward, instantly scattering the clouds around them. Then, with a tremendous crash, it descended, pouring straight into Yan Chuan’s painting.

The surging force burst from the water’s surface and surged into the painted scene. Within the wind, one could faintly glimpse a golden glow.

“Dragon vein energy—so it truly is the earth’s dragon qi!” the maiden cried from above.

Suddenly, the surrounding mountains trembled as if shaken by an earthquake.

For the time it takes to burn a stick of incense, the tremors continued before finally subsiding.

With a crash, the lake’s whirlpool closed.

The fierce wind was entirely drawn into Yan Chuan’s painting, and the sky cleared.

Yan Chuan’s brush moved once more in the air.

“Seal!”

With a snap, the purple jade brush again crumbled to dust.

As the second brush was spent, Yan Chuan’s forehead was slicked with sweat and his face had grown pale. But the painting was finally complete.

A faint golden light shimmered on the scroll, then quickly faded into the painting itself.

Now, the bamboo cottage in the painting appeared even more lifelike. Where once there had only been black and white, vibrant greens now flourished, and the grass on the ground looked as real as life.

“Congratulations, my lord!” Liu Jin, Huo Guang, and the rest of the soldiers exclaimed excitedly.

“Can you mount this painting?” Yan Chuan asked.

“Yes, yes, I can!” Liu Jin stammered, his words stumbling from excitement.

“Mount it, then,” Yan Chuan instructed.

“At once!” Carefully, Liu Jin reached out to touch the painting.

Yan Chuan walked to his sedan chair, entered, and began to meditate. The painting he had just completed had pushed his body to its limits.

Above, the maiden rested her chin in her hand, lost in thought.

When Yan Chuan finally emerged, Liu Jin had already mounted the painting.

He presented the scroll to Yan Chuan, who accepted it and gently unrolled it. The scene depicted was indeed the bamboo cottage where they had resided.

Liu Jin and Huo Guang looked on with curiosity, while the soldiers gazed at him with reverence.

“My lord, what wonderful use does this painting have?” Liu Jin asked.

Yan Chuan smiled faintly. “Liu Jin, Huo Guang, unroll it.”

“Yes, my lord!” The two men each took an end and spread the painting in the air.

Yan Chuan reached out, grasped the writing desk, and held it toward the painting.

A strange vibration rippled across the scroll—and the desk vanished.

Gone—the desk had disappeared!

Everyone’s expression changed. They peered closer.

“The desk, the desk is inside the painting—it’s in the painting!” Liu Jin shouted in disbelief.

Sure enough, within the courtyard of the little cottage on the painting, the desk now appeared exactly as it had before. Liu Jin and Huo Guang were utterly dumbfounded.

“This painting, infused with dragon vein energy, can hold a space within itself to store inanimate objects. Unfortunately, the dragon qi is limited, the painting itself is not of the highest quality, so the space is small—only about nine square meters. Moreover, after a hundred years, the dragon qi will dissipate and the painting will lose its effect,” Yan Chuan explained with a shake of his head.

“A… a space?” Liu Jin gasped in astonishment.

“My lord, now that the desk is inside, how do you take it out?” Huo Guang was at a loss.

“Just reach in and retrieve it,” Yan Chuan replied with a smile.

As he spoke, Yan Chuan extended his hand, causing ripples to appear once again on the painting. He reached in—and pulled the desk back out.

Everyone was struck dumb with amazement.

“My lord is truly divine!” they exclaimed, bowing in deep respect.

“Hahaha, train diligently, and you too may accomplish this one day!” Yan Chuan laughed.

“Yes, my lord!” they replied in unison.

“Liu Jin, though this painting contains a space, it must be kept from fire. From now on, you shall be responsible for its safekeeping,” Yan Chuan instructed.

“Yes, I will guard it with utmost care!” Liu Jin replied, his voice trembling with excitement.

High above, the maiden gazed down.

“A spatial treasure? For someone at only the third level of the Strength Realm to create such a thing—is this a joke?” she remarked with a wry smile.

The immortal crane nodded in silent agreement.

“Spatial treasures are rare indeed. Few can craft them in this way—such mastery in painting, a knowledge of geomancy, and the fortune to find a dragon vein? It’s almost unheard of. Though the space is small, it’s still remarkable. It seems Master Wenruo may have found a worthy opponent. Hehe!” A sly smile flickered in the maiden’s eyes.