"How about you join our team for the Martial Arts Summit?" Tiara offered to the gaping man in front of her.
"Hey, Tiara, what's the meaning of this?" Alaric asked in irritation. It was clear that George was far weaker than them, and would only be in their way if he tries to help them in a fight.
"Fairy, I don't think I'm good enough to participate in the competition," George said embarrassedly. He did not even have the shame to show any confidence or hit on her now that he found out she was a top 500 disciple at the very least. Then, he realized he knew this name.
"Are you Tiara as… Tiara Glacier?" He asked nervously. He obviously knew the names of the top 10 disciples in his age group.
"Yes. These are Henry Karras, Alaric Sonora, and Ken Sue." Tiara introduced the other three as she gestured toward them with her hand. Their names were all equally famous.
George looked around him, feeling like an idiot that he did not realize it alone. Henry might be the only blindfolded monk in their sect!
"Tiara? Why do you think he fits for the group?" Ken repeated Alaric's question.
"I think he is perfect. You want to test our strength, but what can others in the same stage as us can do if all four of us are there? The fifth member will just hinder us anyway, so it's better to take someone we can just not use," Tiara explained her reasoning.
"Hmm, you do have a point. If we cannot defeat five people of the same stage without a fifth member we might as well give up on cultivation," Ken pondered loudly, slightly exaggerating.
"Does it mean he is our new member then?"
"Yes, sure."
George's eyes jumped in panic between the talking teammates, lacking the courage to talk against the top disciples of his sect. He even noticed that Tiara used a few techniques simultaneously, meaning she had another breakthrough that the other disciples were not aware of.
"But, I don't think…" he started, only to be cut by Ken midsentence.
"It's fine, you don't have to fight. Just stand by the side and watch us. You can even jump off stage if someone comes to attack you," Ken instructed with a hint of bloodlust.
He noticed his affinity with bloodlust rose multiple times after he broke through to the Nascent Soul stage, perhaps thanks to the weird golden Qi it was producing. Now, his pure bloodlust with the most basic way of manipulation could make someone of George's caliber freeze in fear.
"Please, don't make me embarrass myself in front of the whole world," George gave up any hint of dignity and begged when he felt the threat. He did not want to take such a role because it was too shameful to be the one to run away from every battle and let the "real" fighters do their job.
"No. Anyway, take us to the next tourist spot, I don't think anyone can entertain us here after Tiara's performance," Ken instructed him. Knowing their identities, George simply turned into the whole group's servant rather than only Tiara's.
"Ah… sure. There is a painting and drawing exhibition on the west avenue of the city, would you like to go and check it out?" George suggested. His eyes kept glancing sideward as if he were searching for a route of escape.
"Sure, let's do it."
The four followed him through the busy street, and as soon as they entered the new street, new colors welcomed them. Instead of the golden-red decorations that seemed to fill the city, everything now was in the color of soft green and white, the colors of the robes of the inner and core disciples of the sect.
The lanterns still reigned supreme at every corner, but now they were all shaped as rich lotuses. The food changed too; and in a contradicting way to the rest of the theme, the lotus dishes were replaced with various meat delicacies.
"It's over there, it's arranged as a competition. Every round 10 artists go on stage and paint their best image, and the judges pick the best piece at the end," George explained while Henry filled a plate with different dishes from the stalls around them.
"It begins."
The moon was at its peak as a crowd had gathered to witness the contest among the city's finest artists. The audience awaited in hushed anticipation as ten illustrious artists took their places, each before a blank, towering canvas.
With the sound of a gong, the calmness of the night was replaced with the rhythmic strokes of brushes against canvas. Colors blended and forms took shape as the artists began their crafts.
"We're quite lucky, Master Li is participating in this round," George remarked and pointed at someone among the artists, pulling the four's attention toward the man.
Master Li, with his snow-white hair and a calm demeanor, was indeed impressive. His every stroke seemed to make a world of fantasy come to life. He dipped his brush gently into a palette, choosing hues with a certainty born of years immersed in art.
"The way he uses his brush makes it look like a mess," Alaric pointed out in interest.
"Are you new here? His art looks like a mess at the beginning but slowly something whole is created," A pretty woman in a simple yellow hanfu next to them replied when she heard him.
Master Li embarked upon the canvas with a grace that hooked the audience before a real image was formed, and everyone could guess who was going to win. His brush danced fluidly, each stroke seemed to be guided by the very essence of nature. He was painting a scene from an ancient battle that'd be a turning point in history if it was real.
Ken was not exactly following Master Li's work with pure intentions. His eyes were squinted in concentration as he tried to take in all the sights of every single artist's technique.
With dexterous strokes, Li brought forth a battlefield enshrouded in mist. The brave faces of warriors, both fallen and fighting, emerged from the fog, their expressions etched with honor and sorrow. At the center stood a general, valiant and unmoved amidst the chaos, his eyes fixed on the unseen horizon. The mist around them seemed almost real, as if it could be felt if one were to reach out towards the canvas.
"His paintings are said to be a treasure any rich person should place on their walls; they can affect the mind and help one enter the state depicted in the art piece," George continued his job as a guide.
What captivated the onlookers the most were the horses — galloping with fervor, their manes ablaze with the reflection of dawn, they seemed to spring to life from the canvas, their muscular forms resonating with unyielding spirit.
'Art born from hundreds of years of practice by superhumans made art much more vivid in this world,' Ken pondered as he admired the painting with the rest of his companions.
Master Li's technique was a blend of precision and spontaneity; he painted with a controlled recklessness, each stroke bold yet precise, every color chosen with intuition yet contributing to a grand design. His canvas was not just a depiction but a lively narration of a war that was never fought.
As soon as he laid down his brush, the crowd erupted into applause and admiration.
"Amazing!" The host called out and clapped along with the rest of the crowd, "Let the judges now take a close look at all works and give us their decision, but I think we already know what it's going to be!" she said with an enthusiastic voice.
"Master Li is going to win!"
"Nobody can compete with Master Li!"
The crowd answered her call and shouted. The judges, 2 old women and a middle-aged man, rose from their seats in the corner of the stage and started inspecting the works, humming and nodding as they took close looks into different parts where the artists hid small tricks that could not be recognized by normal folks yet changed the whole atmosphere radiated by the work.
"I give this one 5/10. This piece certainly holds a conceptual promise, displaying a semblance of understanding in color harmony and form. However, it stops short of reaching a depth that resonates with the beholder. The technique is somewhat unrefined, missing the mastery that would allow the concept to fully bloom on the canvas."
"Indeed, the perspective feels slightly off, jarring the overall composition. There's a potential that is unexplored here, a path that is not entirely followed through. It's a good attempt but requires a deeper exploration and a more disciplined execution to truly shine."
The judges exchanged opinions on a certain work, making a young man sigh in disappointment. However, he did not take it too badly, he was still young and his technique indeed required more training for refinement. He noted their words in his head and planned to improve his weak points.
Evidently biased, the judges left Master Li's art for the end, like a diner in a restaurant leaving the juiciest piece of steak for the last bite. The three's eyes shone as if they were children standing in front of candies, and they almost pushed each other as they tried to observe the art piece.
"This piece must be one of Master Li's best works! It's a vibrant testament to his technical prowess and deep emotional exploration. The palette is not just seen, but felt, resonating with the narrative that is so carefully interwoven into every stroke. It almost touches the sublime, with a well-thought-out composition that leads the eye and stirs the soul."
"He indeed bested himself this time. The intricacies in the technique show a mature understanding of the medium. There's just a hint of something left unsaid, a slight veil that keeps the audience at the threshold of complete immersion. Nonetheless, it's a captivating, evocative piece that holds its own impeccably."
The crowd looked at them while they gave their profound judgment, other than a few amused faces. "These old women look like they will reach an orgasm if they stare at it any longer," Tiara chuckled at the sight of their excited red blushes.
"It's something I did not wish to imagine," Alaric said while wearing a disgusted look as he glanced at them. The man was not any better, worsening the image in his head.
The judges finished giving their scores, and the hostess spoke again, "We concluded the results, and the winner is… Master Li!" the crowd once again clapped for the winner as he smiled widely and bowed before leaving.
"Thank you, everyone, for your support! I shall leave this work as a gift for the glory of the Serene Lotus Sect!" He declared, prompting the crowd to heighten their cheers.
"Hey, hey, hey! Isn't this Young Master George right there? Master Li, seems like your dedication to the Serene Lotus Sect was heard by an inner disciple!" The hostess said with a sweet voice, making everyone search for George's face.
"Haha, that's my great honor then. I hope Young Master George continues to grow and bring honor to our city," Master Li smiled amiably and bowed toward Ken's group before leaving the stage to allow the next round to begin.
"Young Master George, we root for you!"
"Young Master, you're the pride of our city!"
The crowd cheered and called, making the young man smile with confidence and self-satisfaction.
"Haha, you bet I am! In fact, I was invited to one of the strongest teams to participate in the Martial Arts Summit thanks to my talent, and I'm going to fight side to side with the top five disciples of the sect!"
George spoke without thinking, making the other four look at him in wonder. Even Henry could not hold back his laughter at the man's antics.
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