I Can Devour Spirits

Chapter 34: Chapter 34: The Scholar’s Doubt

Duan Rong walked up to the skinny scholar’s desk and deliberately cleared his throat.

The skinny scholar looked up, placed the pen in his hand on the pen rest on the desk, and said in a clear and elegant voice, ”Is this gentleman here for letter writing?”

It seemed that most of this scholar’s patrons were indeed here for letter writing.

But such a business could only earn a few coins.

”I want to look at some paintings. I’ve recently built a new house and was thinking of hanging a painting in the main hall as decoration,” Duan Rong replied with a smile.

The skinny scholar approached politely and asked, ”Is the gentleman looking for a landscape or a warrior painting?”

The profit from selling a painting far exceeded that of letter writing.

If he managed to sell a painting, he could add some meat to his meal today.

”Let me take a look first.” Duan Rong strolled to the paintings behind the scholar and carefully examined them.

Having already devoured and absorbed the Artifact Spirit of the ”Night Banquet of Ladies,” he now possessed the initial realm of the Danqing Brush.

After digesting this realm, his discernment naturally improved as well.

With one glance at those paintings, Duan Rong understood that this scholar’s style was entirely different from that of the renowned beauty with the Spring Palace Magic Brush.

His warrior paintings were far superior to his lady paintings.

It seemed that every scholar harbored a dream of chivalry in his heart!

”How much for this painting?” Duan Rong pointed to one of the paintings and asked.

The painting depicted a young hero practicing with a sword, with a backdrop of strange rocks and bamboo groves.

Though just an ordinary painting, it possessed quite a sense of artistic conception.

When the skinny scholar saw Duan Rong point at that painting, his eyes suddenly lit up. This was his proudest work.

”This one is three silver coins,” the skinny scholar suppressed the pounding in his heart and said calmly.

In fact, his paintings usually sold for one silver coin, but for some reason, he instinctively quoted three coins.

He wasn’t trying to trick Duan Rong; he was just reluctant to part with this painting.

”Wrap it up for me,” Duan Rong said.

”Ah...” The scholar was stunned.

Duan Rong took out three silver coins from the pocket in his lapel and handed them to the skinny scholar.

The skinny scholar looked at the silver coins in Duan Rong’s hand and suddenly blushed, saying, ”Ah... no, no, actually... it’s not worth that much!”

”Didn’t you just say three silver coins?”

”Yes... I... misspoke just now... one silver coin, one will do...”

Duan Rong paused slightly, finding the scholar too honest.

No wonder people say scholars are impoverished, even willing to let go of money already in hand.

Duan Rong pushed the three silver coins into the scholar’s hand. ”A masterpiece you’re reluctant to part with?”

The scholar was momentarily taken aback by Duan Rong’s words and quickly said, ”For a connoisseur like you to choose this painting at first glance, it’s not wasted.”

Duan Rong chuckled, ”Then why not wrap it up for me.”

”Please wait a moment.”

The skinny scholar originally judged Duan Rong by his simple attire, mistaking him for an uncultured person, but Duan Rong’s previous words had revealed his true appreciation for art, proving his choice was not a mere random pointing.

The skinny scholar removed the painting and rolled it up carefully.

During this time, Duan Rong wandered over to the desk and found an unfinished landscape painting.

Even though it was only half-finished, Duan Rong could already make a judgment.

The scholar’s brushwork excelled in landscapes and warriors, but he was not adept at painting ladies.

This was likely not a matter of skill, but a lack of interest in the subject.

It seemed the person was indeed a person of refined tastes.

Duan Rong suddenly noticed the pen resting on the pen holder on the desk.

His eyes glinted as he picked up the pen and silently recited, ”Read Artifact Spirit.”

Artifact: Wolf Hair Brush

Artifact Spirit Tier: Tier One.

Devouring Requirements: Host’s Spiritual Power Level 1 (Satisfied)

Devouring Effect: Initial Divine Brushwork

Slightly smiling at the data that appeared before him, Duan Rong silently commanded, ”Devour!”

The skinny scholar carefully wrapped up the painting and handed it to Duan Rong.

Duan Rong placed the pen back down, reached out to receive the painting, and bid farewell.

The skinny scholar watched Duan Rong leave, unsure whether he would ever create another painting as remarkable as the youth warrior painting in his lifetime.

Certain things were indeed fortuitous gifts of fate, not something one could forcibly pursue.

The skinny scholar shook his head gently and smiled before returning to the desk to finish the landscape painting before him.

As the skinny scholar put the first stroke on the paper, his wrist halted, and he let out a slight gasp, looking quizzically at the pen in his hand.

This wolf hair brush was bought by his wife as a wedding gift for him.

Because they enjoyed a loving marriage, he had been using this pen for the past couple of years.

Over time, he became accustomed to it, so much so that every time he picked up the pen, it felt like an extension of his arm.

Yet today, it felt somewhat unfamiliar.

The skinny scholar held the pen horizontally, examining the grain of the pen holder to confirm it was indeed the original pen.

”Strange, did losing that youth warrior painting unsettle my mind?” The scholar’s eyes filled with deep curiosity.

He suddenly recalled that when he was wrapping the painting, the customer seemed to have tampered with the pen.

”Strange things abound in the Jianghu, perhaps...”

The skinny scholar looked up toward the street corner, but Duan Rong’s figure was already out of sight...

Duan Rong walked past a street corner with the rolled-up painting, suddenly thinking, ”Read Artifact Spirit.”

Artifact: Youth Warrior Painting

Artifact Spirit Tier: Tier Two

Devouring Requirements: Host’s Spiritual Power Level 2 (Not Satisfied)

Devouring Effect: Initial Divine Brushwork, Initial Accidental Masterpiece

Seeing the data that appeared before him, Duan Rong was astonished.

”This...”

”I can’t devour it!”

”How could it be a Tier Two Artifact Spirit!?”

Duan Rong hadn’t touched every painting the scholar had, otherwise, it would have been a case of ”touching everything,” wouldn’t it?

However, he did touch one and read its Artifact Spirit, finding it was a Tier One Artifact Spirit, with only an Initial Divine Brushwork effect.

Seeing the Initial Accidental Masterpiece in the devouring effects, Duan Rong suddenly understood.

This painting was the scholar’s exceptional performance, thus it was so brilliant and uniquely profound.

”No wonder he was reluctant to sell this painting; such an accidental masterpiece, he likely couldn’t replicate this level himself.”

”However, fortunately, I devoured the Artifact Spirit of his wolf hair brush; otherwise, I’d have to go back again, wouldn’t that raise suspicion?”

Duan Rong had read the Artifact Spirit of the wolf hair brush merely out of curiosity, and seeing it was similar to the previous painters, he had simply devoured it.

Duan Rong then went to a store selling the Four Treasures of the Study to replenish the rice paper and dyes he used the day before and then took everything back to the Escort Agency.

When Duan Rong returned to the Escort Agency, it had just turned 3 p.m.

Passing through the Martial Arts Arena, he saw several Escort Masters practicing various stances or routines, but Duan Rong veered toward the direction of the dormitory courtyard.

He needed to take a nap, to digest the Artifact Spirit he had just devoured.

Zhao Mu was practicing standing stances in the Martial Arts Arena; he had been standing for a full two hours and was about to take a break for some tea when he saw Duan Rong walking past in the distance.

Zhao Mu immediately called out enthusiastically, ”Rong boy, where are you headed?”

”Ah... it’s Escort Master Zhao Mu, I’m... going to the dormitory to sleep,” Duan Rong smiled and turned toward the dormitory.

Zhao Mu looked puzzled, gazing at the sun.

”Such a fine time of day... going to the dormitory to sleep... is this kid all right in the head recently...”