The Versatile Master Artist

Chapter 30: Chapter 19: Mission Accomplished (Double-length) (Part 2)

[Experience Points +5]

[Experience Points +7]

[Experience Points +9]

Constant notifications of experience growth kept appearing.

Gu Weijing had a bit of a realization as to why Koizumi Katsuko’s painting skills were so impressive.

The feeling of being personally guided by experienced artists greatly boosted one’s painting skills.

He was genuinely a little envious.

What Gu Weijing didn’t know was that on the other side, Yakai Ichiro was quite fond of his perception and effort.

Artists always appreciate students who are dedicated and spirited, and more importantly, those who are thoughtful. To an elder, it’s like eel rice; without love and wisdom, it’s just salty fish with carbs, but with them, it’s a true feast.

Gu Weijing’s confusion about the paint was clearly the result of thoughtful consideration.

The biggest difference between a genius and a mediocrity is in these small details.

Yakai Gangchang’s talent was not lacking at all.

Compared to Shengzi, what he lacked was just patience and meticulousness, though he was completely unaware of it.

Gu Weijing’s ability to identify problems was already leaps and bounds ahead of his son’s. This gap in mindset is harder to bridge than the temporary discrepancy in painting skills.

”Sigh.”

He glanced at Gu Weijing, then at Yakai Gangchang, and sighed heavily again, giving Gu Weijing a few words of advice before rolling away.

Watching his father’s departing silhouette, the ignored Yakai Gangchang felt his arm holding up the drawing board getting even more sore.

Quickly, after Gu Weijing completed the seventeen petals of the Lotus Painting, his experience value panel almost instantly reached [Chinese Painting: Beginner (100/100)].

Gu Weijing held his breath and carefully used the tip of his brush to draw the final stamens on the wall.

It was like the finishing touch.

The moment he finished the last stroke, a new notification appeared on his experience bar.

[Your Chinese Painting Level has increased.]

[Current Level: Lv3 Semi-Professional (1/1000)]

[Task—Upgrade Chinese Painting Level to Lv3, completed.]

[Reward: ”Mojie’s Handwriting” available for collection.]

Gu Weijing blinked as he looked at the panel.

[Item: Mojie Scholar’s Handwritten Notes]

[Quality: Knowledge Card]

[Special Effect: Upon acquiring the knowledge card, you will comprehend and grasp its corresponding content.]

[Equipment Requirements: Chinese Painting Level Lv.3]

[Master Introduction: Wang Wei, originally admired Buddhism, courtesy name Mojie, inspired by the wisdom scholar Vimalakirti from Buddhist scriptures; known as Mojie Scholar. A Tang Dynasty poet and painter, renowned for his exquisite artistry. The Buddhist murals he painted for the Great Jianfu Temple were praised by contemporaries as ”direct to the heart” and ”seeing one’s nature to become a Buddha.”

Northern Song poet Su Shi commented: ”Taste Wang Wei’s poetry, and there’s painting in the poetry; observe Wang Wei’s paintings, and there’s poetry in the paintings.”]

[Note: From afar, the mountains have colors; up close, the waters make no sound. Spring departs, flowers remain; people come, and birds are unalarmed.]

Unlike the sketching skills he could activate, Gu Weijing only felt a surge of complex knowledge flooding his mind.

He closed his eyes to carefully comprehend it.

Undoubtedly, the Golden Tang was a peak of flourishing in the entirety of Huaxia civilization, and Mojie Scholar Wang Wei was one of its rare lotus blooms.

When people think of Tang Dynasty painting and calligraphy, they often first think of the Painting Saint Wu Daozi, who painted the ”Eighty-Seven Immortals.” Secondly, there’s the two Li’s, the famous father and son Li Sixun and Li Zhaodao. Few can immediately recall Wang Wei.

This is not because Wang Wei’s paintings were inferior.

Gu Weijing knew that Wang Wei was an exceptionally versatile artist.

Not only did he paint countless temple walls, but when Prime Minister Cui Yuan wanted a mural for his home, Wang Wei was his first invitation. Furthermore, he was even invited to collaborate with Wu Daozi at the Great Ci’en Temple.

He was also very adept at painting landscapes and pastoral scenes.

”Starting with light shades, evolving the method of outlining and dotting”—this is how future generations praised and summarized his painting techniques.

Yet, because he was too versatile—with an official rank of fifth or above, wearing high-ranking red and purple garments; writing poetry with such succinct brilliance that it astounded Princess Yuzhen at school—Wang Wei often appeared more as a scholar and literary figure. In textbooks, his other identity as a renowned Tang Dynasty painter was often mentioned lightly in passing in his timeless masterpieces read by countless people.

Gu Weijing, holding a brush, made virtual strokes in the air, pondering over the feeling of painting.

This was different from the other reward provided by the system, ”Adolf von Menzel’s” basic painting techniques.

That skill brought him experience, as if possessed by the old man himself, wielding an eerily adept brush.

But this time, the reward was knowledge.

Wang Wei experienced the An Lushan Rebellion, which marked the Tang Dynasty’s transition from prosperity to decline; this was followed by regional warlords and continuous warfare.

His poems and songs could survive through word of mouth, but his genuine artworks and related books or notes suffered the same fate as many other precious manuscripts of contemporaneous masters, becoming lost.

Now, only two short songs, ”Mountain and River Scripture” and ”Mountain and River Formulas,” explicitly attributed to Wang Wei, of his insights on painting art, remain.

The system-provided ”Mojie’s Handwriting” is evidently one of those that got lost in the vast historical waters.

This knowledge card is indeed magical.

He didn’t need to read it word by word; as long as he concentrated, the content related to ”Mojie’s Handwriting” would naturally become ingrained in his heart, as if he had transcribed and memorized it thousands of times himself.