Ding!
“Congratulations. You obtained the grandmaster-grade ‘Character Painting Technique’.”
“Note: This is one of the three great branch techniques of Traditional Painting!”
Upon hearing the reminder of the system, Sun Mo had a dumbfounded look on his face. “What? You feel that I have no future on the path of being a masseuse; hence, you want me to become a painter? When I cannot stay in school any longer, do you want me to peddle my art on the streets for a living?”
Sun Mo understood that although great teachers in Middle-Earth encompassed many types of occupations, the occupations could be classified into different grades.
There were great teachers proficient in painting, but they were considered mid to low tier. After all, painting was simply too non-mainstream.
In the ancient eras of China, the best painter could become a court artist and create a portrait for the emperor.
A few hundred years after the death of the emperor, that portrait might become popular and could be sold for millions or billions of dollars. However, this no longer had anything to do with the painter. Besides, it might not be because the artist had drawn the portrait well, the portrait might simply be a means for the wealthy merchants to launder their money.
In the various countries of the nine provinces, due to spirit qi existing, the status of painters was slightly higher. The painting they created might occasionally have some extra effects that could influence the heart of those looking at it.
Naturally, only an extremely rare few could achieve such a high level as a painter.
The majority of the time, things such as appreciating art was the interest of the rich and powerful and also a method to display their ‘elegance’ and ‘unique taste’.
“It isn’t bad to have more skills. Even if you won’t be able to use it in your entire life, there wouldn’t be any negative points that come from learning it.”
The system’s words were correct. With an additional skill in hand, one wouldn’t hunger to death regardless of how difficult life was. In addition, this was a grandmaster-grade ‘Character Painting Technique’.
What was known as the grandmaster-grade?
It meant that one had very deep and solid expertise in this domain and was worthy of being called a grandmaster by everyone.
If Sun Mo mastered it, there would be no problems for him to set up a dojo and accept disciples. If someone came to challenge his drawing dojo, given his grandmaster-level of mastery, it should be sufficient to handle all sorts of challenges.
“What are the other two techniques?”
Actually, Sun Mo was very satisfied. When he was younger, interest classes were very popular. His family was poor and he couldn’t afford to join any, but he could still manage to buy some ink, paper, and brush. Hence, he practiced drawing on his own for a little while. Sadly, he didn’t have much talent in this field and eventually chose to give it up.
However, as for calligraphy, he did manage to persevere through, and his works could be considered not too bad. After he became a teacher in the No.2 High School, his beautiful works were deeply loved by the old headmaster as well as the students. His works helped him and deepened the impression of him in the eyes of others.
Now, as long as he read the skill book, his painting skill would be at the grandmaster-level. This was just too wonderful.
“Mountain and River Painting and the Flora and Fauna Painting Technique. Other than this, there’s still western painting and traditional chinese painting,” the system explained.
“Oh.”
Sun Mo nodded. The various countries of the Nine Provinces were still in feudal times. He would have to politely decline if the skill book was one pertaining to western painting. Even if he was Van Gogh or Picasso, the people in this world would most probably treat his painting as trash, and they wouldn’t be worth even a copper coin.
“So do you want to learn or not?” the system asked. If Sun Mo declined, it would take back the skill book.
“Learn, why would I not learn?”
When Lu Zhiruo went out to throw trash, Sun Mo took out the skill book and crushed it with a smack.
Pak!
When the skill book shattered, a golden light akin to fireflies flew toward the center of Sun Mo’s brows, entering deep into his mind.
Some knowledge and comprehension of painting instantly spread through his brain. A few minutes later, when Sun Mo thought about ‘painting’, it felt like he had been painting for several tens of years and he gained many insights.
Sun Mo couldn’t help it anymore. He squatted beside the pail of water. His hand dipped into the pail and he began painting on the ground. Before the water dried, an extremely vivid and life-like painting appeared on the ground.
It looked very real.
“Woah!”
Sun Mo whistled. Sadly, there was no forum in the nine provinces. If not, if he was to take a photo and sent it on the internet, he would definitely be able to show off and win respect and admiration.
Lu Zhiruo entered and glanced at Sun Mo in bewilderment. Did her teacher just pick up some money? Why was he suddenly so happy?
“Treasure chest on the right, open!”
Sun Mo felt that it would be more symmetrical and was in line with his view of aesthetics. After speaking the word ‘open’, he felt like an emperor choosing which concubine to sleep with during the night. How awesome.
The clicking sound rang out from the black-iron chest. When the glow disappeared, a fingernail-sized seed remained.
Ding!
“Congratulations on obtaining an unknown seed!”
Looking at the dark and swarthy seed, Sun Mo was taken aback, “You don’t know its name?”
“Didn’t I say it’s an unknown seed? Why is your verbal comprehension ability so bad?” the system questioned.
“Of course, my verbal comprehension is good. I’m saying that you, as the unmatched Absolute Great Teacher System, actually don’t know what this is?”
Sun Mo immediately shot back. At the same time, he was provoking the system, wanting to get an answer.
“Hehe, I really have no idea what plant this seed belongs to. I won’t be provoked by you.”
The system laughed.
“Is it possible to plant it?”
Sun Mo didn’t feel that the hopes were high. This seed was withered and dehydrated. There were even a few cracks on the surface. No matter how he looked at it, it seemed to be an inferior seedling.
“No idea!”
The system’s answer was simple and concise.
“Then why did you issue it as a reward? Are you not swindling me?”
Sun Mo was extremely dissatisfied. It was like he had spent a month’s worth of salary and bought a beautiful s*x doll online. In the end, when he opened the wrapping, the doll was uglier than a slimeball. Would he still feel any joy or mood to play with it?
“The rewards obtained from opening treasure chests are random. How can you resent me for having bad luck?”
The system counter-asked.
“Where are the human rights for unlucky people?”
Sun Mo walked to Lu Zhiruo’s side and stroked her head again. He purposely did it eight times for luck before opening the last chest.
The black-iron chest shone with a brilliant light. After it disappeared, a thick white-colored cloth bag the size of a fist appeared.
Ding!
“Congratulations, you obtained a ‘giant medicine packet’. The medicine packet is brewed using secret arts and 27 different types of herbs. It has body-strengthening, vitality-boosting, fatigue-dispelling effects, etc. If you use it often, you can raise your body quality, and just like the name of the item, your constitution could become as strong as a giant.”
“Note: When bathing, put this packet into the tub full of bathwater. After five minutes, the medical effect would spread through and you can begin to soak yourself for 20 minutes or more to get the full benefits.”
Sun Mo felt at ease after looking at the description. At the very least, this was much better than that stupid unknown seed. The usage method wasn’t complicated either. He could use it when he was bathing, it was very convenient.
“Is it for sale in the merchant store?”
Sun Mo asked. If the effects weren’t bad, he could use it often.
“Since you obtained the giant medicine packet as a reward, from now on, it would be unlocked in the merchant store. It cost 100 favorable impression points per packet.”
The system explained.
“The price is still alright!”
Sun Mo silently evaluated. If he accepted the honest Qi Shengjia as his disciple, he would be able to amass 100 favorable points in a short few days.
Naturally, given Sun Mo’s character, he would never recruit Qi Shengjia purely for the reason of gaining favorable impression points.
After Sun Mo opened three treasure chests, Lu Zhiruo had also finished cleaning her dorm. Then, Sun Mo immediately brought the papaya girl to the Reading Veranda.
Jinling City was large and flourishing. There were many carriages for rental on the road. Sun Mo casually flagged one down and rented it for a few copper coins. He could still afford this amount of money.
Lu Zhiruo was carrying a book bag. She would occasionally cast a glance at Sun Mo and seemed as though she wanted to say something, but hesitation was holding her back.
“Read it if you want to.”
Sun Mo leaned against the carriage window. He was admiring the scenery outside while thinking about how to handle Zheng Qingfang so he could maximize his profits.
After getting the approval, the papaya girl’s eyes became crescent moons as she hurriedly and carefully took out the draft paper.
Although she read the front pages before, Lu Zhiruo couldn’t control her urge and read it again as she soon grew completely immersed.
…
“It’s time to get off!”
Sun Mo paid the carriage driver the money and called out.
Lu Zhiruo didn’t respond.
Knock, knock!
Sun Mo rapped the wall of the carriage.
Lu Zhiruo still didn’t realize it. Her entire person was hungrily reading the novel.
“Lu Zhiruo, we are here!”
Sun Mo raised his volume.
“Ah?”
The papaya girl jumped in fright. She inclined her head and stared at her surroundings blankly. Why did they reach so fast? Aiya, the [Journey to the West] was such a good read. Sun Wukong actually wreaked havoc in the celestial court, how tyrannical.
Earlier, just when Lu Zhiruo had lowered her head and had been preparing to finish reading this segment, she heard Sun Mo’s voice and she woke up from her reading daze. She then realized she had to accompany Teacher Sun to the bookstore.
For a time, Lu Zhiruo hurriedly kept the draft paper as she got off the carriage.
Sun Mo turned and entered the Reading Veranda. A faint fragrance of lavender immediately drifted into his nose.
“You are here?”
Zheng Qingfang, who was lying back on his wooden chair, sat up when he saw Sun Mo. “I’ve not seen you for many days. I thought what you said before was a joke.”
As he spoke, Zheng Qingfang’s eyes drifted to Sun Mo. When he saw that Sun Mo’s hands were empty, a feeling of disappointment surged his chest.
As expected, the Journey to the West, Dragon Ball, and some weird title named Transformers whose content he had no idea about, didn’t appear.
He knew that young people were unreliable.
Zheng Qingfang was a person who treated books like his life. After retiring, his old friends had all died and he had no way to meet them ever again. Reading became his only pleasure in life. However, he had read so many books to the point where no books could match his interest.
Ever since he had heard Sun Mo speaking about the Journey to the West, he hadn’t been able to eat or sleep well and was wondering about the content.
A good title was enough to fuel people’s imagination about a good book.
“Is our previous agreement still in place?”
Sun Mo laughed lightly.
“Naturally. As long as your book is good enough and can be sold out, I will give it my all and publish 1,000 books for you. All the income shall belong to you!”
Zheng Qingfang silently grumbled. (What sort of man am I? Since I said it, I will do it.) However, he was also quite clever. Books that could be sold out were naturally popular ones. There would only be one or two of such books every year. The remaining books that were more unpopular would be stuck on the bookshelves and left there to gather dust.
“That’s good then!”
Sun Mo nodded. “Zhiruo, pass him the script.”
“Hmm…”
She carried the book bag in and felt some reluctance. Could she finish reading it first before passing it to this old man?
“Oh? You really managed to write it? Quickly, let me take a look!”
Seeing Lu Zhiruo hesitating, Zheng Qingfang stood up and rushed in front of her as he took the bag.
“Aiya, be careful. Don’t damage it!”
Upon seeing Zheng Qingfang’s actions, Lu Zhiruo felt her heart aching.
