A Quick Thinking Revelation, The Fairy in the Painting

The Saint Water Palace featured four gates—north, south, east, and west—at the junction of its inner and outer rings, with each gate leading to a bustling market.

The Dijie Quarter market at the West Gate primarily offered an array of small goods and daily necessities.

After all, high-level cultivators in the cultivation world were a rarity, and the majority of ordinary cultivators still relied on such items for their everyday lives.

“Miaomiao, Wugou is just a child. Does he really need so many things? Besides, if he lacks anything, you could send it to him in the blink of an eye.”

Ning Jing walked with her hands clasped behind her back, having followed Miaomiao for half an hour already.

‘That brat must have stumbled upon some incredible luck to receive such care from Miaomiao. Palace Master Luo must be green with envy!’

The shopping excursion had been quite long, and Ning Jing felt a wave of exhaustion slowly creeping from her legs to the top of her head.

“Ha, hoo~”

Ning Jing gently patted her yawning mouth, her eyes blurring slightly. ‘Ah, I overworked myself in the Assembly Hall this afternoon. Palace Master Luo truly lives up to her Great Ascension stage; I simply can’t outplay her. It seems I must exercise more restraint in the future.’

“Are you tired? I can manage by myself.” Miaomiao sensed that Ning Jing wasn’t quite herself today.

Ning Jing bent down, carefully observing Miaomiao’s earnest little face, and a flicker of warmth bloomed in her heart.

‘Miaomiao’s way of showing concern is truly unique, not easily understood by others.’

A faint smile touched Ning Jing’s lips. Though she knew Miaomiao’s true age, her endearing, petite appearance made Ning Jing instinctively want to dote on her.

‘No wonder Palace Master Luo brings her everywhere. With that innocent look, anyone would worry about her being abducted. Heh heh, but alas, man proposes, God disposes. Ever since Wugou came along, this little girl’s heart has been almost entirely devoted to that brat, much to Palace Master Luo’s sorrow for many years.’

‘I suspect Palace Master Luo has given that brat a hard time over the years, haha~’

“Found it!” Miaomiao finally stopped in front of a calligraphy and painting shop.

“Does that boy really need anything from here?” Ning Jing found it somewhat unbelievable.

‘That boy always seems so carefree and mischievous, but like Palace Master Luo, he’s incredibly lazy. Only Miaomiao, this little girl, is willing to spoil him so. I never imagined that brat could actually paint. It’s probably just for fun, right?’

Miaomiao didn’t answer Ning Jing, instead darting straight into the shop.

Helpless, Ning Jing followed, eventually finding Miaomiao squatting in a corner at the very back of the store.

“Miaomiao, what are you looking at?”

“Paintings. But these aren’t as good as Wugou’s.”

“Oh? That boy actually has such skill? Who taught him?”

Ning Jing leaned over to glance at the “painting” in Miaomiao’s hand.

“You, why are you looking at these things too!” Ning Jing’s pretty face instantly flushed crimson. It wasn’t a painting at all; it was clearly an erotic print. Miaomiao’s unblushing, calm expression clearly showed she was accustomed to such sights.

‘Palace Master Luo is quite bold, but I never expected even the seemingly innocent Miaomiao to be so brazen!’

“Look, the lines are so crude, the curves are wrong, and the chest proportion is overly exaggerated. The skill is really poor…” Miaomiao critiqued with a serious expression, sounding remarkably professional.

“Do you… do you even know what this is?” Ning Jing felt her worldview being shattered. “Could it be… Wugou draws these kinds of things every day?”

“Yes, he’s very skilled! He even taught me how to distinguish good paintings from bad ones.” As she spoke, Miaomiao pulled a small rolled-up paper from her embrace. “This one is Wugou’s favorite. He always makes me keep it safe. I plan to frame it and hang it in my room.”

“Is… is that so?” Ning Jing didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

‘As expected of someone living by Palace Master Luo’s side, their path of growth is truly unique… Heh heh…’

Ning Jing took the paper roll, and for some reason, a faint anticipation stirred within her. ‘Could it be Palace Master Luo in the painting? Heh heh.’

But as the paper roll fully unfurled, Ning Jing’s face instantly turned ashen.

The painting depicted none other than herself and a group of Enforcement Hall female disciples bathing.

“How is it? Isn’t it very lifelike? Wugou is so talented, isn’t he? Such a small piece of paper, yet he managed to paint so many people so vividly and even…” Miaomiao praised Wugou effusively, abandoning her usual brevity, her face alight with pride and excitement.

“Indeed, heh heh, truly outstanding…”

Ning Jing’s smile remained, but the corners of her mouth twitched uncontrollably several times.

‘That brat! So young, and already peeking at women bathing…’

Suppressing a flicker of annoyance, Ning Jing continued, “Miaomiao, looking at the perspective of this painting, it seems to be from Haiwang Mountain next to the Enforcement Hall. How did he get up there?”

“Oh, Wugou couldn’t get up there by himself, so I gave him a hand. The view from up there is quite good, we go every day.” Miaomiao said, a faint smile gracing her face as if lost in memory.

“Every day, you say…”

Ning Jing maintained her smile, but her tightly clenched fists had already forced all the blood from her fingertips.

“Yes! Wugou said he plans to sell all those paintings in the East Market. He said that’s where most of the elders live, and they’re the wealthiest.”

Miaomiao continued to narrate Wugou’s grand scheme.

“Is that so…”

Ning Jing’s smile vanished, her eyes staring blankly ahead as if devoid of light. However, if any Enforcement Hall disciples were to pass by, they would be terrified and flee, for whenever Hall Master Ning looked like this, it meant she had harbored murderous intent.

She slowly unclenched her fists, having silently decided to teach that little pervert a lesson he would never forget.

Ning Jing gritted her teeth and said, “Miaomiao, let’s gather our things first, lest Palace Master Luo… gets impatient.”

“Palace Master Luo, since both you and Aunt Miaomiao wish for me to begin cultivation, why have you only ever taught me this Body Tempering Art?”

‘And the most basic kind at that…’ Of course, Wugou didn’t dare voice that thought aloud.

While body tempering was undoubtedly beneficial for cultivators, based on Wugou’s past life experience, the Body Tempering Art Luo Bingyan taught him was barely comparable in power to some of the martial arts he’d witnessed among “martial artists” before achieving immortality.

If she intended for him to “enter the Dao through martial arts,” she should at least provide a body tempering technique on the level of “uprooting mountains with strength” to be considered worthy.

Luo Bingyan’s eyes narrowed slightly. She slowly bent down, gently cupping Wugou’s chin with her hand, and whispered, her voice like silk, “Naturally… it’s to make you durable?”

“Du- durable… what?” Wugou suspected he had misheard. Was this woman having another one of her “eccentric fits”?

Luo Bingyan slowly moved her hand to Wugou’s small face, gently caressing it a few times. Feeling the pleasant softness, she seemed to recall something, her gaze slowly becoming hazy, and a faint blush appeared on her cheeks.

“What I mean is, the path of cultivation is incredibly arduous. With this Body Tempering Art by your side, you’ll be more resilient than the average person~” Luo Bingyan explained, leaning closer and inhaling a few gentle breaths.

Hearing Luo Bingyan’s words, Wugou began to doubt his own common sense. Perhaps it was due to different cultivation methods in the two worlds? Could this seemingly rudimentary Body Tempering Art truly be so effective?

Wugou was meticulously recalling the body tempering methods he knew from his previous life when a faint fragrance, similar to lilies but even more pleasant, wafted into his nostrils.

Snapping back to reality, he found Luo Bingyan nearly pressing against his face. His gaze inadvertently dropped, and he could glimpse a hint of snowy white skin.

“Uh, what are you trying to do?” Wugou detected a strange glint in Luo Bingyan’s eyes, a look that made him particularly uneasy.

“Yes, what am I doing?”

Luo Bingyan’s lips moved slightly, as if she had swallowed, and her body slowly leaned forward even more.

Wugou, feeling cornered, instinctively took a step back with his right foot.

But then, Luo Bingyan suddenly wrapped her arms around Wugou’s waist, her eyes sharpening, adopting a commanding and undeniable posture.

“Whoa~ Careful you don’t fall.”

Luo Bingyan lightly blew into Wugou’s eyes, releasing a burst of delicate fragrance, a teasing smile playing on her lips.

“What—what are you doing?” Wugou felt his heart racing. What kind of trick was this woman playing now?

“You had something in your eye; I was just blowing it out for you~”

“Is… is that so?” Wugou blinked, not feeling any foreign object in his eye.

Luo Bingyan slowly stood upright, a hint of disappointment on her face. “Still too small, I suppose…”

“Too small?”

Wugou was about to question Luo Bingyan further when the voice of Aunt Miaomiao came from behind him.

“Wugou, I’m back! Guess what I brought you?”

Wugou turned to look, but unexpectedly, all his muscles tensed. He felt every hair on his body stand on end, his mind and body plummeting into an icy abyss.

‘What’s going on? This killing intent! It couldn’t be from Aunt Miaomiao; she dotes on me too much. Who is that person next to Aunt Miaomiao? Hall Master Ning Jing of the Enforcement Hall? That’s it! This woman’s face is ashen, almost like a sheet of iron. It’s definitely her!’

‘All the disciples of Saint Water Palace are incredibly respectful of Palace Master Luo, so this aura of hostility couldn’t possibly be directed at her. Is it directed at me? But why?’

‘Aunt Miaomiao just went to the market. Given her nature, she would naturally buy my favorite and most frequently used items. Nothing more than the four treasures of the study and some expensive pigments. I remember that painting shop I often took Aunt Miaomiao to seems to have some ‘artistic’ picture books. Enforcement Hall… bathhouse… Oh no!’

In that instant, Wugou’s mind raced, completing the entire case’s development in a flash.

He immediately bolted towards the small bamboo hut.

“Clang!”

He slammed the door shut behind him.

Only the sound echoed; the person inside was gone.

Wugou’s sudden dash left all three of them bewildered, and Hall Master Ning Jing was now utterly fuming.

The anger Ning Jing had accumulated suddenly lost its target for release. For a moment, her blood surged uncontrollably, her face flushing crimson.

Even with Palace Master Luo, whom she always admired, standing before her, she no longer felt the desire to flirt.

“Palace Master Luo, everything is arranged. I shall now take Wugou to the Skill Transmission Pavilion.” Ning Jing simply bowed slightly to Luo Bingyan before continuing towards the small bamboo hut.

“Uh… alright.” Luo Bingyan was momentarily taken aback by Ning Jing’s sudden coldness towards her.

As soon as Ning Jing passed Luo Bingyan, her steps quickened, eventually breaking into a run. She even summoned her flying sword mid-stride.

Ning Jing arrived at the small bamboo hut, poised to break through the door.

“Creak—”

The door opened on its own.

“Sister Ning! I finally get to see you again!”

Wugou burst out from inside, instantly hugging Ning Jing’s two legs.

“???”

Ning Jing was utterly bewildered by Wugou’s sudden and inexplicable actions.

“Sister Ning?” Ning Jing finally managed to clear her thoughts. ‘That brat, sensing impending doom, is trying to butter me up?’

“Yes, Sister Ning, you are so young and beautiful, heroic and dashing, with an extraordinary temperament, astonishing talent, and both virtue and ability…”

“Wait, wait a moment…” Ning Jing’s train of thought was disrupted once more.

But Wugou wouldn’t let Ning Jing regain her composure, pressing his attack. “Ever since I last saw you here, I recognized you as my Sister Ning. You are my role model! Look! This is a life-sized, realistic portrait I specially made for you.”

He emphasized the word “realistic” as he spoke.

Then, as he talked, he slowly unfurled a painting in front of Ning Jing.

The painting depicted a woman in a tight black robe, perfectly outlining her flawless curves. Her features were striking: starry eyes, sword-like brows, a distinct facial contour, and hair simply tied back with a single band, truly embodying the word “heroic.” Yet, the artist had focused heavily on her lips, meticulously detailing them, almost drawing every lip line, which added a touch of “seductive charm” to her demeanor, making her truly captivating.

For a moment, Ning Jing stared blankly at the “person in the painting.”

“This… this is me?” Ning Jing found it hard to believe. In her daily life, she was constantly busy with duties and cultivation, leaving no time for dressing up or grooming. She had never truly examined her own appearance as she was doing now.

‘Killing intent has dissipated. Press the advantage!’ Wugou’s heart settled, and he continued, “Yes, Sister Ning! From the first time I saw you, I was deeply captivated by your beauty and temperament. From that moment, I swore I would diligently learn to paint, to perfectly capture the most flawless you. To depict a woman’s truth, a woman’s essence, I specifically asked Aunt Miaomiao to take me around every day to find female models to paint, until recently, I finally perfectly rendered the image of you in my heart!”

With that, Wugou pushed the painting into Ning Jing’s hands.

Ning Jing stared at the “beauty” in the painting, momentarily stunned.

‘Did I misunderstand this boy? Was peeking at us bathing truly for the sake of honing his painting skills? It must be. Only then could he paint my likeness with such accuracy and spirit. Such outstanding painting skills must have required a great deal of effort to learn. Such an innocent heart, and I almost misunderstood him. I… I am so ashamed…’

“Phew~ Done. I almost lost my life~”

Seeing Ning Jing’s expression gradually turn to joy, Wugou wiped the sweat from his forehead, and his muscles finally relaxed.

“Wugou, why does the ink on this painting look like it hasn’t dried?”

It was Miaomiao. Unbeknownst to Wugou, she and Luo Bingyan had both approached.

Wugou quickly waved his hands and explained, “Uh, Aunt Miaomiao, our home is by the Soul-snatching Cold Pool, so naturally, it’s quite humid. It’s not uncommon for there to be some moisture on the painting, not uncommon at all…”

“Oh~ Is that so?” Luo Bingyan looked at the painting in Ning Jing’s hand, a smile on her face, her tone laced with a hint of suspicion.

“Ah! I remember! I also specially painted one for Aunt Miaomiao and Palace Master Luo in my room! Please wait a moment, I’ll go get them for you right away, but you absolutely must not come in!”

With that, Wugou darted back into the house just as he had before.

Miaomiao looked on with anticipation, while Luo Bingyan kept gazing towards the small hut, her smile unwavering, lost in thought.