Chapter 163: The Incomparable Painting

“Leave this place?”

“Please, immortal master, assist me.”

“How far do you consider far enough?”

“The further, the better.”

“...” Song You revealed a smile.

Although his first encounter with Sir Dou a few days ago at the Grand Commander's residence hadn’t been friendly, he knew that Sir Dou was being coerced. As a Daoist, Song You naturally held no grudges against him.

Moreover, he felt a sense of connection with Sir Dou, understanding his exceptional painting skills and respecting the legacy of the Dou family ancestor. The ancestor of the Dou family was also renowned for his divine techniques, a talent that was indeed rare. Just like Master Kong from Yizhou back in the day, Song You certainly didn’t want such skills to be lost.

From Sir Dou’s account, he could glean one thing. The reason he had come here to seek Doctor Cai and believed that the physician would most likely help him, was not only because he knew Doctor Cai had a kind heart and was willing to save people, but also because of Doctor Cai’s exceptional medical skills.

Sir Dou believed that Doctor Cai was also a person of divine skills and would surely understand how rare such techniques were and how regrettable it would be for them to be lost. Thus, by revealing his identity and explaining that his life was in imminent danger, he thought Doctor Cai would likely offer his assistance.

This kind of thinking was hard to articulate. Yet, it was something that he could sense.

If a simple act could save a life and preserve a divine skill, why wouldn’t one want to do it?

Doctor Cai would be willing to, and so would the Daoist.

But alas, if Song You had the ability to travel a thousand li in a single day, he wouldn’t have to worry about not seeing the old Daoist in the temple for the last time.

After a moment of contemplation, the Daoist finally spoke, “Sir Dou, your painting skills are already among the finest in the world. Given time, it’s not impossible for you to attain the level of your ancestor. I am naturally willing to assist you. However, I, myself, am still traveling the world step by step; I do not have the ability to wave my hand and send you a thousand li away.

“I do have some methods of illusion to change appearances, but I only have a superficial understanding of this skill. While I can barely use it on myself, applying it to you would probably only last for a day at most.”

The Daoist looked at Sir Dou helplessly. “How far can you get in a day’s time?”

“...” Upon hearing this, Sir Dou momentarily fell silent.

Yet, he did not show any signs of disappointment. Instead, he widened his eyes and remained still, as if rapidly calculating something in his mind.

After a moment, he finally regained his composure.

“Immortal master, you intend to travel the world?”

“Every generation of my temple’s heirs have been traveling the world, experiencing life.” Song You smiled at him. “It seems you have found a new method.”

“Do you know what kind of treasure I have at home?”

“I’ve only heard it is a painting.”

“...”

Without saying another word, Sir Dou took out his travel bag from his back.

Inside, there were two long boxes wrapped in oilcloth; one was shorter, likely containing the painting of two tigers fighting in the mountain, while the other was longer, about the length of a person.

He opened the longer box, and indeed, it contained a scroll.

As he untied the red string and slowly unfurled the scroll, a fantastical and beautiful depiction of a mountain village gradually revealed itself to the eyes of those present.

The heroine next to them cast a glance in that direction.

The scenery in the painting was distinctly near and far, with strokes that appeared casual yet brimming with spiritual qi. It was neither the currently popular freehand landscape painting nor the lifelike portraits of the Daoist and the general that Sir Dou had painted a few days earlier.

Instead, it seemed to find a mysterious balance between realism and impressionism, with scenes that felt somewhat authentic while also overflowing with artistic conception.

In the foreground, there was only a small dirt path, seemingly growing along the lakeshore by the still waters. The path was lined with tall reeds, which in the deep autumn had blossomed into white tufts, forming a gentle, cozy expanse like a soft blanket.

The entire patch of reeds leaned in one direction, allowing one to perceive the traces of the wind in the painting.

The small path by the lakeshore, however, was quite dry. It was well-trodden by frequent visitors, creating a smooth surface that appeared very inviting, making one want to take a stroll along it.

The path slanted gently, leading forward. But where did it lead?

It was toward a towering mountain wall that stretched from the far left to the far right. Although the peaks varied in height, they were generally similar, forming a nearly flat ridge. At the base of the mountain, countless houses and cottages sat on the slightly sloping ground, with the dusk settling in and casting a dim light, and wisps of smoke rising sporadically into the air.

It was deep autumn, so people were continuously burning straw. A series of bluish-gray smoke columns rose into the air.

Amidst the hazy dusk, the smoke appeared gray and blue but didn’t rise straight up.

It was either being blown by the wind or simply because the mountains and the villages below were too far apart; the smoke couldn’t reach the peaks. From this perspective, it seemed to linger just above the rooftops of the villages at the foot of the mountain, then was stretched by the evening breeze into a smoke line running from south to north.

It was spreading along the ground and draping over the gentle curves of the mountain base like a thin veil, covering the cottages beneath the twilight.

This painting was vast yet rich in details.

There were returning geese, cows making their way home, the colors of the sunset on the horizon, and the first star peeking out—none of it was missing.

Even a woman unfamiliar with art stood entranced, and even a cat was filled with curiosity.

As for the Daoist, he sensed an indescribable, profound charm radiating from this painting. It was full of life; while the image appeared still, it felt as if everything was in motion.

This was not a painting, it was clearly a real world. This was not a paper, it was clearly a door.

The Daoist gradually widened his eyes.

Just seeing this one scene made the journey worthwhile, even if he couldn't find Doctor Cai, and even if it were just to escape the turmoil of Changjing for a while.

Seeing this was worth even more than just this trip. Even traveling another thousand li would be worth it.

“Indeed, our ancestor possessed the ability to bring paintings to life, but it’s not as simple as waving a brush to make it real,” Sir Dou’s voice broke the tranquil atmosphere. “Not only are the right timing and location essential, but inspiration and deep emotional resonance must also come from within. Only by pouring one’s heart and soul into the artwork, imbuing it with spirituality, can life be birthed within it.”

“This painting...”

“This painting is my family’s treasured heirloom, renowned in the

jianghu

, worth more than all the artworks our ancestor created in his lifetime combined. This is it.” Sir Dou paused, his expression complex as he gazed at the painting. “Indeed, it is more precious than all our ancestor's works put together.”

“Quickly put it away. Though there is no wind at the moment, it must not be allowed to gather dust and lose its spiritual resonance.”

“Understood.” Sir Dou only temporarily stowed the painting away.

The Daoist reflected on the scenes in the painting and the profound sensations he felt, still savoring the moment. He said, “This painting is truly extraordinary, rich in spiritual resonance and immeasurable in mystery. The painting has likely formed its own world, surely created by Master Dou with his lifelong dedication.”

Hearing this, the heroine was momentarily stunned. The painter was even more shocked.

Ordinary people looking at this painting would only appreciate its beauty, while those with sharper senses might feel an inexplicable allure, as if they could step right into it. Most would sense the profundity but couldn't articulate what made it so profound. Few would dare to think of it as a world unto itself.

But this was indeed the truth.

“Daoist, you’re indeed truly remarkable. You’re able to discern its spiritual resonance and profundity with just a glance. I am in admiration.”

“I don’t possess such extraordinary insight,” Song You replied honestly. “Several years ago, I encountered another master sculptor in Yizhou, whose skills were unparalleled. After gaining some insight and a touch of inspiration from the master, I acquired a bit of skill, particularly in this area.”

“Is that so...”

“May I ask, where is this painting depicting?”

“It is of the Dou family’s ancestral home in Yunzhou, Zhao Commandery.”

“I must visit there in my lifetime.”

“Regrettably, I have lived in seclusion in Angzhou with my father since childhood and have never returned to our ancestral home.”

A look of regret filled Sir Dou's face, but this wasn’t the time to dwell on such matters.

He shook his head and continued, “The world knows that the Dou family has passed down the art of painting since this ancestor, yet few know that we served as court painters a thousand years ago. It was only due to a foolish Emperor demanding unreasonable things that our ancestor chose to resign, returning home.

“Since then, no remarkable painter has emerged from the court, for those who truly pursue the art of painting often leave such environments.”

“Your ancestor was noble in character,” Song You replied casually, focusing intently on Sir Dou’s narration.

The little girl beside him stretched her neck, standing upright and staring unblinkingly at the painter.

𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

Although Sir Dou feared that people from the

jianghu

might come looking for him, he also recognized this person’s skills and knew that his immediate priority was to persuade this Daoist. To convince someone like him, one must be patient.

Thus, he maintained his composure and spoke slowly, “Since leaving the court and being free from constraints, our ancestor devoted generations to mastering painting techniques, pursuing the mysteries of mountains and waters. He indeed made rapid progress, gradually developing the unique technique of the Dou family.

“To reach the pinnacle of painting beyond just skills, the choice of brush, ink, paper, and inkstone must also be taken to the utmost level. It is said that an ancestor once traveled the world, befriended immortals, and journeyed with them.

“He obtained the everlasting Chinese parasol trees that once sheltered the phoenix from the northern region of Yuzhou to make paper, producing a total of four sheets—truly exceptional paper, rich in spiritual resonance.

“That ancestor used one sheet for himself back then, and though the resulting painting was remarkable, he felt his skills were lacking. So, he passed down the remaining three sheets, advising his descendants not to use them lightly until they reached the peak of their craft.

“Later on, two more ancestors, believing their skills to be exceptional, used two sheets of this paper. However, like the earlier ancestor, they began with confidence. But upon completing their works, they found the mystical qualities of it exceeded their expectations, yet it was precisely this unexpected mystic that led them to regret their decision.

“Even one ancestor painted a masterpiece and then died, leading to even stricter warnings to future generations against the misuse of the Chinese parasol wood paper.

“It wasn’t until later that another ancestor, gifted with extraordinary talent, was said to create miraculous works on ordinary paper. By middle age, he had even brought figures to life in his paintings and made tigers come to life. He far surpassed all previous ancestors.”

“However, there was only one sheet of painting paper left, and he did not dare to use it recklessly. So, he packed his bag, left his hometown, and traveled across the world to witness countless mountains and waters. It is said that he waited for six months just to see an exquisite scenery.

“Yet, after seeing so many extraordinary sights, the more he saw, the less he knew how to put brush to paper. He increasingly struggled to find what he truly wanted to paint.

“When the ancestor returned home in disappointment, he was already in his twilight years. Amidst the turmoil of war, he had squandered half his life; the old dynasty had fallen, and the new dynasty had risen, yet he had found no resolution, and the paper remained blank.”

At this point, Sir Dou shook his head.

Song You seemed to already know the outcome.

As expected, Sir Dou emotionally, “That was a deep autumn in the sixth year of the new dynasty. Just as my ancestor returned to his hometown, he looked up and saw the very scenery depicted in this painting—peaceful and serene. He was instantly stunned, tears welling in his eyes.

“After a while, he took up his brush. Within half a day, he completed this painting, which moved the heavens and earth, astonishing both ghosts and gods.”

The Daoist felt a surge of emotions, finding it beyond words to describe.