Becoming a Sage Starts From Condensing the Essence of Time

Madam Hua was indeed a little surprised. He had completed the enlightenment of cultivation at the age of 18 and his innate talent was extremely poor. However, how did the young man's current performance look like his talent was poor?

The day before yesterday at the Heavenly Wave Water Pavilion, he entered Meditation.

When she looked at it again today, he had already formed the Embryonic Breath.

The second realm of Spirit Refinement, Embryonic Breath, was not so easy to step into. What was needed was the accumulation of the mind. Everyone cultivated step by step and refined their mind.

Even Hua Jiebing, who was known as a Spirit Refinement genius, had to refine for three days and three nights with the help of her master's Spirit Refinement Dharma treasure before she could truly complete the Embryonic Breath!

It was impossible for An Le to have the help of a Spirit Refinement Dharma treasure. How could he do it?

Madam Hua was interested.

"Xi Xiang, go and invite Young Master An over."

Sitting up from the bed, Madam Hua smiled and looked at her personal maidservant, Xi Xiang, who was standing quietly behind her.

"Yes, Ma'am."

Xi Xiang was stunned at first, but then she bowed and agreed. Without asking further, she walked out of the main hall of the Water Pavilion and crossed the white jade arch bridge.

Under the guidance of Liu Xiang, An Le passed through the Lin Residence with ease.

The spring mountain was warm, and the wind blew. The curtains of the pavilion were dry, and the willows were swaying in the courtyard.

He saw the chirping of warblers and dancing of swallows, the small bridge, and flowing water.

The scenery of the Lin Residence was not limited to the Heavenly Wave Water Pavilion. The courtyards and pavilions in the residence were all unique. Walking on the limestones, it was as if they were in a small garden. After all, it was the pavilion of the minister's residence. It was dazzling.

Suddenly, a beautiful woman walked over leisurely from afar. Seeing this, Liu Xiang bowed.

"Young Master An, Madam invites you to follow me to the Heavenly Wave Water Pavilion."

Xi Xiang smiled.

As Madam Hua's personal maidservant, her status in the Lin Residence was second only to the Matriarch's servants, Ji Ying and Lin Zhuifeng.

Liu Xiang was far inferior to her, so she kept a low profile.

An Le was stunned for a moment before nodding. "Then I'll have to trouble Miss Xi Xiang to lead the way."

Xi Xiang covered her mouth and smiled at the handsome, elegant, and polite An Le. Her eyes moved as she turned around flirtatiously and led the way with her graceful figure.

After thanking Miss Liu Xiang, An Le followed Xi Xiang to the Water Pavilion.

In the main hall of the Water Pavilion, Madam Hua was no longer in the mood to study the works of the Great Confucian. Instead, she squatted by the pond and sprinkled fish materials to feed the beautiful flower carp in the pond.

"You're here."

After Madam Hua sprinkled the last handful of fish in her palm, she stood up leisurely. The spring sun shone down and reflected on this madam's beautiful face. She was so beautiful that she did not seem like a mortal woman.

"Your Spirit Refinement has entered the Embryonic Breath Realm?" Madam Hua gently lifted her feet and steadily returned to the flat ground of the main hall from the rockery beside the pool.

An Le was not surprised that Madam Hua discovered that he had broken through. Madam Hua's strength was unfathomable, and she was definitely a powerhouse who had surpassed the first five realms.

"I had a fortuitous encounter last night. That's how I broke through."

An Le did not hide anything and said truthfully.

"Oh? How did you break through? Is it convenient for you to tell me in detail?" Madam Hua was very interested, and a hint of inquiry appeared in her lively eyes.

An Le smiled and explained, "Yesterday, a painting friend came to visit and drew a Water Ink Bamboo Stone Painting. During the painting process, I comprehended something, or the bamboo painting technique resonated with the Sword Waterfall Diagram, so I established the Embryonic Breath in one go."

"Painting?" Madam Hua did not expect An Le to give such an answer.

"Water Ink Bamboo Stone Painting? Painting bamboo with ink?"

Madam Hua was puzzled. She had also studied music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, but in Great Zhao, very few people drew bamboo with ink. Most of them were brushwork.

"Forget it. Looks like you're extremely talented in painting. However, I can tell from your sketches. It's quite good. However, it's a coincidence that you comprehended through painting. The path of Spirit Refinement is still filled with thorns. Visualize the sword painting every day and don't slack off."

Madam Hua said sincerely. She had a glimpse of An Le's late-growing talent and did not want him to bury and waste this talent.

An Le's expression was solemn as he cupped his fists and bowed. "Thank you for your guidance, Madam. I will definitely remember it."

"I didn't expect you to be proficient in ink painting. I want to see you paint on the spot. Unfortunately, I have a visitor later. I'll watch your performance with ink another day." Madam Hua said regretfully.

An Le smiled. "I come to the Lin Residence every day. If Madam wants to see the painting, I'll do it again when you return."

Madam Hua nodded slightly.

An Le bade farewell and left the Heavenly Wave Water Pavilion. He headed towards the Martial Arts Hall to paint for the young masters.

The Heavenly Wave Water Pavilion returned to silence.

Madam Hua's clothes fluttered in the spring breeze.

"The young man drew bamboo to resonate with the Sword Waterfall Diagram?"

"Among the Four Flowers of Plum, Orchid, Bamboo, and Chrysanthemum, there are tens of millions of painters. However, there are very few people who can truly be called great masters. The Four Flowers correspond to the four qualities of Pride, Serene, Indifference, and Elegance. If you want to resonate with the mind, you have to use these qualities as a guide when painting… Can the young man grasp the quality of the bamboo?"

"If the young man is really unique, we might be able to recommend him to Great Zhao's bamboo painting master. Great Zhao only has three people who can be called masters. The three masters of the Literary Department, Deputy Prime Minister Ouyang Xiangru, and… that old Emperor's uncle who dared to kill Emperor Yuan Meng with a broken bamboo sword."

Madam Hua muttered softly as she ran through Great Zhao's bamboo painters in her mind.

Suddenly, Xi Xiang said respectfully, "Madam, the carriage is ready."

"Did you send the visiting request to the Ye Residence?" Madam Hua asked.

"I personally sent it over yesterday," Xi Xiang said seriously. As Madam Hua's personal maidservant, she naturally knew why Madam Hua sent the visiting request to the Ye Residence.

As a martial arts aristocratic family like the Lin Residence, the Ye Residence had a pivotal position in Lin'an.

News of the Hall Examination had already spread, and Madam Hua was about to take action.

"Did Madam Ye refuse?" Madam Hua asked softly.

Xi Xiang paused and said hesitantly, "She didn't reject it, but… she didn't agree either."

Madam Hua nodded and walked slowly past the white jade railings.

"If she didn't refuse, it means she's agreed. Let's go. Don't let Madam Ye wait too long."

...

...

The sun left the valley and ascended the coiling woods, dense mist gathered on the thin bamboos.

The Sixth Mountain.

In a nameless pavilion on the field.

In the pavilion, the three of them sat opposite each other, still savoring the Bamboo Stone Painting by An Le. The morning sun shone down from the horizon and landed on the painting, shining brightly.

"You can see through people by looking at their paintings. The person who made this Water Ink Bamboo Stone Painting has a fierce tiger in his chest. He deliberately restrained his aura and has the aura of a gentleman. It resonates with the Spirit Refinement sword intent he has learned. He's a rare good seedling for sword cultivation."

The white-robed middle-aged man, who was carrying a wide pine sword case on his back, was taciturn, but he finally commented on the painting.

An old man in a scholarly robe stroked his beard and nodded. "Ink bamboo painting is relatively rare in Great Zhao, and it's even rarer for someone to be able to draw a style. The best thing about this painting is not only the bamboo but also poetry and scholarly talent."

"From whichever direction the winds leap, I remain strong, though dealt many a blow… The painter should have suffered, but he is not afraid of the tribulations. He allows the tribulations to attack him and remains unmoved. The backbone of a gentleman is as straight as a heavenly pillar. The way he writes is strange and free. It looks unruly, but in fact, it has drawn the strengths of a hundred schools of thought and is quite organized."

"Observe the painting, savor the poem, and read the words… It's enough to see through the nature of an artist. Not bad."

The white-robed man with the pine sword case on his back thought for a moment and said, "It's just that the mental strength integrated into the painting is a little lacking. Otherwise, this painting will be even more valuable. It won't be worse than some fifth-grade Dharma treasures."

The old man of the Imperial Ancestral Temple, Zhao Huangting, could not help but laugh loudly. "If all of you think it's good, then it's good. As for the weak mental power, that's because my young friend, who paints, has only entered Meditation in his Spirit Refinement cultivation. With the help of the painting, he has just stepped into the Embryonic Breath Realm…"

The expressions of the Confucian-robed old man and the white-robed man changed.

'Are you joking, Zhao Huangting?'

The painter… was only at the Embryonic Breath Realm?

Zhao Huangting smiled and said, "I have an affinity with this young friend. Unfortunately, he has offended the Qin Residence. Although he has the protection of the Lin Residence's Hua Jiebing, you also know that the Lin Residence is about to face a calamity and can't even protect themselves. I want to find a way out for him."

"I went to the Literary Department to look for an old man like you. I wanted to use this painting to let him enter the Literary Department as a bamboo painter. However, since you're here at the Sixth Mountain, Mountain Lord, can you take a look and see if his painting can enter the Sixth Mountain and take a spot as a Mountain Guardian?"

In the early morning, Zhao Huangting's words lingered in the ancient pavilion.

The Confucian-robed elder narrowed his eyes and sized up the Bamboo Stone Painting under the sunlight.

"Zhao Huangting, you're wrong. The Mountain Guardian position is extremely precious. The Sixth Mountain Lord is peerlessly talented. This child is only at the Embryonic Breath Spirit Refinement Realm. How can he bother the Sixth Mountain Lord? He should enter my Literary Department's Painting Pavilion and impart his painting skills to us and start an ink bamboo painting trend."

The white-robed man carrying the pine sword case slowly turned his head and looked at the Confucian-robed old man.

"Rules can be bent if the painting is good. You're not the only one in the Literary Department. If Qin Lishi comes, you'll be restrained and he will feel aggrieved entering your Literary Department."

"I'm different. On the Sixth Mountain, I have my sword. Qin Lishi doesn't dare to come. It's satisfying."

In the pavilion.

Zhao Huangting was also stunned.

Who would have thought that these two influential figures in Great Zhao would actually… snatch someone in front of him?!