Chapter 001: Your Majesty, the Immortal

I knew it. Lu Cheng had an expression in his eyes that conveyed understanding, yet he maintained the same respect as before: "Then I would trouble Master Yan to redraw a piece for me."

Catch me? Hmph, I am the Prime Minister of the current dynasty, Lord Lu Mingxian, the chief steward in the household of the esteemed Lord Lu, who stands above all others. Who dares to catch me

Haha! A burly man in the crowd, halfway through leaving, turned around and shouted: "Little brother, you also say it's a story. Those with the surname Huang will boast here. You better hurry and leave. There is an imperial decree stating that those who propagate ghost stories and myths will be severely punished. Be careful, or someone will come and arrest you too."

Fortunately, he doesn't speak for long each day. Although it takes a bit of time, it can be dealt with. Today, there is another beautiful woman present; that scoundrel Lu Zhiwu shouldn't get angry, right? Lu Cheng quickened his pace, thinking about how to handle Lu Zhiwu one moment and recalling the story that Mr. Huang mentioned the next. He was so focused on hurrying along that he didn't notice a shadow flash across from him, and suddenly, a foul-smelling brute collided right into his arms.

The middle-aged scholar pretended to look down and said: "What a good painting, what a good painting, the brushwork is divine, the momentum is magnificent, what a fine piece... Lord Immortal, huh, why is there no signature? Who painted this?" Lord Immortal? The name of this painting is strange; the character 'Lord' is something ordinary people would not dare to mention. No wonder there is no artist's name on it.

As he continued to silently recite, a different sensation gradually emerged. He read through dozens of sentences in one breath, and a feeling of ease slowly rose from the bottom up. When this sensation reached the top of his head, his mind experienced a sudden jolt, and in the next moment, it felt refreshingly clear, as if he had consumed a legendary ginseng fruit, bringing profound comfort. As he opened his eyes, the entire world seemed clearer than before. He faintly heard the sound of pedestrians walking not far away, and in an instant, it felt as if he had transformed from a mere servant with a slight understanding of martial arts into an unparalleled master of extraordinary skills. In the next moment, his mind felt refreshingly clear, as if he had consumed a legendary ginseng fruit, bringing profound comfort. As he opened his eyes, the entire world seemed clearer than before. He faintly heard the sound of pedestrians walking not far away, and in an instant, it felt as if he had transformed from a mere servant with a slight understanding of martial arts into an unparalleled master of extraordinary skills.

Lu Cheng, young and impetuous, was about to retort when Mr. Huang, the storyteller, chuckled and shook his head as he walked away, saying: "To speak without action is not true wisdom; to narrate without having seen is not a true story. Young brother, ask yourself, if you believe in books, they exist; if you do not believe, they do not exist..." "Let me give you one more piece of advice: if you can let everything go, you will be truly free in this world..." By the time Mr. Huang finished speaking, he had already walked far away.

Lu Cheng, who had wandered far away, was unaware that he had just fallen into someone else's trap. Stealthily, he took two paintings and walked towards a secluded corner. Upon reaching a bend, he looked around to ensure no one was paying attention to him, then took out a match and lit the tattered painting. In an instant, thick smoke billowed up, and before long, the painting was engulfed in flames.

That Yan Jing Shen is indeed quite capable. Without further ado, he took up his brush and, in less than the time it takes to eat a meal, produced a painting of "Your Majesty, the Immortal" that was almost identical to the original. Lu Cheng, filled with surprise and joy, held it in his hands, examining it from left to right, and despite his scrutiny, he could not discern any differences; it was practically as if it had been printed from a mold.

Lu Chengling had a sudden inspiration and, half in doubt, ran over. He saw a thin, middle-aged scholar setting up a stall, with several paintings hanging behind him.

It’s a disaster, ...? ... The painting that the second young master created to please the beauty has been torn apart? Has Lu Cheng already considered fleeing?

"Are you Yan Jingshen?" Lu Cheng was truly overjoyed at this moment. Yan Jingshen was the royal painter of the Great Wind Dynasty, neighboring the Great Jian Dynasty, and held a status comparable to that of Zhong Qingshu in their own dynasty. In addition to his exceptional painting skills, he was also adept at imitating others. It was said that his imitations were so lifelike that even the original subjects found it difficult to distinguish them from reality.

This is truly a monumental event, not to mention that this painting is priceless and beyond estimation; even Lu Zhiwu's notoriously foul temper can be lethal.

The middle-aged scholar quickly patted his shoulder and said, "Young man, don't be anxious. Let me take a look. Hmm, this painting does have a bit of the style of the Southern School's Master Lushan. Oh, the more I look at it, the more it resembles it. How about this? Would you like me to repaint it for you? However, this painting is somewhat challenging; as you know, Master Lushan's works are the hardest to replicate. The price for this will be..."

"If you believe, then it exists; if you do not believe, then it does not exist!" Lu Cheng pondered this deeply as he left the teahouse. Did this person named Huang really have an encounter? However, let everything take its course; it may not necessarily be the case that I, Lu Cheng, will spend my entire life following him, living as a mere servant for a lifetime

As he watched the entire ruined painting burn to ashes, Lu Cheng chuckled and was about to leave. Suddenly, a flash of golden light shot out from the fire, piercing like lightning into the center of Lu Cheng's brow

Who is this mysterious person? Why would they utter such earth-shattering words? To learn more about what happens next, please stay tuned for the next installment. That will be all for today, everyone disperse!

Lu Cheng secretly laughed to himself, what do you understand? That infatuation with power and wealth pretends to be lofty and detached; every time he paints for the royal family and nobility, he never signs his name, thus leading to rumors that he has never painted for the royal family and nobility.

Damn. Lu Cheng stared blankly at the drawing in his hand, momentarily frozen in place, as a wave of chilling terror spread from his heart to his mind

With a look of regret, she said: "The painting is beautiful, but unfortunately it has been torn. Young man, there is nothing I can do about it. In this world, there have always been painters, but no one to repair the paintings. I am not a deity, am I?"

After Lu Cheng retrieved the painting, he passed by the teahouse and recalled that it was just the time for the daily storytelling session. After hesitating for a moment, he mustered his courage and decided to listen until the end before returning.

You..." Lu Cheng reached out to snatch it, but he forgot that the big man had already unfurled the painting. Both of them exerted force with their hands, and with a "rip," the painting was instantly torn in half.

"You little rascal, just now you were so forceful that you almost tore that painting to shreds. If it gets torn too much, how am I supposed to paint it?" It turns out that this person with the surname Yan is actually on the same side as him

Yan Jing Shen laughed heartily, a look of triumph on his face. He raised his eyes to glance around, then quickly lowered his head to start dividing the money with the figure resembling a thief.

Lu Cheng's mind was in a whirlwind of urgent thoughts as he contemplated countermeasures, while he found himself unconsciously walking slowly towards the Lu residence

What should I do? This painting is damaged, and when I return, I will surely face punishment. Is there any other way to restore it? The voice was filled with sorrow and indignation, almost breaking into tears, revealing a true talent for acting.

With a sneer, a chorus of boos erupted from the crowd, and everyone began to laugh and scold as they dispersed. However, the man known as Mr. He and the Book began to hum a little tune, leisurely and proudly starting to pack up his stall

In order to please Shi Miaoyin, Lu Zhiwu devoted countless efforts over several months and finally obtained a landscape painting from the capital's painter Zhong Qingshu by offering several treasures.

Running away? Where to run? In this vast world, with the power of the Lu family, finding me would be as easy as turning over a hand. Unless I can escape to another country, but I fear that before I even reach another country, I might already be caught and killed. What to do? What should I do?

Selling paintings, selling paintings, offering various landscape and figure paintings, professionally providing portrait services, painting objects, reproducing artworks, guaranteeing quality, with a full refund if not satisfied. Come, esteemed guests, take a look, have a glance. If the painting is not satisfactory, no payment will be collected. Suddenly, the sound of selling paintings came from the roadside

I study martial arts; why are you teaching me sorcery? As a martial artist, with iron bones and copper fists, sweeping away all evils, can you teach me the way of martial arts, senior

"Sir, sir." Someone ran over to the storyteller and called out to him twice. The storyteller looked up and saw a handsome young man in front of him, holding a scroll in his hand. He appeared to be around seventeen or eighteen years old, somewhat slender, and his clear eyes revealed a hint of cunning. "Young brother, today's story has come to an end. If you wish to hear more, you may come back tomorrow"

Yan Jingshen roughly sensed his distrust and shook his head, saying: "Oh, I am not the one from the Great Wind Dynasty. I also have the surname Yan, but I believe my painting is no worse than his. My friends all call me Yan Jingshen."

Lu Cheng was a loyal minister to the Emperor, serving as the personal attendant to the Second Young Master of the Prime Minister Lu Mingxian, Lu Zhiwu. Today, the Lu residence was fortunate to host one of the renowned beauties of the capital, Shi Miaoyin, the daughter of Shi Posheng, one of the three great generals of the current dynasty, who came to visit.

There, there, you are Yan Jing Shen, what is there that you cannot paint Ha ha ha

The two collided head-on; the burly man, with his strong physique, knocked Lu Cheng over in an instant. Lu Cheng felt a sharp pain in his nose and instinctively touched it, causing the scroll in his hand to fall to the ground

This is too fake, isn't it? Just randomly encountering someone by the roadside is already a surprise? Why are you coming to our great firm hetushu.com to set up a stall? Lu Cheng was first delighted, then surprised, casting a gaze full of suspicion at him

If it weren't for my keen observation, and if I had not satisfied Lu Zhiwu's appetite, I would have died ten or eight times in the Lu residence by now

"Farting, the power of Taoist arts, reaching the heavens and penetrating the earth, overturning yin and yang, practicing to the utmost, even able to shift the stars and change the tides, there is nothing that cannot be done, martial arts? Bah, bah, bah..." Hearing the disdainful voice of that mysterious person, Xiao Du wore a face of confusion and shock.

Among the four virtues of loyalty, sincerity, benevolence, and integrity that Lu Zhiwu embodies, only I, Lu Cheng, have diligently upheld three of them for three years, while others, like chives, change their recommendations year after year.

This is the capital of the Great Jian Dynasty, known as Great Jian City, which is reputed to be one of the most fortified capitals in the world. The Great Jian Dynasty was established 3,001 years ago, evolving from a small border town with a population of less than 100,000 to a super empire encompassing over 90 provinces and a population of 3.5 billion, a transformation that has undoubtedly consumed the efforts of countless generations of emperors

He stepped out of the teahouse and looked up at the street, where tall buildings stood everywhere, with people and vehicles coming and going, the prosperity of the capital city laid before his eyes

Ah! Lu Cheng felt a splitting headache, crouching down while holding his head, only to sense a small golden fish swimming back and forth in his mind several times, before suddenly scattering throughout his consciousness. The four characters "Chaos Cleansing Technique" suddenly appeared in his memory, followed by a continuous stream of several thousand words, each sentence drifting through his mind.

Hello, sir. The young man respectfully bowed to him and said, "Lu Cheng has been here listening for seven consecutive days. The content of your story 'The Giant' is extraordinary, and everyone who has heard it is filled with longing. I would like to ask, is there truly such a miraculous power in this world that can kill enemies from a thousand miles away or move mountains and drain seas?" The expression on his face as he spoke seemed to reflect boundless yearning

This is truly a disaster

My goodness! The man exclaimed, looking up at Lu Cheng. Suddenly, he threw the painting in his hand and, upon seeing Lu Cheng standing in the middle of the venue, turned around and ran away, disappearing in the blink of an eye

"Hahaha, it is not I, Yan Jingshen, who boasts; I guarantee that my imitation is so lifelike that it can easily deceive. If you can spot the difference, I will not charge you." It turns out this person is named Yan Jingshen

Lu Cheng had just walked into the library when the lewd man who had just knocked him down and torn his painting appeared beside Yan Jing. With a smirk, he said, "Indeed, a big fish has come. Come, come, let's split the money. Hahaha!"

Ah!

"Do not touch my painting." This painting is worth several hundred gold pieces; take your filthy hands away. Lu Cheng saw the big man going to pick up the painting and quickly turned over to stop him.

He entered the Lu residence at the age of seven, not only able to read and write, but also having learned a bit of music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. Otherwise, he would not have stood out to become the personal attendant of the second young master. At that moment, he was utterly amazed by Yan, quickly paid the full amount of silver, and joyfully headed towards the Lu residence

The current sovereign, Emperor Du Mengdao, ascended to the throne at the age of seventeen. He diligently governed the state and appointed capable ministers, leading the nation to expand its territory to the largest extent in history over more than twenty years of reign. His civil and military achievements reached their zenith, marking the Daijian Dynasty as a period of unparalleled glory and prosperity, historically referred to as the "Rule of the Virtuous Dao"

"Is this young man buying a painting or commissioning one?" The middle-aged scholar, upon seeing the tattered painting in Lu Cheng's hand, immediately understood the situation and deliberately asked with a beaming smile.

As long as it resembles the original, any amount of money is acceptable. Lu Cheng can only try his luck with a dead horse as if it were alive. Although he harbors doubts internally, he still respectfully inquires on the surface, "How closely does the painting resemble the original? Money is not an issue."

However, the burly man, completely unaware, not only seized it first and grabbed it in his hand, but also opened it with a whoosh and exclaimed: "Wow, what a great painting!"

Lu Cheng hurriedly took out the torn painting in his hand and respectfully said: "Sir, my painting is torn; is there any way to restore it?"

Lu Cheng was taken aback. What is this? A supreme martial arts secret? The legendary celestial technique? No way, he quickly stood up, feeling his body, and found nothing unusual. On the ground lay the newly drawn painting, and as he thought of those magical characters, he couldn't help but read the first line in his mind. As soon as he uttered the first line, he felt a coolness and a sense of comfort rising from the soles of his feet, gradually spreading throughout his body. Startled, he stopped, and immediately that feeling vanished.

I apologize, I truly apologize. Young man, are you alright? What is this! The burly man had a lewd expression that was completely disproportionate to his physique, frantically pulling Lu Cheng with one hand while trying to pick up the painting with the other.