Chapter 61: Thick and Sturdy Acquired Qi

At this moment, inside the main hall, apart from a few court ladies and a deacon, there was only Princess Linglong behind the gauze curtain and Chen Zhi'an standing in the center of the room.

Princess Linglong parted her lips slightly and chanted softly: "Clouds think of her garments and flowers of her face, spring breeze sweeps the balustrade and dew makes the blossoms lush. If not seen at the top of the Qunyu Mountain, she will be met at the Yaotai under the moon."

Princess Linglong's voice, which was naturally as clear and pristine as a thousand bushels of pearls, recited the poem, conveying nine parts of its intrinsic elegance.

"Using clouds to metaphor garments and flowers to metaphor beauty... It praises a woman's appearance yet lacks any flattering tone, entirely written in a refined style... This princess has always appreciated poetry, but I have never seen such verse before."

Princess Linglong indeed seemed to genuinely adore this poem. As she recited it, the sorrow between her brows almost completely dissipated, leaving behind only the imagery evoked by the verse.

The fairy atop Qunyu Mountain! The goddess beneath the moon at Yaotai!

Who in this world could possibly write such a poem?

Which beauty under heaven could ever bear the praise of this verse?

The reason Chen Zhi'an inscribed this poem on the painting was actually to attract the attention of the noble patron viewing it.

Thinking back now, the fact that he was summoned so hurriedly from Sunan Prefecture to Xuantian Capital was probably four or five parts due to this very poem.

"Reporting to the Princess, this poem... was acquired by me by chance. It is attributed to Li Bai, styled Taibai. I have consulted many classic texts, but I have never been able to trace the origins of this person."

Chen Zhi'an answered with lowered eyes.

He certainly wouldn't dare to falsely claim such a masterpiece as his own creation. Once it became famous, the renown would be earth-shattering.

Even though in his past life's memories he had dabbled in refined pursuits and written some archaic-style poetry, compared to Li Bai's poems... No, was there even any comparison?

If he truly usurped the poems of the Poetry Immortal, and a situation arose where he was asked to compose on the spot, his deception would eventually be exposed.

With fame, he could decline ordinary people asking for poems. But if it reached the imperial ears, and truly great personages demanded a poem, if he failed to produce one, he would simply be bringing trouble upon himself.

His mind raced with overlapping thoughts.

Princess Linglong asked again, "Are there any other such poems?"

Chen Zhi'an shook his head.

Unexpectedly, upon hearing this reply, Princess Linglong fell silent and remained speechless for a long time.

After a good while, Princess Linglong let out a long sigh.

Through the lingering ages, the world is like a vast sea, and it is only natural for a few stray pearls to be lost within it.

Yet having seen this poem, how could Princess Linglong ever look upon other poems praising beauty with any appreciation? They all seemed utterly insipid to her.

Just as she had already practiced the [True Solution of the Bright Moon and Glazed Glass], when she looked at other cultivation techniques in the world that absorbed moonlight, she found them all unworthy of notice.

Princess Linglong was naturally sentimental, and with so much sorrow weighing on her due to this marriage arrangement, the slight buoyancy in her heart over the past few days had mostly been because of this poem and the unique colorful painting.

And the greater part of that reason was this poem itself.

She had thought that summoning Chen Zhi'an from Sunan Prefecture would lead her to more such poems, but the result fell short of expectations.

Therefore, she waved her hand and said, "Since that is the case, you may withdraw. If you have any needs, speak with Shukui."

Chen Zhi'an bowed and took his leave.

As he reached the door, he suddenly heard Princess Linglong let out another long sigh.

This sigh was filled with desolation and sorrow, as if she were utterly exhausted in body and mind.

"Princess Linglong's mental state seems somewhat off. Is this a good thing or a bad thing for me?"

Chen Zhi'an narrowed his eyes, a flash of insight crossing his mind. He abruptly turned around and said, "Princess, while there are no more poems, I do recall a few incomplete lines of lyrics. If the Princess fancies them, I can write them down."

---

The moonlight had already bathed the streets, and the roof of the Qingke Inn was laden with silver moonlight, its brightness and contours clearly visible.

Normally, tonight should have been a tranquil night, especially since the Qingjiang Inn was located on a remote street and staying there required a certain threshold of wealth and status.

Yet today, whether by day or night, there were always many people waiting outside the doors of the Qingjiang Inn.

The innkeeper would occasionally peek out quietly for a quick glance, then pull his head back inside, fearing that lingering too long might displease these noble patrons.

Si Yao had never waited for anyone this long.

The restaurant opposite the Qingke Inn was originally about to close, but after the middle-aged scholar simply exchanged a few words with the restaurant owner, the owner never mentioned closing again, occasionally coming over personally to pour tea for the three of them.

"My lady, I truly cannot fathom it. He is merely a common painter. There are plenty of painters in Xuantian Capital and indeed throughout the entire Great Yu. Why on earth are carriages from so many great noble estates waiting here?"

The maid Qingxue lowered her head, playing listlessly with the teacup on the table.

Towards this maid who had grown up alongside her, the young lady of the Si family was quite lenient, even taking the initiative to explain: "Many of the madams and young ladies in Xuantian Capital do not practice cultivation, nor do they need to handle family business like the men in their households, nor do they need to attend court. Spending their days idle at home, they always seek something to occupy themselves with, so as to socialize and interact with other madams and young ladies."

She looked into the distance at the Qingke Inn: "With socialization comes rivalry. A few days ago, the Grand matriarch personally went to Princess Shangqiu's Cuiwei Palace, and I heard Princess Linglong was there that day as well.

Princess Linglong has always led the trends in Xuantian Capital and even the entire Great Yu.

She wore a skirt trailing with a hundred flowers, and the madams and young ladies rushed to purchase hundred-flower fabrics. A few days ago, she attended a banquet at the residence of the wife of the Left Censor-in-Chief wearing a simple hairpin, and haven't you noticed how several madams in the mansion have also started wearing simple hairpins these past few days?

In matters of beauty and fashion, whoever can draw closer to Princess Linglong often reaps more envious glances, allowing them to speak with greater confidence when socializing with other madams and young ladies... The reason why carriages from so many great estates have come for this painter from Sunan Prefecture is surely rooted in that banquet at Cuiwei Palace where Princess Linglong was present."

With Si Yao's explanation,

the maid Qingxue finally understood, and she exclaimed in realization, "To have won the recognition of Princess Linglong, this painter must indeed have some genuine talent."

As the mistress and servant were talking, the middle-aged scholar returned with a helpless look on his face. "My lady, the innkeeper just came out and said that for some unknown reason, all the guest's luggage had been removed and his room door left wide open. It seems he is no longer staying at the Qingke Inn."

Qingxue twitched the corner of her mouth.

Si Yao frowned, then lowered her gaze to look at the carriages gradually dispersing.

"Tomorrow I will personally ask Princess Shangqiu to find out where this painter has gone."

The middle-aged scholar nodded gently and said, "My lady should not feel annoyed. The Grand matriarch has been rather vexed due to the matter of the Li family's Li Yinxi entering the family. Now that she has proactively brought up a diversion, my lady should pay more attention to it, as it is also an act of filial piety."

"Even if this painter surnamed Chen were a Middle Secretary or an Attendant Scholar in the Xiayuan Pavilion, I would still invite him here to paint for the Grand matriarch." Si Yao stood up and walked down from the restaurant.

After leaving the palace, Chen Zhi'an indeed did not return to the Qingjiang Inn.

His rather modest luggage had already been taken by Princess Shangqiu's subordinates to Fusang Street.

Centered around the Xuantian Palace, eight main streets and thirty-two alleys radiated outward in neat arrangements.

Fusang Street was one of those main thoroughfares.

The residence Princess Shangqiu lent to Chen Zhi'an for his temporary stay was located on this very main street.

Following several eunuchs and deacons out of the palace, Chen Zhi'an arrived at Fusang Street and entered this small courtyard not far from the Xuantian Palace. His eyes suddenly brightened.

The courtyard was indeed not large, merely a two-compound residence.

Yet it featured whitewashed walls and dark tiles arranged in a staggered, elegant manner. Blue stone pathways wound through it, and along both sides of the paths were lush grasses, dotted with blooming flowers and jagged rockeries standing upright or lying flat.

Clear springs gurgled past beneath the rockeries, their sound as crisp and pleasant as colliding jade pendants.

There were also winding covered corridors and carved balustrades of every description.

It was truly an exceptional courtyard.

Chen Zhi'an's favorability toward Princess Shangqiu instantly maxed out.

He was no celebrity, and even if Princess Shangqiu were paying a fortune to attract talent, she wouldn't have set her sights on him.

Thinking about it this way, the reason the princess gave him such a fine courtyard to live in was largely a form of compensation for the harassment he suffered from Wei Lingyu.

"This princess's style of conduct doesn't really resemble that of a typical princess."

Thinking to himself, Chen Zhi'an stepped into the eastern hall.

Although the eastern hall could not be called luxurious or extravagant, it was nevertheless spacious and grand.

"Master Chen, please rest easy here. Tomorrow I shall send two maids over to procure provisions, though normally you need not have them wait on you.

This courtyard is refined and quiet, making it an ideal place for you to diligently hone your painting skills."

The deacon wore a smile, speaking with utmost courtesy.

Chen Zhi'an retrieved two taels of gold from his sleeve, slipped them quietly to the deacon, and smiled, saying, "I am not from a background of young masters and scions; having people wait on me would instead feel inconvenient. I don't need any maids. Deacon, please just arrange for someone to purchase some fruits and vegetables every few days."

The deacon knowingly accepted the gold, and his tone became even more cordial: "Master Chen is being too modest. With the Grand Audience Festival approaching, anyone who can bear the title of court painter can be considered a great talent.

Our Great Yu was founded on both civil and martial arts. While painting is not a skill to move heaven and earth, several generations of sages in our Great Yu have held it in high regard.

When the sages hold something in high regard, it outweighs any noble birth.

Very well, since Master Chen does not wish to be disturbed, the maids won't be sent. If the lord lacks anything in the future, just notify the gatekeeper at the head of Fusang Street."

A high-end residential complex with gate guards on the street!

Chen Zhi'an smiled as he saw the deacon out.

Returning to the courtyard, he looked around. The gurgling sound of the clear stream echoed in his ears. Accompanied by this sound of running water, he carefully inspected the small courtyard, silently sighing in his heart: "Just maintaining this courtyard probably costs thousands of silver taels every year."

After sighing for a moment, Chen Zhi'an did not forget his main business. He looked up at the sky; at this moment, the bright moon hung high, casting its pure radiance over the courtyard's flowers and plants, creating a breathtaking view.

Yet what Chen Zhi'an was looking at was not the moonlight.

"It is already the hour of Ren (around 11 PM), but the hour of Zi (midnight) has not yet arrived. Would it be abrupt of me to visit the senior mentioned by Old Huangliang at this hour?"

Chen Zhi'an pondered for a few moments. The Tianshan Yujing Diagram slowly unfolded in his mind, and his consciousness sank into it, where he saw the primordial breath of nature (Houtian Qi) surging and absorbing the spiritual energy of Kunlun within the Kunlun Marsh.

After more than ten days of nourishment, this strand of Houtian Qi had grown by a third in the Kunlun Marsh.

It was just that in the last few days, its growth had slowed down until it practically stopped. Moreover, Chen Zhi'an had felt increasingly fatigued over these past few days.

The quantity and grade of medicinal herbs cultivated in the Kunlun Marsh were directly proportional to the strength of his cultivation.

Since the Houtian Qi had stopped growing, it meant that under his current level of cultivation, this had reached the limit of what the Houtian Qi could attain.

Yet Chen Zhi'an was already quite satisfied.

"This strand of Houtian Qi of mine was already thick and robust to begin with, and now that it has grown by another third, it is almost as large as the two strands of Houtian Qi fought over by Situ Hougui and Jiang Taiping combined."

"If this Houtian Qi is refined into pills, I might even be able to break through the third stage of the White Jade Cicada Shedding Scripture, stepping into the realm of Divine Nourishment, and perhaps even walking a considerable distance within that realm.

Not to use it now would be to squander heaven's gifts."

Thinking of this, Chen Zhi'an withdrew his consciousness from the Tianshan Yujing Diagram, took out the white stone carrying the Houtian Qi, placed it into the Dew-Bearing Ring, and resolutely stood up.

"I'll go take a look on Bayue Street. If the lights are out, I'll just come back."

With this thought, Chen Zhi'an walked out of the courtyard and out of Fusang Street.

After walking for a while, his eyes casually swept past a street plaque.

"Jiuguan Street?" Chen Zhi'an peered inside and indeed dimly made out a huge parasol tree, its canopy blocking out the sky in lush abundance.

"Is this the residence of the old man I met by the Huanglong River today?"

"To be able to live here, he is no ordinary person."

Chen Zhi'an muttered to himself in admiration and continued on his way. He asked two elderly people along the route, learning that Bayue Street was not in the inner city, but rather in the North City.

Fortunately, it was not in a remote corner of the North City, nor was it particularly far from the city center.

Yet even though it wasn't far, Chen Zhi'an walked for a full half-hour.

As the hour approached midnight, Chen Zhi'an finally spotted the street plaque for Bayue Street.

On this street, most shops sold antiques, calligraphy, and paintings, along with exotic trinkets from foreign lands. As midnight approached, most of them had already closed their doors, though a few scattered shops remained open.

Presumably, the owners of these shops also lived right here on Bayue Street.

Chen Zhi'an stepped onto Bayue Street, walking into its depths and checking many shop signs along the way, until he finally found his destination at the very end of the street.

"[Xiren Residence]."

Chen Zhi'an let out a long breath. Since the shop was still here, the owner should still be around as well.

Drawing closer, he saw that inside the threshold of the Xiren Residence, a middle-aged man was fast asleep on a reclining chair, holding a purple clay teapot in his hand.

The reclining chair rocked gently, but the middle-aged man seemed to be sleeping extremely soundly and leisurely.

Chen Zhi'an gave a light cough, but the middle-aged man showed no reaction.

Thinking for a moment, he knocked on the door, yet the man still remained unresponsive.

Frowning, Chen Zhi'an raised his voice and said, "Shopkeeper, I'm here to buy something!"

The middle-aged man abruptly opened his eyes, spilling the tea from his purple clay teapot: "Someone's here, someone's here!"

He hurriedly stood up and looked at Chen Zhi'an: "A customer has arrived? Everything in my shop is an antique of some years, mostly originating from the Great Xi realm. I have Great Xi tobacco pouches, exotic fragrant tea sets, several unique spices exclusive to the Great Xi, and many Great Xi antiques. Have a look, customer, what is it that you need?"

This middle-aged man was tall with square facial features, looking rather dignified, yet at this moment his face was wreathed in smiles, his eyes slightly narrowed, making him look very much like a shrewd merchant.

Chen Zhi'an smiled and said, "I am here to look for someone. That person's name is... Qu Junhui."

The middle-aged man's expression shifted. He frowned and looked at Chen Zhi'an: "How did you come to know this person's name? And why... are you looking for him?"

After a brief pause for thought, Chen Zhi'an said, "This name was told to me by a senior. As for why I'm looking for him, I can only state my purpose once I've met him."

The middle-aged man raised an eyebrow, poked his head out the door to look left and right, and then closed the door shut.

He gave a dry cough and said, "I am Qu Junhui. Who told you my name? And what do you want with me?"

Chen Zhi'an looked at him suspiciously.

The middle-aged man's expression remained unchanged as he gazed back at Chen Zhi'an.

After a full dozen breaths passed, Chen Zhi'an suddenly said, "A certain senior told me to seek out Qu Junhui and beg him... to refine an elixir for me."

Upon hearing this, the middle-aged man's brow furrowed tightly: "I haven't refined elixirs for thirty years. Fewer than five people in the entire Xuantian Capital know that I once practiced the art of alchemy.

Just who is that senior of yours?"

Hearing these words, Chen Zhi'an finally felt a measure of belief that this person was indeed the one Old Huangliang had sent him to find.

It was just that this person looked somewhat too young.

Bayue Street, Xiren Residence, Qu Junhui, thirty years...

Intertwining these pieces of information, Chen Zhi'an finally spoke: "That senior only told me to tell you that he has markings beneath his feet and was once a saddle-mounted scout."

Qu Junhui froze, his pupils slightly constricting as he carefully scrutinized Chen Zhi'an: "What relation are you to him?"

Chen Zhi'an was about to reply.

However, the middle-aged man suddenly waved his hand and said, "Forget it. Since you can speak of the markings beneath his feet and mention the saddle-mounted scout, you are already among those with an agreement.

Come, tell me, what kind of elixir do you wish to refine?"

Chen Zhi'an's mind stirred slightly, and he retrieved the white stone carrying the Houtian Qi from the Dew-Bearing Ring.

The middle-aged man drew a sharp breath.

"Where did you get this Houtian Qi?"

"Why is it so robust?"