Power Up Artist Yang - Chapter 331

Yujia stared at the enemy school’s students in front of her, eyebrows tightly knitted. The rest of her junior and senior brothers were also fairly disappointed that they didn’t arrive first

Yunhe was the first one to step up. An old man, with a head of pure white hair, was sitting cross-legged in the middle of the flat mountain top. He looked like an ancient cultivator, with just how old he appeared. It seemed like he was the impartial guest that was invited to determine the winners. So, Yunhe approached him and asked, “Elder, do you know when that group arrived here?”

The elder stroked his beard and chuckled, saying, “Why, more than an hour ago.”

The entirety of the Lingxin disciple group dropped their jaws at that.

More than an hour ago? That timing was insane. It took them at least three hours to climb to where they were at now. How did Guozijian manage that feat with just two hours? That speed was inhuman.

Yujia narrowed her eyes at those students.

This didn’t feel right. There was no way they managed to beat her group by an hour. All the Lingxin disciples moved very fast, and their brief break only took ten or so minutes.

She didn’t have much time to ponder this strange occurrence though, for the elder at the center reached over and lit a stick of incense.

“When this incense burns up,” the elder said with another low chuckle, “both groups must turn in their paintings. Since Guozijian already had an hour as a head start, I’d suggest that your group begins soon too. Thirty minutes is not much time.”

Yunhe, as the artist representative, hurried to the table where he could paint at and got to work. In the meantime, the rest of the group took it as a chance to catch their breaths. Except, while the rest of the disciples gathered amongst themselves and discussed how unfair it was that Guozijian got an hour head start, Yujia took this time to observe.

She first looked at the scenery, taking in the view from the mountaintop.

She could not say that she had ever seen any scenery more beautiful in her life. It was indeed like they said: a sea of clouds rolling over the land in its misty white expanse.

She had seen photos. She had painted the same scenes. Yet to see it in person?

It was as if she had walked into a dream.

It was no exaggeration to call it a sea. From where she stood, the clouds stretched out to the horizon, creating a soft blend of blue blue sky and white wisps of cloud. Where other mountain peaks met the clouds, parting through them, they appeared like islands, stretching past the surface of the water.

She did not like oceans of any sort, but this kind of sea? She couldn’t help but appreciate its tremendous, breathtaking beauty.

And though there were the voices of conversation chattering behind her, in that moment, where she stood close to the ledge, looking out at that ethereal view, a wave of peace washed over her, capturing her soul in time. She knew, right at that moment, if there was any place she wanted to live for the rest of her life, it was here.

It was just that beautiful.

Yujia’s eyes dragged over to who they chose as their representative artist. It was Han Shiche. Her mouth flattened into a straight line.

She then slid her gaze to how Yunhe was doing. Approaching him quietly from behind, she looked at his progress.

He had barely gotten much done. There was the basis of a painting, but a basis was only a basis. The entire work was quite foggy, and not in the way of a purposeful stylistic choice. Not enough shadows nor highlights existed to balance the painting out, making it seem like one big mush of a shape. He was trying to paint the scenery in front of him, she could tell, but it didn’t seem like he would manage to get it complete in time.

The movements of Yunhe’s brush were slow, his hands almost shaking a bit. Her brows furrowed at this sight.

Yujia then leaned down, asking in a quiet voice, “Apologies for breaking your concentration, Senior Brother, but are you sure you’re doing okay?”

“I’m just,” he muttered, “I— I don’t know. I guess the stress is getting to me.”

It seemed like he knew how poorly the painting was turning out right now as well, which made sense, considering the usual quality of his works compared to how the one below his brush was turning out right now. Then again, in those scenarios, he painted without stress or time constraints. Now, she could just imagine how much stress he was under. If he didn’t win this round, Lingxin lost. It would be very embarrassing, to say the least, as well as a big blow on the academy’s pride. Plus, what made it even worse was the psychological effect of thinking that the other group had an hour and a half to complete their painting, while he only had half an hour. That in itself was enough to make anyone stressed.

Yunhe clamped a hand over his forehead. “I’m sorry. At this rate… I don’t think I’ll be able to finish. Or do any good.”

Yujia patted his shoulder and gave him a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry, Senior Brother.”

“How can I not worry?” His face scrunched up with frustration.

“A little more than fifteen minutes left,” the elder announced, his voice clear.

Yujia looked up. Then, she rose up, facing the direction of the elder and declared in a loud voice, “Elder, may I replace my Senior Brother in this painting competition?”

“Eh?” The old man turned his attention to her, stroking his white beard. “You’d have to restart on the painting, and you only have fifteen minutes. I’m afraid that won’t be enough time.”

Yunhe looked up at her as well, his eyes filled with bewilderment.

“It will be enough time,” she stated, not an ounce of hesitation in her voice.

The elder glanced to the side and back. “Then… you may, I suppose.” He looked at her with far too much doubt, his eyes clearly saying what he didn’t outright tell her: “You’re setting yourself up for failure.”

A few disciples from Guozijian called out taunting words in an attempt to intimidate her. The Lingxin disciples stopped chatting and all fixed their attention on her. Even Han Shiche, who was still painting, paused, observing her with interest in his gaze. Yunhe stood up as well, eyes fixed on her.

“Junior Sister…” he began.

She gestured at the brush in his hands. “Senior Brother, do you trust me?”

Yunhe was surprised, but he wasn’t doubtful. He didn’t even need to think as he replied, “Yes.”

He handed the brush to her. She took a seat in his place. She pulled out a new sheet of paper.

“Then,” she told Yunhe, wearing a smile on her face, “just sit back and watch me annihilate this competition.”