The Monk That Wanted To Renounce Asceticism
chapter-82

Chapter 82: Master’s Calligraphy is like Art

Translator: CKtalon Editor: CKtalon

Jing Yan glanced at Wu Changxi disdainfully before looking provocatively at Fangzheng. She said, “Little Monk, do you dare?”

When Chen Jing saw this scene, he could not help but chuckle secretly, “Well done Jing Yan. If she casually causes trouble, this monk is bound to lose. Haha, when the time comes, he will truly become a laughing stock! How dare he release the wolf to bite me? I’ll tarnish your reputation!”

Jiang Songyun, Cui Jin, Ouyang Fenghua, and company were all looking nervously at Fangzheng. However, no one believed that Fangzheng would allow Jing Yan to grind the ink. After all, it was an extremely important aspect of calligraphy.

However-

Fangzheng held his palms together and said calmly, “Patron, sorry for the trouble.”

Once that was said, everyone present exclaimed!

“Is this monk mad?”

“This…”

Jing Yan was also stupefied. She never intended to help Fangzheng grind the ink. She was only taking the opportunity to provoke Fangzheng, because she refused to believe that Fangzheng would dare allow her to grind the ink for him.

But in the end, Fangzheng actually agreed! The agreement had caught her unaware!

She did not know that Fangzheng had no other choice either. Other than Jing Yan, no one else could help him at all. Therefore, he went for broke. Furthermore, Fangzheng did not believe that Jing Yan would be up to any mischief in front of everyone. Not only would Fangzheng be embarrassed, Jing Yan would also be embarrassed. With Jing Yan’s proud lofty temperament, it was unlikely she would embarrass herself in such a manner.

Jing Yan stared at Fangzheng and noticed that he was truly agreeable to her grinding the ink. She glared back at him unhappily before lowering her head to grind the ink.

She dripped a tiny bit of water before gently grinding the inkstone. The inkstone went around in smooth circles in her hand as the water quickly turned black.

At the same time, there was a series of exclamations from the other side!

“What great calligraphy!”

“Mr Ouyang, you have really written it well! It’s too beautiful!”

“Perfect!”

“Beautiful!”

Jing Yan frowned and subconsciously took a look. She noticed that Ouyang Huazai had finished writing and placed his brush down. The Xuan paper had been picked up and placed on display by Ouyang Fenghua and Cui Jin! The text was written in a wild cursive script. It had a frenzied yet magnificent feeling to it. It even had a tinge of an ancient flavor! Just a glance at it would cause people to read the text of the poem. Infinite inclinations towards the ancient past would rise up and boil one’s blood! It was truly nicely written!

Jiang Songyun stood up and exclaimed, “Great text! Great text! Great text! Hahaha! Congratulations Mr Ouyang for improving once again. You will definitely do well at this year’s national calligraphy competition!”

“Thank you, President Jiang, for your auspicious words,” Ouyang Huazai did not stand on ceremony as he directly accepted Jiang Songyun’s praise. Clearly, he was absolutely confident with the text he wrote himself! As for Fangzheng? Ouyang Huazai had never looked at Fangzheng from beginning to the end. The proud him had never considered Fangzheng as an opponent deep down. He was absolutely confident of the outcome of the battle once he finished writing. He was bound to win!

It was not only Ouyang Huazai who thought that way. Even Jiang Songyun, Sun Guanying, and the rest from the Calligraphy Association believed so.

However, there were people that were not fond of the turn of events. Fatty yelled, “All of you, f*cking shut up!”

“This friend over here, what are you doing?” Jiang Songyun asked in an unhappy tone.

Fatty sneered and said, “What am I doing? I wonder who it was that said that there shouldn’t be any noise during the competition as it would influence the competitors! What? Have those words become nothing but farts?”

Monkey immediately added, “The important thing is, the farts released from their mouths can be sucked back in. That’s true ability! How impressive!”

Jiang Songyun’s face immediately turned red. He had reprimanded them previously, and now they had used it back on him. He immediately fell silent without a way to respond.

At that moment, Pancake Face exclaimed, “Tch! It is art when Mr Ouyang writes! This monk doesn’t even know how to use a brush. How can it be considered writing? So what if we remain silent? Do you think he can still win?”

Once that was said, Monkey and Fatty clearly showed their lack of confidence. They did not believe Fangzheng had any chance of winning either.

When Pancake Face saw this, he said arrogantly, “That’s why, if you still want what’s left of your dignity, it’s best you get the monk to scram. It won’t be embarrassing if he doesn’t write.”

Fatty and Monkey were disgruntled. However, what Pancake Face said stood on the side of reason. They had no idea how to counter.

Jing Yan swept her eyes over and shook her head slightly. She was thinking less and less of the monk in front of her. She could not help but ask, “Little Monk, Mr Ouyang’s words exude the style of a master. After several more years of training, I believe he will become a master at the national level. How can you still compete in this competition? No offense, but you have no hopes of winni- Oh!?”

Jing Yan was immediately stumped when she looked at Fangzheng. The gentle-looking Fangzheng’s eyes had suddenly turned empty and bright. It felt like a pool of spring water that was as clear as crystal! With the white-colored White Lunar Monk Robe, Fangzheng’s fair skin, polished bald head, and the white snowy scenery, his entire being suffused a baffling aura of divinity!

Pancake Face was still flattering Ouyang Huazai, while Jiang Songyun was praising Ouyang Huazai’s calligraphy with Sun Guanying. The villagers didn’t understand a thing. Seeing how everyone was deploring Fangzheng, they felt melancholic. Regardless of anything, Fangzheng was one of them! Therefore, many of the villagers had begun engaging in a war of words with the people from the Calligraphy Association. The argument from both sides had reached a crescendo, so no one had noticed the changes Fangzheng was undergoing.

Only Monkey, Fatty, as well as Wu Changxi who had been staring intently at Fangzheng noticed his changes. Seeing how Fangzheng suddenly turned ethereal, the trio had their hearts lifted. Although they did not understand calligraphy, the feeling Fangzheng exuded made the trio have a sense of anticipation for some reason!

With that, Fangzheng began moving. His brush landed, dabbing in a bit of the ink that Jing Yan ground. The next moment, Fangzheng landed his brush on the paper!

Instantly, Monkey, Fatty, Wu Changxi, and Jing Yan seemed to see a bolt of lightning strike down from the skies with a tumultuous bang! The scene in front of them seemed to shatter.

The great gushing Yangtze with piling waves flows towards the east; Away it carries gallant souls of the remote bygone days…

Rumble—

The void seemed to shatter as the tumbling waters of the river seemed to come down from heaven, penetrating the land. Amid the rumbling roar of the river, they could barely make out the heroes from the warring era of the Three Kingdoms!

The ancient fort on the west is said to be The Crimson Cliff, where Zhou of the Three Kingdoms era defeated Wei’s navy!

Stones were hurled into the sky indiscriminately; Mighty waves must have crushed onto shores hurling high snow-like foam!

…

The scenes in front of their eyes changed once again. There was another person appearing by the river bank. He held a feather fan and a silk handkerchief that was used by ancient scholars. He exuded a heroic bearing and amid his banter, rocks flew wantonly as the rivers roared angrily. Water splashed like a snowstorm!

Soldiers and warships appeared as projectiles shuttled through the sky, dying the world red, lighting up the river.

The sounds of fire, war cries, the clashing of weapons and endless figures of heroes flashed by their eyes. The few felt their blood boil as their eyes could not help but turn red!

And at the final moment, this blood-stirring scene was inundated by the rumbling sound of the river, turning into nothingness eventually as it disappeared into the river of history.

However, the shock, regret, and wistful feelings lingered on. They felt mixed emotions that could not be conveyed clearly! They had a wistful feeling over the perishing of the heroes of the world.

“Amitabha!”