Chapter Ninety-Nine: Crushing Victory in the First Round!

The first round of the competition lasted half a watch, which is one full hour. Yet, after half an hour had passed, the young woman who had just left returned, carrying several charcoal sticks and a wooden board.

Li Yi had been resting with his eyes closed, feeling something amiss only when the girl had not returned for a while. After a moment’s thought, he realized it was the work of the Ugly Maiden again. But Li Yi was not worried; he trusted that she wouldn’t dare make things too difficult for him. If a scene broke out, no one would come out unscathed.

As soon as the girl stepped into the room, Li Yi opened his eyes and glanced at the items she held. A faint smile curved his lips. Half an hour? That was more than enough.

Without a word, he took the materials from her hands and immediately began to draw. Indeed, Li Yi was sketching. While he could paint traditional Chinese ink paintings, his skill only amounted to doodling. Sketching, however, was his true expertise, something he had studied for a long time. In fact, while resting with his eyes closed, he had already laid out a rough draft in his mind, confident and well-prepared.

As for the girl, Li Yi paid her no mind. Clearly, she was just a runner; there was no reason to blame her. Besides, arguing with her now would be sheer folly.

...

Another half hour later, a gong sounded. The first round of the competition was over!

Li Yi only stopped drawing when the drumbeat reached him. But at least he finished on time.

The moment the gong rang, a young woman came forward to collect the paintings, giving Li Yi no chance to make any further adjustments. He was contestant number twelve, and he understood the situation perfectly well. He did not resist, handing over his work decisively. He even noticed a trace of pity and regret in the young woman’s eyes.

“Heh, looks like no one has much faith in me,” he muttered.

...

Outside, when several young women appeared holding the numbered scrolls, the crowd instantly erupted with excitement. They had been waiting eagerly!

“Haha, this is truly a feast for the eyes! A painting contest—haven’t seen one for years, and such an innovative format too. Really looking forward to it!”

“Yes, I heard that Master Yan Liben’s disciple, Han Feng, is also competing. He’s the leading figure among the younger generation!”

“Indeed! It’s almost certain he’ll take the championship today!”

“Hmm, I think so too. Oh, and did you hear that the renowned Jade Qilin of Chang’an, Li Wenyong, is here as well?”

“Yeah, I heard that too. The Jade Qilin is quite the eccentric, but he’s only famous for his poetry and calligraphy. I haven’t heard of any other particular talents. It’s a pity the competition is about painting. The other two events probably have nothing to do with poetry or calligraphy, so I doubt this Jade Qilin will pass even the first round!”

“That’s true, but maybe it’s for the best—to cool him down a bit. After all, he’s still quite young. Being called a master at just a teenager is a bit much. Young people can be sharp, but it’s not good to be too overbearing!”

“Absolutely, well said!”

...

While the crowd chatted, the twelve paintings were successively unrolled by the young women for everyone to admire.

The eager spectators immediately gathered around, starting with the first painting.

“Hmm! This painting seems to depict us drinking and discussing poetry. Look at those graceful lines, the clear ink washes, and the meticulous composition. It’s a fine piece, but it lacks a certain depth of artistic conception.”

“Yes, indeed. Lord Zhou is truly an expert in this field, his observation is spot on!”

“Haha, not at all, that’s just my humble opinion. But I didn’t expect to see such a masterpiece here at the Xiaoxiang Pavilion today. It’s definitely worth the trip.”

“Lord Zhou is right; it’s not a wasted visit. Let’s move on to the second painting.”

“Alright, let’s see... Hmm, this second one is clearly not as good as the first. The lines and composition look messy, and there’s no artistic conception at all. This is obviously a beginner’s work, though it’s a decent start.”

“The third one...”

“The fourth...”

Up to the tenth painting, the crowd found no other masterpiece. The lines were either chaotic or the technique clumsy—none compared to the first.

“Alas, a true masterpiece is hard to come by. Let’s see the next one. Huh?”

The crowd noticed Lord Zhou suddenly stopping mid-sentence and looking up at the painting. They too were captivated.

“What a wonderful work—a true masterpiece! The lines, composition, ink washes, all flawless. Even more impressively, it carries a subtle artistic conception. Look how lifelike the figures are—truly remarkable!”

“Yes! This painting is incredible. Hey, don’t you think its style resembles Master Yan’s?”

“Hey, now that you mention it, it does!”

“This must be the work of Yan’s prized disciple, Han Feng!”

“Exactly. No wonder he’s so famous! Looks like this will be the champion painting today!”

...

“Alright, that’s enough for us. No need to look at the last one.”

“Wait! That’s not right. Come take a look—oh my!”

“What’s wrong? Could there possibly be a painting even better than Han Feng’s? That’s impossible. Let me see if it’s just terrible... What? Good heavens!”

The crowd’s attention was drawn by the two voices and they involuntarily turned to look. Once they did, they couldn’t look away. Gasps filled the air, even from Lord Zhou.

“Heavens! Am I dreaming?”

“This... this is incredible!”

...

Upstairs, the other contestants anxiously awaited the results. Though the judging was happening on the first floor, faint comments could be heard even on the second floor.

Hearing the praise below, some contestants grew disappointed, others delighted. Yet two remained calm: Li Yi, who had never known what it meant to be nervous, and Han Feng.

Han Feng, as Master Yan Liben’s prized disciple, bore his own pride. Yan Liben was a true master, the very artist who had painted for Li Er. Han Feng had always believed that the only person who could defeat him was himself. He joined the contest to test himself in a new environment, to see if he could break through his limits. Clearly, he had succeeded. Under the pressure of competition, he broke through his bottleneck and infused his painting with genuine emotion—a vital step toward becoming a grandmaster. He had struggled for a long time without progress and thought he might never advance further. But this competition forced his breakthrough.

Proud, Han Feng basked in the compliments below. At around thirty years old, standing on the threshold of mastery, he was truly a prodigy.

But just then, the room fell eerily silent. The sudden stillness unnerved Han Feng, and the other contestants sensed something was wrong. All voices ceased, the atmosphere thickened to the point where one could hear a pin drop.

After the incense stick burned halfway, footsteps finally echoed from outside, easing the tension. Some were drenched in sweat.

Several breaths later, a young woman entered and wasted no time announcing the results.

“The winner of the first round is contestant number twelve, with seventy-three votes!”

The moment she spoke, all eyes turned to Li Yi in disbelief.

Number twelve was Li Yi himself, who had won by an overwhelming majority. Yet Li Yi behaved as if nothing had happened, engrossed in a battle with the pile of food before him.

Damn it, sketching was exhausting—time to replenish his energy!