Chapter 610 - 610: The Brush Moves Like a Dragon, Dashing and Graceful

Zhao Yuan couldn't help but chuckle. Grandpa Lin was truly obsessed with the art of calligraphy to the extreme.

He said no more. Standing before the desk, he activated the Thought Borrowing Technique, borrowing knowledge and skill in calligraphy from the eclectic arts left behind by Wu Peng. He closed his eyes and regulated his breathing, taking the opportunity to allow this newfound knowledge and skill to better integrate with his own being.

Lin Liangzhe stood by without rushing him.

In his eyes, Zhao Yuan was preparing his state of mind before putting brush to paper!

Chinese calligraphy valued not only beautiful form but, more importantly, a spiritual resonance. Only a piece that excelled in both spirit and form could be considered Upper Grade. Work that had form but no spirit was considered inferior. But work that had spirit without form lacked aesthetic beauty, which was equally undesirable.

The seconds ticked by.

Finally, Zhao Yuan opened his eyes and picked up the brush.

'It's starting!'

Filled with anticipation, Lin Liangzhe's eyes widened. He wanted to watch and memorize every step, every detail of Zhao Yuan's brushwork, so he could study it later.

The last time, Zhao Yuan had written four words for him: "More vigorous with age." He had spent months studying those four words, and the benefits had been immense—his calligraphy had even risen to a new level. That was why he was so full of anticipation and longing for Zhao Yuan's work!

But just then, Zhao Yuan suddenly turned his head and asked, "Oh, by the way, Grandpa Lin, what would you like me to write?"

"Huh?" Lin Liangzhe was stunned.

'Haven't you already decided what to write and prepared your state of mind? Why are you asking me what I want? So all that time just now, you weren't getting ready at all, you were just zoning out with your eyes closed?'

After taking a moment to compose himself, Lin Liangzhe asked, "You mean you can write anything I ask for?"

"That's right." Zhao Yuan nodded.

The calligraphy skills inherited from Wu Peng were an amalgamation of the strengths of countless masters. No matter what he wrote, the result would be extraordinary.

"Alright then." A glint appeared in Lin Liangzhe's eye as he said with a grin, "In that case, write me a copy of the *Preface to the Orchid Pavilion Collection*!"

The *Preface to the Orchid Pavilion Collection*, a work by the Calligraphy Saint, Wang Xizhi, was lauded as the greatest piece of Running Script in the world.

Throughout history, countless people had used it as a model for practice and study. But those who could truly master its techniques and grasp its essence were few and far between.

The original manuscript of the *Preface to the Orchid Pavilion Collection* had been buried with Emperor Tang Taizong in the Zhao Ling mausoleum upon his death, vanishing from the world forever. The versions in circulation today are all copies and rubbings. Even so, they are highly sought after, with the finest examples fetching extraordinary prices.

Zhao Yuan had studied the *Preface to the Orchid Pavilion Collection* back in middle school, but he had long forgotten most of it.

But that didn't matter. The moment he heard the title, the full text of the *Preface* automatically appeared on the Information Leaf. The characters that manifested were fluid and unrestrained—neither jarring nor aggressive, but perfectly balanced and composed, imbued with a divine spirit and exuding an air of carefree elegance.

They were the very words from the original *Preface to the Orchid Pavilion Collection*, written by the hand of Wang Xizhi himself!

An ordinary person could never see the original manuscript of Wang Xizhi's masterpiece, but Wu Peng was no ordinary person. For him, viewing the original was no trouble at all.

Seeing the original masterpiece appear on the Information Leaf, an idea sparked in Zhao Yuan's mind. 'Grandpa Lin asked me for the *Preface to the Orchid Pavilion Collection*, so he must be a huge fan of Wang Xizhi's Running Script. Since that's the case, I'll write it for him using Wang Xizhi's very own technique!'

Relying on the Thought Borrowing Technique and the calligraphic mastery inherited from Wu Peng, imitating Wang Xizhi's style was not difficult for Zhao Yuan.

Taking a deep breath to compose himself, Zhao Yuan lifted the brush and gently dipped it into the inkstone.

In that instant, his entire demeanor and aura changed.

Both Lin Liangzhe and Lin Xue clearly sensed the change in him.

The impression Zhao Yuan gave off now was that of an elegant and unrestrained ancient scholar of immense talent. One couldn't help but be utterly captivated by his presence.

'Amazing!' Lin Liangzhe couldn't help but exclaim in his heart.

Zhao Yuan's face hadn't changed in the slightest. And yet, his aura and demeanor made Lin Liangzhe feel as if he weren't standing before Zhao Yuan, but before the Calligraphy Saint, Wang Xizhi, himself!

Although Zhao Yuan had yet to touch brush to paper, had yet to write a single character, Lin Liangzhe was already certain. His calligraphy would be just as breathtaking and astonishing as it was last time.

Under Lin Liangzhe's expectant gaze, Zhao Yuan's brush finally moved.

It moved like a soaring dragon—elegant, agile, and fluid, flowing across the paper in a single, unbroken flourish.

"In the ninth year of the Yonghe reign, in the year of Guichou, at the beginning of late spring..."

Character after character appeared on the paper, each seeming to possess a life of its own. They reflected in Lin Liangzhe's eyes and struck him to the very core.

"How... how is this possible? These characters... this..."

Looking at the characters Zhao Yuan was writing, Lin Liangzhe was utterly shocked.

He wanted to scream, to cry out in astonishment, but he was terrified of disturbing Zhao Yuan. He could only clamp a hand tightly over his mouth. At the same time, he was so shocked and excited that his words were becoming incoherent.

In the end, he stopped trying to speak. He simply stared, wide-eyed, his gaze locked on every character that flowed from Zhao Yuan's brush.

His expression was like that of a starving wolf that had just spotted a plump rabbit—it was actually a little terrifying.

In that moment, his breathing grew ragged, and his heart rate and blood pressure soared.

But he didn't feel any discomfort—only a profound, thrilling excitement!

He could tell that Zhao Yuan was writing the *Preface* using Wang Xizhi's own technique and spirit! Yet the characters he produced were infinitely more brilliant than any of the famous copies or rubbings that existed in the world.

No matter how skilled the copyist, limitations in medium and technique meant that all copies and rubbings inevitably differed from the original. But the characters Zhao Yuan was now writing, Lin Liangzhe felt, had surpassed every copy and rubbing in existence!

This was clearly the version closest to the original masterpiece!

In fact, if Lin Liangzhe could have seen the true original, he would have discovered that Zhao Yuan's rendition had already surpassed it.

This was because he wasn't just using the calligraphic techniques left by Wu Peng, but also Wu Peng's profound understanding of the art form itself—an understanding that incorporated insights into the very nature of the Celestial Dao.

Wang Xizhi may have been the Calligraphy Saint, but when he wrote the *Preface to the Orchid Pavilion Collection*, he was still only a mortal. His understanding of the Celestial Dao and the art of calligraphy had indeed reached the zenith of mortal achievement, but compared to Wu Peng, there was still a vast difference.

Therefore, the version of the *Preface to the Orchid Pavilion Collection* that Zhao Yuan was now writing was a work where the student had surpassed the master.

Zhao Yuan finished writing the *Preface to the Orchid Pavilion Collection* in a single, fluid session.

Unlike Feng Chengsu's famous copy, which faithfully reproduced even the original's ink blots and corrections, Zhao Yuan's version contained not a single smudge or alteration.

This was because it was not a mere copy, but a complete re-creation!