Chapter 585 - 383: One Peerless Work Outshines Ten Thousand

He had achieved the Eleventh Layer of the Fetal Concealment Scripture, and at this moment, he was only just able to devour the Artifact Spirit of this painting.

With just this point, Duan Rong dared to conclude that what Tang Wanhong said earlier, about this painting overshadowing countless others with its solitary greatness, was no empty boast.

Initially, Tang Wanhong was slightly surprised to see Duan Rong calmly observing the painting. The painting’s Mental Realm could be said to exist alongside the spirit of the heavens and earth; anyone with vision would be captivated. Yet, Duan Rong’s expression was overly serene.

But at that moment, Duan Rong’s eyelids twitched, and his gaze at the painting clearly changed.

Tang Wanhong smiled slightly, recalling that Duan Rong was an expert who was initially focused on a technical appraisal, and was only now beginning to truly appreciate the painting’s Mental Realm.

Tang Wanhong smiled silently; a masterpiece like this, once beheld, wouldn’t let one pause. When he first acquired this painting, he gazed at it intermittently for half a day in the room before reluctantly putting it away.

Recalling this, Tang Wanhong sat to the side, savoring his tea, not disturbing Duan Rong.

Though the painting’s Mental Realm was extraordinary, Duan Rong wasn’t so engrossed as to overlook everything else. Besides, he wasn’t genuinely passionate about things like paintings or calligraphy.

The reason Duan Rong feigned focused attention on the painting was, in fact, a guise; his mind had long wandered to the Inner Garden outside the room.

Duan Rong had released his Divine Sense at the corridor and had not retracted it.

He wasn’t succumbing to the alluring spring scenery at the end of the corridor; he just wanted to see what other mischievous schemes might be at play in Shen Yanliu’s Inner Garden.

But just moments ago, a masked black-clad figure dressed in Night Clothes suddenly vaulted in over the tall courtyard wall, landing lightly like a wraith among the dark shadows of the trees.

The black-clad figure’s Body Technique was astonishing. Duan Rong immediately used his Divine Sense to scan through his Dantian.

It was surprisingly at the First Level of the True Qi Realm.

Another expert!

In the Mortal World, an expert of the True Qi Realm was already considered top-tier.

The black-clad figure hid among the shadowy trees, surveyed the surroundings, then suddenly slipped into the corridor.

In the corridor, he stood sideways before a papered window, holding a hairpin in his hand to pierce a hole through the window paper, and gazed intently inside.

The room was precisely that filled with enchanting spring scenery and constant murmuring sounds.

At this moment, Tang Wanhong had already stood, smiling as he looked at Duan Rong, and asked, "Sir, what do you think of this painting?"

Duan Rong’s Divine Sense still focused on the black-clad figure outside; he merely echoed in agreement, "A peerless masterpiece, a peerless masterpiece!"

Duan Rong’s somewhat distracted, restless demeanor precisely made Tang Wanhong believe he was astonished by the profoundness of the painting’s Mental Realm of Autumn Clearing.

Tang Wanhong chuckled twice and said, "This painting is one to encounter by chance, not sought. Sir, you seem to like it much, and have quite a fate with it. As they say, a fine steed is gifted to a hero. Such a peerless masterpiece deserves only to be held by a connoisseur like you to not disgrace it."

"Ah!" Duan Rong was slightly stunned by Tang Wanhong’s words.

Under the coverage of his Divine Sense, he saw that the black-clad figure lingered outside the enchanting room for a moment before weaving through the dark corridor seemingly heading toward the room where he was.

In the entire Inner Garden, only faint sounds emerged from that direction, and only the room where Duan Rong was shone with yellow light, naturally drawing the figure’s attention.

Tang Wanhong observed Duan Rong not opposing, assumed he had accepted, then rolled up the painting on the table, returned it to the wooden box, and handed the box to Duan Rong.

At this moment, the silhouette had already pierced a small hole into the window paper.

Thoughts whirled in Duan Rong’s mind.

This person is clearly not one of Tang Wanhong’s; Tang Wanhong is sitting beside him, why go to an extra effort to have someone monitor outside?

Then why did this person come?

In the corridor outside the room, the black-clad figure was about to peer into the room, when suddenly, from the darkness outside the corridor, a figure darted out from the shrubbery.

A long blade flashed with a cold gleam, aiming directly at the back of the one peering into the room.

In the chilling night, the cold light was swift as lightning!

The black-clad figure also had keen senses, instantly detecting the threat behind, unsheathed his sword, and met the approaching gleam.

Instantly, a series of clashing weapons echoed from outside the door.

"Who is it?!" Tang Wanhong was just handing the wooden box to Duan Rong when suddenly he heard the sound of clashing weapons.

Panicked, Tang Wanhong hurriedly cradled the wooden box, pushed the door open, stood outside the door in the corridor, and looked toward the source of the weapon clashing sounds.

Duan Rong also stood by his side.

At this moment, they saw two figures dueling back and forth amidst the dark Inner Garden, the gleam of weapons like shimmering water waves in the night.

The person fighting the black-clad figure was the one in the corridor wearing a felt hat, whom Guan Kui had called the drunkard brawler. It seemed, though this person rarely parted with his wine, he was internally vigilant.

The black-clad figure was only just outside the door yet was discovered by him.

Duan Rong watched the two fighting in the garden; it had merely been two rounds when he was greatly astonished.

Orchid Chaos Sword?

It’s Shen Mizi?!

Duan Rong hadn’t previously used his Divine Sense to see through the black cloth covering the black-clad figure’s face because they were in Ruyang Prefecture, where he assumed he wouldn’t recognize the person.

He honestly hadn’t expected the visitor would be Shen Mizi.

Meanwhile, the two were evenly matched in battle within the garden. The clanging of weapons rang out in the chilly night, already alerting the Guards hidden around.