"Indeed, now that the instance has changed, the level cap has risen to the Relic Realm," Ethan Shu mused.
Previously, by defeating the Black Mountain Demon, vanquishing the Martial Protector General, and subduing numerous spirits, Ethan Shu had amassed 24,000 cultivation points. With an additional 200 points from slaying the painting spirit, he now had a total of 24,200 points. Ethan Shu invested them all into his cultivation, advancing from the initial to the mid-stage of the Relic Realm.
His Supreme Freedom Relic spun within him, glistening with smoothness and clarity. Buddhas and bodhisattvas appeared upon its surface, as if the relic itself embodied a heavenly realm filled with Buddhas, bodhisattvas, and monks. The purity and immensity of his Buddha power were awe-inspiring.
"I'm now one step closer to my master's level," he murmured.
He went to the shelf and picked up the Tiger Descending the Mountain scroll where he had battled the red-clad spirit. Unrolling it, he saw that the spirit and the demon tiger had dissipated into mere ink stains.
"It seems one painting has been ruined."
The next morning, Ethan Shu called the inn's assistant over, intending to compensate for the damaged painting. Curious, the assistant inspected the scroll and then shook his head. "No need to worry, Saint Monk; it wasn't worth much."
"And this one?" Ethan Shu pointed to the Lady Beneath the Moon and Banana Leaves painting on the wall.
The assistant gasped. "What? The lady is gone from the painting!"
The moon, rockery, and banana leaves remained, but the alluring figure in red had vanished.
"Oh no, this is the boss's favorite painting, so he hung it in the premium room. Now that it's ruined, he'll be furious!"
Clutching his cleaning cloth anxiously, the assistant hurried off to fetch the innkeeper. When the innkeeper arrived and saw the lady's figure missing, he sat on the floor as if the sky had fallen.
Ethan Shu helped him up and offered, "This humble monk has some skill in painting. Allow me to replace it as compensation."
"Paint?!" The innkeeper pushed Ethan Shu away, shouting, "Monk, have you ever seen true beauty?!"
"The woman in this painting is a rare beauty; how could you possibly capture her?"
Ethan Shu chuckled. "Why wouldn't a monk like me have seen true beauty?"
"Assistant, bring me a brush and ink," he called, and the assistant fetched the supplies with a puzzled look.
Ethan Shu spread the painting on the round table and prepared to paint. Images of Serena Nie and Clara Ning's ethereal beauty appeared in his mind.
"I've not only seen one true beauty, I've seen two!"
Using their elegance as inspiration, he began to paint on the Lady Beneath the Moon and Banana Leaves scroll. His strokes flowed gracefully, and soon, a figure in white, embodying all the beauty of the world, appeared on the canvas.
The white-clad figure gave the painting a melancholy and forlorn quality it had previously lacked.
The assistant exclaimed, "Saint Monk, your painting skills are incredible!" "Even a simple man like me feels a sense of sadness as if I resonate with the figure in the painting."
The innkeeper was stunned. "So beautiful…" "If only she could turn around, if only I could see her face…"
Ethan Shu placed a finger on the innkeeper's forehead and commanded, "Foolish man, this is merely an illusion! Wake up!"
Shivering, the innkeeper snapped out of his trance.
With a thud, he knelt before Ethan Shu, pleading, "Saint Monk… is there truly such beauty in the world?"
Ethan Shu shook his head. "The woman in the painting is a figment of my imagination; she does not exist."
Though inspired by Clara Ning and Serena Nie, the figure in the Lady Beneath the Moon and Banana Leaves painting was a creation of his own mind.
"No wonder… No wonder such beauty could not exist." "To look upon her in the painting is enough for me." The innkeeper, looking crestfallen, reached to put away the painting, but Ethan Shu stopped him.
"It's not finished. I need to add a few more strokes."
"Oh, I see! The figure has no feet—are you going to give her feet, Saint Monk?"
Ethan Shu nodded. "Precisely." "Without feet, she risks becoming a restless spirit; with feet, she can be grounded."
Adding a few strokes, he drew a pair of lotus feet beneath the white-clad figure. Then, he sketched a string of Vajra Bodhi prayer beads onto one of the banana leaves.
The innkeeper, puzzled, asked, "Saint Monk, why add prayer beads?"
Ethan Shu glanced at him, his Brahmic Eye seemingly piercing through the veil of karma and fate.
The innkeeper suddenly felt as if his deepest secrets had been laid bare by this young, noble monk.
Returning the brush to the assistant, Ethan Shu explained, "Years ago, you lost your beloved wife, and you've been consumed by grief ever since, channeling your longing into this painting."
"Your fixation brought the beauty in the painting to life as a spirit, but as an evil one."
"She wished to drain people's life essence, so she compelled you to hang the painting in a guest room, allowing her to feast upon the guests' vitality."
"Tell me, am I wrong?"
Through his Brahmic Eye, Ethan Shu could see the karmic burdens surrounding the innkeeper, though they weren't as severe as those on the painting spirit.
"You…" The innkeeper took a few steps back, his face pale as he clutched the edge of the table for support.
The assistant, stunned and fearful, stood rooted in place, curiosity and dread warring within him.
The innkeeper fell to his knees, bowing low. "Please, Saint Monk, save me!"
Ethan Shu gently raised a sleeve of his white monk's robe, releasing a soft yet powerful force that lifted the innkeeper from the ground.
"This humble monk understands that your misdeeds were driven by longing for your departed wife and the spirit's manipulation. Thus, I won't punish you severely."
"However, to cleanse your karmic burdens, you must perform good deeds to atone."
This book is provided by FunNovel Novel Book | Fan Fiction Novel [Beautiful Free Novel Book]