Mang Shusheng's Ink Painting Practice

Chapter 26 This Child Deserves Praise

When Zhao Yifu opened his eyes, it was still dark.

He stretched out his body and felt extremely comfortable.

At this time, Yiyi at the head of his bed raised her head and meowed softly, then lay down again, closed her eyes and fell asleep snoring.

The breathing sounded heavy and it looked very tired.

Zhao Yifu was a little puzzled. Why did this little kitten look like it hadn't rested for a long time?

But then he felt an unbearable hunger, as if he hadn't eaten for three days.

At this moment, there was a sound of papers rustling on the table.

He looked up and saw a piece of paper on a stack of manuscripts on the table in the room being lifted up in the air and then gently placed beside it.

He blinked, and then the true energy flowed into his eyes. When his spiritual eyes opened, he saw Liang Zhongzhi's Yin Spirit floating in front of the table, carefully reading the manuscript he had written earlier.

Zhao Yifu hurriedly stood up, but when he tried to push with his feet, they were so soft that it felt like he was stepping on cotton, and he fell to his knees with a thud.

Liang Zhongzhi said without even looking up, "No need for such a grand ceremony."

Zhao Yifu scratched his head, feeling embarrassed. He had never even kneeled to his own father.

But at this time, he had to make up for it, so he said: "It is only natural for students to kneel before teachers, not to mention that the teacher is checking students' homework..."

Then he realized that it was no wonder that his legs were bent and weak. His legs were also weak when he came out during the summer vacation that year.

To be honest, the relationship between Liang Zhongzhi and Zhao Yifu could not be elevated to an orthodox teacher-student relationship, but rather an ordinary teaching and learning relationship.

Only those who are formally apprenticing to each other can perform the kneeling ceremony.

But Liang Zhongzhi didn't object. He just pondered for a moment and said, "Stand up and talk. Let's talk about your article."

Only then did Zhao Yi Fu prop himself up and stand up.

He himself was a little surprised. Was this considered climbing up the ladder?

He quickly stood up straight beside him.

Then Liang Zhongzhi said calmly: "You can evaluate this article yourself first."

Zhao Yifu was actually a little confused. He couldn't even remember what he had written. He had written a lot of words without realizing it, and he had been asleep for who knows how long...

Now his mind was blank, and he could only say vaguely: "I felt quite comfortable when I was writing."

Liang Zhongzhi glanced at him and then commented: "The first half of this article is full of nonsense and meaningless. It can be said to be worthless."

"But the middle part starts to introduce your own thoughts and insights, which is already quite interesting."

“Although I finally wrote about the enlightenment of the Small Zhoutian, there are too many questions in the middle. It’s a pity that it is not perfect.”

"If I were to give you an evaluation, the first half of your article would be worthless, the middle part would be full of twists and turns, and the latter part would be just okay. I'd probably give you a B+."

Zhao Yifu was quite happy to hear this evaluation. After all, according to Liang Zhongzhi, he felt that he could only get a C grade.

He said happily, "Thank you, Master Liang, for your guidance."

Liang Zhongzhi was stunned for a moment, then said with dismay, "A mere B-grade makes you so happy? You can obviously achieve A-grade or even better!"

Zhao Yifu was in a trance, as if he saw his homeroom teacher from his previous life again...

He came back to his senses and said cautiously, "But Master Liang, this is the best evaluation you have ever given me."

"In the past, I could only get a B grade at best." Liang Zhongzhi was also in a daze, and he understood the crux of the problem.

After reading Zhao Yifu's article, he subconsciously treated Zhao Yifu with the same attitude as he would a top student. However, the problem was that the child's grades had always been in the middle and lower levels, and this kind of spur-of-the-moment education didn't seem to be working...

So Liang Zhongzhi changed his attitude... no, he changed his approach.

He slowed down his expression and said gently, "I just hope you can keep going. Your true potential has begun to be realized, and you can hold yourself to higher standards."

Zhao Yi Fu nodded repeatedly after hearing this, but his clear eyes fully revealed his mental state at the moment... You say yours, and I listen to mine.

Liang Zhongzhi stopped talking. He felt that it was very difficult to deal with him. In the past, he was only good at teaching excellent students, but he felt unsure about this kind of students who had been mediocre for a long time but suddenly showed outstanding talents.

So he simply coughed and got back to the point, "Now let's talk about the questions you raised in this article."

"First, it's about you using Lingxu Finger Strength to refine your essence into true Qi."

Zhao Yifu suddenly became serious, this was what he cared about.

Liang Zhongzhi nodded upon seeing this and continued, "Actually, the 'Lingxu Finger Strength' in the Molu Academy's grottoes doesn't have this function on its own. It's your combination of it with your own external skills that creates a similar effect. This is actually a supreme method in martial arts practice."

"Originally, this method, which I created by chance, was very dangerous, but seeing that the analysis and argument in your article are very complete, it means that this method is feasible."

Zhao Yifu's eyes sparkled when he heard this. Knowing that this was feasible, he felt relieved.

He sighed and said, "It's good that there are no hidden dangers. I thought there would be hidden dangers in this kind of Qi training."

Liang Zhongzhi said indifferently: "Don't worry about this matter."

Liang Zhongzhi didn't seem to be interested in this kind of dynamic exercise... Well, he had seen many geniuses who could complete the small circulation of qi through meditation for only a hundred days. There was really nothing to say about Zhao Yifu, a mediocre person who spent five years and had to rely on dynamic exercises to achieve success.

Perhaps for Liang Zhongzhi, the only shining point of Zhao Yifu in this matter is his independent pursuit of change in practice.

He said, "Now let's talk about your biggest doubt. You mentioned twice that you refined your true energy while completely absorbed in painting, right?"

Zhao Yifu nodded seriously. This was indeed the biggest question in his mind.

Liang Zhongzhi looked at Zhao Yifu and said, "To be honest, I personally think that what you've experienced is what our Danqing Sect should truly be like: devoting oneself to the four arts of music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, with a focused mind and a calm spirit, thus generating true energy."

"The true energy cultivated at this time even exceeds Yang and spiritual energy, and can drive the rapid progress of the four arts of music, chess, calligraphy and painting."

Zhao Yifu was overjoyed when he heard this. He knew that this situation should be good. Now that he had Liang Zhongzhi's affirmation, he naturally felt more at ease.

Liang Zhongzhi paused and continued, "Actually, there's also the process of you writing this article. Do you know how long it took you to write and how long you slept?"

Zhao Yifu shook his head. He didn't have time to know these things.

Liang Zhongzhi said: "You wrote for one day and one night, and slept for two days and one night!"

"During this process, you achieved a state of concentration and selflessness, thus connecting with the universe!"

“Only by focusing one’s mind can one forget oneself, and only by forgetting oneself can one empathize with the universe.”

"In this way, the true qi you cultivate will not simply be the qi of the human body, but the true yang qi of heaven and earth."

Liang Zhongzhi looked at Zhao Yifu and slowly smiled. "Junxin, good boy, you have already accomplished something that many people may not be able to do in their entire lives. You are born to be a cultivator."

Zhao Yifu's cheeks flushed. Why was he so taken with the teacher's praise?
He cheered up and said, "Thank you, Master Liang, for your guidance. I will definitely continue to work hard and not let you down!"

Liang Zhongzhi nodded with a smile, then said, "In that case, I can fulfill my promise to you. I will teach you a new and wonderful method."

He had a smile on his face, but was secretly sweating in his heart: I finally found a way to teach this kind of naughty child, which is to praise him, and praise him hard.

(End of this chapter)