I became an immortal in the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 243 Would you like to enter the painting and take a look?

A few days later, in front of the Taoist temple on Tiantai Mountain.

The mountain mist shrouded the entire Taoist temple in a hazy mist.

As dawn broke, the light shone through the misty fog onto the bright murals. A sparrow landed on the wall, only to be startled into flight by the sound of approaching people.

The murals are not inside the main hall, but are painted on a secluded section of the courtyard wall within the temple. This section of the courtyard wall is located in the backyard of the Taoist temple, where there are few worshippers on weekdays, and only a few young Taoist boys who sweep and clean occasionally pass by. It is very quiet and convenient for distinguished guests to view.

Sima Chengzhen had already ordered the Taoist priests to block off that small section of the road.

He had a wooden fence erected around the area and assigned two Taoist priests to guard it, to prevent worshippers from barging in.

The worshippers were puzzled.

Why can't we go in that section of road?

"Indeed, I heard that the temple has recently painted a new picture of Liu Ruan's encounter with the immortals at Tiantai, so I came here specifically to see it. Why is it suddenly sealed off?" The scholar wanted to go and take a look.

Hearing the commotion, the pilgrims gradually gathered and began to discuss it.

"When we came last month, we could freely enjoy the sights. Could something have happened?"

The Taoist priests had no choice but to bow and clasp their hands in thanks.

"Please forgive us, fellow believers, this is the Guru's instruction. Not only you, but we are also not allowed to enter for the next few days."

Everyone was surprised.

"I can't even see the Taoist priests in the temple?"

The worshippers looked at each other, puzzled: "What's wrong with the murals? Could it be that a high-ranking official has come to the temple?"

The Taoist priests looked at each other and gave each other bitter smiles.

"The specific reasons were not explained to us by the master. Please forgive us."

After much persuasion and a promise to inform them immediately upon the lifting of the lockdown, most of the pilgrims were finally persuaded to turn back.

The two Taoist priests turned around and went to appease the most difficult member of the royal family—Princess Yuzhen, who was also curious about the fact that part of the Taoist temple was sealed off and not shown to outsiders, sent her maid to ask.

He repeated what he had just said before, and finally persuaded the person to go back.

After the crowd dispersed.

Both Taoist priests breathed a sigh of relief. One of them wiped his sweat and looked into the distance at the sealed-off courtyard wall.

"Senior brother, what's so special about those murals that the Master had them stopped?"

Another person also sized them up, and after a while said:

"How would I know?"

……

……

In front of the courtyard wall.

Chen Hong's tone was unusually hesitant. As someone who had personally witnessed the immortals, he no longer wanted to have his eyes "dotted."

Chen Hong spoke cautiously, offering several reminders from the side.

“Young Master Jiang, we know each other well, so I don’t need to hide anything from you.”

"They say that I, Chen Hong, impulsively added eyes to a painting and encountered a celestial being. I cannot go into details about this, but it is true. I have experienced this twice already, and I should take it as a warning."

"Sometimes, people should have a sense of awe."

"In the past two years, when I paint immortals and gods, I have not dared to add eyes."

The immortal spared him twice.

It is said that once or twice is acceptable, but a third time is not. Chen Hong felt that he would not have a third chance.

Although the deities depicted in his murals were not the same ones he had seen amidst the clouds of Mount Tai during the Fengshan ceremony, he dared not entertain the idea.

Thinking of this, Chen Hong paused, still feeling a lingering fear.

He said with emotion:

"There are gods watching from above..."

Chen Hong tried to persuade Jiang She with earnest words, but Jiang She picked up his pen, as if he hadn't listened to anything Chen Hong had said.

This……

Chen Hong looked to Sima Chengzhen for help.

He hoped that this Taoist master could help persuade him.

Sima Chengzhen, though his beard was white, did not notice his gaze. He stroked his beard and smiled, appearing unperturbed.

For a moment, Chen Hong even felt that the old man seemed to be expecting something.

Could it be that Jiang Langjun's painting skills are extremely superb? Jiang She was examining the mural.

The mural is titled "Liu and Ruan's Encounter with Immortals at Tiantai Mountain." It depicts the two people longing for their hometown after living in the mountains for half a year and wanting to visit it.

Two young women, their clothes fluttering in the breeze, were followed by some exquisite pavilions and towers. Two young men, carrying heavy bamboo baskets on their backs and with mud on their shoes, were heading down the mountain, as if saying goodbye.

In the distance, the painter added a few strokes to depict houses, and one could vaguely see broken tiles and crumbling walls.

Jiang She was quite self-aware of his own handicraft and painting skills.

He examined the painting closely, observing its spirit and charm, and remained engrossed for a long time.

Chen Hong waited for a while, but Jiang Langjun didn't make a move. He was puzzled and tried to persuade him again:

“If Mr. Jiang has any reservations, perhaps we should call it quits and…”

Jiang She finally caught a glimpse of divine light.

I lifted my pen and made a point.

With just a light touch, before the ink had even dried, the entire mural seemed to come alive instantly.

The originally static painting suddenly gained a lively and dynamic charm.

The clouds above seemed to be drifting, and as the group stood in front of the wall, they could almost feel the gentle breeze blowing from the walls, and even hear a few farewells.

At some point, the two goddesses in the painting had their eyes painted on.

Chen Hong paused, took two steps back, and stared at his mural in disbelief.

"This……"

Just then, the entire mural began to tremble slightly, and the voices inside grew louder and louder, as if they were about to come to life and break free from the constraints of the wall.

Sanshui and Chuyi took a few steps back.

"Senior, it sounds like someone is speaking!"

"Not only that, it seems there's also wind, wind coming from the painting!"

As they spoke, the scene in the painting trembled more and more violently. Jiang She stopped them in time to prevent them from actually flying away from the painting and creating two more people in the world, Liu Chen and Ruan Zhao.

He stretched out his hand a little.

The entire painting was pressed into the wall.

Everything fell silent, except for the clouds in the painting that had drifted a few inches further away.

Li Bai and Yuan Danqiu gripped each other's sleeves, speechless. Chen Hong was so shocked he dared not move, feeling as if he were in a dream. After a long while, he remembered to pinch himself.

Ouch, that hurts.

It's actually true...?
He looked at Sima Chengzhen, his tone questioning, and in his fear, he spoke incoherently.

"Master, then... has my painting truly come to life?"

Sima Chengzhen observed and studied the painting.

He watched the fluttering robes above, and recalling the few words of reluctant farewell he had overheard, his heart filled with growing horror. After a long while, he suppressed the fear, greed, and anger within him.

Sima Chengzhen raised his hand.

He bowed and said:

"The master spent a month writing down this method."

"Using spirit as the guiding principle and ink as the medium, it allows the spirit of every corner to be awakened, and the soul to enter the realm of painting. Truly, it is extremely powerful!"

Sanshui and Chuyi stared wide-eyed. They stared at the mural for a while, whispering that the clouds were moving and the clothes seemed to be fluttering. They then asked each other what voices they had heard.

Jiang She put his pen back down.

Some were pleased that they had found a key to the essence of that charm.

The painting wasn't stained.

A single act can come true.

The first painting he created was of mice, but now that the cat has taken it, Jiang She has no intention of wandering through the mouse painting to see the mice.

The second picture is this "Encountering Immortals at Tiantai Mountain," but I wonder what the scene depicts.

Jiang She looked at the stunned group of people.

He smiled and invited her.

"Gentlemen, would you be willing to enter the painting and take a look?"

【Ask for monthly ticket】

(End of this chapter)