Mythical Scroll Artist: Starting with the God of Wealth, Zhao Gongming

Chapter 51 Strange Tattoo Ingredients

"You want to be a scroll painter?" Wu Xian asked with a strange expression.

Tattooed guy Lin Yang nodded devoutly.

"But aren't you involved in nude scroll art?"

"It's because I can't become a scroll painter that I started messing around with this stuff," the tattooed guy said, his eyes clear. "If you could really master scroll painting, who would bother with this kind of thing?"

Wu Xian became more and more confused as he listened. "You created the art of human figure painting because you couldn't learn how to paint scrolls?"

“Yeah,” Lin Yang replied without hesitation, “The mixing and application of spirituality, isn’t that what scroll painters study? Back then, I didn’t have money to buy spiritual paper, so I picked up some scraps to mix with paint and then tested it on myself.”

As he spoke, he pulled out a large pile of scroll painter's tools and drafts from his subspace bracelet.

“Brother, please look. I have never given up on my dream over the years. This is a draft of a scroll I conceived in my spare time,” Lin Yang kept showing it to Wu Xian. “Unfortunately, it failed as soon as it was put on the spiritual paper. It could not be completed at all.”

Wu Xian flipped through Lin Yang's concept sketches. Judging from the drawing skills alone, they were quite good, and even had a unique artistic feel to them.

But the style of the paintings looked strange no matter how you looked at them; something just didn't feel right.

"Where did you learn to draw?" Wu Xian asked, puzzled.

"I learned it from my dad."

"Your father is a painter?" Wu Xian asked in surprise.

“My dad is also a tattoo artist, it’s a family heirloom, and he studied painting for a few years,” Lin Yang said with pride. “The tattoos on those thugs on Shudao Street were all done by my father and me, and our reputation is absolutely impeccable.”

"..." Wu Xian didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

No wonder this guy's paintings looked increasingly off.

"Please enlighten me, brother, where exactly is my problem?" Lin Yang looked at Wu Xian expectantly.

"It's not really instruction, it's more like mutual learning," Wu Xian waved his hand and smiled. "I'll teach you painting, and you teach me how to apply spiritual pigments to people, how about that?"

"Ok, Ok."

Lin Yang did not hesitate at all, fearing that Wu Xian would change his mind.

Over the years, he had tried to learn from scroll artists, but as soon as they heard he was a tattoo artist, they looked at him like he was trash and chased him away.

He was thrilled that someone was willing to give him guidance.

"With so many conceptual sketches, not a single one could be rolled up?"

Wu Xian continued to look through Lin Yang's achievements over the years, secretly wondering.

Lin Yang shook his head awkwardly.

"Not a single one?" Wu Xian asked again to confirm.

Logically speaking, it's impossible for none of them to succeed. After all, even a bad scroll is still a scroll; the only difference is the quality of the result.

"Try drawing one on your practice paper."

"It's embarrassing."

Lin Yang took out a bunch of bottles and jars of homemade paint and began a live demonstration.

Wu Xian immediately noticed something was wrong. "The spiritual fluctuations in your paint are very strange."

Pick up a bottle of paint and examine it closely; its spiritual structure is completely different from that of common paints.

"Don't tell me this is the ink you use for tattoos?" Wu Xian asked strangely.

"What else?" Lin Yang replied without hesitation.

"..."

Good heavens, nothing's normal here, it would be a miracle if it succeeded.

Perhaps it is precisely because of these unique characteristics that they are able to come up with such a bizarre idea as spiritual tattoos on the human body?
Then, Wu Xian discussed the mixing of spiritual pigments with Lin Yang, which once again broadened his understanding.

The tattoo artist's method of mixing paints greatly impressed him; it could only be described as unconventional.

In this way, Wu Xian guided him on the normal way of mixing spiritual pigments while learning the tattoo guy's mixing method.

Both sides studied very enthusiastically and felt they had gained a lot.

After a while, Zhang Mazi, who was waiting outside, thought something had happened and came in to check.

The tattoo artist became more and more excited as he learned, "I was wondering why the paint always seemed to bleed when I painted on spiritual paper. It turns out it was because I wasn't mixing the paint correctly."

"In addition, your drawing style also needs to be adjusted slightly."

While giving instructions, Wu Xian curiously picked up Lin Yang's paint and tried it. Sure enough, the paint bleed on the spiritual paper.

It's seriously affecting the drawing process.

Next, I tried applying the paint to the back of my hand. I could clearly feel the spiritual substances in the paint penetrating my skin, and it felt like a burning sensation. I quickly wiped the paint off my hand and thought to myself, this guy is truly a genius.

"Didn't you ever think of trying commercially available paints?" Wu Xian asked, puzzled.

"After trying a few times without success, I gave up buying it; it's too expensive."

Wu Xian was speechless.

This is probably what's called a poor person's mindset.

Just then, a commotion broke out outside, and the two hurried out to investigate.

"Brother Lin, please save him..."

A street thug rushed into the clinic carrying another unconscious thug, looking anxious.

"Don't worry!"

Lin Yang immediately began to examine the patient's condition, his brows furrowing deeper and deeper.

Wu Xian quickly realized the thug's condition was a common ailment in shantytowns, but this thug's condition was quite serious, with many parts of his body already starting to wither and harden.

A typical symptom of "distorted pollution".

However, what Lin Yang, the tattooed guy, did next completely stunned him.

He pulled out bottles and jars of tattoo ink and began to tattoo the thug's body.

"this……?!"

Lin Yang smiled innocently and explained, "My dad discovered back then that tattooing certain spiritual pigments into the human body could help many people stop the worsening of their illnesses. Now, my pigments are even more effective."

"?!"

Wu Xian stared wide-eyed in disbelief.

In an instant, the image of the bald, tattooed man in front of me suddenly became majestic, and his shiny bald head began to shine.

Then look at the way Zhang Mazi and his gang, along with the other thugs, looked at the tattooed guy—they were filled with respect.

Soon after, the comatose thug gradually regained his vital signs, only to have some simple tattoos appear all over his body.

"You guys have tattoos too, right? Why can't I see them?" Wu Xian asked Zhang Mazi, puzzled.

Zhang Mazi calmly said, "The tattoos on our bodies are quite special. They require multiple sessions of tattooing and absorption, so they are not visible under normal circumstances. They only appear when spiritual power is activated."

As he spoke, he channeled his spiritual energy, revealing the faint lines on his arm.

“The tattoo on my right arm has been deepened three times, and the outline of the pattern has begun to show. We call it a spirit pattern.”

Wu Xian understood.

Just as a painted scroll needs better materials to be reconstructed and improved, the tattoo artist's "human body painting scroll art" naturally needs to be continuously deepened and strengthened with higher quality spiritual materials.

"Where are your brothers? Why aren't they starting to evolve?" Wu Xian asked curiously.

"Their physical fitness is not up to standard."

"Physical fitness?" Wu Xian was stunned.

It was only after Zhang Mazi's explanation that I learned that this method requires a high level of physical fitness and willpower.

The more times you get tattoos, the higher the requirements become; otherwise, your body simply cannot withstand the power of "evolution."

"Once I break through to the fourth level of spiritual power, I will be able to withstand more inscriptions," Zhang Mazi said.

Wu Xian remained silent, and couldn't help but think of the old man's extraordinary physical abilities and the spiritual energy manipulation techniques that seemed to be a "cultivation method".

They're a perfect match!

After exchanging pleasantries and discussing things with the tattooed guy, we exchanged contact information and then said goodbye.

Walking through the chaotic rat trails, watching all sorts of people reveling and having fun in the mud, I felt a mix of emotions.

For the first time in eighteen years, I have gained a deeper understanding of the shantytown where I live.

The reason I didn't end up like this was partly because of my grandfather's hard work and partly because I was born with a mature mind.

But what about the children who actually grew up in the shantytowns?

Then look at the hideous and terrifying dimensional rift in the sky above.

He didn't understand why the world was the way it was.
"Ah—a monster—!"

The screams pulled Wu Xian back from his thoughts, and people were fleeing in panic on the narrow street not far away.

Three insect monsters could be vaguely seen wreaking havoc among the crowd.

(End of this chapter)