Chapter 1065: Painting

He produced the token Prince Ning had given him. Upon seeing it, the young man's expression shifted slightly.

"So you are from His Highness Prince Ning's household. May I ask what brings you here?"

"I am here to see Dean Chen. Little friend, could you show me the way?" Li Qing said.

The Nascent Soul realm student replied, "Dean Chen does not usually see visitors. May I go and report your arrival first?"

"I would appreciate that." Li Qing nodded.

Before long, the young man returned, his face now wearing a look of genuine respect.

"Senior, please follow me!"

And so, Li Qing followed the black-armored youth, bypassing the Nine-Layer Heaven-Reaching Tower and entering the main campus area of the Imperial Academy.

Along the way, many curious gazes fell upon him.

"Isn't that Ning Hei? It's rare to see him look so deferential."

"Who is the man behind him? Ning Hei graduates next year. Besides the master, who else in the academy could earn such respect from him?"

"I'm not sure. I've never seen him before. Could he be some high-ranking official from the capital?"

"He doesn't look like one either," one of them remarked.

Li Qing had concealed his cultivation aura, keeping it completely hidden.

He passed through the Imperial Academy and arrived at a beautiful peak. Though the spiritual energy here wasn't abundant, the scenery was quite elegant.

"Dean Chen is meditating in the cave abode at the summit. You may proceed, senior," Ning Hei, clad in black armor, said as he cupped his fists and withdrew.

Li Qing nodded. "Thank you."

Then, he soared into the air and landed directly in front of the cave abode at the peak. Before he could even announce his visit, the cave's restriction lifted on its own.

"Excuse the intrusion!"

As he entered the cave abode, murals on the walls caught Li Qing's attention. Though the lines of these carvings were simple, they seemed to contain a peculiar vitality, as if they were about to step off the wall.

He admired them as he walked deeper into the cave.

"The master of the Imperial Academy are merely Seventh Rank officials, and their positions are purely honorary, with no real power in their hands."

"What is Prince Ning's purpose in planting you here?"

The old voice rang out abruptly. Li Qing glanced around, but saw no one.

However, he also knew that the speaker must be Dean Chen. Li Qing truthfully explained his purpose for coming to the Imperial Academy.

"I wish to learn the script of the Profound Nether Realm. Across all of Yujing City, only the Imperial Academy possesses the relevant classic texts."

"But the Imperial Academy's enrollment period has already passed, and my cultivation is not suitable. Therefore, I came here to serve as an artifact refinement master."

Soon, the old voice rang out again, "So that's how it is. But the position of master at our Imperial Academy is not something just anyone can hold. Prince Ning's letter says your artifact refinement skills are remarkable. How will you prove it?"

In someone else's cave abode, Li Qing refrained from recklessly extending his divine sense. He kept observing, yet he still couldn't discover where the other person was hiding.

"Dean Chen may freely set a test. I can answer any question on artifact refinement knowledge below the earth-grade spiritual treasure level fluently," Li Qing replied.

"There's no need for such trouble. Do you see the mural to the left of your hand? Just carve your own greatest masterpiece of artifact refinement onto it," Dean Chen's voice rang out once more.

This time, Li Qing was truly alarmed. He still couldn't sense where the other person was, yet the voice had materialized out of thin air.

Li Qing turned his head and saw a blank mural to his left, completely devoid of any content.

After a moment of thought, he ultimately decided to carve the Immortal-Trapping Sword onto it.

Of the two killing swords he had refined himself, the Immortal Slaughtering Sword was the most formidable. However, that treasured sword had been forged in the lower realm, attaining its exceptional quality only after fusing with a wisp of Golden Essence Baleful Light.

In contrast, the Immortal-Trapping Sword was his peak achievement since arriving in the spirit realm. Not only was it forged in the Fire Domain with the aid of flame law power, but it also incorporated multiple artifact refinement techniques, including the "Refining Artifacts into Silk" method from the Profound Nether Realm.

Soon, under Li Qing's guiding fingers, a straight and solitary killing sword slowly emerged on the mural.

After he withdrew his hand, the killing sword he had outlined actually began to radiate a purple glow, as if it were about to manifest into reality.

Buzz!

After a long moment, the dazzling light gradually faded. This killing sword alone was enough to prove his astonishing artifact refinement skills.

"Not bad. With such artifact refinement skills, no one in the academy can truly surpass you. You are more than qualified to become an artifact refinement master," Dean Chen's voice rang out again.

This time, Li Qing finally sensed the source of the voice.

He looked at a mural on the right wall, where a kind-looking old man was seated!

"Hiss, I didn't expect Dean Chen to be inside the painting!" Li Qing quickly cupped his fists in salute.

The old man in the painting smiled, "The one in the painting is you, not me."

As these words fell, Li Qing's heart trembled violently. He looked around, and the murals on the walls began to collapse, while the entire space within the cave abode started to overlap.

Sensing danger, Li Qing abruptly unleashed his divine sense and surveyed the surrounding scene, which was dissolving like a bubble.

Only then did he realize that there wasn't a single trace of longevity substance in the surrounding heaven and earth, nor could he draw upon the heaven and earth power here.

Soon, the surrounding space compressed, and the murals on the walls solidified.

Li Qing felt a wave of dizziness wash over him, as if he were once again traveling through a super teleportation array across continents.

Once his consciousness stabilized, he surveyed his surroundings.

The cave abode was the same as before, but the murals on the walls had vanished.

Inside the abode, an old man in a white robe held a scroll with one hand, admiring it with a satisfied expression.

The scroll depicted the very events that had unfolded after Li Qing entered the cave abode, even showing the Immortal-Trapping Sword he had just inscribed, as if it were real.

"Indeed a world-shaking treasured sword. Once it grows into a heaven-piercing spirit treasure, it will surely earn a place on the Chaos Myriad Spirits Ranking," Dean Chen nodded with satisfaction. His eyebrows were very long, drooping down from his cheeks, giving him a kind and benevolent appearance.

Seeing this, a wave of lingering fear washed over Li Qing.

Just now, he had unknowingly entered the other man's painting.

If this Dean Chen had harbored any ill will toward him, he would have been utterly doomed.

He had never heard of or seen such a divine ability before.

"Dean Chen's methods are truly astonishing. I am deeply impressed," Li Qing said with genuine admiration.

Dean Chen chuckled.

"Hahaha, enough with the flattery. You have passed my test. Tomorrow, I will announce that the Imperial Academy has gained a new artifact refinement master."

"Take these things. All the classic texts related to the Profound Nether Realm are in the book pavilion. You may enter and consult them at will."

"If you encounter anything you don't understand, you can also ask the other master in the academy."

"Remember, in the Dao of cultivation, the one who achieves first leads the way!"