Fellow Daoist! That scoundrel has written a new book again.

Chapter 244 The Painting Seller

A school is a place for teaching and nurturing people, and like a bookstore, it can also be a source of ideas.

Throughout dinner, Zhu Wuyao kept thinking about this matter.

Having probably sensed what she was thinking, Zhu Liang cautiously inquired as he got up to clear the dishes:

"But what happened to Chaoxi Bookstore?"

As if worried that asking this question would make her eldest daughter even more upset, she quickly added:

"If you're unhappy staying there, your parents can still protect you for decades to come. Don't make yourself suffer!"

Zhu Chaoyun chimed in from the side:

"My eldest daughter's book has spread throughout the streets and alleys. She'll probably start receiving visiting cards soon. Why don't we go and attend a few poetry gatherings for fun?"

The Zhu family once enjoyed great success, but now they are living in poverty.

They have no worries about making a living.

Otherwise, there wouldn't be the setting of "the eldest daughter who should be supporting the family going on a trip".

The family's finances had been laid bare to her, the eldest daughter, long ago.

It is said that a gold bar was also placed inside the wall, but that was a life-saving treasure and could not be used lightly.

However, given the diverse nature of life and the desire to have everyone settle in this idyllic place, it's estimated that every family would need some resources, so even the poorest wouldn't be too poor.

Under the concerned gazes of the three, Zhu Wuyao smiled and shook his head, saying:

"It's nothing, just a bit of spring fatigue."

As soon as she finished speaking, A-Meng nodded emphatically and said in a serious tone:

"No wonder I've been dozing off in class lately!"

Then, Zhu Chaoyun hit A Meng on the head with the end of her chopsticks, and A Meng was punished.

Zhu Wuyao smiled.

I remembered what Ye Xiaozhou had mentioned—the portrait seller who loved to paint portraits of women.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Before going to find Ye Xiaozhou, Zhu Wuyao concealed himself.

I went to check out the residence of the painting seller.

If it is indeed a dangerous person lurking in the neighborhood, then we must act on behalf of Heaven to punish them.

Even the painting seller, a "lower-class figure" in Biyi City, had a small courtyard and two rooms, with a vegetable garden in the courtyard, though it was poorly cared for and the vegetables were sparse.

During heavy rains, this house will inevitably leak.

There is a risk that it might be destroyed by flood.

The painting seller has not yet returned home.

Before Zhu Wuyao could search carefully, as soon as he entered the house, he saw scrolls that were either unfolded or rolled up.

It was scattered all over the ground.

Just as Ye Xiaozhou had described, the paintings spread out on the ground and hanging on the wall were all portraits of women.

Whether sitting, standing, lying down, or walking, their postures are all different.

Zhu Wuyao stared intently at the painting, feeling that the woman in the painting was not the same person, but rather several different people.

Some preferred simple cloth robes and short jackets, while others favored silk skirts. Some were holding books and engaging in lively discussions, while others stood with swords in hand...

Most importantly, everyone's expression is different.

Some were spirited and high-spirited, some were calm and composed, and some were sad and silent.

The painting seller's skills were superb; even though none of the paintings resembled women, one could still discern the differences in their postures.

Looking at his brushstrokes, there is no lewd or intimate feeling; on the contrary, there is a sense of piety towards art.

Zhu Wuyao thought to himself: He must be either a person of noble character or a madman with obsessive fanaticism.

This reminded her of the movie "Perfume" she had seen in her previous life, in which the protagonist killed many people in order to create a bottle of perfume, and in the end he was eaten by the crowd.

Such a person might do something crazy in pursuit of their so-called "faith".

His divine sense swept across the entire courtyard.

No burial site was found.

Zhu Wuyao felt slightly relieved. It seemed that eccentric artists were still rare. Just as she was about to leave to find Ye Xiaozhou, her divine sense stirred and she realized that the painting seller had returned.

He leaped onto the roof.

Before long, the painting seller pushed open the courtyard gate; he was a man in his thirties or forties.

With an unremarkable appearance, he would be hard to spot in a crowd, making him a qualified NPC. Now, he holds a scroll in his hand, which is Zhu Wuyao's "The Travels of the Zhu Family".

Zhu Wuyao thought about it and realized that if everyone in Biyi City was a manifestation of the consciousness of all living beings, then it would be reasonable for someone skilled in painting to appear.

As an artist, his paintings should be an outward extension of the human condition.

The paintings are all of women, which is somewhat puzzling.

After returning home, the painting seller did not immediately begin reading "The Travels of Zhu Shi".

It is estimated that they came from a poor family and did not want to waste oil lamps.

Seeing that the person was about to rest, Zhu Wuyao did not notice anything unusual and immediately used his escape technique to leave.

-

Ye Xiaozhou had already prepared the books to be distributed tonight.

Upon seeing Zhu Wuyao approach, he immediately pointed to a mountain of books and said:

"You send these out, pick the less old-fashioned young kids. I just went out for a walk, and I saw that you've become famous!"

Hearing Ye Xiaozhou's teasing, Zhu Wuyao sighed helplessly:

"There's nothing I can do. It's not that I'm too strong; it's just that the demon race is too useless. Who would have thought that a piece of writing that was just for the sake of writing would be regarded as a golden rule by them?"

She shook her head, put the pile of books into her storage bag, and then asked:

"Since it is a manifestation of all living beings, there must be some evil thoughts that have settled down. Where did they settle down?"

Ye Xiaozhou thought for a moment and then smiled:

"Chen, you've come here? Even if you're not human, and not a real life form, I don't think you would do something like slaughtering half a city."

No, you're wrong.

In my past life, when I was playing games, I was often chased by the entire village for stealing a chicken.

Zhu Wuyao did not attempt to explain to the backward cultivation world what an immersive open-world role-playing game is.

She hadn't even come to like the cultivation world, so it was much easier for her to detach herself from the masses.

Ye Xiaozhou made a joke before explaining:

"Before they die, demons send a wisp of their divine consciousness into Feidu Lake, and it takes countless millennia for the various forms of beings to emerge."

"Since what settles is good wishes, there are naturally fewer evil thoughts. Even if a few people with bad intentions send their evil thoughts into Feidu Lake, they will be diluted long ago. Otherwise, how could it be a paradise on earth!"

"I'm off now. Remember to meet me here after you've finished distributing the books!"

After saying that, Ye Xiaozhou's figure leaped up and disappeared into the air.

Zhu Wuyue went to the north of the city to cosplay as Santa Claus delivering gifts to children.

Of course, she wouldn't climb down the chimney, and there were no fancy reindeer.

All she had was a lousy kitchen knife.

As a relatively respectable person, Zhu Wuyao was quite willing to make do with flying on a sword.

But this knife can't be a kitchen knife!

Therefore, her main mode of transportation now is on foot. Fortunately, she is becoming more and more proficient in using the escape technique, and before long, she has already sent out a small portion of them.

The teacher in the school had no children.

Zhu Wuyao thought about it and still cared about the existence of the academy.

With so many books distributed, it was impossible to keep it a secret from the people of Biyi City.

After a moment's thought, Zhu Wuyao tossed a copy of "What's on the Other Side of the Mountain" into her bedroom.

I'd like to see how this teacher will interpret her adventure story.