Chapter 421 - 423: The Shocking Discovery in the Painting
Everyone who has visited the Calligraphy and Painting Room knows that one can only stay for an hour.
Simply because staying for too long is not beneficial for the students.
Just as Feng Bailing and Ouyang Chenchen had different insights into different paintings just now, most people who have the qualifications to enter the Calligraphy and Painting Room are talented.
The works in the Calligraphy and Painting Room are left behind by individuals from various countries who have condensed their works into the Wenhua Seal.
Most of these paintings are infused with Wen Energy, which, when absorbed by someone, will lead to different gains.
However, even the most talented individuals have a limit to how much Wen Energy they can absorb. Once they absorb too much, especially from different authors, it could lead to signs of mental fatigue and even mental disorder.
Some people may even go insane due to the conflicting energies of different Wen Energy.
Feng Bailing, who doesn't come to Yuxiu Academy often, is unaware of this situation.
As for Ouyang Chenchen, she didn't have much interest in these calligraphy works and poems, so she simply left early.
After discovering the effects of these works, Feng Bailing strolled leisurely among different paintings, especially those related to various countries, which she found particularly interesting.
In one go, she looked at more than ten paintings from various countries, until she came before a bizarre piece.
Any work that can be placed in the Calligraphy and Painting Room of Yuxiu Academy is a masterpiece, but the painting before her eyes was an exception.
"What is this?"
Feng Bailing gazed at this child-like scribble.
What surprised Feng Bailing the most was the signature at the bottom of the painting.
"Dugu Wu."
These three words were written very beautifully, not by the hand of Dugu Wu.
This was likely Lady Dugu's handwriting.
This was a piece created by Dugu Wu when he was three years old.
His brushwork was very immature and lacked any skill to speak of. It was just a starry sky, a pitch-black night scattered with disordered stars. Despite the lack of order, the painting inexplicably possessed an abstract beauty.
Especially the colors, which were richer than those in any other painting, and many of the pigments were not commonly used in Great Chu.
"That is a painting by Prince Wu, created when he was just three years old. It's a pity he later abandoned literature for martial arts, or else his achievements in painting could have reached the peak."
Mo Qianqian walked over, seeing this painting for the first time as well.
"It's just an ordinary painting. It's not quite appropriate to be placed here."
Feng Bailing said indifferently.
Dugu Wu would probably not want to see his painting here either; it must have been Lady Dugu who guided Dugu Wu in this painting.
What Feng Bailing could feel from it was a child's bewilderment and helplessness.
"You are not worthy of Prince Wu; you don't even understand his painting."
Mo Qianqian sneered coldly.
"An hour is up."
Dongfang Li's voice came from outside.
The female students in the Calligraphy and Painting Room began to leave one after another.
Their faces showed signs of exhaustion.
Mo Qianqian was no exception.
She had hoped to see Feng Bailing bite off more than she could chew, collapsing under the influence of the Wen Energy, but Feng Bailing only lingered briefly in front of each painting.
A brief moment is not nearly enough to sense the Wen Energy in the works.
Mo Qianqian turned away and walked off, while Feng Bailing was also about to leave when suddenly, she felt her seventh sense stir slightly.
She looked back at the childlike painting of Dugu Wu, hesitated, and then reached out to touch it.
The moment Feng Bailing's hand touched the painting, her own consciousness quickly peeled away, and a scene abruptly entered her mind.
"Ah Wu, be good, take this pill."
She saw before her eyes two figures, one large and one small.
Feng Bailing recognized the larger silhouette at a glance—it was Lady Dugu.
"Mother, if I take the medicine, will you not leave?"
The little boy's voice sounded both distant and close.
He turned around, and Feng Bailing saw a cute, tender face that resembled Feng Xiaoli by seventy to eighty percent.
At that time, Dugu Wu still retained some childlike innocence, his chubby face round and full.
Lady Dugu nodded, holding a capsule in her hand.
Feng Bailing's eyes narrowed.
"Dugu Wu, don't eat it!"
But as soon as little Dugu Wu heard that his mother wasn't leaving, he happily opened his mouth and swallowed the capsule.
"Dugu Wu!"
"Feng Bailing!"
Feng Bailing felt a splitting headache, her vision darkened, and while calling out Dugu Wu's name, someone was shouting hers.
"Make way."
An hour had passed, everyone else had already left the Calligraphy and Painting Room, but Feng Bailing had not.
Dongfang Li felt that something was wrong and hurried in.
He saw Feng Bailing as if she was possessed, staring at the painting in front of her with a pale face and still calling Dugu Wu's name.
One glance, and it was clear that the Wen Energy from the painting had affected her, causing psychic disturbance.
Dongfang Li took a step forward, wanting to awaken Feng Bailing.
However, the Spiritual Crocodile reacted faster, placing itself between Feng Bailing and Dongfang Li, baring its teeth at him, not allowing him to come closer.
Mo Qianqian, standing beside, had a face full of schadenfreude.
"Bai Ling!"
Ouyang Chenchen, seeing that Feng Bailing wasn't right, was both shocked and anxious.
Just then, Dugu Wu, using a cane, rushed over.
Seeing Feng Bailing's condition, his face changed drastically, and the cane beside him was discarded without a second thought.
He let out a cold snort and his palm quivered.
A powerful surge of Gang Qi struck the painting.
In an instant, the painting was shattered into pieces, falling to the ground.
The Spiritual Crocodile, seeing Dugu Wu, immediately backed down, obediently making way.
Dugu Wu stumbled forward, embracing Feng Bailing tightly.
"Wake up."
"Dugu Wu, don't eat it, she's lying, you will die."
Feng Bailing's vision blurred, Lady Dugu and little Dugu Wu disappeared.
She saw the man's face.
Dugu Wu looked terrified as he held Feng Bailing.
The woman in his arms shivered uncontrollably, a profound panic compelling Dugu Wu to hold her even tighter.
He comforted her in a soft voice.
"Bai Ling, don't be scared, I'm fine, I won't die."
It was perhaps hearing Dugu Wu's voice, or maybe because the painting had been destroyed, that Feng Bailing's consciousness gradually cleared.
She stared at Dugu Wu, then suddenly embraced him tightly.
The onlookers were all dumbfounded.
Especially Dongfang Li, who watched as Dugu Wu and Feng Bailing held each other.
In that moment, it seemed as if they were the only two people in the world.
There was an intangible, peculiar feeling that no one else could intrude upon, and he suddenly realized, Feng Bailing had fallen in love with Dugu Wu.
Feeling the man's warmth, his real presence and life, Feng Bailing suddenly burst into tears.
What exactly had Dugu Wu gone through?
Why did Lady Dugu give him that medicine?
That capsule... it was the same type she had taken in the 22nd century, the kind that altered the brain.