Chapter 777: This Painting is Great!

Chapter 777: This Painting is Great!

Liu Shuqin exclaimed “Not like him at all!” leaving the boss utterly flabbergasted.

How is that even possible? It looks just like him; this doesn’t make sense!

“No, Miss Liu, how can it not look like him? I went by the appearance of Lin the Knight…”

“I’m just being honest here, boss. If it doesn’t look like him, then it doesn’t. I can’t betray my conscience. Your painting skills are excellent and very lifelike. If you get a chance, you should paint one for my Junior Martial Brother.”

Liu Shuqin chuckled lightly, lying with a straight face, sounding absolutely convincing.

“…”

There was nothing he could do. Everyone knew Liu Shuqin was fair and wouldn’t lie. Besides, as her Junior Martial Brother, Lin Nuo was someone she could dissect at a glance.

Could it really not look like him?

At this moment, the painting shop’s boss fell into contemplation, doubting himself.

Lin Nuo let out a sigh of relief, surprised that Liu Shuqin would deny the fact.

To be honest, this woman knew how to pick her battles; she wouldn’t act rashly like Ling Meng did and just make a mess.

Such a woman would be an ideal supportive partner.

However, they didn’t share the same values, and it was better they weren’t enemies.

“Well, alright then… it’s my fault for misrepresenting Lin the Knight in my painting. Her anger is justified, so I should tear these paintings up and give them to you.”

The boss reluctantly compromised; he wouldn’t charge for the portraits, offering them for free and leaving it to them to decide how to handle them.

What could he do? After proclaiming his work was spot-on, he was called out by the authoritative Liu Shuqin, rendering his paintings worthless in an instant.

“Boss, your hard work isn’t in vain, and your skills are indeed commendable. Why don’t I buy them all?”

For Liu Shuqin, high-quality images of Lin Nuo were pure treasures—ideal for her collection.

Moreover, having lied to him somewhat affected his reputation, so this was her way of compensation.

Better to pay something than walk away empty-handed! Of course, she still had to be polite about it, pretending she didn’t want them for free. But being from a reputable family, she had her manners.

This left her with a haul of Lin Nuo’s portraits, all hanging in her boudoir, with his face being the first thing she saw upon entering.

Ling Meng suddenly felt envious; she wanted those portraits to adorn her own room.

After all, since Liu Shuqin confirmed they weren’t Lin Nuo’s images, they could at least serve as her master’s portraits.

How wonderful it would be to have portraits of her esteemed master!

“Could you… sell me one of them…?” Ling Meng stammered, asking Liu Shuqin. Seeking a monk from Xuanyun Sect felt embarrassing, but she had to do it.

“If you like, I’ll give you a couple. But too many aren’t allowed.”

Gentle Liu Shuqin smiled sweetly, her serene and kind demeanor made it hard for Ling Meng to dislike her.

When she first accompanied Lin Nuo to the Sacred Altar, Liu Shuqin had shown her much care and attention.

Though she despised Xuanyun Sect, Liu Shuqin’s beaming smile made it difficult for her to maintain her resentment.

Now that she was being given two portraits, Ling Meng could certainly harbor no ill will.

“Thank you… thank you…”

Ling Meng accepted the two portraits and politely expressed her gratitude. Lin Nuo thought she was about to tear the paintings up, but to his surprise, she accepted them without a fuss.

Lin Nuo was puzzled; what was going on in this girl’s head? It was all so strange and erratic.

She had just been calling Lin Nuo her despised peer, and now she was thanking Liu Shuqin?

Had she been moved by kindness?

“Don’t mention it. It’s just a small gift among acquaintances. U Ying Ge, what do you think of these paintings?”

“The skills are profound, capturing the essence beautifully; very impressive.”

Ling Meng’s attitude had switched up completely. After all, she was now perceiving these as portraits of her master Wu Ying Ge.

“Indeed, the boss has great skills; his work is lifelike, a true admiration for a folk artist.”

Both women started praising the boss, leaving him even more baffled.

Just a moment ago, they were saying his work was subpar, and now it’s fantastic?

Was it good or not?

And this hot-tempered girl had stopped tearing the paintings apart and was now complimenting him?

Was it because Liu Shuqin was present that she had mellowed out?

It was possible; Liu Shuqin was there, so she wouldn’t dare cause a scene.

“U Ying Ge, where are you two headed?”

“Oh, we are…”

“We are returning to our sect, passing through here. Apologies, but we need to leave shortly.”

Lin Nuo quickly interjected before Ling Meng, almost falling prey to Liu Shuqin’s subtle attempts at closeness.

This was to gauge Ling Meng first and then hook her into revealing something.

Even if nothing unraveled, he would still have to deal with it himself.

“Let’s go, thank you, Miss Liu, for the paintings.”

Lin Nuo hurriedly pulled Ling Meng away, not wanting to waste time in the painting shop.

Ling Meng was dragged along, clenching those two portraits tightly like they were treasures.

Watching Lin Nuo’s retreating figure, Liu Shuqin sighed softly. There always seemed to be an air of distance between them, and she never knew what he was up to.

Was he hatching some grand plan? Was he truly setting out to wreak havoc?

Who could say? It was beyond her comprehension.

With a few portraits in hand, she too had to take her leave.

Perhaps she would need to wait until that day came, when the ominous Demon Qi surged from the Magic Spring.

As for that U Dong Mian, she had no clue what ties she’d have with Lin Nuo.

“Are you concerned about their relationship?”

Liu Shuqin’s mind echoed with the voice of the Demon Spirit, who seemed to have stopped whispering malevolently and now conversed normally with her.

“Of course! I’m quite concerned. I previously saw my Junior Martial Brother controlling a Demon Beast, and that girl must be a Demon Practitioner.”

“She is a Demon Practitioner.”

“Hmm? She’s a Demon Practitioner? What makes you think so? Did you sense the Demon Qi?”

“I can’t sense it. She must be deliberately concealing it. However, as a Demon Spirit, I can see the bodily changes in long-term practitioners of demonic arts. Even if they disguise themselves, I can still tell.” replied the Demon Spirit.

“She’s a Demon Practitioner, and my Junior Brother is with one? Why would he do that? Why would a Demon Practitioner trust him? He’s supposed to be a revered hero.”

Liu Shuqin pondered for a moment, and a hypothesis formed in her mind:

“Either he’s using this Demon Practitioner to infiltrate the Refining Demon Sect, or he’s colluding with her to join their ranks and cause trouble together. Or, he’s planning to lead her back to the right path. Or perhaps…”

“Alright, alright.”

The Demon Spirit felt a headache brewing, as Liu Shuqin always rambled on with long-winded thoughts.

“I only know you can’t change anything; all your speculation is futile. He’s too enigmatic—stay away from him,” the Demon Spirit advised.

“That’s impossible. I can change things.”

Liu Shuqin firmly rejected the Demon Spirit’s words.