Era of Mist

Brother Fa chuckled, then asked with a hint of deeper meaning, "So why did you choose that particular piece of calligraphy?"

"Because it was well-written." Shi Tiexin said seriously, "I can’t recite a bunch of poetic critiques, but I can still tell the skill level of this piece."

"So you’re saying you actually know calligraphy?"

"A little."

Brother Fa looked at Shi Tiexin with some surprise. He suddenly clapped Shi Tiexin on the shoulder and beckoned like a mischievous old man. "Come on, I’ll take you somewhere fun."

This mansion had a front and back courtyard. The front, needless to say, was a scene of revelry, noise, and indulgence. The back, however, was completely different. After just a few turns and passing through a couple of gates, it suddenly became serene.

In the memories shaken loose from the coalesced consciousness, Shi Tiexin had never been to this mansion’s backyard. But as Brother Fa led him down a corridor, he couldn’t help but be stunned. He never expected the backyard to be a whole other world.

The backyard was shaded by bamboo groves, with rockeries and flowing water. It was clearly once a Japanese-style courtyard, designed with a focus on the austere tranquility of Zen. Black stones, white sand, a wooden bridge over a pond of swimming fish—it was simple and serene. But now, the courtyard seemed to have been slightly modified, with a few additions and alterations. It was less desolate and more full of life.

It was almost like a work of calligraphy itself.

It was a perfect example of the saying, "The cicadas’ chirps make the forest seem quieter, the birds’ songs make the mountain more serene." The boisterous clamor from the front yard, muffled and scattered through layers of walls, was barely audible here in the back. This only made the place feel more unique, peaceful, and free.

"What a fantastic courtyard!" Shi Tiexin’s eyes filled with admiration as he took it all in. Countless adjectives swirled through his mind, but the only "golden phrase" he could come up with was something along the lines of, ’This must be worth a fortune!’

What could he do? It’s true what they say: you always wish you’d read more when the time comes to use it. When you need to express awe, all you can manage is "holy shit."

Of course, Shi Tiexin wouldn’t actually say something so crass as to ruin the mood. That would be beneath him. Though his mind was screaming, ’This place must be fucking expensive!’, he wracked his brain to transcribe the thought into something more elegant. In the end, he recited, "Truly, it is as the poem says—’Sparse shadows fall slantwise on clear, shallow water; / A subtle fragrance floats in the moonlit dusk.’"

’Showing off with classic literature can be addictive sometimes!’

Brother Fa laughed heartily and gestured again. "Come, let me show you my collection."

Brother Fa led Shi Tiexin to a wooden door. He slid open the Japanese-style doors, and motion-sensor lights flickered on. Shi Tiexin looked up and saw a large room of over a hundred square meters. The walls were adorned with calligraphy, and the cabinets were fully stocked with brushes and ink. It was a rather high-class study.

Shi Tiexin was a bit surprised. He hadn’t expected this mob boss to be a calligraphy enthusiast. ’No wonder he dragged me here to see his collection.’ Shi Tiexin was gradually beginning to understand his intentions.

’Just think about Brother Fa’s other underlings, especially that Ah Hui. They’re all a bunch of semi-literate morons. There’s no way to discuss such refined interests with them.’

’Take Ah Fei, for example, a guy who can’t even remember how to write basic characters. What could you possibly get out of a conversation about calligraphy with him?’

’Now that someone who knows a little about literature has finally shown up, Brother Fa must be like a hunter who’s spotted his prey. He probably wants to make a friend through culture and show off his collection at the same time.’

Sure enough, Brother Fa had a look of great expectation on his face.

"Come in," Brother Fa said, slipping on some slippers to enter the room. "Come and see. What do you think of my collection?"

Shi Tiexin took off his shoes and entered the study in his socks. The tatami mats underfoot were soft and quite comfortable. The study was well-lit. Shi Tiexin walked to the wall to examine the hanging calligraphy scrolls and was surprised to find they were quite good. The brushwork was rigorous, the quality was excellent, and every single one was a masterpiece with attributes.

And with Shi Tiexin’s eye, he knew these were all treasures, even without looking at the attribute bars.

POP, POP. A few stars flew toward him, and the progress bar for the second level of Basic Rhetoric actually ticked up a few notches.

Shi Tiexin nodded in satisfaction, but then his brow furrowed. He couldn’t help but speak up, "Huh? These scrolls..."

"What about these scrolls?" a playful voice came from the side. Shi Tiexin turned his head and saw Brother Fa staring intently at him. His expression was rather subtle, as if he was both anticipating something and testing him. "Go on, tell me. What do you think of these scrolls?"

Shi Tiexin looked at the scrolls. The brushstrokes were like silver hooks and iron lines, powerful and elegant, but they weren’t signed. After a moment of scrutiny, however, he said with certainty, "These scrolls and the one I gave you seem to be from the same hand, or at the very least, from the same lineage."

"Oh?" Brother Fa’s smile widened. "How can you tell?"

"Although the scrolls on the wall use a variety of script styles, they never stray from their origin. Tracing them back to their source, the fundamental structure is the same as Mr. Wang Lingbo’s calligraphy, a clear continuation of his legacy. However, the details aren’t quite as refined..." Shi Tiexin stroked his chin, considering. "The ones on the wall are either informal works by the old master himself, or they’re the work of his children or disciples."

Brother Fa was genuinely surprised now. He looked at Shi Tiexin seriously. "How did you figure that out?" For some unknown reason, a sharp, hidden glint flashed in Brother Fa’s eyes. It was a little dangerous, a little suspicious.

Shi Tiexin, however, didn’t notice Brother Fa’s strange reaction. He thought for a moment and said honestly, "It’s hard to explain in words. How about this, Brother Fa, do you have a fountain pen here?"

"I do." The sharp glint vanished as quickly as it had appeared, hidden away again, his expression returning to one of calm indifference. Brother Fa walked over to a cabinet and took out a stationery set. "I practice my characters regularly, so I have some pens and ink ready."

Shi Tiexin took the fountain pen. It was a large pen in exquisite packaging, with a thick, long barrel. The pen was a bit too long and seemed a little too heavy—an ordinary person would surely find it awkward to use, but in Shi Tiexin’s large hands, it was a perfect fit.

[Ink Dragon Heavy Brush, Quality: Peerless]

[Attribute 1: Weight in Writing. A ruler without gravity cannot cultivate authority; a pen without weight cannot cultivate literature. When using this pen to practice calligraphy fundamentals, progress speed is increased by 30%.]

[Attribute 2: Strength That Pierces the Paper. The nib of this pen is heavy, allowing its force to pierce the back of the paper when writing, increasing the effect of calligraphed words by 20%.]

[Attribute 3: Mastery Achieved Through Practice. This pen is difficult to wield. Without sufficient skill, it is hard to use. With mastery, its use becomes natural, as easy as an arm controlling a finger.]

This was a Peerless-quality fountain pen!

This was the first time Shi Tiexin had ever seen a Peerless-quality fountain pen. Not only did it have three attributes, but their effects were also excellent. Amazed, he held it and gave it a try, discovering that it felt incredibly natural in his grip. He made a couple of test strokes on the paper and found that writing with such a heavy pen had a unique feel to it and was a perfect match for his current hand strength.

After getting used to it for a moment, Shi Tiexin began to write, copying the exact same content written on Mr. Wang’s calligraphy scroll.

Brother Fa watched silently from the side, a smile on his face but saying nothing. He first watched Shi Tiexin’s wrist, observing his habits and methods for moving the pen, and a flash of surprise crossed his eyes. As Shi Tiexin began to write in earnest, the surprise in his eyes grew stronger and stronger until he could no longer hide it, and it showed plainly on his face.