"Lin Yuyan is just one of them! The promise she gave you might not be effective, but mine... it definitely will be!"
Wang Xiu smiled. "That is irrelevant."
"Why is that?" Zhou Yui asked, confused.
Wang Xiu pointed to the sign Nie Linglan was holding. "My paintings are only for the fated. Although you are an admirable lady, you and I are not fated. Therefore, I will not paint."
The crowd burst into an uproar once again. No one had expected Wang Xiu to reject Zhou Yui for such a reason.
In the crowd, so painters scoffed. We're all Cultivators. Who does he think he's fooling? This whole business of 'fate' is sothing only those from the Zen Sect truly believe!
Normal Cultivators only cared about opportunities and benefits, and right now, the spot in Cold Mountain House was the ultimate opportunity, the ultimate benefit.
Zhou Yui raised an eyebrow. "So you're saying you're fated with Lin Yuyan, but not with ?"
Wang Xiu nodded. "The lady is astute."
Zhou Yui laughed, a sound laced with anger. She extended her hand, and the Attending Maid at her side, understanding her intent, imdiately produced a Storage Bag and placed it in her palm.
PLOP!
The Storage Bag landed in front of Wang Xiu, its weight palpable.
"Inside are 1,000,000 Spirit Stones! They're yours if you agree!"
Spirit Stones were hard currency, even in the Nine Heavens. A sum of 1,000,000 was truly no small amount.
Still, Wang Xiu shook his head. "When I create my art, I take no paynt. My only currency is fate."
SLAM!
Another Storage Bag hit the table.
"2,000,000!"
Wang Xiu's mouth twitched. Trying to buy ? It's been a long ti since anyone tried a stunt like this, not since I beca the Saint Heir of Sanqing.
When he continued to shake his head, Zhou Yui's chest rose and fell sharply with indignation. She threw down yet another Storage Bag.
"10,000,000!"
Gasps echoed through the crowd. Many of the painters' eyes turned red, burning with the desire to snatch the Storage Bags for themselves. They stared at Wang Xiu, their gazes dripping with envy and jealousy. What are we missing? How are we any different from him?
The mont the words left Zhou Yui's mouth, she felt a tinge of regret. That many Spirit Stones... Even the Zhou Family couldn't part with such a sum without batting an eye. But she had been competing with Lin Yuyan for so many years. Sotis, when her competitive spirit was ignited, all reason went out the window.
Ironically, her actions were also beginning to displease Wang Xiu.
Originally, his talk about fate was just a ruse. He had only one criterion for choosing people: they had to have a flaw, a very obvious one that could beco their greatest sore point. He knew he had entered the scene late and, in terms of fa, couldn't compare to the great painters who had been in the business for years. Even if he challenged them directly, they might not give him the ti of day.
To gain fa quickly and secure a spot in Cold Mountain House, he had to win through surprise. That was why he chose Lin Yuyan—a famous young lady whose flaw was known to all—as his subject for transformation. Wang Xiu was certain that in no more than three days, news of Lin Yuyan's change would spread throughout the city. By then, his own fa would rise with the tide. Even if Lin Yuyan ultimately failed to convince the Lin Family to give him the spot, it would be much easier for Wang Xiu to secure one through other ans. He had more tricks up his sleeve.
As for this Zhou Yui before him... truth be told, she was very beautiful and generously endowed, far surpassing the previous Lin Yuyan. But she was just too unremarkable. She lacked the kind of flaw that could pierce one's very Spirit.
That was why Wang Xiu said they were not fated.
Ultimately, whether soone was fated or not was purely at Wang Xiu's discretion, a matter of his own whim. If his mood improved, his decision could change in an instant.
But since Zhou Yui had decided to pull this stunt, Wang Xiu saw no reason to be polite any longer.
He spread his Divine Sense out over the crowd. Suddenly, his eyes lit up as he spotted a corpulent woman with a surprisingly imposing aura.
"My lady," he called out, "I have been waiting for you for a very long ti! Might I have the honor of painting a portrait for you?"
As he spoke, everyone's gaze followed his, and the entire venue fell deathly silent.
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