Chapter 963 969: Family Portrait, First Grade Celestial Human Realm

Imperial Palace, Rear Garden.

It is the height of July summer, and the lotus flowers in the artificial lake are in full bloom, breathtaking in their beauty.

In the pavilion at the center of the lake.

"Consort Liu, sister, stand a bit further back. Don't stand on the sides, it's too much. An Niang, sit down, hold Chen Zhong, otherwise it'll block the sisters behind us."

"Zhiqing, Zhi Ning, hold the children carefully and mind not to let them fall into the lake."

"Yunxi, sister, move to the left a bit, your head was blocking, yes, that's it..."

Outside the pavilion, Wu Mi is dressed in a dark cyan robe adorned with phoenix designs, the collar is red, with a gold cloud and dragon pattern, wearing a Nine Dragons Four Phoenix Crown, looking dignified and stately, directing the harem concubines to stand or sit accordingly to their status, entry time, and height.

Beside Wu Mi sits an elderly man in a gray robe, his hair whitened by age, famed as the court painter of the previous dynasty, named Xu Daozi, who was once honored with the title "Painting Saint" by the Emperor of Great Song. When chaos arose, he retired and lived in seclusion in the forests, fading from public view.

Recently having appeared in the capital, Wu Mi upon hearing the news, promptly invited him into the palace to paint a family portrait.

"Mr. Xu, how are things now?" Wu Mi asked.

Xu Daozi bowed slightly to Wu Mi, then pointed towards Yu Zhu and Nalan Yiren, saying, "Empress, the skin color difference between these two ladies is too stark, they shouldn't be adjacent."

Wu Mi glanced, then said, "Ru Yan, would you mind switching places with Yiren?"

Yue Ruyan naturally had no objection, swapping places with Nalan Yiren while holding Chen Xi.

"Mr. Xu, how is it now?"

"Good."

Xu Daozi grasped his brush in hand, estimating the angle, then nodded in approval.

Wu Mi's face showed a smile, she turned and spoke to Eunuch Jia waiting by the lake's side: "Eunuch Jia, has Your Majesty not arrived yet?"

"I'll go check." Eunuch Jia responded, bending in posture, holding a duster, heading toward the Imperial Study.

Just as he stepped forward, Chen Mo was seen striding quickly in.

"Your Majesty is almost here; you're the last one we're waiting for."

"Father quickly comes."

...

"Your Majesty." Xu Daozi stood up and saluted Chen Mo.

"No need for formalities." Chen Mo raised a hand, smiling, "Xu Sheng, I have long admired your name."

"Your Majesty jests, common folk have long heard of Your Majesty's youthful valor, noble appearance, the people say Your Majesty is wise and martial, with glorious achievements, kind-hearted and virtuous, it is my honor to meet you today." Xu Daozi replied respectfully.

Chen Mo smiled, "Xu Sheng, since you've returned to the capital, in the future why not serve as an Inner Teaching Doctor, as you were once named 'Painting Saint' by the former dynasty, I shall bestow you the title 'Painting Immortal'."

"Your Majesty, this..." Xu Daozi looked at Wu Mi in a bit of a bind.

Wu Mi stepped forward, holding Chen Mo's arm, softly laughing, "Your Majesty, Mr. Xu has come to the capital this time to visit friends, not intending to stay long, I too promised him this, after he finishes painting our family portrait, I'll have a grand residence built for him in Jiangdong, for him to enjoy his twilight years."

"That is such a pity." Upon hearing this, Chen Mo sighed.

Since the Empress had promised, naturally he would not impose, saying: "Then let's dispense with serving as Inner Teaching Doctor."

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Xu Daozi expressed his gratitude.

...

Chen Mo sat at the center of the pavilion, holding the four-and-a-half-year-old Crown Prince Chen Jia, Wu Mi sat to his right, Han Anniang holding Chen Zhong sat to his left.

Beside Wu Mi were Xia Zhiqing, Xia Zhining.

Next to Han Anniang were Xiaolu, Song Min.

They were all seated in the first row on chairs.

Behind in the second row, to Chen Mo's rear right, sat Xiao Yunxi holding her daughter Chen Shu, to the left was Liang Ji holding Chen Qin; next to Liang Ji was Chu Ran holding Chen Le'an; beside Xiao Yunxi, Yue Ruyan held Chen Xi; they were seated as well. Then followed Nangong Ru, Liang Xue, Ning Wan, Chu Juan, Xiao Ya, Nalan Yiren, and Yang Qingqing, all standing on the sides based on height.

In the third row were Lin Xuelan, Yu Zhu, Xingyao, Zhao Yushu, Zhihua, Xu Ying, Madam Gan, Madam Xiao, and Wanyan Ya, standing on small stools.

The whole family filled the pavilion space completely.

Outside the pavilion, on the corridor bridge connecting it, Xu Daozi had already set up the painting desk, fingers on the brush, brewing emotions ready to start painting.

Chen Jia looked around and then turned his head back, glancing over at Yang Qingqing behind him, and asked, "Lady Zhao Fei, where is Dabai?"

"Napping in my hall, why, Crown Prince?" Yang Qingqing asked with curiosity.

"Father, Mother, can we let Dabai come here to be part of the family portrait too?" Chen Jia pleaded.

Dabai, Yang Qingqing's pet white tiger.

"Jia'Er, no, it would scare your stepmothers." Wu Mi stated.

"Oh." Chen Jia was a bit disappointed.

The ladies laughed playfully, but quickly collected themselves to appear earnest, lest they look poorly in the painting.

Just as Xu Daozi was brewing emotions and about to paint.

Wu Mi suddenly spoke, "Ladies, smile, this painting is to be passed down, could also be printed in history books, if it looks ugly, there won't be a chance for redos, it'll provoke future critiques."

Upon these words, the originally grim-faced Yue Ruyan, Nalan Yiren, and others immediately put on sweet smiles.

Other ladies too carefully posed.

Once confirmed all was right, Xu Daozi began painting on the paper.

Sunshine bright, the breeze gentle.

Xu Daozi, worthy of being called Painting Saint, needed no poses from the ladies to be held immobile, all the way till the end of the painting.

Once Xu Daozi completed the outlines, the ladies could move about a little, though not too much, such as leaving the pavilion was not permitted, just a brief respite like lowering a tired arm was allowed, then resuming the pose.

Yet there were many characters indeed.

Even though Xu Daozi's painting skills are refined, it wouldn't be a swift completion.

The ladies and Chen Mo managed to endure fine, they would get through it.

But a few children couldn't take it anymore, the youngest ones - Chen Xi, Chen Nian Mo, and Chen Shu - started to cry.

They might be hungry.

But in such a public setting, naturally, they wouldn't breastfeed them on the spot.

So they had Xu Daozi stop, and after tending to the children, they would continue painting.

Thus, with pauses and painting, it took about an hour and a half to finish this family portrait.

Exceptional painters always add the final touches last.

Once the eyes were completed, the people on the canvas seemed to come alive, with expressions that were remarkably vivid.

When Chen Mo and the others gathered to admire it, everyone praised it.

...

After the family portrait was done, time seemed to speed up, and in the blink of an eye, it was September.

The summer of the third year of Zhenghe thus passed.

But for Nalan Yiren, these two months were incredibly torturous.

Since August, Si Song would faint every few days, and sometimes, even if Nalan Yiren forcibly extended his life, he would only wake up after three or four days.

The aura of death on Si Song became increasingly intense, with more inhaling than exhaling.

The most critical issue was that the more frequently Si Song fainted, the higher the cost for Nalan Yiren to forcibly extend his life, which meant more blood needed to be expended.

Moreover, during this period, to ensure the transformation of the Taotie Gu didn't stop, her dual cultivation with Chen Mo didn't cease either.

Bleeding every few days, coupled with frequent bedroom activities.

Chen Mo worried that before Si Song could be cured, she might collapse first.

About this, Chen Mo brought it up to Nalan Yiren, suggesting they should stop.

But Nalan Yiren refused; the look in her eyes at the time made it clear that if Chen Mo really insisted on stopping, and the transformation of the Taotie Gu stalled, leading to Si Song's demise, she would certainly resent him.

Because of this, Chen Mo reluctantly agreed, instructing Wu Mi to prepare a bowl of tonic every day for Nalan Yiren to consume after their dual cultivation.

Time moved to early October.

The transformation of the Taotie Gu still hadn't succeeded.

However, Chen Mo had reached the moment for a breakthrough.

[Cultivation Technique: Purple Sun Transformation Skill (Perfection 299999.9/300000).]

The next second, a sudden change occurred.

On the bed, a brilliant purple light, more dazzling than the sun, enveloped the two embracing individuals.

In Chen Mo's Dantian, the purple sun hovering over the Sea of Spiritual Liquid seemed to have fully materialized, the purple light was blinding, and finally, like a huge meteor, it plunged into the Sea of Spiritual Liquid.

The sea began to boil and evaporate.

Chen Mo's body started to heat up, subsequently spreading to Nalan Yiren.

However, Chen Mo's mind was very calm; not only that, it was in a state of enjoyable excitement.

He felt his consciousness detach from his body.

No, rather than consciousness, it was more of a soul.

His soul left his body and floated in mid-air, where he saw himself on the bed holding Nalan Yiren, clearly observing Nalan Yiren's ivory-like legs locking around his waist.

Yet, on the face of the "main body," there was not a hint of reaction.

"Yiren." He attempted to call Nalan Yiren, but the latter seemed unable to hear him, holding tightly to the "main body's" neck, her face full of ecstasy.

He tried to touch Nalan Yiren, but in his soul state, his hand went right through.

He couldn't touch the physical body.

He phased through the wall, leaving the observatory where Nalan Yiren resided, and continued to fly upward.

He flew hundreds of feet high in an instant.

Initially, he felt relaxed, but the higher he flew, the heavier his breathing became.

Even though he was in a soul form, he felt his heartbeat slowing.

He even had the sensation that if he flew any higher, his heart would stop.

He would die.

Scared, he immediately flew down to the back garden, traversing his harem.

He could pass through all physical objects, but likewise, he couldn't affect these physical objects in the slightest, not even a speck of dust.

He arrived at Weiyang Palace.

Wu Mi was there teaching Chen Jia a lesson.

Chen Mo called out to them, though he could hear his voice, Wu Mi and Chen Jia could not.

"Is this soul travel in the Celestial Human Realm?"

In the previous dynasty, many First Grade Celestial Human Realm practitioners existed; naturally, Chen Mo had read notes left from the Imperial Family's Celestial Human Realm martial artists. The predecessors wrote that practitioners in the Celestial Human Realm could engage in soul travel, be asleep at home, yet have their soul leave the body and witness sights hundreds of feet away, unnoticed by others, and unable to harm anyone.

The notes also mentioned that soul travel has limitations in distance and time.

The notes he read were left by Great Song Ancestor.

The ancestor's soul travel time was a quarter-hour, with a range of one mile.

Here, Great Song Ancestor marked this in the notes, indicating it was the limit he tested in terms of time and distance.

If this distance was exceeded, the soul would grow increasingly weak, and the soul travel duration would correspondingly decrease.

If one didn't return to the body within this time, one might die.

The Great Song Ancestor used the word "might" here, implying it might not lead to death, but he didn't test it further.