Chapter 496 - 310: The Arrival of Two Golden Pillars! The Entire Qin Capital Pays a Visit!

Tang Bai and the other four entered the hall to collect the paintings, followed by evaluations.

"Tang Zhe’s piece ’Xue Qin’ carries quite a bit of Lord Tang’s charm at first glance, while the details integrate his own Painting Dao, quite masterful."

Qi Nankai and Lu Jin together praised Tang Zhe’s ’Xue Qin’.

Meanwhile, Huangfu Qian and Shangguan Qian examined the works of Qi Chen and Pei Yi.

"Qi Chen’s ’Early Spring’ is imaginative; there’s no snow painted, yet it exudes snow all throughout," praised Huangfu Qian.

"Pei Yi’s work is also quite good, depicting the Imperial City beneath the snow."

"..."

Tang Bai remained silent, not looking at Tang Zhe’s work nor at Qi Chen’s or Pei Yi’s, instead he carefully reviewed others’ paintings.

Suddenly.

His eyes slightly narrowed, fixing on a particular painting.

In the painting, the perspective overlooks a snow-covered Qin Capital, and with just a glance, he felt as if he was standing on the clouds, overlooking Qin Capital from above.

Upon closer inspection, both the sketch lines and painting techniques reached an excellent level.

Most importantly, as he studied more, it was as though the falling snowflakes started moving.

How could a painting move?

Tang Bai’s heart was shaken.

Such mystical artwork, he himself had only been able to create a few times during sudden inspirations, which were already his peak works.

And this painting, created during the Golden Competition, signifies the artist’s skill reaches his peak, without sudden inspiration!

In other words, the artist’s painting skills surpass his.

Tang Bai’s breath quickened, he shifted his gaze to the name.

"Hoong Jun?" He furrowed his brow, his mind flashing through various information, yet none matched.

Each period, Tang Bai collected talents from the Great Qin Dynasty’s thirteen prefectures, thus instinctively tried to match from past talents.

"Surname Hoong... Red Flame Race?"

Unable to find a match, Tang Bai slightly furrowed his brow looking towards the back of the hall, where a young man dressed in black sat.

He didn’t possess features of the Red Flame Race, definitely not from the Red Flame Race...

Thinking this, he moved his steps forward, walking over.

"Are you Hoong Jun?" Tang Bai asked.

Disguised Chu Ming nodded slightly.

"How did you paint this view from above, so lifelike, did you actually see it from mid-air?" Tang Bai asked again.

"..." Chu Ming paused, cupping his hands in salute: "I imagined it myself."

Imagine?

Tang Bai’s expression remained unchanged.

If someone truly has such imagination, then the black-clad youth’s imaginative ability might not be far behind Chu Ming.

"Sit down."

Tang Bai didn’t ask further, taking the painting scroll back to the main hall.

"What happened, Lord Tang?" Qi Nankai and others saw Tang Bai specifically walking to the back of the hall to inquire, naturally curious.

Tang Bai didn’t waste words, handing over the scroll.

"Hmm?"

With just a glance, Qi Nankai and four others were captivated by the scroll.

"This..." Lu Jin was full of surprise, "This painting gives me a sense of standing on the clouds, overlooking Qin Capital in the snow."

"I feel it too..." nodded Huangfu Qian and Shangguan Kang.

"At first glance, this painting resembles Tang Zhe’s, Qi Chen’s, and Pei Yi’s works, but it easily transports you into the scene."

"Remarkable, truly remarkable, such an ambience we can’t achieve."

"What’s the name?"

"Hoong Jun?"

"Surname Hoong?"

"..."

"Gentlemen, please proceed with the evaluation quickly, perhaps today..."

"Alright."

The few didn’t waste time, each making their evaluations, then sent the results to Jinluan Hall.

Chu Ming sat still, the Sword Gourd Spiritual Sense probing Hoong Ying’s side.

The artifact refining competition at Hall of Exquisite Craftsmanship also reached the evaluation stage.

Elder Hoong Zhuo of the Red Flame Race and several Artifact Refining Masters made their evaluations.

The results were as Chu Ming had guessed, Hoong Ying was ranked in the seventies.

While those from the Red Flame Race, Hoong Dan, Hoong Bin, and Tang Yan, were in the lead.

So-called Golden Competition is just this way, human judgments inevitably involve human affairs.

The Red Flame Race is the major artifact refining clan of the Great Qin Dynasty; Hoong Dan and Hoong Bin’s refining techniques are indeed excellent.

But if we truly based evaluation on the items refined, the top spots belong to others.

Hoong Ying refined a Silver Sword, by refining technique alone, enough for the top twenty.

The Hall of Exquisite Craftsmanship concluded its evaluation virtually at the same time as the Floating Painting Hall, with results sent to Jinluan Hall.

Soon, Jinluan Hall issued an edict.

Floating Painting Hall.

"Hoong Jun is the first in the painting competition, appointed to the Floating Painting Department, awarded ten thousand taels, awarded golden pen and paper."

"Tang Zhe is second in the painting competition, appointed to the Painting Department, awarded ten thousand taels, awarded golden pen and paper."

"Qi Chen is third in the painting competition, appointed to Changhua, awarded five thousand taels."

"..."

Hoong Jun?

Who is Hoong Jun?

Qi Chen and Pei Yi were puzzled.

Tang Zhe’s fair face froze.

Others glanced around, trying to identify ’Hoong Jun.’

"Senior Brother Tang, you actually aren’t the first in the Golden Competition?"

Someone murmured from behind, like a sharp blade, piercing Tang Zhe’s chest.

Senior Brother Tang...

Qi Chen and Pei Yi looked at Tang Zhe, then at Tang Bai on stage, their eyes questioning.

Who is Hoong Jun?

Tang Bai’s face remained unchanged, his gaze moving to the back of the main hall.

The back of the main hall?

Suddenly Tang Zhe recalled something.

Earlier when the Golden Competition ended, Master Tang seemed to have lingered behind watching someone.

Turning around, focusing his gaze.

A youth in black clothes with eyes slightly closed came into view.

That youth in black...

Tang Zhe furrowed his brow slightly.

How is he so composed, didn’t he hear about being the first in the Golden Competition?

Meanwhile.

Chu Ming was probing into matters happening in the Hall of Exquisite Craftsmanship.

"Rank seventy-seven, tsk tsk, quite embarrassing, with this refining level, the clan could produce many." Hoong Dan mocked softly.

"Senior Sister Dan, can’t say that, at least she’s in the top hundred of the Golden Competition."

"..."

Hoong Ying clenched her fists, slightly trembling.