A Peerless Genius

“Who’s there? Show yourself!”

Gu Feiyan’s sharp voice echoed, but no response came.

The spiritual energy surging around her caused the Jade Dew Pool to erupt in waves, as if a boulder had been dropped into it. Barefoot, she stepped onto the shore, her black whip flying into her hand as she followed the direction of the sound.

Not far from the pool, she spotted a young man in a green robe, his back turned to her, completely engrossed in painting on a canvas.

“Who are you?” Gu Feiyan asked coldly, her whip tightly gripped, her brows furrowed.

The young man, startled, dropped his brush. Turning to see who had spoken, he looked surprised. “Senior Sister… why are you dressed like that?”

Gu Feiyan had rushed over without a second thought, not realizing that her soaked undergarments clung tightly to her pale skin, nearly transparent. Her devilish figure was accentuated, exuding a sultry allure that could make hearts race.

“You’re… Master Qin?” Gu Feiyan immediately recognized the handsome young man before her. He had left a deep impression on her just a few days ago.

She had been curious to see what other antics this shameless person could pull, but she hadn’t expected their next meeting to be under such bizarre and suggestive circumstances.

“What are you doing here? You’d better give me a good explanation, or I’ll decide how you die,” Gu Feiyan said domineeringly, her cold gaze fixed on him. At the same time, her spiritual energy evaporated the water droplets on her body, shrouding her in a mist that added a mysterious allure.

“I’m painting,” Qin Gou replied, picking up his fallen brush and gesturing toward the canvas.

Gu Feiyan’s icy eyes narrowed as she smiled wickedly. “You came here in broad daylight to paint? Don’t you know the Jade Dew Pool is closed to outsiders today? It’s reserved for me alone for cleansing and refinement.” She clearly didn’t believe him.

“I arrived yesterday,” Qin Gou said honestly. Glancing at the rising sun, he smiled brightly. “I wanted to capture the beauty of the morning sunlight spreading across the Jade Dew Pool.”

“Ridiculous. Do you think it’s still morning?” Gu Feiyan crossed her arms, her gaze mocking.

“After finishing the sunrise, I fell asleep. When I woke up, the sight of the wind brushing through the forest was so beautiful that I decided to paint again,” Qin Gou explained, picking up a completed painting and showing it to her. “Would you like to see my work, Senior Sister?”

“Showing off your skills? Don’t you know I’ve been passionate about painting since I was a child…” Gu Feiyan began, but her words trailed off as she stared at the painting in shock.

She had spent years honing her skills in traditional ink painting, earning praise from the sect’s elders. Yet Qin Gou’s painting left her speechless. She had never seen such a realistic and three-dimensional piece.

The Jade Dew Pool at sunrise was vividly brought to life on the canvas. Every detail was captured with stunning clarity, exuding vitality as if the entire scene had been sealed within the paper by some unimaginable power.

Even more astonishing was that Qin Gou hadn’t used a traditional brush but a sharpened piece of charcoal—a mundane tool from a mortal kitchen. Yet it had produced such a breathtaking work of art.

“What kind of painting technique is this?” Gu Feiyan asked, momentarily forgetting her earlier anger.

Qin Gou smiled. “This technique is called ‘sketching.’ I learned it from an elderly mortal with no cultivation. While it lacks the free-spirited elegance of ink painting, it excels in vivid realism.”

Gu Feiyan held the painting, clearly enamored. She nodded repeatedly before suddenly changing her tone. “Wait here. Don’t leave without my permission.”

With that, she turned and walked away, her cold and elegant figure leaving Qin Gou momentarily entranced.

Moments later, Gu Feiyan returned, her skirt swaying, her long, shapely legs accentuated by her black silk stockings. She stood before Qin Gou and commanded, “Paint me.”

“You want me to paint your portrait?” Qin Gou asked.

Gu Feiyan nodded. “That’s right.”

“I’m afraid I must decline,” Qin Gou said firmly, without hesitation.

“What did you say?”

Gu Feiyan wondered if she had misheard. A mere Weapon Refining Realm disciple dared to defy her? She had never encountered such insolence before, which was likely why her personality had become so domineering.

Qin Gou sighed, his expression serious. “In my view, art should be inspired by the heart and the scene. Forcing oneself to paint only leads to disaster—a shameful failure.”

“And if I insist?” Gu Feiyan asked, gritting her teeth.

Qin Gou chuckled bitterly. “We’re mere acquaintances. I owe you nothing. Unless you plan to use your seniority to coerce me!”

Gu Feiyan raised her whip, her tone icy. “Don’t worry. I’ll use force instead.”

“I’m not one to submit easily. Though I know I’m no match for you, I won’t surrender without a fight,” Qin Gou said, his eyes flashing with determination. He stepped back and summoned a long-handled lantern emitting a faint blue glow.

“How amusing. A mere Weapon Refining Realm pup dares to—” Gu Feiyan’s words caught in her throat as her gaze locked onto the lantern in Qin Gou’s hand. Her icy eyes widened in shock.

“That’s not a spiritual tool prototype—it’s a fully formed life-bound spiritual tool! You’re only at the Weapon Refining Realm, yet you’ve already manifested a life-bound spiritual tool?!”

“So what if I have?” Qin Gou replied, frowning.

Gu Feiyan was stunned.

She had only intended to scare off a peeping tom and bully a naive junior into painting her beautifully. Instead, she had stumbled upon a peerless genius.

A life-bound spiritual tool at the Weapon Refining Realm? Impossible. The term “Weapon Refining Realm” literally referred to the stage of forging one’s life-bound spiritual tool. In the entire history of the cultivation world, no such anomaly had ever existed.

Even her prodigious adopted sister, Man Xiaomu, couldn’t achieve something so extraordinary.