Chapter 119: The Immortal by the River!
Unlike the first scroll, the second depicted a portrait of a man. He stood on the bank of a great river, a xiao in his hand but no sword on his back. Surrounding him, just a few simple lines conjured a scene shrouded in dense mist. Deep within it, the man resembled an exiled immortal.
"Elder Brother Mu, is this painting very important? Why does everyone want to get it?" Liu Zijian glanced at the painting and asked curiously.
His father had once told him that the painting was a family heirloom passed down through generations. While not inherently special, its significance meant it could not be lost. Since his father’s death, the painting had passed into Liu Zijian’s hands, and he treated it as his only memento. Therefore, he had never given it away, whether it was Fang Yongnian or Qiao Zishan who came asking for it. Even his wife didn’t know that the item he treasured so dearly was just a painting.
That greedy woman. I told her from the start that we had nothing of value, but she refused to believe me. In the end, she took all our savings, not leaving a single penny for me and our child.
More than two years had passed, and Liu Zijian no longer harbored much resentment toward that heartless woman. It was just that every time he saw his young son, he was overwhelmed with endless guilt.
"This painting would be useless in the hands of an ordinary person. But as luck would have it, it’s quite something in yours," Lin Mu chuckled. He was now certain that this painting and the one he had received from the Guan Family were a set. Moreover, he could sense the same Sword Qi emanating from both scrolls.
Thinking of this, Lin Mu looked at Liu Zijian with sudden curiosity. "Do you remember what Uncle Liu said when he gave you this painting?"
Liu Zijian thought for a moment before shaking his head. "No. When he gave it to me, he just said it was an ancestral heirloom and told me to guard it carefully so it wouldn’t fall into the hands of outsiders."
He gave a wry smile. "Back then, I even had it appraised. They said that aside from its age, neither the material nor the painting technique had any value, so I gave up on selling it."
His father’s mysterious death was followed by his wife leaving him. At the time, he had to care for both his seriously ill mother and his young child. For a while, Liu Zijian was so desperate he sold their house and even intended to sell the painting. But the sale never went through. Besides, his mother reminded him that it was the only thing the Liu Family had left, so he finally dropped the idea.
"It’s a good thing you didn’t sell it. You’d be kicking yourself right now," Lin Mu laughed.
Liu Zijian looked curious. "Elder Brother Mu, tell me the truth, is this thing really that valuable? I’ve always been suspicious of the old man who appraised it. After his appraisal, he said that even though the workmanship and technique were nothing special, he was still willing to buy it for his collection for ten thousand yuan."
"Those collectors and antique appraisers are all shrewder than the next." As he spoke, Liu Zijian spat on the ground and cursed, still feeling aggrieved.
Lin Mu didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Liu Zijian was completely wrong about that man. The appraiser probably just thought it was old. To be honest, ten thousand yuan was a very fair price. Still, it’s a good thing Liu Zijian refused.
Lin Mu’s expression turned serious. "I’m not certain what this painting truly is, but I guarantee that for your boy, Xiao Lin, this painting represents a great fortune."
"A fortune?" Liu Zijian pondered for a moment before his eyes lit up. "Elder Brother Mu, now that you mention it, I remember something! For Xiao Lin’s hundred-day celebration, we did that grasping ceremony, right? We didn’t have anything valuable at home, so I just put this scroll in with the other items. You wouldn’t believe it, but Xiao Lin crawled straight for the scroll, clutched it in his arms, and started babbling away."
Recalling the scene, Liu Zijian began to laugh to himself. "Back then, I thought the boy would either grow up to be a painter or someone who loves grand things and makes a lot of money. But later on..."
The smile on his face faded slightly before returning. "But things are better now. Xiao Lin has started to learn to speak. I don’t want him to become some great painter or earn a lot of money. As long as he can live a safe and peaceful life, that’s all that matters."
Lin Mu patted Liu Zijian’s shoulder. "Brother, trust me. Xiao Lin’s future will exceed your every expectation."
Then, Lin Mu stood up. "Let’s go see the little guy."
The two entered the bedroom. Liu Xiaolin was lying in his grandmother’s arms, sound asleep. Drool trickled from the corner of his mouth, and his small hands were outstretched as if grasping for something. Lin Mu gestured for silence before having Liu Zijian carefully pick up his son. With a gentle wave of his hand, Lin Mu cast a minor silencing spell so that Mother Liu could rest peacefully.
They returned to the living room with Liu Xiaolin still deep in sleep. Lin Mu hesitated for a moment, then unfolded the scroll in his hands.
The next moment, something happened that shocked them both.
The sound of a xiao suddenly echoed through the room.
On the scroll, the mist above the river began to quiver. Then, it transformed into silky strands that surged toward the center of Liu Xiaolin’s brow. At the same time, the man standing by the river seemed to come to life. He smiled faintly at the two of them before his figure flickered, transforming into a ray of light that shot directly into the center of Liu Xiaolin’s brow.
Afterward, the scroll was completely blank. The paper itself began to yellow and decay, finally crumbling into ash.
"This is..."
Stunned by the scene, Liu Zijian held his son, his face pale as he asked, "Elder Brother Mu, what’s going on?"
Lin Mu had been nervous at first, but now he let out a sigh of complete relief.
"Don’t worry. The little guy’s lucky chance has arrived," Lin Mu said, then added with a wry smile, "But this little fellow will probably need to sleep for quite some time."
Liu Zijian was still uneasy. "But what just happened... will it affect Xiao Lin?" he asked nervously.
"Rest assured, it will have no adverse effects," Lin Mu said. "On the contrary, the future Liu Xiaolin will astonish everyone."
Because as the man entered Liu Xiaolin’s brow, Lin Mu had heard a gentle voice.
"For a thousand years I searched, only to find my destiny right before my eyes."
"Should the world ask for my name, I am the Immortal at the River, eternal through the ages."
"Our meeting is fate. As a gift, I will bestow upon you a wisp of Infinite Sword Intent, boy."
Thus, as the man transformed into white light and entered Liu Xiaolin’s brow, Lin Mu also received a wisp of Infinite Sword Intent.