Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Ji Xia smiled and said, "Let's do it."

The tiny paper figure trembled all over, muttering unwillingly, "Foolish mortal, concealing the blessing of 'civilization' will cost you!"

Ji Xia replied, "Having a face like mine, I'm paying an even higher price."

"You!" The paper figure detected the disdain in her tone and grew even angrier, raising her voice, "It costs me power to help you! Of course, that power has to come from you! Your current Spirit Ink limit is only 150 points! If you want to maintain the 'Misty Swirl' effect, it'll lock up half of that permanently! Spirit Ink is the source of power for a World Painter, you..."

Before she could finish saying "know when to quit," Ji Xia cut in decisively, "Alright, let's start."

The paper figure was incredulous: "Are you even a World Painter? Do you know what this means? Losing half your Spirit Ink, you..."

"I know," Ji Xia looked at her, her gaze calm yet leaving no room for doubt. "Begin."

Taken aback by her look, the paper figure reluctantly grumbled "unreasonable," but a radiant light still shimmered around her.

A moment later, the overwhelming radiance emanating from Ji Xia quietly receded inward.

She summoned the system panel and checked "Spirit Ink" and "Charm."

The former had changed to 75/150 (75 points locked).

The latter had dropped from Max back to 7 points.

Her original Spirit Ink value was above average (100 points), but now it was far below the average line.

Ji Xia suddenly added, "Cancel Misty Swirl."

The little paper figure was stunned, then overjoyed: "You've finally come to your senses! Not concealing your appearance is the right choice! It's a tremendous blessing..."

As she chattered excitedly, she deactivated the "Misty Swirl" effect.

Ji Xia looked at the system panel again.

Sure enough, "Spirit Ink" returned to 150/150, while "Charm" became Max again.

"Activate Misty Swirl."

Paper Figure: "???"

Then it clicked.

Her paper-like body almost rippled with anger: "Ji Xia!!! You're messing with me! Activate, cancel, then activate again! I am the supreme Sacred Artifact Spirit! I'm not your personal effects tester!"

Looking at the little creature about to explode with rage, Ji Xia cheerfully reached out a finger, gently touching her trembling body, and said in a soothing tone, "Be good, little paper."

The paper figure stiffened.

Ji Xia coaxed patiently, "I'm doing this to activate the 'Divine Cloud Brocade' faster. Don't you want to escape this paper-like... this ethereal state sooner and restore the Sacred Artifact's glory?"

This hit the little paper figure right where it mattered.

"Who's 'little paper'? Call me Lady Yun Ling!" She snorted, the flickering of the light around her slowing down, but her tone remained full of doubt: "...You make it sound easy. How do you plan to activate the 'Divine Cloud Brocade' with just this tiny bit of Spirit Ink? It's pure wishful thinking!"

"There's always a way."

"What way?"

"I'm not telling you."

"Hmph!"

Thus, the human and the spirit set off on the road to Bianjing City in this bizarrely "harmonious" atmosphere.

As they walked, Yun Ling couldn't hold back anymore. She quietly floated to Ji Xia's ear, her voice awkward but brimming with unconcealable curiosity:

"...How did you know about my existence before?"

Ji Xia immediately began spouting nonsense: "Perhaps it's because we share a telepathic connection, hearts beating as one, my heart holds you within."

Yun Ling's tiny body seemed to freeze, clearly stunned by the overly cheesy line, her spirit-numbed.

She retorted belatedly, "Who shares a heart with you? I, we just met today!"

Ji Xia: "Oh, I felt an instant connection with you."

"I didn't feel any instant connection with you!"

"That's fine, it's my unrequited love then."

"…………"

Yun Ling finally realized this shameless person wasn't being serious at all. She said angrily, "Speak human language!"

Ji Xia tilted her head, her eyes full of amusement, and obligingly said, "Since I knew it was the 'Divine Cloud Brocade,' naturally I also knew Sacred Artifacts have spirits."

Yun Ling: "..." She's clearly a novice World Painter just entering the world, how could she know these things!

Yun Ling fell silent. She "whooshed" back into Ji Xia's body.

Dusk deepened, and the outline of Bianjing City appeared in the distance.

Massive city walls stood towering, a moat winding around them like a jade belt.

Beneath the city gate, a stream of people flowed like a river, travelers and merchants slowly entering the city under the watchful eyes of the guards.

The clamor of voices and the sounds of carriages and horses instantly pulled one from the year 2044 back to the ancient capital of nearly a thousand years ago.

"Such a realistic game... if only it were just a game," Ji Xia couldn't help but sigh softly in her heart.

Relying on her identity as a "World Painter,"

she entered Bianjing City.

Shops and stores lined both sides of the streets, banners fluttering.

Street vendors, officials on horseback or in sedan chairs, playing children... all sorts of NPCs composed this flowing "Along the River During the Qingming Festival" scroll. Everything matched the ancient painting in her memory perfectly, vivid and astonishing.

"Too much artifice, possessing only the form," Yun Ling's critical voice rang in her mind, carrying an innate arrogance. "It has only the skin of prosperity, lacking the original's divine charm."

Ji Xia ignored her critique.

Having lived a second life, her understanding of the "Two Principles Painting Scroll" far surpassed others'.

In every beginner village, there were several high-tier "Civilization Fragments" enough to give players a head start.

And these Civilization Fragments are one of the core gameplay features of the *Two Principles Painting Scroll*.

Players are known as World Painters.

World Painters have no levels; it all comes down to what Civilization Fragments they hold.

Civilization Fragments with high resonance to a World Painter can be used directly as "skills," possessing various powerful effects.

Some high-grade Civilization Fragments can even unleash terrifying power after the game merges with reality.

These fragments are also known as "Inheritance Fragments."

Civilization Fragments with low resonance but good quality can be forged into serviceable weapons and equipment; these are called "Armed Fragments."

Then there are those like *Along the River During the Qingming Festival*, which can generate an "area"; these are called "Dongtian Fragments."

Beyond these, there are also "Sealed Fragments" that can corrupt World Painters and "Civilization Vessels" powerful enough to ascend a World Painter.

This shows just how truly earth-shattering the "Divine Cloud Brocade" Ji Xia obtained from the email is.

These Civilization Fragments are condensed from historical cultural treasures or legendary concepts.

Besides having categories, they also have clear quality distinctions.

For example, among "Inheritance Fragments," there are five grades: Common, Dan Qing, Mysterious Brilliance, Divine Charm, and Sacred Artifact.

Ji Xia's goal in coming to Bianjing City was exactly the "Mysterious Brilliance" grade Inheritance Fragment hidden within *Along the River During the Qingming Festival*—the Inspiration Pen.

She recalled her vague memories from her past life.

Thanks to that know-it-all old friend, her understanding of Civilization Fragments far surpassed that of ordinary players.

However, the "Inspiration Pen" was beneath her notice in her previous life, so Ji Xia wasn't very clear on the details.

But she was certain that, right now, the pen was still somewhere in Bianjing City, not yet acquired by anyone.

"Need to find clues..." Ji Xia pondered.

She appeared to be wandering aimlessly, but in reality, she had called up the system's built-in "Civilization Catalog" function.

A semi-transparent ancient scroll interface unfolded before her eyes.

Ji Xia searched for *Along the River During the Qingming Festival* and carefully compared the actual scene before her with the painting recorded in the catalog.

It was like starting a dedicated "spot the difference" game within an extremely realistic illusion.

Half a day passed in a flash.

Unlike other newbie players rushing about to accept quests, Ji Xia seemed to blend into *Along the River During the Qingming Festival*, becoming an exquisitely detailed NPC herself.

Before she knew it, she arrived atop the Rainbow Bridge spanning the Bian River.

People jostled shoulder to shoulder on the bridge, while boats came and went beneath it.

Her gaze instinctively fell upon a boat loaded with cargo below the bridge.

The moment her eyes reached the stern, Ji Xia's gaze froze.

Something was wrong.

On her interface, the green "live view" outline and the blue "original painting data" baseline showed a tiny but clear deviation in the angle of the boat's stern!

In this "painting realm" that prided itself on 100% accuracy, any detail inconsistent with the original painting could not be a system error.

Ji Xia understood all too well the terrifying nature of the *Two Principles Painting Scroll*; its precise research into "civilization" reached a level humans couldn't match.

Could there really be a deviation?

The only explanation was—

This "error" was intentionally left behind!

A realization dawned on her. Her half-day of "wandering" wasn't wasted; she had truly found a key clue.

Ji Xia turned to leave the bridge, intending to talk to that boatman NPC and see if she could trigger any special dialogue...

Just then, a commotion came from the direction of the boats.

Below the bridge pier, the boatman NPC was surrounded by several players who clearly weren't newbies.

These people wore unified badges on their chests, bearing the guild emblem—"Rivers and Mountains Pavilion."

The man at the forefront, whose system ID showed as "Mad Blade," was tall and burly, with a fierce yet somewhat handsome face.

This was a jarring combination, typical of someone who had adjusted their appearance by 50%.

Ji Xia's gaze swept over the Fragment Box at the man's waist.

The Fragment Box was entirely crystalline Dan Qing in color, as if carved from a single piece of magnificent lapis lazuli.

Faint points of light shimmered within, proving he possessed a "Dan Qing" quality Civilization Fragment.

In a "newbie village," a Dan Qing quality fragment was enough for him to swagger about.

One of his followers said gruffly, "Old man, don't be ungrateful! Spit out the quest clues now! Or you'll regret it!"

The boatman NPC wore an expression of fear and helplessness, waving his hands repeatedly and pleading something in defense.

Given the game's realism, players could indeed use force to extract some quest clues.

However...

Just like the newbie guide NPC Wang Er, the NPCs in *Two Principles Painting Scroll* had their own minds.

Some cunning ones might give out clues under duress, but their authenticity would be questionable.

And some stubborn NPCs might even choose death over coercion.

Ji Xia stopped not far away, quietly observing.

It seemed a guild was already investigating the "Inspiration Pen" and had also found this boatman.

The reason the Rivers and Mountains Pavilion member dared to shout so loudly was that Ji Xia had acted too convincingly earlier; they mistook her for an NPC as well.

Ji Xia, on the contrary, wasn't in a hurry. Having someone else test the waters was a good thing.

Yun Ling suddenly spoke up, "Huh... how peculiar..."

Ji Xia: "Don't come out!" She promptly stopped the Little Paper Person who was about to fly out from within her.

Yun Ling made a pouty face but complied. "Oh."

Ji Xia didn't overlook her earlier remark. "What felt special to you?"

Yun Ling said, "Over there... but it disappeared quickly..."

Ji Xia wondered: Something that could catch the attention of a Sacred Artifact Spirit?

She instantly grew alert.

Following Yun Ling's cue, she discreetly glanced over.

There stood a man in black, as if he had always belonged to that patch of shadow—a footnote in the scene's depth of field, overlooked by everyone.

Beside him hovered a lantern of ancient, cryptic design. Its body was pitch-black, made of a material that was neither quite bone nor jade, exuding an aura more serene than the night itself.

Yet the lantern's flame flickered with a wan, almost pallid light, failing to light up his downcast eyes. Instead, it cast an even more exquisite silhouette against the sharply defined lines of his profile.

Ji Xia's heart skipped a beat.

How could she have failed to notice someone with such a distinctive presence earlier?

If not for Yun Ling's reminder, she might not have even seen him.

Just then, his lashes, thick as raven feathers, lifted slightly, and a pair of silver-gray pupils turned toward her.

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