The Billion-Value Lands Are Just For Farming

C567 – All Kinds of Snake Gods Have Appeared

“Mr. Wang is the vice president of our Sculpting Association, and his skills are exceptional. And yet you, a greenhorn, dare to critique him?”

“Feeling the sting of truth, aren’t you?”

“Do you assume that the pieces displayed at the entrance of an exhibition are always mediocre? You’ve misjudged this time.”

“I’m curious to see how you’ll manage to save face later.”

The group behind the white-haired gentleman couldn’t suppress their sneers.

“Is this your creation?”

Su Ming paid no attention to the others, pausing briefly before turning to the white-haired gentleman beside him.

The old man nodded, though his expression soured slightly. Since its unveiling, his work had received unending accolades, with not a single criticism to be heard. Naturally, he took great pride in this, believing he had created a masterpiece to be remembered for generations.

But today, he encountered a young man with an enigmatic background who boldly pointed out a flaw in his work.

The elder was understandably irked.

Yet, with age comes wisdom, and he quickly regained his composure, offering a slight smile, “Then, young man, I would welcome your insights.”

“Let’s not. Mr. Wang’s sculpting prowess is surely unparalleled, and I’m but a novice who spoke out of turn.”

Su Ming offered a smile.

“Ah!”

The old man, however, was not so easily dissuaded: “You can’t dismiss it like that. Despite your youth, I sense you have a discerning eye. Throughout my career, no one has dared to critique my work. I’m genuinely curious to hear your honest opinion.”

“Alright, then. I suppose I’ll have to speak frankly.”

Su Ming smiled serenely, recognizing the old man’s challenge.

Well, I was prepared to spare your feelings. After all, pointing out a flaw could significantly devalue a piece. But if you insist, don’t hold me responsible.

“If I’m not mistaken, Mr. Wang, you must have employed the rosewood technique, which demands the utmost precision in knife work and design, striving for flawlessness.”

“Upon closer inspection, your Sun Wukong sculpture is remarkably lifelike, yet there’s a slight oversight.”

Su Ming stood with his hands clasped behind his back, smiling gently.

“Oh? What might that be?”

The old man’s face tensed, a clear sign of concern.

Su Ming’s knowledge of the carving technique was proof enough of his expertise.

The insights of an expert do carry a certain weight.

“Mr. Wang’s prowess in carving is unquestionable, but have you ever delved into ‘Journey to the West’?” Su Ming inquired.

Mr. Wang paused, a bit taken aback. “I was quite familiar with it in my youth, but as I’ve aged, I’ve devoted myself to carving…”

“Mr. Wang, Sun Wukong in the novel is under 1.5 meters tall, almost beast-like. Your carving captures his likeness impressively, but have you considered that Sun Wukong is the heart and soul of ‘Journey to the West’?”

“He’s decisive and full of vitality, yet you chose wood as your medium. While the result is realistic, it seems to lack that vital essence,” Su Ming remarked thoughtfully.

​”Ha! I was expecting some profound criticism, but is this what you come up with?”

“By that logic, any carving could be subject to the same critique.”

“Run out of things to say, have you?”

“Just as I thought, it’s nothing more than a pretense.”

The crowd erupted into laughter upon hearing Su Ming’s comments.

The white-haired gentleman shook his head in disbelief. Such a justification seemed rather tenuous, didn’t it?

Su Ming simply offered a slight smile and continued, “Typically, a jade wrist knife would be used at the joints, but if one were to use a flat blade in this instance…”

Leaving his thought unfinished, Su Ming turned and walked away with Ann Chuxia.

“Pfft! And here I thought we had a real expert, but he’s just full of hot air.”

“Everyone knows that for curved areas, the Jade Bowl Saber Technique is the standard!”

“Using a flat blade? That’s far too cumbersome…”

The onlookers kept up their sneering, but the white-haired elder’s expression turned to one of astonishment.

He suddenly spun around and bellowed, “Silence, all of you!”

The crowd was startled into quiet, each person’s mouth snapped shut. They were all puzzled as to why Vice President Wang had become so enraged.

“What’s the matter?”

A few people asked tentatively, surprised by his outburst.

The elder’s hands shook with disbelief. “My goodness, if it were indeed carved in that way, it would be nothing short of divine… What do you understand? The so-called techniques are merely constraints. In truth, once you’ve mastered a certain level of skill, any knife can become your teacher. To progress in the art of carving, you must break free from these constraints! But to reach such a level, you’d have to be at the pinnacle of the carving world, something you are far from achieving!”

After the white-haired elder finished speaking, he quickly made his way toward Su Ming, his heart devoid of any previous condescension. This young man was far more complex than he appeared.

At that moment, Su Ming and Ann Chuxia had reached the central exhibition hall, bustling with security personnel. In the middle stood a man, advanced in years yet brimming with vitality. His eyes sparkled upon seeing Ann Chuxia, and he approached her with enthusiasm. “My dear, I’m afraid I must impose on you this time.”

“Uncle Lee, we’re practically family. There’s no need to speak of trouble,” Ann Chuxia replied with a warm smile.

​”You’re too humble, my girl. Your popularity is skyrocketing. Without you, this event wouldn’t have drawn such a crowd,” Lee Wangyang said with a grin.

​As the exhibition hall doors swung open, a flood of visitors poured in. Thanks to the ample security and a designated route marked by red ropes, the flow of guests around the exhibits was well managed.

Before long, the hall was teeming with people. Su Ming and Ann Chuxia noticed that the key members of the Carving Association were reluctant to leave, and the crowd continued to swell until it was a dense sea of onlookers.

“Thank you all for coming to my exhibition today,” Lee Wangyang announced. “As a token of my appreciation, I have ten uncarved seals here. Shortly, I will select ten lucky attendees at random and carve your names on them!”

His announcement was met with jubilation. Lee Wangyang, pleased by the turnout, stroked his beard and laughed heartily.

“Fantastic!”

“Marvelous!”

“Thank you, Chairman Lee!”

The crowd erupted into enthusiastic applause.

“Who would have thought we might get the chance to own a piece of Chairman Lee’s legacy?”

“Chairman Lee’s carving skills are truly masterful, a blend of spirit and form.”

“Indeed, within the imperial court’s carving circle, Chairman Lee is unrivaled.”

“Please pick me, pick me!”

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