In this portrait, the main focus was on Xue Lao Er, surrounded by blooming flowers.
Upon receiving the portrait, Hai Bing said again:
“Truly skillful!”
The maids standing nearby enthusiastically admired this creation. They saw that picturesque wall every day, yet they had never seen it as Niu You Dao had depicted it in the portrait.
“Splendid! Exquisite!” Xiao Run muttered to herself, drawing a little closer. She, too, wished she could have such a portrait drawn for her. Then she could admire it every single day. But everyone had their own destiny. And she didn't have a hundred thousand to pay for a painting!
Still, Xue Lao Er had a different destiny...
When Xue Lao Er approached, she gazed at the painting for a while.
A moment later, Hai Bing asked her:
“Mistress, how is it?”
“Good,” Xue Lao Er replied calmly.
“Quickly, take it away!” Hai Bing joyfully called out to the maids.
“Yes, ma’am!” Two maids carried the portrait away again.
The next portrait was taken at the entrance with the round gate, beyond which lay terraces and pavilions. Xue Lao Er stood by the archway, as if emerging from the gate.
In the portrait Niu You Dao painted, the palace and terraces receded into the background. They served as a subtle backdrop to the beauty.
It seemed like a rather simple and ordinary place, yet everyone was struck by the hidden, profound meaning of the painting. Hai Bing nodded her head:
“Master indeed chooses the scenery skillfully.”
Now she believed that even a million wouldn't be too much for such a painting.
Niu You Dao humbly replied:
“Chief Manager, you flatter me unduly. I merely spent a long time contemplating the scenery yesterday.”
For Niu You Dao, in truth, this was nothing at all. In his previous life, he had seen far better portraits.
Hai Bing: “Thank you, Master, for your efforts.”
Xue Lao Er gazed at the painting for quite a while. She seemed to see another world within it, only then saying:
“Take it away!”
Hai Bing understood that this painting had particularly pleased her mistress. Thus, she immediately waved her hand and said:
“Handle it with care!”
For the next portrait, they chose a spot amidst the terraces and pavilions. Niu You Dao instructed them to place a daybed there, on which Xue Lao Er was to recline.
Niu You Dao told Xue Lao Er to bend one leg, rest one arm beneath her head, and hold a book in her other hand, gazing into it. Xue Lao Er lay there, revealing all the graceful lines of her figure. In such a pose, her figure was simply on display. In ordinary times, no man would dare to make such demands of Xue Lao Er. After all, she was the mistress of the Ice and Snow Palace. For such an offense, he would simply be killed.
But now, all these women seemed to have lost their minds. From Hai Bing down to the maids, not a single one even thought about it.
Niu You Dao stood behind the painting, directing who should do what. He ordered a censer placed nearby and a cabinet.
A group of people constantly moved about, arranging items, while Niu You Dao looked at the reclining woman. He chuckled to himself. This woman was indeed quite good. If he weren't afraid of the consequences, he could very well force her to display all her charms right now.
Indeed, in such situations, women think *differently*. And what if she was the mistress of the Ice and Snow Palace?
But he dared not. After all, eventually, one of the men from the palace would notice something amiss.
Of course, there were those who thought that the mistress's pose was a bit improper. Chu An Lou, noticing that there was no sun here and he didn't need to hold an umbrella over Niu You Dao, stepped outside.
Yuan Gang was also led away. However, Yuan Gang cursed Niu You Dao to himself: “Idler!”
In truth, Yuan Gang also disliked it when Lord Dao amused himself in such a manner. Standing there, directing everyone, and even amusing himself at the expense of a woman.
Yuan Gang thought that Lord Dao was simply putting on airs, pretending to be a connoisseur of chess, zither, calligraphy, and painting. “Yet, you are... a secret embezzler!” And Yuan Gang knew it.
When Niu You Dao finished painting, the maids once again began to admire the picture.
In the painting, trees danced outside the window, and before it, the beauty lay on her side. She held a book in her hand, appearing erudite, yet also subtly delicate. Her cold demeanor, however, suited her well.
Hai Bing couldn't help but look at Niu You Dao with admiration. This man was so ingenious at choosing scenery.
Xue Lao Er rose and approached the painting, and when she looked, she froze. She hadn't imagined she could appear in such a way. And this painting, she took it.
Noon arrived. It was the most suitable time to approach the rear of the palace.
The people of the Ice and Snow Palace were invigorated. Everyone wanted to see what the new painting would turn out like.
The group gathered their things and proceeded further. As they exited the Immortal Palace, Niu You Dao told Yuan Gang to remain behind.
Hai Bing asked:
“Master, don’t you need an assistant?”
Niu You Dao replied with a smile:
“He’s not a cultivator, and it would be difficult for him to keep climbing and staying there. Besides, I won’t need him up there.”
Hearing him, no one tried to force the issue. However, Xue Lao Er, upon hearing this, immediately turned her head and looked at Yuan Gang. It was unexpected for her that Yuan Gang was not a cultivator.
However, Yuan Gang knew the reason Lord Dao hadn’t taken him along. Lord Dao didn’t want everyone to know about the Snow Demons’ fear of Yuan Gang.
The group ascended to the summit without incident. The guards dared not allow anyone to offend them, not when the mistress herself was accompanying them.
Xiao Run already knew Lord Dao's preferred spot and pointed it out to Hai Bing.
Hai Bing said approvingly:
“Good. A truly beautiful landscape. Master is indeed a great artist. The portrait will certainly be beautiful.”
Niu You Dao looked at the close-up and the distant view of the landscape. Then he chose a spot and told Xue Lao Er to sit on a black rock.
“Mistress, please sit on the rock, face the palace, with your back towards here.”
Hai Bing stood next to the easel and asked, doubtingly:
“Your back towards here? Wouldn’t that mean you’ll only paint her back?”
Niu You Dao nodded:
“Precisely. This portrait will depict her back, or rather, her silhouette.”
Hai Bing asked, surprised:
“Such a beautiful landscape, and you would depict her from behind?”
Niu You Dao: “Indeed.”
Nevertheless, Xue Lao Er went and sat as Niu You Dao instructed. Hai Bing merely waved her hand and stepped aside.
“Mistress, tilt your head slightly to the left, just a little more. Yes, exactly like that!” Niu You Dao adjusted Xue Lao Er’s pose correctly and then began to paint. Niu You Dao poured his soul into this painting.
No one dared to disturb him; only the wind howled on the mountaintop. At times, the clear ringing of bells could be heard, warding off the Snow Demons.
This time, the landscape was more expansive, and painting the picture took longer. Chu An Lou, sparing no effort, patiently held the umbrella over Niu You Dao.
Setting down his brush, Niu You Dao noticed that no one dared to approach him yet.
“Mistress, it’s done.” Niu You Dao called out.
Xue Lao Er rose and approached the painting. Glancing at it, she froze. Her gaze was fixed on the picture.
In the distance, snowy mountains and plains were visible, followed by a canyon with a raging river. Within the canyon, market stalls and bustling crowds could be vaguely discerned, all appearing so small. Closer to the foot of the mountains, pavilions and terraces could be made out more clearly. And in the foreground, the graceful silhouette of a woman stood out, her clothes fluttering in the wind.
This woman sat alone, her face unseen. It was impossible to guess what she was thinking or what emotions she felt. She was like a woman of mystery.
On one side, the painting depicted the colossal and boundless; on the other, the solitary and fragile. Both sides complemented each other. This was the core idea that touched the heart of every viewer.
Now Hai Bing understood why only the back needed to be painted. Because a face here would have been superfluous.
Xue Lao Er reached out and touched the painting, then whispered:
“Chief Manager, take this painting and put it away.”
“Very well, very well.” Hai Bing came to her senses and immediately waved her hand:
“Take the painting away, quickly!”
After this painting, they did not venture further outside the palace. As Niu You Dao had said, the other places were no better than this one. There was no need to paint them for now.
Everyone considered his words true.
When they returned to the Immortal Palace, they reached a garden. Niu You Dao positioned Xue Lao Er among the flowers and, plucking a bouquet, gave it to her. She was to sniff the flowers. Xue Lao Er held the flowers and tilted her head, pretending to enjoy their fragrance.
Niu You Dao stood close to her, intending to draw her in close-up. He immediately outlined an oval on the canvas, marking the boundaries for Xue Lao Er, and then sketched the flowers around it.
When he finished, this painting turned out to be completely unlike the others. Here, Xue Lao Er occupied the central position, yet the flowers in her hands also drew attention. When one looked at the portrait, a question would arise: did the flowers smell more fragrant, or did the woman look more beautiful?
After this painting, he positioned Xue Lao Er by a curved roof. It seemed as if she was waiting for a favorable wind. Then he had her sit in a pavilion over water. She sat there, hugging her knees and leaning against a pillar.
After the eight portraits, Xue Lao Er asked for a portrait of Hai Bing to be painted.
Though Hai Bing secretly desired a portrait for herself, she politely refused:
“This servant would not dare to disgrace the mistress.”
Xue Lao Er, however, persuaded her. Perhaps Xue Lao Er was tired or bored of posing, or perhaps she simply wanted to watch Niu You Dao paint. In the end, she stood behind Niu You Dao and observed him as he drew.
Xue Lao Er also noticed how the maids longed to be drawn. Consequently, she said that one portrait should be drawn for them.
In the end, a group of maids sat on the steps of a terrace in hierarchical order. Chu An Lou also found a place among them. One man and a throng of maids with delighted expressions appeared on the canvas of the portrait.
The excited maids encountered another problem. There were many of them, but only one portrait. Who would get it?
However, Niu You Dao was not concerned. He thought his work was finished. Until Xue Lao Er, standing nearby, suddenly recited a poem.
“One who has seen the sea will not be surprised by a stream. One who has seen the clouds of Mount Wu will not recognize other clouds. Looking back... half the journey is cultivation, half the journey is dominance!”