This immortal was clearly ordinary, yet he was unusually confident.

Wenqu Street, located on the east side of Quliang City, is a gathering place for the city's literati and scholars.

Initially, this street only sold stationery and other writing implements, but gradually some down-on-their-luck scholars started writing and painting for others here.

But at some point, a new form of verbal combat emerged on the streets.

That is, the two sides set up a stall on the street, each showing their strengths, and then passers-by voted, with the one with the most votes winning.

After this method emerged, many people who wanted to support their friends or exchange ideas gradually gathered together, and Wenqu Street flourished as a result.

Later on, some high-ranking officials and nobles would occasionally visit this place to look for talented retainers.

This has led some ambitious people to rack their brains trying to make a name for themselves on Wenqu Street.

At this moment, in a corner of Wenqu Street, there was a small stall with two people sitting on it, one fat and one thin.

The fat man was a young man, not very old, with an ordinary face, who was sitting on a small stool in a daze.

The other was a middle-aged man in his forties, with a dignified appearance and extraordinary demeanor. He was holding a paintbrush and concentrating intently on painting.

Judging from the outline on the paper, it should be a portrait.

"Master, if this keeps up, we'll go hungry again today!" the chubby young man suddenly sighed.

"All you do all day is eat, eat, eat! Look how fat you've gotten!" The middle-aged man scolded without turning his head.

"I... I'm only doing this because you made me angry! Please, have mercy on me!" the chubby young man said defiantly.

The middle-aged man finally put down his pen, his gaze still fixed on the paper, admiring his own painting as he said:

"These people from Liangcheng are so hypocritical! Tell me, which of my paintings doesn't look like me? They don't know their stuff!"

Upon hearing the middle-aged man's words, the fat young man immediately became restless and said in a sarcastic tone:

"Yes, yes, yes! You painted it too realistically. Take that lady from earlier, for example. She put on so much powder on her face, hoping you would make her look younger. But what did you do?"

The middle-aged man seemed used to the fat young man speaking to him like this, and wasn't angry. He explained:

"She's clearly in her fifties, but she has so many wrinkles on her forehead that no amount of makeup can cover them up!"

The fat young man snorted.

"What about that girl from earlier? You wouldn't have drawn the vegetable leaf stuck to someone's teeth, would you?"

The middle-aged man said helplessly, "It's because she always smiles at me and shows me her yellow teeth!"

The chubby young man gritted his teeth: "They were smiling at you, and you almost smashed their stall!"

He suddenly slapped his forehead and continued:

"Oh, and last time, a woman asked us to paint her husband's funeral portrait. Did she really want us to paint the wound on the deceased's head as well? What's worse, you even colored the wound!"

The middle-aged man replied confidently:

"What do you know? That person was clearly murdered. I'm just reconstructing the facts of the case!"

The fat young man finally couldn't bear it any longer and sighed to the sky:

"I, Chen Ahu, was truly blinded by greed back then. How could I have become your disciple?"

The middle-aged man smiled and said, "It's not too late for you to back out now!"

Chen Ahu's eyes lit up: "Really?"

The middle-aged man nodded and said in a serious tone:

"I, Lin, keep my word. I can expel you from the sect at any time, but I will not return any of your money!"

Chen Ahu shouted and stood up:

"Lin Zhu, you old thief, I'll kill you!"

"Are you going to betray your master and ancestors?"

"Tiger Lord, I'm upholding justice even at the cost of family ties!"

Qin Qianqian looked at the two lively characters frolicking not far away, then turned to Zheng Zhuang and said:

"This...this is the best painter in the city?"

Zheng Zhuang's lips twitched slightly, and he said in an uncertain tone:

"Maybe..."

Zheng Zhuang brought Qin Qianqian over early in the morning, and Wenqu Street was indeed as lively as rumored.

Upon arrival, they immediately inquired around, and to their astonishment, the information they received was remarkably consistent:

"The best painter in town? Look over there at those stalls, the one with the least business!"

Zheng Zhuang didn't understand at first, but after meeting these two people, he began to understand a little.

"Ahem! I've heard you are the best painters in the city? Would you be so kind as to paint a portrait of my young master?"

Qin Qianqian took two steps forward, coughed lightly, and stopped the two from playing around.

Zheng Zhuang nodded in satisfaction. This little girl was getting more and more into character; she was a promising student.

He only told Qin Qianqian that he was going to find the best painter in the city, but he didn't tell her his true intentions.

"Painting! Young master, please sit here. You've come to the right place. When it comes to painting skills, if my master claims to be second, no one dares to claim to be first. I guarantee you'll be satisfied!"

When Chen Ahu saw a customer coming in, he immediately changed his expression and greeted them with a fawning smile.

The middle-aged man straightened his robes, stroked his beard, and replied in agreement:

"That's right, I am Lin Zhu, the best painter in the city!"

Zheng Zhuang and Qin Qianqian exchanged a glance, both reading disbelief in each other's eyes!

Qin Qianqian couldn't help but roll her eyes. This person was quite like her senior, frighteningly confident.

Zheng Zhuang gave an awkward but polite smile:

"Shall we draw one then?"

Chen Ahu winked at Lin Zhu, then said to Zheng Zhuang:

"Young master, you may not know this, but my master is the best painter in the city. So many people ask him to paint their portraits that he is too tired to do so today."

"How about this: I'll draw one for you first, young master. If you're satisfied, you're welcome to come back often. Of course, if you're not satisfied, my master will draw another one for you free of charge."

Lin Zhu shook her wrist in tacit agreement, trying to look tired.

He understood Chen Ahu's intention: this young master was so ordinary-looking that if he painted him in his own style, the young master would most likely be dissatisfied.

Why not let the apprentice do it and embellish it a bit? That way, today's meal expenses should be covered.

"You just didn't return it..."

"good!"

Zheng Zhuang interrupted Qin Qianqian's questioning. He wasn't blind; he could naturally see that the two of them were acting.

But since these two are master and apprentice, their painting skills should be inherited from the same lineage, and one can roughly see the clues from the apprentice's painting style.

After Zheng Zhuang sat down, Chen Ahu did not rush to start writing, but instead conceived in his mind which parts needed to be beautified...

Ordinary eyes!

A normal nose!

A normal mouth!

So ordinary it's practically nonexistent!

Chen Ahu discovered that every part of Zheng Zhuang's face needed beautification.

But then the problem arises: if you completely change the drawing, will it still be the same person?

But if I don't change it, it won't be right to draw it exactly as it is. It's so difficult!

After a period of internal struggle, Chen Ahu finally made up his mind to change!

Even if his appearance is completely different, as long as he insists that this is him, who would be willing to deny that he is handsome?

It must be said that Chen Ahu is exceptionally talented and has already mastered some of the skills. His brush moves like a dragon in flight, and in no time, a handsome and refined young man leaps onto the paper!

After finishing the last stroke, Chen Ahu quietly breathed a sigh of relief. He had already exceeded his usual standard, and even felt that his painting skills had improved a bit more.

"Young master, please take a look! Are you satisfied?"

Chen Ahu carefully dried the ink, then handed it to Zheng Zhuang with a grin.

Unexpectedly, Zheng Zhuang took the painting, glanced at it, threw it back immediately, and said with a look of disappointment:

"How could you have ruined my peerless good looks like this?"

"what?"

Chen Ahu and Lin Zhu looked at the people in the painting, then at Zhengzhuang, and were stunned for a moment.