"Without the Painted Soul Series, no matter how many collectibles you have, they’re just ordinary items."
"Painted Soul Series?"
"Teacher Shadow’s paintings are of two types: one is the ordinary kind, which are the master-level strokes you mentioned; the other is the Painted Soul Series, of which there are only a few in the world. This exhibition just happens to have one of them. If possible, I am willing to spend a fortune to buy it."
Painted Soul Series!?
Finally, there’s some substance!
The journalists immediately memorized the name and vaguely guessed the situation. Everyone’s shock probably stemmed from the so-called Shadow’s Painted Soul Series. What kind of paintings are these?
The interview hadn’t been going on for long.
The second batch of spectators started to enter the venue.
When the second batch also saw the Painted Soul Series, all previous questions were answered!
"What is this painting?"
"Why does it feel like my soul is being drawn into it!"
"A masterpiece of the ages!"
"Is this the Painted Soul Series that the first batch of spectators mentioned!?"
"Such a Painted Soul Series, isn’t it? Even your soul gets captivated by this painting!"
"I don’t understand traditional Chinese painting, I only read comics, but this one, it’s really different!"
As one batch of spectators after another entered, the entire exhibition hall continuously echoed with similar exclamations, everyone was captivated!
"Ninety-nine paintings, all masterworks!"
"And the Painted Soul Series is truly the centerpiece among them!"
"No wonder the masters rated it so highly, Shadow indeed deserves to be the number one painter of the times!"
"We all misunderstood before!"
"The wealthy and the top ten artists came to Shadow’s exhibition, not because he is influential, but because they already knew about the Painted Soul Series!"
"Even the most remarkable person would be conquered by the Painted Soul Series!"
"I used to be just a fan of Shadow’s comics, now I’m a fan of his traditional Chinese paintings!"
"Shadow is a master of Chinese painting delayed by comics!"
"A divine sealing moment!"
"Shadow is going to seal his legacy in Blue Star’s art scene!"
Reporters continued to interview spectators batch after batch.
Initially, they thought the evaluations from the traditional Chinese painting masters for Shadow were the most exaggerated.
But unexpectedly, the even more exaggerated evaluations came from these ordinary viewers who finished the exhibition.
Toward the end of the interviews.
The journalists couldn’t tell if the crowd had gone mad or if they themselves were going crazy:
"Why do I feel it’s getting more and more mystical?"
"What’s really happening in there?"
"What exactly is the Painted Soul?"
"Whatever it is, just report it verbatim!"
"Cover for me for a moment."
"Where are you going, are you heading to the bathroom again? You’ve been five times already!"
"This time, I’m going to buy a ticket."
"But you’re still heading towards the bathroom."
"Use the bathroom first, then buy the ticket!"
If I don’t go in and take a look, I might not sleep well tonight!
Netizens were still immersed in the shock brought by the terrifying lineup of guests at Shadow’s traditional Chinese painting exhibition at the Central State Art Museum.
"Has the exhibition started?"
"What’s the situation now?"
"What level is Shadow’s traditional Chinese painting at?"
"Why is Shadow so popular among the wealthy?"
"It’s not just the wealthy, the top ten masters are all there."
"The masters have all gone in. Let’s see how they evaluate it later."
"This news headline is so damn scary, it must be clickbait!"
Every reporter was scrambling for the first-hand coverage, but each headline was more shocking than the last!
"Top Ten Masters Submit!"
"Top Ten Painters of Blue Star State: Shadow is the Number One of our Time!"
"Shadow Exhibition Drives Audience Crazy!"
"It is said that there is a painting at the Shadow’s national painting exhibition that shocked the entire audience!"
"The enthronement battle of Shadow!"
"Thousand Miles of Rivers and Mountains, Shadow’s Painted Soul Series!"
"Interview with passersby: Shadow has been delayed by comics for many years!"
"Interview with wealthy individuals: Eagerly desire to own a collection from Shadow’s Painted Soul Series!"
All these sound like clickbait titles.
However, when netizens clicked in, they were utterly amazed!
Everything that happened at the scene is the most solid evidence!
Not to mention these media outlets are big names on Blue Star, with hardly any issues regarding credibility!
The entire internet is in shock!
"The evaluation of Shadow’s painting exhibition is just too high, the top ten artists actually joined hands to endorse his ascent to the throne?"
"Shadow is only ranked eighteenth, how could he ascend?"
"It seems there is a painting called ’Thousand Miles of Rivers and Mountains’, part of Shadow’s Painted Soul Series?"
"Why does this news sound so incredible?"
"It’s just traditional painting, I’ve seen many master-level national paintings, and they were alright; besides, Shadow is just a comic artist."
"These news reports are too exaggerated."
"I now seriously suspect the top ten artists have been bought off."
"Even if the top ten artists were kidnapped, do you think those wealthy individuals have also been bought off? How much money would it take?"
"Is it possibly about vested interests?"
"Are you implying money laundering or something? The problem is Blue Star has been cracking down on this for years, now such situations are virtually extinct, and even if you don’t believe the top ten artists and elite wealthy individuals, you should trust the interviews with ordinary passersby, right?"
"Seeing is believing!"
"Instead of talking so much, why not go and see for yourself!"
The news reports are convincing, with top ten artists and countless elite wealthy individuals jointly endorsing it, and audience interviews at the painting exhibition site too, this matter of Shadow’s enthronement seems to be irrefutable!
Even so, some netizens remain skeptical, deciding to check it out firsthand.
Anyway, the on-site audience interview already said:
Even people who don’t understand painting, upon seeing ’Thousand Miles of Rivers and Mountains’, will undoubtedly be completely captivated!
People crowds like the sea!
The flow of people like weaving!
Due to the astounding news disseminated globally, within the Central State Art Museum, Shadow’s personal exhibition of national paintings exploded!
Those who haven’t seen it want to see.
Those who’ve seen it want to see it again.
It’s already hard to get a ticket at the scene!
And after the top ten artists in Blue Star’s painting circle collectively vouched for Shadow as the top person of the age, the Blue Star art scene ushered in an unprecedented shockwave!
Countless professional painters set out, carrying various emotions to Zhong Continent, wishing to catch a glimpse of the legendary Shadow’s Painted Soul Series!
Perhaps some remain skeptical prior to visiting.
But regardless of what mood they arrive with.
Once they truly see the final grand unveiling of ’Thousand Miles of Rivers and Mountains’.
All previous doubts disappear in an instant, replaced by unprecedented shock!
It’s the supreme masterpiece of contemporary painting!
No wonder even the top ten artists feel inferior.
In the face of ’Thousand Miles of Rivers and Mountains’, master-level skill fades into insignificance.
More and more netizens have seen it!
More and more painters have seen it!
The continually expanding collective successively voices, validating all evaluations.
And just when various discussions are blazing across the internet, the official account of the Literature and Art Association, representing the highest authority in Blue Star art, surprisingly issued a report!
The report’s title quoted Li Yanfeng’s comment: "Shadow should be the foremost in the world"!
"The Shadow’s national painting exhibition astonishes four seas and eight continents.
And in this exhibition drawing global attention, there are countless works worthy of extensive praise. A master’s overflowing talents are vividly displayed in this exhibition:
There are flowers and birds.
There are landscapes.
From meticulous to freehand styles.
Shadow’s broad involvement in the realm of national paintings astounds people.
Yet when the exhibition reached halfway, and that ’Thousand Miles of Rivers and Mountains’ descended with a kingly attitude, everything else seemed less significant, or rather, these works remain important, but their presence more like a perfect prelude to the final Painted Soul.
People say landscapes are like paintings.
But truly transferring Blue Star’s splendid landscape to brush, allowing everyone to appreciate every worldly scene just through a painting, sincerely praising the grandeur of this landscape, only ’Thousand Miles of Rivers and Mountains’ can achieve this.
This is Shadow’s proud creation.
The world names it the Painted Soul Series.
So-called Painted Soul Series, naturally, isn’t limited to just this one work, although most other works haven’t been seen, we can be sure that if the world had to choose one painting to represent the pinnacle of contemporary Blue Star national painting, it would only be Shadow’s Painted Soul."
Officially recommended.
The new year hasn’t arrived yet, the rankings haven’t updated, but everyone understands one fact, that is, there’s been a monumental shift in the Blue Star art scene.