Hidden Moth-Chapter 569 - 326: Reforged at the Mountain Gate, Becoming Human Again

Between master and apprentice, the transmission is not merely about the technique; it encompasses an entire life.

Zhang Yanfei’s master was a Sorcerer of the Micro Realm Sect, whose cultivation wasn’t very high, remaining a Tier Two Scholar throughout his life. However, he was also a calligrapher, an art appraiser, and a renowned monk.

Zhang Yanfei initially followed his master to learn calligraphy and painting before being taught techniques, and it was even his master who introduced him to his job.

Unlike his senior disciple Ye Hui, Zhang Yanfei wasn’t adept at management. Apart from cultivation, he loved art, and the art academy was a fitting place for him.

The event that changed his destiny happened about twelve years ago when Zhang Yanfei was serving as the director of the Nanhua Academy of Fine Arts library. While inventorying the library’s collection of rare books and paintings, he discovered a painting.

To his surprise, the signature indicated it was the work of the Alchemy Sect’s founder Leidunzi, and the person depicted was the renowned Immortal Tan, Tan Jun.

Due to his identity as a Sorcerer and professional habit, he began to verify and investigate, trying to uncover the origin of the painting. He found through his inquiries that the Alchemy Sect’s records once noted a painting called "Tan Xian’s Walking Stick Painting," which had long been missing.

This very likely was that painting, though he couldn’t be certain. According to the information he gathered, it was said that "Tan Xian’s Walking Stick Painting" was quite mystical, as if seeing the immortal Tan in person...

No wall in the world is entirely soundproof; before he could do much, someone from the Alchemy Sect reached out actively, asking him why he was inquiring about this painting.

Zhang Yanfei explained his discovery, and the Alchemy Sect responded quickly. Steward Wan Zhongle brought a group of people to Nanhua, along with a pile of ancient calligraphy and painting materials.

Upon seeing this, he sensed it wasn’t good, so he displayed a very cleverly crafted fake he made himself, with the simple goal of seeing if the people from the Alchemy Sect truly recognized this painting.

In fact, Wan Zhongle had never seen the "Tan Xian’s Walking Stick Painting" recorded in the sect either, but upon seeing this painting, he insisted on taking it away. His reason was simple: a founder’s relic should not continue to drift outside.

Wan Zhongle directly took the scroll upon seeing it, explaining that leaving it at the Nanhua Academy of Fine Arts would render it just an unnoticed old painting, while taking it back to the sect gave it entirely different significance.

What about Zhang Yanfei? Wan Zhongle provided him with a batch of ancient calligraphy and painting materials, instructing him to create a fake to take back and cover things up. He also gave him a reward he couldn’t refuse.

Fearing such an event, Zhang Yanfei had prepared in advance, allowing Wan Zhongle to take away the fake. After all, no one had seen the original, and Zhang Yanfei could claim that the painting in the academy’s collection was the one taken by the Alchemy Sect.

Yet Zhang Yanfei confirmed that the original artwork in the collection was likely the legendary "Tan Xian’s Walking Stick Painting," though its mystical features remained unknown.

Out of curiosity, he couldn’t resist researching the painting. Initially, he didn’t dare to perform destructive experiments, and found nothing.

Later, he tried micro-invasive sampling analysis but found no method could damage the painting. It resisted water and fire, and even if stained with oil, it could be effortlessly cleaned with divine sense... by then, he had achieved Tier Three Cultivation.

This was a Magical Treasure! Unfortunately, his cultivation had not yet reached a high tier, and he had not learned the Artifact Control Technique, leaving him puzzled about its functionalities.

Zhang Yanfei fell into a specialist’s trap, first examining it from an art appraisal perspective, then considering it from a conventional Magical Artifact’s angle, thinking his cultivation was insufficient for further discoveries.

Not until several years later did he receive an epiphany, like being enlightened, after visiting the shrine of his master at the Nanhua Zen Temple. He remembered the phrase "seeing the painting is like seeing Immortal Tan" and decided to attempt a ritual at home.

The first few rituals bore no result. Later, he inquired about the Magic Sect’s ancestral rites, obtained Awakening Incense, and finally achieved success through ceremonial worship.

The Immortal Tan in the painting seemingly came to life, granting him a Divine Thought Heart Seal. Its content included the Technique for breaking through the high tier of the Hidden E Technique, and it told him that only the "Hidden Moth" could "unlock" the painting.

Afterward, using the same ritual for worship, the painting no longer responded...

These were the past experiences Zhang Yanfei recounted. Upon hearing this, He Kao couldn’t help but interrupt, asking, "What did you place on the incense table during the worship?"

Zhang Yanfei replied, "I didn’t place anything else on the incense table; I was simply focused on unraveling the painting’s mysteries."

He Kao nodded and said, "I see! Please, continue."

Since then, Zhang Yanfei began collecting information about the Hidden Moth, discovering that the Magic Sect had such a history, and the Hidden Moth had extraordinary abilities.

By then, he knew the painting could indeed be "opened," but the specific way required finding the Hidden Moth. This also implied that the Hidden Moth likely knew the painting’s mysteries, giving him a lead to draw it out.

Coincidentally, there was a national tour underway, and its final stop was precisely in Qi Yuan. Thus, Zhang Yanfei decided to send the original artwork for the exhibition... but he underestimated the situation.

In a sense, he succeeded, as someone stole the painting. Although it wasn’t discovered on the spot, the thief’s movements were exposed, providing a lead for the investigation.

But he didn’t foresee that the Hidden Moth would pull such a move, replacing it with a crude fake. He ended up being implicated and jailed... If he could find the Hidden Moth, he’d truly want to ask what they were thinking.