Coiling Dragon

“Grandpa Doehring, Grandpa Doehring?” Linley mentally called out a few times. But seeing that Doehring Cowart was still lost in his thoughts, Linley no longer tried to call to him. He followed Yale, Reynolds, and George to the experts’ hall. This hall really was different, as within the center of the main hall, each and every artist had their information recorded and the location of their displays recorded.

Yale, Linley, and the others began to enter the individual display rooms.

Although he didn’t know much about sculpture, Linley could still clearly feel that the sculptures of the experts were clearly different than those in the main hall. They seemed to carry within them some sort of ineffable grace and culture.

Just as Linley was falling into a reverie while enjoying the sculptures, Doehring Cowart’s voice sounded out in his mind once again.

“Not bad. These at least can be considered accomplished.” Doehring Cowart sighed with praise. “But compared to the works of Proulx, there’s still quite a way to go.”

Linley was speechless.

“Doehring Cowart, how can these people possibly compare to Grandmaster Proulx?” Linley shook his head and laughed helplessly. Proulx was the number one sculptor in the entire history of the Yulan continent.

Doehring Cowart frowned. Stroking his beard unhappily, he said, “What is it? Do you think that Proulx was a grandmaster from birth? He, too, started as an ordinary sculptor and worked his way up, and becoming a true grandmaster sculptor in the end.”

Linley was stunned.

There was some logic to Grandpa Doehring’s words.

After finishing inspecting the experts’ hall, Linley and the other three headed for the innermost masters’ hall.

“Everyone, remember, while within the masters’ hall, don’t touch anything. If you break anything, it would be disastrous.” Yale reminded them.

Entering the masters’ hall. Silence.

The masters’ hall was extremely large, but there were only very few sculptures inside. After all, only so many masters had ever existed, and each master had only four or five works of art on display. In the entire hall, there were only twenty or thirty works on display.

But although there were very few sculptures, when Linley and the others saw these sculptures, they felt a spirit emanating from them, as though these sculptures had life.

“Oh, not bad, not bad. I didn’t expect that in five thousand years, the art of stone-sculpting would reach such a height.” Doehring Cowart said in amazement. “If these can improve a bit more, they will be able to approximate Proulx’s level.”

Silently mesmerized within the art gallery, Linley and the others felt their spirits be uplifted.

…..

Night. The Ernst Institute’s main gate. Linley and other three dismounted the carriage.

“Second bro, third bro, the two of you, ugh. I planned for us to have a good time tonight in Fenlai City, but you…ugh, you guys are so thin-skinned. I started having fun in those places when I was six years old.” Yale was still unhappily grumbling nonstop.

“Right on, right on,” Reynolds said from the side.

George and Linley glanced at each other, and couldn’t help but chuckle bitterly.

“Quick, open the gate!” A furious, urgent shout rang out.

Linley and the others couldn’t help but swivel to take a look. They saw a curly-haired youth carrying another bloody youth, with a pretty girl by his side. The bloody youth’s face was ashen white. His left arm was broken, with white bones sticking out, and chest covered with claw marks.

“Looks like some of the trainees who went to the Mountain Range of Magical Beasts were wounded. What group is this? We haven’t even been at the Ernst Institute for a year, but we’ve seen so many high level students who were injured outside.” Yale said casually.

The Mountain Range of Magical Beasts was east of the Holy Union.

As a matter of fact, it was quite close to the Ernst Institute, perhaps just a hundred kilometers away. Generally speaking, those in good shape would be able to jog from the mountain range to the Ernst Institute in about half a day.

“Here at the Ernst Institute, I’ve seen so many magical beasts. Wow, man, there are flying beasts, running beasts, and all sorts of beasts. But most of the people who have magical beast companions at the Ernst Institute are magus instructors, and a few high level students.” George sighed in admiration.

Just as the four bros arrived at the main gate, suddenly –

“Linley.”

A familiar voice sounded out. Turning his head to look, surprised joy appeared on Linley’s face. “Uncle Hillman.”