Coiling Dragon

“Next to a mountainside?” Linley was confused.

“Don’t ask too many questions. When you arrive, I’ll explain.” Doehring Cowart laughed.

Most of the back mountain was covered with wild grass and many different large trees. But after a while, Linley found a place that satisfied Doehring Cowart’s requirements. The place was a mountain peak that rose hundreds of meters into the air. At the base of the peak, Linley stood.

“Grandpa Doehring, what do you want me to do here?” Linley said questioningly.

Laughing, Doehring Cowart said, “Linley, do you disbelieve my claim that I can let you reach his level in ten short years? Haha…Linley, as a mighty Saint-level Grand Magus, I, in fact, am in possession of a method to improve one’s spiritual essence.”

“A method to improve one’s spiritual essence? Isn’t the meditative trance enough for that?” Linley stared at Doehring Cowart questioningly.

Doehring Cowart smiled calmly. “Linley, I will admit that the meditative trance has very good results. But after meditating, one will feel extremely tired.”

“Of course I would feel tired. The meditative trance involves me using my spiritual essence non-stop. After totally exhausting my spiritual essence, I would then allow it to recover. It’d be strange if it wasn’t exhausting.” Linley frowned.

Doehring Cowart proudly said, “But my method is different. It doesn’t cost spiritual essence at all. In fact, it is a form of entertainment.”

“Entertainment?” Linley was dazed.

“Right. This form of entertainment is – stonesculpting!” A prideful look appeared on Doehring Cowart’s face.

“Stonesculpting?” Linley said, astonished. “Like the sculptures in the Proulx Gallery?”

Doehring Cowart smiled and said, “Right. When others sculpt stone, they will exert a lot of energy and exhaust themselves. But my stonesculpting method is different. Although it is also tiring when you first begin to train in it, towards the end, it will have extremely good results.”

“Are you serious?” Linley couldn’t quite believe it.

Doehring Cowart stared at him. “Linley, you don’t believe me? As a venerable Saint-level Grand Magus of the Pouant Empire, in the past, there were several sculptures I made which nobles offered a million gold coins to purchase. But how could I, a Saint-level Grand Magus, be willing to give the sculptures which I was the most proud of to others?”

“You were that good? How come I’ve never heard of your name amongst the other grandmaster sculptors, then, Grandpa Doehring?” Linley said suspiciously.

Doehring Cowart said awkwardly, “Well, I hid all of my works in an underground vault which no one knew about. After five thousand years, I’m no longer even sure where it is located.” Five thousand years is enough for a sea to turn into farmland. The entire Pouant Empire had been eliminated. Who knew where the vault was now?

“Oh ho, so no one’s ever heard of you?” Linley began to chortle.

“You don’t believe me?” Doehring Cowart stared at him. “Back in the day, when Proulx was just a young kid, he came to me and earnestly begged me to allow him to view my sculptures. After analyzing my sculptures, that kid Proulx had a mental breakthrough which in the end allowed him to become a grandmaster sculptor. As a matter of fact, he can even be considered a student of mine.”

Linley was stunned.

“Proulx?” Linley was truly terrified now.

Proulx, the man who had been acclaimed throughout the ages at the finest sculptor in history, could be considered a student of Doehring Cowart.

“Of course, if one can describe Proulx’s works as being in pursuit of perfection, my works are in pursuit of a different extreme. I named my sculpting method the ‘Straight Chisel School’. The Straight Chisel School is totally different from all other sculpting methods. It pursues a totally different extreme. This method, in the beginning, is very exhausting, but as one masters it, you will realize its true fruits.” A look of absolute confidence was on Doehring Cowart’s face.

Glancing at Linley, a smile appeared on Doehring Cowart’s face. “ But of course, in the past, I was the only member of the Straight Chisel School. From today forward, you will be a second member.”

In his heart, Linley had total confidence in Grandpa Doehring, so of course he had decided to study sculpting with him.

And what’s more…

If Grandpa Doehring’s words were true, and he could grow stronger while also becoming a master sculptor, just based on his sculpting skills alone, he would be able to support his little brother’s tuition.