Tie Si stood on the rampart, charcoal in hand, and finished the final strokes on the raised easel.

He let out a sigh of relief, and was a little reluctant.

On a parchment canvas, a crystal city is depicted with a diagonal overlook.

The city is defended by four tall walls, each of which is erected with a tall and straight obelisk. This is a totem left by the old gods, and the god Yao did not destroy it, but gave it the responsibility to continue to defend the city.

As soon as the killing locusts get close to the walls, they will be scorched by the fire that the totem spews.

The road runs outward along the city gate, splitting to the left and right, forming the first main circular road around the Crystal City.

The main road branches off in the west, and the spider-web-sized paths unfold around this ancient and magnificent city, but the source comes from here.

After the fall of the empire, the villages along the roads were completely deserted, and the locust swarms were raging, and the wooden houses and farmland were destroyed. Today, all that remains are the remains of stone walls and stone houses, as well as sand and gravel everywhere.

The wind swept the sand into the air, and these ruined villages became invisible, like a fantasy.

The local ghost said that it wasn't like this here before, and that the war had changed everything. The ghosts of the Empire hate the killing of the locusts and curse the monsters, saying that the locust swarms have completely destroyed their homeland.

Tiesai was initially confused.

The real reason, isn't it that Boshen launched a divine war?

War is the driving force and firewood for the Fifth Dreadnought Empire to continue to move forward, and the history of the empire is the process of participating in one war after another.

It's just that this time the empire was defeated, so everything disappeared.

It seems that the ghosts do not hate war, but only defeat.

Tiesai thought so.

After spending three years in Crystal City, he realized that such an idea was both arrogant and frivolous.

The old people of the empire cannot ignore the gods they believe in.

The will of the god is the will of the empire.

They did not dare and could not hate the god of Bo who used them as a sacrifice object, so they could only curse and hate the locust swarm, and vent all their unwillingness and pain through killing the locusts.

After Tiesai became friends with many ghosts, he gradually touched this contradictory and depressed mood.

There are words that cannot be spoken.

It will take a long time to get rid of the imprint that the glass nerve has carved in this world over the years.

……

In the capital of the old empire, more than half of the houses collapsed, and the ground became potholes.

It's like a giant palm falling from the sky, rolling over the originally orderly buildings in the city, causing many of them to be deformed, either collapsing or crooked.

The center of the imperial capital was originally the emperor's court, and the palace dome was connected to the holy shrine. The tall and majestic court stood tall and surrounded on all sides by circular staircases and inner walls, like a giant sword plunged into the earth, revealing only the long hilt.

At the top of the hilt of the sword is a shrine that shines like a jewel.

Its brick walls are glued together by blocks of glass that are spherical in shape, and topped by a large green crystal carved into vertical eyes, representing the gods gazing into the world.

In the past, civilians could not get close to the court, let alone the shrine.

All the will of the gods is proclaimed through the holy Emperor Thort.

Today, it has been transformed into a ghost lighthouse.

Anyone can enter the tour.

Local civilians are finally able to enter the place of their dreams after death.

Tie Sai often went to the lighthouse to ask for advice. He felt that there was nothing magical about this place, it was not very luxuriously decorated, but more to show majesty and deepen the emperor's posture above everyone.

So even if there are many steps inside, the places on the steps are basically areas and rooms that only the emperor can set foot in. To him, it looked like a labyrinth.

Under the power of the old gods, the local ghosts not only condensed their bodies into glass, but also suffered a lot of damage to their bodies. There are very few doctors who can treat ghosts, and Yao Pu is one of them. As a ghost doctor, she chose to stay.

Retracting his gaze, Tiesai studied his painting.

For this work, he spent three years in Crystal City, and he went to the field to observe and measure the scenes on the painting. However, due to the large amount of content on this painting, there are many detailed sketches, and the charcoal depiction is not enough, and it is easy to dilute.

So when Tiesai had finished his first draft, he had to make a trip to Sanilo in the south to borrow his quills and smoke ink from Mr. Pawa. This facsimile of the Crystal City can be redrawn again in order to better preserve it in the world.

Before leaving, Tiesai found Yaopu.

"I'm leaving for Saniro in the south."

"Oh, are you coming back?"

"I don't know."

"That'...... Good luck with you. ”

"I'll give you this."

Tie Si took out a parchment roll from his backpack and handed it to the other party.

The Phantom Medic spreads out the sheepskin and discovers a portrait painted on it. It was a young woman in armor, with long hair coiled back her head, her eyes tough and sharp, and a smile on her lips.

She was caressing an illusory ghost with her hand, healing him.

"How do you know what I look like?"

Yao Pu's voice was full of surprise: "Can you be psychic?" ”

"No, it won't."

Tiesai smiled: "I am a painter, and a painter can always see the model he wants to paint. ”

"See you soon."

The painter packed his bags and walked out of the tower to an arched cavern. He boarded the boat and traveled all the way through the ground, avoiding the killing locusts and rushing south.

Yao Pu watched his friend leave through the window on the tower.

She flipped through the parchment again.

There is a line of small print on the back of the painting.

- For the most beautiful woman in my heart.

Yao Pu sighed: "What a fool. ”

……

After a series of bumps and turns, the iron plug finally arrived at its destination.

The inner city of Saniro, directly opposite the fountain is the Pawa Mansion.

The legendary travel storyteller Pawa, now not young, with half-white hair, sits on a rickety wicker chair and sipps a glass of honey water in front of the fire.

And what made Tiesai envious was that the lady standing next to him, Pava's wife Jyoti, still looked young, as if she was only in her twenties, she was delicate and very aura.

"It's done."

Tiesai handed the couple his sketch.

On the paper, Pawa and Jyoti are snuggled up, plain but warm.

"That's a great drawing, Mr. Ironstop, thank you."

Jyoti looked so happy that she sealed the painting in resin and fixed it to the wall.

Pava narrowed her eyes, crossed her legs, and said, "Tie Sai, you seem to have something on your mind." Let's hear it. ”

Tiesai laughed and said no.

Jyoti handed him a glass of honey water and said with a smile on her face, "If you need help, we will help you." ”

After hesitating for a moment, Tie Sai spoke: "I have a friend who likes a beautiful girl......"

After listening, Pawa said coldly, "Are you a fool? ”

"You think you're romantic, free-spirited, and stylish, right?"

"Leave a picture for the woman you love, then make her sad and emotional, and then go to another man, and wait for another man to comfort and hug her. That's what you want? ”

"No, it's not ......" Tie Plug was a little flustered.

"And what are you doing this for?"

"I just don't know what to say......"

"Tell the truth."

Pawa interrupted him: "Remember, tell the truth. ”

Jyoti also smiled and agreed: "My husband is right. ”

"Go ahead. Take advantage of the last chance. Pawa waved his hand impatiently: "I don't want to watch tragedies and stupid plays, do what you can." ”

"I got it......"

Tie Sai picked up his backpack and ran all the way out.

Jyoti reminded: "Don't leave your quill and smoke ink behind. ”

She pointed to a point, and a man with a burden flew towards the door.

"Oh, okay, thank you."

……

Iron Plug flew all the way on the spade armor, and half a month later returned to the tower of Crystal City, charging all the way to the ghost doctor.

"Coming back so soon?" Yao Pu was a little surprised.

"I ......"

Tiesai plucked up his courage and said, "I want you to marry me!" ”

"Huh?"

Yao Pu was stunned for a moment, as if he didn't react.

"You're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen."

"So you like the way I used to be."

Tiesai honestly said, "Yes. I can't forget that I'm in love with you, and I don't want to paint this city for three years, I just want to see you more. ”

"I see."

Yao Pu paused, and whispered cautiously: "However, I am a married woman." ”

"Huh?? What? ”

The iron plug was like being struck by lightning, and his smile was completely stiff: "No, no...... Why did you never say that? ”

"You haven't asked."

"You lied to me! You're lying to me! ”

"I didn't lie to you."

"My husband's name is Fabiani and he is an archaeologist. Although he doesn't have much money and is a bit stubborn, he is just a good person. ”

"I've never heard of Mr. Fabiani having a wife!" Tie Sai's mentality exploded, and his face turned pale.

"Because he said that there was no money for a wedding, and he said that he would make up for it later." Yao Pu patiently explained: "The archaeologist doesn't have much money, and it is not easy for him to be outside in the wind and rain all day. So I also applied to become a martial monk, so that I could save a little more money and get married. ”

Tie Sai clenched his fists and reluctantly launched a final question: "Why did you marry him?" ”

Yao Pu raised his helmet slightly, and seemed to think seriously for a while.

"I forgot."

“……”

"We knew each other for two days, and he proposed to me, and I thought he was good, so that's it."

"No...... I don't believe ......"

"That's the truth, we still registered at the YC City Hall, and the mayor at that time, Mr. Tonghai, and the commander Mr. Botu, came to congratulate you."

"I don't want to listen, I don't want to listen!"

Iron Plug ran out with a loud roar, tore his painting to shreds, and howled in the rain.

……

On this night, Tiesai painted his pinnacle work, "Lying".

Since then, the style of the painter Tie Sai has changed greatly, changing the previous realistic and heavy painting style.

His paintings become gloomy and abstract, and most of the themes depict and celebrate the tragedy of love between men and women.

Thanks: Yuan Yongye supports 500 starting coins, book friends 20221227210721927 supports 100 starting coins, Sky Angel's Heartbeat supports 100 starting coins, Jiuli Sword Master supports 100 starting coins, and Ice Heart Falling Feather supports 100 starting coins.

(End of chapter)