DAMN IT!!

"You!"

The man with glasses bristled. He thought he was arrogant enough, but he didn’t expect to meet someone even more arrogant than himself. Every word from this kid was suffused with a strong whiff of pretentiousness. Has he encountered a true master?

The man with glasses said coldly, "Next is calligraphy. Shanqiu Yezi, you’re up."

Then, the only girl in the high school uniform, who happened to be the prettiest, stepped forward. Her expression was still indifferent as she bowed to Chu Hao and said, "Please give me your guidance. I am Shanqiu Yezi."

Chu Hao waved his hand and said, "Hurry up. Brother Hao doesn’t want to waste time."

Shanqiu Yezi’s eyes were cold. Her Huaxia language was excellent. She said, "The calligraphy we’ll compare is just one character, ’Emperor’."

Chu Hao said lazily, "Is it that simple?"

Shanqiu Yezi replied, "Writing more is meaningless."

This little girl from the Dwarf Kingdom is quite the show-off too, huh?

Chu Hao looked Shanqiu Yezi up and down. Her skirt was short, revealing a section of her thigh—pale, smooth, and tender—and her small mouth was like a cherry. She was pleasant to look at, though her face was not very expressive.

Chu Hao said with a smile, "How do you want to lose? Kneeling, or coughing up blood?"

Shanqiu Yezi, with an indifferent expression, said, "If you can beat me, Shanqiu Yezi is willing to take you as my master."

"Take you as a disciple? I’m not interested. Let’s begin."

The brushes, ink, paper, and inkstone were brought out, and the audience held their breath. They all doubted whether Chu Hao really knew calligraphy.

Qin Feng asked Li Yin, "Does Brother Hao know calligraphy? I haven’t heard anything about it."

Li Yin scratched his head and said, "I don’t know either."

To be honest, when Chu Hao said he was going up to deal with the little devils, Li Yin had been quite excited. But you’re actually going to compete with them! You have to understand, the interns from the Dwarf Kingdom came thoroughly prepared; every one of them is formidable.

Ma Dehua announced, "Begin."

Everyone watched as Shanqiu Yezi slowly picked up the inkstone and began to grind the ink stick. She was elegant, unhurried.

Then, she picked up the brush, dipped it lightly in the ink, and began to write on the paper.

The character ’帝’ (Emperor) symbolizes supreme command and sovereignty. The first impressions it should evoke are those of utmost nobility, dominant power, and majestic grandeur. However, to convey that feeling by writing only the single character ’帝’ is... difficult! Extremely difficult!

Shanqiu Yezi began to write the character ’帝’. Her strokes flowed like water, giving an initial impression of gentleness. However, her brushstrokes were executed in a single, fluid motion. A very beautiful ’帝’ in regular script appeared on the paper.

It had to be said, the character was comfortable to look at, the kind that made one want to take several more glances.

Shanqiu Yezi said, "Your turn."

Chu Hao smiled faintly and thought, System, purchase the soul of Li Shimin.

System: "Host, purchasing Li Shimin’s soul requires 20,000 Pretentiousness Points."

WHAT?! Are you serious? Does it really need to be that expensive?

System: "Li Shimin was an Emperor of the Tang Dynasty. He possessed an imperial aura and was a supreme sovereign, not an ordinary person."

Chu Hao asked internally, What about a one-time use?

System: "A one-time use lasts for two hours and requires 2,000 Pretentiousness Points."

Purchase it.

"DING! The Host has purchased Li Shimin, consuming 2,000 Pretentiousness Points. The character summon will disappear after two hours."

Who in Huaxia doesn’t know Li Shimin? He was the second Emperor of the Tang Dynasty, a distinguished politician, strategist, military commander, and poet. Famous throughout history as one of the greatest emperors, he led the Tang Dynasty to global prominence, making it one of the most powerful nations among countless dynasties.

The reason Chu Hao chose Li Shimin instead of another famous calligrapher from a different dynasty was because this Emperor loved literature and calligraphy, and he was one of the best in the Tang Dynasty.

When it comes to calligraphy, if the Tang Dynasty claimed to be second, no one would dare claim to be first!

Moreover, having an Emperor write the character ’Emperor’ would probably blow everyone away.

Li Shimin, a man appearing to be in his forties and dressed in an imperial dragon robe, materialized before Chu Hao. He smiled faintly; without Chu Hao needing to speak, he already knew what to do.

Li Shimin smiled faintly and said, "My time is limited. After I assist you, young friend, I wish to see the world of today."

This is the first summoned figure to negotiate terms with me. Come to think of it, neither Zhao Yun nor the Great Sage Equal to Heaven stated any conditions—this is Li Shimin, the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty! Honestly, seeing Li Shimin for the first time, I actually feel an inexplicable sense of pressure. No wonder he’s a character worth twenty thousand Pretentiousness Points; I really don’t get why he costs so much.

Chu Hao nodded slightly.

Li Shimin entered Chu Hao’s body. This was spirit possession, but Chu Hao retained control.

Then, Chu Hao picked up the brush and began to write.

His strokes flowed smoothly—simple, clear, and seemingly casual. However, the crowd realized that Chu Hao was now serious about his calligraphy. He inexplicably exuded an aura of majesty, making him seem lofty and unattainable.

Were their eyes deceiving them? Why did they have such an illusion?

"DING! Invisible pretentiousness, the deadliest kind. Gained 1,000 Pretentiousness Points."

Amazing! Now *that’s* a grandmaster of the pretentious world—a single action, and it’s peak showmanship! Ancestor Li Shimin truly is the ultimate showman. With just a tiny gesture, his pretentiousness knows no bounds. If he were out on the streets, wouldn’t he practically ascend to the heavens?

The single character ’帝’, written in regular script, captivated anyone at first glance, as if it weren’t merely a character but a breathtaking beauty. A second glance revealed the character ’帝’ exuding a majestic aura. A third look would leave one completely immersed, as if every stroke and line were the epitome of precision.

"This...!" Shanqiu Yezi’s eyes widened, and she stared unblinkingly at the character ’帝’.

Even the judges were transfixed.

One of the judges was a master from the Anli City Calligraphy Association who had been teaching for years. At that moment, he wished he could make his eyeballs bulge out to better appreciate the character ’帝’. The more he looked, the more astonished he became, his body beginning to tremble uncontrollably.

"Good writing, good writing."

As he spoke, the corners of the elderly teacher’s eyes actually moistened.

Ma Dehua was startled. This man is a national treasure, a grandmaster! What’s happening to him?

"Teacher Yan, are you alright?"

Teacher Yan wiped the tears from the corner of his eyes and said, "This calligraphy is divinely inspired! It’s the most beautiful I’ve ever seen in my life. I find myself somewhat unable to contain my emotions."

The crowd gasped in amazement. Is the character really *that* impressive?

Chu Hao retracted his brush, slowly putting it down, a smile curling at the corner of his mouth. It’s time to begin the real show.

Chu Hao looked at Shanqiu Yezi and said indifferently, "You, from the insignificant Dwarf Kingdom, wish to showcase calligraphy in Huaxia? Do you even comprehend what calligraphy truly is?"

Shanqiu Yezi, somewhat agitated, bowed respectfully and said, "Please enlighten me."

The bespectacled man beside her was shocked. Shanqiu Yezi lost? How is that possible? She’s a calligraphy champion! How could she possibly lose?!

Chu Hao looked at Shanqiu Yezi. The girl is quite polite, but that won’t stop Brother Hao from his grandstanding.

Chu Hao spoke eloquently, "True calligraphy is a silent poem, a motionless dance, an image-less painting, a soundless piece of music! How could *you* possibly understand what calligraphy is? It’s not merely about the characters; it’s about the beauty found in its joyful creation and appreciation!"

"Brush techniques, character structure, composition, layout, ink application, and brush momentum—these are the artistic elements of calligraphy. Huaxia, a grand nation with millennia of history—how could people from your Dwarf Kingdom possibly compare?"

The bespectacled man’s face turned exceedingly ugly.