Seeing this information, Huo Sining suddenly remembered the uneven watermark on that piece of paper. She was absolutely certain that the "Buzhou Mountain" must use the legendary Hidden Mist technique that required water to reveal the true face of the painting.
However, the possibility that the paper was coated with lime was dismissed by Huo Sining. Lime is highly corrosive; it produces intense heat and emits a pungent smell when it comes into contact with water.
Yet the painting in front of her showed no signs of damage, and she did not detect any particular odors, so this explanation did not hold up.
The mist dispersed quickly, and once the water had disappeared, the painting returned to its original state, with no discernible change in the inked mountains.
All three people in the room found the situation unbelievable. It was their first time witnessing ink turning into mist when it came into contact with water.
More puzzling was the fact that if the ink had turned into mist, why didn’t the colors of the inked mountains fade after the water vapor had dissipated? Logically, the color of the ink should lighten when it encounters water, right?
At a loss for an explanation and lacking the desire to delve further, Huo Sining now most wanted to know what secret lies within this "Buzhou Mountain" hidden by such an incredible Hidden Mist technique!
"Qingqing, go downstairs quickly and get some bottles of mineral water!"
Huo Sining stepped forward and touched the strange ancient painting, feeling her blood circulation increase a notch, as if she was about to unravel a mystery of global proportions, her mood a mix of excitement and nervousness.
Su Qingqing quickly came back upstairs with two large bottles of Farmer’s Spring water. Without saying a word, Huo Sining opened the caps and started sprinkling the mineral water onto the painting.
Common sense suggests that paper and water do not mix. Any fine ancient painting would be damaged if splashed with water, and the transformation of the painting with water was merely Huo Sining’s speculation. Without understanding the principles behind the painting, Huo Sining was cautious as she sprinkled the mineral water onto the spread-out paper on the table.
To everyone’s amazement, the moment Huo Sining poured the mineral water, the painting changed as she had predicted.
A faint mist slowly appeared again on the paper, confirming that the presence of the mist had something to do with water; the more water she sprinkled, the more mist emerged.
Realizing this, Huo Sining no longer hesitated, pouring both bottles of water onto it.
Soon a thick mist formed, and Huo Sining’s actions abruptly stopped.
Because within that white mist, three-dimensional mountains emerged, with ranges piled upon ranges surrounded by lingering mist, and alongside the mist, there were also figures.
Figures appeared within the painting, and although their features were unclear, they seemed to be wearing Taoist robes.
The entire painting appeared before them as if it were a 3D image, and all three people in the room froze. Su Qingqing couldn’t help but rub her eyes, as if she couldn’t believe what she was seeing, her face full of shock.
The whole painting had been bathed with two bottles of Farmer’s Spring water, and the bottle in Huo Sining’s hands was now empty, but the painting seemed to have only revealed a hint of its shape.
At this point, Huo Sining felt more certain. The change in the white mist was not its only unique feature—there was something strange about this painting!
Huo Sining gritted her teeth and decided to take a risk. The painting was clearly related to water, and now that she had found the key to the problem, since the water had caused no damage to the painting, it proved that its material was not paper and was not afraid of water.
Thinking of the watermarks remaining in the painting, Huo Sining felt it was very likely designed this way on purpose. Her courage swelled, and she made a decision that shocked Su Qingqing.
Huo Sining said to Yan Feng, "I’ll go get a plastic basin. You go and fetch a big bucket of mineral water, not tap water!"
As she spoke, Huo Sining ran to the washroom and soon brought back a large plastic basin, while Yan Feng also fetched a big bucket of mineral water to the study.
Huo Sining lifted the ancient painting, which had been soaked with water, and slowly placed it into the basin filled with water.
Seeing Huo Sining place the ancient painting directly into the water made Su Qingqing furrow her brows, worried that something might go wrong.
She wanted to persuade Huo Sining, but Huo Sining’s convinced demeanor made it difficult for her to speak out. She could only steady her heart and closely watch the painting.
But soon, she was so astonished that she was lost for words.
As soon as the painting touched the water, more and more mist began to emanate from the paper, and the scenery and figures in the painting became increasingly clear.
Witnessing this scene, Yan Feng was completely stunned; this was the first time he had seen such a magical thing as a painting in water.
Moreover, considering the artistic conception and the technique of the painting, it had definitely achieved the peak of mastery. To create such an effect was certainly not the work of an ordinary person.
As for why the painting could only reveal such effects in water, Yan Feng couldn’t explain it either. He couldn’t help but admire the marvel and greatness of the ancient artistry of Huaxia Country, ingeniously crafted.
Soon, mountains appeared, followed by a clear pool and waterfall, emerging as if hidden within the mist on the right side. Shortly after, a Taoist boy holding a mermaid with a human body and fish tail appeared on a small path among the mountains. As the fish tail flicked, the boy ran swiftly along the path.
Amid the dense fog, the entire painting seemed like a three-dimensional animation floating on the water. The people within moved as if alive on the paper, creating an incredibly lifelike scene that brought about an indescribable shock.
"That Taoist boy, he’s running out from within the mountains, and what is he holding?" Su Qingqing, with a keen eye, spotted an even more curious phenomenon and couldn’t help but exclaim.
It wasn’t just Su Qingqing; Huo Sining and Yan Feng saw it too.
A shadow of deep and mysterious gloom flickered in Yan Feng’s eyes as he looked at the mermaid.
"That should be a Shark, the mermaid that’s appearing and disappearing within the painting," Huo Sining explained softly.
"A mermaid? Ningning, do you mean a mermaid as in a beautiful siren? How strange, what does this painting mean, and how does a little Taoist boy relate to a mermaid?" Curiosity getting the better of her, Su Qingqing mumbled to herself.
The Taoist boy, wearing a long Taoist robe, ran forward, stumbling along the road with a mermaid almost the same size as himself in his arms.
In the misty, fairy-like Buzhou Mountain, it seemed as though egrets were flying past indistinctly, and the little Taoist boy finally reached a clear pond along the shaded trail.
"What is he going to do?"