6 A Boatload of Problems

As the secretary went to grab a stand and a canvas, Lin Ke finally realized something. Lily didn't give him a brush or paint.

'LILY! You useless system! Where's my supplies??? How am I supposed to draw if I don't have supplies? What is wrong with your head? How are you supposed to give it to me now?' Lin Ke really wanted to scream out loud right now in frustration, but he wasn't able to.

Lily froze in the middle of her squirming. When she looked over at Lin Ke's face and saw the expression on his face, she immediately turned back and stopped resisting Lia. In fact, she even began to purr. "Ehehehe hehehe… Ahhhhh." Was her only reaction.

Then she paused, "Wait! I know! I'll just borrow you a semi-divine artifact! I'll seal away most of its power so that you can handle it, but it'll also be able to manifest itself from your body! That'll explain everything!" Lia's grip had loosened on Lily after Lily began to purr, so, taking advantage of the moment, Lily leaped out of Lia's grip and landed in Lin Ke's arms. Lily reached a paw down towards Lin Ke's hand and instantly, Lin Ke felt a sharp stabbing pain on his palm. He grimaced a little.

"Lily? Why are you running away?" Lia cried. She looked at Lin Ke with a pleading expression on her face. Lin Ke was star struck by her beauty. Her eyes grew a little watery. Upon seeing this, Lin Ke immediately plucks Lily off his shoulder and puts her back into Lia's hands. If it was a choice between appeasing a useless cat and a beautiful young woman, there was no competition to be had. Lily stood no chance at all.

"Damn youuu! Lin Ke! How can you do this to me? I gave you a semi-divine artifact! This is the repayment you give me?" Lily screams into Lin Ke's mind. She begins struggling harder than ever before. However, Lia was having none of it. She held onto Lily as if holding onto an otherworldly treasure.

Lin Ke looked awfully proud of himself. He had managed to gain a semi-divine artifact which, judging from the name, was probably an extremely good tool, but also got on the good side of a stunning girl.

'Wait a minute. I'm missing something. Hold up, I still need paint.' Lin Ke realizes at that moment. He looks back at Lily, who refuses to answer him.

It was at this moment that the secretary returned, and as she started to set up the stool and the stand, Lin Ke was desperately trying to right his wrongs. 'Lily, please, you're the best system ever, I couldn't have ever hoped for a better one, please please please!!!' Lin Ke desperately thought in his mind.

"Hmph!" Was the only reply he received.

The secretary, after she finished setting up, asked Lin Ke, "So, where are your supplies?"

Lin Ke, without any other options, asked, "Err, can I have some paint or something? All I have is a brush."

The secretary thought about it for a moment and took a glance at Master Sal. 'If Master Sal is speaking up for this kid and is willing to help pay for this kid's fees, maybe if I help this kid out, I'll get on his good side…' She thought. Her thoughts were slightly far-fetched, if one was to be honest, but of course, it was to the advantage of Lin Ke.

The secretary reaches behind the desk and grabs just 2 canisters of paint. One black, one white, and set it in front of Lin Ke with a thud. She also gave him a clean palette, seemingly made of some white otherworldly material. "That should be all you need right?" She says.

Lin Ke nods. "Thank you so much, Miss. I should ask, but is there some specific thing I am supposed to paint?"

The secretary frowns, "No, of course not, this should be common knowledge… You can draw anything you wish, as long as it passes the standards of our judge. Of course, since this is only the D-class exam, try not to draw anything that would prove to be too difficult for yourself."

"Okay, thank you." Lin Ke says as he prepares to begin paint. Then he realizes another problem. He didn't know how to get the brush out of his body. He panics a little. 'Lily, please tell me! How do I use this tool? How do I call it out of my body? Lily, Lily please!' He then gets an idea. 'How about this? After I pass this test, I'll buy you fish-'

"Meow? Fish? Deal! All you have to do is to let a bit of your blood drip onto your palm. Then it'll appear-" Lily pauses and frowns. "Wait… if I remember…"

Lin Ke stands up. "Does anyone have a knife or sword? Or something sharp?" he asks.

"Here." A voice answers. Master Sal tosses a very intricate long sword at Lin Ke, which had appeared out of nowhere. Lin Ke, who was shocked, fumbled to catch it. Lin Ke looked at Master Sal in surprise. 'Why did he not even bother asking why I needed one? Well, whatever.'

Without further ado, Lin Ke unsheathed the sword to reveal a completely black blade. Lin Ke glances at the blade curiously. 'What kind of metal was used to make this sword? Why is it black?' He looks up at Master Sal as if Master Sal's face would magically hold the answer. However, all he was met with was an expressionless face. However, unknowing to Lin Ke, his eyes quickly flashed with wisdom.

Bracing himself for the pain, he made a small cut at his pinky.

The audience members all raise an eyebrow. 'What is he doing?' They thought. 'Is this some special ritual from his village?'

As the blood begins to flow, Lin Ke allows it to drip onto his right palm.

The moment the blood dripped onto the place where Lily had touched him, he felt a searing pain, more intense than before. "Ahhhhh!" Lin Ke couldn't help but scream. On his hand, a faint outline of a brush began to glow with a golden radiance.