I'm Really Going to Become an Immortal
Chapter 181 - 148: Who is the Living Michael Angelo?_2

Chapter 181: Chapter 148: Who is the Living Michael Angelo?_2

In the Ancient Acropolis of Athens’ Parthenon Temple, he attempted to use gypsum to replicate those damaged sculptures, reinterpreting the beauty of antiquity through the lens of art restoration.

In India, at the Ajanta Caves and Ellora Caves, he deeply explored how to convey the inner peace and sanctity of the mind through stone carving. He experimented with integrating classical Indian Buddhist sculptural features with contemporary minimalist concepts into wood carving, creating Buddha figures that were both traditional and infused with new meaning.

In Kyoto, Japan, he focused on learning the delicate skills of wood carving, creating small sculptures that embodied Zen while also featuring his personal style.

His journey to Africa exposed him to primitive and powerful sculptural art, particularly finding inspiration in the bronze works of Benin and the Dogon sculptures of Mali. He tried using local materials, such as soapstone or wood, to create sculptures that reflected the spirit of African tribal culture while maintaining his personal touch. These works often emphasized natural forms and the harmonious coexistence of humans with nature.

In Mexico, influenced by the Maya and Aztec civilizations, he attempted to carve symbolic totem poles or deity figures out of stone, incorporating modern design concepts.

In the southwest of Lighthouse Country, the terracotta sculptures of the Navajo and Hopi Tribe sparked his interest in new explorations with clay, once creating works that had a traditional flavor with a modern twist.

In New Zealand and the Pacific Islands, he was drawn to the wood carving art of the Maori, learning how to tell stories and pass down history through wood. His creations not only showed reverence for nature but also integrated thoughts on environmental protection, calling for harmonious coexistence between humans and nature through his art.

Although he never appeared to use his real name and never left a trace in the media, Bai Shi had indeed completed many sculptures rich in artistic accomplishment.

If it weren’t for the fact that whenever he was in these places, his core goal had always been to sneakily take something away, he might have decided to settle down and become a true artist during one of his carvings.

"So, it’s not too much to call myself a modern Michaelangelo, right? I’m very good at carving marble, gypsum, wood, and it’s all top-notch in the world."

Bai Shi said after that long speech.

He picked up the water on the table, a bit thirsty, and took a drink.

Clearly, he, who was considered to be a top-notch master thief and art imitator by the outside world, also desperately wanted his friends to regard him as a real artist, not a lowly imitator.

It probably mattered a lot to him.

And Chen Yun, looking at Bai Shi, who was eager to prove himself as a world-class sculpting master, no longer joked with him or teased him intentionally.

"So, can you teach me to carve?"

Chen Yun stopped teasing and got straight to the point.

This was his purpose for coming here this morning.

"You want to learn carving too? You think you can handle it..."

Bai Shi raised his eyebrows in doubt but swallowed his words before finishing.

When he thought of Chen Yun’s astonishing learning ability when studying signal modulation and demodulation, Bai Shi suddenly felt that learning to carve might not be any burden at all?

After a moment of silence.

Bai Shi said, "Carving is an ancient and profound art that involves various materials and techniques. Whether it’s wood carving, stone carving, ice sculpting, or carving materials of other kinds, there are some basic skills and principles that are common."

"For example, studying the characteristics of your chosen material, such as hardness, texture, direction of cracks, etc. Moreover, before directly sculpting on the material, you must first design a sketch on paper or use digital software to plan the overall structure and details of the work. This helps prevent errors and ensures accurate proportions."

"Setting aside the actual hands-on work, remembering these techniques and precautions should be quite simple for you."

Saying this, Bai Shi tossed Chen Yun a book on introductory carving techniques and precautions that he had just pulled out of the bookshelf, suggesting Chen Yun read it first.

He believed that with Chen Yun’s learning abilities, at the very least, remembering the key points in this book would be fairly straightforward.

However, considering that it also involved hands-on experience.

Bai Shi took two gypsum blocks for carving from the cabinet in the bedroom while Chen Yun was reading.

"I’ll start by carving one first. You can read the book and watch me carve; later you can try to get a hands-on feel for it."

"Honestly, the techniques aren’t that difficult; it’s really just about using various tools to continuously remove excess material by following the plan, with the most you need to consider being the various properties of the material to avoid damaging it."

"There’s nothing too profound, so I probably won’t need to teach you much; you should be able to get the basics down after a bit of hands-on practice by yourself."

Bai Shi said this.

Then he picked up the carving knife and started to carve skillfully.

The gypsum blocks fell into various sized chunks under his manipulation.

Soon,

a rough outline of a human head began to take shape.

Seeing this, Bai Shi was about to switch to a smaller carving knife to continue the sculpting.

But when he turned his attention to Chen Yun, who couldn’t wait to start creating by his side, he immediately couldn’t help but widen his eyes in astonishment.

Under the soft and even light, Chen Yun stood quietly at the workbench like a master, surrounded by a faint scent of gypsum dust that mingled with the tranquility of the air to weave a unique artistic atmosphere. His gaze was profound and focused, as if it could penetrate the gypsum about to take form and directly see the soul of the work.

Chen Yun’s fingers, exceptionally agile, gently brushed over the uncarved block of gypsum as if the outline of the soon-to-be-born artwork was already etched in his mind.

With each stroke of the knife, fine gypsum shavings scattered lightly like the first snow.

Chen Yun’s movements were calm and unhurried, each stroke precise and correct, full of strength yet without losing fineness, as if having a silent conversation with the gypsum.

He would sometimes furrow his brow, lost in contemplation of shape and detail; at other times, the corners of his mouth would lift in satisfaction for the harmony between the concept in his mind and the reality in his hands.

As time slowly passed, the block of gypsum gradually shed its primitive roughness, and the form of the sculpture emerged more clearly—a bird ready to spread its wings and fly, with each feather as lifelike as the next, infused with the will to be free, as if it would take flight at any moment.

Light traveled across the surface of the sculpture, outlining soft yet forceful lines, creating an interplay of light and shadow that seemed to breathe life into the work. Chen Yun would occasionally step back to scrutinize the whole sculpture, squinting his eyes and making fine adjustments to certain details, every tweak bringing the piece closer to perfection.

Finally, when the last unnecessary shaving of gypsum fell, Chen Yun put down his tools and brushed off his hands covered in gypsum dust.

The gypsum sculpture, under his skilled hands, had transformed from a cold material to an artistic masterpiece filled with emotion and soul, quietly speaking of the craftsman’s voice and pursuit.

"Hmm, it really isn’t that difficult."

After finishing all this, Chen Yun looked at the noble bird that seemed about to take flight before him with satisfaction.

And Bai Shi, who couldn’t help but watch the fluid process that was close to perfect art.

was struck by a long silence.

Not to mention how perfect the carving of the bird was, full of a desire to soar.

The fluency of Chen Yun’s speed, the precision of his angles, and the force of his strokes, it was as if he was an old master who had been immersed in the art of sculpting for decades.

"You... I said you didn’t need to be taught, and you really didn’t learn at all?"

"You’ve got it just like that?"

"I was just casually saying."

"My Holy Mother Mary, how many Michelangelos have you consumed in one meal?"

Bai Shi, after a prolonged silence, finally couldn’t contain his shock and opened his mouth wide, excitedly grabbing Chen Yun’s shoulder and starting to complain loudly.

You call this a beginner?

So what does that make Bai Shi?

An idiot?

Yes, sculpting is indeed a skill that requires hands-on experience, and practice makes perfect, the actual technique isn’t that difficult to grasp.

Just by watching once, a serious person would know it—it’s just a matter of understanding the material, applying the correct force, and having a certain spatial imaginative ability.

But...

Everyone also knows that nuclear fission is a type of nuclear reaction where a heavy atomic nucleus splits into two or more smaller nuclei.

So why doesn’t everyone just roll out nuclear bombs by hand?