Jane purchased a plane ticket and headed straight for the road to overseas. She had received an invitation to participate in a sculpture competition abroad, and she agreed.
After all, she was now a member of the Realm of Literature and Art, and she had to show some strength and produce works; otherwise, people would always look down on her. Others might even think that she was acting recklessly under the title of being an Elis disciple.
On the plane, Jane reviewed her knowledge about sculpture with a serious expression.
As soon as Jane got off the plane, the person in charge of the sculpture competition was already waiting for her at the airport gate.
A group of people swarmed around Jane: one helped carry her luggage; another carried her sculpting tools; while several others asked how Jane felt about participating in this competition.
Jane was a bit tired from the plane ride, so she answered a few questions casually and was led to the hotel arranged by the organizer of the competition.
It must be said that the organizer of this competition was very thoughtful. They invited well-known and talented participants from the industry, making this competition exceptionally grand.
After Jane rested overnight at the hotel, the competition was set to begin the next day.
This competition held great significance as participants from all over the country were elite artists. Therefore, the competition was conducted with strict order and precision.
Jane was guided by the staff to a closed room. Inside, there were all kinds of living necessities and various carving tools and materials. However, no communication devices were allowed inside.
This was to ensure fairness in the competition, preventing participants from potentially plagiarizing each other’s works, which could affect the fairness of the competition.
The room was also a five-star suite within the hotel, with meals delivered by the staff punctually every day. The environment was very comfortable. After Jane entered the room, she looked around and nodded in satisfaction.
From the layout, it was evident that the organizing team had put a lot of thought into it. The room didn’t have any windows to prevent participants from communicating with others.
Moreover, the environment was very quiet, allowing Jane’s mind to settle down and focus on her carving.
She entered the carving studio in the room, slowly picked up a carving knife, and carefully examined it in her hand. The blade was sharp, and the weight was acceptable. Jane nodded in satisfaction.
She picked up a piece of paper from the floor, placed the carving knife down, and took a pencil to outline the carving on it.
Jane drew a little girl in a magnificent dress on the paper. Although she was dressed extravagantly, her face was filled with innocence and loveliness, giving people two different feelings from the painting.
It took the entire morning for Jane to complete this painting. She smiled with satisfaction and then picked a high-quality wooden block from the floor. Holding the carving knife, she started to carve on the block according to the drawing on the paper, stroke by stroke.
Jane’s carving skills had reached a state of perfection. The wooden block took on a lifelike appearance in her hands, and her mood was calm and composed. Her mind constantly recalled the teachings of her master and the contents of the books.
Jane had already depicted the general structure of the human body, including the details of the folds on the dress. Now, she was about to focus on carving the expression of the character.
The expression of a character was the most challenging to depict. A slight mistake could completely change the intended mood.
Jane felt no nervousness at all. The carving knife in her hand remained steady, and when she carved the eyes, she emphasized a stroke inside, making them even more captivating.
She managed to portray the nervousness and confidence of a girl attending her first banquet, and Jane, looking at her work, nodded in satisfaction.
Just as she finished handling the details of the girl’s hair, a bell rang in the hotel.
Jane looked out the window and unconsciously realized it was already evening, and the preliminary round had come to an end.
Shortly after, the staff of the competition knocked on the door to collect the participants’ works.
When the staff pushed a cart into the room, they couldn’t help but be dazzled by Jane’s work on the table.
She was stunned by her own creation and stood motionless in place.
Jane covered her mouth and smiled, signaling them to be careful. She watched as the staff pushed the cart, which was filled with various objects covered by a layer of red cloth.
Presumably, those were the works of other participants, covered with red cloth to maintain privacy.
The staff carefully moved Jane’s work onto the cart, covering the nervous expression of the girl with a piece of red cloth.
Then, the staff pushed the cart towards the panel of judges. Jane sat in the room, looking at the starry night sky outside the window, feeling relaxed like she hadn’t in a long time.
The hotel had a dedicated spa and massage service, and after enjoying it, Jane took a bath and fell into a deep sleep.
The next day, the results were announced, and several participants hurried to the venue.
There were many spectators at the scene, and the scale of this competition was significant. Looking at the audience from various countries below, Jane felt an unprecedented sense of nervousness.
Jane and the other participants took the stage. She wore a white dress today, with her hair styled into big waves, exuding elegance. Her broad shoulders made her appear even more stable and confident.
Jane naturally possessed a stunning appearance that attracted attention. With a light flick of her hair, she captivated many male spectators.
The host stood on the stage and announced the start of the award ceremony. Dozens of cameras instantly shifted their focus to the participants on stage. This was a globally broadcasted competition.
Then, the platforms in front of the participants slowly rose, displaying their works.
The participants held their breaths. The prizes for this competition were generous, and winning would greatly elevate their status when they returned to their respective countries.
“Ladies and gentlemen, don’t blink now, the curtain is about to be unveiled!”
The host’s clear voice reached the ears of the audience. With a gentle wave of his left hand, the curtains covering the works disappeared from everyone’s sight.
The works of all the participants were revealed, and everyone’s attention focused on Jane’s carving.
“I believe everyone has someone in mind for the winner today, but don’t be nervous. The answer is about to be announced.”
The host, with a microphone in hand, said with a smile.
Jane took a deep breath. Although she had participated in countless competitions before, this was an international one, and her heart became extremely nervous.
On the big screen, the names of several participants were displayed, and Jane’s heart raced. As the ranking was about to be announced, she widened her eyes and stared directly at the numbers displayed above.