The Beginning of Panlong: In the Name of the Father

Chapter 3 Proulx Guild Hall
Finlay City is a huge city that accommodates one million residents.Even looking at the entire Magnolia Continent, Fenlai City is a huge city that can be ranked in the top five.

This huge Fenlai City is mainly divided into two parts: the East City and the West City.Royal aristocrats and wealthy businessmen all live in the East City, while the West City not only has a large number of religious buildings of the Holy See of Light, but also has many art palaces, such as the famous Proulx Hall.

Proulx Guild Hall is the top art palace in the entire Magnolia Continent.

This art hall commemorates the greatest stone carving master in the history of the Yulan Continent, Master Proulx of the Pu'ang Empire who was born in the year 3578 of the Yulan Calendar. ①
(Only when I turned around did I realize that Master Proulx’s first appearance was not told by Grandpa Delin, but by Hogg when he was educating Lin Lei at home in Chapter 4.)
As the first guild in the stone carving world, Proulx Hall is a holy place for art in the eyes of many stone sculptors.

Of course, it is the eternal art of stone carving, not the art of instant explosion.

For novices, they can also put their stone sculptures in the exhibition hall of Proulx Hall. Although no one may appreciate them, at least they will have a chance.

If one of your stone carvings appears in the expert exhibition hall of the Proulx Guild Hall, it is an affirmation of your stone carving skills.

If you are lucky enough to be placed in the master's exhibition hall, it means that it enjoys a high status in the entire Magnolia Continent, and even the kings and grand dukes will receive it solemnly.

A simple carriage stopped at the entrance of the Proulx Hall. A young man with brown hair and black eyes stepped out of the carriage and walked towards the Proulx Hall.

The Proulx Hall is open to the public and is open to all visitors. You only need one gold coin to enter and visit.

Of course, everyone comes here as a guest, but some guests are more noble and fairer.

Of course, the common people who came to visit on foot were not as noble as the guests who came to visit in carriages.The more gorgeous the carriage, the more distinguished it is, but there are only so many guests. . .Their faces and names represent true nobility.

A guest in black robes walked to the door of Proulx Hall.

When the two guards at the door of the Proulx Hall saw the visitor, the reverent look on their faces was different from the ordinary "distinguished guests" received. This reverence was more of a heartfelt enthusiasm.

"Master Hogg, welcome back." The guard wearing red mail said with a smile on his face.

"Ron, Harry, we haven't seen each other for a long time. The Acrylic Curator should be anxious to see me now. Which one of you will lead the way?"

"Let me do it."

Harry, the taller one of the two guards and wearing armor with lightning patterns, rushed to say, and made a gesture to lead the way.
Half a quarter of an hour later, an old man with a cane in the hall looked at the middle-aged 'Master Hogg' with an expression of relief on his face.

"Master Hogg, you are finally here." The person in charge of the Proulx Guild Hall in Finlay City, the Acrylic Curator, said this, full of respect and reverence.

Although this "Master Hogg" himself is average in strength, it is said that he is only a sixth-level warrior.In terms of aristocratic status, he is only a small rural aristocrat, with only the title of baronet and a small town as his territory.

But Master Hogg’s other identity earned the acrylic curator immense respect.

He is a top stone carving master.

Master Hogg is one of only seven stone carving masters in the entire Holy Alliance.Even another one of these seven stone carving masters is also the youngest stone carving master, 'Master Lin Lei', who is the eldest son of the 'Master Hogg' in front of him.

Although none of Master Hogg's works can be regarded as one of the top ten stone sculptures, he has six works that are close to the "top ten stone sculptures".

"Knight", "Inheritance", "Treasure", "Alchemist", "Thousands of Arrows Firing", "Dance of Life", etc., even five of these six works were completed within the last three years, and all are considered Magnolia The most prolific stone carving master in mainland history.

In the past month, Master Hogg completed a several-year trip around the continent and returned to the Holy Alliance before the most important Magnolia Festival in the Magnolia Calendar.

Just half a day ago, a heavyweight invited Baron Hogg.The status of this big man is so high that even the acrylic curator has to look up to him.

"Oh, has President Dawson arrived already?" Baron Hogg smiled, "The last time we met was in the Magnolia Empire, and this time I was invited to meet again to discuss the art of stone carving."

"Okay, let's go."

The Acrylic Curator nodded. The Proulx Hall is a holy place for stone carving art and a social circle for the upper class.

It's like a tavern for the common people at the bottom, an art salon for ordinary nobles.

Of course, the "upper class" who use Proulx Hall as a social place are not comparable to ordinary nobles.

For example, the guest who "discussed art" with Master Hogg, Monroe Dawson, is the president of the "Dawson Chamber of Commerce", one of the three major chambers of commerce in the mainland. In terms of ability and status, he is no less than a strong man from the Sanctuary.Even compared to the king of Finlay Kingdom, Monroe Dawson's actual status is higher. . .Even though it must be President Dawson who salutes when the two parties meet, the real upper-level people in the mainland know how terrifying the potential power of the Dawson Chamber of Commerce is.

It may not be powerful in terms of military force, but the wealth of the Dawson Chamber of Commerce is even coveted by the two major alliances and the four major empires.

However, there is no point in being greedy.

The Dawson Chamber of Commerce's business network is spread throughout cities in the Magnolia Continent, and it can completely affect the prosperity and decline of a country's economy.

Even the two major alliances and the four major empires are unwilling to break up with the three major chambers of commerce, because once a certain chamber of commerce really breaks up with a certain empire, it is likely to cause the economy of an empire to collapse and set back decades in an instant. This may cause chaos within the empire.

A mere kingdom has no advantage at all in front of the Dawson Chamber of Commerce.

Although the Proulx Guild Hall, the art holy place in Magnolia Continent, is also a very transcendent force, only the chief curator, Director Maia, is qualified to associate with the other party on an equal footing.

The Acrylic Curator accompanied Baron Hogg to a living room.

One of them was a fat, bald man who was two meters tall and had a big belly.This fat, bald man, with his height of two meters and that terrifying waistline.I'm afraid he weighs three to four hundred kilograms.

This man is none other than the president of the Dawson Chamber of Commerce, Monroe Dawson.

At this moment, he was looking at a stone sculpture with relish.

There were two middle-aged men behind him, one was a blond man with a pair of cold eagle eyes, and the other was a strong red-haired man.

There is no doubt that these two people are both ninth-level powerhouses, and even among the ninth-level powerhouses, they are relatively powerful types.

Hearing the footsteps, Monroe Dawson turned his head and his eyes lit up.

"Brother Hogg, the last time you and I met was last year... Haha, come and see the stone sculptures I specially asked people to carve for me."

Hogg approached, nodded slightly to the old friend he was not very familiar with, looked at the statue, and immediately showed a strange smile on his face.

This stone sculpture. . .But it was carved in the likeness of Monroe Dawson.

"According to traditional techniques, this stone carving is smooth and skillful. At least it is as perfect as the ordinary works of stone carving masters... Although it does not contain unique charm and soul, it is not easy either."

"If you are a master of stone carving, it will take a lot of effort to carve it. If you are a master of stone carving, it is basically the work of their superb performance."

"But I see traces in it. It should be the work of Master Difenni. It should have cost a lot of gold coins."

Master Difeni, one of the stone carving masters of the Holy Alliance, is famous for helping others carve for money.

However, his stone carving skills are acceptable, and his level of pure stone carving is not much lower than Hogg's. .

However, the masterpieces of stone carving masters and even masters of stone carving must contain unique charm and soul in order to be considered masterpieces.

As for the ordinary works of stone carving masters, it does not require that the charm and soul contained in them be strong, as long as they "have" it is enough.

This life-size statue of Monroe Dawson can be considered to be of this level.

"Yes, it is the work of Master Difeni, but it didn't cost many gold coins, only thirty-six thousand gold coins, which is not too much."

Hogg rolled his eyes. Although he knew that the fat man in front of him was probably the richest man on the continent, at this price. . .

"It's not worth it. The ordinary works of the stone carving master have no special charm... Generally, thirty to fifty thousand gold coins are not a loss." Regarding this old friend, Hogg said bluntly, "But the problem is that the essence of stone carving is art. It’s the beauty...With the same skills, if he carves flowers, he carves nature...it’s all worth the price.”

"But carving you...who would appreciate it?"

Roman Dawson: "...Haha, you are really merciless in what you say."

(End of this chapter)