[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-dark-and-dawn-light-years":3,"chapter-dark-and-dawn-light-years-dark-and-dawn-light-years-chapter-164":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Dark and Dawn Light-Years",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2264764,4420,"Chapter 164: Can You Please Stop That Spiritual Skill?","dark-and-dawn-light-years-chapter-164",164,"\u003Cp>It is said that a person’s character reflects their handwriting, or vice versa—at least among literati, this holds true.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin’s handwriting can be considered excessively rigid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Song-style script has one advantage: clarity. Each horizontal and vertical stroke has its origin, each Pie and Na has its destination; every character is nearly identical in size, refined and elegant, pleasing to the eye and making reading effortless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just like Li Lin’s appearance—strikingly handsome.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Fengyi’s handwriting, however, was… unrestrained and wild. Put kindly, it was uniquely styled, free and flowing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Put bluntly, it was chaotic, drunken cursive scribbles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The three characters “Fang Fengyi,” written in cursive, were unreadable to anyone without years of experience.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why had Fang Fengyi lost his composure?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because more than one person had criticized his handwriting as messy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Including his own teachers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The problem was, he couldn’t change it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He could endure criticism from his teachers, but Li Lin was just a county constable—either a warrior or a spirit hunter—what did he know about calligraphy?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His anger at such an evaluation was perfectly understandable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmph. A mere warrior—what does he know about characters?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I may never have eaten pork, but I’ve seen pigs walk,” Li Lin chuckled. “I still know good handwriting when I see it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Fengyi snorted, wanting to accuse Li Lin of disrespecting a superior officer—but if he pressed the matter, the position of Clerk of Finance, though seemingly higher in rank than a county constable, was in fact a nominal post.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The three real power-holders in the prefectural office were the Prefect, the Assistant Prefect, and the Patrol Commander (Military Supervisor).\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no such thing as a Clerk of Finance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Fengyi was now deeply annoyed by Li Lin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had always called himself a refined gentleman, the most handsome man in Jincheng—yet now a warrior had arrived, better-looking than him, and holding real authority.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This made him deeply uncomfortable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially since Huang Ling, though not fond of Li Lin, often spoke of him in his presence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That made him even more displeased.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Take your documents and leave,” Fang Fengyi snorted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin smiled. “You must accompany me—this is procedure. Your on-site verification is required.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmph.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Fengyi snorted and walked out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What followed was simple: Fang Fengyi led a dozen government office runners to the laundry bureau.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He counted the southern barbarian women, then took them outside the city.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin had the village militia confirm the number of women, stamped the document, then returned it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“All done, thank you, Clerk Fang,” Li Lin smiled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Fengyi said nothing and turned to leave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin let the southern barbarian women enter the encampment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The village militia erupted in cheers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t go wild,” Li Lin called out to the excited young men. “Anyone who forces himself on them will answer to me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone laughed. Someone shouted, “What if it’s mutual?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin smiled but said nothing, then turned and walked away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The militia roared with delight—the scene grew wildly noisy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He did not rush to have the militia lead the women away; he planned to depart tomorrow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, it was past noon—not an ideal time to set out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides, he was waiting for someone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He returned to the inn to rest, and soon after, An Xin appeared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Here’s the catalog. Take a look.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin took the small booklet. Though only a few pages long, he was still taken aback after reading it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because there were too many.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No wonder it was a sect with deep roots—this contained over a hundred martial arts and skills.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin flipped through the pages, then stopped midway and said, “This one—Alchemy of Artifacts.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He already had the Alchemy of Elixirs; now he needed the Alchemy of Artifacts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An Xin was surprised. “We Tianyi Sect have no one who can practice Alchemy of Artifacts—we only possess the manual. You may copy it, but if you encounter anything unclear, we cannot answer.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No problem,” Li Lin smiled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He trusted his special ability—or rather, his unique spiritual skill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he could unravel something as obscure as the Hidden Character Spell, how hard could Alchemy of Artifacts be?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Alright,” An Xin stood. “Wait here—I’ll fetch it for you right away.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin smiled. “I’ll write you the annotations for the Guiding Paper Person now.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thank you,” An Xin bowed, then hurried off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin asked the innkeeper to bring paper and ink, then began writing down the secrets of the Guiding Paper Person.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since it was merely a basic technique in paper-folding, the content wasn’t extensive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Li Lin generously included all his personal insights.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One could say… in paper-folding, Li Lin had only just entered the door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the Guiding Paper Person? He was a grandmaster.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No one understood little paper figures better than he did.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Li Lin finished writing and waited for An Xin, he heard faint footsteps down the corridor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At first he thought it was An Xin—but then his expression hardened, he stepped back several paces, and snatched the red tassel spear from beside him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because An Xin had no reason to walk so quietly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the footsteps stopped right outside the door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin realized: if he moved toward the door, a blade might pierce him from outside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He pondered for a few breaths, then pulled several paper figures from his sleeve and tossed them to the floor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The small paper figures turned from white to pink, hopped and skipped to the wooden door, then slipped through the gap beneath it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only paper figures could pull off such an absurd maneuver.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Immediately after, someone outside hurried away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Using the “perception” transmitted back by the little paper figures, Li Lin “saw” the person outside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A man of ordinary appearance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nothing remarkable—just an ordinary, earnest commoner you’d see anywhere on the street.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he ran fast—as if startled by the paper figures.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He sprinted forward, desperate to escape.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin grabbed his red tassel spear and burst out the door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He saw a figure frantically racing down the stairs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Behind him, several little paper figures sprinted after him, arms raised, wobbling wildly, moving surprisingly fast.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was thanks to Li Lin’s increased strength—spiritual energy had replaced yin energy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The “performance” of the paper figures had undergone a qualitative leap.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were not only smarter, but faster too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One pink paper figure had already climbed onto the man’s back and clung tightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man ran fast—though Li Lin was faster, catching him would still take time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man was now close to the inn’s front gate; if he escaped into the dense crowd outside, pursuit would become nearly impossible. He grinned with relief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Li Lin wasn’t worried—one paper figure was already stuck to his back. Even if he vanished into the crowd, Li Lin could still find him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as the man reached the gate, he suddenly flew backward, crashing to the ground with a cry of pain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An Xin stepped in slowly, a scroll in his right hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin smiled. “Thank you, Brother An, for your help.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No need to thank me,” An Xin said, watching the little paper figures scurrying on the ground. “Even without me, you’d have caught him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But his face was pale—he stood at the doorway, unwilling to enter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He seemed afraid of the paper figures, his expression barely holding steady.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a moment, he said, “Brother Li, could you please stop this spiritual skill?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1242,"2026-06-19T19:39:18.782Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","84c2b1415d72705b6074c89448a27c83d807561421edd4d8878e03895df126d9","dark-and-dawn-light-years-chapter-165","dark-and-dawn-light-years-chapter-163",221,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fdark-and-dawn-light-years-cover.jpg"]