Chapter 207: Ink Square

Luck…

So Lan Seeing Lan Shiwen has terrible luck?

With a mixture of skepticism and doubt, Seeing Seeing Ning Zhe pondered this question. He and Lan Seeing Lan Shiwen had merely crossed paths; though they had collaborated a few times, there was no real bond between them, and the man always tried to get Seeing Seeing Ning Zhe to work for free.

Emotionally, Seeing Seeing Ning Zhe preferred to believe Lan Seeing Lan Shiwen was pulling his leg—after all, he wasn't anyone special to him. Why would Lan Seeing Lan Shiwen risk offending Fen Wu by handing him such precious intelligence like some eager sycophant? —Revealing a Transcender's rule characteristic to another Transcender was an extremely, extremely, extremely offensive act.

But rationally, Seeing Seeing Ning Zhe knew Lan Seeing Lan Shiwen's claim was likely true: Fen Wu wanted to hunt him down to obtain Zhao You, and Zhao You's rule was luck.

"If Fen Wu's core rule truly includes a sub-effect of misfortune, then his desire to acquire Zhao You to ward off ill fortune and attract good luck becomes easy to understand."

Seeing Seeing Ning Zhe fell silent for a moment, then revealed a knowing smile beneath his mask, muttering to himself: "But Fen Wu—this man believed to be nearing the end of the Transcension Path—is he really that simple?"

Just as Seeing Seeing Ning Zhe was pondering the implications of Lan Seeing Lan Shiwen's words, a knock came at the cabin door. Lan Seeing Lan Shiwen said, "Enter," and a young man in a dark blue uniform pulled the door open and stepped inside.

The diplomatic representative from the Dai family has lodged another protest, demanding immediate access to Fan Dai Ke to confirm his personal safety.

Lan Seeing Lan Shiwen nodded. "I understand."

The military attaché of the European United States embassy in Yunzhou, Eddy Dai Ke, was of the same Dai Ke family as Fan Dai Ke. They had learned of their kin's disappearance and were now pressuring Yunzhou.

"Your advice was very useful. In return, I'll help you out of this bind," Seeing Seeing Ning Zhe said, extending his hand to Lan Seeing Lan Shiwen. "Come on. I'll accompany you to meet the Dai Ke family's diplomat."

"I'm deeply grateful," Lan Seeing Lan Shiwen said at once, casting a confirming glance at the uniformed man standing by the door, then turning to Seeing Seeing Ning Zhe: "What should we prepare? Fan Dai Ke's corpse? His clothing? Or his Transcension artifact?"

He did not understand the mechanism behind Seeing Seeing Ning Zhe's disguise rule, and was merely probing.

"Bring all of those," Seeing Seeing Ning Zhe replied impassively. "The more, the better."

"Understood. I'll arrange it immediately."

In truth, Seeing Seeing Ning Zhe needed no corpse, clothing, or Transcension artifact to impersonate someone—but he was happy to appear as if he did, as though he couldn't become another person without them.

Lan Seeing Lan Shiwen's men quickly gathered Fan Dai Ke's corpse and his Transcension artifacts and brought them up.

In modern society, noble titles had lost their value. Some small countries reliant on tourism even offered tourists tiered "noble title packages" at different prices, personally conferred by the royal family—around five thousand yuan could buy you a baronetcy, complete with a certificate, perfect for posting on social media.

But Fan Dai Ke, a noble with a family, fiefdom, assets, and connections, was a different matter entirely. His marquis title carried far more weight than the presidency of some small nations.

Fan Dai Ke possessed many Transcension artifacts. Altogether, four were recovered:

A straw doll woven from wheat stalks, a pure silver pen, a wooden ink square, and a blank parchment.

"The straw doll and pen are fine, but this ink square doesn't look like something a foreigner would use," Seeing Seeing Ning Zhe picked up the ink square on the table and looked at Lan Seeing Lan Shiwen. "Where did it come from?"

The ink square, also called ink line, originated in China. It was a specialized tool used by ancient carpenters and architects—since houses were mostly timber-and-earth structures, these two professions were essentially one.

The purpose of the ink square was clear: two words—draw lines; three words—draw straight lines. Carpenters would first snap a straight reference line onto wood using the ink square; builders would use it to mark vertical lines on walls. Masons and tile layers all relied on this simple, practical tool. Invented in antiquity, the ink square remains widely used in construction and carpentry today.

But as a Transcension artifact, what use could it possibly have?

"It belongs to the Lou family," Lan Seeing Lan Shiwen said. "After the Millennium Massacre, a few surviving members of the Qinzhou Lou family fled abroad and were secretly sheltered by the European United States. The ghosts and Transcension artifacts they brought with them were traded for protection."

"I suspected as much," Seeing Seeing Ning Zhe weighed the ink square in his hand. "I guess these foreigners didn't just shelter one Lou family."

"You're right," Lan Seeing Lan Shiwen did not deny it. "The reason the Dai Ke family sent people to meet the Liu family's escapees is the same."

Lan Seeing Lan Shiwen waved his hand, signaling his men to leave the room. After closing the door, he continued:

"I don't have details on the other artifacts, but I know the exact function of the Lou family's ink square: two words—division."

"I'm listening," Seeing Seeing Ning Zhe said at once.

"Explaining it is complicated. I'll just demonstrate."

Lan Seeing Lan Shiwen took the ink square from Seeing Seeing Ning Zhe and placed it on the table.

—The ink square consisted of four parts: the ink reservoir, the thread spool, the ink marker, and the inked thread soaked in the reservoir, used to draw lines.

Lan Seeing Lan Shiwen laid a blank sheet of paper on the table, pulled the inked thread from the ink square, stretched it taut above the paper, then flicked it with his fingers. *Pssht*—a straight black line appeared instantly on the paper.

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He then turned the spool to retract the thread, pinched the paper divided in half by the black line between his fingers, and with his other hand pulled a lighter from Fan Dai Ke's corpse.

*Click*—

Flame burst forth. The tip licked the corner of the paper. The dancing fire rapidly spread, curling and yellowing the white sheet until it turned to ash.

Then, a strange thing happened. Though the flames raged fiercely, every change on the paper—from ignition to combustion to extinction—never crossed the unbreakable line.

The straight ink line served as a boundary: one half of the paper was reduced to brittle ash by fire; the other half remained pristine white, untouched by heat or flame.

This was the Lou family's ink square's rule—division.

"Once divided by the ink line, the two sides are no longer considered the same sheet of paper."

Lan Seeing Lan Shiwen spoke softly. "The same applies to people."

It was a rule capable of killing.

(End of Chapter)