[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-ink-saint-of-great-zhou":3,"chapter-the-ink-saint-of-great-zhou-the-ink-saint-of-great-zhou-chapter-102":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","The Ink Saint of Great Zhou",{"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},2292065,4481,"Chapter 102: A Journey Far Away","the-ink-saint-of-great-zhou-chapter-102",102,"\u003Cp>Ink-brush written realm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang excitedly approached the ink-colored flower; recently, due to the Da Zhou Literary Gazette being gradually introduced across the nineteen provinces, the number of people who gained book-scent has surged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, the novel “The Smiling, Proud Wanderer” enabled countless individuals to comprehend the cultivation arts within its pages.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Naturally, Lu Fang also acquired these arts; he tested their power and found them stronger than he had imagined.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What is the Evil-Exterminating Sword Art?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the realm spirit first informed him, Lu Fang was startled—but after checking his body, he found no missing parts; evidently, no castration was required here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides the Evil-Exterminating Sword Art, others had also unlocked the \"Purple Mist Divine Art\" and the \"Furious Wind Swift Blade.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These three arts: one is a devious sword technique, one a powerful internal cultivation method, and one a blade style.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A martial cultivator who comprehends any one of them can benefit for life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But if a Confucian cultivator attains them, they become true dual practitioners of body and method.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beyond these, what delighted Lu Fang was that his book-scent had also surged—within merely half a month, he had gathered thirty-two strands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ink-colored flower · Clone\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This flower, nourished by book-scent, allows Lu Fang, master of the Ink-Brush Written Realm, to apply his transcendent ability—Concealing Heaven and Crossing Sea—to the book spirit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang considered it and decided to use ten strands of book-scent to nourish this flower, so that the book spirit Yan Chixia could remain at his residence while he himself could alter his appearance and travel farther afield.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ten strands of book-scent flowed into the Ink-colored flower · Clone; the bud bloomed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the flower sank into his brow, his transcendent ability—Concealing Heaven and Crossing Sea—could now be applied to the book spirit Yan Chixia.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thank you, Young Master.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The book spirit Yan Chixia also sensed it and bowed in gratitude.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang smiled and asked: “Now that you’re like this, if I leave you far behind, can you write ‘The Smiling, Proud Wanderer’ for me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The book spirit Yan Chixia shook his head and replied: “Young Master, not yet. But if you bloom the Ink-colored flower · Solidify, then you can.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang frowned; he had thought nourishing just one ink-colored flower would suffice, never expecting to expend ten strands of book-scent—how could he not feel pained?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he didn’t nourish the Ink-colored flower · Solidify, the book spirit couldn’t help write ‘The Smiling, Proud Wanderer’—that was even more infuriating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After much thought, Lu Fang gritted his teeth and again nourished the Ink-colored flower · Solidify; as a glowing, ink-colored flower sank into the body of the book spirit Yan Chixia.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The somewhat ethereal book spirit became solid and tangible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thank you, Young Master, for granting me a body—I can now ease your burdens and share your worries,” the book spirit Yan Chixia bowed repeatedly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the study.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two identical Lu Fangs stood face to face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m going on a long journey. I’ve told everyone I’ll be in seclusion for a long time. Every seven days, place the written chapters of ‘The Smiling, Proud Wanderer’ outside the door. For the rest of the time, you may cultivate as you wish.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang instructed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The book spirit Yan Chixia bowed and said: “Young Master, rest assured—I’ll finish writing ‘The Smiling, Proud Wanderer’ daily, and I’ll read the classics of the Three Teachings; perhaps I’ll gain insight into other arts.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang nodded: “If any unexpected problems arise, return directly to the Ink-Brush Written Realm—I’ve left a puppet teleportation substitute here; you can come back anytime.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The book spirit Yan Chixia nodded in agreement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang thought over everything else and found nothing more to say; under cover of night, he left the capital city and, in a remote wilderness, transformed himself into a shabby scholar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He no longer hurried along with righteous qi; instead, he walked slowly, paused often, admired the scenery, camped under the stars, ate wild game, and let the mountain winds blow through him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had spoken with the boatman about local customs and listened to village children boast of their imagined delicacies and grand ambitions…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Along this journey, Lu Fang made the sky his blanket and the earth his bed, living abundantly and contentedly—only now did he understand: reading ten thousand scrolls is not as good as traveling ten thousand miles; traveling ten thousand miles is not as good as meeting countless people.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That day, the sky was clear and boundless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dust-covered and weary, Lu Fang arrived at a small town called “Bei.” His beard had gone untrimmed for a long time; his clothes were torn in several places—he looked like a beggar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So this is what it’s like to be a beggar—you see people’s eyes in a different light.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang smiled bitterly and shook his head, utterly unconcerned by the disdain in some gazes; he pulled out a piece of roasted beast meat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, a large dog ran over, wagging its tail.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang laughed and tossed half the meat to the dog, then savored the rest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You know what? Using only his own strength to travel made the food taste better and sleep deeper; he no longer cared about anyone’s gaze—after eating, he lay in the sunlight, basking, eyes closed, resting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>About a quarter-hour passed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Someone roughly shoved him awake: “Hey! Wake up!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang blinked sleepily, yawned, and barely made out five or six servants standing before him when the lead middle-aged man roughly pulled back his hair: “A destitute scholar?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang’s face showed no expression, but inwardly he was annoyed; still, he nodded and asked: “What do you want?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One servant said to the middle-aged man, clearly the steward: “Master Sun, this man’s height and features are decent, and he’s a scholar—he fits perfectly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Take him back,” Master Sun said, wiping his hands with distaste.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang had intended to resist, but after thinking, he gave up—he suspected these people had ulterior motives; perhaps they meant to control him and sell him as a slave. He’d go see their den himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To avoid alarming them, he feigned fear: “Where are you taking me? I won’t go!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Sun ignored him entirely: “You’re lucky—you won’t have to worry about hunger or cold anymore.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a glance, Master Sun signaled; several strong servants seized Lu Fang and threw him into a carriage. To prevent escape, two servants sat inside with him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The carriage traveled for three-quarters of an hour before finally stopping.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Lu Fang stepped out, he saw a grand mansion ahead—his heart stirred with surprise. Not a den of thieves? Or was this mansion itself the den?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It didn’t look like it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before he could look further, the servants of the Gao household dragged him inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Sun ordered: “First, bathe him, then give him clean clothes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang was locked in a room; soon after, servants carried in a large wooden tub and began pouring hot water into it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s going on?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang was baffled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, the door opened and a young maid, about twenty, entered; her attire suggested high status in the household.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The maid’s bright eyes scanned Lu Fang up and down, nodding repeatedly: “You’re truly handsome. What’s your name, Young Master?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fang Lu,” Lu Fang replied, using a false name.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The maid curtsied: “Young Master Fang, are you married?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang shook his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The maid smiled: “Perfect. I’ll bathe you first, then dress you up, and take you to meet my young lady.”\u003C\u002Fp>",1259,"2026-06-20T03:56:21.568Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","7d8f648f0f1ff42502ef294b9db58b81af9ed08df5626451965ba41234e8b68e","the-ink-saint-of-great-zhou-chapter-103","the-ink-saint-of-great-zhou-chapter-101",289,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-ink-saint-of-great-zhou-cover.jpg"]