[{"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-157":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},2292120,4481,"Chapter 157: Reward","the-ink-saint-of-great-zhou-chapter-157",157,"\u003Cp>After all, cultivating the Confucian Dao requires great talent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But reading The Smiling, Proud Wanderer only requires reading—it’s much easier to gain the scholarly aura and the techniques within the book, and as a result, a situation has arisen: the vast territory and huge population of the Great Zhou have produced many who have unlocked the scholarly aura and techniques.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The recruitment standards for new soldiers along the northern and southern borders have also been greatly raised.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In an extremely short time, these two borders have seen tremendous improvement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as Lu Fang entered the trial ground, both borders simultaneously launched attacks against the Great Zhou—but because so many people now possessed techniques, they crushed the armies of the demons and barbarians into utter disarray.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This matter has become a topic of endless fascination among all the people of the Great Zhou.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is it because completing ‘The Smiling, Proud Wanderer’ grants a reward? That’s why the Book Spirit Yan Chixia couldn’t finish it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang smiled, not caring.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>During this time, due to writing The Smiling, Proud Wanderer, the Book Spirit Yan Chixia actually gained righteous qi—a pleasant surprise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because of the Ink-Color Flower, Yan Chixia’s physical form transformed from a Book Spirit into a normal human, granting him far greater potential for cultivation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang came to the desk and finished writing the final chapter of The Smiling, Proud Wanderer; the instant he completed it, he received his reward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Internal cultivation technique (nine levels)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each level cultivated allows one to gather a certain amount of “Qi.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why is this the reward?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Previously, others had also awakened the Purple Cloud Divine Art from The Smiling, Proud Wanderer; Lu Fang naturally possessed this technique too. But such internal cultivation techniques require long-term practice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since it offered him little enhancement and demanded vast time to cultivate, he had never seriously practiced it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This reward’s internal cultivation technique doesn’t sound impressive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But it can cultivate Qi—and that made him very eager.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang tried activating the internal cultivation technique, and immediately felt all his Qi gathering at his hands at an astonishing speed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perfect!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With this internal cultivation technique, it wasn’t just that his Qi increased—he gained vastly improved control over Qi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For someone who relies on Qi for all his transcendent powers, this is an enormous advantage—and this is only the first level. If he cultivates it to the ninth level, the enhancement will be far greater.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Looks like I’ll need to cultivate this internal cultivation technique from now on.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang muttered to himself, leaned on the desk, closed his eyes, and entered the Ink Brush Book Realm. Before coming to the Grand Void Illusion, he had already accumulated many Ink-Color Flowers here, some of which enhanced techniques.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enhance the Ink-Color Flower.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This flower, nourished by scholarly aura, can raise an internal cultivation technique to its current level’s peak—but not beyond.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without hesitation, Lu Fang used ten strands of scholarly aura to nourish the Ink-Color Flower; after it merged into his body, he immediately tried the internal cultivation technique and felt a tremendous change.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the internal cultivation technique reached its first level’s peak,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Previously, activating it required some time—but now, with just a thought, all his Qi obeyed him as if it were an extension of his limbs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This feeling was incredibly smooth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the enhanced Ink-Color Flower vanished, a new bud formed—a refined Ink-Color Flower. Nourishing this flower instantly elevates the current level.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Over these days, Lu Fang had originally had just over a hundred strands of scholarly aura, but after using ten, he now had only ninety left. He hesitated whether to nourish the enhanced Ink-Color Flower.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After thinking it over, he ultimately gave up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though he now had a lot of scholarly aura, that was only because the Great Zhou Gazette was being widely distributed across the nineteen provinces. If he wasted it carelessly now, what if he needed it desperately later? He’d be left weeping in despair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides, there was no rush right now—he planned to wait and see the situation before using any more scholarly aura.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enter the Grand Void Illusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first layer of Mount Grand Void had expanded again—this time by a huge amount—but even so, the sight was still packed with people, a testament to how many had benefited from the widespread popularity of The Smiling, Proud Wanderer and the Great Zhou Gazette.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The second layer, previously occupied only by Li Yu and Chen Ji, now had a hundred more people; the third layer remained empty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was also why, despite using so much scholarly aura, Lu Fang still had ninety-two strands left.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang closed his eyes and sensed carefully, then confirmed: “It seems the Demon Heart cannot enter the Ink Brush Book Realm. Of course—it’s my spiritual body here. No matter how miraculous the Demon Heart is, it’s still just a heart.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Previously, he had also spoken with his third senior brother, Wang Fu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He told this senior brother everything about the Buddha Realm trial ground—except for the Demon Heart. Wang Fu’s exact words were that this matter should be reported to the Son of Heaven.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang had already considered it; upon hearing Wang Fu’s advice, he agreed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had withheld the Demon Heart’s existence because he feared it might cause trouble. After all, he had already revealed Song Ce’s corruption—no one would believe the other side over him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if, hypothetically, some people suspected him of wrongdoing,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Demon Heart couldn’t be detected anyway, so he had nothing to fear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All he needed to do was never use the Demon Heart again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After clarifying his thoughts, Lu Fang exited the Grand Void Illusion and arrived before the Ink-Color Horizontal Stroke. Once again, he used one strand of scholarly aura as bait to lure the countless books before him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the scholarly aura bait appeared above the book spirits, only one book spirit leapt up and successfully consumed it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Memories flooded his mind. Lu Fang raised an eyebrow and murmured: “Why this book? I should’ve used more scholarly aura.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The book was the classic of China’s Four Great Novels: Water Margin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The techniques and realms within it didn’t seem particularly powerful. If possible, he truly wanted to swap for another book.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Maybe there’ll be a pleasant surprise.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang comforted himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>……\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pavilion by the water.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Literary Crown Marquis has finally finished ‘The Smiling, Proud Wanderer.’ I heard he’s preparing to write a new story tomorrow.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tong Wanner finished reading today’s Great Zhou Gazette, stretched out languidly, and sighed: “We’re going to portray the characters from the elegant literary work ‘Dream of the Red Chamber.’ I wonder if the Literary Crown Marquis would meet us if he knew.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhong Xin chuckled bitterly: “The Literary Crown Marquis is a legend of our Great Zhou—why would he meet someone like us? Still, I’m curious whether his next story will also be an elegant literary work.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She paused, then shook her head: “Even if his next story isn’t elegant literature, I still want to read it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I want to read it too.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Huachu smiled warmly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The maid Huan’er ran over, breathless and frantic, unable to speak for a long while.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What happened? Why so rushed?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Huachu patted Huan’er’s back, puzzled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tong Wanner and Zhong Xin also stared curiously at Huan’er—this girl was usually so composed. Why did she look as if she’d seen a ghost?\u003C\u002Fp>",1239,"2026-06-20T03:56:21.568Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","231cd75ab79c32560237cead594e832ef107b99f385322ba95a6f1c82931babb","the-ink-saint-of-great-zhou-chapter-158","the-ink-saint-of-great-zhou-chapter-156",289,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-ink-saint-of-great-zhou-cover.jpg"]