[{"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-167":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},2292130,4481,"Chapter 167: The Raksha Palace","the-ink-saint-of-great-zhou-chapter-167",167,"\u003Cp>“There are traces of demon barbarians?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang hesitated and said: “Are you saying the Demon and Barbarian tribes jointly funded the ‘Evil Tiger’ faction to challenge the Raksha Kingdom’s authority? Why would they do that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shui Yao did not conceal it: “The Raksha Kingdom’s location is peculiar, and because of its friendly ties with the Great Zhou, it has never been favored by the Demon and Barbarian tribes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Scorched Lands are dangerous, yet hold many opportunities.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Demon and Barbarian tribes are two great clans; it’s impossible they wouldn’t envy all this. Even if they know they cannot shake Raksha’s dominance in the short term, they will surely exert some restraint.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So that’s how it is.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang nodded and asked: “When I was in the Great Zhou, I heard the Scorched Lands were dangerous; now I hear it from you too.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’d like to ask—if someone of my realm were to enter the Scorched Lands, could they survive?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What realms are typically found deep within the Scorched Lands?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shui Yao studied Lu Fang from head to toe, then said seriously: “Deep within the Scorched Lands, areas are divided by realm. For example, Confucian Scholars should avoid going deep—it’s extremely dangerous.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Even if you don’t encounter utterly wicked men, encountering powerful monstrous beasts could lead to your death there.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There are powerful monstrous beasts deep in the Scorched Lands?” Lu Fang pressed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shui Yao nodded: “Indeed, the depths of the Scorched Lands harbor all kinds of powerful monstrous beasts. It’s perilous for Confucian Scholars to enter.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Confucian Gentlemen can only wander near the outer edges of the Scorched Lands. As long as they aren’t terribly unlucky and face several powerful beasts in succession, they can navigate it cautiously.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang listened and nodded—he understood roughly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shui Yao looked at Lu Fang and asked: “Why are you asking about this, Lord Wenguan? Are you interested in the Scorched Lands? There are indeed many opportunities there. With your strength and realm, it shouldn’t be a problem.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang smiled but did not answer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A grand procession of five hundred people, after traveling day and night, finally arrived at the Raksha Kingdom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the sight of the Raksha Kingdom, Lu Fang was utterly stunned—what lay before him differed far too much from his expectations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What was called the Raksha Kingdom was, in truth, a vast Raksha City.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Larger than the Imperial Capital by several times, its architecture was magnificent; buildings and pavilions were constructed in the Great Zhou style.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unlike the Great Zhou, the sky above Raksha City was ever-shifting—a night sky identical to that above the Scorched Lands, capable of transforming into another scene at any moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, the Raksha Palace was built midair, faintly visible, veiled in thick mist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like a palace built in the heavens.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first distant glimpse delivered a powerful visual impact.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shui Yao smiled and gestured with a hand: “According to our Raksha Kingdom’s protocol for honoring distinguished guests, Lord Wenguan, you must ride the Flower Chariot with me. After you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang did not refuse—he stepped onto a chariot covered in colorful flowers, its canopy yellow, its sides entirely open.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had heard of this custom from Yue You.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Riding a flower-covered chariot into the Raksha Palace was a mark of honor; only the Raksha King and those who earned great merit were permitted to ride such chariots through the streets, greeted by the people of Raksha.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Lu Fang first heard this custom, his first thought was of flower courtesans parading in ancient TV dramas.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shui Yao stepped onto the chariot and stood beside him: “Thanks to you, Lord Wenguan, I’ve gotten to ride a Flower Chariot today. You must feel uncomfortable, but don’t worry—we’ll just sit here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She then gestured for him to take the seat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Alright.” Lu Fang walked over and sat down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By the time preparations were complete, dawn had broken.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the sound of a horn and the solemn music that followed, the Flower Chariot began to move; crowds lined both sides of the road.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Flower Chariot was, in fact, very large and tall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sitting on his chair, Lu Fang could not see the people on either side unless he deliberately stood at the chariot’s front edge, so he felt no embarrassment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shui Yao, seeing Lu Fang sit upright, covered her mouth and smiled: “Lord Wenguan, relax. If you’re tired, you can even sleep. We won’t reach the Raksha Palace until evening.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll be very relaxed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang smiled helplessly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before arriving, he had known that to honor distinguished guests, the Flower Chariot would parade through special streets of Raksha City—a long, drawn-out affair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pure formalism.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang shook his head—he simply could not understand this custom. What purpose did it serve beyond wasting time?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shui Yao shook her head and laughed: “Princess Xue Raksha dislikes riding the Flower Chariot too—it’s dull, but please endure it. This is the highest honor Raksha can bestow.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“By the way, I recently read the elegant prose you wrote.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Princess Xue Raksha and I are both curious—how could someone your age write such a fine story?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang replied casually: “I have many dreams. My elegant prose comes from those dreams. I’m not nearly as talented as people think.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shui Yao said seriously: “Lord Wenguan, you’re too modest. If you’re not talented, who dares call themselves so?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They chatted idly, back and forth, for a while.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang, tired of the small talk, closed his eyes and began cultivating, sensing the “internal cultivation method.” The day, neither long nor short, passed quickly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He heard the howling wind beside his ears and opened his eyes involuntarily—he realized the Flower Chariot had lifted into the air, soaring through the aurora-lit night sky, heading straight for the Raksha Palace, suspended in empty space.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shui Yao smiled: “Lord Wenguan, the Raksha King will host a welcoming banquet. Rest for a while, change your clothes—someone will come for you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang nodded in agreement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The night here was long, so Shui Yao’s suggestion that he rest before the banquet was perfectly reasonable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whether ghost cultivators or Raksha, all in this kingdom held an inexplicable fondness for night, which is why major events were always held after dark.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Raksha City resembled a thriving metropolis.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang had assumed that, since Princess Xue Raksha and Shui Yao were tied to extreme yin energy, and given the presence of Raksha and ghost cultivators, the kingdom should feel cold and eerie.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This contrast made him wonder if he’d entered the wrong place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Raksha’s appearance matched his expectations—similar in form—but they appeared rarely. Ghost cultivators, surprisingly, looked no different from ordinary humans.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet he could sense a faint trace of extreme yin energy on each of them.\u003C\u002Fp>",1126,"2026-06-20T03:56:21.568Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","b79c5cf9d0498458511a6a3bc1da4f9b7ac2accab2803a3ae106f6ea77b2965d","the-ink-saint-of-great-zhou-chapter-168","the-ink-saint-of-great-zhou-chapter-166",289,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-ink-saint-of-great-zhou-cover.jpg"]