[{"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-18":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},2291981,4481,"Chapter 18: Chapter Eighteen: Ten Thousand Swords Art · Hundred Swords","the-ink-saint-of-great-zhou-chapter-18",18,"\u003Cp>The students watching the spectacle burst into laughter; it was clear that Hua Wenzé had terrible social standing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You dare call me a mad dog!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Wenzé, furious, stamped his feet and glared at the crowd: “No one laughs! Shut up!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every student at Wenyuan Academy had some “integrity”; besides, the Great Zhou Dynasty had no law forbidding laughter—they paid no heed to Hua Wenzé’s outburst and kept laughing and chatting among themselves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’ll regret crossing Master Xiao.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Wenzé spat out a threat, then slunk over to Xiao Jinchén, who was surrounded by a circle of Confucian scholars like a moon surrounded by stars.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d hoped to curry favor—but ended up making a fool of himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Useless waste!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Jinchén sneered, roughly shoving Hua Wenzé aside, then glared at Chen Ji with gritted teeth:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I said the Zhenbei Army’s retreat was cowardly—what’s it to you? I’ll say what I want. What are you, anyway, to dare argue with me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the grandson of the Three Excellencies and former Chancellor, Xiao Jinchén’s furious words silenced the crowd instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone wanted to see whether the “stubborn” Chen Ji would back down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Zhenbei Army guards the northern border with their lives—how dare you slander them? You may call these ‘heroes’ cowards, but can’t I correct you? What logic is that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Ji asked coldly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Jinchén’s face darkened; his fists clenched with a crunching sound.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In his entire life, surrounded by flattery and praise, he’d never met anyone who dared defy him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Worse still, the shabbily dressed Chen Ji had humiliated him before everyone’s eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What was this but slapping his face in public?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the tension reached its peak and spiraled out of control, Lü Fang stepped forward with a bitter smile and said:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s normal to hold different views—no need to argue here. Why not let the Supervising Office mediate…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many students nodded in agreement; some even chimed in: “That’s reasonable.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Jinchén glared at Lü Fang:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who are you to ‘teach’ me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Ji stepped forward, standing before Lü Fang, and said to Xiao Jinchén: “Whatever you want, come after me. Don’t drag others into this.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll give you one last chance—kneel down here before everyone and kowtow to apologize!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Jinchén sneered arrogantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Can’t do it.” Chen Ji stood firm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Jinchén’s brow twitched—he lunged forward, grabbing Chen Ji’s shoulder. The sudden attack was too swift for most to react.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crack!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sound of snapping bone echoed—the grip had dislocated Chen Ji’s shoulder!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Jinchén grinned wickedly, ready to strike again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shing! A sword’s hum rang out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Yingyue Sword suddenly appeared, stabbing straight for Xiao Jinchén’s forehead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Jinchén frantically released his grip, twisting sideways and barely dodging the lethal strike.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amid the crowd’s gasps, the Yingyue Sword returned to the palm of Lü Fang’s book spirit, Yan Chixia.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’ve gone too far!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lü Fang frowned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He hadn’t expected Xiao Jinchén to commit violence inside Wenyuan Academy—he reacted too late.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is that a book spirit?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Heavens—who is this man? I’ve never heard of him. His ‘presence’ is only Eighth Rank First Tier—how did he even manifest a book spirit?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No one in the Imperial Capital matches this description—he must be new here. Otherwise, knowing Xiao Jinchén’s status, he’d never have dared strike.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The watching students looked at Lü Fang with complex expressions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You dared attack me!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Jinchén’s eyes burned red as he glared at Lü Fang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You attacked first—why shouldn’t I strike back?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lü Fang sneered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had just reached Eighth Rank First Tier; his book spirit Yan Chixia had also risen to Seventh Rank First Tier, its power greatly enhanced.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Jinchén’s “presence” was Eighth Rank Third Tier—no match for him. In truth, Xiao Jinchén had no personal grudge against him; even his arrogance didn’t deserve death.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had Lü Fang not held back that sword strike just now, Xiao Jinchén would already be a corpse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you have a grievance with Chen Ji, take it to the Supervising Office for justice. If you think you can crush others with your status, ask my sword if it agrees!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lü Fang ignored Xiao Jinchén’s venomous glare and turned to Chen Ji, whose left arm hung limp:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is your arm alright?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s nothing—just dislocated.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Ji gritted his teeth and shoved his shoulder back into place, forcing a weak smile:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lü Brother, I don’t admire many people—you’re one of them. I’ll remember this favor. But the rest of this? Don’t trouble yourself. Xiao Jinchén is the grandson of the Three Excellencies; it’s not worth risking your future for me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“By the way—next time, don’t call the ‘Demon-Sweeping Verses’ again, or I still won’t give you a good look!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No sooner had Chen Ji finished than his expression changed drastically: “Watch out!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Creak… creak…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Frost spread outward from Xiao Jinchén, coating the white stone floor—and Lü Fang’s entire body visibly froze over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Water reflects like a mirror; snow swept away becomes jade dust.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Xiao Jinchén shouted the verse, he conjured an ice blade, advancing toward Lü Fang with a mad grin:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“An Eighth Rank First Tier Confucian like you doesn’t even warrant my hand—but unless I chop you into ice shards myself, my rage won’t be sated!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Jinchén swung the ice blade at Lü Fang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ten Thousand Swords Art · Hundred Swords!” The book spirit Yan Chixia, his body still encased in ice, broke free with solemn expression and formed a sword seal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In his palm, the Yingyue Sword instantly split into a hundred blades of light, piercing straight toward Xiao Jinchén’s chest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Jinchén’s eyes widened in shock—he raised his ice blade to block.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crack! The ice blade shattered effortlessly; then his protective righteous qi was pierced through.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bing! Bing! Bing! Bing!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the critical moment, a golden sheet of paper appeared on Xiao Jinchén’s chest, halting the hundred blades.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The blades vanished; the golden paper shattered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Jinchén had summoned a subpar Master-level ink treasure to block the assault—but the sheer force still flung him backward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Puff!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Jinchén crashed to the ground, spitting blood, his face pale and his spirit broken.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was badly wounded—but alive!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“His ‘presence’ is Eighth Rank First Tier—his book spirit should be roughly the same level. How could a single strike from a book spirit nearly kill Eighth Rank Third Tier Xiao Jinchén?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is the gap really that wide?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is this man insane? He truly meant to kill Xiao Jinchén—if not for that half-finished Master-level ink treasure, he’d be dead!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Confucian scholars stared at each other, unable to believe what they’d seen—it was nothing like what they’d expected.\u003C\u002Fp>",1101,"2026-06-20T03:56:21.568Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","4e3e9dd0c4100ad77da8a97a73ba9bbf32707509e10992b4872bf168ca6e8612","the-ink-saint-of-great-zhou-chapter-19","the-ink-saint-of-great-zhou-chapter-17",289,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-ink-saint-of-great-zhou-cover.jpg"]