[{"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-180":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},2292143,4481,"Chapter 180","the-ink-saint-of-great-zhou-chapter-180",180,"\u003Cp>Lu Fang, frustrated, returned to the cave and sat on the ground, his inner unease making it impossible for him to calm his mind and cultivate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The demonic heart on his body was like a time bomb—he had no idea what danger might come next.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It made him feel as if sitting on needles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That green-skinned beast you just summoned—it was meant to kill me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang ultimately couldn’t hold back and questioned the demonic heart in his mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a period of silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The demonic heart denied: “You’re imagining things. I’m just a heart—how could I summon a beast?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang sneered: “We’re both smart enough to skip the lies. I’ve never seen that green-skinned beast before—why would it want something from me? What else could it be but you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He paused, but the demonic heart offered no explanation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang continued: “And another thing—when the green-skinned beast went berserk, it was identical to the ox-horned crimson-eyed demon I saw at the execution ground. Why? I’m curious.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The demonic heart chuckled: “Hmm… alright, I could keep denying it, but there’s no point. I accidentally attracted that green-skinned beast. Whether you believe me or not.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You know I can’t summon a beast to kill you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It brings me no benefit at all.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang smiled faintly: “Maybe you think I’m too hostile toward you, and you want to find a new host.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The demonic heart declared solemnly: “Not at all. I cannot leave your body to seek another host. In other words, even if we both dislike each other, we’re stuck together.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang fell silent for a moment, then asked: “I’ll temporarily accept what you say—but how exactly did you ‘accidentally’ attract the green-skinned beast? I want an explanation.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The demonic heart sighed: “Earlier, when you stood atop the peak gazing at the colorful snow-capped mountains, I briefly sensed the surroundings out of curiosity—and that sensation must have alerted the green-skinned beast to my presence.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You treat me as insignificant, but if others knew of my existence, they’d risk their lives to seize me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang pressed: “If you didn’t plan to kill me, why did the green-skinned beast go berserk?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The demonic heart sighed helplessly: “I can’t control it. The green-skinned beast made eye contact with me in some way—when it draws near, it slips into a berserk state that briefly boosts its power.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course, it’s time-limited.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Once the time ends, it snaps back to full awareness.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s why, at the end, it simply woke up from its berserk state.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang fell silent. He wasn’t satisfied with the demonic heart’s explanation—in fact, he felt even more uneasy after confirming it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before, he’d only suspected. Now, hearing the demonic heart’s words, he knew for certain: it could indeed summon creatures like the green-skinned beast.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wasn’t afraid the demonic heart meant him harm—he feared the power it possessed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How should I handle you? What if next time, when I’m on the brink of death, you summon another beast? What then?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang chuckled bitterly: “You must give me a solution. Otherwise, I may truly consider erasing you. I’m not as hostile toward you as you think—but you threatening my life is unacceptable.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The demonic heart sighed: “I wanted to tell you about accidentally attracting the green-skinned beast earlier—I was afraid you’d worry, so I held back.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I understand your emotions, but there’s nothing I can do. Even if there were a way, I wouldn’t tell you—so you could restrict me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“As for you wanting to erase me—I suggest you try. But I warn you: even the Punishment couldn’t erase me—he only sealed my consciousness. Not out of kindness—he simply couldn’t erase me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang frowned: “You mean I can’t erase you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The demonic heart’s voice grew hoarse: “Whatever I say, you won’t believe me. You want security—I want security too. The Punishment didn’t give me any, and neither have you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Didn’t you talk with Snow Luo Sha before, looking for a way to erase me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t waste your energy. When will you finally understand? We’re grasshoppers tied to the same string—you suffer, I suffer; I suffer, you suffer.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mutual suspicion only leads to mutual destruction. Only by working together can we grow strong enough to face the Punishment’s coming.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Think it over. When you’re ready—or when you need me—I’m still willing to talk.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, the demonic heart fell silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang didn’t indulge it—he told Snow Luo Sha everything: how he’d obtained the demonic heart in the Execution Ground of the Buddha Realm trial.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So that’s a demonic heart.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Snow Luo Sha furrowed her brow slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang sighed: “The green-skinned beast earlier was also your doing. I must find a way to erase it. Do you have any suggestions?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Snow Luo Sha thought for a moment, then nodded: “In our Luo Sha Kingdom, we have a Gilded Mystic Light Mirror. Under its light, it can purge evil thoughts from the heart—it might help your situation.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“When we leave here, I’ll speak to my father.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It shouldn’t be a problem. Your poem ‘When Will the Bright Moon Appear?’ was already a great gift to our kingdom.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang gladly accepted Snow Luo Sha’s offer. He never spoke flowery words—every favor he kept in his heart, and when the time came, he would act.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then I’m in your debt. But can you keep this secret? Don’t say I carry a demonic heart—it’ll only invite trouble. Just say I couldn’t calm my mind after advancing too quickly and encountered a minor demon illusion.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He reminded her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Snow Luo Sha smiled and nodded: “Even if the Gilded Mystic Light Mirror doesn’t work on the demonic heart, you could try in the Great Zhou. As the Marquis of Literature, you could find an excuse to ask the Emperor—he’d likely grant you the chance to purge it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang was about to speak further when he sensed Pan entering the cave—he nodded and began cultivating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A month of cultivation passed swiftly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aside from the demonic heart’s influence and the single green-skinned beast’s ambush, no other beasts appeared—as if only one existed within the colorful snow-capped mountains.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Over this month, Snow Luo Sha was the greatest beneficiary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Half a month ago, within the cave, she had successfully broken through into the Sixth Rank.\u003C\u002Fp>",1051,"2026-06-20T03:56:21.568Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","f945e8fffbf48a1b4d7c890262a8016e97a2e33479f6d507cf6aca2a6413ddd9","the-ink-saint-of-great-zhou-chapter-181","the-ink-saint-of-great-zhou-chapter-179",289,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-ink-saint-of-great-zhou-cover.jpg"]