[{"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-2":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},2291965,4481,"Chapter 2: Chapter Two: Ink Becomes Characters","the-ink-saint-of-great-zhou-chapter-2",2,"\u003Cp>Lu Fang woke from bed, his jet-black eyes rolling restlessly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everything that had happened in his dream felt too real to be a dream.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had only heard the story of “Liaozhai Zhiyi: Nie Xiaoqian” before, but now he remembered every word by heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could this be the Golden Finger activating!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang sat up, barely concealing his joy, ready to try.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An old man in a long robe stepped closer, his face lined with a short beard, relief washing over him: “Young Master, you’ve finally woken.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang recognized the man as Chen, the household steward; the voice he’d half-heard in his daze had belonged to this old servant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Chen, send someone at once to Yuyang Mountain’s Lingdu Temple—fetch the Daoist to come and exorcise the ghost.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Exorcise a ghost?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen’s face twisted with suspicion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A few days ago, I was locked in my room…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang briefly recounted the encounter with the beautiful woman, embellishing slightly to frame her as a malevolent spirit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No wonder! No wonder!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen turned pale with alarm and rushed to summon help.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang stopped him and added: “Send someone to the county magistrate’s office too—explain the situation, bribe them with silver, and make sure they send a true expert who can subdue ghosts.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was already dark; reaching Yuyang Mountain outside the city would be too late—reporting to the authorities was the next best option.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He feared the ghost might strike at any moment!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang ordered Chen to gather all the male servants and find black dog blood and boy’s urine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen bowed deeply: “I’ll see to it at once—I’ll go to the magistrate’s office myself, it’s safer.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Chen left, a dozen or so male servants arrived, some carrying buckets of warm black dog blood and boy’s urine—the stench of rot and urine filled the room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang felt somewhat reassured; he’d taken some light broth earlier, and now his strength and spirit had returned. He rose and went to the study.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had a hunch—the “Ink Brush Manuscript Realm” had given him the full text of “Liaozhai Zhiyi: Nie Xiaoqian,” and he could extract something from it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had tried repeatedly, but nothing happened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He decided to try writing it out while the sky was still dim.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He dipped his brush in ink, raised it to the paper—and suddenly, an invisible force blocked him; he could not form a single character.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Did the Heavenly Dao not recognize it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was said that the characters of this world had once been projections of the Heavenly Dao.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For ordinary people to write characters on paper, they needed the world’s Heavenly Dao’s approval.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The former body had studied for over a decade—and never once could he write a single character.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not just him—most people in this world couldn’t do it; they could only use simplified characters for daily needs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was another kind of “writing” called Elegant Script, painstakingly crafted by ancient sages through lifelong insight—these texts were recognized by the Heavenly Dao and granted miraculous power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For example, the canonical Elegant Scripts of the Three Teachings could bestow extraordinary power upon those who read them regularly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘The Ink Brush Manuscript Realm gave me the full text—but won’t let me write it? Is this a joke? If you won’t let me write, I’ll write anyway!’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang’s stubbornness flared; he gripped the brush tighter, determined to form characters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His knuckles turned blue and trembled from the force.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, the full text of “Liaozhai Zhiyi: Nie Xiaoqian” appeared before his eyes—the brushstroke pierced the void, shattering the Heavenly Dao’s chains of this world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang wrote effortlessly on the paper: “Ning Caichen, a man of Zhejiang. Generous and upright, he valued his integrity. He often told others: ‘I have never taken a second wife.’ Once, traveling to Jinhua, he reached the northern suburb and lodged at a temple…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This text was written by Pu Songling of the Qing Dynasty, nearly three thousand characters long.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang’s body had not fully recovered, but his mind was gripped by peril; he wrote in fits and starts, yet made considerable progress.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>About an hour passed when Chen returned to report:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Young Master, I bribed the magistrate’s office and waited outside for a long time—the officer came out and said he’d noted it down, but someone must come to Lu Manor to verify and complete the procedure—tonight won’t work.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang paused his writing, glanced at the night outside, and frowned: “Has the messenger to Yuyang Mountain returned?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen’s face darkened as he shook his head: “The county is far from Yuyang Mountain—it’ll take time.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Night grew darker still, and not a single rescuer had arrived.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang’s heart raced with panic, but he forced himself to calm down, pacing silently through the study.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His mind spun with ideas, each one examined and discarded—then his eyes fell on the paper on the desk, and he stopped, laughing bitterly: ‘Of course—I was blind to the obvious.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen’s interruption had made him forget—he still had “Liaozhai Zhiyi: Nie Xiaoqian.” Perhaps…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Miss, you’re back!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s that smell? Why is everyone here?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A commotion erupted in the outer room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang turned to see a girl in a yellow pleated skirt enter—seventeen or eighteen, with a pale oval face, bright eyes, and white teeth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sister.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang called out joyfully; in his memories, this white-gowned beauty was his younger sister, Lu Ling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had been exceptionally clever since childhood—in conduct, household management, and scholarship—she had always outshone Lu Fang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By sheer chance, she had also acquired extraordinary skills.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though Lu Fang was nominally the head of the household, Lu Ling was the true master.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The former body only sought her out when he needed silver, reluctantly and reluctantly—and otherwise avoided her at all costs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Ling’s bright eyes fixed on Lu Fang’s emaciated frame; her heart swelled with anger, frustration, and pity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her eyes reddened, and tears spilled down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ve been gone only a few days—how have you become so thin? Are you trying to starve yourself? Fine! Fine! Fine! I’ll never hold you back again—do whatever you want.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang laughed helplessly, instinctively reaching to wipe her tears—then stopped, unsure, his hand frozen midair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sister, don’t cry—I’m being haunted by a ghost.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A ghost?” Lu Ling frowned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After locking her brother in his room to force him to study, he’d refused to see her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At first he’d shouted and raged, then fell silent—and ate well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Ling had been busy with household affairs and ignored it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even when others said Lu Fang had grown thin, she assumed it was from studying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Miss, Young Master has encountered a ghost…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen recounted the full story of Lu Fang’s ghostly encounter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang stood silently, nodding occasionally, adding that he’d taught the poor, scholarly beauty knowledge out of pity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Ling’s brow knotted as she pulled a folded yellow talisman from her sleeve and tossed it to Lu Fang:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wear this, Brother—it will protect you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon learning that messengers had already been sent to the county and Yuyang Mountain,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Ling ordered a sword brought and sat guard in the room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Given her brother’s nature, she’d doubted the truth of “the ghost”—but after thought, dismissed it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d grown so thin; there was no benefit to fabricating such a tale.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang clutched the warm, triangular talisman, his chest tight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The talisman had been given to Lu Ling by her Master—she’d carried it on her person for over a decade, said to ward off evil and protect the wearer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A girl, hearing of a ghost, didn’t flee—she stayed, and gave him her own protection.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This sister was foolish!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Foolish enough to break your heart!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang worried: “Sister, if you give me this talisman, what about you…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Ling cut him off sharply: “If you’d told me sooner, none of this would’ve happened. Go rest. If the ghost dares harm you, it’ll have to cross my corpse first.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmph! See if you dare chase after women again after this! I cried for you—and I shouldn’t have come back!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet she sat motionless in her chair, ever vigilant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang bowed deeply, smiling weakly: “With a sister like you, even if I die today, I have no regrets.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Ling refused to answer, turning her back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang sighed, thinking: ‘With so many here, the ghost may not dare come.’ He returned to the desk, picked up his brush, and resolved to finish writing “Liaozhai Zhiyi: Nie Xiaoqian.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Scratching… scratching… scratching…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The brush scraped against the paper.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Ling’s ears twitched; she turned to see Lu Fang writing, rose, and walked over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing page after page of bold, vigorous running script, her face brightened—she dared not speak, thinking:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘May Lu family ancestors bless us—Brother can finally write characters!’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hours passed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, a strong wind blew open the window, rattling the shutters against the eaves with a dull thud.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Ling hurried to close the window—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>as she turned—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>a cold wind hissed through the room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The ghost has come!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Help!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[101] “Ah—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amid shrieks of terror, the dozen men in the room were swept up by the chilling wind and flung in all directions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In midair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A mass of gray mist took the form of a demon—green-faced, fanged, with bulging green eyes; its mist-like body writhed like a worm, feet hovering above the ground as it drifted closer to Lu Fang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t you dare harm my brother!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Ling drew her slender sword and slashed her fingertip.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment the blade touched blood, it trembled faintly, a faint spiritual glow rippling across its surface like water.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was the “Blood Sword Art”!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It nourished one’s sword with one’s own blood to attain an unfathomable sword realm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Ling’s garments flared without wind, and a sharp sword intent radiated from her body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A sharp cry!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She lightly tapped the ground and leapt upward, her slender sword whirling in a blur of cold, glittering light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In moments, she struck the demon over a dozen times.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The demon’s form shifted unpredictably, evading each blade strike.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With crashes and bangs, the swordlight shattered furniture.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seizing an opening, Lu Ling feinted then switched to “Blood Sword: Cross Slash,” slicing the demon into four pieces.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before she could rejoice, the demon’s misty body reformed as one; it raised a hand, and a chilling wind snatched Lu Ling up, hurling her hard against the windows and doors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was still too much for her!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Ling might have managed a common ghost with this fringe technique, the “Blood Sword Art,” but this demon was clearly no ordinary spirit.\u003C\u002Fp>",1766,"2026-06-20T03:56:21.568Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","46937dd3ab5b375bfde7250517d3779b3a4bd9c9151d69f07fd8f79ee185eb4e","the-ink-saint-of-great-zhou-chapter-3","the-ink-saint-of-great-zhou-chapter-1",289,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-ink-saint-of-great-zhou-cover.jpg"]