[{"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-216":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},2292179,4481,"Chapter 216","the-ink-saint-of-great-zhou-chapter-216",216,"\u003Cp>The Demon Heart said firmly: “Although I don’t know the origin of your cultivation source, it’s highly unusual—don’t worry I’ll drain it. As I grow stronger, I can still help you rapidly increase your strength.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“In short, we’re mutually beneficial.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Perhaps if we work together, one day I can consume the Punishment, and then I’ll find a way to leave you—and you can be rid of me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fine.” Lu Fang agreed. “I’ll help you seize that drop of the Beast Lord’s essence. When I need it, you’ll create the opportunity and boost my strength so I can destroy Pan.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But right now I need to know: how exactly will you create the opportunity?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This is crucial. I’ll assess the situation—if the timing isn’t safe enough, I won’t act.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He truly wanted to sabotage the Beast Barbarians’ plan to break the ancient seal, but everything still depended on circumstances.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If no good opportunity arose, even if he threw his life away in desperation, he’d fail—why be that fool?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A gentleman doesn’t stand beneath a crumbling wall!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was Lu Fang’s principle—unrelated to anything else.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Demon Heart said seriously: “I can create a barrier for you and Pan—only the two of you inside. With your strength and my aid, killing it and seizing the Beast Lord’s essence won’t be difficult.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Create a barrier.” Lu Fang nodded slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he pondered how to use this barrier to maximize advantage, Pan ahead suddenly barked—a trio of figures had flashed past farther ahead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang glanced briefly, his eyelids twitching violently—the three figures were Jiang Yuan, the Five Precepts Monk, and Bei Tian. For some reason, they’d been behind Baoshan, yet now appeared here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before he could react, Pan and several fourth-rank demonic beasts charged toward Jiang Yuan’s trio. The power gap was immense; without resistance, the demonic beasts subdued them instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Three weak humans? How did they get here? Interrogate them brutally—find out what they know.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan issued the order without expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang hesitated, then walked toward Pan. “Let me have these three. They’re probably humans who wandered in—I’ve been wanting to take on a few human servants lately.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Yuan wiped blood from her lips, looked up at Lu Fang with venomous eyes, then froze—his appearance was identical to Bai Yuying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No wonder his voice sounded familiar—it was Bai Yuying’s voice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But wasn’t Bai Yuying already slain?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She’d witnessed it with her own eyes—there was no mistake.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then who was this Bai Yuying before her?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Damn eagle demon!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bei Tian glared at Lu Fang, still unaware—thinking this creature was merely a relative of Bai Yuying, resembling it closely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you want to live, shut your filthy mouth!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang stepped forward and slapped him—then gave Jiang Yuan, Bei Tian, and the Five Precepts Monk a subtle glance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The three exchanged glances and lowered their heads in unison.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Humans who wandered in?” Pan scanned Jiang Yuan’s trio. Something felt off—but she couldn’t pinpoint why.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The horse demon grinned. “Commander Pan, these three humans include one fifth-rank and two sixth-rank—they must’ve wandered in by accident.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan nodded at Lu Fang’s resolute expression. “Since you want them, take them. But don’t let pleasure distract you—our mission now is far more important than collecting human servants.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Understood.” Lu Fang pulled three pills from his storage pouch and tossed them to Jiang Yuan’s trio. “These are poison pills. You must take an antidote from me every twelve hours—don’t think of running.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course, you can refuse to take them—then I’ll cut off your heads right here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Think carefully!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang didn’t look at Jiang Yuan’s trio—he’d given them enough hints. If they still didn’t catch on, they were too stupid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bei Tian and the Five Precepts Monk hesitated—they couldn’t fathom why a demonic beast of Bai Yuying’s kind would signal them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Yuan picked up the pill, swallowed it whole, and said: “We’re already in this mess—it can’t get worse.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bei Tian and the Five Precepts Monk exchanged glances and also swallowed their pills.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Watch your servants,” Pan said coldly, then continued flying forward under the Beast Lord’s essence’s guidance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang deliberately lagged behind. He hadn’t whispered to Jiang Yuan earlier—afraid Pan or the other demons would sense it. Now that he was alone, he whispered: “Didn’t I tell you to hide? Why are you here?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Yuan paused, then smiled, whispering back: “Are you that elder?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang didn’t answer. Seeing a demon behind glance back, he said aloud: “Follow me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He flew forward slowly, neither fast nor slow, always staying at the rear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Yuan’s trio followed. Though they whispered among themselves, Bei Tian and the Five Precepts Monk had calmed—now staring at Lu Fang ahead with disbelief and growing certainty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a short while,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Yuan couldn’t hold back and whispered again: “Is the pill really poisonous?” After their earlier exchange, she was certain this creature resembling Bai Yuying meant them no harm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang glanced back and whispered: “The pill isn’t poisonous. But I advise you to stay with these demons for now—it’s safer. Over a hundred elite barbarians are here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If I let you go now, you couldn’t escape safely.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If I’m right, this place has become a Small Upper Realm—the exits must be guarded by Beast Barbarians.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll let you go when the right moment comes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang didn’t hide anything from Jiang Yuan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Yuan nodded to him—she no longer needed him to spell it out. She was certain this savior was the same elder from before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She’d even discussed it with Bei Tian and the Five Precepts Monk, and deduced Lu Fang’s identity as the Great Zhou’s Marquis of Civil Crown.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Could he be Brother Fang?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bei Tian suddenly whispered to Jiang Yuan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now that Lu Fang’s perfect disguise was confirmed, Bei Tian’s thoughts grew more numerous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Yuan froze—she’d never considered that possibility.\u003C\u002Fp>",977,"2026-06-20T03:56:22.339Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","ae130f4eb87350d14d39ca4aef6104804b354eb2706a4008c4d8484b4e43386f","the-ink-saint-of-great-zhou-chapter-217","the-ink-saint-of-great-zhou-chapter-215",289,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-ink-saint-of-great-zhou-cover.jpg"]