[{"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-248":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},2292211,4481,"Chapter 248","the-ink-saint-of-great-zhou-chapter-248",248,"\u003Cp>Even if they couldn’t achieve total victory, they must have ways to handle the situation—otherwise, the Four Guardians of the Wuyin Clan wouldn’t have appeared suddenly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Lu Fang had anticipated, although the Four Guardians of the Wuyin Clan and the fifteen Confucian scholars were all Super-Ninth Rank Third Stage beings, the gap between the two sides was enormous—except for the Illusion Guardian, who stood motionless before the black mist tunnel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The other three Guardians, led by the Qu Jue  Guardian, charged straight into the crowd, and each time they struck, someone was flung flying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their strength was formidable, but killing them was still very difficult.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, most of the Super-Ninth Rank beings on Lu Fang’s side had only sustained minor injuries; though they couldn’t defeat their foes, with mutual aid, they could retreat while resisting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even under these circumstances, Lu Fang and Xue Luo Sha could not intervene—the combat power on both sides of the battlefield was far beyond their capacity to assist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They retreated all the way five li away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The three Wuyin Clan Guardians, led by Qu Jue , did not pursue further but returned to guard the black mist tunnel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>During his retreat, the Grand Confucian Liu Yan had been struck by one of the Wuyin Clan Guardians, Li. He coughed twice, wiped the blood from his lips with his wide sleeve, and frowned: “I never expected these four Wuyin Clan outsiders to be so strong.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xue Luo Sha, anxious, said: “The Four Half-Sages are trapped inside the black mist tunnel—what do we do?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grand Confucian Liu Yan sighed bitterly: “I never imagined the black mist tunnel could trap Four Half-Sages—this situation is unexpected. I just tested it; this place was sealed by a binding array set by Grand Sage Tai Feng.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Spirit-communication talismans cannot reach outside—we may not even be able to retreat.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We’re barely holding our own and can’t help the Four Half-Sages, but don’t worry—the binding array still holds, meaning they’re likely still alive.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Think carefully—we don’t need to panic. The Four Half-Sages’ strength won’t let them be trapped long. All we need to do now is protect ourselves.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grand Confucian Liu Yan’s words were largely accepted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet Lu Fang turned back and sensed the Four Guardians of the Wuyin Clan at the black mist tunnel—they stood silent, merely guarding it—and he developed another thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why had these Guardians, who should have been protecting the Wuyin Clan’s King inside the tunnel, emerged—and why did they merely drive them off with force, showing no intention of a desperate, all-or-nothing fight?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They seemed more like guardians protecting the black mist tunnel from outside interference.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, during the clash, only the three Wuyin Clan Guardians had acted—the Illusion Guardian hadn’t moved at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang had previously thought the Illusion Guardian was arrogant, believing the three others were enough and that all four didn’t need to act together—but now, reconsidering, he felt the Illusion Guardian might be unable to act, forced to remain beside the black mist tunnel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Recalling earlier, when he had first encountered the Illusion Guardian, it was this one who had led them in, while the other Guardians remained in the cave, leaving only the Illusion Guardian guarding the black mist tunnel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Lu Fang’s guess was correct, the black mist tunnel was the Illusion Guardian’s unique supernatural ability—and it was likely he had been the one who trapped the Four Half-Sages just now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This explained why the Illusion Guardian had acted so strangely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Everyone, gather close. Is there anyone here who can set a complete sealing array? I don’t want our words heard by the Wuyin Clan outsiders.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang proposed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grand Confucian Liu Yan nodded, waved his hand, and a vast aura of righteous energy formed a barrier, enveloping everyone present.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After completing this, he said: “Lord Wenguan, speak freely—my soundproof barrier won’t let even these four Super-Ninth Rank outsiders hear, let alone a Half-Sage nearby.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang nodded and laid out his thoughts and analysis, then added: “I believe we should test this—because I think the Four Half-Sages need our help.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing everyone fall silent, Xue Luo Sha said solemnly: “I fully support Lord Wenguan.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Opinions varied—many were unwilling to risk it, arguing that if the Four Half-Sages couldn’t break free, what could they do?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A small group found Lu Fang’s reasoning sound and shared his thoughts, so they agreed instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, the group split into two factions, deadlocked by opposing views.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If they could have used spirit-communication talismans to contact those behind, they might have sought their opinion—but due to the binding array, they had to decide alone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Originally, Grand Sage Tai Feng had commanded them entirely—but now he was trapped, leaving them leaderless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang was the highest-ranking among them, yet one of the weakest in strength—his words and judgment had not won the group’s trust.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grand Confucian Liu Yan, who had remained silent, sighed heavily, bowed to Lu Fang, and said: “Lord Wenguan, your reasoning isn’t without merit, but many of us—including myself—have doubts. If you can answer them, I’m willing to follow your lead.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Grand Confucian Liu, ask freely,” Lu Fang replied with a bow, calm and composed. “If I know, I will not withhold.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grand Confucian Liu Yan nodded: “First—why are you so certain the Four Half-Sages aren’t merely trapped, but need our help? The four of them together—I truly cannot imagine how the Wuyin Clan could threaten them.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was also the confusion of many—they believed the Four Half-Sages were strong enough, merely temporarily trapped, and that they only needed to protect themselves until the Half-Sages broke free.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang paused, then said: “Don’t you find it strange? If the Wuyin Clan had merely trapped the Four Half-Sages briefly, why not seize the chance to kill us all? We’re trapped here by the binding array—they must know that.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before Grand Confucian Liu Yan could speak, another Confucian objected: “Perhaps they lack the strength—or perhaps they want to flee themselves, afraid of wasting time, fearing the Four Half-Sages might break free at any moment.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang shook his head: “No, no, no. The fact that we’re still sitting here safely, and the Four Wuyin Clan Guardians still stand before the black mist tunnel, proves you’re wrong.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Have you considered why the Wuyin Clan’s King hasn’t appeared? Three Guardians have held the upper hand against all of us—what if the King and all four Guardians attacked together? Do you think we’d have any chance of survival?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another Confucian speculated: “Perhaps the Wuyin Clan’s King hasn’t appeared for another reason—maybe he’s occupied with something more important.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To everyone’s surprise, Lu Fang nodded: “I also believe the Wuyin Clan’s King has another task—perhaps using some ancient method to drain the cultivation essence of the trapped Four Half-Sages.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Believe me—ancient outsider clans have many methods.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s not impossible. And the black mist tunnel that trapped the Four Half-Sages is likely controlled by the winged Wuyin Clan Guardian—we only need to harass them, and the Half-Sages may find it easier to break free.”\u003C\u002Fp>",1173,"2026-06-20T03:56:22.339Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","aa9ca58a4e2de5d2436495c524f5ecc1dc5ce0efb1365959669fd57d209adab4","the-ink-saint-of-great-zhou-chapter-249","the-ink-saint-of-great-zhou-chapter-247",289,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-ink-saint-of-great-zhou-cover.jpg"]