[{"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-54":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},2292017,4481,"Chapter 54: Chapter Fifty-Four: No Solution!","the-ink-saint-of-great-zhou-chapter-54",54,"\u003Cp>“Marquis Wen Guan?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pei Kuang smiled and said, “He’s scouting the front lines of the Demon-Beast Alliance. This plan was his idea—he’ll show up when the time comes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After days of calling out, thirty-two people had gathered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This plan is flawed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Song Ce frowned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh?” Pei Kuang said. “If you see something wrong, speak up.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Song Ce shrugged. “Everyone knows demons and beasts hold absolute advantage at the same realm. Even Xiao Yunru, the top one, can’t be reached. With just us, going there is suicide!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At these words, many began murmuring.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One said, “Song Ce isn’t wrong—if even the top one won’t come, what’s the point of us gathering?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another said, “I agree there’s no need to go. The Demon-Beast Alliance has united at Clan Run Kun. Even if we go, it won’t matter. Frankly, we don’t have to go at all.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So you all think there’s no need to go?” Pei Kuang stood, his voice low and heavy. “You all know the Demon-Blight Zone is expanding in the Northern Frontier, right?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If the barbarians gain more destiny again and the Demon-Blight Zone expands further, how many warriors will die in the Northern Frontier?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How many border civilians will be forced to flee?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why does the Great Zhou hold the demons and beasts firmly at the border? If you don’t know, let me tell you—the demon clans look down on us as inferiors, claiming themselves as masters of this world.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A hundred years ago, the entire southern border city was slaughtered by demons. Had the Great Zhou not sent its iron cavalry, they would have kept killing without hesitation!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The barbarians have openly declared they will expand the Demon-Blight Zone all the way to the Great Zhou’s capital.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They intend to enslave our race, making us their slaves for generations. To taunt us, they’ve even crafted ‘Human-Skin War Drums’!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Marquis Wen Guan is no nobler than you or I—he’s willing to risk his life. What reason do you have to hesitate? As he said: some things we must do, without any excuse.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pei Kuang raised his hand. “For the Great Zhou! For the border warriors! For the countless border civilians—who will come with me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Song Ce shook his head. “We know all this, but I still think this is too reckless. We can’t treat our lives as a game…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He turned and walked away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His departure triggered others to leave one by one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If Marquis Wen Guan isn’t afraid, why should I be? I’ll go with you!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tao Yidie, the talent of the capital, stepped beside Pei Kuang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hehehe… If I don’t go, my friends back in the capital will laugh at me. I’m coming too!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Youzhi, the most cautious man in the capital, also walked over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With these two stepping forward, though a few left, twenty-two remained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whoosh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rain poured from the sky.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A strange young man in golden robes chased Lu Fang from behind; the demonic aura swirling around him took the form of a golden-furred demon monkey with a demonic wheel, glowing like a miniature sun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What do we do? He’s too fast!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shui Yao’s voice trembled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang’s expression grew grim. If it were one-on-one, he feared no one—but with multiple demon-beast elites attacking together, all he could do was run.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Earlier, even killing the Fire-Stepping Thunder Leopard had been difficult, given its speed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, three demon-beasts stronger than the Fire-Stepping Thunder Leopard chased him from behind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Petals of peach blossoms swirled around Shui Yao, boosting Lu Fang’s speed further. He asked, “Can you hide afterward? Without them noticing?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shui Yao smiled bitterly. “Unlikely. They’ve been watching us constantly. Now that we’ve plunged right into this, it’s impossible.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang nodded. If all else failed, he could climb onto Clan Run Kun’s back—but Shui Yao would be harder to handle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wu… wu… wu…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The human Clan Run Kun, over ten zhang long, let out a mournful cry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang looked up—and beneath him, the ground surged. A monstrous centipede, over ten zhang long, burst from the earth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ten Thousand Swords Art: Hundred Swords!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Chixia appeared suddenly; a hundred blades pinned the centipede spirit back to the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang chose to dash beneath the human Clan Run Kun—there, at least, Xue Luo Sha and He Zixuan were present, ready to assist. He could only escape through the western front, hoping no elite demon-beasts waited there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he raced swiftly beneath the human Clan Run Kun, he was bathed in a stream of destiny light, his whole body suffused with comfort.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I think I can get on Clan Run Kun too!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shui Yao’s voice suddenly rang out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her transformed black mist was now illuminated by the destiny beam descending from the human Clan Run Kun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Really?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang leapt upward, landing on Clan Run Kun’s back. To his surprise, Shui Yao climbed on too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was it because she was a spirit born of extreme yin energy?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You just charged right in?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Zixuan and Xue Luo Sha walked over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang glanced down with a bitter smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Something unexpected happened. Didn’t I tell you to create a deterrent on the east? Turns out the demon-beast elites knew it was me—they came to eliminate me. We had no choice but to come up here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t need to explain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Along the edge of the human Clan Run Kun’s destiny beam stood Jinmao Monkey Yuan Jin, Baijing Tiger Hu Feng, and the Demon Court’s Thirty-Sixth Prince Chi Jue. Behind them, countless demon-beasts stood in dense rows.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Marquis Wen Guan, you run fast.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The six-eyed demon monkey sneered. “You don’t think climbing onto Clan Run Kun makes you safe, do you? If I’m right, in at most two days, or as little as one, your Clan Run Kun will be devoured. Then…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang smiled faintly. “Don’t worry—you won’t live to see it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had no interest in banter. He asked He Zixuan, “Brother He, how’s Pei Kuang doing?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Zixuan replied:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I just communicated with him—he’s heading this way. He’ll arrive tomorrow, but by then you’ll be on Clan Run Kun. How will they break through the line to join you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang smiled. “When the time comes, we’ll go down and help. If we can get them onto Clan Run Kun’s back, the Destiny Stele will appear. Then we’ll have a chance to devour the demon-beast Clan Run Kun.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Destiny Stele: When Clan Run Kun accumulates enough destiny, the Destiny Stele appears. Poetry and insights written upon it increase destiny.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang had gained confidence from He Zixuan’s knowledge of this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, a loud voice rang out: “All demon-beasts, climb onto your Clan Run Kun! Strengthen the destiny, devour the human Clan Run Kun!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Demon-beasts flew onto their Clan Run Kun’s back. The already hundred-zhang-long demon-beast Clan Run Kun began growing larger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wu… wu… wu…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The human Clan Run Kun wailed. Its mere ten-zhang body was bitten again by the hundred-zhang demon-beast Clan Run Kun behind it. The little destiny Lu Fang had gained upon boarding was swallowed whole.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As more demon-beasts joined, the demon-beast Clan Run Kun not only grew stronger in destiny but visibly accelerated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xue Luo Sha stamped her foot. “Bad! If this continues, our Clan Run Kun will be devoured before tomorrow! Marquis Wen Guan, think of something!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“… ”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Fang’s mind raced. The Destiny Stele hadn’t appeared. What could he do? What could he possibly do?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No solution!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if he was strong, this situation exceeded his capabilities.\u003C\u002Fp>",1258,"2026-06-20T03:56:21.568Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","a71274a63160d56e14021b0fc24849279a0bd98553c6d2150d77522e9cb4a676","the-ink-saint-of-great-zhou-chapter-55","the-ink-saint-of-great-zhou-chapter-53",289,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-ink-saint-of-great-zhou-cover.jpg"]