Ink Painting, using the Shocking God Sword Style, a fusion of the techniques from the Tai Xu Gate and the Seven Souls Shocking God Sword Style from the Seven Souls Blood Prison Diagram of the Water Prison Gate, severely defeated a large white dog. In the worshipful gaze of Yu Er, he returned victorious, filled with pride and satisfaction.

Upon returning, he suffered.

His divine soul was in unbearable pain.

Moreover, this was not the pain of divine sense exhaustion, but rather damage to his divine soul from its very root, a pain caused by the shaking of the Seven Souls.

“I overdid it…”

Ink Painting felt endless regret in his heart.

“I shouldn’t have pushed so hard earlier… That stupid large white dog, what exactly is its background? How is it so powerful…”

Ink Painting covered his head, curled up on the bed, in so much pain that he couldn’t move at all.

This was bad.

His Seven Souls were damaged, and his Life Soul was unstable. If this continued, once one soul shattered and injured his Life Soul, he would likely become an idiot…

He had to find a way…

Ink Painting endured the intense pain, concentrated his mind, sank his divine sense into his sea of consciousness, and then quietly meditated.

But meditation didn’t work.

He again sensed the Dao Stele, but the Dao Stele contained the intent of the Great Dao. While it could expel evil and suppress anomalies, it couldn’t repair his damaged divine soul.

Ink Painting tried many methods, all of which were ineffective. His divine thought avatar also felt as if it were being cut by knives and swords, in agony.

The divine thought avatar is transformed from the divine soul.

If the divine soul is injured, the avatar is naturally also damaged.

There were already fine cracks on the avatar, which were a manifestation of the injuries sustained when the divine soul contended with someone.

Ink Painting frowned.

Just at this moment, his mind turned, and he noticed that not all parts of his divine thought avatar had cracks.

The light golden areas were intact.

The thicker the gold color, the more stable the avatar.

This light golden color is… divine marrow!

Ink Painting’s mind tensed. At this time, he couldn’t afford to care about anything else. He could only mobilize the divine marrow within the avatar, transforming it into “blood”-like fine threads, circulating throughout his entire body.

The brilliant divine marrow, like melted gold liquid, circulated within Ink Painting’s body.

When it touched the cracks on the divine thought avatar caused by the divine soul contention, it then melted in thread by thread, “repairing” these injuries.

The pain in his divine soul was also relieved.

Ink Painting let out a sigh of relief.

And then, without any time to delay, Ink Painting mobilized all the divine marrow he had previously accumulated, every single bit of it, to circulate within his divine thought avatar, repairing the injuries on his divine soul.

The light golden divine marrow was consumed little by little.

The cracks on the divine thought avatar were also repaired little by little.

After a long time, Ink Painting opened his eyes and let out a long breath.

The pain in his divine sense was relieved, and the cracks were also roughly repaired. Only the lingering pain sensation still couldn’t be shaken off.

He also thereby confirmed one thing:

Injuries on the divine soul can be repaired with “divine marrow”.

Ink Painting’s brows furrowed slightly…

Elder Xun Zi Xian once said that a cultivator’s divine sense is a derivative of the cultivator’s divine soul.

Then, in that case, is a god’s divine marrow also a derivative of a god’s divine soul?

Can a god’s divine soul, in addition to deriving thought power, also derive divine marrow?

Just like a cultivator’s heart has blood and also essence blood?

And because the divine souls of gods and cultivators have essential differences, does the ability to derive divine marrow also represent the most essential difference between gods and cultivators?

Then, in this case, what exactly is divine marrow?

Is it soul, or thought power?

Or the materialization of Great Dao laws?

What exactly is a god’s divine soul like, and where is it different from cultivators?

The more Ink Painting knew, the more doubts he had.

He could only first suppress these doubts in his heart, leaving them for later, as his cultivation experience grew, to ponder slowly.

Now, he only understood one point:

In the future, he needed to stock more divine marrow.

The more the better.

This divine marrow is needed for the divine sense Dao transformation, for cultivating techniques to break through bottlenecks, and even for divine soul attacks, he probably needs to keep some divine marrow as “medicine”.

It was truly a universal panacea.

And this time, after fighting with the large white dog, his divine soul was damaged. Repairing the divine injuries almost consumed the large half of the divine marrow that Ink Painting had painstakingly swallowed up to now.

Within his divine thought avatar, the gold marrow quality like blood threads had again become much lighter. In some places, it had even regressed towards silver.

Ink Painting had a slight sense of crisis.

Cultivators can only progress. How can they regress?

He still needed to eat.

Eat thought power, supplement divine sense.

Eat divine marrow, supplement divine soul.

Cultivation has no end. He couldn’t slack off in the slightest!

Ink Painting roused his spirit.

But now he couldn’t strive. His divine soul had just been repaired, still with lingering pain, and it was also not suitable to use it easily again.

At this time, he finally personally understood why the sect had completely cut off the “Divine Thought Transforming Sword” inheritance, no longer letting disciples learn this sword art.

Divine soul damage was truly no joke.

It was also only because he walked the divine sense enlightenment path, had a thick foundation, knew many divine sense methods, and had some opportunities, plus the evil god “delivering meals,” that he could make up for the drawbacks.

Otherwise, the so-called “Divine Thought Transforming Sword” was actually “Life Soul Transforming Sword.” It was in the true sense, using “life” to chop people. The stronger the sword, the more dangerous the life.

“I still need to use this move cautiously in the future.”

If he could avoid using it, he would. Otherwise, even if he didn’t lose his divine soul, losing divine marrow would still make his heart ache.

Divine marrow was not so easy to obtain.

In this world, not everywhere had “kind-hearted,” dozing evil gods, delivering divine marrow to him.

But speaking of which…

The large white dog that was able to be “evenly matched” with him in divine sense contention seemed truly not simple…

Ink Painting stroked his chin.

The next day, Ink Painting bought a few chicken legs from the dining hall and then went to that remote book pavilion again.

In front of the book pavilion, the large white dog was still there.

Only, it no longer had its former arrogant aura. The entire dog was listless, without any spirit, obviously also not feeling well.

Ink Painting saw that no one was around, and the sect master was probably also not there, so he stealthily ran over.

The large white dog saw Ink Painting and was immediately startled.

Ink Painting, however, handed over the several large chicken legs and sincerely said, “I admit, you are still very powerful.”

The large dog was stunned.

“Fighting doesn’t mean not knowing each other. These several large chicken legs count as a meeting gift.” Ink Painting said.

He said large chicken legs, but in front of the large white dog, they still seemed small. However, their color, aroma, and taste were all complete. The skin was crispy and the meat was tender. It was what Ink Painting liked to eat the most.

The large dog hesitated for a moment, looked at Ink Painting, and silently swallowed the several chicken legs into its mouth, counting as accepting the “meeting gift.”

Ink Painting was delighted, stretched out his hand, and said:

“Let’s shake hands and make peace!”

The large white dog was a bit unwilling.

But it had lost and lost, eaten the chicken legs, and Ink Painting had also given it face, so it followed the steps, silently stretched out its large paw, placed it on Ink Painting’s palm, and shook it once.

This was the mutual recognition between divine path powerhouses.

Ink Painting nodded, very satisfied.

In the book pavilion, the Tai Xu Sect Master was actually always there. He saw the scene of Ink Painting and the “large dog” shaking hands, couldn’t help but be stunned, and then his expression became even stranger…

Thereafter, Ink Painting would occasionally go to see the large white dog and bring it some food.

One person and one dog also became familiar.

Only, for a long time, the large white dog was listless, without much spirit.

Ink Painting also had no way to help with this.

And during this time, Ink Painting was busy researching the Shocking God Sword and the Seven Souls Blood Prison Eye Technique on the Water Prison Forbidden Box. Unknowingly, he threw Water Yan Luo to the back of his mind.

But he forgot, others wouldn’t.

The Dao Court Division was still investigating.

Several days later, Gu Chang Huai sent a message to Ink Painting: “There is news about Water Yan Luo.”

Ink Painting was startled, then delighted.

Sure enough, knowing more people was good. For things he didn’t have time for, someone else would do them for him.

Ink Painting hurriedly asked: “Where is Water Yan Luo?”

Gu Chang Huai: “On a rouge boat.”

Ink Painting’s gaze paused slightly.

Gu Chang Huai continued: “The Dao Court Division has been investigating the traces of Water Yan Luo. He broke one arm and was seriously injured. He was rescued, all land routes along the way were sealed, all large and small islands in the Smoke Water River were searched. The only places he could hide were on water, and only on boats…”

“Recently, informants got news that the place where Water Yan Luo is hiding happens to be a rouge boat secretly operated by Gui Water Gate…”

Gu Chang Huai paused and asked Ink Painting: “You should be familiar with the rouge boat, right?”

Ink Painting pondered for a moment.

To say he knew, he also knew, and he might even have seen it with his own eyes.

But he truly knew nothing about the specific details.

Moreover, in this situation, facing an official of the Dao Court Division, even if he was truly familiar with it, he definitely couldn’t say so.

“Not very familiar.” Ink Painting said.

Gu Chang Huai didn’t care if Ink Painting was truly unfamiliar or faking unfamiliarity, but sent a message: “The three words ‘rouge boat’ have been on the Dao Court Division’s investigation list for dozens of years.”

Ink Painting was startled.

Gu Chang Huai continued: “This is a wind and moon industry chain that has formed on the Smoke Water River, with Gui Water Gate as the main force, and many sects and families behind as backers.”

“These forces are all grasshoppers on the same rope, relying on this wind and moon business, eating until oil flows from their mouths.”

“But…”

Gu Chang Huai sighed, “The Dao Court Division can’t make a move. Being able to investigate further this time is also because the backstage is the Xia family leading, borrowing the power of the Dao Court…”

Ink Painting suddenly understood in his heart.

He thought, the Dao Court Division couldn’t possibly know nothing about the rouge boat matter. It was just that to really investigate, there would definitely be great resistance.

At least under the encirclement of families, relying solely on the power of this state’s Dao Court Division was definitely not enough.

Add to that the idleness and internal strife within the Dao Court Division, it was even more difficult to really do something.

Uncle Gu is also quite not easy…

“Then where is the Gui Water Gate’s rouge boat hidden?” Ink Painting asked.

“It’s not clear right now,” Gu Chang Huai said, “The Gui Water Gate’s rouge boat is mixed with various sects, families’ boats, merchant ships, spirit boats. The forces are intertwined, making it impossible to investigate.”

“Before, when the scrutiny was tight, Gui Water Gate lay low for a while, but the Dao Court Division recently obtained the latest clue, saying that Gui Water Gate will find an opportunity to open the rouge boat gathering again in a few days.”

“Open again?” Ink Painting frowned, “Is Gui Water Gate not afraid of the Dao Court investigation?”

Gu Chang Huai pondered: “On the surface, the Dao Court wiped out a batch of water bandits and reported the merit upwards. Subsequent actions were much smaller and didn’t make any more noise. Gui Water Gate might think that the storm has passed and is stirring things up again.”

“In the past, whenever the higher-ups came to investigate, it was just for show, killing chickens to warn monkeys. Gui Water Gate probably thinks this time is the same.”

“This is one reason, another point…”

Gu Chang Huai sighed: “You are not a family disciple, so you don’t quite understand… A big ship is hard to turn.”

“Once a family grows big, people increase, roots are intertwined. Once interests are deeply planted, wanting to change is already impossible.”

“This industry earns spirit stones too quickly.”

“From top to bottom, Gui Water Gate relies on this wind and moon industry for support, sucking blood. Once it stops, losing the parasitic interests, the sect will instantly cause great chaos.”

“It’s like drinking poison to quench thirst, using poison to stop thirst. One day in the future, they will definitely die, but if they don’t drink the poison, they will die immediately.”

“So Gui Water Gate can only grit its teeth and continue step by step. They can’t turn back…”

Ink Painting was momentarily stunned, with emotion in his heart.

Perhaps it wasn’t just Gui Water Gate. The entire cultivation world’s forces were like this.

Once they were greedy for interests and took the wrong first step, they would afterwards be attracted by interests, making mistakes step by step.

Until finally, a big mistake was made, even if everyone knew it was wrong, but interests were deeply rooted and already couldn’t be changed.

In the end, everyone could only watch as the towering building collapsed bit by bit, crushing everyone to death.

In Gui Water Gate, if there were cultivators with a conscience, they probably felt this way…

Ink Painting sighed.

Then he thought for a moment and asked: “Uncle Gu, do you know exactly when Gui Water Gate will open the rouge boat? Any clues?”

“Have some…”

“What clues?”

Gu Chang Huai didn’t hide from Ink Painting, “Three days later, it’s Smoke Water City’s annual lantern festival. Cultivators gather, and according to convention, they release river lanterns, ride pleasure boats, and tour the Smoke Water River at night. According to the news obtained by the Dao Court Division, at that time, Gui Water Gate will mix the rouge boat in with the pleasure boats, put them into the Smoke Water River together, then change direction at the predetermined river route, and finally converge at the destination to start the wind and moon business…”

“So that’s how it is… Quite a lot of tricks…” Ink Painting muttered, then immediately noticed something wrong and said somewhat strangely: “Uncle Gu, why are you telling me this?”

“Don’t you want to know?”

“I want to know, but…”

Normally, for matters, Uncle Gu would be secretive and evasive, only saying something when truly asked and couldn’t avoid it. Why was he so unusual today?

Abnormal events must have demons.

“…Do you have something to ask of me?” Ink Painting said alertly.

Gu Chang Huai sighed.

It was good that the child was smart, but being too smart was a bit not likable.

“It’s not ‘ask,’ it’s a commission from the Dao Court Division.” Gu Chang Huai insisted.

Ink Painting raised an eyebrow, “Oh… What do you want me to do?”

Gu Chang Huai also didn’t correct his wording and said helplessly: “You also need to blend in…”

“There are two types of rouge boats, one for inner disciples of sects to play, and one for cultivators from various cultivation world families to enjoy.”

“To avoid oversights, both types of boats need insiders.”

“I can blend in on the side of the family cultivators. But on the sect disciples’ boat, I don’t have good insiders.”

Originally, Gu Chang Huai wanted to find disciples from the Shangguan family or Gu family to board the boat for investigation.

But these disciples were either cultivated enough but not clever enough, or clever but a bit lacking in strength. Compared to Ink Painting, in terms of experience in secretly infiltrating and gathering intelligence, it was worlds apart.

And he couldn’t fully trust many sect disciples, including the direct disciples of the Shangguan family and Gu family.

After thinking about it, Gu Chang Huai felt in his heart that Ink Painting was the most reliable.

“You blend in. If you discover anything, you can tell me. Anyway, even if I don’t tell you, you’ll eventually blend in…”

Ink Painting nodded. This was true. Uncle Gu understood him quite well.

He would definitely go to the rouge boat once.

However, he still had a concern.

“Uncle Gu, it seems like that kind of place, right? If I go to gather intelligence, you need to give me a ‘proof’.”

Gu Chang Huai was stunned, “What proof?”

“That is,” Ink Painting said, “The Dao Court Division needs to have records proving that I boarded the boat to assist the Dao Court Division in investigating the case, not going to play myself!”

Otherwise, if the Dao Court Division “cracked down” and swept him up, he would lose face big time.

Gu Chang Huai paused and sighed helplessly.

He had to say that this kid Ink Painting’s concerns were quite reasonable and watertight.

“Alright.” Gu Chang Huai agreed.

“Then how do I blend in?” Ink Painting asked again.

“You figure that out yourself.” Gu Chang Huai said.

With Ink Painting’s shrewdness, he could definitely blend in. Gu Chang Huai wasn’t worried at all.

“If there’s anything needed, tell me again.”

Gu Chang Huai finished speaking and then said no more.

Ink Painting, however, pondered in his heart how exactly to blend into the rouge boat.

“Smoke Water City, lantern festival,”

Ink Painting thought and thought, feeling he could still only find Hao Xuan and the others, and Wang Chen from Gui Water Gate for help.

In the following few days, he was preparing for this matter.

With Hao Xuan’s help, he also contacted Wang Chen from Gui Water Gate, got some clues, prepared some formations and pills, and then set off on his rest day.

He first went to the Gu family, discussed the specific matters with Gu Chang Huai, and then planned to go directly to Smoke Water City.

But before leaving the Gu family’s gate, he was stopped by Elder Gu Hong.

Elder Gu Hong pulled Ink Painting to a side pavilion and said with a serious face: “Are you colluding with Chang Huai, hiding something from me?”

Ink Painting’s heart tightened, “You saw through?”

Sure enough, ginger is still old and spicy.

Elder Gu Hong lightly snorted, “Say, what matter?”

“It’s not a big matter…” Ink Painting smiled awkwardly.

Elder Gu Hong might not know about the rouge boat matter.

What she cared about should just be Uncle Gu’s matchmaking matter.

Ink Painting thought for a moment in his heart, then said:

“It’s just that Uncle Gu found me and made a deal with me… I help him deal with the matchmaking on your side, and Uncle Gu, if there are Dao Court Division tasks, will bring me along to earn some merits.”

Ink Painting turned around and sold out Gu Chang Huai, throwing the blame on his head.

Elder Gu Hong was a bit angry, “Bringing you to earn merits, this matter is as it should be. But he actually lets you, this child, come to deal with me, to avoid matchmaking. This Gu Chang Huai is really regressing more and more. He became an official, his wings have hardened. See if I don’t strip his skin…”

Elder Gu Hong angrily got up.

Ink Painting hurriedly pulled her, “Red Elder, don’t be anxious, this is also a good thing.”

Elder Gu Hong gently glared at Ink Painting, “How is this a good thing?”

“You think,” Ink Painting looked around and whispered, “Uncle Gu is unwilling to be matched. If you force him, back and forth, he’ll be even more unwilling. Isn’t that counterproductive? It’s better if I secretly help you!”

“You help me?” Elder Gu Hong was stunned.

Ink Painting nodded, “I help you. If there’s really a suitable sister or aunt, I can help Uncle Gu matchmake…”

Elder Gu Hong was still a bit hesitant.

Ink Painting then took the opportunity to ask: “You don’t think that Flower Instructor is good?”

Elder Gu Hong hesitated to speak for a moment, finally frowning: “I inquired a bit later. This girl, something’s not right…”

“Where is she not right?” Ink Painting asked.

“I always feel that her behavior is a bit sneaky, and she has a heavy powder scent. Her breath is very mixed, possibly a bit… not self-respecting.”

Elder Gu Hong’s words were quite direct.

But in her eyes, Ink Painting was like a nephew, so she didn’t avoid him.

To put Elder Gu Hong at ease, Ink Painting then sneakily said:

“Red Elder, actually… I’ve already helped you scout a ‘sister’ who is very well matched with Uncle Gu…”

Elder Gu Hong’s ears indeed perked up, her eyes shining, “Who?”

“I can’t tell you yet…” Ink Painting created suspense.

“You, this child…”

Elder Gu Hong was a bit helpless, but after thinking about it, she also smiled and said, “Alright, I won’t ask. You put in some effort. If this matter succeeds, later in this Gu family, you can treat it as your own home. For any matter…”

Elder Gu Hong just said this and felt that the tone was too big, so she changed it: “…As long as it’s not against the Dao Court and such major crimes, for any matter, I will support you!”

Ink Painting’s expression was delighted, and he said: “Thank you, Red Elder!”

After chatting for a few more sentences, Ink Painting then bid farewell to Red Elder, left Clear State City, and arrived in Gui Water City.

In Gui Water City, Ink Painting met with Wang Chen, confirmed the news was accurate, and met with Hao Xuan, Cheng Mo, and Si Tu Jian.

The group then drove a carriage and headed to the third-grade immortal city—Smoke Water City.

And at the same time, Smoke Water City’s annual lantern festival had already begun, and cultivators from various parties had gathered.

There were local cultivators from Smoke Water City in the city, as well as cultivators visiting from other places, and cultivators from various families.

And the numerous disciples of various sects in Qian Xue State…