Chapter 154: Inscription Masters and Literary Masters

Chu Youcai carefully read the text inscribed on the golden scripture.

However, upon noticing the very first line, he could hardly believe his own eyes.

It was unexpectedly the inheritance method of the ancient Inscription Masters!

Ancient Inscription Masters had been lost to the world for many years! Yet today, this golden scripture recorded their legacy!

A surge of joy welled up in Chu Youcai's heart, and he concentrated intensely to read further.

As he slowly read through the text on the golden scripture, he gradually understood how ancient Inscription Masters differed from those of the present era.

Ancient inscriptions were divided into "Inscription Masters" and "Text Masters," each with their own distinct duties.

The reincarnated scripture cited a story: A fox was causing chaos, trying to drive a scholar named Ye out of his residence. The fox deliberately caused cups and plates to fly about on their own, and made the bed move by itself to endlessly torment Scholar Ye, who then sought help from Inscription Master Zhang.

Inscription Master Zhang instructed Text Master Zheng to write a talisman to subdue the enemy, and sealed it with his own official stamp. To everyone's surprise, the talisman shattered the moment it arrived at the residence. Afterward, Text Master Zheng wrote a decree of safe passage to summon the local city god, but it had no effect either. Text Master Zheng then said, "This must be a heavenly fox; we must petition the heavens with a formal memorial." He proceeded to establish a Daoist altar for seven days.

Three days later, the fox was still as lively as ever, but by the fourth day, the fox was suffering from unbearable pain and proactively came to sue for peace. Scholar Ye, unwilling to be overly harsh, went to find Inscription Master Zhang, who replied, "The memorial has already been submitted to the heavens; it cannot be retracted."

On the seventh day, the heavenly fox struggled desperately, but ultimately could not escape. It was captured and slain by the mysterious power within, and buried before the flower bed at the entrance of the Inscription Palace.

Scholar Ye asked Inscription Master Zhang for the reason behind this. Inscription Master Zhang explained, "The writing lies with the Text Master, while the seal belongs to me. I am like a high official, and the Text Master is like a subordinate officer. The subordinate needs my official seal, just as I need the subordinate to carry out the implementation."

Scholar Ye asked further, "What if an Inscription Master encounters an enemy alone in the deep mountains and forests? What should he do then?"

Inscription Master Zhang answered, "It is like a general holding the military tally who can mobilize a million soldiers; yet if he enters the deep mountains entirely alone and faces the enemy, he cannot summon his troops in time and finds himself helpless for the moment."

Reading this, Chu Youcai experienced a sudden flash of enlightenment.

It turned out that in ancient times, Inscription Masters dedicated their minds to elevating their cultivation, while Text Masters focused their minds on characters. The two held equal importance, and when combined, naturally allowed inscriptions to unleash their utmost power. In contrast, modern Inscription Masters tried to study both inscription and text simultaneously, leading to frequent failures in their casting and rendering the art of inscriptions exceedingly precious.

Yet in the ancient era, limitations existed as well; for instance, Inscription Masters possessed no self-defense capabilities, while Text Masters acting alone would find their spells working only intermittently.

At this moment, the golden scripture displayed a new line of text: "The successor may only learn one path: either the Inscription Master or the Text Master."

A jolt ran through Chu Youcai's heart, and he fell into deep contemplation.

He wanted to become an Inscription Master because it was immensely powerful. Although lacking in self-defense, he currently possessed numerous cursed magical treasures, so he had nothing to fear.

However, he understood how difficult the ancient art of inscription learning was, and with it now nearly lost, if he chose to become an Inscription Master, he would need to find a Text Master to partner with—an almost impossible feat nowadays.

Realizing that the opening day of the Scripture Pavilion was drawing closer, he hesitated no longer and chose the path of the Text Master.

Even if it worked only intermittently, it could still be cast.

Under these circumstances, he began to study with all his heart.

He started learning the inscription technique for "Water" contained within.

According to the text, if one mastered the character for "Water" to a profound degree, merely writing halfway would cause waterfalls to cascade down between heaven and earth, while completing the stroke would conjure countless forming lakes, creating a most magnificent spectacle.

Yet he immediately discovered that despite possessing the Dragon Whisker Brush bestowed by the Dragon King, unique Purple-Gold Snow-Jade Paper, and miraculous ink, he could not even write a single character for "Water" with any hint of its true spirit, let alone unleash the might of the inscription within it.

Thus, having no idea how long he had been writing, Chu Youcai sank into a daze.

No matter how hard he tried, he could not write out that breath of "Water," nor capture the spirit of "Water," even while imagining endless oceans in his mind; he remained utterly unable to comprehend the Dao within it.

Chu Youcai deeply understood the difficulty inherent in this.

He persisted, exhausting his mental and physical energy.

He had no idea how much time had passed; it even felt as long as a lifetime to him.

During these days, he ate nothing at all. His mind was entirely filled with the imprint of "Water," and with every gesture and movement, he thought only of how to form "Water."

Water gives birth to all things: one begets two, two begets four, and four begets all things?

The highest goodness is like water; water benefits all things and does not contend?

Yet none of this yielded any results.

He could not help but furrow his brows.

"Perhaps, dwelling within the water palace where the clouds are deep and their whereabouts unknown, I am instead unable to catch a glimpse of the full picture of water?"

Knowing that he should not force what could not be rushed, Chu Youcai entertained this thought.

He then petitioned the Dragon King and, upon receiving permission, was led by the Dragon clan to break through the waterways and arrive at the eastern coastline.

Only then did he realize that ten days had already passed since he began studying as a Text Master.

From this eastern coastline, the Mirage City could be seen in the distance, and he could still sense his own essay carved upon the massive bluestone before the city gates of the Mirage City, drawing countless visitors to admire it.

Chu Youcai sat quietly alone on the shore, gazing intently at the sea waves not far away.

The ocean tides rose and fell, and his heart swayed back and forth along with the rolling waves.

He fell into deep meditation.

At that very moment, a clam appeared in the distance, slowly crawling toward the shore. After observing carefully for a moment and realizing that Chu Youcai had no intention of harming it, it crept a little closer, and then its two shells opened, revealing a tiny crab crawling out from within.

A very thin red thread was tied around the crab's body, allowing it to venture a few feet away from the clam to search for food.

A sudden curiosity stirred in Chu Youcai: what on earth was that red thread used for?

Just then, the water surface suddenly parted, and a woman dressed in plain white robes walked up. She possessed a beauty as ethereal as a heavenly fairy, with a red agate lotus petal inlaid upon her head, looking exceedingly gorgeous. In her hand, she held quite a few sheets of golden foil paper used for sacrificial offerings.

Upon seeing Chu Youcai, a look of astonishment crossed the woman's face, as she had not expected anyone else to be here. However, she quickly composed her breath and mind, wearing a solemn expression as she walked aside.

Noticing the mermaid-like style of the woman's attire, Chu Youcai thought to himself: Could this woman be a mermaid?

He observed that as the woman walked, the tips of her feet brushed against the sea water without leaving it for even half a step, as if she were completely integrated and fused with the ocean.

This sight greatly astonished Chu Youcai. Could this woman truly be a mermaid, whose true form would be exposed the moment she left the water?

As the woman approached, she happened to notice the clam and the crab. At that moment, a surge of sea water washed ashore and struck the crab, causing the red thread connecting the clam and the crab to snap right in the middle.

Seeing this, a look of pity appeared on the woman's face, and she moved to tie the red thread of the clam and crab back together.

Yet the receding tide rushed swiftly, instantly sweeping the little crab away and washing it right up onto the shore.