In the quiet Scripture Depository, the only sound was the faint scratching of the brush against the paper.

    The cloth used to wipe away the water stains became increasingly damp and soaked through.

    Chen Mu was immersed in practicing his calligraphy, tireless and joyful.

    He had never been so focused on a single task before.

    In his previous life, he was not without the thought of practicing calligraphy.

    But after buying the copybook and writing a couple of lines, he couldn''t resist turning his attention to his phone. He kept at it for two days, then finally gave up.

    It was the same in his daily life.

    Sometimes he would wake up feeling that he was living a mediocre life and wanting to change, but by the next day, he would have sunk back into it again.

    That feeling of being lucid one moment and drowsy the next was like "sleep paralysis," a nightmare from which one can''t wake up.

    But in this life, faced with the even more monotonous and difficult art of brush calligraphy, in a style that was completely foreign to him just a day ago,

    Chen Mu burst forth with an unprecedented passion.

    That feeling of knowing how to improve the next character after writing one compelled him to continue without pause, in a state of exhilarating fulfillment!

    Around two in the afternoon, Chen Mu''s stomach began to growl.

    The sense of hunger pulled him out of his deep focus.

    The characters written with water on the tabletop were slowly drying up.

    The grey walls emerged once more before his eyes.

    Calligraphy: 8056/10000/First Rank;

    Chen Mu savored the feeling of wanting more.

    No matter who brought him here, he was immensely grateful.

    ...

    Lunch was brought to him by the young Daoist acolyte, Cheng Ming.

    Three coarse grain vegetable cakes, a plate of boiled green vegetables, and a bowl of thin porridge.

    Chen Mu devoured his food hungrily, leaving nothing behind under Cheng Ming''s astonished gaze.

    After Cheng Ming left, Chen Mu continued to practice his calligraphy.

    The water in the brush-washing container was changed over and over again.

    The cloth was wrung out and soaked anew.

    It wasn''t until the light dimmed and Chen Mu''s vision blurred that he stopped practicing and started pounding his sore back with his hands.

    Calligraphy: 8673/10000/First Rank;

    He certainly didn''t want to face the evil spirit.

    ...

    The next morning, Scripture Depository.

    Chen Mu, with dark circles under his eyes, spread out a sheet of white paper about the size of two palms.

    This was a specially cut paper for copying scriptures.

    "The gate of origin, wondrous upon wondrous..."

    He finished a page of scripture in one go.

    Placing the brush on Pen Rack Mountain, Chen Mu compared the scripture he had just copied with the previous ones.

    "Phew... finally, it''s done."

    With a thought, a grey wall appeared before him.

    Writing: 103/10000/Second Rank;

    All that grinding all night wasn''t in vain.

    Fearing discovery by others in the observatory, Chen Mu dared not light an oil lamp.

    Fortunately, the full moon hung high last night, providing enough light for him to practice calligraphy under the moon.

    "Young Master Chen, you''re up early today," a voice suddenly sounded at the doorway.

    Chen Mu jumped, looking up to meet a face with a smile that wasn''t quite a smile.

    He knew this man, Qingfeng Observatory''s chief disciple Cheng Yi, who had recruited his predecessor to copy scriptures.

    Reviewing the memories of his predecessor last night, he found that there were seven sets of scriptures to copy in total, and the payment was generous— a hundred copper coins. With frugal living, that was enough to last him over a month.

    "Good morning, Daoist Cheng Yi."

    "I shouldn''t disturb Young Master Chen while copying scripture, but I really need a favor, and I must be so bold as to come and ask," said Cheng Yi with a leisurely posture and a warm smile, while his heart tightened—anxiety bubbling up, careful not to rush, not to alarm, not to startle.

    "Please speak?" Chen Mu looked at Cheng Yi curiously.

    "A benefactor is coming to visit today, promising to request a copy of the Precious Scripture of a thousand characters to worship at home. This morning I discovered that the pre-copied Precious Scripture is down to the last copy, and it has an extra ink spot," Cheng Yi said with a troubled expression.

    "That benefactor is a good friend of the master, and I really can''t afford to neglect him. So I thought of Young Master Chen. Your calligraphy is elegant and beautiful, could you help to copy a set urgently?" Cheng Yi looked at Chen Mu earnestly and reached into his wide sleeve to pull out a small grey cloth bag, "A small token of appreciation, unworthy though it may be."

    "No problem, where''s the scripture?" Chen Mu took the cloth bag and agreed readily.

    "This scripture is a bit special; it''s engraved inside the Ancestral Master Hall of the observatory. You''ll have to trouble Young Master Chen to bring your writing materials to the hall," Cheng Yi apologized.

    "No problem, time is of the essence. Let''s head there now," Chen Mu said without hesitation, turning to gather his writing materials.

    Cheng Yi clenched his fist fiercely under his wide sleeve!

    Success!