Ink Qilin

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Ink Qilin (墨麒麟)
Alias(es)	Venerable Ink Qilin; Old Ink; Young Grand Preceptor
Species/Race	Qilin; divine beast
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Thunder Bureau; black-market shareholder network
Occupation/Role	Divine attendant to Heavenly Venerable Wen Zhong; patron and operator of a long-running black market
First Appearance	Chapter 10

Background / History

Ink Qilin is the divine attendant of Heavenly Venerable Wen Zhong, the Thunder Bureau’s foremost righteous deity. Though Su Yuan initially mistakes him for Wen Zhong himself, the Barefoot Immortal identifies him as the Heavenly Venerable’s attendant; his status as the mount of a major Thunder Bureau figure makes him a formidable patron in the Heavenly Court. 10

Around 2,500 years before the present story, Ink Qilin noticed Su Yuan’s proposal to centralize black-market transactions and evade oversight. He later built the current black market around that concept, allowing it to operate for more than two millennia under Thunder Bureau protection. 10

He recruits Su Yuan as a business partner after approving of the latter’s “Burning Formula”: centralized purchasing, exclusive distribution, controlled prices, and high-margin resale. Ink Qilin provides more than 100 million spirit stones in advance without demanding collateral or a formal business plan. 11

His wealth-seeking is driven partly by insecurity within the “mount circle.” He resents the extravagance of divine-beast peers such as Zhao Gongming’s Black Tiger and Huang Feihu’s Five-Colored Divine Ox, believing he needs substantial wealth and treasures to maintain his standing. 11

Appearance

Ink Qilin commonly appears as a tall man in black robes, with an imposing and weathered presence. In his true form, he is an enormous qilin capable of hauling entire fleets by brute force. 10 14

• Broad mouth, straight nose, and an ancient, rugged face. 10
• Maintains a long beard, which Red Boy later pulls at enough to make him reluctant to assume human form. 47
• True form is described as mountain-sized, with four massive hooves and scales that release dense inky clouds. 14
• His nostrils emit hot white vapor when exerting himself. 14

Personality

Ink Qilin is blunt, proud, and initially inclined to solve problems through force. When Su Yuan’s position in the Pacification Recruitment Team is blocked, he first proposes using his influence to force Dou Yin to withdraw, then considers acting violently before Su Yuan steers him toward a temporary arrest. 13

Despite this impulsiveness, he is decisive in business and receptive to practical ideas. He immediately recognizes the value of Su Yuan’s supply-chain proposal, finances it with little hesitation, and later adopts Su Yuan’s tiered tobacco-marketing strategy. 11 47 48

He is sensitive about being treated as a mere beast of burden. Su Yuan’s phrase about serving “like a dog or horse” visibly offends him, while Su Yuan privately concludes that Ink Qilin’s lack of political subtlety is why he has remained a mount for so long. 13

Loneliness is another defining trait. After thousands of years in the Heavenly Court, he asks Su Yuan to locate his bloodline descendants in the mortal realm so they can attend him in old age. 13 14

Abilities & Skills

Da Luo-Level Cultivation

Ink Qilin is described as a Da Luo-level divine lord, placing him far above Su Yuan during their early dealings. 13

• His status and cultivation allow him to intimidate high-ranking Heavenly Court figures.
• He is treated by former subordinates of Wen Zhong as an extension of the Grand Preceptor’s authority. 18

True Form and Physical Strength

Ink Qilin can assume a gigantic qilin form and possesses extraordinary physical power. 14

• Dragged twelve fully loaded Unfixed Flying Boats by brute force when their launch arrays could not be activated. 14
• Increased the fleet’s speed by more than forty percent after consuming a stimulant. 14
• His strength has limits: hauling the boats leaves him exhausted and close to collapse. 14
• He relies on a white powdered stimulant to temporarily intensify his blood, energy, and musculature. 14

Thunder Bureau Authority

As a senior figure of the Thunder Bureau, Ink Qilin can intervene directly in investigations and enforcement actions. 15 18

• Ordered Heavenly Lords Zhang Shao and Tao Rong to cease their inspection of Su Yuan’s fleet. 18
• Threatened to redirect unresolved real-name reports to them, forcing their immediate retreat. 18
• Arranged for Dou Yin to be detained during the official’s public-notice period, though only for half a day due to their distant family connection. 13

Concealment and Relocation

Ink Qilin can obscure his surroundings and move himself and others without ordinary travel. 13

• Silently appeared behind Su Yuan at the Immortal-Slaying Flying Knife. 13
• Blurred the surrounding area with a sweep of his sleeve and brought Su Yuan back to a secret chamber. 13

Commerce and Black-Market Management

Though Su Yuan supplies much of the economic theory, Ink Qilin is an experienced black-market patron who can mobilize a broad shareholder network. 10 15

• Operates a market protected by his Thunder Bureau affiliation. 10
• Oversees a network whose participants include officials and attendants from several Heavenly Court factions. 15 16
• Publicly reveals his identity to force trust and commitment among the network’s members. 15
• Collaborates with Su Yuan on branded tobacco lines, including the luxury Benefit the Group, mid-range Yuxi, and low-cost Zhonghua products. 34 47 48

Business Interests

• Black market — Founded around Su Yuan’s old idea of centralized, oversight-evading transactions; supported by shareholders from multiple Heavenly Court power bases. 10 15 16
• Lower-realm contraband trade — Financed Su Yuan’s plan to move goods between the Heavenly Court and lower realm. 11
• Recruitment-supply theft and resale — Helped steal twelve reward-loaded flying boats, then joined the resulting distribution operation. 14 15
• Tobacco leaves — Became attached to Su Yuan’s cigarettes and helped develop their market across different social classes. 34 47 48
• White powdered stimulant — Keeps a packet beneath his scales and uses it to enhance his working strength. 14

Relationships

• Heavenly Venerable Wen Zhong — Master; Ink Qilin serves as Wen Zhong’s divine attendant and benefits from the fear associated with the Thunder Bureau. 10 18
• Su Yuan — Business partner and political collaborator. Ink Qilin finances Su Yuan, uses his authority to aid him, and increasingly treats him as an equal after their shared ventures. 11 13 15
• Barefoot Immortal — Old friend and sparring partner; he introduces Ink Qilin to Su Yuan and later helps create a relaxed drinking atmosphere during their meeting. 10 11
• Dou Yin — A distant relative by Ink Qilin’s account; Ink Qilin agrees to have him temporarily detained to create an opening for Su Yuan. 13
• Red Boy — A child placed in his care due to the alleged distant connection between Bull Demon King’s diluted qilin bloodline and Ink Qilin’s lineage. Ink Qilin fusses over him but suffers from the child pulling his beard. 34 35 47
• Bull Demon King — Supplier of tobacco leaves from Accumulated Thunder Mountain; Bull Demon King claims a trace of qilin ancestry and shows deference to Ink Qilin as a possible ancestor. 34
• Chong Yingluan — Black-market ally whose decisiveness Ink Qilin praises as resembling Chong Heihu’s courage. 15 16
• Heavenly Lords Zhang Shao and Tao Rong — Thunder Bureau personnel who immediately submit after Ink Qilin rebukes them. 18

Story Role / Major Arcs

Black-Market Patron

Ink Qilin brings Su Yuan to a secret chamber after an apparent “accidental injury,” tests his understanding of the black market, and reveals that Su Yuan’s old proposal inspired the market’s creation. 10

Lower-Realm Investment

After hearing Su Yuan’s plan for centralized procurement and exclusive sales, he advances over 100 million spirit stones to fund the venture. The infusion enables Su Yuan to break through to the early Origin Immortal stage. 11

Securing the Pacification Recruitment Position

When Dou Yin blocks Su Yuan’s entry into the Pacification Recruitment Team, Ink Qilin agrees to detain him briefly. He insists that Su Yuan handle the remaining political arrangements himself after Dou Yin’s release. 13

Flying-Boat Theft and Black-Market Alliance

Ink Qilin reveals his true form to haul twelve stolen flying boats full of recruitment supplies. He then leads the sale operation, exposes his identity before the shareholders, and uses his Thunder Bureau reputation to bind the alliance together. 14 15

Tobacco Trade and Red Boy’s Care

Ink Qilin becomes addicted to Su Yuan’s cigarettes and sees their rarity as a commercial advantage. He takes Red Boy into his care after Su Yuan presents the child as a possible descendant of the qilin lineage. 34 35

Intelligence Forum and Tobacco Expansion

Ink Qilin introduces Su Yuan to an intelligence-trading forum at the Immortal Execution Platform. Later, faced with unsold tobacco stock, he seeks Su Yuan’s advice and adopts a multi-tier product strategy. 46 47 48

Notable Quotes

“Where there are people, there are circles. Where there are beasts, there are fucking circles too!” 11

“Then I alone will be enough. Just twelve ships, no big deal. I can pull them!” 14

“I am Ink Qilin of the Thunder Bureau. My name remains the same whether I stand or sit!” 15

Trivia

• Ink Qilin’s black market was inspired by an idea Su Yuan had 2,500 years earlier. 10
• He considers status and “face” more important than tobacco itself; he believes luxury cigarettes must remain scarce to retain their appeal. 47
• He is a heavy smoker after Su Yuan introduces him to spirit-leaf cigarettes. 34 46
• Although he is powerful enough to pull twelve flying boats, Sun Wukong later calls him “a beast” after hearing the story. 38