The Farm | Azure Hills | Crimson Phoenix Empire
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The Crimson Phoenix Empire comprises the entire land of the setting, of which the Azure Hills are a province of.
Crimson Crucible City
The capital of the Empire, and where Jin Rou used to live as a Street Urchin until his Gramps adopted him. Emperor Fengyan
The Third Emperor of the Crimson Phoenix Empire. Rules from the Imperial Palace in Crimson Crucible City.
- Amplifier Artifact: His Qi and presence are augmented by a formation-inscribed bracer on his arm; without it, he is much weaker (though still formidable).
- No Hero to His Valet: There was a time when the Emperor called Shen Yu "the Unconquered Blade" Senior Brother, and even now, the outwardly-slovenly Imperial Realm cultivator is one of the few people who can and will act casual around him.
- Unexpected Successor: He was only the 48th prince of the Second Emperor, until he was deemed to be the only one worthy of taking the throne.
Howling Fang Mountains
The mountainous province to the east of the Azure Hills.Shrouded Mountain Sect
A stereotypical cultivator sect, whose members live extravagantly and for whom the only virtue is strength. They have a centuries-old grudge against fox spirits. Their cultivation is based around dispelling illusions and the use of lightning both as a weapon and for rapid movement.The Zang Family
Zang Zeng
One of the Shrouded Mountain Elders, and a member of the influential Zang clan. Proud and arrogant. May have fallen under demonic influence following the Dueling Peaks Incident.
- Named After Somebody Famous: Took his given name from his ancestor and one of the sect's founders, Zang Zengsheng.
- Papa Wolf: Averted. He cares little of his youngest son even before his death, and his foray into the Azure Hills to find the truth of what happened to him is more to assuage the pride of his sect.
- Properly Paranoid: Unlike his normally brash and quick-tempered demeanor, he decided to investigate the Azure Hills slowly and methodically, certain that someone is manipulating him. Indeed, one of his entourage is a demonic cultivator who is stoking his rage and paranoia to undermine him - and is frustrated that his paranoia is making him overcautious instead of reckless.
Zang Li
Zang Li is a cultivator of the Shrouded Mountain Sect. Haughty, callous, and self-centered, he is the very image of a standard issue Young Master.
- Achey Scars: The hand he broke on Jin's pecs starts throbbing when he hears Jin's name.
- Book Ends: A single punch is what defeats him in both his first fight with Jin Rou and the last.
- Entitled Bastard: Dude does not take "no" for an answer.
- Establishing Character Moment: In his first appearance, he attempts to forcibly recruit Meihua to be his Sex Slave, and then he promptly gets his ass handed to him by Jin.
- Evil Cannot Comprehend Good: He always has the darkest and most selfish interpretation of every custom he sees.
- Evil Counterpart: To Jin Rou. A street urchin who met a secret master, and who occupies a body that isn't their own. While Jin is a kind, generous, and humble farmer, Lu Ban is a cruel, selfish, and arrogant young master.
- From Nobody to Nightmare: Lu Ban originally lived on the streets, but at some point learned demonic cultivation and possessed Zang Li.
- Hate Sink: If he has any redeeming qualities, they are well-concealed. Even when Yingwen describes him as generous to his subordinates, his surrounding actions frame that more as manipulative pragmatism than genuine concern and affection.
- Kill and Replace: The real Zang Li was killed shortly before the story's start. The person who Jin meets is Lu Ban, a demonic cultivator who took control of Zang Li's body after killing him.
- Killed Off for Real: After Lu Ban has Tigu kidnapped, orders his junior disciples to round up the rest of the Fa Ram cultivators, and nearly kills Xiulan and Bi De, Jin has had enough and puts Lu Ban down like a rabid animal. Of course, being Jin, he doesn't just kill Lu Ban but punches him so hard that he shatters Lu Ban's 5 protective talismans, caves his chest in, and launches him clear into the next province more than 1000 li away, where he impacts hard enough to create a sizeable crater and trigger a landslide. The thing the Shrouded Mountain disciples find when they get to the site barely qualifies as a body anymore. Then Zhou Yingwen vents his anger at having been deceived into following an impostor by incinerating the demonic blood and oil spread around the impact crater with lightning. When another follower of Lu Ban's master familiar with the techniques he used examines the remains, she notes that he's Deader than Dead to the point there's barely a scrap left of his soul, certainly not enough to reconstruct him in any meaningful way and fit only to be used as a minor ingredient to boost others' cultivation.
- Not-So-Harmless Villain: He is a cultivator in the fourth stage of the Profound Realm, which puts him above most Elders in the Azure Hills. Jin mopped the floor with him early on in the story, but to anyone else in the region Zang Li is practically untouchable. Even Xiulan doesn't fancy her chances. Before Jin defeats him for the second time he was fighting and winning against both Bi De and Xiulan even after Xiulan poisoned him in a surprise attack.
- Possessing a Dead Body: The demonic cultivator Lu Ban took Zang Li's body to indulge in violence and sex.
- Rape Is a Special Kind of Evil: In case there was any doubt that he's an utter scumbag, the first thing we see him try to do is kidnap and rape Yao Meihua and he preys on the weaker cultivators and servants at Shrouded Mountain.
- Reassigned to Antarctica: After embarrassing his sect (by losing), the Shrouded Mountain elders sent him to a remote fortress; nominally to encourage reflecting on his actions, but mostly to get him out of sight.
- Secret Art: He acquires a scroll (hidden behind a false panel in the library of the aforesaid remote fortress) detailing something called "the Blade of Fire".
- Used to Be a Sweet Kid: Admittedly by cultivator standards, but according to Shrouded Mountain Elder Zang Shenhe, young Zang Li was a quiet boy who wanted to develop his strength and please his father. He struggled with a developmental bottleneck and left on a journey once he'd had a breakthrough. Then Lu Ban ate him and wore his body like a coat. We, the audience, never met the man. In fact, when Lu Ban ambushed him, he was watching the moon and composing a poem for his Aunt Shenhe, the only member of his family he actually liked.
- Worf Had the Flu: According to
Word of God, Lu Ban ambushed the real Zang Li when he was alone, and Zang Li was still kicking his ass until he accidentally tripped on a pebble, which was all the opening Lu Ban needed.
Zang Shenhe
Elder of the Shrouded Mountain Sect and cousin to Zang Zeng.
- Sins of the Father: The sect has looked unfavorably on her ever since her aunt, the Arch-Traitor Wen, defected to the side of their greatest enemy the foxes, and she's had to prove herself many times over.
- Stern Chase: After Zang Li was revealed to have been possessed by a demon, she was tasked to track down all remnants of the demonic cultivator cells and root them out. This ultimately ended in disaster after the demonic cultivators laid a trap for Shenhe's team, resulting in almost all of them being taken out, included Shenhe.
- White Sheep: In comparison to pretty much every other living member of her family seen thus far, she is seen sympathizing with Zang Li's previous struggles to grow stronger, and is fully committed to destroying the demons over the foxes. It might be In the Blood, as unlike the other family branches which are descended from Zang Zengsheng, she and her aunt Zang Wen are descended from the more noble First Patriarch of the Lightning Brigade, Zang Yong.
Zang Wen
An old member of the Shrouded Mountain Sect, who defected to the side of their old enemy, the foxes, when she realizes the treachery the sect was founded on. She was Su Nezan's old lover and Shenhe's aunt.
- Defector from Decadence: Was one of the more zealous and loyal members of the Shrouded Mountain sect, until she discovered the truth of the sect's origins and that the sect's Patriarch and Inquisitors were covering it up. She escaped their clutches and joined the foxes, and from then on, she was known as the "Arch-Traitor" in the sect's ranks.
- Good Counterpart: To Zang Zengsheng, her sect founder. Both of them ended up falling in love with fox spirits, but while Zengsheng used that romance as a means to his own power and ended up killing his lover when she stood in his way, Wen saw his treachery and defected to her sect's mortal enemies, and remained loyal to them to the end.
- Posthumous Character: Is long dead when the story begins.
- Precursor Hero: To Yun Ren, as the previous (seventh) wielder of Summer's Sky.
Zang Zhong
A Inner Disciple of the Shrouded Mountain Sect.
- Driven by Envy: Since first meeting Bi De, Zang Zong does everything he can to suppress Bi De to ensure that he is never surpassed by him.A newbie who had caught an Elder’s eye? Who had been instantly elevated to the Inner Sect? Who had achieved his strength without the massive resources the Shrouded Mountain Sect could provide?
He was dangerous, that much Zhong could tell. His foundation oozed stability even from here, and despite being elevated so swiftly not a hint of discomfort showed on his face or his body.
…This was the sort of man who came in and surpassed all who he looked upon.
The kind of man who would get resources lavished upon him for his insane growth. So, the most logical thing to do was suppress him here and now.
Zang Sheng
Young Master of the Shrouded Mountain Sect, eldest son of Elder Zang Zeng and older brother of Zang Li. A cultivator in the Spiritual Realm, he embodies his Sect's motto of "Strength Above All" in everything he does.
- Big Brother Bully: Frequently subjected his younger brother Zang Li to his body-breaking training, eager to beat the weakness out of him and make him stronger. This only made Li resentful and drove him away from his brother.
- Named After Somebody Famous: Like his father, he is named after his ancestor and sect founder, Zang Zengsheng. He is completely floored when he sees that Zengsheng was a Dirty Coward.
- The Social Darwinist: Lives and breathes his Sect's motto of "Strength Above All". He desires combat and challenge as it means he'll be able to grow stronger, disdains anyone who breaks and stays broken, and hates that he is ordered to withhold his strength during the Rising Fist tournament as he views it as an insult. And he's completely honest about it too; when Yushang and her Qi-assisted Excellent Judge of Character sees him, she can tell that he is eager to beat her and break her down, while holding no ill-will towards her and not meaning her any harm.
- Worthy Opponent: Hold Bi De in good esteem after their fight, even after Bi De reveals himself to be a chicken, ascends to the Spiritual Realm, and then beats him.
Other members
Zhou Yingwen
A disciple of the Shrouded Mountain Sect.
- The Bus Came Back: He is one of two confirmed survivors of a demonic cultivator ambush, alongside Fenxian. He lost both of his legs, but Fenxian picked up one of them.
- Know When to Fold 'Em: Immediately backs down and offers submission when Jin arrives at the fight at Dueling Peaks.
- My Master, Right or Wrong: He finds some of the orders given to him by his Young Master distasteful, such as kidnapping Tigu, who at least physically appears to be a teenage girl, but holds obedience to his sect as a virtue and proceeds with the tasks anyway.
- Oh, Crap!: His reaction when he discovers Zang Li got them in trouble with the far stronger Cloudy Sword Sect.
- Right for the Wrong Reasons: When a furious Jin states he had thought Zang Li was an imposter he, wishing to avoid escalating and risking to get himself and the group killed and shame his Sect, latches on it and claims it's most likely the case, with a demon or a fox having replaced the real one as a real member of Shrouded Mountain would never do what he did and cause the situation that aroused Jin's anger. Turns out that his young master really was an imposter: Zang Li is long dead and is being worn by Lu Ban like a coat, and the real Zang Li was a much better person that wouldn't have tried to rape Meihua to begin with, and Yingwen didn't expect Jin to return with proof.
- Shock and Awe: In common with the rest of his sect, he throws lightning bolts around as a primary means of attack.
- This Is Gonna Suck: Quick enough on the uptake to note the physical resemblence between Rou Jin and Rou Tigu, not to mention Jin dropping the name outright:“You may call me Rou,” the powerful expert stated.Rou. Rou Tigu. Yingwen closed his eyes. Family. This powerful Expert’s daughter, most likely. They were all going to die this night, weren’t they?
Fenxian
One of Zang Li's entourage, a tall and jovial fellow.
- Affably Evil: Downplayed; he's not truly evil, but he remains upbeat and humorous despite carrying out the morally questionable orders of his Young Master. He bursts into a bar with a smile on his face when attempting to capture Yun Ren.
- The Bus Came Back: He is one of two confirmed survivors of a demonic cultivator ambush, alongside Zhou Yingwen, though half his face was flayed down to the bone.
- Just Following Orders: Sees no problem with the moral issues inherent in following his Young Master's commands, even when they extend to things like kidnapping innocent people and children.
Jian Chongyun
An Elder of the Shrouded Mountain Sect.
- Token Good Teammate: Is a Reasonable Authority Figure in comparison to most of the other sect Elders. He is less focused on the sect's grudge against the foxes in favor of the more serious threat of the demons, assists Bi De in spreading his demon-purifying herbs throughout the sect, and after the sins of Zang Zengsheng, the Patriarch and the Inquisitors are revealed, he rallies the rest of the sect against them to try and preserve some part of their honor.
Che "Fat" Han
A new disciple to the Shrouded Mountain sect, joining alongside Yushang, Bi De, Ri Zu, and Yun Ren/Biren. Is determined to break the family curse of rising to greatness inside the sect.
- Appropriated Appellation: Took the name his detractors gave him with pride.
- Big Fun: On the large side, but rarely drops his cheer and fun. He also has a habit of smuggling food to his fellow disciples.
- Magical Weapon: His signature "Spirit Sword Formation" is designed to create artificial meridians in an object, allowing more effective qi reinforcement. Over time, it theoretically could cause a blade spirit to form.
- Undying Loyalty: His family of "Che" is unwaveringly loyal to the Shrouded Mountain sect, to the point that many of them join their Fulmination squadrons and die in every engagement the sect is involved in. This is not a coincidence.
Liao Yushang
A village girl from the Spine Mountains who became a new disciple to the Shrouded Mountain sect, joining alongside Fat Han, Bi De, Ri Zu, and Yun Ren/Biren.
- Amazonian Beauty: Is described as a "taller and more developed Tigu", has a lot of male admirers, constantly flaunts her looks, and Bi De wonders if her impressive bust is due to her equally-impressive pectoral muscles.
- BFS: Her sword "Ascending Mountaineer" is a Heavy Sword of the Howling Sword Arts Academy, made of Lode Iron, is as long and heavy as she is, and with a bit of Qi, can increase its weight a hundredfold.
- Boisterous Bruiser: Is very loud and energetic, and loves brawling as much as the next person.
- Cuddle Bug: She's a very huggy person, much to her roommate Ri Zu's chagrin. As well as Yun Ren when he grows a fox's tail.
- Excellent Judge of Character: Has a Qi-assisted knack of knowing which people are trustworthy and will look out for her, and which are only out for themselves - which is why when she joined the Shrouded Mountain Sect, she gravitated instantly towards Bi De and his companions.
- The Tease: Constantly makes jokes about providing encouragement and repaying favors with her body. None of her friends take her seriously.
- And when Bi De needs to distribute/sell spirit herbs, she helps him by getting his friends to act as salesmen dressed in revealing uniforms.
Lishu
The head of the Shrouded Mountain sect's Medical Pavilion.
- The Cynic: Chastised Ri Zu for choosing to destroy a patient's cultivation to save their life, as he has seen too many cultivators fall to despair once they realize their strength is gone - and if they don't kill themselves, their rivals will once they realize their adversary is weak. He says that a doctor should always attempt an operation with a high chance of death but a low chance of restoring the patient's cultivation, as death is preferable to a broken cultivation.
- Making a Splash: Seems to have an affinity with water, as he is able to sense the moisture, blood and sweat inside everyone, and can start drying out his surroundings when he gets angry. When he is near Shen Yu and feeling his presence, he is unnerved at sensing a sword where a man is standing, with no moisture inside him.
- Tranquil Fury: When he hears that a patient of his was attacked inside his medical pavilion, he gets so mad that all the plants around him start to dry out.
Shao Heng
A member of the Shrouded Mountain sect's Outrider Squadrons, who got gravely injured during a mission. Ri Zu had to destroy his cultivation to save his life, and now endeavors to help him rebuild it.
- Affectionate Nickname: Yushang calls him "Uncle" due to his advanced age compared to the rest of the group.
- De-power: The injuries inflicted by the King Frost Wolf sent his internal Qi into a self-destructive frenzy, and Ri Zu had to destroy his cultivation before it took his life.
- Fate Worse than Death: Is initially furious with Ri Zu for destroying his cultivation as death would be preferable to being a cripple, but Ri Zu eventually talks him around into the prospect of quickly rebuilding it with her help.
- Heroic Resolve: Shao Heng doesn't quit. Perseverance was the first lesson he learned from his personal hero, and he sticks to it, even when his father argues with him, even when he devotes more attention to his cultivation than his duties, even when he faces certain death in the form of a King Frost Wolf, and though it falters briefly, especially when he is given the chance by Ri Zu to rebuild a destroyed cultivation from nothing.
- Heroic Self-Deprecation: When he spells out that his focus on his cultivation led to him neglecting his own duties, including covering for his Traitorously Ambitious Subordinate, which directly led to a King Frost Wolf getting by their patrols and becoming strong enough to cripple him, he begins to wonder if he is worth Ri Zu's healing.
- Motive Decay: He joined the Shrouded Mountain sect because he wanted to join their Outrider Squadron to protect the villages just like the hero who saved his village, but after his father, the rest of his sect, and said personal hero said that a cultivator's main goal should be to challenge the heavens, that goal faded away to match. It was probably why his own personal cultivation stagnated, and him choosing to focus on improving his cultivation by slacking off on his Outrider duties was probably what led to the Frost Wolf that attacked him becoming as strong as it did.
- Old Soldier: Is in his 60s and an experienced cultivator and Outrider, and though his cultivation means he can keep his youthful looks, he likes his weather-beaten skin as it shows experience and ruggedness.
"Fox Mountain"
Su Nezan
A Huli Jing (fox spirit) who has been living in a cave in the mountains for centuries. Distantly related to the Xong brothers.
- Asian Fox Spirit: Su Nezan is one of the Chinese variation, known as a Huli Jing.
- Connected All Along: Turns out Yun Ren looks "foxy" for a reason—Yun Ren's family is descended from Su Nezan's aunt, and as such has some amount of fox spirit beast blood in them.
- Cunning Like a Fox: Both a fox spirit and very clever with illusions and tricks.
- Everyone Has Standards: After experiencing Fa Ram and noticing what Jin thinks of the Shrouded Mountain Sect, Nezan thinks he has the perfect vessel for his revenge against the sect and considers manipulating the Shrouded Mountain to stage direct attacks against Fa Ram and give Jin ample cause to crush them entirely... before halting that train of thought as it would mean dragging his innocent hosts (and his descendant Yun Ren) into a war they're not a part of and potentially destroying all they hold dear.
- Incest Subtext: Leading to an in-universe Squick moment, Nezan tries to seduce Yun to find out more about him, but it turns out "Fox + attractive female" looks really similar to Yun Ren's mom, which is a huge turn off for him. (When the Fox finds out, it remarks that many nobles don't seem to care.) It turns out the resemblance is because they actually are related to each other; one of Nezan's relatives and one of the Xong ancestors were lovers and had children together.
- It's Personal: Hates the Shrouded Mountain Sect for their massacre of the foxes living around the Howling Fang Mountains.
- Master of Illusion: Uses shadows and after working with Yun Ren, light to weave complex and realistic illusions.
- Shapeshifting: Can shift between a fox or human form, of whatever gender.
- Trickster God: Is a phenomenally powerful spirit and enjoys messing with Yun Ren (playfully) and others (not so playfully).
- Trickster Mentor: Once he decides Yun Ren is worthy, he begins to teach him new illusion and image techniques, but takes every opportunity to tease and mess with him. Like when he makes a spirit clone of himself to tag along with Yun Ren after he leaves the cave and secretly replaces Yun Ren's sword with Summer's Sky.
- Wrong Genre Savvy: When first meeting Yun Ren, he makes assumptions about what Yun is about to do based on his knowledge of what Cultivators are like... and then Yun Ren completely ignores all those standards. Nezan finds this so entertaining that he allows Yun Ren to stick around for a while.
Summer's Sky
A sapient sword wielded by Nezan's lover, Zang Wen, centuries ago.
- Empathic Weapon: Actually a quite friendly one. It is interested in new and unusual experiences, such as helping to teach a new and inexperienced wielder how to fight with a sword, cutting things besides people (e.g., wood and meat), and tasting tea.
- Inevitably Broken Rule: When asked by Yun Ren, it explains that, despite sensing the weakened spirit of Sun Ne, it did not attempt to communicate, since as far as its experience goes, blades do not speak to each other unless locked in combat. Yun Ren inevitably asks why not, prompting Summer's Sky to request such an attempt after reminiscing about the clashes it has had in the past with other blades. It manifests in Sun Ne's world in the form of its previous wielder, and for the first time in its existence, peacefully interacts with Sun Ne, another blade.
- Insistent Terminology: When Summer's Sky begins training its new wielder Yun Ren in swordsmanship, it insists on using the terminology for various techniques that he's familiar with. Embarrassingly for Yun Ren, he's mostly self-taught and he doesn't have any names for his techniques... just the Funny Bruce Lee Noises he made to himself when practicing alone.
- Shock and Awe: Is capable of absorbing lightning attacks and redirecting them at will.
Cloudy Sword Sect
One of the most powerful sects in the world, and Jin Rou's original sect. It is located just east of Crimson Crucible City, where Jin grew up. Shen Yu
An immensely powerful and ancient cultivator who took Jin Rou off the streets as a boy, and informally adopted him as a grandson, before being called away to fight a demon invasion. An ally and former disciple of the Cloudy Sword Sect.
- Actually Pretty Funny:
- When Jin's response to his letter was a message tube that sprayed Shen Yu with horse dung, the two observers to this event are horrified. Shen Yu roars with laughter, as he and Rou used to do this all the time when he was raising and training him.
- Shen Yu lets out a chuckle when Meiling not only takes it in stride that he just mistook Xiulan for Jin's wife, but reveals she's keeping a tally.
- When Bi De, the titular chicken, defeats a Young Master from the Shrouded Mountain Sect in front of the entire Sect and surrounding countryside, it has him in stitches.
- Always Someone Better: As one of the preeminent cultivators in the setting, this is practically a given. He's a Living Legend that can master everything from Jin's curveballs, to Biyu's crystal carving formations, and go on to snuff a Sect Master's Qi with his own with such ease it's described as almost gentle. He is also the first person that Jin, even with Tianlan's help, cannot beat in a straight fight.
- Dirty Old Man: He greatly enjoys female company, whether cultivator or mortal. While traveling with Lu Ri, he drags him to a brothel.
- Goes into Chivalrous Pervert territory, as his first words of advice to those he drags along are "Be a gentleman!" and he's capable of being quite charming to common courtesans and legendary Icy Beauties in equal measure.
- Disappeared Dad: Dropped Jin Rou off at the Cloudy Sword sect when he was 12 and disappeared for three years to handle a request from the Emperor. In that intervening time, Rou was beaten up by his seniors and decided to leave the path of cultivation entirely.
- The Dreaded: Su Nezan is terrified of the man, since he's eaten plenty of Spirit Beast cores and is the subject of lots of stories, most of which go something along the lines of "There was an impossible to defeat threat located somewhere utterly inhospitable, and then Shen Yu stepped in and curb stomped it."
- He scares the bejeezus out of the Shrouded Mountain Elders when he invites himself into their box at the tournament and effortlessly shows them who's top dog. note
- Eccentric Mentor: He behaved this way for a young Rou.
- Gone Horribly Right: After his own son fell to evil because growing up rich made him arrogant, Shen Yu's stated goal in raising and training the young Street Urchin Jin Rou was to create "a man who forged a path that was truly his own. A man whose every advancement in cultivation was because of reagents that he gathered himself. A man who learned from others, but did not fall into their dogma... A man that was the purest expression of their own will". And by only giving him the minimum of cultivator support and making sure the Cloudy Sword Sect didn't coddle him, Jin Rou did indeed forge a path that was truly his own... as in, it isn't even leading to the same place as every other cultivator's path.
- Handicapped Badass: His last battle with the demons left his body wracked with demonic Qi and his cultivating a full realm lower than what it would be otherwise, and even Meiling's best medicine cannot fully cleanse the demonic Qi. He's still stronger than almost every other cultivator in the Empire.
- King Incognito: In his "crazy old man" guise, he gives no indication-not even to his protégé Rou-that he is one of the oldest and most powerful cultivators in the world.
- Legacy Seeker: After his son went bad, he put a lot of effort in finding another person to carry on his legacy, someone who started off with nothing and would cultivate a path to the heavens alongside him entirely of his own effort, just like him, and found it in the Street Urchin Jin Rou. He despaired both times when Jin Rou abandoned the sect and went missing, and when Jin was later found but refused to become a cultivator again and even contented himself with dying after a life lived on the earth.
- Living Legend: Nezan knows a lot of legends to Shen Yu's name, mostly along the lines of Defeating the Undefeatable. Probably part of the reason Shen Yu has taken to going incognito as an old drunk most of the time.
- Master Swordsman: His epithet is "the Unconquered Blade" for a reason. Just a single read of a swordsmanship scroll he wrote himself increases Xiulan's own skill by leaps and bounds.
- My Greatest Second Chance: Him raising Jin Rou is this, after his own son Shen Bu, whom he coddled and gave everything he wanted, went so bad and caused so much destruction that Shen Yu had to kill him. However, as he acknowledges later, he went too far the other way and gave Rou so little support that when things got really bad, Rou decided to abandon the cultivator life altogether.
- No Badass to His Valet: To anyone who knows who Shen Yu is, he is a legendary cultivator who crushes demon armies, slays Spirit Beasts and changes the course of history. To Jin Rou, he is his demented "gramps" whom he pranks with horse piss and horse dung.
- Obfuscating Stupidity: When he first took Jin Rou off the streets, he played as if he really was an impoverished, slightly demented old man, when he is actually one of the strongest cultivators in the Empire who fights demon armies on the regular.
- Offing the Offspring: Shen Yu had to put down his own son when he went power-mad and caused a lot of damage. It's why he's so obsessed with crafting a new legacy to leave behind.
- Outliving One's Offspring: Shen Yu had to put down his own son Shen Bu after he went power-mad, and has a lot of hang-ups about creating a new legacy afterwards. Part of the reason that he tries to hard to get Jin to renounce his chosen cultivation path is that Jin explicitly refuses to become immortal and chooses to die at the end of his life, meaning that the immortal-seeking Shen Yu might have to bury another (grand)son.
- Parents as People: Cares dearly for his adopted grandson Jin Rou, and wants nothing more than for him to become a powerful cultivator with nothing but his own grit and talent, craft the next stage of his legacy, and eventually join him in heaven through enlightenment. He therefore can't fathom Jin's own wish of abandoning the cultivator path altogether, giving his Qi back to the earth (meaning he'll never ascend), making his own heaven on his farm, and eventually dying after a life well lived. After a confrontation that almost escalates, the two eventually reach an understanding, though Shen Yu seems to have missed the point and now thinks that Jin is trying to ascend the whole province along with him.
- Person of Mass Destruction: Guy single-handedly incinerates an army of demons with as much apparent effort as scratching an itch. It's accepted by people who would know that him threatening to annihilate a powerful sect and crush the mountain they live on to gravel single-handedly is perfectly within his capabilities.
- Red Baron: "The Unconquered Blade", a truncated name of his Signature Move.
- Seen It All: His long life and experience cultivating means that he's seen a lot of what the world has to offer. His time at the Fa Ram, however, zigzags this trope. The growth of Jin's disciples is impressive but nothing unheard of; the Qi-infused mead is not the finest or most Qi-infused he's ever had, but still special and nostalgic; he has no idea what the Qi-rich root that Jin found is; and the story of Xiaoshi, Tianlan and the Azure Empire is interesting and fills in a few blanks, but ultimately nothing unfamiliar, urgent, or world-shattering.
- Self-Made Man: Elder Ge remembers Shen Yu disclosing to him his origins as a Street Urchin, and is now one of the strongest men in the world through nothing but his own hard work. He decides to adopt and raise Jin in the same way he grew (by giving him the bare minimum in guidance and resources and making sure the disciples of the Cloudy Sword sect do not know Jin's connection to him).
- Signature Move: "The Unconquered Blade of the Soul"
- Wax On, Wax Off: Some of his early lessons to Jin took the form of sweeping or other cleaning.
- What's Up, King Dude?: He's both a close enough friend and powerful enough to be casual with Fengyan, The Emperor of the Crimson Phoenix Empire.
Xiao Ge
A ruling elder of the Cloudy Sword Sect and ancient ally of Shen Yu.
- Exact Words: Elder Ge hands out his punishment as an invitation for the guilty disciples to "trade pointers", i.e. spar, with him. In exactly the way they were accustomed to "trading pointers" with their juniors, AKA he beats them nearly to the point of death.
- No-Holds-Barred Beatdown: Elder Ge administers several to the disciples responsible for abusing the junior disciples of the Cloudy Sword Sect.
- Not So Above It All: Elder Shou blames the irascible Shen Yu for giving the Seven Fragrance Jewel Herbs the Ironic Name of "Lowly Spiritual Herbs" and having that name stick, when it was actually Elder Ge who named them because of how annoying Elder Shou was shouting their praises all the time.
- Ominous Clouds: When his temper starts to fray and his Killing Intent is made manifest, his signature black clouds start to darken the sky overhead.
- Person of Mass Destruction: Fights demon armies alongside Shen Yu, can summon black clouds around him, and can fill them with so much sword intent that any demon that enters them is instantly shredded.
- Reasonable Authority Figure: For a cultivator. He is absolutely incensed when he finds out how badly the Inner Disciples have been treating the junior disciples and how far his sect has fallen in general. He immediately takes steps to correct some misapprehensions about what's expected of upstanding members of the Cloudy Sword.
- Red Baron: His epithet comes from his Signature Move, "The Black Clouds of the Silent Sky".
- Signature Move: The Cloudy Sword Sect's signature technique is the Raging Cloudy Sword Formation, and he has his own personal variation of it, The Black Clouds of the Silent Sky.
- What the Hell, Hero?: He asks this of all those who failed to live up to the Cloudy Sword's good name, such as those that nearly killed Shen Yu's grandson, or those who "exchange pointers" to the point of crippling younger students, or even those that stood by and allowed it all to happen.
Lu Ri
A powerful cultivator and Senior Disciple of the Cloudy Sword Sect. Diligent, disciplined, and determined.
- Achievements in Ignorance: Shen Yu views the creation of the Plum Blossom's Shadow as this. Even if Lu Ri claimed it wasn't much that he created the Plum Blossom's Shadow, forging a province-wide intelligence network in three months is not something easy, no matter how much Lu Ri claims to have been guided by the writings of the Honored Founders.
- Acquired Poison Immunity: Upon meeting a sect member capable of manifesting an aura of oppressive Intent, took it as an opportunity, and successfully persuaded her to let him experience it randomly throughout the following month until he could keep his composure. It serves him well when dealing with upset elders about Jin's departure.
- Affluent Ascetic: He adheres to the Cloudy Sword Sect's philosophy that architecture and fashion for cultivators should serve to assist their cultivation and advertise their affiliation, and nothing more, despite the sect being among the wealthiest and most powerful in the world. He is disgusted at the gaudy opulence on display when he visits the Shrouded Mountain sect.
- Benevolent Conspiracy: In his search for information on Jin's whereabouts, he winds up co-opting and welding together all of the underground criminal gangs and societies in the Azure Hills into one big secret society, The Plum Blossom's Shadow. In the process he purged any members he deemed too malevolent or disruptive, and largely instilled moral and honorable principles in them, basically turning them into a legitimate intelligence agency instead of The Mafia. Once he finally locates and meets with Jin, he re-tasks them to look out for threats to Jin and the Azure Jade Trading Company.
- Declaration of Protection: Formally declares himself the protector of Hong Yaowu after the Cloudy Sword sect declares the Hong Family Honored Allies to the sect, which entitles them to protection by the sect's disciples.
- Enraged by Idiocy: A more minor example, but one of the last straws for him before turning all the petty gangs and info brokers into one organization was him looking for information on a powerful cultivator, and getting multiple reports... about himself.
- Egocentric Team Naming: Named the information brokering organization he developed in the Azure Hills the "Plum Blossom's Shadow", as his own name contains the character for "plum". When one of his fellow Cloudy Sword disciples hears what he's been up to, she teases him about the name.
- Gentleman and a Scholar: Wa Shi outright calls him this when discussing the intricacies of boiling tea.
- Good Old Ways: He espouses the virtues of the Cloudy Sword Sect's Honored Founders in all his actions, from following protocol to deliver honorably-departed sect members their mail, to listening to mortals who prove wiser.
- Implacable Man: Downplayed. Once he has his mission, nothing in the Azure Hills will stop him from locating his target, even if it's for something as minor as delivering their mail.
- Nerves of Steel: Thanks to some practice delivered by his sister disciple, Lu Ri has learned how to withstand and keep his composure in the face of Killing Intent, to a degree where even the Elders are impressed. Although inwardly rattled when faced with Shen Yu's attention, he is still able to drink his tea with a straight face.
- Not Distracted by the Sexy: Is completely unflappable even when Shen Yu drags him to a brothel. He admits that he has little desire for female attention, and while he will do his duty if his betrothal to Elder Ge's granddaughter goes through, he prefers focusing on cultivation and the words of the Cloudy Sword's Founders.
- Poor Communication Kills: Jin makes it much harder for Lu Ri to deliver the mail, because he fears his old sect tracking him down. Meanwhile, Lu Ri just wants to deliver his mail, nothing more.
- Power Limiter: Lu Ri finds it difficult to move and breathe as he's used to while visiting the low-Qi Azure Hills until he intentionally restricts his own Qi.
- Reasonable Authority Figure: While disappointed at Jin's choice to leave the sect, Lu Ri accepts his decision (especially since he followed protocol). He even returns Jin's severance payment out of pity, justifying that it's a pittance compared to the Sect's resources.
- Sweet Tooth: Admits to Shen Yu his weakness is well-made tea and sweets. We later see him snacking on tea and maple fudge at Fa Ram.
- Unstoppable Mailman: For one, Jin followed procedure when leaving, and thus he's entitled to receiving mail delivered to the sect; and for two, his mail was sent by a very, very important character. So come hell or high water, he's receiving his mail. This results in Lu Ri deciding to create the Crimson Phoenix Empire's first dedicated postal service.
Tang Shuren
A Senior Disciple of the Cloudy Sword Sect. Once diligent and reliable, he lost sight of the sect's principles and his responsibilities (e.g. not allowing fellow disciples to rob and brutalize each other) when his personal development stagnated. Following Elder Ge's house cleaning episode, he was placed into confinement to reflect on his actions. It worked. Point of view character for the short interlude 9413 note
- The Atoner: Upon considering his course of inaction and negligence, Tang Shuren is deeply mortified with himself. He offers no resistance to Elder Ge's corrective beating, and willingly chooses a draconian punishment.
- That Man Is Dead: After surviving the first part of his ordeal, the spirits of the sect's founders give Shuren a new name: Yun Shu, the virtuous stray cloud.
- Trading Bars for Stripes: The second step of his chosen ordeal is to face off against the invading demons as part of the Imperial Army for nine-thousand, four-hundred and thirteen days (close to twenty-five years) while upholding a strict code of conduct. Historically, this has killed nine of every ten penitents that undertake the ordeal.
- We Have Become Complacent: Tang Shuren's story helps to illustrate how even a well-intentioned man in a righteous sect can fall into patterns of selfishness, sloth, and indifference.
Soaring Heaven's Isle Sect
One of the most powerful sects in the world. An all-female sect that lives in the floating isles of the same-named Soaring Heavens Archipelago. Tianzhe Minyan
The Second Lady of the Soaring Heaven's Isle Sect, and an old contemporary and paramour of Shen Yu.
- Belligerent Sexual Tension: Shen Yu makes frequent jokes that although she swears to rend him limb from limb, she never does, and describes her as a tigress he knows how to and has tamed. Indeed, after they finish fighting a demonic battle, they are seen trading lines of poetry, though she still calls him a bastard.
- Lady of War: Fights demon armies alongside Shen Yu and Xiao Ge, while still retaining her icy, regal air.
- Never Mess with Granny: One of the oldest and strongest female cultivators introduced thus far.
- Person of Mass Destruction: Like fellow cultivators of the Imperial Realm. During the battle against the demonic army, she pulps an entire battalion of enemies with a look and sheer air pressure.
- Red Baron: "Divine Falcon of the East".
- Silver Vixen: She still retains her icy jade beauty even in her age (most likely due to her advanced cultivation). She wears a veil lest mortal men around her go mad from seeing her face.
Lanlong Bailu and Wakokuin Seiyu
Two powerful cultivators of the Soaring Heaven's Isle sect who appear in the sidestories. Often noted by other characters and the comments to share a single brain cell. Commonly referred to as the Storm Wings of Soaring Heaven's Isle.
- Big Eater: Seiyu. Prior to becoming one half of the Storm Wings, her epithet was "Seiyu the Maw" for her eating habits.
- Hard-Drinking Party Girl: "Drunken-Fist" Bailu, who was actually thrown out of her old temple for getting drunk and beating up the head priest. To this day, the easiest way to her good side is with a good bottle.
- Hero of Another Story: In the canon timeline, they were part of the Soaring Heaven's Isle's contingent to help Shen Yu and the Cloudy Sword sect against the demons, manning the Divine Wind skyship as it fired on the demonic rift.
- The Dreaded: They didn't earn the nickname "the Storm Wings" or their individual epithets of "Tornado Wing" and "Tsunami Wing" for nothing. For all of their quirks, these ladies are devastatingly powerful compared to all but the SHI Elders.
- Powerful, but Incompetent: They possess immense destructive power, but very little self-control or intelligence to make use of them, to the point of being Almighty Idiots. The Soaring Heaven's Isle sect sends them on missions where collateral damage is a non-factor.
- Undying Loyalty: to Rou, who they nearly killed - and who then went on to bargain for their lives to be spared and treated them with respect, kindness and a great deal of patience when they were remanded to him afterwards as slaves. He tore up the contract keeping them as such when they all left SHI to seek out adventure.
