Huang Chao

Biodata

Power Progression

Background and History

Huang Chao grew up without his parents, who died of illness when he was young. By about age twenty, he had passed the xiucai examination and supported himself with rent from two shops inherited from his family. He met Qin Yan after the latter moved into a Qinghe Town courtyard 56.

With Qin Yan’s support, Huang Chao planned to take the autumn provincial examination and attend an academy in Youshan Prefecture. He was subsequently accused of cheating, stripped of his scholarly honors, barred from future examinations and sentenced to exile. Imprisoned and tortured, he maintained his innocence. Qin Yan wrote to Zong Xiaoshan and Zhao Zhen to investigate and help him 142 209.

Huang Chao later revealed that he had obtained part of the Flesh and Blood Dao inheritance while unjustly imprisoned. The inheritance enabled his rapid rise, but he eventually discovered that a stronger practitioner could counter his techniques and consume his cultivation 373.

Appearance

Huang Chao was a handsome young man who initially dressed like a scholar of modest means 56 301.

• Clothing: His plain clothes were clean but patched when he first met Qin Yan 56.
• Book: He carried a yellowed, much-read book at his waist 56.
• Later appearance: After his rise, his smile could carry a demonic charm 301.

Personality

Huang Chao was ambitious and bitter about the treatment of scholars by the great clans. He came to hate the Xia Imperial Clan and the great clans intensely, while acknowledging that Qin Yan was better at governing 312.

He could be ruthless toward enemies and dissenters: he devoured defeated opponents and executed hundreds accused of spreading rumors within his army. At the same time, he distributed food and land to common people, earning support even where accounts of his cannibalism had provoked resistance 301 307.

Huang Chao was also pragmatic and competitive. He proposed an alliance that gave Qin Yan time to develop Yunzhou while his own army drew attention, and Qin Yan’s rapid conquest of Qingzhou stirred his competitive spirit. After being nearly killed by a fellow Flesh and Blood Dao practitioner, he became more cautious and relied increasingly on clones 312 349 383.

Abilities & Skills

Flesh and Blood Dao

Huang Chao cultivated an inheritance that refined flesh-and-blood essence into strength. His Flesh Seed awakened through feeding on cultivators and martial artists; the resulting appetite and rapid gains in power made the practice dangerous to others 301.

• Blood Pills: He condensed defeated enemies into pills, which he could consume or give to his generals. Four generals each advanced a minor realm after absorbing pills he provided 314 348.
• Flesh Heavenly Dao: After reaching the Fourth Realm, he spread blood Qi through a mountain forest, breaking down living creatures into essence he could absorb 314.
• Recovery: He restored lost cultivation by refining sea beasts and the Deep-Sea Flood Dragon 374 376.
• Limitation: A mysterious expert using a related technique countered Huang Chao’s abilities and refined two of his clones 373.

Flesh-and-Blood Clones

Huang Chao formed clones from flesh and blood to fight, investigate threats and protect his true body 317 383 392.

• A Blood Clone could possess strength almost equal to the original, though Xiahou Jun destroyed Huang Chao’s only clone during their confrontation 317.
• He later hid in a seabed lair while sending clones out, including one to Cangzhou as bait and another to devour demonic beasts’ blood Qi 383.
• He detonated a clone rather than let the sea-demon King capture it 393.

Bloodlight Escape

A fast escape art involving secrets of space. Huang Chao used flesh, blood and vital essence as its power source, repeatedly escaping Xiahou Jun despite being weaker in a direct fight 316.

Great Five-Viscera Immortal Abode

After receiving the technique from Qin Yan, Huang Chao used his Qi and blood to temper his body. During his recovery, it helped address his physical weakness and strengthen his foundation 373 374 376.

Equipment and Items

• Armor and spears — Qin Yan supplied equipment for rebuilding the Heaven-Soaring Army, including a warehouse containing at least ten thousand sets of armor 315 316.
• Garand rifles and ammunition — Huang Chao borrowed 500 rifles and 500,000 rounds from Qin Yan, agreeing to repay one million taels within six months 315.
• Gold-thread storage bag — He filled it with treasure from the Deep-Sea Flood Dragon’s lair before parting ways with Qin Yan 377.

Relationships

• Qin Yan — Friend, benefactor and later political ally. Qin Yan supported his studies, investigated his imprisonment, healed him and helped equip his rebuilt army; their cooperation was also strategically useful to both men 142 209 312 315.
• Tie Yue — One of Huang Chao’s most loyal generals. He reunited with Huang Chao after the Heaven-Soaring Army’s defeat, bringing fewer than 800 loyal officers and soldiers 316.
• Xiahou Jun — Enemy who routed the Heaven-Soaring Army and injured Huang Chao. Huang Chao later threatened to destroy the Thundering Firmament Immortal Sect if Xiahou Jun attacked his army again 309 312 316.
• Xun Yin — Identified by the sea-demon King as the source of Huang Chao’s Flesh and Blood Dao inheritance. Huang Chao’s clone described Xun Yin as an enemy who wanted to devour his cultivation 392.

Story Role and Major Arcs

Rise of the Heaven-Soaring Army

Huang Chao emerged in Cangzhou as leader of the Heaven-Soaring Army. His forces killed wealthy gentry and powerful clans, seized territory and divided land. They also copied Qin Yan’s firearms, while Flesh and Blood Dao disciples attempted to steal his weapons and technology 299 300 307.

Qin Yan exposed Huang Chao’s cannibalism to the major powers. Resistance grew, but Huang Chao retained popular support by providing food and land. In Youzhou, his army fought an imperial force for nearly half a year before Xiahou Jun intervened and routed it. Huang Chao escaped, but his army was surrounded and slaughtered 301 307 309.

Rebuilding and War

After Qin Yan healed him, Huang Chao reached the Fourth Realm and secured weapons to rebuild. He recaptured Water Mirror Prefecture and attacked the Thundering Firmament Immortal Sect. Using a clone and the threat of retaliation against the sect, he persuaded Xiahou Jun not to interfere in Cangzhou; Huang Chao then brought the province under his control 312 314 315 316 317.

His army later advanced into Youzhou. Huang Chao paid Yue Ce 500,000 taels to turn the 30,000-strong Quchang Army against Great Li, helping rout an imperial force. He subsequently joined Han Chen’s counterattack toward Chu Province 338 349 354.

Attack and Recovery

A mysterious expert attacked Huang Chao in Cangzhou, refined two of his clones and left him gravely injured. Qin Yan found and healed him. Huang Chao then hunted sea beasts and refined the Deep-Sea Flood Dragon to rebuild his strength with a firmer foundation 372 373 374 376.

Later, sea demons searched for him because of his Flesh and Blood Dao cultivation. Huang Chao sent a clone to meet their King, who recognized the technique as Xun Yin’s inheritance. When the King tried to seize the clone, Huang Chao detonated it 391 392 393.

Joining Great Wu

At the beginning of the third year of the Martial Era, Huang Chao joined Qin Yan’s Great Wu Dynasty with the Heaven-Soaring Army. Qin Yan appointed him King Wu Cheng 436.

Notable Quotes

“We scholars also want to be loyal to the sovereign and love our country, but those great clans treat us like weeds by the roadside.” 312

“You lack time, and I lack help! Helping me is helping yourself.” 312

“You destroy my Heaven-Soaring Army, and I’ll destroy your Thundering Firmament Immortal Sect!” 316