Old Du

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	Du Lanke (杜蘭客)
Alias(es)	Old Du
Species/Race	Human
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Virtuous Cloud Temple; formerly South City Temple
Occupation/Role	Daoist; Li Chu's disciple; former temple master of South City Temple
Status	Alive 573
First Appearance	Chapter 215 215

Background

Du Lanke began as a cultivator from a rural Daoist temple with only a shallow mental-cultivation method. Despite this limited inheritance, he cultivated to the Spirit Fusion Realm and exorcised evil locally before discovering how limited his knowledge was compared with the wider cultivation world. Having passed the usual age for taking a new master, he joined the then-declining South City Temple, whose sole remaining inheritance was the Sword Control Technique. He later developed the temple into its established form and became its master, but remained stalled at the peak of Spirit Fusion Realm. 228

After encountering Li Chu in Divine Luo City, Du Lanke became associated with Virtuous Cloud Branch Temple and eventually addressed Li Chu as his master. He frequently serves as the temple's practical assistant, liaison, and investigator, including accompanying Gu Ying during the investigation of the East Sea King's death and remaining behind to investigate Shanbei Village. 289 313 372

He was sent to Sakura Island to search for the Mai Divine Sect, but was knocked unconscious upon arrival when an unusually powerful seagull kicked him out of the air. 287

During the Huaxu Secret Realm projection, Du Lanke became Steward Du, an undercover agent planted by the First Imperial Princess in the Second Imperial Princess's palace. He ultimately aided the First Imperial Princess's attempt to seize the throne. 370 371

Appearance

Du Lanke is a black-faced Daoist who commonly wears an azure Daoist robe. His dark, sallow complexion is striking enough that a dog-headed constable initially refused to believe he was human. 481 492

• Black-faced, dark and sallow complexion. 399 481
• Usually wears an azure Daoist robe. 481
• Was described as tall and thin while appearing as Steward Du in the Huaxu projection. 370

Personality

Old Du is deeply loyal to Li Chu and is openly concerned for his safety. When Li Chu was operating undercover on Broken Stele Mountain, he directly challenged Yu Qi'an's decision to involve him with the rebels, fearing Li Chu would be endangered. 459

He is conscious of the vast difference between his own strength and Li Chu's. Rather than resign himself to it, he asks for a divine ability or treasure so that he can become stronger and stop “dragging Master down.” 372

Despite his loyalty and useful social instincts, he can be impulsive, gullible, and easily drawn into embarrassing situations. His wish to visit a pleasant-sounding place in the Huaxu projection resulted in him becoming a palace steward, an experience for which he angrily blamed Chen Huaji. 370

Abilities & Skills

Spirit Fusion Cultivation

Du Lanke reached the peak of the Spirit Fusion Realm through decades of cultivation, despite beginning with only a basic mental-cultivation method. 228

• Was considered one of the stronger available combatants at Virtuous Cloud Branch Temple after Li Chu. 287
• Possesses enough cultivation to travel by wind and conduct solo field assignments. 287 313
• His cultivation remains far below Li Chu's, a disparity acknowledged by both himself and others. 372

Sword Control Technique

South City Temple's sole surviving divine ability was the Sword Control Technique, which Du Lanke learned and later taught to Li Chu. 228 230

• Uses hand seals and incantations to control a sword remotely. 230
• His demonstration inspired Li Chu to learn the technique immediately. 230
• Li Chu's exceptional progress with the art left Du Lanke exhausted after teaching him through the night. 230

Hand Chop

Old Du repeatedly uses a knife-hand strike to knock Wang Longqi unconscious, particularly when Wang's actions around Wenxiang threaten to worsen his condition. 399 400 408

• Used as abrupt, nonlethal restraint against companions. 399 408
• Old Du maintains that these strikes are acts of protection rather than assault. 399

Investigation and Mediation

Old Du often handles the social and investigative work that others cannot easily perform.

• Acted as Gu Ying's spokesman during her meeting with Facing Heaven Pavilion. 289
• Was assigned to investigate the strange deaths and resurrections connected to Shanbei Village. 313
• Helped Li Chu monitor the Glazed Immortal Tree and assess threats while Li Chu was absent. 451 459

Relationships

• Li Chu — His master. Old Du accompanies him on missions, worries about his safety, and seeks to become stronger so he will not burden him. 313 372 459
• Yu Qi'an — His grandmaster. Though respectful, Old Du is willing to challenge Yu Qi'an when he believes Li Chu is being placed in danger. 459
• Wang Longqi — Frequent companion and target of Old Du's hand chops; Old Du claims the strikes are necessary to protect him. 399 400 408
• Gu Ying — Served as her intermediary during the East Sea King investigation. 289
• Chen Huaji — Old Du blamed him for the Huaxu projection that turned him into a palace steward. 370
• Little Koi — Old Du once bowed to her in hopes of entering a desirable secret-realm projection, inadvertently landing in the palace-steward role. 370

Trivia

• A seagull with extraordinary strength once kicked Old Du out of the air and knocked him unconscious before he could land on Sakura Island. 287
• A dog-headed constable mistook him for a demon because of his complexion, even after Little Koi identified herself as the actual demon in the group. 492
• He considers Li Chu's handsomeness to be a meaningful combat advantage. 451