Biodata
| Feature | Value |
|---|---|
| Name | He Yu (贺宇) 1 |
| Alias(es) | Zhao Tiezhu; Shangguan GouSheng 44 144 |
| Gender | Male 44 |
| Affiliation | Danxia Sect; later associated with the Myriad Dreams Sect 44 55 167 |
| Occupation/Role | Martial artist, alchemist, and Danxia Sect Seventh Elder 67 89 |
| First Appearance | Chapter 1 1 |
Power Progression
Simulated advances are marked as such; He Yu can later inherit gains from a completed simulation 1 27.
| Stage / Realm / Level | Chapter | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Early → Mid Skin Tempering | 4 | Reached through years of cultivation in a simulation; strength rose from 300 to 600 jin. |
| Mid → Late Bone Tempering | 16 18 | Used Inner Divinity Paste for the mid-stage advance; by the late stage, his bones had become jade-like and resistant to ordinary blades. |
| Peak Bone Tempering | 23 | Reached while cultivating the Heavenly Desire Formless Skill in a simulation; his combat power exceeded his stated realm. |
| Early Marrow Cleansing | 27 | Inherited the cultivation from a completed simulation, advancing his real body from an ordinary person in an instant. |
| Early → Mid Divine Organ | 52 56 | Xie Huide detected his early-stage cultivation; He Yu subsequently broke through to the mid-stage. |
| Late Divine Organ | 59 | Broke through and completed his eighth True Qi condensation. |
| Early → Peak Essence Refining | 70 95 96 | Advanced to the early stage during a simulated journey to Kyoto; later inherited peak-stage cultivation. |
| Late Dragon Transformation | 130 | Broke through after seven days of cultivation before traveling to Sea Serpent Island. |
| Early Apex Grandmaster → sixth tier | 144 152 | Reached early Apex Grandmaster in a simulation, then inherited that cultivation and fused five Earth Sources in reality. |
| Eleventh → twelfth tier Apex Grandmaster | 155 156 | Fused five more Earth Sources, then Tai Xu Xing. The eleventh tier exceeded the previous nine-tier limit. |
| Twenty-sixth tier Supreme Grandmaster | 157 | Fused fourteen Earth Sources of different affinities in reality. |
| Late Qi Refining; rank 27 Supreme Grandmaster | 167 | Reached late Qi Refining on the Immortal Path in a simulation and comprehended the Kun Demeanor Earth Source. |
| Void Refinement → Integration → Source Dao Mahayana | 220 | Advanced rapidly from mid Spirit Transformation after the Great Dao of Eternal Source Preservation was imprinted into the world's laws. |
| Transcender | 220 | Transcended through the Great Dao of Eternal Source Preservation and reclaimed Great Daos created through cycles of Samsara. |
Background and History
He Yu transmigrated into the body of a fifteen-year-old famine survivor whose parents had starved to death. Wang Kun had taken the boy into the Golden Saber Martial Hall, where he grew attached to Wang Kun's daughter, Wang Yulin. He Yu's first simulation revealed that the Wang family intended to exploit him rather than train him in martial arts 1.
The simulator let He Yu live through simulated lifetimes and inherit their cultivation, skills, and possessions. After inheriting early Marrow Cleansing cultivation, he confronted the Wang family. His interrogation of Wang Yuanyi exposed the martial hall's role in trafficking boys to County Magistrate Zhang Hongwen; He Yu killed the hall's members, including Wang Kun and Wang Yuanyi, and searched for evidence of the transactions 1 27 28 29.
Under the name Zhao Tiezhu, He Yu became Xie Huide's disciple at the Danxia Sect. Xie eventually uncovered his identity but continued to support him. He Yu declined the sect master position after Xie's death in a simulation, choosing to guard the Scripture Pavilion instead; in a later simulated period, he became the sect's Seventh Elder 44 55 67.
His cultivation later extended beyond the conventional Martial Path through Earth Source fusion and Immortal Path techniques. His simulations also brought him into conflict with forces from the Fragmented Realms; when capture threatened to expose the simulator, he destroyed his own soul to end that simulated life 152 155 167.
Appearance
He Yu is described as having extraordinary looks. In one simulated village life, his fine clothing made him conspicuous among the local farming families 4.
- Build: Wang Kun considered his fifteen-year-old body well-built when he brought him to the martial hall 1.
- Disguise: After comprehending a Nuo Opera Mask, He Yu could reproduce another person's appearance, height, and demeanor 108.
Personality
He Yu is alert, meticulous, and decisive toward enemies—traits identified in Xie Huide's investigation. He prepares escape routes and conceals evidence when he does not yet know an opponent's strength 29 44. He can also be openly playful, especially with Wan Qingluan, and takes pleasure in displaying a new skill or an impressive identity 57 108 121.
His ruthlessness does not preclude loyalty or care. He supports people close to him, guides Lin Mo, and works to refine the Revitalizing Yang Pill for Deng Wanshu 34 81 89. In simulations, he treats death as a way to restart with an intact body, but fears capture because it could expose the simulator 93 155.
Abilities & Skills
Simulation and Inheritance
The simulator runs a lifetime while only an instant passes in reality. Death ends the simulation, after which He Yu can inherit its gains 1 2.
- Inheritable gains include cultivation, techniques, talents, items, and experience 27 95.
- He uses simulations to investigate threats and test dangerous advances before risking his real body 29 71.
- The simulator does not reliably intervene to save him from capture within a simulation 155.
Martial Arts and Earth Sources
He Yu cultivates the Ninefold Profound Art alongside saber, movement, and concealment techniques 27 47.
- Earth Source fusion: Grants power and affinity-dependent traits. His fused sources provide abilities including Earth Source detection, earth-vein manipulation, and the rapid travel of Tai Xu Xing 155 156.
- Earth Source Sword Qi: Far stronger than ordinary sword energy; he considers hiding a strand among ordinary sword attacks 61.
- Movement: Perfecting the Soaring Sky Gait allows him to fly 59 61.
- Aura concealment: At minor mastery, his Aura Concealment Art hides his cultivation even from martial artists two realms above him 18.
Alchemy
He Yu advances from refining Qi and Blood Pills to high-grade elixirs, supported by his Insightful Observation talent 27 45 71.
- Reaches reliable production of six Rank 8 pills per refinement at Small Success proficiency 89.
- Successfully refines the Revitalizing Yang Pill for Deng Wanshu 89.
- Advances Ninth Grade Alchemy to minor proficiency during a later simulation 167.
Disguise and Soul Techniques
- Nuo Opera Mask: Changes his appearance and demeanor; the masks' described traits also include aura concealment and protection against divination 106 108.
- True Damage Attack: Forces a target hit by his attack to withstand its power directly, bypassing methods such as Jiang Huaijin's Substitute Death Talisman 211.
- Spirit Evolution Art: Strengthens divine sense and includes the soul self-destruction method he uses to avoid capture in a simulation 143 155.
Equipment / Weapons / Items
- Soul Awakening Blade/Saber — a treasured weapon He Yu carries when confronting Wang Yuanyi 18 27.
- Alchemy furnace — Xie Huide gives He Yu a furnace after a failed attempt to refine the Revitalizing Yang Pill 54.
- Earth Source Bowl — entrusted to He Yu for refining the Revitalizing Yang Pill 89.
- Soul-Binding Bottle — used to hold Jiang Huaijin's soul 211.
- Simulation Space — stores items inherited from simulations 27.
Relationships
- Wang Kun, Wang Yuanyi, and Wang Yulin — the family that took in He Yu's predecessor while intending to exploit him; He Yu kills them after learning of their trafficking operation 1 27 28 29.
- Xie Huide — He Yu's Danxia Sect master, who discovers his past yet offers him resources and trust 44 45.
- Deng Rusong — a Danxia Sect mentor who supplies He Yu with the Stellar River Saber Art and supports his cultivation 45 46.
- Wan Qingluan — an Extinction Sect saintess and He Yu's close, often teasing companion; their bond persists across simulations 57 95 121.
- Lin Mo — a martial artist He Yu supports and teaches; Lin Mo's insights also aid He Yu's Earth Source Sword Qi comprehension 59 81.
- Hu Zhongxuan — a senior martial brother who shares cultivation insights and helps He Yu study Earth Sources 55 56 85.
- Ye Youyun — a soul dwelling in the Profound Night Sword; He Yu helps strengthen his soul and seeks his knowledge of cultivation and Jiang Huaijin 144 157 181 188.
Notable Quotes
“He Yu, I'm rooting for you!” 29
“Ultimately, I still don't have enough firepower. I'll fuse some Earth Sources first to calm my nerves!” 155