Taishang Laojun

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Taishang Laojun (太上老子)
Alias(es)	Li Er 439
Species/Race	Saint
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Ren Sect; Mystic Gate; one of the Three Pure Ones 291 439
Occupation/Role	Head of the Three Pure Ones; master of Grand Master Xuandu; founder and propagator of Taoism in the mortal realm 291 439
Status	Active 659
First Appearance	Chapter 24 24

Appearance

Taishang Laojun is portrayed as an elderly Taoist with a long beard, commonly riding his Green Ox and carrying a horsetail whisk. 439 644 648

• Rides the Green Ox Spirit, often backward. 236 439
• Usually appears in a composed Taoist manner, though his expression visibly deteriorates when his plans, disciples, or alchemical possessions are threatened. 471 659
• Carries a Taiyi Whisk, which he can use in battle. 648

Personality

Taishang Laojun is calculating, proud, and highly protective of the Ren Sect's fortune. He weighs long-term gains carefully, such as accepting an incomplete Nine Revolutions Arcane Arts in exchange for the Qiankun Diagram, while recognizing the technique's value above a Supreme Grade Innate Spiritual Treasure. 180

He is deeply wary of the Western Sect and repeatedly opposes its attempts to claim Eastern merit or Human Emperor fortune. 254 259 267 Nevertheless, he can cooperate with Primordial Heavenly Venerate when their interests align, even after their repeated disputes. 285 304

His composure is notably fragile around alchemical disasters and insults to his possessions. Li Xiao's theft of his Golden Cores and destruction of Tushita Palace provokes him into open combat. 471 472

Abilities & Skills

One Qi Transforms into Three Pure Ones

Taishang Laojun's signature divine ability manifests his past, present, and future selves as three Saint-level clones, allowing him to field four Saints including his main body. 254 255

• The clones are Saint-level, unlike ordinary severed corpses, which only possess Quasi-Saint strength. 255
• He uses the three clones to separately contain Primordial Heavenly Venerate, Jieyin Daoist, and Zhunti Daoist. 255
• The ability is linked to his projection of past, present, and future selves through the River of Time. 254

Law of Time

Taishang Laojun controls the Law of Time and can access the River of Time to investigate events and glimpse future possibilities. 290 300

• He used the River of Time to determine Cangjie's future importance to the Human Race. 300
• His mastery of the law allows him to perceive matters involving future fortune and reincarnation. 343
• His temporal authority makes other Saints wary, particularly when combined with One Qi Transforms into Three Pure Ones. 261 267

Alchemy and Artifact Crafting

Taishang Laojun is a master alchemist whose Golden Cores are coveted throughout the Three Realms. 471 573

• He refines pills in the Eight Trigrams Furnace and Doushuai Palace. 471 641
• He forged the Upper Treasure Qin Rake with the assistance of heavenly deities and immortals. 571
• He created the Sea-Calming Divine Needle as a tool connected to Yu the Great's flood-control merit. 312 571
• His frequent furnace explosions have become a recognizable occurrence associated with the Ren Sect. 338 646

Saintly Combat and Spatial Stabilization

Taishang Laojun can directly confront Saints, suppress enemies with his treasures, and preserve himself in unstable space. 106 210 648

• Used the Taiji Diagram to immobilize Dingguang Immortal, enabling Primordial Heavenly Venerate to defeat him. 106
• Withstood Zhunti Daoist's attacks beneath the Heaven and Earth Profound Yellow Exquisite Pagoda. 210
• Used the Taiyi Whisk to halt collapsing chaotic space and shield both himself and the Green Ox Spirit. 648

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Taiji Diagram — One of the Three Treasures of Creation; used for defense, suppression, and combat. 106 210
• Heaven and Earth Profound Yellow Exquisite Pagoda — A supreme defensive treasure that protected him from Zhunti Daoist's attacks. 210
• Flat Crutch — Used against Li Xiao during the confrontation with the Four Saints. 543
• Taiyi Whisk — Stabilized chaotic space when Li Xiao trapped him with spatial divine abilities. 648
• Purple Gold Gourd — Used in an attempt to summon Li Xiao. 471
• Water-Fire Cushion — Employed against Li Xiao alongside the Purple Gold Gourd. 472
• Banana Leaf Fan — A fan refined from leaves of the Banana Tree; its attack was blocked by Li Xiao's Chaos Bell. 471
• Eight Trigrams Furnace — His principal alchemical furnace, repeatedly damaged or overturned during conflicts. 471 542
• Qiankun Diagram — Formerly in his possession; traded to Li Xiao for the incomplete Nine Revolutions Arcane Arts. 180

Relationships

• Primordial Heavenly Venerate — His Second Junior Brother and frequent ally-rival. They contend over offices and Human Emperor fortune, but jointly sealed Fuxi and Shennong in Huoyun Cave. 239 254 304
• Tongtian Cult Master — His Third Junior Brother and an increasingly estranged fellow Pure One. Taishang later regrets joining Primordial Heavenly Venerate in acting against Tongtian's Intercepting Sect. 167 439
• Li Xiao — His grand-nephew disciple, whom Taishang considers extraordinarily talented and strategically dangerous. Taishang traded the Qiankun Diagram for Li Xiao's incomplete Nine Revolutions Arcane Arts, but later clashed with him repeatedly. 180 471 651
• Grand Master Xuandu — His disciple and attendant at Shouyang Mountain and Doushuai Palace. Xuandu frequently suffers from Taishang's furnace explosions and is tasked with receiving visitors or guarding important locations. 179 338 620
• Green Ox Spirit — His mount and close attendant. Taishang protects the Green Ox from Haotian and stabilizes space to keep it safe during Li Xiao's ambush. 337 648
• Jieyin Daoist and Zhunti Daoist — Western rivals whom Taishang distrusts. He opposes their involvement in Human Emperor matters and later seeks to settle the Mystic Gate's karmic debt to Buddhism. 254 259 573
• Yin Xi — A sincere seeker of the Dao whom Taishang accepts as a disciple at Hangu Pass, granting him the Tao Te Ching and a sword manual. 439 440
• Duobao Daoist — Accompanies Taishang westward after the decline of the Mystic Gate, despite Li Xiao's warning that doing so would benefit Buddhism. 439

Story Role / Major Arcs

Interest in Li Xiao's Nine Revolutions Arcane Arts

Taishang Laojun takes an early interest in Li Xiao because of the Nine Revolutions Arcane Arts and repeatedly invites him to Shouyang Mountain. 24 167 When Li Xiao finally visits, Taishang readily exchanges the Qiankun Diagram for an incomplete version of the technique, judging it more valuable than a Supreme Grade Innate Spiritual Treasure. 179 180

Contest for Underworld and Human Emperor Fortune

Taishang competes with Primordial Heavenly Venerate for the Great Emperor Fengdu position, only to learn that Empress Pingxin has already promised it to Li Xiao. 106 107 He later resists Primordial Heavenly Venerate's proposed alliance with the Western Sect over the first Human Emperor, then deploys One Qi Transforms into Three Pure Ones to gain a decisive numerical advantage. 254 255

He seeks to recruit Xuanyuan Clan as the third Human Emperor, but Tongtian Cult Master's return and superior strength overturn the situation. 291 292

Sealing the Human Emperors

Taishang Laojun cooperates with Primordial Heavenly Venerate to seal Fuxi and Shennong within Huoyun Cave using the Five Elements Great Dao Origin. 304 When Empress Nuwa and Tongtian confront them over the sealing, Taishang avoids accepting responsibility for the act. 306

Descent as Li Er and the Spread of Taoism

After the Dao Ancestor bans Saints from entering the Primordial World, Taishang regrets the Mystic Gate's decline and descends into the mortal realm as Li Er to propagate Taoism. 433 439 At Hangu Pass, he recognizes Yin Xi's sincerity and gives him the Tao Te Ching and a sword manual, leading to the foundation of the Shu Mountain Sword Sect. 439 440

Journey to the West Conflicts

Taishang initially agrees to send disciples to help protect the Buddhist Dharma during the Journey to the West in order to preserve influence over events. 504 His relationship with Buddhism deteriorates after Tang Monk's party steals his Golden Cores and burns Doushuai Palace; he sends Golden Horn and Silver Horn to obstruct the pilgrims. 619 641

He later confronts Li Xiao over the destruction of Doushuai Palace and the deaths of the Golden and Silver attendants, eventually realizing that Li Xiao's spatial techniques were involved in schemes using Taishang's identity. 648 650 651

Notable Quotes

“Second Junior Brother, oh Second Junior Brother, you... alas, I followed your words and joined you in dealing with the Intercepting Sect. Now look, our Mystic Gate's fortune has greatly declined, while Buddhism has risen in its stead.” 439

“This is the fortune of our East, and it's not for your West to dictate!” 260

Trivia

• Taishang Laojun's alchemy furnace explosions are common enough to be recognized as a distinctive Ren Sect phenomenon. 338 646
• Li Xiao's theft of Taishang's Golden Cores leads to Tushita Palace being set ablaze. 471
• Rumors falsely identify Hong Hai'er as Taishang Laojun's illegitimate son with Princess Iron Fan, an accusation that enrages him enough to cause Doushuai Palace to explode. 659