Niu Ben

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Niu Ben (牛犇)
Alias(es)	Great King of the Ox Clan; Taishang's Senior Disciple; Senior Disciple Brother of the Three Teachings; Lord of the Underworld; Great Emperor Fengdu; Daojun Niu Ben; Foremost Saint; “Number One Ox Under a Saint” 46 185 273 426 601 791
Species/Race	Ox Clan; initially an Innate Being, later evolved into a Chaos Azure Ox with Innate Demon God Origin 1 45 330
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Human Religion; Three Teachings; Ox Clan; Underworld
Occupation/Role	Taishang's personal disciple; Great King of the Ox Clan; ruler of the Underworld; Mystic Gate Guardian 833
Status	Alive
First Appearance	Chapter 1

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Heavenly Immortal	1	Born an Innate Being with Heavenly Immortal cultivation and an effectively limitless lifespan.
Mystic Immortal, mid-stage	5	Reached after three thousand years of cultivation following the Ginseng Fruit's refinement.
Mystic Immortal, late-stage	5	Advanced during the Heavenly Tribulation and bloodline transformation.
Golden Immortal, early-stage	5	Received a Heavenly Dao Gift after surviving tribulation lightning with his body; his First Ancestral Return elevated his Origin to an Innate Divine Being.
Primordial Unity Golden Immortal, late-stage	21	Refined the Ox Clan Progenitor's essence blood, passing through mid-stage and breaking into late-stage.
Daluo Golden Immortal	44, 45	Endured nine bolts of Nine Heavens Divine Thunder and a Chaos Divine Thunder; his Second Ancestral Return raised his Origin to that of an Innate Demon God.
Daluo Golden Immortal, mid-stage	77	Converted one Earth Fiend Divine Ox into a Heavenly Gang Divine Ox.
Daluo Golden Immortal, late-stage	107	Absorbed a share of Nuwa's sainthood Merit after her creation of humanity.
Golden Immortal of the Origin, early-stage	135	Refined a Primordial Golden Pill, entered the Heavenly Ox Realm, and became comparable to a Quasi-Saint.
Daluo Golden Immortal of the Origin, Ninth Heaven	337	Refused the Heavenly Dao's offered path, overcame the Primordial Chaos Lightning Tribulation, and surged from the first to ninth level through the Origin of the Great Dao.
Hunyuan Supreme Ultimate Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal	642	Consumed the Heavenly Dao Cultivation Pill and completed the Fourth Ancestral Return.
Heavenly Dao Realm	645	Broke into a realm beyond ordinary Saints, while acknowledging Dao Ancestor Hongjun as still far stronger.
Nine Revolutions Mysterious Technique, ninth revolution	851	His body surpassed the toughness of ordinary Supreme Grade Innate Spiritual Treasures. This is a physical-cultivation advancement, not a new Dao realm.
Heavenly Dao Realm, further cultivation	851	Entered death seclusion to surpass the Heavenly Dao Realm, refining half the Demon Realm's Heavenly Dao Origin Essence into his Dao Fruit and three thousand Divine Oxen. No breakthrough beyond the Heavenly Dao Realm is confirmed.

Background

Niu Ben is a transmigrator from Earth who lived among the Ox Clan for thirty thousand years. Though born with Heavenly Immortal cultivation, he initially regarded survival as his only realistic ambition. He began bringing Innate Spiritual Fruits to a mysterious white-haired cultivator every day, hoping to secure a chance at a better future. That cultivator was Taishang Daoist. 1

After Taishang slew his third corpse, he offered Niu Ben an Innate Spiritual Treasure or the chance to become his mount. Niu Ben chose the latter, believing that following Taishang offered his best chance to awaken his ancestral bloodline. In his Green Ox form, he carried Taishang toward Kunlun Mountain. 1 3

Niu Ben's early cultivation was shaped by the Chaos Divine Ox Scripture, the Ginseng Fruit of Wuzhuang Temple, Taishang's teachings, and repeated bloodline transformations. His exceptional potential eventually led Taishang to formally accept him as his personal disciple and foremost disciple of the Three Teachings. 4 5 45 46

Following the Demon Realm campaign, Niu Ben secured half of that realm's Heavenly Dao Origin Essence for himself while the other half was incorporated into the Primordial World. He subsequently entered death seclusion, intending not to emerge until he surpassed the Heavenly Dao Realm. Ten thousand years into his seclusion, his refinement was still underway. 844 851

Appearance

Niu Ben normally assumes a human form, but his true body is an Azure Ox that becomes increasingly infused with Chaos power as his bloodline evolves.

• His early true form is a divine Green Ox capable of carrying Taishang across the Primordial World. 3
• His Heaven and Earth Manifestation produces a ten-thousand-zhang Azure Ox with sky-piercing horns, star-crushing hooves, and chaos energy around its body. 27
• During his Primordial Tribulation, he manifests as a colossal Chaos Azure Ox, bearing an ancient aura that causes the Ox Clan to prostrate themselves. 330
• After his Third Ancestral Return, his physical body is comparable to an Innate Supreme Treasure. 338
• After reaching the Heavenly Dao Realm, he can entirely conceal his aura and appear no different from an ordinary mortal, despite the world-destroying force within his body. 644

Personality

Niu Ben is ambitious, pragmatic, and highly protective of those he considers his own. He began his journey seeking safety and opportunity, but repeatedly chose dangerous paths when they offered the means to strengthen himself, his clan, or his disciples. 1 23

He is strategically minded in negotiations and resource gathering. He trades valuable treasures when useful, forms karmic bonds with powerful figures, and uses his knowledge of future opportunities to secure long-term advantages. 69 112 139

Despite his overwhelming growth, Niu Ben remains filial toward Niu Ba and Niu Mu, affectionate toward Niu Xiaomei, and respectful to Taishang and the Three Pure Ones. Even after surpassing his master in cultivation, he insists that Taishang remains his master for life. 152 338 740

Niu Ben is also fiercely independent. He rejected Primordial Violet Qi and later refused the Heavenly Dao's offer of an easier Hunyuan path, choosing instead to prove the Dao through his own strength. 163 208 331 332

In later conflicts, he combines overwhelming force with calculated political pressure. He publicly shields Yang Jian, uses the Wu Clan's alliance to deter opportunistic factions, and is willing to aid former opponents when doing so serves the wider Primordial World; however, he remains unforgiving toward Di Jun because of their accumulated enmity. 659 766 767 790 791

After defeating the Demon Realm's Saint Ancestor, Niu Ben pressed Hongjun for both half of the conquered realm's Heavenly Dao Origin Essence and a Saint Crystal, treating them as earned compensation for saving the expedition. He then devoted the crystal to helping his mother attain sainthood and committed his own share of the essence to a long seclusion. 844 847 849 851

Abilities & Skills

Chaos Divine Ox Scripture

Niu Ben's core cultivation scripture. It develops through the Earth Ox, Heavenly Ox, and Divine Ox realms, using the condensation and transformation of Divine Oxen within his body. 4

• Condenses Earth Fiend Divine Oxen, later transforming them into stronger Heavenly Gang Divine Oxen. 5 77
• Reached the Heavenly Ox Realm after refining a Primordial Golden Pill; two thousand of his three thousand Earth Fiend Divine Oxen had transformed at that point. 135
• Manifested three thousand Heavenly Gang Divine Ox Dharma Images and merged them into the Chaos Divine Ox before his Primordial Tribulation. 325
• Enables exceptional physical strength, bloodline evolution, and resistance to heavenly tribulations. 5 328
• Refining Pangu's Essence Blood later produced an additional Chaos Divine Ox within his body, further increasing his combat power. 526
• While refining the Demon Realm's Heavenly Dao Origin Essence, he channeled its power into the three thousand Divine Ox phantoms within his body, gradually making them substantial and strengthening his qi and blood. 847 851

Heaven and Earth Manifestation

A transformation ability that expands Niu Ben into a ten-thousand-zhang Azure Ox true body. 27

• Greatly increases his physical power and durability.
• Allowed him to resist Zhunti's Quasi-Saint suppression rather than submit to conversion. 27
• Later developed into the vastly stronger Chaos Azure Ox manifestation. 330
• In Chaos Azure Ox form, he shattered the Black Heavenly Dao Stele that had suppressed the Six Saints and later defeated a Half-Step Heavenly Dao demon god. 412 790

Nine Revolutions Mysterious Technique

A supreme body-tempering method bestowed by Taishang to strengthen Niu Ben's Dao foundation. 9

• Reached the sixth revolution following his Second Ancestral Return. 45
• Reached the seventh revolution while climbing Buzhou Mountain. 83
• Raised his body to the durability of a Low Grade Innate Spiritual Treasure by the seventh revolution. 83
• By his seclusion to refine the Demon Realm's Heavenly Dao Origin Essence, he had reached the ninth revolution. His body was tougher than ordinary Supreme Grade Innate Spiritual Treasures and withstood the violent influx of external laws. 851

Great Dao Clone Technique

A supreme clone divine ability that creates a clone with one hundred percent of Niu Ben's combat power for every major realm he has experienced. 15

• Produced six mid-stage Daluo Golden Immortal clones to confront a Purple Mansion Quasi-Saint. 93
• Allows his main body and avatars to coordinate attacks while each wields an Innate Spiritual Treasure. 94
• Expanded into seven Quasi-Saint-level incarnations, alongside his Ancestral Dragon and Ancestral Kirin incarnations. 183
• Supports bloodline-based incarnations, including the Ink Kirin, Ancestral Dragon, and Ancestral Phoenix. 79 135 228

Myriad Manifestations Freedom Method

A supreme method Niu Ben initially employed to refine bloodline-based incarnations, including the Ink Kirin incarnation. 78 79

• Niu Ben developed a Primordial version of its He Transforms into Freedom application during his battle with Luohou. 752 753
• It allows him to devour and recycle stray energy from the battlefield, including Luohou's demonic qi, to replenish his mana during prolonged combat. 752 753
• By using the enemy's released power as nourishment, Niu Ben turned Luohou's attempt to exhaust him into an advantage. 753
• Against the Demon Realm's emerging threat, he used He Transforms into Freedom to produce three thousand identical, full-strength bodies, each described as a Hunyuan Supreme Ultimate Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal. Their coordinated assault wounded a gigantic claw and drove it back through its vortex. 833

Great Dao Alchemy Technique

A Great Dao Divine Ability that grants Niu Ben advanced pill-refining skill. 52

• Refines Grand Luo Golden Pills capable of raising cultivators to Daluo Golden Immortal. 101 103
• Compensated Ao Run for the Sea Calming Divine Pearls by refining a Grand Luo Golden Pill. 55
• Uses spiritual herbs and Innate materials to create cultivation pills for allies, disciples, and the Ox Clan. 150

Great Dao God Conferring Technique

A Great Dao Divine Ability used to exert overwhelming control over combatants and the battlefield. 29

• Sealed the void to prevent a Demon King from escaping. 51
• Neutralized the combined attacks of six Heavenly Dao-created Saint incarnations. 684

Twelve Capital Gods and Demons Array

A powerful formation Niu Ben bestowed upon Dijiang of the Wu Clan. 766

• Can summon a Pangu True Body with Heavenly Dao Realm power. 766
• Its bestowal secured Dijiang's loyalty and strengthened the alliance between Niu Ben, the Underworld, and the Wu Clan. 766 767

Underworld Authority

As ruler of the Underworld, Niu Ben presides over its offices, judgment, sentencing, and reincarnation cycle. 273

• Commands Fengdu City, the Underworld's supreme hall. 273
• Holds authority over the Book of Life and Death and the Judge's Brush. 273
• Entrusted the Underworld's regular affairs to the Five Ghost Emperors during seclusion. 308
• Worked with Empress Pingxin to arrange the reincarnations of Fuxi, Hong Yun, and the Mysterious Turtle's true spirit. 481 506 526

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Vajra Bracelet — High-grade Innate Spiritual Treasure bestowed by Taishang; can subdue enemies and collect weapons or treasures. Niu Ben later entrusted it to Niu Ba for protection. 8 18
• Azure Profound Treasure Armor — Defensive treasure bestowed by Hong Yun after Niu Ben's First Ancestral Return; Niu Ben preliminarily refined it with Chaos Origin Qi. 6
• Southern Dili Flame-Light Banner — Innate Spiritual Treasure refined during seclusion. 29
• Suse Cloud-Boundary Banner — One of the Innate Five Directional Flags, gifted by Queen Mother of the West to form a karmic bond with Niu Ben. 69
• Wuji Apricot-Yellow Banner — Obtained from Yuanshi in exchange for a Fragment of the Jade Disk of Creation. 112
• Chaos Five Elements Flag — Innate Supreme Treasure forged from the Innate Five Directional Flags; it can seal spatial rifts and merge its Five-Element power with Niu Ben's other supreme treasures. 253 396 752 790
• World-Destroying Millstone — Innate Supreme Treasure formed by fusing seven Fragments of Innate Supreme Treasure; capable of grinding opponents and matter into nothingness. Niu Ben combined its destructive power with the Chaos Five Elements Flag against Luohou. 395 417 752
• Twelve-Grade Pure World White Lotus — Purifies corruption, resists inner demons, and preserves clarity of Dao Heart. 147 149
• Primordial Sky Measuring Ruler — Acquired supreme treasure formed from Innate Merit and Mysterious Yellow Qi. 147
• Twelve Sea Calming Divine Pearls — Treasures found in the West Sea Dragon Palace and later refined by Niu Ben. 55 58
• Fire Spirit Pearl — One of the Five Great Origin Spirit Pearls and a Supreme Grade Innate Spiritual Treasure obtained while climbing Buzhou Mountain. 78 83
• Book of Life and Death and Judge's Brush — Underworld artifacts discovered in Fengdu City's main hall. 273
• Independent Innate Blessed Land — A System-granted small world under Niu Ben's complete control, intended as a refuge for the Ox Clan and a secure site for secluded cultivation. 470 481
• Purple-Gold Gourd — Taishang's gift to Niu Ben; later given to Niu Xiaomei as a meeting gift. 46 152
• Demon Realm Heavenly Dao Origin Essence — Claimed half of the conquered realm's origin essence after defeating its Saint Ancestor. He brought it into seclusion to strengthen his Dao Fruit and Divine Oxen; the other half was incorporated into the Primordial World. 844 847 851
• Saint Crystal — Obtained from Hongjun as a further reward for killing the Demon Realm's Saint Ancestor; Niu Ben used it to help Niu Mu advance toward sainthood. 844 847 849

Relationships

• Taishang — Former master and rider, later Niu Ben's personal master. Taishang accepted him as his foremost disciple after witnessing his potential and bloodline evolution. 1 45 46
• Yuanshi and Tongtian — Martial uncles who treat Niu Ben as a favored nephew and repeatedly support him alongside Taishang. They were astonished when he manifested three thousand full-strength bodies against the Demon Realm threat. 45 239 833
• Niu Ba — Father, former Ox Clan chief, and later a Saint through the Saint Crystal Niu Ben bestowed on him. Niu Ben subsequently entrusted him and Niu Mu with the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains during his death seclusion. 17 436 437 851
• Niu Mu — Mother; maintains a warm relationship with Niu Ben and repeatedly urges him to settle down with Xi He and Chang Xi. Niu Ben later guided the power of a Saint Crystal through her body, helping her advance toward sainthood; she subsequently became one of the Ox Clan's Saint guardians. 152 189 299 849 851
• Niu Xiaomei — Younger sister who idolizes Niu Ben; he gave her the Purple-Gold Gourd when they first met. 152
• Xi He — Niu Ben's Dao companion and wife; her protection from Di Jun brought Niu Ben into conflict with the Demon Race. 237 339 347
• Chang Xi — Xi He's sister and Niu Ben's future wife; she travels with him, assists in the Underworld, and supports him against future dangers. 299 347
• Huang Tian — Personal disciple and Human Emperor. Niu Ben created and taught him the Martial Dao, then entrusted the Human Race's future to him. Humanity continued expanding under Huang Tian and Cangjie during Niu Ben's later seclusion. 171 172 186 851
• Six-Eared Macaque — Initially received the Battle Demon Ape Divine Skill despite the prohibition that Dharma not be passed to Six-Ears; later became Niu Ben's disciple and received the As-You-Wish Iron Rod. 77 203
• Cangjie — Niu Ben's third personal disciple. Niu Ben guided him through the Human Realm so that he could create a unified writing system. 303
• Kong Xuan — Disciple and mount whose Phoenix bloodline allowed Niu Ben to form the Ancestral Phoenix Incarnation. 218 228
• Yang Jian — Disciple trained in the Ox Clan's independent Innate Blessed Land; Niu Ben protects him from Heavenly Court threats, intervening directly against Haotian and the Purple Mansion Immortal Court. 606 659 698
• Nuwa — Martial aunt and karmic ally. Niu Ben gave her the Three Lights Divine Water and part of the Innate Gourd Vine, contributing to her creation of humanity. 80 81 107
• Houtu / Empress Pingxin — Ally in establishing the Underworld; she entrusted its management to Niu Ben after transforming into Reincarnation. 216 269
• Dijiang — Wu Clan ally whose loyalty deepened after Niu Ben bestowed the Twelve Capital Gods and Demons Array and placed the Wu Clan under his public protection. 766 767
• Di Jun — Long-standing adversary whose failed attempt to claim Xi He created an irreconcilable grudge. Niu Ben later saved the Demon Clan and Yao Realm from otherworldly destruction but refused to heal Di Jun himself. 237 239 790 791
• Jieyin and Zhunti — Former Western adversaries repeatedly defeated by Niu Ben. After he healed their grave injuries following the Yao Realm crisis, the two Western Saints submitted to his superiority and expressed genuine respect. 601 790 791
• Luohou — Demon Ancestor who attempted to recruit Niu Ben and attacked him after being refused. Niu Ben later used Luohou's demonic qi to hone his own technique and gain the upper hand in battle. 433 752 753
• Dao Ancestor Hongjun — Master ancestor who intervened during Niu Ben's Primordial Tribulation and later offered protection against Luohou. Following the Demon Realm campaign, Niu Ben compelled him to grant half its Heavenly Dao Origin Essence and a Saint Crystal as rewards. 332 433 844

Major Arcs

Rise of Taishang's Mount

Niu Ben accepted Taishang's offer to become his mount, traveled to Kunlun Mountain, and rapidly surpassed his initial Heavenly Immortal status through the Chaos Divine Ox Scripture, Ginseng Fruit, tribulation, and ancestral return. 1 3 5

Unification of the Ox Clan

Niu Ben returned to save Niu Ba, defeated the Barbarian Ox Clan chief, assumed leadership of the Azure Ox Clan, and moved to unite the Ox Clan across the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains. He later distributed inherited techniques, elixirs, Grand Luo Golden Pills, and a Saint-level Clan Protection Array. 17 22 95 103 104

Buzhou Mountain Expedition

While traveling with Six-Eared Macaque, Niu Ben transformed Earth Fiend Divine Oxen into Heavenly Gang Divine Oxen, gained treasures through Heavenly Dao Luck Blessing, formed the Ink Kirin incarnation, and encountered Nuwa. He later gifted Nuwa the Three Lights Divine Water and restored the Innate Gourd Vine with Chaos Primordial Liquid. 77 79 80 81 82

Guidance of Taishang and the Human Race

Niu Ben recognized that Taishang's path to sainthood lay with humanity. His advice that the Human Race needed a doctrine and spiritual foundation led Taishang toward establishing the Human Religion and attaining sainthood. 137 139 142

Niu Ben later accepted Huang Tian and Cangjie as disciples, passing down the Martial Dao to the Human Race and guiding Cangjie toward creating written characters. 171 172 303 306

Lord of the Underworld

After assisting Houtu's path toward establishing the Underworld, Niu Ben became its ruler. He selected Three Teachings disciples for Underworld offices, established the cycle of judgment and reincarnation, and took control of Fengdu City. 216 272 273

Proving the Dao by Force

Niu Ben chose to challenge the Dao of Primordial Chaos rather than use Primordial Violet Qi. He endured the Primordial Chaos Lightning Tribulation, rejected the Heavenly Dao's offer of submission, attained the Daluo Golden Immortal of the Origin, and completed his Third Ancestral Return. 163 325 331 337 338

Foremost Saint

Niu Ben's later strength eclipsed ordinary Saints. He broke Di Jun's River Luo Formation with one punch, defeated Zhunti and Jieyin, resisted the Universe Devouring Realm's Saint Ancestor, and eventually reached the Heavenly Dao Realm. 456 598 601 412 645

After becoming a Heavenly Dao Realm expert, he continued to confront forces acting against his disciples and the Primordial World. He forced Haotian to retract his threats against Yang Jian, defied the Heavenly Dao's Saint avatars, and personally destroyed the Purple Mansion Heaven-Sealing Grand Array to rescue Yang Jian. 659 684 698

Battle Against Luohou

When Luohou sought to overwhelm him through a battle of attrition, Niu Ben wielded the World-Destroying Millstone and Chaos Five Elements Flag together to create Chaos power. He then used the Primordial version of the He Transforms into Freedom Technique to absorb stray energy and Luohou's demonic qi, breaking the stalemate and seizing the advantage. 752 753

Wu Clan Alliance and Yao Realm Crisis

Niu Ben armed Dijiang with the Twelve Capital Gods and Demons Array, ordered him to intercept treasures intended for the Demon Clan and Western Teachings, and publicly declared the Wu Clan to be under his protection. 766 767

When a Half-Step Heavenly Dao demon god threatened to annihilate the Demon Clan and Yao Realm, Niu Ben defeated it effortlessly, sealed the spatial rift with the Chaos Five Elements Flag, and eradicated the remaining otherworldly demons. He restored Zhunti and Jieyin's damaged bodies and primordial spirits, but left Di Jun wounded because of their past karma. 790 791

Demon Realm Campaign and Origin Essence

Facing a gigantic claw emerging from a black vortex, Niu Ben charged ahead of the Saints and manifested three thousand full-strength bodies through He Transforms into Freedom. Together they wounded the claw and forced it back. Niu Ben then tore open the vortex, exposing the devastated realm beyond. He subsequently defeated the Demon Realm's Saint Ancestor. 833 844

After the victory, Niu Ben demanded half of the Demon Realm's Heavenly Dao Origin Essence and a Saint Crystal from Hongjun as compensation. Hongjun agreed; the remaining half of the essence entered the Primordial World, enriching it and broadening cultivation opportunities. Niu Ben used the crystal to help Niu Mu reach sainthood, then entrusted the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains to his parents and entered death seclusion with his share of the essence. Ten thousand years later, he was still refining its laws to strengthen his Dao Fruit and three thousand Divine Oxen, with his goal of surpassing the Heavenly Dao Realm not yet confirmed as achieved. 844 849 851

Notable Quotes

“I have no interest in the Primordial Violet Qi. I intend to follow the example of Pangu, Proving Dao by Force, and attaining Hunyuan!” 163

“A master for a day, a father for life—those rules cannot be broken anywhere.” 740

“This is called environmental protection—recycling energy. Get it, old-timer?” 753