Mao Nanbei

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	Mao Nanbei (猫南北)
Alias(es)	Little Black Cat; Fourth Senior Sister; Little Martial Grand-Aunt
Species/Race	Nine Lives Cat clan demon
Gender	Female
Affiliation	Demon Sect; Back Mountain
Occupation/Role	Blade Cultivator; Lu Xun's Fourth Senior Sister
Status	Alive
First Appearance	11

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Fifth Realm	172	Identified by Lu Xun after the battle at Mount Tai.
Sixth Realm	317	Referred to as a Sixth Realm great demon while assisting Lu Xun at Lotus Village.
Sixth Realm Heavenly Tribulation	321	Undergoes her Heavenly Tribulation; her fur is left frizzy afterward.
Restored Sixth Realm	426	Recovers the cultivation lost after exhausting herself against Yin Tian.

Background

Mao Nanbei is a demon of the Nine Lives Cat clan, a cat-demon lineage once distinguished by producing a Demon Race Great Saint. The clan's inherited Saint Blood grants her a Sourcefire tied to the Great Saint's legacy and the clan's famed “nine means of survival.” Her bloodline is thin, however, and she had not fully awakened its power. 324 340

Before joining the Demon Sect, Mao Nanbei lived in a forest that was later destroyed by a Mountain Ghost. The loss left her homesick, particularly during the Mid-Autumn Festival. 52

She became a disciple of Teacher on the Demon Sect's Back Mountain and is senior to Lu Xun despite retaining the appearance and temperament of a young cat-eared girl. Her Saint Blood legacy is stated to be the reason she has not grown up normally. 16 324

Mao Nanbei first encounters Lu Xun while fighting ghosts. Interested in his appearance, she offers to make him her mount in exchange for techniques, treasures, and pills, then brings him toward the Demon Sect. 11 16

Appearance

Mao Nanbei usually appears as a petite cat-eared girl, though she can transform into a Little Black Cat. Following a period of recovery, her humanoid form grows slightly taller into an intermediate state between a cat loli and cat girl. 20 363

• Black cat ears, which visibly react to her mood.
• Often wears bells on both wrists; they transform into her paired Demon Blades. 160 330
• Can take the form of a Little Black Cat when her transformation is broken or when she expends too much power. 20 332 336
• Her Sourcefire appears as a forehead mark of nine flame strands; three remain solid while six are translucent after her battle with Yin Tian. 339
• Her tail is a personal boundary she does not permit Lu Xun to touch. 362 363

Personality

Mao Nanbei presents herself as fierce, proud, and domineering, frequently threatening to “chop off” an opponent's head. Her bravado masks a timid and insecure side, especially when she feels overlooked by her fellow senior disciples or outpaced by Lu Xun's growth. 11 157 324 503

She is mischievous and impulsive, prone to sneak attacks, lies, and attempts to follow Lu Xun down the mountain without permission. She is also openly food-motivated, becoming deeply attached to Lu Xun's cooking and seeking him out for meals. 20 159 160 308

Despite her childish behavior, Mao Nanbei has mature cultivation insight and takes her role as Lu Xun's Senior Sister seriously. When he is endangered, she repeatedly places herself between him and stronger opponents. 122 170 330 332

Abilities & Skills

Humanoid Transformation

Mao Nanbei can alternate between a humanoid cat-eared form and a Little Black Cat form.

• Her transformation can be forcibly broken by Gu Xiaoman. 20
• Exhausting her power against Yin Tian leaves her unable to maintain humanoid form and temporarily without cultivation. 332 336
• She eventually regains her humanoid form and some physical growth during recovery. 363

Demon Blade Cultivation

Mao Nanbei is a Blade Cultivator whose comprehension of Blade Intent exceeds Lu Xun's minor-perfection Sword Intent. 275

• Fights with paired short blades and produces powerful blade aura. 160 170
• Her Demon Mark manifests as a gray-black mark between her eyebrows. 274
• Her Blade Intent resembles black flames. 274
• Can silently close distance with feline agility. 274

Three-legged Cat

Three-legged Cat is Mao Nanbei's blade technique, created and named by Teacher. 171

• Each successful strike becomes stronger than the previous one.
• Its power cycle resets after every three strikes, reducing the internal damage she would suffer if the escalation continued indefinitely. 170 171
• Her third strike tore apart an opponent's fire wings and carved a hundred-meter gully into Mount Tai. 171

Sourcefire and Saint Blood

Mao Nanbei inherited Saint Blood and Sourcefire from the Nine Lives Cat clan's Great Saint. 324 339 340

• Her Saint Blood can be sensed by beings with exceptional perception, prompting Ai Qing to bow to her. 324
• Sourcefire is connected to the clan's “nine means of survival.” 340
• During the confrontation with Yin Tian, black mist and flames emerge from her as she protects Lu Xun. 332
• Overusing this power damages her life essence and can force her into cat form. 339 340

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Bodhisattva Barbarian — a pair of Demon Blades made by Teacher; normally worn as wrist bells and named by Mao Nanbei. 330
• Golden Bells — the wrist-bell form of her paired short blades. 159 160
• Immortal Talisman — a protective talisman given by Third Senior Brother Zhuge Laifu; blocks Yin Tian's deadly scythe attacks and includes a Swift Shuttle effect. 330
• Paper Crane — used for travel; Mao Nanbei pilots it with Lu Xun during their journey. 16 160

Relationships

• Lu Xun — Her Little Martial Brother. She initially wants him as a mount, but their relationship becomes affectionate and protective; she repeatedly risks herself to defend him. 11 170 330 332
• Teacher — Her master and the creator of her Demon Blades and Three-legged Cat technique. He explains her Nine Lives Cat heritage and Sourcefire. 171 330 340
• Gu Xiaoman — Her Second Senior Sister. Mao Nanbei frequently visits her in the Bamboo Forest for affection, though Gu Xiaoman can effortlessly subdue her. 20 21 271
• Lin Chan — Her junior martial niece and traveling companion; Mao Nanbei helps protect her during cultivation and journeys. 160 176
• Ji Li — A fellow Demon Sect member whom Mao Nanbei initially presents as a promising cultivation seedling. 16
• Zhuge Laifu — Her Third Senior Brother, who gives her a life-saving Immortal Talisman before she descends the mountain. 330
• Gongshu Pan — The Demon Sect's Law Enforcement Elder. Mao Nanbei finds him strict and irritating, but is deeply affected by his death. 491

Story Role / Major Arcs

Meeting Lu Xun

Mao Nanbei meets Lu Xun during a ghost hunt and attempts to recruit him as her mount. Her connection to the Demon Sect gives Lu Xun a direct route to the Back Mountain and his eventual apprenticeship under Teacher. 11 16

Journey to Three Thousand Mountains

She secretly accompanies Lu Xun and Lin Chan down the mountain, claiming that she herself is the “super, super” treasure she promised to provide. During the journey, she destroys a Ghost King with one slash before leaving its clones to Lu Xun. 159 160 161

Mount Tai Incident

After secretly following Lu Xun to Mount Tai, Mao Nanbei protects him from a mysterious Alien Race cultivator. Her escalating Three-legged Cat attacks force the opponent back, but she orders Lu Xun to use Gu Xiaoman's Sword Qi once the enemy reaches Sixth Realm Great Perfection. 170 171

Battle with Yin Tian

Mao Nanbei uses Zhuge Laifu's Immortal Talisman to survive Yin Tian's ambush, then chooses to stall him rather than flee so Lu Xun can escape. She overdraws her power and Sourcefire to protect Lu Xun, ultimately collapsing into Little Black Cat form. 330 332

Recovery and Return to Battle

After returning to the Demon Sect, Mao Nanbei recovers with help from Lu Xun's Green Pearl. She gradually regains her transformation and cultivation, returning to the Sixth Realm before choosing to fight the Alien Race again. 339 362 363 426

Alien Race War

Mao Nanbei joins Lu Xun and Mo Beihe as part of a roaming combat squad during the battle at Three Thousand Mountains. She later competes with Lu Xun over defeating high-level Alien Race cultivators. 486 487

Notable Quotes

“This old lady will chop off your head with one strike!” 160

“When the sky falls, your Senior Martial Sister will hold it up for you!” 330

“Little Martial Brother, I'm going down the mountain with you so I can protect you!” 159

Trivia

• Mao Nanbei was a famous and highly popular female NPC in Heavenly Dust's mid-game timeline. 11
• She is over one hundred years old despite her youthful appearance. 157 446
• She is particularly fond of being petted, even while protesting that she is too old for it. 21 157
• She has a strong attachment to Lu Xun's cooking, especially desserts and sweet foods. 52 53 122