Mu Chen

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Mu Chen (木辰)
Alias(es)	Black-Robed Elder 248 313
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Mu Family; allied with Protector Wu during the rebellion 313
Occupation/Role	Mu Family Head; Xiao Yan’s contracted bodyguard; claimant to the throne of the self-proclaimed Wood Forest Empire 187 233 312 313
Cultivation	Dou Zong 189 313
Status	Deceased; his body is recovered after the rebellion 318 319

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Dou Emperor	116	Mu Zhan reports that his father has broken through using the Earth-tier cultivation method supplied by Nalan Jie. His advancement threatens the established balance between the Mu, Nalan, and imperial families.
Dou Zong	188 189	His effortless resistance to Yun Yun’s attacks first exposes his greater strength; the following confrontation explicitly identifies him as a Dou Zong. He later demonstrates unsupported aerial movement publicly during his rebellion 313.

Background / History

Mu Family Vendetta

Mu Chen’s family benefited from an Earth-tier cultivation method given to them by Nalan Jie. Identified as the Sunflower Manual, it required the practitioner to castrate himself; Mu Chen accepted this condition to cultivate it 116 188 191.

After Nalan Chaoge returned alive despite Mu Chen’s confident prediction of his death, Mu Chen supported Mu Zhan’s plan to lure him into Jia Nan Academy. Mu Zhan intended to exploit his academy faction and the surrounding Black-Corner Region to kill Chaoge away from the Nalan Family’s protection 50.

Yun Yun’s Capture

In Stone Desert City, Mu Chen approached Yun Yun while pursuing his imperial ambitions. Marriage to her offered a means of gaining influence over the Misty Cloud Sect, but she rejected his proposals 187 188.

Mu Chen poisoned her with Muscle Softening Powder and pursued her as her Dou Qi weakened. Yun Yun feigned helplessness, wounded him with wind blades, and struck him with Extreme Wind: Setting Sun Radiance. He survived and began repairing his injuries with wood-attribute Dou Qi 189.

Nalan Chaoge followed in hopes of rescuing Yun Yun, but Mu Chen discovered him and knocked him unconscious. Unable to carry out his own sexual intentions because of the Sunflower Manual’s effects, Mu Chen planned to use Chaoge to make Yun Yun believe another man had violated her, kill Chaoge afterward, and claim her as his wife 189.

While captive, Chaoge told Mu Chen about a supposed ancient jade associated with the cultivation method’s discovery. He suggested that it could repair the method’s bodily deficiencies, directing Mu Chen’s attention toward the Xiao Family 191.

Escape and Apparent Death

Chaoge’s system-assisted breakthrough shattered Mu Chen’s Dou Qi seal. Yun Yun then attacked Mu Chen with soul energy and a blood arrow, while Chaoge rescued her with Gamabunta. An explosive-tag trap badly damaged Mu Chen’s leg, and subsequent fire attacks exploited his wood attribute 193 194.

Mu Chen continued pursuing them. He seized Yun Yun from underground and attacked Chaoge with vines and wooden thorns, but Chaoge and Gamabunta freed her. Despite his severe injuries, Mu Chen’s rapid recovery forced Chaoge to attempt a decisive finish 195 197.

Chaoge’s developing Comet technique alarmed Mu Chen enough that he withdrew a kilometer into the sky. Mu Chen later acknowledged that he had survived their earlier battle only by using a lifesaving means at the critical moment 198 314.

After the blast, Yun Yun found a mutilated survivor beneath the crater and killed him, identifying him as Mu Chen from a wooden plaque marked “Mu.” His ruined appearance made the identification unreliable; Mu Chen subsequently reappeared alive 201 312.

Service to Xiao Yan

Under the identity of the Black-Robed Elder, Mu Chen accompanied Xiao Yan and negotiated medical assistance for his injuries. He agreed to serve as Xiao Yan’s bodyguard for one year in exchange for the ingredients and refinement of a Purple Spirit Recovery Pill 232 233 248.

During the struggle over Qing Lin, he fought the Eight-Winged Black Serpent Emperor with a jade-green energy blade. When the beast left to aid Lu Man, Mu Chen persuaded Xiao Yan to let it pass, reasoning that its arrival could endanger Chaoge and create an opportunity for them 244.

Rebellion and Death

After disappearing for nearly a year, Mu Chen returned during the Three-Year Pact gathering in forbidden imperial-yellow robes. He proclaimed the abolition of the Jia Ma Imperial Family and the establishment of the Wood Forest Empire. He also declared Yun Yun his future empress and falsely claimed her child as his own 312 319.

Mu Chen displayed Yun Shan’s sect-master token and read a declaration claiming that the Misty Cloud Sect had accepted a marriage alliance and would submit to the Mu Family. Chaoge immediately attacked him with Daytime Tiger; Mu Chen survived, though the attack injured him 312 313.

When Xiao Yan refused to support the rebellion, Mu Chen produced the Xiao Family’s surviving Great Elder and a token implicating Chaoge in the family’s massacre. Xiao Yan attacked Chaoge, allowing Mu Chen to ambush him with a thorned vine and reveal Protector Wu as another ally 313.

Believing victory secured, Mu Chen ordered Protector Wu to devour the Nalan Family’s souls. Fukasaku and Shima’s intervention immobilized him with Frog Song, giving Chaoge time to recover and unveil Susanoo. Mu Chen was dead by the battle’s aftermath 315 318.

His recovered body confirmed that he was a eunuch, disproving his claim to Yun Chujiu’s paternity. Yun Yun subsequently recognized Chaoge as the child’s father 319.

Connection to the Xiao Family Massacre

Yao Chen’s later account established that Mu Chen had passed the supposed body-restoring treasure’s existence to Protector Wu. Protector Wu then ordered Yao Chen to seize it, resulting in the Xiao Family’s destruction. Mu Chen had not known about Yao Chen’s involvement; he arrived after the slaughter and took control of the surviving Great Elder to manipulate Xiao Yan 320.

Appearance

• Apparent age: In his fifties, with an exceptionally neat and tidy appearance when encountered in Stone Desert City 187.
• Mannerisms: Uses an “Orchid Finger” gesture while holding a teacup, then hurriedly conceals it when Yun Yun notices 188.
• Disguise: Conceals himself beneath a voluminous black robe and hood while accompanying Xiao Yan 227 233 248.
• Rebellion attire: Wears forbidden imperial-yellow robes when announcing his claim to the empire 312.
• Later combat appearance: Faint black mist surrounds him during the rebellion, contrasting with his established wood-attribute Dou Qi 313.

Personality

Mu Chen combines personal possessiveness with political ambition. His pursuit of Yun Yun involves poisoning, captivity, and a scheme intended to make her accept him as her husband. During the rebellion, he publicly claims both her future marriage and her child without her consent 189 312.

He favors manipulation and opportunistic attacks over fair combat. He exploits Xiao Yan’s grief through misleading evidence, attacks Chaoge during the resulting confrontation, and orders the destruction of the Nalan Family’s souls when he believes victory is assured. His confidence can become overconfidence: he repeatedly underestimates Chaoge’s concealed abilities despite having narrowly survived their earlier battle 313 314 315.

Abilities & Skills

Sunflower Manual

An Earth-tier cultivation method originally supplied by Nalan Jie. It enables Mu Chen’s rapid rise in cultivation but requires castration 116 191.

• Absorbs energy from heaven and earth at a remarkable rate 197.
• Works with his healing Dou Qi to restore fighting strength after severe injuries; Chaoge estimates recovery in less than two hours 197.
• Leaves bodily deficiencies that make the supposed restorative jade especially attractive to him 191 320.

Wood-Attribute Dou Qi

Mu Chen uses wood-attributed energy for healing, defense, and plant-based attacks 189 194 197.

• Repairs wounds while he remains airborne 189.
• Forms layered emerald-green energy shields 194.
• Produces wooden thorns and vines capable of piercing Chaoge’s body 197 313.
• Weakness: Fire is particularly effective against his wood attribute; Chaoge exploits this with Dragon Flame Song 194.

Pine Shadow

A Profound-tier High-grade Dou Technique belonging to the Mu Family. It creates vines that restrain a target while concealing Mu Chen’s attacks among shifting feints and real strikes 195.

• Supports underground ambushes and entanglement 197.
• Produces a towering pine tree during the rebellion 314.
• Cannot shed Chaoge’s Amaterasu flames once they ignite the tree’s roots 314.

Dou Qi Sealing

Mu Chen can seal a captive’s Dou Qi, but the technique fails to suppress Chaoge’s system-driven advancement 194.

• Chaoge’s breakthrough releases enough energy to shatter the seal 194.

Aerial Movement and Combat

At Dou Zong, Mu Chen moves through the air without external assistance and rapidly overtakes Yun Yun during her attempted escape 189 313.

• Uses an energy shield to pass through her whirlwind without spilling the tea he is holding 188.
• Wields a jade-green energy blade against the Eight-Winged Black Serpent Emperor 244.
• Possesses an unspecified lifesaving means that allows him to survive his earlier confrontation with Chaoge 314.

Equipment / Items

• Muscle Softening Powder — Poison used to weaken Yun Yun and interfere with her Dou Qi and Transformation Wings 189.
• Yun Shan’s sect-master token — Presented as evidence of the Misty Cloud Sect’s submission and marriage alliance 312.
• Nalan Chaoge’s waist token — Used alongside the surviving Xiao Family Great Elder to turn Xiao Yan against Chaoge 313.

Relationships

• Mu Zhan — Son and collaborator in the plan to kill Chaoge at Jia Nan Academy; reports Mu Chen’s breakthrough to Dou Emperor 50 116.
• Mu Xing — Elder brother and member of the rebellion’s leadership; killed by Jia Xing Tian during the battle 312 315.
• Mu Jin and Mu Yin — Mu Xing’s sons and Mu Chen’s nephews; imperial generals who return with the rebel group and obstruct Chaoge’s allies 312 313.
• Nalan Jie — Source of the Earth-tier method that enables Mu Chen’s rise; the families’ longstanding friendly relations become cover for hostile schemes 50 116.
• Nalan Chaoge — Principal enemy, captive, and repeated combat opponent; survives Mu Chen’s schemes and fights him during the rebellion 189 194 313 315.
• Yun Yun — Target of coercive marriage plans and political control; poisons and captures her, then falsely claims to be her child’s father 189 312 319.
• Xiao Yan — Contracted bodyguard and later manipulated ally; conceals his identity until the rebellion and exploits Xiao Yan’s family tragedy to draw him into battle 233 313 320.
• Protector Wu — Rebel ally who acts on Mu Chen’s information about a supposed Xiao Family treasure and joins the attack on Chaoge 313 320.
• Yun Chujiu — Yun Yun and Chaoge’s son, whom Mu Chen falsely claims as his own 312 319.