Zhou Qiucheng

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	Zhou Qiucheng (周求乘)
Alias(es)	Dean Zhou; Master Zhou; Great Lord; Seventh Mister
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Chongzheng Academy; later the Academy
Occupation/Role	Dean of Chongzheng Academy; scholar and Divine Path cultivator; later the Academy's Seventh Mister
Status	Alive; was killed while possessed by the Great Sovereign Demon King's head, then resurrected by Zhang Chen 782 783
First Appearance	600

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Yin Spirit realm	600	Already an advanced Yin Spirit cultivator when first introduced; his bearing carries an artistic conception.
Divine Path, Tenth Rank	745	Amasses Jinling's Incense faith and repairs the Exquisite Pagoda, strengthening himself through the Divine Path.
Divine Path, Eleventh Order	773	Has progressed far enough on the Divine Path to be described as no ordinary Eleventh Order cultivator.
Literary Dao abolished	768	Loses the Dao Discussion to Chen Sanliang; his literary Dao collapses, forcing him to rely on the Divine Path.
Mortal	776	The shattering of the Exquisite Pagoda strips him of his cultivation and reduces him to mortality.
Enlightenment	784 802	Under Zhang Chen's guidance, abandons the limitations of Iron-Faced and Impartial and enters a new state of enlightenment.
Yang Spirit / Ninth Rank	803 804	Proves the Dao Yang Spirit as purple qi stretches across the sky; shortly afterward, he is described as newly entering the Ninth Rank.

Background / History

Zhou Qiucheng was the dean of Chongzheng Academy in Jinling and a highly respected Great Confucian Scholar of the South of the River. He cultivated the Iron-Faced and Impartial Great Dao and held authority over the ancient Exquisite Pagoda, eventually becoming both its master and artifact spirit. 685 715

Late in life, Zhou had a son whose soul was severely injured after contact with a Mystic Item. Desperate to preserve his son's life, he searched for Magical Fungus and Immortal Herbs across the world. When ginseng roots enhanced by Zhang Chen's Innate Qi showed the power to heal his son, Zhou personally sought out their seller. 600 612

Zhang Chen exchanged an eight-thousand-year ginseng for admission to Chongzheng Academy's inner courtyard. Zhou accepted the condition, gave Zhang Chen a jade token, and offered to accept Zhang Chen's siblings as disciples. The ginseng restored his son's consciousness, beginning Zhou's master-disciple bond with Zhang Chen. 612

As conflict closed in around Jinling, Zhou promised to protect Zhang Chen from Zhang Xiaohua, the Capital Zhang Family, and the Yellow Heaven Dao while Zhang remained in the city. He also used the Exquisite Pagoda to imprison the hostile Zhao Lie. 617 712

Fearing Chen Sanliang's Education for All Great Dao, Zhou transformed the Exquisite Pagoda into a Divine Path artifact and gathered vast amounts of Incense faith from Jinling. He first cultivated Iron-Faced and Impartial, then attempted to improve it into the doctrine of the Selfless Heart. 715 758

Chen Sanliang exposed the contradiction at the heart of Zhou's doctrine: Zhou had previously used Jiang Nan in a scheme that ruined her reputation in order to drive Zhou Zhen down the mountain. The revelation caused Zhou's Dao Heart to collapse during their spiritual Dao Discussion, and Chen subsequently defeated him in battle. 765 766

Rather than submit, Zhou used Chen Sanliang's devotion to his deceased wife to lure him into the Innate Water God Great Tomb. Zhou intended to remove Chen while sacrificing his own literary Dao and continuing on the Divine Path. 768

The Yellow Heaven Dao later besieged Jinling. Huang Chao used a Curse Source to shatter the Exquisite Pagoda, releasing its sealed entities and reducing Zhou to a mortal. Zhang Chen intervened when Zhao Lie attempted to kill him, but the Great Sovereign Demon King's head later entered Zhou's body; Zhang Chen killed Zhou to prevent the entity from growing further. 775 776 782

Zhang Chen repaired Zhou's body with the Law of Life and resurrected him with Yanluo Authority. Having lost the Exquisite Pagoda and his former Dao, Zhou intended to retire quietly, but Zhang Chen instead guided him toward a new path based on the Laws of Heaven and Earth. 783 784

This guidance allowed Zhou to attain enlightenment and prove the Dao Yang Spirit. The Academy subsequently invited him to serve as its Seventh Mister. 803 804

Appearance

Zhou Qiucheng is a refined scholar who was initially described as a man in his fifties. He dresses with care and carries the composed bearing of a long-established Confucian master. After later cultivation, he appears younger rather than aged. 600 891

• Often wears luxurious scholar's robes; he is seen dressed in white at Chongzheng Academy. 600 616
• Keeps his hair meticulously combed. 600
• His presence once carried a distinct artistic conception associated with his Yin Spirit cultivation. 600
• During a soul injury, frost covered his body and even froze the tea and inkstone in his study. 675

Personality

Zhou is principled, proud, and deeply attached to the Human Clan and Imperial Court. Even after his defeat, he refuses Chen Sanliang's demand for submission, and he rejects the Yellow Heaven Dao's Grand Worthy Teacher's Decree despite threats of invasion. 765 770

He is also calculating and politically capable. He leverages his position, his control of the Exquisite Pagoda, and his knowledge of Chen Sanliang's weakness to create contingency plans. His confidence in these calculations can become arrogance, particularly when he underestimates Chen Sanliang and Huang Chao. 745 768 775

Despite his past wrongdoing toward Jiang Nan, Zhou retains a conscience. After confronting Jiang Nan and Shen Qiu over their betrayal, he releases them rather than taking revenge, declaring their debts settled. 770

His greatest personal weakness is stubbornness. Even after reaching the Yang Spirit realm, he remains determined to someday challenge Chen Sanliang again, despite Zhang Chen's repeated doubts that he can catch up. 803 804

Abilities & Skills

Confucian Scholarship and Dao Discussion

Zhou is a Great Confucian Scholar whose cultivation is rooted in personal doctrine and the direct contest of Great Daos.

• Originally cultivated the Iron-Faced and Impartial Great Dao. 685
• Developed the incomplete Selfless Heart doctrine to counter Chen Sanliang's Education for All. 758
• His Selfless Heart manifested as vast, milky-white Righteous Qi during the spiritual Dao Discussion. 765
• His Dao Heart collapsed when Chen Sanliang exposed the conflict between Zhou's doctrine and his treatment of Jiang Nan. 765
• Later reoriented his path toward the Laws of Heaven and Earth, ultimately proving the Dao Yang Spirit. 784 803

Divine Path Cultivation

Zhou gathered the faith of Jinling's populace to become a Divine Path cultivator.

• Reached Divine Path Tenth Rank through Incense faith. 745
• Jinling's residents erected statues and worshipped him as their sole faith, supplying the Incense Power that sustained his Divine Path. 715 745
• Understood that Divine Path power was external and less controllable than the self-comprehended power of a Yang Spirit. 803
• His Divine Path immortality depended on continued worship; Chen Sanliang noted that severing his followers and descendants would eventually cut off his Incense and destroy him. 768

Exquisite Pagoda

The Exquisite Pagoda was Zhou's defining Divine Path artifact and strongest defense before its destruction.

• Became the pagoda's master and artifact spirit despite the treasure having existed for hundreds of thousands of years without a master. 715
• Used it to suppress Zhao Lie and imprison him within the tower. 712
• Its divine might allowed Zhou to detect the Suppress law left in the souls of those who had entered it, exposing Jiang Nan and Shen Qiu despite their concealment. 770
• The pagoda contained at least sixteen thousand sealed oddities, each with its own divine ability and rules. 630
• Huang Chao's Curse Source infiltrated and shattered it, stripping Zhou of his cultivation. 775 776

Mystic Chains

Zhou can use mystic chains to restrain an opponent's aura and immobilize them.

• Locked down Zhang Xiaohua's aura, leaving him unable to move. 630

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Exquisite Pagoda — Former Innate Spiritual Treasure and Divine Path artifact; served as Zhou's primary means of suppression, detection, and protection before being shattered. 715 770 775
• Mystic Chains — Restraining technique or implement used to lock an enemy's aura. 630
• Jade Token — Token issued to Zhang Chen to secure his enrollment in Chongzheng Academy. 612

Relationships

• Zhang Chen — Disciple and trusted ally. Zhou grants him admission to Chongzheng Academy, protects his identity, and later receives Zhang's guidance toward Yang Spirit enlightenment; Zhang in turn saves and resurrects him. 612 617 783 803
• Zhou Zhen — Son. Zhou's search for life-saving spiritual medicine begins because of Zhou Zhen's damaged soul. 600 612
• Jiang Nan — Former disciple. Zhou accepts her after she offers the Eight Treasures Heart-Locking Elixir, but his earlier scheme against her leads to her betrayal; he later releases her from their mutual debts. 708 765 770
• Shen Qiu — Former disciple and Jiang Nan's companion. Zhou confronts him over betrayal but ultimately lets him leave with Jiang Nan. 770
• Chen Sanliang — Ideological rival and Dao Discussion opponent. Chen defeats Zhou by exposing the flaw in his Selfless Heart doctrine; Zhou later lures him into the Innate Water God Great Tomb. 764 765 768
• Gu Mingyue — Yellow Heaven Dao adversary. Gu tries to recruit Zhou with the Grand Worthy Teacher's Decree, then helps lead the assault on Jinling and the Exquisite Pagoda. 770 775
• Zhong Wu Bai — Fellow Yang Spirit scholar who escorts Zhou to the Academy after his breakthrough. 804
• Xie Lingyun — A member of Zhou's scholarly lineage, described as his master's teacher; they cooperate to resolve Zhang Chen's identity problem. 891

Notable Quotes

“Unless my ashes leave Jiangnan, I will not take a single step away from here.”
— Zhou Qiucheng, refusing to abandon Jinling City 773

“The Divine Path is external power, not one's own.”
— Zhou Qiucheng, after proving the Dao Yang Spirit 803