Sun Tao

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	Sun Tao (孙涛)
Alias(es)	Ghost's Dread
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Fierce Tiger Martial Arts Hall (former); Little Merchant Mountain
Occupation/Role	Martial arts instructor; third master and later hall master of the Fierce Tiger Martial Arts Hall
First Appearance	Chapter 56

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
External martial arts specialist	56	Practiced no internal energy, but had grasped at least six parts of the Tiger Subduing Fist's essence; his skill and combat power surpassed Jia Kui's.
Internal martial artist	244	Cultivated internal energy after receiving Qian Fu's cultivation manual before Qian Fu's death.
Potential Xiantian contender	678	After disappearing for roughly five to six years, his sudden rise led Six Yin Superior to suspect that he had recently advanced enough to approach the Xiantian realm.
Postnatal Peak	684	Confirmed to have reached the peak of the Houtian realm despite his formerly weak Innate constitution.
First tribulation of the Heart Demon Reversal Scripture	694	After Fan Zhuxuan's death, Sun Tao crossed another demonic tribulation; his spiritual power increased substantially.

Background / History

Sun Tao was one of Qian Changming's five personal disciples at the Fierce Tiger Martial Arts Hall. Though he was the second senior disciple among the remaining members and more skilled than Jia Kui, he was only made the third master; Qian Fu remained hall master, while Jia Kui held the second-master position. This perceived humiliation fostered Sun Tao's long-standing resentment toward both men. 56

He nevertheless respected Qian Changming as a father figure and initially restrained his dissatisfaction through loyalty, reason, and fear of Qian Fu's superior strength. Xiang Yang exploited this conflict by approaching Sun Tao with evidence linked to Qian Fu's crimes, encouraging him to act against his senior brother. 57 59

Sun Tao arranged a late-night banquet under the banyan tree at his residence, drugged Qian Fu, and summoned Xiang Yang when Qian Fu retaliated. He and Xiang Yang jointly defeated Qian Fu, though Sun Tao was still outmatched by his drugged senior brother in a direct one-on-one fight. 61 64

After Qian Fu's death, Sun Tao chose not to desecrate the body and agreed to honor Qian Fu's final request to care for Qian Changming and preserve the martial arts hall. He later became the hall's master and cultivated internal energy from the manual Qian Fu left behind. 64 244

Ku Men assassins, acting on Zhao Dehan's orders, later targeted Sun Tao. Xiang Yang saved him, but used the situation to compel his cooperation. After Zhao Dehan's death, Sun Tao blackmailed Xiang Yang into letting him escape, then abandoned Anyuan and vowed never to use the name “Sun Tao” again. 245 247

Years later, he resurfaced in Shang Commandery as Ghost's Dread, a formidable Houtian martial artist with a reputation strong enough to attract Six Yin Superior's attention. 678

Appearance

Sun Tao originally looked more like an aging farmer than a martial artist: plain-featured, slightly hunched, and habitually walking with his hands behind his back. His later return revealed a markedly sharper, more commanding presence. 56 684

• Ordinary, rugged facial features and a stout, robust build. 56
• Slightly hunched posture in his early years. 56
• Large fists likened to concealed iron hammers. 56
• After cultivating demonic arts, his fingernails turned dark purplish-black. 684
• Later carried himself with a commanding stride, deep and intimidating eyes, and an aura of competence. 684

Personality

Sun Tao is deeply ambitious, but his ambition emerged from genuine resentment and a sense of being unjustly slighted. For years, he endured his lower status at the Fierce Tiger Martial Arts Hall while continuing to respect his master and maintain the appearance of an honest instructor. 56 59

He is calculating and highly self-protective. He drugged Qian Fu rather than challenge him openly, used blackmail to escape Xiang Yang, and later manipulated both Fan Zhuxuan and several Xiantian experts as parts of his own cultivation strategy. 61 247 699

Despite his ruthlessness, Sun Tao retains conflicted attachments to his past. He honored Qian Fu's body and final request, admitted that Qian Changming might disown him for his betrayal, and later expressed exhaustion and uncertainty over the demonic path he had chosen. 64 684 694

Abilities & Skills

Tiger Subduing Fist

Sun Tao's original martial art was the Fierce Tiger Martial Arts Hall's Tiger Subduing Fist. Though he lacked internal energy at first, his understanding of the style exceeded Jia Kui's and captured its fierce, killing intent. 56 64

• His foot stomp could crack bluestone without internal energy. 56
• His fist intent was likened to a tiger roaring in the mountains. 56
• Used the technique alongside Xiang Yang to bring down Qian Fu. 64
• Could not overcome Qian Fu alone, even after Qian Fu was drugged. 64

Internal Energy Cultivation

Following Qian Fu's death, Sun Tao cultivated the internal-energy method Qian Fu entrusted to him. This transformed him from an external martial artist into an internal martial artist and eventually a Houtian Peak expert. 64 244 684

Myriad Poisons Body Tempering Art

Sun Tao obtained the Myriad Poisons Body Tempering Art, a Demonic Sect technique developed by the Plague Doctor and Ghost Doctor lineages. It can alter a practitioner's innate potential, allowing people with weak constitutions to cultivate. 684

• Enabled Sun Tao's unusually rapid rise despite his inferior Innate constitution. 684
• Infused his body with poison, visibly discoloring his fingernails. 684
• Carries severe physical consequences; Sun Tao himself described the gains as potentially not worth the losses. 684

Heart Demon Reversal Scripture

A supreme Innate-realm demonic art of the Heart Demon lineage, the Heart Demon Reversal Scripture cultivates the spirit and Primordial Spirit rather than the physical body or True Qi. It also functions as a combat method. 684

• Sun Tao possessed the lower volume and exchanged it with Xiang Yang for assistance against Fan Zhuxuan. 685 694
• Cultivated to the first demonic tribulation. 694
• Treats feared enemies as “outer demons”; overcoming them dispels inner demons and strengthens spiritual power. 694
• Causes escalating instability of mind and is regarded by Sun Tao as a path with no return. 694

Schemes and Manipulation

Sun Tao repeatedly compensates for gaps in raw strength through planning, deception, and the exploitation of stronger fighters. 61 699

• Drugged Qian Fu before attempting to kill him. 61
• Used Xiang Yang to remove both Zhao Dehan and Fan Zhuxuan. 245 685
• Leaked Xiang Yang's location to lure Blood Spirit Child, Black Robe, and Liao Hui to Little Merchant Mountain. 699
• Intended to use Xiang Yang's survival against successive Xiantian threats to break further Fear Demon tribulations. 699
• Kept the Mysterious Ice Blazing Fire Array as a hidden contingency, claiming its power was comparable to Xiantian. 699

Equipment / Items

• Heart Demon Reversal Scripture — Sun Tao possessed its lower volume; together with Xiang Yang's upper volume, it completed the Demonic Path Great Method. 694
• Crimson Copper Pill Cauldron — An item held by Fan Zhuxuan that Sun Tao sought to obtain through Xiang Yang's help. 685
• Qian Fu's important relic — A secret item sought by Zhao Dehan and retained by Sun Tao after Zhao's death. 247

Relationships

• Qian Changming — Master and father figure. Sun Tao deeply respected him, though he feared Qian Changming would reject him for conspiring against Qian Fu. 59 684
• Qian Fu — Senior brother and former hall master. Sun Tao resented Qian Fu's position, betrayed him, and helped kill him, but later honored his final request. 56 64
• Jia Kui — Junior fellow disciple and rival. Sun Tao was more skilled than Jia Kui but was ranked beneath him as third master. 56
• Xiang Yang — Fellow townsman, repeated ally, and eventual mutual manipulator. They cooperated in killing Qian Fu and Zhao Dehan, then again against Fan Zhuxuan. 64 684 685
• Zhao Dehan — Enemy who sent Ku Men assassins after Sun Tao in pursuit of Qian Fu's relic. 245 247
• Fan Zhuxuan — Former master and an “outer demon” in Sun Tao's Heart Demon Reversal Scripture cultivation. Sun Tao arranged for Xiang Yang to kill him. 685 694
• Han Yi and Fang Jing — Associates on Little Merchant Mountain who followed Sun Tao's plans, though they feared the danger of his scheme against the Xiantian experts. 699

Story Role / Major Arcs

Fierce Tiger Martial Arts Hall Arc

Sun Tao serves as Xiang Yang's opening into the otherwise secure Fierce Tiger Martial Arts Hall. His resentment toward Qian Fu makes him the decisive insider in Xiang Yang's assassination plan. 56 60

Betrayal of Qian Fu

He hosts the Hongmen Banquet, drugs Qian Fu, and joins Xiang Yang in the fatal fight. Qian Fu's death leaves Sun Tao with the hall, an internal-cultivation manual, and the burden of betraying his senior brother. 61 64

Ku Men Conflict and Disappearance

Threatened by Zhao Dehan and Ku Men, Sun Tao is rescued by Xiang Yang. He later uses his knowledge of Xiang Yang's past involvement in Qian Fu's death to secure his escape from Anyuan. 245 247

Return as Ghost's Dread

After years away, Sun Tao reappears as Ghost's Dread, now a Houtian Peak martial artist with demonic techniques and followers of his own. His transformation shocks Xiang Yang, who had once considered him a relatively ordinary external martial artist. 678 684

Little Merchant Mountain Scheme

Sun Tao recruits Xiang Yang to kill Fan Zhuxuan, then exploits Fan's death to break a Heart Demon tribulation. He subsequently lures three Xiantian experts toward Xiang Yang, intending to use the resulting danger to fuel further breakthroughs in the Heart Demon Reversal Scripture. 685 694 699

Trivia

• Sun Tao's former home had two courtyards, six rooms, two servants, and a prominent banyan tree in the backyard. 56 61
• Before his betrayal, Qian Fu trusted him because Sun Tao had always appeared honest and diligent. 61
• Xiang Yang initially underestimated Sun Tao even after their reunion, failing to anticipate the depth of his schemes. 699