Duan De

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Duan De (段德)
Alias(es)	Daoist Priest Duan; Uncle Daoist/Uncle Duan; Dao Lord; Old Duan; Duan Renxing
Gender	Male
Occupation/Role	Tomb explorer and archaeologist; cultivator; mentor to Li Zhi and Li Xian'er
Status	Active; continues reincarnating to accumulate Marks of Reincarnation 945
First Appearance	Chapter 52

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Above Sacrifice Dao	945	Completes a cycle of reincarnations to accumulate Ninety-Nine Marks of Reincarnation; Li Zhi assists his final breakthrough through a Great Sacrifice method.

Background / History

Duan De investigated the fall of the ancient Demon Capital and concluded that its Demon Emperor likely did not die naturally, but vanished alongside his subordinates. He later brought Li Zhi into underground tombs, where he served as guide, protector, and interpreter of ancient history. 52 53

A veteran tomb explorer from childhood, he claims to have entered the profession at age five and spent more than twenty years roaming ancient tombs. His exceptional underground methods made him a suspected culprit in tomb robberies across several sects, and he was known to have been pursued by both the Ji Clan and the Fifth Great Bandit, Wu Dao. 148 272

He repeatedly reincarnates to accumulate Marks of Reincarnation. At a later point, he uses the name Duan Renxing, calls himself an “unworthy descendant,” and summons an ancient ancestor from an Emperor’s Tomb. 856 857 He ultimately completes Ninety-Nine Marks of Reincarnation and reaches Above Sacrifice Dao. 945

Appearance

Duan De commonly appears as a plump, ruddy-faced Daoist around thirty years old, though he frequently alters his appearance to avoid recognition. 133 152

• Plump build and conspicuous belly. 433
• Often dresses as a Daoist, carrying a whisk. 52
• Can disguise himself as a wealthy merchant or other identities. 152 255
• His physique conceals itself from even a Sage’s gaze. 256

Personality

Duan De is greedy for ancient inheritances and treasures, refusing to retreat from dangerous ruins empty-handed. Even while trapped in a collapsing demonic small world full of red-haired Yin Soldiers, he insists on continuing the search for divine objects. 298

He is shrewd, cautious, and often evasive about his own background. He prefers to work through preparations, formations, disguises, and contingency plans rather than direct confrontation. 133 152 297 Though he presents himself as unserious and enjoys bickering with the Black Emperor, he becomes notably grave when discussing tribulation, darkness, or Li Zhi’s cultivation path. 258 695

Duan De takes pride in Li Zhi’s growth and treats him as a successor despite refusing formal master-disciple titles. 433

Abilities & Skills

Tomb Exploration and Feng Shui

Duan De is an expert in identifying tombs, underground Yin veins, burial sites, Dragon Veins, and the structures left behind by ancient cultivators.

• Identifies a natural acupoint on an underground Yin Vein that had been converted into a tomb. 53
• Uses a Dragon Seeking Ruler to trace a Dragon Vein beneath a collapsed small world. 298
• Recognizes artificial modifications made by a Source Heavenly Master and an Earth Master ancestor. 296
• Assesses coffins, corpses, burial materials, and hidden treasures without disturbing the dead unnecessarily. 54
• Can identify the approximate origin and quality of rare spiritual materials from small remnants, such as an Immortality Elixir-derived fruit pit. 65

Array and Tunnel Construction

His tunnel-building methods incorporate protective formations rather than simple excavation.

• Uses the Nine Bends God Burying Array to make tunnels that isolate internal and external auras while killing evil entities. 297
• Constructs winding routes and stone gates to turn a tomb-raiding passage into a defensive divine array. 297
• Uses a Blood Sacrifice Method to disperse Dao Pattern barriers that cannot be breached through force. 133
• Can prepare barriers against curses and dangerous burial environments. 297

Tribulation Crossing Heavenly Merit

Duan De cultivates the Tribulation Crossing Heavenly Merit, a profound cultivation method centered on enduring tribulations and tempering the body.

• His physical body’s toughness is described as exceeding ordinary cultivators’ imagination. 152
• Imparts its body-tempering chapter to Li Zhi, warning that the method requires extreme endurance and a pure Yang body until Great Accomplishment. 258
• Uses the merit as the foundation for guiding Li Xian’er’s special constitution and death qi issues. 466
• Determines that the method is unsuitable for Li Xian’er herself and advises her to cultivate the Wa Huang Scripture instead. 475

Reincarnation Methods

Duan De possesses a Reincarnation Mark and repeatedly begins new lives through ancient tombs.

• Accumulates Marks of Reincarnation across numerous reincarnations. 945
• Recovers fragments of memory through his Reincarnation Mark when Li Zhi’s tribulation releases extreme dark power. 695
• Ends one lifetime and revives from an ancient tomb to begin another. 945
• Reaches Above Sacrifice Dao after completing Ninety-Nine Marks of Reincarnation. 945

Artifact and Corpse Refinement

Duan De can refine corpses, extract Yin and Netherworld energy, and handle dangerous burial artifacts.

• Refines a Saint Corpse into a Puppet General using the Lid of the Heaven Swallowing Demonic Pot. 154
• Separates Netherworld power from the Netherworld Divine Flower and identifies its remaining essence as material for a Heaven Mending Divine Pill. 154
• Advises nurturing the Puppet General in an Extreme Yin Land for eighty-one days to attain King-level combat power. 154
• Uses a Corpse Suppressing Talisman and identifies its significance in containing a red-haired monster. 298

Heaven Swallowing Demonic Pot

Duan De wields or has access to the Lid of the Heaven Swallowing Demonic Pot, using its Extreme Dao power to suppress threats and excavate divine materials.

• Uses Sacred Blood to activate the lid and suppress red-haired whirlwinds throughout a sealed demonic world. 298
• Protects Li Zhi with the lid’s dark light while traversing dangerous regions. 298
• Uses its divine light to excavate Divine Source Stone Skin. 298
• Employs it to isolate himself from Li Zhi’s Dao lecture and avoid being drawn into its artistic conception. 459

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Nine Jade Daggers — Rapidly drill a deep, clean tunnel through the ground without excavating soil. 52
• Ancient Lamp — Produces silver-white light that protects against harmful Yin Energy. 53
• Bell — Used to test whether ancient corpses have developed intelligence. 53
• Dragon Seeking Ruler — Used to trace Dragon Veins and locate underground spaces. 298
• Lid of the Heaven Swallowing Demonic Pot — Extreme Dao artifact used for suppression, excavation, protection, and corpse refinement. 154 298
• Ancient Emperor Token — Given to Li Zhi to authenticate his identity as an Ancient Imperial Prince. 382
• Luoyang Shovel — Used under the identity Duan Renxing while excavating an Emperor’s Tomb. 856

Relationships

• Li Zhi — Long-term mentor, tomb-exploration partner, and successor figure. Duan De teaches him cultivation methods, guides him through ruins, protects him during tribulations, and openly takes pride in his progress. 53 258 433
• Li Xian’er — Mentor and archaeological teacher. He recognizes her Underworld Physique, explains the Yin, Yang, and Mortal Realms to her, and trains her for three years. 466 467
• Black Emperor — Frequent bickering partner and occasional collaborator. Their interactions are marked by insults, attempted bites, and mutual greed for rare treasures. 433 461 694
• Ye Fan — Associate and occasional companion in ancient ruins. Duan De helps safeguard Ye Fan by taking his physical body as collateral when Ye Fan remains behind at Purple Mountain. 381
• Emperor Venerable — A figure Duan De claims to have taught in his youth; he later expresses regret over Emperor Venerable’s death and the lost potential of the Immortality Ascension Cauldron’s Artifact Spirit. 433 945
• Heavenly Blind Old Man — Cooperates with Duan De and Li Zhi in major expeditions and the events surrounding Purple Mountain and the Feathered Ancestral Temple. 381 431

Story Role / Major Arcs

Early Tomb Expeditions

Duan De introduces Li Zhi to the dangers and rewards of tomb exploration. He leads him through an underground Yin Vein tomb, protects him from Yin Energy, identifies the buried Great Accomplishment Kings, and locates the Mysterious Yin Treasure Pearl. 53 54

Ruthless Great Emperor’s Dao Field

After years apart, Duan De reunites with Li Zhi while excavating the Ruthless Great Emperor’s Dao Field. He uses Saint Spirit Essence Blood to open its Dao Pattern barrier and later assists Li Zhi’s Sixth Transformative Rebirth by unlocking the code in his Spiritual Blood. 133 134

Immortal Mansion and Qin Mountains

Duan De brings Li Zhi into Qishi Mansion’s affairs and later recruits him for an expedition in the Qin Mountains. Together they excavate the Land of the Buried Dao, navigate a sealed demonic small world, suppress red-haired corruption, and recover the Earth Book from a yellow mud coffin. 257 295 297 298

Mentor to Li Xian’er

Duan De recognizes Li Xian’er’s unusual Underworld Physique and accepts her as a student for three years. Rather than teaching her the Tribulation Crossing Heavenly Merit, he guides her toward a cultivation path better suited to balancing her Death Qi. 466 475

Dark Living Beings Warning

After Li Zhi’s Dao imprint vanishes from heaven and earth, Duan De gathers powerful figures at the Heavenly Court and warns them of an approaching true Dark Turmoil. His knowledge comes from memories awakened by his Reincarnation Mark. 694 695

Final Reincarnation Cycle

Duan De continues reincarnating until he accumulates Ninety-Nine Marks of Reincarnation. With secret assistance from Li Zhi, he reaches Above Sacrifice Dao and later reunites with Li Zhi to reflect on Emperor Venerable, fate, and the altered history of the Shrouding the Sky World. 945 946

Notable Quotes

“This Daoist Priest will never leave empty-handed.” 298

“Incomplete scriptures have their advantages. Don’t place too much importance on complete ancient scriptures.” 288

“Once you encounter a Dark Living Being, you must annihilate them completely—otherwise, the calamity left behind will be endless.” 695

Trivia

• Duan De is repeatedly described as a “fat Daoist,” and his relaxed, plump appearance is tied to his preference for cultivating the Dao rather than maintaining a combat-oriented physique. 266
• His identity and appearance are difficult to probe; even a Sage cannot see through his physique. 256
• He considers Jade Pool Old Land and Purple Mountain “off-limits,” though he initially refuses to explain why. 154
• He has enough confidence in Li Zhi’s strength to deliberately allow him to be surrounded by Kings as a form of tempering. 433