Zeng Fan

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Zeng Fan (曾凡) 1
Species/Race	Human; an Earth office worker who transmigrated into a dead boy’s body in the Profound Spirit Dynasty 1
Gender	Male 1
Affiliation	Five Mountains Sect 14 18
Occupation/Role	Ordinary disciple of the Five Mountains Sect 18
Status	Alive; last documented at the Body Tempering Blood stage 50
First Appearance	Chapter 1

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Profound-grade Spiritual Vein	3 6	The Pulse-Breaking Pill cleared 70% of his blocked meridians; his later aptitude test identifies it as a Seventh-level Profound Vein.
Body Tempering Realm	3	First absorbed spiritual energy and entered cultivation after escaping Guo Ren’s stone chamber.
Body Tempering Skin — Minor Accomplishment	5	Reached through three days of Fish Dragon Fist practice supplemented by Spirit Stones; his palm could withstand a cleaver strike.
Body Tempering Skin — completed	10	Finished tempering his skin before the Five Mountains Sect selection trial.
Body Tempering Skin — Grand Perfection	14	Refined five Spiritual Fruits, including one given by Yuan Jin, until spiritual energy permeated his entire body.
Body Tempering Sinew / Muscle	19	Broke through using his sect stipend pill, gaining greater speed.
Body Tempering Muscle — Mastery	23	Completed the Fish Dragon Dance after training with the Jade Spirit Flood Dragon; the breakthrough followed immediately.
Body Tempering Muscle — Grand Perfection	29	Advanced inside the Quenching Body Pool.
Body Tempering Bone	29	Used the remaining Quenching Body Pool energy to cross into the bone-tempering stage, increasing his strength.
Body Tempering Bone — Major Accomplishment	34	Combined waterfall endurance training with the Fish Dragon Dance.
Body Tempering Bone — Perfection	40	Forced a breakthrough during his battle with Huang Da after consuming Body Tempering Fruits.
Body Tempering Blood	50	Refined a Body Tempering Pill until spiritual energy merged with more than 30% of his blood.

Background / History

Zeng Fan was an ordinary office worker on Earth before a drunk driver struck him. He awoke in the body of a boy who had been beaten to death by human traffickers after losing his grandfather, home, and only source of support. With no remaining family for the original owner, he retained his own name and resolved to improve the body’s fate. An inn proprietress in Jiuyuan City took him in as a helper while he was still unable to cultivate. 1

Drawn by a mysterious sensation within his body, Zeng Fan left Jiuyuan City and found a hidden stone chamber containing the remains of Guo Ren. Guo Ren’s jade slip asked him to deliver a message to his father and avenge him against Cai Xiao of the Shui Tian Sect. Zeng Fan accepted the request and inherited Guo Ren’s Pulse-Breaking Pill, Storage Ring, and cultivation resources. 2

The pill transformed his prospects by unblocking his meridians and allowing him to enter the Body Tempering Realm. After publicly testing as a Seventh-level Profound Vein, he received Jiuyuan City’s rewards, reported its human-trafficking ring, and crippled the ruffians who had killed the original body’s owner. 3 6 7

He placed third in the Five Mountains Sect selection behind Murong Xue and Yuan Jin, becoming an ordinary sect disciple. There, he built his strength through sect resources, the Disciple Competition, the Quenching Body Pool, waterfall training, and repeated life-or-death battles. 14 18 29 34

Appearance

Zeng Fan is introduced as a sixteen-year-old boy with a decent appearance and is later described as handsome. His body develops visible cultivation traits as he advances. 1 24

• His physique gains a subtle luster after the Pulse-Breaking Pill and formation of a Profound-grade Spiritual Vein. 3
• When using the Ironwood Body at Major Accomplishment, his skin is covered in a cold, metallic black-grey sheen. 44
• His fighting style often leaves him battered rather than pristine; after completing the Fish Dragon Dance, he emerged from the forest with torn clothes, leaves in his hair, and visible excitement. 23

Personality

Zeng Fan is intensely ambitious but not reckless. Having begun as someone with blocked meridians and no support, he consistently treats resources, training environments, and temporary alliances as opportunities to close the gap with more privileged cultivators. He is willing to spend Spirit Stones, endure painful cultivation methods, and seek unconventional solutions rather than accept slow progress. 4 33 43

He is loyal to people who help him, particularly Guo Ren, Yuan Jin, and the inn proprietress. He repays support with practical action, from restoring Guo Ren’s remnant soul to sharing techniques and resources with allies. 8 32 43

Zeng Fan can also be ruthless when threatened. He permanently crippled the traffickers’ ruffians after defeating them, killed the Huang brothers after they ambushed his group, and treats spoils from hostile enemies as necessary resources rather than moral complications. 7 40

Abilities & Skills

Profound-grade Spiritual Vein

Zeng Fan possesses a Seventh-level Profound Vein, granting him the ability to absorb spiritual energy and cultivate at a rate far beyond his original blocked-meridian state. 3 6

• Uses his aptitude to rapidly absorb spiritual energy from Spirit Stones, sect grounds, pills, and cultivation sites. 4 18 29
• His initial cultivation was constrained by the low spiritual-energy density of cities and by his limited resources. 4 45
• His Profound Vein is powerful but remains below Earth Vein aptitude, leaving him at a natural disadvantage against disciples such as Murong Xue and Wang Beichen. 9 23

Fish Dragon Technique

Inherited from Guo Ren, the Fish Dragon Technique refines spiritual energy through the Body Tempering stages and includes the Fish Dragon Fist and Fish Dragon Dance. Its recorded path extends only to the Spirit Control Realm. 4

• Fish Dragon Fist — Uses combat forms to draw in spiritual energy and temper the body. 4
• Fish Dance — A movement method modeled on fish, enabling unusual evasions and gradual power accumulation. 21 25
• Dragon Dance — Learned by observing the Jade Spirit Flood Dragon’s movements and muscular force. 22 23
• Fish Dragon Dance — His ultimate attack; it accumulates force throughout a fight and releases it in a single explosive strike. 21
• The technique helped him defeat Wang Beichen, kill Huang Da, and strike vital weak points on Demonic Beasts. 26 40 46

Ironwood Body

The Ironwood Body is a defensive cultivation technique taken from Huang Da after the Huang brothers’ defeat. It absorbs black energy from Ironwood to strengthen Zeng Fan’s skin and physical endurance. 40 42

• Reached Major Accomplishment through repeated absorption in the Alchemy Hall’s Ironwood storeroom. 44
• Gives his body hardness comparable to Ironwood and makes it difficult for same-realm opponents to pierce his defense. 43 44
• Withstood the recoil from striking a Spirit Gathering Realm Demonic Beast; without the technique, Zeng Fan believed his hand bones would have shattered. 47
• At Body Tempering Blood, its defense was strong enough to crack a same-realm Gray Wolf Beast’s claws. 50

Combined Ironwood Body and Fish Dragon Dance

Zeng Fan discovered that the Ironwood Body could be maintained externally while the Fish Dragon Dance circulated internally, allowing defense and explosive force to operate together. 43

• The combination initially failed because both techniques interfered with each other. 43
• Once stabilized, it allowed Zeng Fan to shatter a waterfall with a single punch. 43
• The simultaneous use is physically draining and relies on his ability to maintain both circulations. 43

Tactical Combat

Zeng Fan regularly compensates for realm disadvantages with observation, positioning, and attacks against weak points.

• Disabled Swift Monkey Beasts by striking the joints behind their claws rather than the claws themselves. 12
• Used Yao Ling’er’s powder to blind Huang San before killing him. 38
• Targeted a wild boar Demonic Beast’s jaw and eye after his spear could not penetrate its hide. 46
• Recognizes his limitations; he judged that a Spirit Gathering Realm Demonic Beast was beyond his ability to defeat directly. 47

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Guo Ren’s Storage Ring — Contains roughly a thousand Spirit Stones, cultivation books, and other surviving resources from Guo Ren’s inheritance. 2 4
• Fish Dragon Technique jade slip — Source of his main cultivation method, Fish Dragon Fist, and Fish Dragon Dance. 4 20
• Mysterious metal fragment — Purchased for six hundred Spirit Stones after it triggered an internal sensation; it absorbs spiritual energy but has not responded to his attempts to activate it. 15 16
• Jade Spirit Flood Dragon scales — Given as protection by the flood dragon; Zeng Fan entrusted one scale to Murong Xue for refinement into a heart protector. 24
• Spear — Used in the Datong Dynasty campaign, including in the kill of a Body Tempering Bone wild boar Demonic Beast. 46
• Ironwood Body manual — Taken from Huang Da’s body after the battle with the Huang brothers. 40

Relationships

• Guo Ren — Deceased benefactor whose inheritance enabled Zeng Fan to cultivate. Zeng Fan swore to convey Guo Ren’s final message, avenge him against Cai Xiao, and later restored Guo Ren’s remnant soul with Spirit Grass. 2 32
• Yuan Jin — Closest friend, early ally, and fellow Profound Vein disciple. They cooperate in cultivation and combat; Yuan Jin gave Zeng Fan an extra Spiritual Fruit to accelerate his breakthrough. 6 8 14
• Murong Xue — Earth Vein disciple, friendly rival, and frequent ally. She helped him train with the Jade Spirit Flood Dragon, protected him from Zhou Bao, and supported him during major trials. 22 24 28
• Yao Ling’er — Alchemy Hall disciple who refined Spirit Grass for Guo Ren’s remnant soul in exchange for a favor. After initially using Zeng Fan to deter suitors, she became a trusted collaborator and enabled his Ironwood Body cultivation. 32 35 42
• Wang Beichen — Earth Vein disciple whom Zeng Fan defeated in the Disciple Competition. Their relationship shifted from hostility to mutual respect and companionship after the Quenching Body Pool. 26 28 29
• Jade Spirit Flood Dragon — Sect spirit beast that served as Zeng Fan’s sparring partner while he learned the Dragon Dance and later gifted him protective scales. 22 24
• Wang An — Fellow Jiuyuan City recruit who gathered intelligence during the sect selection and later reunited with Zeng Fan for the Datong Dynasty campaign. 9 44
• Shi Yun — Five Mountains Sect envoy who noticed Zeng Fan’s focus on the Spirit Boat and provided him with a communication jade slip. 17 18
• Inn Proprietress — The unnamed proprietor who gave Zeng Fan work and shelter immediately after his transmigration. 1 8

Story Role / Major Arcs

Jiuyuan City

• Receives Guo Ren’s inheritance, obtains a Profound-grade Spiritual Vein, and begins cultivating. 2 3
• Publicly tests as a Seventh-level Profound Vein and earns entry into Jiuyuan City’s selection process. 6 7
• Reports the human traffickers and takes revenge on the ruffians responsible for the original body’s death. 7

Five Mountains Sect Selection

• Travels to the Imperial City with Yuan Jin and Wang An to compete for admission to the Five Mountains Sect. 8 9
• Retrieves Spiritual Fruits during the valley trial and finishes third behind Murong Xue and Yuan Jin. 12 14
• Joins the Five Mountains Sect as an ordinary disciple. 14 18

Disciple Competition and Quenching Body Pool

• Learns the Fish Dragon Dance through training with the Jade Spirit Flood Dragon. 21 23
• Defeats Body Tempering Muscle Perfection Earth Vein disciple Wang Beichen through endurance, accumulated force, and a desperate headbutt. 26
• Secures a top-ten finish, earning access to the Quenching Body Pool and advancing through two stages. 27 29

Body Tempering Fruit Conflict

• Joins Yao Ling’er, Chen Yan, and Wang Ying in hunting the Scorpion Tiger for Body Tempering Fruits. 36 37
• Survives the Huang brothers’ ambush, killing all three while protecting his injured companions. 38 40
• Breaks through to Body Tempering Bone Perfection during the final battle and acquires the Ironwood Body technique. 40

Datong Dynasty Campaign

• Cultivates the Ironwood Body to Major Accomplishment and develops its combined use with the Fish Dragon Dance before deployment. 43 44
• Participates in the Five Mountains Sect’s campaign against Demonic Beasts, fighting alongside Murong Xue, Yuan Jin, Wang Beichen, and Wang An. 44 46
• Exchanges thirty Demonic Beast corpses for a Body Tempering Pill and uses it to reach Body Tempering Blood before the counterattack. 49 50

Notable Quotes

“With this Profound Vein, I can finally begin cultivating!” 3

“I won’t lose!” 26