Fan Wu

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Fan Wu (范武)
Alias(es)	Daoist Master Fan; Fellow Daoist Fan; “Ghost-Exorcising Old Heavenly Master”
Species/Race	Human; transmigrated into the World of Gods and Anomalies three years before the story begins 1
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Dragon-Imprisoning Monastery; later an independent traveler who cooperates with the Imperial Astronomy Bureau when necessary 20 46
Occupation/Role	Daoist master by reputation; supernatural exorcist; wielder of the Golden Finger
Status	Alive; traveling toward the Southern Commandery 48 49
First Appearance	Chapter 1

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Initial system panel — Vitality 89+, Strength 4, no skills	1	Activates the Golden Finger, which identifies supernatural entities’ attributes and grants Free Attribute Points for killing them.
Strength 6+	6	Allocates the 2 points gained from the green-faced water ghost entirely to Strength; his muscles, physical power, and senses markedly improve.
Strength 7.5+	14	Spends 1.5 points from the White-robed Vengeful Ghost on Strength, then withstands the Giant Paper Figure’s full-force strike bare-handed.
Strength 9+	17	Uses 3 points earned from weak ghosts while pursuing Xuan Shizi; his perception becomes sharp enough to trace distant sounds.
Strength 10+	18	Reaches double-digit Strength while confronting Xuan Shizi possessed by the Great Venerable’s power.
Star Constellation Sword Art Lv1	19	Kills Xuan Shizi, gaining 4 Free Attribute Points and his first skill drop. The sword art is mastered directly upon acquisition.
Strength 20+	27	Allocates accumulated points after massacring ghosts at the ghost inn; his body becomes dramatically tougher and his senses can distinguish distant pulses, heartbeats, scents, and minute details.
Strength 25+	43	Adds 5 points to Strength during the Willow Alley battle, then annihilates the Stitched Ghoul’s ghostly forces in seconds.
Vitality 94+, Strength 30+	45	First documented Vitality allocation: spends 5 points each on Vitality and Strength after defeating the Ultimate Stitched Body, retaining 5.2 points for emergencies.

Background / History

Fan Wu arrived in the World of Gods and Anomalies as a Daoist acolyte. For three years, he lived under the Old Heavenly Master of Dragon-Imprisoning Monastery, initially believing he could learn genuine Daoist magic. His master’s deathbed confession revealed that the celebrated ghost-exorcist was actually a lifelong con artist; Fan Wu had inherited a false reputation, fake scriptures, a letter for his master’s daughter in the Southern Commandery, and a promised fortune of more than four thousand taels of silver. 1

Soon after his master died, Fan Wu was forced by Prison Dragon County’s magistrate to handle a supernatural incident. Unable to expose the monastery’s fraud without risking imprisonment or death, he continued presenting himself as a capable Daoist master. During this crisis, he awakened the Golden Finger and confirmed that ghosts and demons were real. 1

His first confirmed kill was the green-faced water ghost, whom he defeated with the Demon-Slaying Sword and incense ash from the True Martial Great Emperor’s statue. The victory gave him his first Free Attribute Points and proved that he could turn anomalous events into a means of growing stronger. 4 5

Fan Wu subsequently eliminated the White-robed Vengeful Ghost, the Giant Paper Figure, and the evil Daoist Xuan Shizi, whose ghost-controlling arts were connected to the Great Venerable. After looting Xuan Shizi’s hidden treasure and collecting compensation from County Magistrate He Caisheng, he left Prison Dragon County with the Old Green Ox, intending to deliver his master’s letter to the Southern Commandery. 15 19 20

Appearance

Fan Wu is exceptionally tall, broad, and muscular; even before his system-enhanced growth, he resembled a hardened military general or mountain bandit more than a refined Daoist priest. His increasingly intense physique and ferocious aura routinely frighten officials, escorts, cultivators, and ordinary civilians. 1 21 31

• Wears Daoist robes, though they often fit tightly across his enlarged frame. 7 45
• Carries an enormous Demon-Slaying Sword nearly equal to his own height. 2
• Possesses arms described as thicker than other men’s thighs. 2
• His muscles become denser and more steel-like as his Strength rises, rather than merely larger. 27
• His sleeves and inner garments are frequently torn apart during combat. 14 26

Personality

Fan Wu is direct, practical, and strongly motivated by survival. He openly demands promised rewards, avoids unnecessary involvement with dangerous organizations, and repeatedly attempts to leave places plagued by anomalies. His caution is genuine: he understands that great strength does not make him invulnerable to unknown supernatural threats. 8 20 30

Despite his desire to avoid trouble, Fan Wu does not hesitate once forced into battle. He has a naturally bold disposition, killed bandits during his first year after transmigration, and accepts the violent satisfaction he feels when destroying hostile entities rather than pretending to be merciful. 5 15 19

He is also observant and strategically minded. He uses the Golden Finger to judge opponents, preserves Free Attribute Points for emergencies, identifies links between separate anomalous incidents, and eventually reports the Great Venerable’s apparent network to the Imperial Astronomy Bureau. 17 43 46

Abilities & Skills

Golden Finger

Fan Wu’s Golden Finger manifests as an attribute panel that can inspect living beings and supernatural entities.

• Displays Vitality, Strength, and Skills; Vitality represents lifespan, while Strength encompasses physical power, speed, reactions, agility, perception, and overall combat ability. 1 17
• Grants Free Attribute Points when Fan Wu personally kills ghosts, monsters, demons, or other supernatural beings. 1
• Can allocate points to improve his Vitality or Strength, including during dangerous confrontations. 6 18 45
• Allows him to identify opponents’ abilities and evaluate their remaining condition through changing attributes. 4 13
• Weaker entities provide fewer points as Fan Wu grows stronger, and kills taken by others do not reward him. 27

Enhanced Physique

Fan Wu possessed innate divine strength and ordinary martial training before awakening the Golden Finger. System allocations elevate this foundation into an extreme, demon-like body. 1 27

• Can wield a twenty-four-catty greatsword one-handed after his first allocation. 6
• Has caught the Giant Paper Figure’s crushing blow without injury. 14
• Tears evil ghosts apart with his bare hands and can crush them through overwhelming blood essence and yang energy. 26 40
• His skin withstands the Ghost Bride and Ghost Groom’s claws, which cannot penetrate his arms. 41
• Survives the ghost inn’s collapse unharmed and physically flings the strange-shadow entity away. 28
• Possesses extraordinary sensory acuity, including enhanced hearing, smell, vision, and awareness of air currents. 17 27 45

Star Constellation Sword Art Lv1

A sword skill dropped after Fan Wu killed Xuan Shizi. The Golden Finger transferred its knowledge directly into Fan Wu’s mind. 19

• Greatly improves his swordsmanship and makes his attacks faster and more precise. 25
• Combines with his overwhelming Strength to create destructive long-range sword strikes. 28 29
• Was used against the Ultimate Stitched Body during the Willow Alley battle. 42

Ghost Exorcism

Although Fan Wu lacks formal Daoist training, he has become highly effective at destroying supernatural entities through brute force, the Demon-Slaying Sword, and sacred materials.

• Uses the Demon-Slaying Sword’s demon-banishing power to wound and annihilate ghosts. 4 43
• Uses incense ash from the True Martial Great Emperor’s censer to weaken ghosts and relieve possession. 3 5
• Can overpower weaker ghosts without weapons once his physical attributes become sufficiently high. 26 40

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Demon-Slaying Sword — A seven-foot-two-inch, twenty-four-catty greatsword formerly held by the True Martial Great Emperor’s statue. It remains unnaturally sharp and is especially effective against ghosts and demons. 2 4
• Incense ash of the True Martial Great Emperor — Sacred censer ash with exorcising properties; Fan Wu carries it after leaving Dragon-Imprisoning Monastery. 5 20
• Old Green Ox — His traveling companion and pack animal, capable of carrying his heavy wooden chest. 20 21
• Wooden chest — A sturdy custom chest used to transport gold, silver, clothing, and travel supplies. 20
• Master’s letter — A letter intended for Fan Wu’s sworn elder sister, the wife of the Southern Commandery Prefect. 1 47
• Sheepskin map — A basic map of the Great Zhou Southern Commandery used to navigate toward Yinghe Prefecture and the commandery capital. 48

Relationships

• Old Heavenly Master — Fan Wu’s deceased master and nominal adoptive father figure. A famous fraud who nevertheless raised Fan Wu as his own son and entrusted him with a letter for his daughter. 1
• Unnamed sworn elder sister — The Old Heavenly Master’s daughter and the Southern Commandery Prefect’s wife. Fan Wu travels toward the commandery capital to deliver her father’s letter. 1 48
• True Martial Great Emperor — Fan Wu reveres the deity’s statue at Dragon-Imprisoning Monastery and interprets its fallen sword as a divine gift. 6
• Xuan Shizi — An evil Daoist who controlled ghosts and paper figures for the Great Venerable. Fan Wu hunted him down and killed him, gaining the Star Constellation Sword Art. 17 19
• Great Venerable — A powerful anomalous entity or force whose followers repeatedly target Fan Wu after he kills Xuan Shizi. Fan Wu considers it a major ongoing threat. 18 46
• Yang Yizi — A genuine traveling Daoist who knew and respected Fan Wu’s fraudulent master. He becomes an uneasy ally during the Prison Dragon County incidents. 10 15
• Abbot of Golden Dragon Temple — A former bandit turned monk. Fan Wu saves him from the White-robed Vengeful Ghost, leaving the Abbot intimidated by his methods. 10 13
• He Caisheng — County Magistrate of Prison Dragon County. He repeatedly relies on Fan Wu to resolve anomalous events and rewards him with silver and land deeds. 8 20
• Constable Liu — A Prison Dragon County constable who summons Fan Wu during the water ghost incident and becomes deeply respectful of him. 3 5
• Xie Jiuyi — Imperial Astronomy Bureau lieutenant who fights alongside Fan Wu against the ghost inn’s horde and later cooperates with him against the Great Venerable’s followers. 25 46
• Shen Jiyue — Imperial Astronomy Bureau squad leader in Baihe County. Initially curious about Fan Wu’s identity, she becomes shocked by his strength and helps report the Great Venerable threat. 33 46
• Old Green Ox — Fan Wu’s intelligent ox and consistent traveling companion. 20 47

Story Role / Major Arcs

Prison Dragon County Incidents

Following the Old Heavenly Master’s death, Fan Wu is compelled to uphold his master’s fraudulent reputation. He awakens the Golden Finger, destroys the green-faced water ghost, and gains the Demon-Slaying Sword. 1 4 6

When the County Yamen comes under attack, he defeats the White-robed Vengeful Ghost and Giant Paper Figure, then traces their origin to the pleasure district. There he confronts and kills Xuan Shizi, acquiring his first skill and enough wealth to flee the county. 13 15 19 20

Ghost Inn Battle

On the road toward Baihe County, Fan Wu encounters Xie Jiuyi and the Huwei Escort Agency. Trapped in a ghost-obscuring array, he massacres a horde of evil ghosts, raises his Strength to 20+, and kills the strange-shadow anomalous entity formed from mass-grave resentment. 23 26 27 29

Baihe County and Willow Alley

In Baihe County, Fan Wu becomes entangled with the Imperial Astronomy Bureau and the Heavenly Mechanism Coffin despite wanting to avoid them. He later confronts the Great Venerable’s ghostly forces in Willow Alley, defeats the Ghost Bride and Ghost Groom’s Ultimate Stitched Body, and uses the aftermath to strengthen both Vitality and Strength. 36 45 47

Recognizing the repeated connection between his enemies and the Great Venerable, Fan Wu shares his evidence with Xie Jiuyi and Shen Jiyue so that the Imperial Astronomy Bureau can report the danger to Yinghe Prefecture. 46

Journey to the Southern Commandery

After leaving Baihe County, Fan Wu resumes his journey toward his sworn elder sister in the Southern Commandery. By the time he reaches the vicinity of Nie Village, he is no longer as fearful of ordinary anomalous incidents, viewing them as opportunities to gain Free Attribute Points. 48 49

Notable Quotes

“You are far inferior to me now!” 27

“Haven’t you eaten?” 41

Trivia

• Fan Wu cannot recite a proper Daoist scripture; the texts left by his master were fraudulent. 21 30
• He eats nearly twenty pounds of food in one sitting without difficulty. 32
• He continues wearing Daoist robes largely because they are the only outer clothing he owns. 21
• His intimidating appearance causes many people to mistake him for a bandit, murderer, or humanoid demon before learning he is a Daoist master. 2 21 28