Mu Chen

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Mu Chen (木晨)
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Medicine Spirit Pavilion; formerly Jia Nan Academy Inner Court
Occupation/Role	Spiritual-food and medicinal-cuisine practitioner; alchemist; former top Inner Court fighter
Status	Alive
First Appearance	Chapter 267

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Cultivation in regression	268	Old unresolved injuries caused him to lose one star every six months; he sustained himself through medicinal cuisine and spiritual wine.
Eight-star Dou Ling	275	His curse weakened while Jiang Donghua absorbed the Old Monster Remnant Soul's energy, allowing Mu Chen to rapidly regain lost cultivation.
Three-star Dou Ancestor	280	Absorbed the residual energy connected to Venerate Huanhai; his aura entered the Dou Ancestor realm and stabilized at three stars.
Three-star Dou Zong	281 290	Reported after leaving the secret room and again when departing Jia Nan Academy; this rank is presented alongside prior reports of his Dou Ancestor breakthrough.
Six-star Dou Zong	327	The Primordial Creation Pill restored his shattered meridians and enabled a consecutive three-star breakthrough from Three-star Dou Zong.

Background / History

Mu Chen was once one of Jia Nan Academy Inner Court's leading fighters. By the time Jiang Donghua met him, he operated the Medicine Spirit Pavilion, using spiritual food and medicinal cuisine to maintain his deteriorating health. He was known at the academy as withdrawn, sickly, and unremarkable despite his former standing. 267 268 315

Five years before revealing his condition, Mu Chen joined an expedition to an ancient ruin in the Black Corner Region. The group encountered the violent soul form of a powerful deceased individual. Although the soul form was destroyed, its venomous soul shriek cursed several expedition members, including Mu Chen. 271

The curse manifested as a dark imprint on his chest that consumed vitality and nearby herb energy. Conventional treatment, including treatment from high-level alchemists, could not resolve it; the curse steadily eroded both his health and cultivation. 268 271

After Jiang Donghua investigated the curse, the pair found residual energy associated with Venerate Huanhai. Jiang Donghua's actions weakened the curse and allowed Mu Chen to absorb the resulting energy, restoring his strength far beyond expectations. 275 280

Appearance

Before his recovery, Mu Chen appeared frail and sickly, with his outward weakness concealing both his past strength and the curse afflicting him. 268 315

• A dark, parasitic-looking curse imprint was present on his chest. 271
• Following his recovery, he could suppress his Battle Qi fluctuations so completely that observers could mistake him for either powerless or exceptionally strong. 285
• After regaining his cultivation, he presented himself with a calm and composed demeanor. 285

Personality

Mu Chen is persistent and resourceful. Rather than surrendering to his declining cultivation, he devoted himself to medicinal cuisine and spiritual wine research to preserve his condition. 268

He holds deep gratitude and respect for Jiang Donghua, whom he considers to have given him a second life. This gratitude develops into fierce loyalty: Mu Chen declines Ye Tianxing's offer to become Inner Court Great Elder because he has promised to accompany Jiang Donghua to the Central Continent. 282 287

His pursuit of the Hong Family's survivors reveals a ruthless side. When confronting the Xuan Ming Sect, he kills hostile disciples and uses the Life-Devouring Parasitic Vine to force captured elders to reveal information. 293 294 295

Abilities & Skills

Medicinal Cuisine and Spiritual Food

Mu Chen runs the Medicine Spirit Pavilion and combines cooking, alchemy, and knowledge of Demonic Beasts in his dishes. 267

• Uses medicinal cuisine and spiritual wine to sustain himself against his curse. 268
• Prepared sixth-tier Demonic Beast meat that benefited Qin Xiao's cultivation. 286
• Caught a sixth-tier Earth Flame Rhinoceros for use as food. 285

Alchemy

Mu Chen possesses serious alchemical knowledge and sought Jiang Donghua's counsel over difficult alchemical problems. 270

• Reacted strongly upon learning that Jiang Donghua was a Fourth-grade Alchemy Master. 270
• Maintains a secret room for discussing alchemy and his curse-related condition. 270 271

Wood-Attribute Battle Qi

Mu Chen uses wood-attribute Battle Qi in combat. 315

• Employs vines alongside spatial power to kill Xuan Ming Sect opponents. 293
• His wood-attribute methods were sufficiently distinctive that actions committed under Jiang Donghua's name were attributed to a vicious wood-attribute Combat Skill. 296

Life-Devouring Parasitic Vine

A parasitic vine used for coercion and interrogation. 294

• Tortures targets into disclosing information. 294 295
• Used against captured Xuan Ming Sect elders while searching for Hong Ling and other Hong Family survivors. 294 295

Spatial Power

Mu Chen demonstrated spatial power after recovering his strength. 293

• Immobilized two Dou Huang opponents. 293
• Instantly killed several Dou Kings and dozens of lower-ranking Xuan Ming Sect disciples. 293

Equipment / Items

• Life-Devouring Parasitic Vine — interrogation tool used against Xuan Ming Sect elders. 294 295
• Silver Card VIP status at the Hundred Treasures Pavilion — grants access to private rooms. 295
• Jade slip — exchanged with Jiang Donghua as a means of seeking future assistance. 327

Relationships

• Jiang Donghua — Benefactor, trusted friend, and intended traveling companion. Jiang Donghua helped remove the curse, restore Mu Chen's cultivation, and later heal his near-fatal injuries; Mu Chen is intensely grateful and loyal to him. 275 282 320 327
• Lei Lie — Longstanding acquaintance from Jia Nan Academy; Lei Lie frequently ate at the Medicine Spirit Pavilion without paying. 267 268
• Hong Ling — Mu Chen searches for her after learning that the Hong Family was annihilated and her whereabouts were unknown. 292 295
• Xiao Han — Academy acquaintance who expresses brotherly concern for Mu Chen and offers help with his family matters. 316 327
• Ye Tianxing — Jia Nan Academy Great Elder who attempted to recruit Mu Chen as his successor; Mu Chen declined. 281 282
• Qin Xiao — Fellow Inner Court cultivator whom Mu Chen feeds and later consoles after his defeat by Jiang Donghua. 286 290

Story Role / Major Arcs

Medicine Spirit Pavilion and the Curse

Mu Chen meets Jiang Donghua and Lei Lie at the Medicine Spirit Pavilion, where Jiang Donghua becomes interested in his unusual aura and hidden injuries. Mu Chen eventually reveals the chest curse and the ruin expedition that caused it. 267 268 270 271

Recovery and Return to Power

Jiang Donghua exploits the Old Monster Remnant Soul's energy, weakening Mu Chen's curse and restoring his Battle Qi. Mu Chen then absorbs residual energy connected to Venerate Huanhai, producing an extraordinary breakthrough and ending years of decline. 275 280

Departure from Jia Nan Academy

After recovering, Mu Chen rejects Ye Tianxing's offer of the Great Elder position and leaves for the Northern Region of the Central Continent to fulfill his commitment to Jiang Donghua. 282 290

Hong Family Investigation

In the Northern Region, Mu Chen learns that the Hong Family has been destroyed by the Xuan Ming Sect. Determined to locate Hong Ling and surviving family members, he attacks Xuan Ming Sect forces and interrogates their elders. 292 293 294 295

Xuan Ming Sect Pursuit and Rescue

Mu Chen impersonates Jiang Donghua to create confusion and draw out information, but the Xuan Ming Sect eventually corners him after he is severely injured. Jiang Donghua, Xiao Han, and Xiao Zhen intervene to rescue him. 296 312 314 316

Healing and Later Recovery

Jiang Donghua stabilizes Mu Chen's shattered meridians and refines the Primordial Creation Pill to heal him. Two months later, Mu Chen fully recovers, reaches Six-star Dou Zong, and departs to handle urgent matters in the Hundred Herbs Empire. 320 327

Notable Quotes

“Thank you for your kindness, I know what I'm doing.” 292

“Brother Jiang! Words cannot express my gratitude! My life was snatched back from the King of Hell by you!” 327

Trivia

• Mu Chen's cultivation once declined by one star every six months due to his curse. 268
• He spent ten days in a secret room with Jiang Donghua during the events that led to his recovery. 281
• His rise from a sickly former student to a major expert shocked Jia Nan Academy's Inner Court. 280 282 285