Hua Shuya

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	Hua Shuya (华舒雅)
Species/Race	Human martial artist 46
Gender	Female
Affiliation	Hua Family; assists the Changling County authorities 17 45
Occupation/Role	Swordswoman, martial artist, and pursuer of criminals and supernatural threats
Status	Alive 48
First Appearance	Chapter 2 — Young Woman Meets Immortal, Black and White Chess Game

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Pure Yang Realm	3	Awakened after collapsing during her first chess encounter with Lin Tianlu; her strength rose to a level comparable to her father’s. 3
Initial Sword Intent	15	Recalled Lin Tianlu’s casual sword strike and manifested sword energy capable of leaving a deep mark in stone. 15
Enhanced Sword Intent	20	Her continued sword practice improved her Sword Intent and reduced the exhaustion caused by the Thirteen Forms of the Army-Breaking Sword. 20
Soaring Dragon Phantom Step, first level	31	Mastered the first level under Lin Tianlu’s instruction after receiving the manual from him. 31
Approaching Azure Spirit Realm	43	Her Pure Yang internal energy began transforming toward Azure Spirit internal energy after studying the Sophora Sword’s phantom techniques. 43
Near Qing Ling internal energy	45	Her continued cultivation brought her close to Qing Ling internal energy, allowing her sword techniques to lethally harm demonic entities. 45

Background

Hua Shuya was raised in the Hua Family and practiced martial arts from childhood. She inherited a weak constitution from her mother, who suffered from congenital consumption, but trained until she became a capable swordswoman. Her family’s signature art is the Thirteen Forms of the Army-Breaking Sword; Mo Hong identifies her as a granddaughter of King Zhengyang of Fengchen Kingdom. 3 17

She climbed Taiyi Mountain seeking the path to longevity for an ill elder after hearing that an immortal sect once resided there. There she encountered Lin Tianlu, whom she immediately regarded as an enlightened immortal or peerless master. A single chess game with him overwhelmed her consciousness, caused her to faint, and led to her Pure Yang Realm breakthrough. 2 3

After descending the mountain with Lin Tianlu, Hua Shuya settled in Changling County, arranged generous compensation and educational support for the families of murdered farmers, and helped Lin establish himself in the county. She later purchased a residence near his and formally retained him as her tutor. 6 7 11 22

Appearance

Hua Shuya is a graceful young woman with black hair, clear bright eyes, and a refined yet athletic bearing. Her appearance shifts between practical martial attire for sword training and elaborate formal dress when attending social occasions. 10 22 43

• Carries a long sword and commonly dresses in light clothing suited to swordsmanship. 10
• Wears elegant ruqun and silk scarves outside combat, sometimes with pearl, jade, and hairpin ornaments. 22 43
• Traditionally bound her chest while training because freer clothing was inconvenient for sword combat. 22
• Her sword-bearing presence can become severe enough to intimidate ordinary visitors. 17

Personality

Hua Shuya is respectful, earnest, and intensely diligent. She addresses Lin Tianlu as “Senior,” takes his casual words as valuable instruction, and repeatedly strives to improve herself so that she can better repay his guidance and protect him. 3 20 33

She possesses a strong sense of justice. She compensates victims’ families, assists local authorities, pursues violent criminals, and refuses Xiao Lanzhu’s offer of eternal beauty in exchange for overlooking her crimes. 6 7 45 46

Despite her noble upbringing and interest in powerful sword arts, she is notably restrained. When the Sophora Sword reveals a profound sword technique, she refuses to take it because it belongs to Lin Tianlu and she believes she already owes him too much. 41

Her feelings for Lin Tianlu gradually become romantic. Seeing him close to Mao Ruoyu leaves her distracted and sorrowful, but she resolves to turn that insecurity into further training rather than resentment. 33 41 44

Abilities & Skills

Thirteen Forms of the Army-Breaking Sword

The Hua Family’s inherited sword art emphasizes both forceful battlefield techniques and precise, controlled strikes.

• Decapitates and disables witchcraft-controlled zombies, though ordinary decapitation cannot permanently stop them. 4
• Its developed Sword Intent enabled Hua Shuya to challenge Mo Hong, a swordsman whose internal energy exceeded the Azure Spirit Realm. 15 16
• She later refined and simplified the style through repeated study of the Sophora Sword’s phantom techniques. 43
• Her sword techniques can sever yin-created hair and silk, as well as wound ghostly entities. 26 46

Sword Intent

Hua Shuya’s Sword Intent was awakened through her recollection of Lin Tianlu’s seemingly effortless sword strike.

• Produces sword energy capable of marking stone from a distance. 15
• Combines hardness and softness, which Mo Hong describes as ethereal and difficult to fathom. 15
• Allows her mortal sword techniques to pressure supernatural opponents beyond what her realm alone should permit. 46
• Requires composure; losing her calm in battle makes her vulnerable to demonic provocation and yin energy. 26

Soaring Dragon Phantom Step

A movement technique originally given to Lin Tianlu by Mo Hong and lent to Hua Shuya for study. 19 20

• Reached the first level after Lin Tianlu corrected her form and explained its underlying principles. 31
• Uses rapid footwork, leaps, and rooftop movement to evade attacks. 31
• Improved through practical evasion drills using Lin Tianlu’s thrown fruit pits. 31 32
• Lets her reposition unexpectedly in combat, including behind Xiao Lanzhu during their fight at Li Manor. 46

Supernatural Combat Experience

Hua Shuya has fought zombies, wandering spirits, yin-infused ghosts, and possessed humans alongside Lin Tianlu.

• Initially froze under a powerful ghost’s aura and could not resist its attack. 4
• Protected Lin Tianlu from Cheng Xinyin’s attacking hair and silk while he searched for a way to counter her. 26
• Can be overwhelmed by sustained yin energy, illusionary attacks, or enemies whose true form she cannot locate. 26 47
• Remained willing to confront the Li Manor ghosts despite knowing they had already murdered numerous civilians. 45 46

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Long sword — Her primary weapon and the medium through which she uses the Thirteen Forms of the Army-Breaking Sword. 4 10
• Soaring Dragon Phantom Step manual — Borrowed from Lin Tianlu for cultivation and movement training. 20 31
• Ceremonial sword — Kept beside her while resting after the Taiyi Mountain chess incident. 3

Relationships

• Lin Tianlu — Her benefactor, neighbor, tutor, and the person she reveres as a peerless senior. His guidance drives her breakthroughs, while she provides him with housing, support, and protection; she eventually develops romantic feelings for him. 7 22 33 44
• Mao Ruoyu — Lin Tianlu’s neighbor and household helper. Hua Shuya initially misunderstands her closeness with Lin, but the two later share a shy mutual understanding of their feelings for him. 29 41
• Mo Hong — Wandering Sword Master who recognizes Hua Shuya’s family sword art. He spars with her, is impressed by her Sword Intent, and later leaves the Soaring Dragon Phantom Step manual with Lin Tianlu. 15 16 19
• Cheng Yishi — An initially wary acquaintance during the Cheng Manor case. Hua Shuya sees her regret and conscience, though she is unsettled by Cheng Yishi’s yin-corrupted condition. 23 26 28
• Sophora Tree — A sentient tree containing the Sophora Sword. Hua Shuya respectfully spars with it and uses the sword techniques it displays to deepen her own cultivation. 41 43

Story Role / Major Arcs

Taiyi Mountain

Hua Shuya’s search for immortality brings her to Taiyi Mountain, where she meets Lin Tianlu and becomes convinced that he is an immortal. Her chess encounter grants her a sudden Pure Yang Realm breakthrough, after which she invites him to descend the mountain with her. 2 3

Descent to Changling County

While descending Taiyi Mountain, Hua Shuya confronts zombified retainers and a wandering spirit. Although Lin Tianlu ultimately destroys the spirit, Hua Shuya fights to defend him and later takes responsibility for the victims’ surviving families. 4 5 6

Changling County Training

Hua Shuya helps Lin Tianlu settle in Changling County, then becomes his regular student and neighbor. Her attempts to understand his swordsmanship lead to the awakening of her Sword Intent, while she trains relentlessly in both the Army-Breaking Sword and the Soaring Dragon Phantom Step. 7 11 15 20 31

Cheng Manor Incident

Hua Shuya accompanies Lin Tianlu to investigate Cheng Manor. She defeats Cheng Xinyin in their initial clash, executes Cheng Yanghua after his crimes are exposed, and later protects Lin Tianlu against Cheng Xinyin’s yin-based hair and silk attacks. 25 26

Sophora Sword Cultivation

After the divine Sophora Sword appears in Lin Tianlu’s courtyard, Hua Shuya refuses to claim it for herself. Instead, she studies the phantom sword techniques it projects and spars with the sentient Sophora Tree, accelerating her approach toward the Azure Spirit Realm. 41 43

Li Manor Incident

While pursuing a bandit threatening women in Changling County, Hua Shuya enters Li Manor and uncovers Xiao Lanzhu’s killings. She battles Xiao Lanzhu and a half-yin corpse with improved footwork and Sword Intent, but is eventually injured and rescued by Lin Tianlu when the ghosts’ illusions overwhelm her. 45 46 47 48

Notable Quotes

“I already owe the Senior too much kindness. How can I be so greedy?” 41

“You, truly deserve to die. I will definitely kill you!” 46