Zhao Siqi

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Zhao Siqi (赵思琪)
Alias(es)	Madam; Zhang Family Matriarch
Gender	Female 119
Affiliation	Zhang Family; Daizong
Occupation/Role	Zhang Family matriarch; administrator of Baishi Village and Shucheng; Chief Steward of Daizong's Hall of Miscellaneous Affairs 31 239 394
Status	In deep sleep within the Zhang Family tomb complex in North Mountain Valley; her public funeral and interment have already taken place 646 648 728
First Appearance	Chapter 31

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Aperture Opening Realm — peak	38	Identified as a second-stage Daoist cultivator at the peak of Aperture Opening and preparing to break through. 38
Foundation Establishment Realm	65	Advances and begins devoting more time to Baishi Town's management while studying talisman crafting. 65
Foundation Establishment Realm — middle stage	120	Breaks through after absorbing the special nascent Spiritual Energy at Mount Tai. 120
[Taoist] ordination rank	121	Receives the rank's power and obtains the first-tier Spirit Rain Technique. 121
[Feathered Scholar] ordination rank	121	Comprehends the first-tier Mud Swamp Technique, which can later soften stone into mud as it is developed. 121
[Yellow Crown] ordination rank	121	Comprehends the first-tier Wind Control Technique and gains the rank's blessing. 121
Foundation Establishment Realm — peak	121	Her cultivation is raised directly to the realm's peak during the Daizong ordination ceremony. 121
Core Formation Realm	143	Forms a Golden Core after postponing the breakthrough for pregnancy and recovery; her control over Spiritual Energy and Magic Power improves sharply. 143
Core Formation Realm — further advancement	200	Continues advancing within the Core Formation Realm. 200
Core Formation Realm — middle stage, permanently stalled	563	Her damaged meridians are barely repaired and her strength recovers to the middle stage, but she can no longer cultivate or break through. 563

Background / History

Zhao Siqi left the Zhao Clan at thirteen and later travelled east in a merchant-disguised caravan to the East Sea. She arrived in a region ravaged by piracy, where official and noble protection did little for common people. Her experience of the Zhao Clan's internal competition had already made her wary of the way powerful families treated others. 98 224

After becoming Zhang Mingshu's wife, she was placed in charge of household affairs. She brought her uncles, Zhao Dun and Zhao Chuan, into the household's service and became one of the central figures in the early development of Baishi Village. 31

When Zhang Mingshu was severely injured in a pirate battle, Zhao Siqi kept the household stable for months. She arranged post-battle affairs, prevented opportunists from exploiting the crisis, and continued handling the family's threats and administration after his recovery. 98

She later travelled to Daizong for ordination, where she rose from the middle stage of Foundation Establishment to its peak, received several Daoist ranks, and contracted the Ghost Spirit Li Shishi. Her accumulated cultivation and gains from Daizong enabled her eventual Core Formation breakthrough. 120 121 123 143

After accompanying Zhang Wushuang to Daizong, Zhao Siqi streamlined the sect's mundane administration and was appointed Chief Steward of the Hall of Miscellaneous Affairs. She remained there to care for and cultivate alongside her daughter. 239 240

Zhao Siqi later commanded Shucheng's reconstruction after defeating the bandit leader Tie Meng. Her policies included land reclamation, grain relief, handicraft development, spiritual-root screening, new markets, and a currency proposal that introduced gold and silver coins. 394

An attempted breakthrough during the Ghost Fog crisis damaged her meridians. Although Xiaoqing's contracted aid temporarily allowed her to recover enough to manage family matters, Zhao Siqi eventually lost the ability to progress further and her condition deteriorated. Rather than become a Ghost Cultivator, she chose the Long Sleep Gu, preserving herself in an induced slumber while Zhang Mingshu seeks a future cure. 474 563 645 646

Appearance

During her Daizong ordination, Zhao Siqi wore a simple, plain Daoist robe. Her features were described as delicate and well-defined, with fair skin, clear eyes, and long, smooth hair falling over her shoulders. 122

• Usually carries herself with a composed, gentle expression. 122
• Her confidence becomes visibly stronger after reaching the peak of Foundation Establishment. 122
• Can assume the form of a Ghost Bride with Red Makeup's enhancement. 232

Personality

Zhao Siqi is direct, practical, and capable of making difficult decisions for the people under her care. During Zhang Mingshu's injury and later military crises, she remained outwardly calm, assigned personnel carefully, and prioritized the family's survival over her own distress. 98 130

Her loyalty has clear limits. She was willing to provide Xiao Lingying with limited intelligence on the Zhao Clan, but refused to discuss her parents. 77 Despite her upbringing in a large cultivation clan, she values the trust and mutual honesty she developed with Zhang Mingshu and ultimately measures her cultivation path by the time it allows her to spend with her family. 98 645

She is diligent in cultivation and administration, but does not pursue power solely for status or longevity. Even after her cultivation was permanently hindered, she remained determined to protect the Zhang Family and contribute where possible. 205 563 564

Abilities & Skills

Core Formation Cultivation

Zhao Siqi is a Core Formation Realm Daoist cultivator whose Golden Core greatly improves her Magic Power, sensory range, and control of surrounding Spiritual Energy. 143

• Can perceive subtle changes in Spiritual Energy and distant movement. 143
• Combines Daoist spells, sword arts, and her Yellow Crown rank in combat. 393
• Her cultivation can no longer advance because of lasting meridian damage from a failed breakthrough. 563

Daoist Spells and Ordination

Her Daizong ordination granted her multiple ranks and first-tier spells. 121

• Spirit Rain Technique — gained with the [Taoist] rank. 121
• Mud Swamp Technique — gained as a [Feathered Scholar]; can eventually soften stones into mud with sufficient development. 121
• Wind Control Technique — gained as a [Yellow Crown]; at higher mastery, it can permit brief aerial hovering. 121
• Limitation: At Foundation Establishment, her Magic Power could not sustain Wind Control for long. 121

Green Pine Qi Circulation Method

Zhao Siqi cultivates the Green Pine Qi Circulation Method, an introductory technique derived from the Zhao Clan's Green Pine Great Evolution Scripture. 124

• The method is available to Zhao Clan bloodline members. 124
• She cannot cultivate the main Green Pine Great Evolution Scripture, which is reserved for Zhao Clan core disciples. 224

Li Shishi, Contracted Ghost Spirit

Zhao Siqi is the host of Li Shishi, a Ghost Spirit bound to her hairpin through a Daizong ritual. 123

• Li Shishi provides enhanced long-range perception and exploration. 123
• Her inheritance improves Zhao Siqi's dancing ability and grants access to dance-based combat techniques. 123
• Li Shishi can dispel mental and spiritual interference, protecting Zhao Siqi from Tie Meng's fierce aura and removing Guo Xiaodeng's control effect. 130 393
• Li Shishi could not overcome the realm gap between Zhao Siqi's Foundation Establishment cultivation and Guo Xiaodeng's Spirit Transformation Realm power. 130

Red Scales

Zhao Siqi's Spirit Initiation ability manifests red fish scales across her skin in critical moments. 222

• Absorbs and converts damage from water- and fire-attribute spells. 222
• Provides almost no protection against physical attacks beyond slightly strengthening her normal skin. 222

Swordsmanship and Tactical Command

Zhao Siqi is an accomplished sword user who also directs formations and defenders in battle. 232 393

• Uses Red Makeup's enhancement to transform into a Ghost Bride for close-quarters combat. 232
• Defeated the bandit leader Tie Meng through swordsmanship reinforced by Core Formation cultivation, Yellow Crown blessings, and spell arts. 393
• Personally commanded the activation of Shucheng's defensive formation during the bandit ambush. 393

Talisman Crafting and Administration

Zhao Siqi began learning talisman drawing and later assisted Zhang Mingshu's talisman work. 65 134

• Oversees household and civic affairs, including accounting, personnel, relief, land reclamation, and market planning. 45 394
• Reorganized Daizong's Hall of Miscellaneous Affairs efficiently enough to be promoted directly over the other stewards. 239
• Compiled the Zhang Family's history, cultivation methods, ancient texts, and records. 420

Equipment / Items

• Hairpin of Li Shishi — Li Shishi's physical vessel and the focus of Zhao Siqi's contract with the Ghost Spirit. 123
• Long sword — used alongside Li Shishi and Ghost Bride transformation in close combat. 232
• Red Makeup — an enhancement that allows her to take on the Ghost Bride form. 232
• Long Sleep Gu — preserves Zhao Siqi in a deep, irreversible slumber while her body is sustained by Spirit Gathering Arrays. 646 648

Relationships

• Zhang Mingshu — Husband and long-time partner in family leadership; they built the Zhang Family together and remained devoted to one another through Zhao Siqi's final illness. 31 98 645
• Zhang Wushuang — Daughter; Zhao Siqi personally taught her sword forms, brought her to Daizong, and supported her cultivation. 143 224 340
• Zhang Xi and Zhang Yu — Sons who rushed to Zhao Siqi's side during her final illness and escorted her home. 644 646
• Zhao Wuxu — Father; Zhao Siqi refuses to reveal intelligence about him, though their relationship remains politically and personally fraught. 77 154
• Zhao Yunji — Grandfather and Zhao Clan Family Head; attended her Daizong ceremony and expressed satisfaction with her life. 123
• Zhao Wuji — Half-brother; Zhao Siqi quietly ensured he was not neglected while he lived with the Zhang Family. 648
• Xiao Lingying — Trusted friend, political ally, and fellow cultivator; they planned major territorial and strategic matters together over decades. 77 564
• Chong Li — Close friend and reliable helper who travelled with Zhao Siqi, assisted her recovery, and acted on her behalf in Shucheng. 119 563 564
• Li Shishi — Contracted Ghost Spirit; companion, combat support, and spiritual inheritance bound to Zhao Siqi's hairpin. 123
• Lü E — One of Zhao Siqi's closest companions; her grief after Zhao Siqi's public death left her gravely ill. 648
• Kong Junhao — A Kong Family man whose persistent attention at Daizong made Zhao Siqi uncomfortable and prompted her to take leave. 362
• Xiaoqing — Xiao Lingying's Companion Demon Spirit, which voluntarily contracted with Zhao Siqi to offset the effects of her meridian damage. 645

Notable Quotes

“What I know, you probably know better than I do. As for my parents, I absolutely cannot speak about them.” 77

“Overestimating yourselves.” 393

Trivia

• Zhao Siqi was seventeen and at the Foundation Establishment Realm in the fourth year of Sacred Reign. 119
• She was thirty-two, a Core Formation cultivator, and a Yellow Crown by the end of Volume Two. 398
• Her public “death” was arranged despite the Long Sleep Gu preserving her; later narration confirms that she remains in deep sleep. 648 728