Yuan Gang

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Yuan Gang (袁罡) 404
Alias(es)	An Taiping; “Monkey” 407 1285
Species/Race	Human; a mortal body-tempering practitioner with no mana cultivation 1552
Gender	Male 404
Affiliation	Thatched Cottage Estate; Demon Cult as its Holy Son 1306
Occupation/Role	Niu Youdao’s confidant, bodyguard, enforcer, and field commander 28 1084
Status	Alive; grievously wounded after helping bring down Wu Chang 1570
First Appearance	Chapter 25 25

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Chi You’s Formlessness — breakthrough	99	Has Yuan Fang strike him for nearly two hours; his body absorbs the impacts, he breaks through, and recalls the ancient name of his Hard Qi Cultivation.
Restriction-breaking body tempering	129	Forces open acupoints sealed by a cultivator through breath control, blood-pressure buildup, and raw physical power.
Regenerative awakening	1305	After being crippled, restores his ruined hands, feet, and fingers overnight; his strength increases after recovery.
Gold-faced state	1418 1419	Regrows an arm from the shoulder and undergoes a physical transformation from red skin to pale gold, confirmed as an effect of Chi You’s Formlessness.
Tiger’s Roar mastery	1549 1568	Tiger’s Roar and the Three Roars Blade kill Lan Daolin in one strike, disrupt the Crow Generals, and can affect Wu Chang’s demonic domain.

Background / History

Yuan Gang was a respected figure among the young men of Xiaomiao Village, where they addressed him as “Brother Gangzi.” He had spent years in an “archaeology world” before this life and could read Small Seal Script, giving him knowledge and habits that did not fit an ordinary villager. 25 26

He and Niu Youdao are companions across two lives. Although he calls Niu Youdao “Daoist Master” in public, their bond is familial; Yuan Gang later calls him his elder brother, and Niu Youdao regards him as the steadfast moral counterweight who keeps him from losing himself. 29 404 1285

After leaving the village with Niu Youdao, Yuan Gang quickly established himself as the latter’s protector and executor. His coordination with Niu Youdao was already precise enough that he killed Song Yanqing without needing an explicit order. 28 36

Appearance

Yuan Gang is a tall, powerfully built man with a severe, knife-carved face and an intimidating presence. He was initially known for his striking red complexion; after the later evolution of Chi You’s Formlessness, his skin became pale gold. 176 1278 1418

• Exceptionally muscular, with broad shoulders and a narrow waist. 210
• Formerly distinguished by a bright-red face. 1278
• Usually carries the Three Roars Blade across his back. 407
• His body later develops a pale-gold, almost fresh-copper coloration. 1418 1419

Personality

Yuan Gang is blunt, cold, and uninterested in social niceties. He refuses empty politeness, does not care for rank or status, and openly states that he does not make friends. 118 180 His directness can be mistaken for rudeness, particularly by people such as Hao Qingqing and Guan Fangyi. 180 407

His loyalty to Niu Youdao is absolute, but not blind. If he believes Niu Youdao is wrong, he will oppose him without hesitation. Niu Youdao describes him as upright, open, and impossible to corrupt through personal gain or manipulation. 1285

Despite his fearsome violence, Yuan Gang is observant, methodical, and protective of ordinary people. He prepares for sabotage, monitors threats, recruits impoverished former soldiers, and insists that soldiers require education rather than mere brute courage. 92 283 329

Abilities & Skills

Chi You’s Formlessness

Yuan Gang practices an ancient Hard Qi Cultivation focused entirely on tempering the body. He possesses no mana and cannot fly, but his physical strength and resilience allow him to contend directly with cultivators. 99 1552

• Absorbs impacts during training to strengthen his body. 99
• Breaks acupoint restrictions imposed by cultivators through physical cultivation alone. 129
• Endures attacks that would incapacitate or kill ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivators. 392 400
• Recovers from grievous injuries with abnormal speed, including broken arms and mutilated limbs. 547 1305
• Regrows severed limbs and develops a pale-gold body after advancing further. 1418 1419
• His physical defense is formidable but not absolute; Wu Chang can still cut through his flesh with concentrated power. 1568

Martial Combat

Yuan Gang fights with bare hands or the Three Roars Blade. His style relies on explosive force, relentless pressure, close-quarters aggression, and an unwillingness to stay down after being injured. 31 391 438

• Defeated the mounted Chen Shulin barehanded by tripping his horse, disarming him, and overpowering him. 31
• Can leap several zhang into the air and meet cultivators’ attacks head-on. 391
• Sees and intercepts otherwise invisible sword qi despite lacking cultivation. 971
• Fought multiple Purple Gold Cave disciples while covered in sword wounds and repeatedly rose after being knocked down. 971 973
• Killed Golden Core cultivator Bai Shangcheng with a single slash. 1274 1275
• Killed Lan Daolin with Tiger’s Roar and a single saber strike. 1549

Tiger’s Roar

Tiger’s Roar is Yuan Gang’s signature battle cry and saber technique. Its effect extends beyond physical force, carrying an ancient suppressive aura that can unsettle beasts, demons, and powerful cultivators. 1330 1549

• Disrupts Crow Generals and creates openings for allied cultivators. 1568
• Affects Wu Chang’s Boundless Demon Domain. 1549
• Is described as possessing an aura that inspires instinctive fear and submission in beasts. 1330

Beast Command

Yuan Gang possesses unusual beast-taming ability and can command Sand Scorpions, including the Scorpion Emperor. 1084 1277

• Used Sand Scorpions to transport Qin Kingdom’s army across the Boundless Desert. 1277
• Protected the Scorpion Emperor rather than surrendering it to Lü Wushuang. 1283 1284
• Summoned jade silkworms to chew through his restraints while imprisoned. 1294
• Snow Wights avoid him at close range, apparently fearing his scent; Yuan Gang does not know why. 187

Tracking, Surveillance, and Tactics

Yuan Gang combines battlefield awareness with covert-operational skill. He is particularly valuable as Niu Youdao’s eyes and security chief. 455 586

• Detects threats and instinctively positions himself between Niu Youdao and danger. 455
• Identified a thief’s accomplices in a crowded market through observation alone. 455
• Planned an explosive ambush and pursued an injured cultivator until he overcame him. 391
• Stole the Scarlet Yang Vermilion Fruit, triggered an avalanche with explosives, and escaped by delta wing. 200
• Trains and organizes teams openly while maintaining operational discipline and secrecy. 210 283

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Three Roars Blade — A famed saber once belonging to Jin Kingdom’s former Grand General Tian Zixin; Hu Yan Wuhen later gave it to Yuan Gang. 404
• Explosives and man-made meteorites — Used to trigger the avalanche at Ice and Snow Pavilion. 200
• Delta wing — Used for his escape after stealing the Scarlet Yang Vermilion Fruit. 200
• Long spear and concealed dagger — Carried for close combat and hostile environments. 36 187

Relationships

• Niu Youdao — Brother across two lives, Daoist Master, and closest confidant. Yuan Gang protects him, carries out sensitive tasks, and remains one of the few people willing to oppose him on principle. 28 404 1084 1285
• Yuan Fang — Companion and frequent training partner. Yuan Gang forces him to assist with body-tempering practice and brutally punishes him for betrayal. 99 1184
• Feng Guan’er — A woman Yuan Gang feels indebted to and is determined to protect. He risks provoking multiple powers to help her and Luo Zhao. 1272 1273
• Su Zhao — His deceased lover. Yuan Gang seeks a proper resting place for her and later kills her uncle, Bai Shangcheng, to settle their grudge. 404 1274
• Lü Wushuang — Former captor and enemy. Yuan Gang resists her torture, later captures her after her cultivation is crippled, and temporarily spares her for the intelligence she can provide. 1288 1415
• Hu Yan Wuhen — Grand General of Qi Kingdom who highly values Yuan Gang and gave him the Three Roars Blade. 404 1277
• Shang Chaozong — An admirer of Yuan Gang’s military potential who offers him five hundred personal guards after witnessing his duel with Chen Shulin. 31
• Guan Fangyi — A colleague at Thatched Cottage Estate with whom he frequently clashes, though they cooperate during crises. 407 1174
• Luo Zhao — A Qin general Yuan Gang aids in crossing the desert, partly to repay his perceived debt to Feng Guan’er. 1272 1276

Story Role / Major Arcs

Early Service Under Niu Youdao

Yuan Gang serves as Niu Youdao’s guard during Shang Chaozong’s flight, impresses Shang Chaozong by defeating Chen Shulin, and helps pressure Feng Lingbo through a lavish false wedding procession. 28 31 44 He later helps Niu Youdao secure Nanshan Temple and trains Yuan Fang through Chi You’s Formlessness. 53 99

Qi Capital Infiltration

Using the identity An Taiping, Yuan Gang enters Qi Kingdom with Wind, Forest, Fire, and Mountain under stolen military identities. 273 He establishes a tofu business, recruits hundreds of impoverished workers, and trains his men while building a covert base of influence in the capital. 281 283

Ice and Snow Pavilion Heist

Yuan Gang discovers that Snow Wights fear him, allowing Niu Youdao’s group to devise a way to obtain the Scarlet Yang Vermilion Fruit. 187 He infiltrates the mountain, steals the fruit, uses explosives to unleash an avalanche, and escapes by delta wing. 200

Thatched Cottage Estate Protector

He becomes a central defender of Thatched Cottage Estate, rescues Shang Chaozong’s party during a siege, oversees intelligence work, and handles the estate’s security arrangements. 437 586 When Niu Youdao is believed dead, Yuan Gang follows his secret instructions, trading the estate’s flying mounts to Purple Gold Cave for time to secure its evacuation. 1174

Qin Kingdom’s Desert Crossing

To help Feng Guan’er and Luo Zhao, Yuan Gang travels to Qin Kingdom, kills Bai Shangcheng in a one-slash duel, and commands Sand Scorpions to transport Qin’s army across the Boundless Desert. 1272 1274 1277 His role becomes so strategically important that Jin Kingdom dispatches assassins while Qi Kingdom’s sects send experts to protect him. 1277 1278

Sacred Realm Captivity and Demon Cult Holy Son

After defying Lü Wushuang over the Scorpion Emperor, Yuan Gang is taken by Misty Pavilion and tortured in Peerless Sacred Land. 1283 1287 He escapes by killing Hua Meiru, survives crippling injuries, is rescued by Niu Youdao, and ultimately becomes the Demon Cult’s Holy Son. 1294 1303 1306

Final Conflict with Wu Chang

Yuan Gang’s evolved Chi You’s Formlessness lets him wield Tiger’s Roar at unprecedented power. He kills Lan Daolin and later charges into Wu Chang’s trap to restrain the Heavenly Demon Sacred Venerable, declaring that someone must enter hell to end the chaos. 1549 1568 Though severely wounded in the resulting battle, he survives long enough to help bring Wu Chang down. 1569 1570

Notable Quotes

“An army without education is an army steeped in ignorance. An army with simple minds can do nothing but flaunt the courage of mere brutes!” 329

“I am not your match. I cannot defeat you, so you can say whatever you like. This has nothing to do with anyone else. The fault lies with me alone. Kill me or flay me—I will submit to whatever you decide!” 1283

“If I do not enter hell, who will?” 1568

Trivia

• Yuan Gang can read Small Seal Script because of his experience in the archaeology world before this life. 26
• He has little patience for formal greetings and does not habitually bow even before Shang Chaozong or Shang Shuqing. 118
• He named his first four trained companions Yuan Feng, Niu Lin, Yuan Huo, and Niu Shan after Niu Youdao gave him the maxim: “Swift as the wind, slow as the forest, invading like fire, unmoving as the mountain.” 210