Zhang Lingshan

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Zhang Lingshan (张灵山)
Alias(es)	Xiao Shan; Shorty; Junior Brother Shan; Mountain Master; Heart Fire Young Master; Great Emperor of Nine Provinces; Feng Yuchuan; Xuantian Shangren; Immortal Master Yu Yang; Li Xuanbing
Species/Race	Human
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Hong Clan Martial Hall; Demon Suppression Division; Spirit Mountain; Ice Spirit Sect
Occupation/Role	Former Red Leaf Mountain laborer; Deputy Squad Leader; Demon Suppression Division Hammer Wielder; Spirit Mountain Master; Pure Lotus Pavilion Master
Status	Alive; established and protects Lingshan Village 839
First Appearance	Chapter 1

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Righteous Yang Posture — Not Yet Entry Level	4	His Panel first records the posture and 0.3 Energy.
Righteous Yang Posture — Minor Accomplishment	7	Reaches Minor Accomplishment through standing practice fueled by food-derived energy.
Righteous Yang Posture — Greater Accomplishment	8	His breakthrough strengthens and enlarges his body; Hong Zhengdao accepts him as a Registered Disciple.
Primal Chaos Righteous Yang Posture — Perfection	36	His perfected posture gives him Momentum, though he recognizes that his practical combat experience remains lacking.
Skin Grinding Realm / Ox Skin	26	Reaches Skin Grinding, becoming resistant to ordinary blade strikes.
Stone Skin	40	His tougher skin and the transformed body from perfected posture help him withstand the violent effects of advancing the Mountain Splitting Axe Technique.
Flesh Refining — Peak	76	Zuo Chao identifies him as having reached the peak of Flesh Refining and expects a Tendon Transformation breakthrough.
Bone Forging — Peak	111	Achieves a perfect vajra body after nine days of intense cultivation.
Heart Fire Solid Viscera	132	Uses Black Boar Nine Transformations to consume excess qi and blood, then refines his Heart Fire Solid Viscera.
Spleen Earth Solid Viscera	169	Refines his spleen by placing a Spleen Earth Nourishing Pill directly into it.
Five Viscera Realm — Perfection	279	Ascends the Skill Transmission Pagoda to its ninth floor at Five Viscera Realm Perfection.
Organ Nourishing Realm	280	Absorbs Dao Rhyme on the pagoda’s ninth level and breaks through while disguised as Feng Yuchuan.
Six Viscera Realm / Organ Nourishing Realm — Perfection	285	Nourishes his final two viscera, reaches Organ Nourishing Realm Perfection, and prepares his next breakthrough.
Aperture Opening Realm	285	Deduces the Flawless Leakless Skill and directly enters the Aperture Opening Realm.
Aperture Opening Realm — Mid Stage	290	His cultivation is identified as mid-stage Aperture Opening after killing Zhang Xianbai.
Arhat Golden Body	408	Breaks through to the Arhat Golden Body level, greatly raising his physical strength.
Flowing Cloud Art — Perfection	233	Spends 100 million Energy Points; gains a 500% speed burst and enhanced movement capabilities.
Profound Gold Intent — Eighth Level	278	Raises the intent to its eighth level after clearing the Abyssal Melody River.
Shattering Intent — Ninth Level	434	Reaches the ninth level first while cultivating alongside six elders.
True Essence Realm — Late Stage	592	Raises the Myriad Formation Scripture to Greater Accomplishment and advances to late True Essence.
Spirit Essence Realm — Early Stage	620	Condenses two Spirit Essence True Bodies.
Dharma Aspect Realm	661	Breaks through after leaving the Xuanjiang Domain.
Dharma Aspect Realm — Middle Stage	668	Refines pills in a treasure hall and pushes the Five Elements Rules to Greater Accomplishment.
Dharma Aspect Realm — Late Stage	669	Advances naturally while consuming vast quantities of medicinal pills.
True Immortal Realm	742	Breaks through using the Myriad Techniques True Scripture, then deliberately slows his cultivation to avoid suspicion.
Golden Immortal Realm	810	Survives three Thunder Tribulations and absorbs their power to consolidate his breakthrough.
Life Essence — Perfection	825	Unlocks Essence Circulation, Endless Life, granting exceptionally rapid recovery while the technique is active.

Background / History

Zhang Lingshan began as a fifteen-year-old laborer at Red Leaf Mountain, working to support his family. After discovering a Panel that measured his Energy, he resolved to pursue martial arts despite his father’s reservations. When Father Zhang left for six months of work at Golden Light Temple, Zhang remained responsible for the household alongside his friends Wang Datou and Li Xiaole. 1

He entered the Hong Clan Martial Hall despite injuries, bribing Shi Lei to teach him the eighteen forms of the Righteous Yang Posture. His rapid progress earned Hong Zhengdao’s attention: after reaching Greater Accomplishment, he became a Registered Disciple and received direct instruction in the Primal Chaos Righteous Yang Posture. 4 8 9

His advancement was enabled by the Panel’s ability to convert medicinal potency into Energy, allowing him to consume herbs far beyond what an ordinary cultivator could tolerate. Financial support from Song Dazhuang and work as Feng Shaolong’s Herb Gathering Guard gave him the means to cultivate more aggressively. 26

After making his name by killing Chen Hui with a single punch, Zhang became Deputy Squad Leader of the Strong Squad and took responsibility for night patrols. 55 56 He later unified Jin City, gathered cultivation manuals and medicinal resources on a massive scale, and reached peak Bone Forging while seeking the final volume of the Wordless True Scripture. 111

Zhang entered the Demon Suppression Division’s sphere of influence, learned of higher cultivation realms, and became eligible for the Demon Suppression Envoy selection because of his age. 103 193 He completed the selection, entered the Skill Transmission Pagoda under the disguise Feng Yuchuan, climbed directly to the ninth floor, and used its Dao Rhyme to enter the Organ Nourishing Realm and later the Aperture Opening Realm. 279 280 285

After acknowledging his Zhang family lineage, he was recognized as a special-class genius and received clan resources. Li Bufan subsequently appointed him Hammer Wielder, granting him authority and resources within the Demon Suppression Division. 296 290

Zhang later established Spirit Mountain, issued a Daoist Proclamation claiming he would suppress the Nine Provinces Continent Destiny, and provoked the Eight Ancient Sects into mobilizing against him. He defeated several of their experts, including Wan Yidao, Xiang Chen, and Gui Hao. 501 504

Following his ascension, he concealed himself under several identities while cultivating in the Upper Realm. He became involved with the Rogue Cultivator Alliance, Xuantian Dao, and the Ice Spirit Sect, eventually revealing his true identity to Shen Zhixin and Qian Dapo. 601 620 823

After returning to Anning City as a Golden Immortal, Zhang exacted retribution on figures who had harmed him, including Luo Wenyuan, Zuo Sining, and Lu Zhaohe. He then moved Anning City’s buildings, treasures, Ascension Pool, and array into his Pouch Space before establishing Lingshan Village near the Ice Spirit Sect. 837 838 839

Appearance

Zhang was originally short and stocky, but repeated body-refinement breakthroughs dramatically altered his physique. His body became more balanced, elongated, and muscular after mastering the Righteous Yang Posture. 8

• By Chapter 73, removing his outer garment revealed muscles described as resembling small hills. 73
• During his Bone Forging cultivation, he expanded from roughly two meters to 2.4 meters tall, with a greatly increased width and girth. 111
• His body became so large that a specially built medicinal-bath courtyard was required to accommodate him while standing. 111
• His physical resilience is sufficient to erase a sword strike’s white chest mark through a circulation of qi and blood. 445
• He can alter his bones, build, face, and outward aura through transformation techniques to imitate other people. 441

Personality

Zhang is intensely determined and treats cultivation as the surest means of escaping vulnerability. Even when injured, he insists on training; when he lacks resources or methods, he searches for alternatives rather than accepting stagnation. 4 111 275

He is practical about relationships and power. He accepts useful support, rewards capable followers, and refuses to confuse interest-based cooperation with friendship. 26 752 He is also willing to negotiate aggressively for resources, as shown when he demanded better spiritual treasures in exchange for leading other cultivators’ progress. 434

His ruthlessness is especially apparent toward enemies and people who exploit others. He kills adversaries decisively, plans retaliatory action against powerful families, and later purges Anning City. 190 837 838 Conversely, he remembers prior kindness and spares or aids people who treated him well. 838

Abilities & Skills

Panel and Energy Conversion

Zhang possesses a Panel that records his cultivation, Energy, mental power, physique, intents, and mystical powers. 4 111

• Converts medicinal potency into Energy Points, allowing sustained herb consumption without the physical damage ordinary cultivators would suffer. 26
• Uses Energy Points to rapidly improve cultivation methods, intents, and other recorded abilities. 56 163
• Can push techniques to Perfection almost instantly when sufficient Energy is available. 518

Body Refinement and Physique

His central strength is an extreme body-refining path built from stances, hard skills, medicinal baths, qi and blood, and countless cultivated methods. 111

• Possesses the Qi and Blood Furnace and Crystalline Marrow Jade Bones constitutions. 111
• Later develops the Profound Gold Body, a physique considered capable of ranking among the Immortal Realm’s top ten physiques. 453 609
• Endures attacks from the Eight Ancient Sects’ experts, including sword and blade seals, with little apparent damage. 504
• Can digest materials as hard as refined iron and goldstone after his body reaches sufficient strength. 669
• Shares Overlord Body Strength with nearby allies, allowing them to break through wind and fire resistance; the effect cannot be shared across excessive distance. 382

Heavenly Eye

Zhang obtains the Heavenly Eye from the final volume of the Wordless True Scripture. 111

• Sees through formations, illusions, and strange entities. 111
• Its duration improves as his spiritual power increases. 112

Movement Arts

The Flowing Cloud Art grants Zhang exceptional speed and aerial mobility. 141

• Clone — creates a duplicate.
• Rapid Speed — greatly accelerates movement; at Perfection, it grants a 500% speed burst. 141 233
• Levitation and Cloud Ladder — allow aerial movement. 141
• Mountain Shifting Technique — enhanced by complete Five Elements Rules, allowing rapid relocation and evasive movement. 650

Mental and Soul Techniques

Zhang’s mental cultivation progresses from Human-grade mental power to Spiritual Consciousness and later Immortal Divine Sense. 111 150 753

• Refines the Extreme Yin Ghost Seal to greatly increase Divine Consciousness, though the process consumes his physical body. 610
• His Immortal Divine Sense can suppress hostile divine-consciousness attacks without significant disturbance. 586
• Uses the Yama Ghost Realm to execute or imprison opponents. 837
• Wields a Soul Summoning Banner to summon souls for refinement. 838

Life, Death, and Recovery

Zhang gains Paradise Mountain’s Life Wheel inheritance after being cleansed by immense vitality. 248

• Life Wheel — produces an unending cycle of vitality and can merge with the Death Wheel to form the Life and Death Wheel. 248
• Gains the Death Wheel after Nantang Yu is submerged by Dead Qi; part of Nantang Yu’s mental power is absorbed by Zhang. 249
• Life Essence at Perfection grants accelerated recovery through Essence Circulation, Endless Life. 825
• The Immortal Spiritual Body lets him perceive and cultivate Life Essence, though some techniques can severely deplete his physical body. 753 610

Formation Arts

Zhang masters formation techniques despite initially lacking formal formation knowledge. 518

• The perfected Qian Yuan Dao Cultivation Method allows all things between heaven and earth to serve as formations. 518
• Uses formations to defend Spirit Mountain, seal Anning City, control entry to Flowing Water Peak, and protect allies during cultivation. 456 825 837
• His formations can support spatial movement and enable him to sense danger around Lingshan Village. 839

Combat Techniques

Zhang has cultivated a wide range of martial techniques, including the Mountain Splitting Axe Technique, Demon Subduing Saber Technique, Gale Wind Leg, Blood Claw Hand, Red Thread Fist, Eight Directions Divine Palm, and Buddha’s Palm. 75

• Blood Burning Divine Art — scatters blood as sharp blades or flames for wide-area killing, or atomizes blood to conceal his escape. 233
• Cutting Intent — reaches the third level and forms part of his offensive foundation. 163
• Flame Blade Qi — produces explosive sparks capable of killing powerful opponents. 504
• Black Boar Nine Transformations — devours excess qi and blood; grants Berserk Transformation and Jade Buddha Transformation. 132 150

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Wind Immobilizing Banner — gifted by Wang Chong; protects against Evil Wind and demonic wind. 233
• Mountain God Armor — condensed by refining the Mountain God Crystal; improves his physical body and draws on earth power to restore qi and blood. 254
• Soul Summoning Banner — used to gather the souls of Anning City’s inhabitants. 838
• Pouch Space — stores letters, cultivation resources, and later the buildings, treasures, Ascension Pool, and array taken from Anning City. 169 839
• Spirit Beast Bag — used to carry Rooster and Pei Tong through the Abyssal Melody River. 271

Relationships

• Father Zhang — His father; left to work at Golden Light Temple, hoping to support the family despite misgivings about Zhang’s martial ambitions. 1
• Zhang Lingyu — Younger sister; later named as the intended successor to the position of Spirit Mountain Master after Zhang’s ascension. 56 565
• Zhang Lingfeng — Younger brother; cultivates in seclusion at the Sandalwood Sect. 40 448
• Zhang Lingchuan — Twin brother; Zhang senses something wrong with him when the Zhang Family Ancestor manifests through Lingchuan’s body. 452
• Hong Zhengdao — Master at the Hong Clan Martial Hall; recognizes Zhang’s talent, accepts him as a Registered Disciple, and provides cultivation guidance. 8 9 103
• Shi Lei — Senior brother and initial instructor; begins as dismissive, then becomes Zhang’s assigned teacher and seeks a better relationship with him. 4 9
• Kong Dagui — Demon Suppression Division supervisor and supporter; explains higher realms, recommends Zhang for the Demon Suppression Envoy selection, and becomes one of his loyal backers. 193 194 223
• Zhang Xianfeng — Grandfather; supports Zhang’s return to the Zhang family and witnesses his unusual mastery of aerial movement. 291 292
• Li Bufan — Demon Suppression Division leader who appoints Zhang as Hammer Wielder to counterbalance Zuoqiu Jian’s influence. 290
• Zhao Huanyang — Guild Master of the Three Yang Society; an ally who repeatedly warns Zhang about the dangers of challenging powerful families. 162 190
• Feng Zhengfeng — Loyal subordinate with formation expertise; saves Zhang with Sea Dragon Marrow and later governs Jianghai City under Zhang’s orders. 479 343
• Xuanqing — Xuantian Dao cultivator who believes Zhang is Xuantian Shangren, supports his recovery, and later cultivates with him. 610 620
• Wu Fangfang — Zhang cares for her health and uses his qi and blood to warm her during their journey toward Jade City. 115
• Huoran — Initially an associate in pill refinement and spirit-rice farming; later submits to Zhang’s leadership while remaining wary of his rapid advancement. 742 752

Story Role / Major Arcs

Hong Clan Martial Hall and Jin City

Zhang’s early story follows his transition from poor laborer to martial prodigy. He becomes Hong Zhengdao’s disciple, acquires the Panel’s benefits, builds combat experience, and rises through Jin City’s martial hierarchy. 1 8 26 55

Demon Suppression Division and the Skill Transmission Pagoda

He enters the wider cultivation world through the Demon Suppression Division, confronts figures such as He Qianshou, gains the Demon Suppression Envoy opportunity, and shocks Central Province by reaching the Skill Transmission Pagoda’s ninth floor. 112 193 279 280

Zhang Family and Spirit Mountain

After returning to the Zhang family, Zhang receives special-class genius treatment, becomes Hammer Wielder, develops his own power base, and founds Spirit Mountain. His Daoist Proclamation eventually brings the Eight Ancient Sects to his doorstep. 296 290 501

Ascension and the Upper Realm

Zhang ascends with allies, survives the Rogue Cultivator Alliance’s pursuit, cultivates under false identities, joins the Ice Spirit Sect’s sphere, and reaches Golden Immortal through three Thunder Tribulations. 592 620 810 823

Anning City and Lingshan Village

He returns to Anning City to punish those who once exploited him, destroys the city’s old order, preserves those who showed him kindness, and relocates the city’s material wealth to establish Lingshan Village. 837 838 839