Zhao Canghai

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Zhao Canghai (赵沧海)
Alias(es)	“Cold Abyss Saber” 11
Species/Race	Human
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Blackwater Martial Arts School; Cold River Lineage of Cangming Dao; Chishui Martial Alliance
Occupation/Role	School Master of Blackwater Martial Arts School; Chen Yuan’s master; interim Alliance Leader of the Chishui Martial Alliance 12 158
Status	Active 577
First Appearance	Chapter 11

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Peak Bone Forging Realm	11	Introduced as one of Linhai County’s foremost experts, with a force condensed enough to stop Chen Yuan’s punch with one finger.
Blood Changing Realm (concealed)	72	Reveals his hidden cultivation to rescue General Lin Xiao from the Cloud Dragon Xuan Xiao.
Blood Changing Realm — Great Accomplishment	328	Chen Yuan’s fate-altering words trigger Zhao’s long-accumulated breakthrough; his Blood Python manifestation becomes a vivid red-scaled python.
Qi Eating Realm	522	Chen Yuan’s dawnlight clears his lingering fear and bottleneck, allowing Zhao to transform Qi and Blood into True Qi while healing hidden injuries.

Background

Cold River Lineage

At twenty, Zhao Canghai placed fifth in the Prefecture Examination. Jiang Qingyuan noticed his unconventional saber technique and brought him to Cangming Dao, where Yu Liuding accepted him as a disciple and passed down chapters of the Cold River Spirit Blade Saber Canon. 297

The Cold River Lineage was already declining when its old sect master died. Yu Liuding surrendered the once-in-three-centuries Cold River Qi to Jiang Qingyuan, enabling Jiang to reach the Qi Eating Realm and preserve the lineage’s Hundred Streams status. Yu then left the sect to seek a future for the lineage through the Great Han Imperial Examination. 297

Following Yu Liuding’s unexpected death, Zhao returned to Linhai. He established and operated the Blackwater Martial Arts School, continued honing the incomplete Cold River inheritance, concealed his strength, and secretly investigated the circumstances surrounding his master’s death. 74

Blackwater Martial Arts School

Zhao personally tested Chen Yuan after the latter entered the Skin Grinding Realm. Impressed by Chen’s solid foundation, spiral force, and ocean-like rhythm, he refined Chen’s cultivation and accepted him as a Personal Disciple. 11 12

He consistently provided Chen with manuals, pills, cultivation notes, weapons, and practical guidance, including the Yuan Ming Tendon Changing Scripture, River Rock Bone Forging Method, and Red Heart Coagulating Blood Scripture. 60 119 293

Return to Cangming Dao

Zhao returned to Cangming Dao largely to secure a stronger future for Chen Yuan. Despite the sect’s internal politics and the indifference of some old acquaintances, he sought an Inner Disciple recommendation and offered his remaining Merit Token to support his disciple’s entry. 301 302

Chen Yuan’s rise at the Sect Entry Ceremony altered Zhao’s fate, opening a path beyond Blood Change. Zhao later entered the Qi Eating Realm and continued cultivating the Azure Waves Scripture and Origin-Nurturing Breathing Method while maintaining the Blackwater branch in Linhai. 328 522 577

Appearance

Zhao Canghai is a refined, middle-aged man with slightly bulging temples, sharp eyes, and an aura described as heavy and still as a mountain. Even when seated quietly, he projects natural authority and the pressure of a seasoned martial master. 11

• Often wears restrained dark-blue, indigo, gray, or martial-style robes. 24 297 577
• Maintains a composed bearing, with his saber intent usually concealed rather than openly displayed. 24 72
• His hands bear thick calluses from decades of saber practice. 577
• After reaching the Qi Eating Realm, his vitality visibly recovers: his white hair darkens, wrinkles smooth, and posture straightens. 522

Personality

Zhao is calm, observant, and difficult to provoke. He favors measured action over empty displays of status, concealing both his cultivation and his personal history until circumstances require otherwise. 60 72 127

He is deeply protective of Chen Yuan. He respects his disciple’s secrets, repeatedly provides resources without demanding explanations, and is willing to risk his life against stronger opponents to ensure Chen’s survival. 60 169 170

His teaching is strict but attentive. Zhao emphasizes solid foundations, patience, and the need to balance cultivation with rest, while also recognizing exceptional talent when he sees it. 24 25 60

Abilities & Skills

Cold River Spirit Blade Saber Canon

Zhao is a master of the Cold River Lineage’s saber arts and possesses a profound grasp of the “Cold Silence” artistic conception.

• His saber intent can freeze an opponent’s thoughts, blood flow, and resistance before a physical strike lands. 24
• He teaches the integration of visualization, force, body mechanics, and Qi and Blood into a single cold, concentrated saber line. 24
• He destroyed the Bone Forging Realm Unicorn Evil Squid’s massive tentacle by freezing it from within until it disintegrated into icy powder. 33
• His strongest techniques include “Reflecting Moon,” “Blue Pass,” “Breaking Flow,” and “Ice Sever.” 169 170

Blood Changing Realm Martial Prowess

Before revealing his cultivation, Zhao was believed to be merely a Bone Forging Realm expert. His hidden Blood Changing cultivation made him one of Linhai’s strongest openly known martial artists. 72 115

• Rescued General Lin Xiao from the Cloud Dragon Xuan Xiao. 72
• Can release a vast, ocean-like aura that stalls weaker cultivators’ Qi and Blood. 127
• Held off two peak Blood Changing Realm Li Clan elders alone to give Chen Yuan time to escape. 169 170
• Fought despite catastrophic injuries, burning his own Qi and Blood and overdrawing his origin to protect his disciple. 170

Cultivation Instruction

Zhao is an accomplished teacher with a precise understanding of foundational martial cultivation.

• Corrected Chen Yuan’s force circulation and helped him reach Skin Grinding Minor Accomplishment through a brief demonstration. 11 12
• Guided Chen through the true essence of Cold River Reflecting Moon, enabling him to enter the technique’s artistic-conception threshold. 24
• Passed down Blackwater Martial Arts School’s core Bone Forging inheritance, the River Rock Bone Forging Method. 119
• Warned Chen against prematurely forcing Tendon Changing cultivation, stressing that damaged tendons could end a martial path entirely. 60

Qi Eating Realm Cultivation

After Chen Yuan’s dawnlight helped him overcome his bottleneck, Zhao entered the Qi Eating Realm with a strengthened foundation. 522

• Converts Qi and Blood into True Qi with the support of gentle dawnlight Dao essence. 522
• Cultivates the Azure Waves Scripture and Origin-Nurturing Breathing Method. 577
• Continues refining the separation and parallel circulation of Qi and Blood and Water Element Qi. 577

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Cold River Spirit Blade — Zhao’s saber and primary weapon; it was severely damaged while he used “Ice Sever” against Li Jue’s Crimson Sun Burst. 170
• Merit Token — A remaining sect contribution token from his time in Cangming Dao, offered to Wang Shouzhua in pursuit of an Inner Disciple opportunity for Chen Yuan. 301
• Cold River inheritance manuals — Zhao safeguards and transmits the Yuan Ming Tendon Changing Scripture, River Rock Bone Forging Method, and Red Heart Coagulating Blood Scripture. 60 119 293
• Cultivation notes — His personal notes on the Cold River saber arts were entrusted to Chen Yuan. 26

Relationships

• Chen Yuan — Personal disciple. Zhao tests, trains, protects, and repeatedly provides resources for Chen’s advancement; Chen later alters Zhao’s fate and helps him reach Qi Eating. 12 169 328 522
• Zhang Zhenshan — Second Personal Disciple and Chen Yuan’s senior brother. Zhao entrusts Zhang with covert investigations into the Chishui Bandits. 12 60
• Yu Liuding — Deceased master. Yu accepted Zhao into the Cold River Lineage and passed down the Cold River Spirit Blade Saber Canon. 74 297
• Jiang Qingyuan — Martial Ancestor-Uncle and Cold River Vein Master. Jiang recognizes Zhao as his nephew-disciple and urges him to return to Cangming Dao. 74
• Qingli — Martial Ancestor-Aunt and master of the Hundred Treasures River. She assists Zhao’s return to Cangming Dao and takes interest in Chen Yuan. 130 131
• Liu Ru — Wife. She appears alongside Zhao when Chen Yuan returns from the prefectural mission. 47
• Wang Shouzhua — Former senior brother from the Cold River Lineage. Their reunion is strained by Zhao’s stagnation at the Blood Changing Realm and sect politics. 300 301
• Lin Qinghe — Senior brother and Cold River alchemist. Zhao humbles himself before Lin to seek Pure Essence Condensing Pills for Chen Yuan. 309 310

Story Role / Major Arcs

• Chen Yuan’s apprenticeship — Tests Chen’s foundation, accepts him as a Personal Disciple, and begins transmitting Blackwater and Cold River techniques. 11 12
• Sea demon suppression — Personally slays the Unicorn Evil Squid, demonstrating the true strength behind Blackwater Martial Arts School. 33
• Chishui Bandit crisis — Organizes covert investigations, uses Chen’s County Examination appearance as misdirection, and helps defend Linhai from bandits and demonic threats. 60 72
• Chishui Martial Alliance — Becomes interim Alliance Leader after mediating between Linhai’s martial schools and consolidating their cooperation. 147 158
• Li Clan pursuit — Shields Chen from Li Yan and Li Jue, sustaining near-fatal injuries so his disciple can escape to the Chishui River. 169 170
• Cangming Dao entry — Returns to the sect to seek opportunities for Chen, enduring political slights and expending old favors for his disciple’s future. 297 301 309
• Fate-altering breakthrough — Reaches Blood Change Great Accomplishment through Chen’s influence, then eventually enters the Qi Eating Realm under Chen’s dawnlight. 328 522

Notable Quotes

“If you want to touch my disciple, you’ll have to step over my corpse first!” 169

“You need not tell me about your opportunities. Who doesn’t have their own?” 60

“Only by becoming powerful yourself can you truly fear nothing.” 119