Ma Wu

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	Ma Wu (馬五)
Alias(es)	Ma Junyang; Fifth Son / Fifth Young Master; Fifth Master 100 178 707
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Carefree Dock; Li Banfeng's group; his own New Land territory 324 652 797
Occupation/Role	Joy Cultivator; businessman and entertainment operator; Local Earth God 134 334 652
Status	Alive; continued fighting after his left arm was broken during the Tufang Country campaign 835
First Appearance	Chapter 99 99

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
First Layer Joy Cultivator	105	Passed the first-layer barrier, but was subsequently beaten and robbed. 105
Third Layer Joy Cultivator	334	Advanced through intense cultivation. 334
Seventh Layer Joy Cultivator	652	Reached seven layers through diligent cultivation, Feng Daiku's guidance, elixirs from Li Qi, and cultivation alongside the residents of his mansion. He had already become a Local Earth God despite not yet reaching Cloud Above. 652
Cloud Above	793	Received guidance from Mu Yuejuan through a landscape painting gifted by Li Banfeng and successfully promoted. 793

Background / History

Ma Wu was born Ma Junyang, the fifth son of the Ma Family, one of Pro State's Four Great Families. His family expected its descendants to pursue “proper” cultivation, but Ma Wu chose Joy Cultivation instead. Before his fall, his father had given him two Dance Halls to manage, and he could afford attendants, supplements, medicine, and numerous Dao companions to sustain his cultivation. 100

His third brother discovered his cultivation path, dragged him from bed, and beat him. Ma Wu was eventually disowned by the Ma Family and reduced to scavenging food from a garbage heap. Despite this, he continued trying to survive rather than giving up on himself. 99 100

Li Banfeng recognized Ma Wu and hired him as a guide for 150 Ocean per day with meals included. Ma Wu had previously provided Li Banfeng with practical advice about Pro State and repeatedly urged him to seek a way to survive after receiving Heavenly Light. 99

While living in Blue Poplar Village, Ma Wu became Li Banfeng's business partner. They sold goods through Ma Wu's channels and earned more than seven million within two months. Ma Wu also used his knowledge of the New Land to identify valuable clay and other opportunities. 105

Personality

Ma Wu is frank, approachable, and notably free of the arrogance expected from a young master of a major family. Even after his fall, he retained practical knowledge, business instincts, and a strong desire to rebuild his life. 99 100 105

He is fiercely loyal to Li Banfeng. When Li Banfeng went missing after the battle with Qiu Luoye, Ma Wu repeatedly searched the route between the canyon and their Land Block, refusing to accept that his friend was gone. 193

Ma Wu acts decisively in dangerous situations, but he is less cautious than Li Banfeng or Chu Huaiyuan. He readily confronts threats, often relying on confidence, preparation by his allies, or the protection of his territory. 178 797

Abilities & Skills

Joy Cultivation

Ma Wu's primary Dao Gate is Joy Cultivation. His techniques influence emotion, focus, desire, and physical condition rather than relying solely on direct force.

• Inspiration Technique — Can strengthen or stimulate a target. Ma Wu used it to save Wei Landlord during a fight and later replicated an effect resembling the higher-level Blood Surge Technique by preventing Chu Huaiyuan from speaking. 100 174
• Charm Technique — His First Layer Charm could make simple-minded targets favor him. He redirected an Emerald Snake Vine away from an injured woman by making it pursue him instead. 146
• Bewilderment Skill — Disrupts a target's thoughts and creates confusion during combat. It affected Song Zhigang in close combat but failed against ghost servants inhabiting paper figures. 126 134
• Joyful Fire Burning Body — Ignites a powerful Joyful Fire within a target. Ma Wu used it on Lu Xiaolan through the pistil of the orchid growing from her head, forcing her to release him and Yuan Youshang. 767

Emotion Cultivator Talent

Feng Daiku repaid Ma Wu for saving her by improving his physique and granting him an Emotion Cultivator talent. 148 175

• By meeting another's gaze, Ma Wu can induce strong affection even in powerful anomalies.
• He subdued the House Centipede Woman without using a Joy Cultivator technique; she fell in love with him after his talent took effect. 175
• The talent was effective enough to influence the Bagworm Moth Madam, who was otherwise far stronger than Ma Wu. 178 179
• Ma Wu later learned to transfer an emotion root back to its source, using the properties of Emotion Cultivation against Shen Rongqing after she used an Emotion Cultivator Magical Treasure on him. 353

Martial Skill

Although physically weaker than many combat-focused cultivators, Ma Wu has trained in martial arts and can fight effectively at close range. 126

• Uses a short sword in combat and was capable of destroying paper figures controlled by ghost servants. 134
• Wields the Fifth Son Staff, a short staff forged by melting several Spiritual Objects together. 797
• Continued attempting to fight after suffering a broken left arm in the battle against Tufang Country's forces. 835

Land Reclamation and Local Earth God Authority

Ma Wu developed his cultivation through New Land reclamation, repeatedly risking himself to clear plots and expand his territory. 175 178

• Successfully reclaimed a mile of wasteland, proving capable of bearing responsibility for a Land Block. 178
• His territory grants him protection through its Local Earth God, and Yanzi also protects him while he remains within its boundaries. 179
• Before reaching Cloud Above, he forcibly became a Local Earth God and used Feng Daiku's methods to light up Land Blocks; each use damaged his body. 652
• Opened the first railway line to Belt Ridge by successfully crossing the Boundary Line. 789

Business and Administration

Ma Wu combines cultivation with commerce and local administration.

• Managed Dance Halls before his expulsion from the Ma Family and later opened a Dance Hall of his own. 100 134
• Organized concerts and helped turn Bai Le Men into a major attraction without relying on paid celebrity appearances. 175
• Took over businesses formerly connected to Lu Maoxian, including a coal mine, and delegated work to subordinates to avoid disrupting his cultivation. 333
• Operated coal shipments through Yellow Earth Bridge and used an agreement with Guanfang Hall to reduce railway shipping costs. 463
• Closely monitored the shadow-play business and treated competing productions as serious commercial threats. 334

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Fifth Son Staff — Short staff forged from several melted Spiritual Objects; used against He Jiaqing. 797
• Short sword — Used while defending his Dance Hall from ghost-servant paper figures. 134
• Spiritual shoes — Thick-soled footwear whose tread could nearly double his usual speed, though his Joy Cultivator physique still required substantial rest. 145
• Landscape painting by Mu Yuejuan — A genuine work gifted by Li Banfeng; Ma Wu received guidance through it and advanced to Cloud Above. 793
• New Land records — More than seventy pages of notes and over ten drawings recording his observations from journeys into the New Land. 124

Relationships

• Li Banfeng — Friend, business partner, and sworn-like brother. Li hired Ma Wu when he was destitute; the two later built businesses, reclaimed land, and repeatedly protected one another. 99 105 148 197
• Feng Daiku — Benefactor, ally, and fellow Local Earth God. Ma Wu saved her from the Emerald Snake Vine; she improved his physique, granted him an Emotion Cultivator talent, guided his reclamation, and fought beside him against He Jiaqing. 146 148 175 652 797
• Lu Xiaolan — Former fiancée and later enemy. They were engaged when she was thirteen, but their history became entangled with conflict between their families. Ma Wu and Yuan Youshang eventually defeated and killed her physical body. 194 767
• Yuan Youshang — Ally who helped Ma Wu confront Lu Xiaolan with his ghost servants. Yuan Youshang later left Carefree Dock because of the danger surrounding Lu Xiaolan's escaped soul. 767
• Little Genzi — Subordinate and cultivation companion. Ma Wu paid for his entry into a Dao Gate, took him into the New Land, and protected him during land reclamation. 132 175 178
• Yanzi — Bagworm Moth Madam affected by Ma Wu's Emotion Cultivator talent. She became protective of him and contributed to the safety of his territory. 178 179
• Ma Family — His birth family. Ma Wu was the fifth son of the household but was cast out after pursuing Joy Cultivation. 100

Story Role / Major Arcs

Fall from the Ma Family and Blue Poplar Village

After being cast out, Ma Wu became Li Banfeng's guide and partner in Blue Poplar Village. He used Inspiration to save Wei Landlord, revealed his history to Li Banfeng, and began rebuilding through trade and cultivation. 99 100 105

New Land Reclamation

Ma Wu accompanied Li Banfeng into the New Land, where he saved Feng Daiku, acquired her gifts, and began using his Emotion Cultivator talent to clear dangerous plots. His victory over the House Centipede Woman and later survival against the Bagworm Moth Madam established him as a capable land reclaimer. 146 175 178

Entertainment and Commercial Expansion

Ma Wu opened a Dance Hall, helped resolve the Bai Le Men dispute, and became increasingly involved in newspapers, performances, coal, and railway commerce. His growing influence attracted hostility from the Lu Family, Ling Family, He Jiaqing, and other rivals. 134 174 260 333 463

Local Earth Godhood

Ma Wu expanded his territory aggressively and became a Local Earth God before reaching Cloud Above. The strain of using Feng Daiku's methods to illuminate Land Blocks weakened him, but he persisted out of a desire not to fall behind rival reclaimers. 652

Conflict with Lu Xiaolan

When Lu Xiaolan infiltrated Ma Wu's circle under the identity Xie Wanqing, Ma Wu recognized the danger and confronted her alongside Yuan Youshang. He used Joyful Fire Burning Body to break her orchid-based attack and ultimately defeated her, though her soul escaped. 767

Railway and Territorial Defense

Ma Wu opened the first railway line to Belt Ridge, worked to extend rail service toward Year Wasteland, and prepared with Li Banfeng and Feng Daiku for He Jiaqing's attempt to steal his Contract. Their ambush injured He Jiaqing and forced him to flee. 789 793 797

Tufang Country Campaign

During the war against Tufang Country, Ma Wu joined He Yuxiu and Qin Tianjiu in advancing on Add Wings City. He was later injured by Body Cultivator Grandmaster Xie Bajian but still attempted to continue fighting. 785 835