Fourth Elder

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Fourth Elder (四长老)
Gender	Male
Affiliation	East Wolf Village 9 10
Occupation/Role	Elder responsible for training village guards and cultivating the village's combat strength 9 58
Status	Deceased; killed by Gao Linzhi during the East Wolf Village elders' conflict 52
First Appearance	Chapter 10

Background / History

The Fourth Elder oversaw East Wolf Village's guards, offering Descenders a ten-year Guard Contract. Its terms required the village to provide training resources and required guards to follow combat deployments, while allowing them to refuse suicide missions; violations incurred “divine retribution.” 10

He considered guards essential not primarily for protecting ordinary villagers, but for defending the Ancestral Hall of Inheritance and the elders. He presented guard service as a long-term route toward class inheritances, increased lifespan, and possibly immortality. 13

When Lin Qing revealed her Purple Talent, he accepted her as a village guard and openly defied Xu Corporation's demands that she be surrendered. He secured defensive and escape jade talismans for Lin Qing and Gao Linzhi through the Third Elder, then distributed them as newcomer protection. 11 12

He personally trained Gao Linzhi and Lin Qing in foundational combat and observation skills. Impressed by Gao Linzhi's extraordinary learning speed, he arranged for Zheng Dong to help him maximize his Basic Skills and later taught him the Disguise Art. 17 26 30 31

The Fourth Elder repeatedly attempted to protect Lin Qing from covert threats, though he admitted he lacked proof against those targeting her and could not prevent every attack. During an Anomaly incident, he lured the threat away rather than catching the person who threw a firecracker into her room. 25 26

His relationship with Gao Linzhi ultimately collapsed. After offering to take Gao to obtain Skill Stones, he led him toward a cursed formation in the Huai Tree Forest; Gao Linzhi recognized the danger through the very observation art the Fourth Elder had taught him. 50 51 Gao Linzhi subsequently killed the Fourth Elder, and the remaining elders publicly claimed that he had colluded with the Anomaly-possessed Great Elder. 52 53

Appearance

An elderly man who at one point appeared as an image in a scholar's robe. 22

• Usually composed and outwardly approachable, often smiling while discussing contracts or village prospects. 10 11
• Could become visibly grave when confronting Xu Corporation's threats or danger to his guards. 11 26
• Was remembered by Zheng Dong as mysterious, imposing, and confident. 58

Personality

The Fourth Elder was patient and methodical as an instructor. He emphasized that skills required persistence rather than relying solely on a Descender's “heavenly opportunity,” and he spent an entire night teaching Gao Linzhi and Lin Qing. 17

He valued talent highly, particularly Lin Qing's potential and Gao Linzhi's comprehension. He was willing to confront Xu Corporation to retain Lin Qing, and he showed genuine amazement at Gao Linzhi mastering skills in a fraction of the time it had taken him. 11 26 30

He also possessed a persuasive, political side. While introducing Lin Qing and Gao Linzhi to village life, he enthusiastically described East Wolf Village's economic and territorial prospects. 11 His later attempt to bring Gao Linzhi to the Huai Tree Forest cast doubt on the sincerity of his mentorship. 50 51

Abilities & Skills

Guard Training

The Fourth Elder trained village guards in both combat fundamentals and survival knowledge.

• Taught Basic Fists and Feet, Basic Parrying, Basic Lightness Skill, and Secret Scouting Technique to Gao Linzhi and Lin Qing. 17
• Explained that basic skills could otherwise require Copper Coins and Contribution Points from the village library. 17
• Assigned Zheng Dong to assist Gao Linzhi in maximizing his Basic Skills. 31
• Taught the Disguise Art after Gao Linzhi raised his Lightness Skill to Level 28. 30

Heavenly Sight, Earthly Hearing, Person-Judging Art

He instructed Lin Qing in the incomplete observation art and allowed Gao Linzhi to listen to the lesson.

• The art comprises Sky Reading, Earth Reading, and Person Reading. 16
• Enables preliminary assessments of weather, terrain, and another person's hostility or goodwill. 16
• Gao Linzhi later used its danger sense to refuse entry into the cursed Huai Tree Forest. 51

Anomaly Response

The Fourth Elder had practical knowledge of Anomalies and village defensive procedures.

• Warned that Anomalies were most likely to emerge at night and advised guards to log off when village alarms sounded. 24
• Explained that the village's large-scale talisman array protected most buildings from Anomalies. 24
• Identified the White Mist Anomaly known as Silence and instructed those present not to make loud noises. 25
• Lured an Anomaly away during the attack on Lin Qing's room. 26

Equipment / Items

• Guard Contract Bronze Metal Plate — Ancient bronze plate bearing the ten-year Guard Contract. 10
• Jade Talismans — Obtained defensive, offensive, and escape talismans from the Third Elder for newly recruited guards. 11 12
• Introduction to Anomalies — Book he placed in Gao Linzhi's room while beginning his instruction on Anomalies. 24
• Books and construction tools — Kept books on Skyfall's monsters, Anomalies, and cultivation, and allowed Gao Linzhi to take basic tools and food from his home. 24 19

Relationships

• Gao Linzhi / Can Xue — Guard and student. The Fourth Elder taught him foundational skills, provided growth opportunities, and arranged his placement with Zheng Dong's patrol; Gao Linzhi later killed him after becoming suspicious of his actions. 17 30 31 51 52
• Lin Qing — Guard and prized recruit. He protected her from Xu Corporation because of her Purple Talent and continued to advise her after attacks targeted her. 11 22 26
• Zheng Dong — Subordinate patrol captain. The Fourth Elder assigned Zheng Dong to support Gao Linzhi's Basic Skill training; Zheng Dong later succeeded him as Fourth Elder. 31 58
• Third Elder — Fellow elder and talisman craftsman. Their relationship was strained, but the Third Elder supplied jade talismans at the Fourth Elder's request. 11 12
• Xu Corporation — Hostile external force. The Fourth Elder rejected its demands for Lin Qing and warned that its members could not harm East Wolf Village guards. 11 22
• Great Elder — Fellow village elder. The two were later collectively accused by the remaining elders of having been possessed or aligned with Anomalies. 53

Trivia

• The Fourth Elder said that Basic Lightness Skill had taken him a full year to reach entry level after beginning training at age five. 26
• He described the current Descenders as the seventh known batch to descend upon the Skyfall Continent. 30
• After his death, Zheng Dong was appointed as the new Fourth Elder and inherited responsibility for cultivating East Wolf Village's combat power. 58