Lu Cheng

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	Lu Cheng (鲁成)
Alias(es)	Gao Bing / Lord Gao, the official identity used as Military Governor of Ruzhou 271 276
Species/Race	Human; identified as a born shaman whose Divine Spark and fate are intertwined with Lord Guan 697
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Guanlin Temple; Ruzhou government and army; The Company leadership 108 276 763 789
Occupation/Role	Former opera actor specializing in Red Face roles; Military Governor of Ruzhou and later Wancheng 104 276 360
Status	Active
First Appearance	Chapter 101: “Lu Cheng” 101

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Lord Guan’s marked vessel	108	After performing Drunken Guan Gong and using Lord Guan’s favor to save a child, a tattoo of Guan Gong with opened eyes appears on his back; he is required to remain at Guanlin Temple until he repays the favor.
Spirit-walker of Miyuan City	161 244	His recurring dreams place him above Miyuan City, where he can see and hear its inhabitants but initially cannot meaningfully intervene; he later learns minor object-moving tricks.
First explicit divine manifestation	275	The Guan Gong tattoo opens its eyes, allowing Lu Cheng to manifest overwhelming divine power and destroy the Iron Mountain Lady and her temple.
Divine general in war	355	Arrives with Ruzhou reinforcements and devastates the Locust God’s manifestation.
Expanding Divinity	399 697	His Divinity becomes visible as golden clouds containing Lord Guan’s figure; later witnesses see a colossal phantom behind him, while his presence terrifies powerful spirits and rebel kings.
Complete Deity manifestation	866	Manifests a complete Deity to annihilate an angel summoned through Divine Descent.

Background / History

Lu Cheng was once a handsome village opera performer, known for playing Red Face roles such as Guan Yu. His voice was recognized by villagers as the voice of Guan Gong in a recording of Passing Five Levels, where his performance carried an imposing, godlike presence 101 103.

His life collapsed after his girlfriend died of cancer and his mother died the following year. Left without family, he became withdrawn and disheveled, often speaking little or not at all; villagers continued to feed and look after him 101. Xiao Ran and Wu Man helped reconnect him with the village through an opera performance and communal meal. When the villagers responded with applause and small offerings, Lu Cheng broke down in grief, suggesting that his suppressed emotions had begun to heal 103 104.

Master Lai brought Lu Cheng to Guanlin Temple after recognizing that he was exceptionally suited to embody Lord Guan. Following the Drunken Guan Gong ritual, the Lord Guan tattoo emerged on Lu Cheng’s back, binding him to the temple and establishing his connection to the deity 104 108.

Appearance

Lu Cheng is exceptionally tall, broad, and physically imposing. His severe features and bearing naturally evoke Guan Yu even without opera makeup; after years of training and military command, that resemblance becomes even stronger 101 106 343 697.

• Thick eyebrows, large eyes, lowered eyelids, and a naturally intimidating gaze 101 106 264
• Long beard and a voice described as “Dragon Sound” 106 352
• Muscular build strengthened through rigorous training, plentiful food, and medicinal congee 343
• Often wears golden heavy armor as Military Governor; later carries a Mo Dao in battle 344 697
• Bears a supernatural Lord Guan tattoo across his back; its eyes open when divine power manifests 108 275

Personality

Lu Cheng is instinctively righteous and unable to ignore cruelty. He intervenes against evil even when doing so creates trouble for Xiao Ran, condemning the Iron Mountain Lady as a false deity who preys upon ordinary people 275. He sees slaying demons and protecting the vulnerable as his own responsibility.

Despite his fearsome appearance, he is sincere, awkward, and considerate. He worries about burdening Xiao Ran, supports local businesses that once prayed to him, and remains deeply attached to Master Lai 248 276 368. His experiences in Miyuan City initially torment him because he can witness suffering without helping, but he persists in small acts of kindness within his limited ability 244.

As a commander, Lu Cheng is decisive and demanding. He personally trains with his soldiers, issues clear military orders, builds discipline, and accepts the burden of governing territory rather than returning to safety in reality 343 344 365.

Abilities & Skills

Lord Guan Manifestation

Lu Cheng serves as a vessel for Lord Guan’s Divinity. When the tattoo on his back opens its eyes, he can manifest a red-faced divine general and unleash overwhelming power against evil beings 108 275.

• Destroyed the Iron Mountain Lady and her temple in a single manifestation 275
• Defeated the Locust God’s manifestation after arriving as a divine general 355
• Generated enough pressure to terrify ghosts, Yin spirits, and rebel kings 270 697
• Manifested a complete Deity that annihilated an angel summoned through Divine Descent 866

Miyuan City Spirit-Walking

Lu Cheng enters Miyuan City differently from ordinary Initiates. He initially travels above the city like an unseen deity, able to observe its inhabitants without being noticed 244.

• Sees cities floating in white mist and dreams of some sinking and disappearing 161
• Initially unable to directly affect most events in Miyuan City 244
• Learns minor supernatural tricks from opera-robed companions, such as moving small objects 244
• Receives information from mysterious “friends” in the sky 271

Opera Performance

Lu Cheng’s former profession as a Red Face opera actor directly supports his ability to embody Guan Yu 103 104.

• Specializes in Guan Gong roles in Peking Opera and related traditions 104
• Possesses a powerful singing voice known as Dragon Sound 103 106
• Uses performance experience to project authority as a government official and commander 276 360

Martial Strength & Military Command

Lu Cheng possesses exceptional physical strength even outside direct divine manifestation, including the ability to lift Lord Guan’s Azure Dragon Saber 266.

• Personally trained with Ruzhou’s troops and the Mo Dao Army 343 344
• Built an elite five-hundred-man Mo Dao Army equipped with heavy armor and thirty-jin Mo Dao 344
• Led heavily armored forces to reinforce Wancheng and turn the battle against the Yellow Disaster Army 352 355
• His Ruzhou Tiger Army’s military might suppresses intruders’ attributes by 20% and delays Cursed Object activation 399

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Lord Guan tattoo — Divine mark on his back that enables Lord Guan’s manifestation 108 275
• Green Dragon Saber / Lord Guan’s Azure Dragon Saber — A weapon Lu Cheng is capable of wielding due to his extraordinary strength 266 589
• Golden heavy armor — His signature armor as Military Governor, reinforcing his commanding and divine image 276 352
• Mo Dao — Used while leading and training with the Mo Dao Army 344 697

Relationships

• Xiao Ran — Close sworn-brother-like confidant. Xiao Ran helped Lu Cheng recover from grief, brought him into Miyuan City, advised him in Ruzhou, and repeatedly risks himself to protect him 104 262 277 343.
• Master Lai / Li Qing — Master and guardian at Guanlin Temple. Master Lai recognizes Lu Cheng’s compatibility with Lord Guan and treats him as his disciple and son 104 108 368.
• Lord Guan — Divine patron whose mark, Divinity, and manifestation are bound to Lu Cheng’s fate 108 275 697.
• Gao Lan — Love interest and intended wife. Their mutual affection becomes increasingly open, and Lu Cheng prepares to marry her after stabilizing Ruzhou 364 365.
• Yu Deng — Appointed by Lu Cheng as acting Prefect of Ruzhou; manages logistics and supports the expansion of Lu Cheng’s army 290 344.
• Zhong Yi — Company representative who treats Lu Cheng as a senior figure, provides intelligence concerning Master Lai, and offers Company assistance 789.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Guanlin Temple and Lord Guan’s Favor

Lu Cheng is discovered living in grief-stricken isolation and is brought back into contact with his former opera identity. His performance as Guan Gong leads Master Lai to recognize him as an authentic vessel for Lord Guan, after which he becomes bound to Guanlin Temple 101 104 108.

Miyuan City and Ruzhou Appointment

After his dreams reveal Miyuan City’s suffering, Lu Cheng becomes entangled in its events. Xiao Ran retrieves his lost soul and later brings him into Miyuan City physically to help save the woman Lu Cheng wishes to protect 262 264 266. After obtaining a dispatch order from the dead Military Governor, Lu Cheng assumes the identity of Gao Bing and becomes Military Governor of Ruzhou 271 276.

Cleansing Ruzhou

Lu Cheng exposes and destroys the Iron Mountain Lady cult, seizes control from corrupt officials, raises military funding, and begins building an army capable of facing the Yellow Disaster 275 279 290. His rule turns Ruzhou into a comparatively stable refuge amid the dynasty’s collapse 398.

Yellow Disaster War and Wancheng

Lu Cheng personally mobilizes Ruzhou’s troops to defend Wancheng. His disciplined army, Mo Dao force, and divine manifestation help reverse the battle against the Locust God and Yellow Disaster Army 344 352 355. After the victory, he takes over Wancheng, reorganizes its defenses, and prohibits looting during reconstruction 360.

Preserving the Lost City

Lu Cheng chooses not to return to reality, resolving instead to preserve safe territories within the Lost City. Xiao Ran agrees to support this goal, and together they plan to save as much land and as many people as possible 365.

Later Divine Conflicts

Lu Cheng’s military and divine presence grows until he can confront rebel kings directly and arrive with thirty thousand armored cavalry to support Xiao Ran 697 698. He later manifests a complete Deity to destroy a foreign angel threatening Ruzhou 866.

Notable Quotes

“If it's about killing and arson, you should handle it. If it's about slaying demons and eradicating monsters, then I naturally won't back down.” 273

“A true man can go anywhere under heaven.” 788