Su Mu

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Su Mu (苏牧)
Alias(es)	Ding Shisan; Li Feiyu; Sun Li; Zhou Yuanba; Wang Chan; Taiping Dao envoy
Species/Race	Human; transmigrator from modern China 1 225
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Demon Slaying Division Blade Catcher under the identity Li Feiyu; formerly part of the Young Nobleman's death-warrior program 1 64
Occupation/Role	Martial artist; Blade Catcher; blacksmith and artifact refiner; alchemist and physician
Status	Alive 305
First Appearance	Chapter 1

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Ninth Rank — Qi Refining	14	Reaches Great Accomplishment in Tiger Subduing Fist, increasing his lifespan and Comprehension.
Bone Forging Realm	52	Accumulated cultivation allows him to enter Bone Forging; he also advances Torrential Rain Spear Technique to Minor Accomplishment.
Transforming Force	50	Achieves precise, high-level control of Force after two years of practice.
Seventh Rank — Muscle Tendon Transformation	104	Nourishes his first tendon after reaching Four Qi Refining and Three Bone Forging.
Second Muscle Tendon Transformation	129	Gains major improvements to strength and speed, alongside practical control of Spiritual Power.
Third Muscle Tendon Transformation	159	Greatly improves his physical capabilities, recovery, and ability to unleash Pill Force.
Half-step Sixth Rank / Gang Force	179, 187	Fully recovers his meridians, then refines Pill Force into Gang Force through deduction.
Sixth Rank — Five Extremes Realm	223	Uses the Azure Blood Five Elements Pill while resisting its hidden spiritual imprint with the character “正” and Nourish Vast Righteous Qi.
Fifth Rank — Second Blood Change	291	Completes his second Blood Change; his blood and qi surpass those of many Fifth-Rank martial artists in purity.

Background / History

Su Mu transmigrated from modern China and awoke as a condemned prisoner in Great Yan's Qingzhou Prefecture. Refusing to kneel before a black-robed monk's Spirit Talisman, he was nevertheless selected as Ding Shisan for a death-warrior program. The program tested prisoners' roots, divided them into batches, and forced the Ding batch to swallow black pills that left Su Mu carrying a lethal Gu affliction. He accepted becoming a death warrior only as a temporary means of survival, resolving to seize control of his own fate. 1

After three months, Su Mu began practicing the Five Animal Frolics, a technique known from his previous life. Its cultivation restored his weakened body, increased his aptitude and lifespan, and provided the foundation for his later martial path. 1 3

He entered Li Tie's blacksmith shop as an apprentice and developed both forging and martial skills. After Sun Li arranged an attempt on his life out of jealousy, Su Mu killed both the attacking Scarred Man and Sun Li. From Sun Li's belongings, he obtained Tiger Subduing Fist, silver, tokens, and a fish-shaped white jade pendant. 4 5 6

Su Mu's early years in Qingshui Town were shaped by the deaths of Zhou Shan and the other blacksmith masters during the Black Mountain Army's attack. He joined the battle under a mask, killed Black Mountain officers including Hong Shan, and later hunted down Zhao Xuan, the Black Tiger Gang leader connected to the tragedy. After placing their heads before Zhou Shan's grave, Su Mu left Qingshui Town. 39 40 43 44

Operating under the identity Li Feiyu, Su Mu became a Blade Catcher in Qingyun's Demon Slaying Division. He accepted dangerous bounties, eliminated criminals such as Zhou Tiande, Ghost Hand Scholar Zhou Qing, and Black Worm Elder, and rose through the division's ranks. His growing reputation as a masked, overwhelmingly capable fighter spread throughout Qingyun's three counties. 64 70 77 89 99

After Xiao Yue was abducted by the Special Practitioner Yuan Qing, Su Mu suffered shattered meridians while pursuing her. Lin Jingqiu—the Alchemist who had guided him for years and whom Su Mu suspected of being connected to the death-warrior program—entrusted Xiao Yue to him before dying. Su Mu withdrew to Qingshui Town, adopted Qing He as his student, and rebuilt his body through Fire Sparrow Blood and Fire Sparrow Breathing. 158 163 166 167 169 177 179

Su Mu later returned to the conflict against the Black Mountain Rebel Army. Disguised as a Taiping Dao envoy, he killed Purple Robe Snake King, rescued Wu Lie and the abducted master craftsmen, and obtained the Five Elements Art. He eventually slew the Black Mountain Heavenly King Wang Xuantian in battle, avenging Zhou Shan and the other masters. 194 195 196 220

Following Tao Xingzheng's attempt to control him through the Azure Blood Five Elements Pill, Su Mu used the “正” character and Vast Righteous Qi to resist the pill's spiritual imprint. He killed Tao Xingzheng, abandoned the Li Feiyu identity, and departed Qingyun with Li Lu for Donglai Commandery. 223 226 228 244

In Donglai, Su Mu continued cultivating under the identity Wang Chan, refined high-grade pills, participated in the Four Clans Grand Competition, and borrowed the White Flood Dragon Sword to kill Tao Shengjiang. The borrowed strike severely injured him and placed him on the Tao Family's wanted list. 259 270 286 303 304

Appearance

Su Mu was initially a frail thirteen-year-old prisoner, but cultivation transformed him into a tall, composed young man. By his reunion with Li Tie, he had grown to nearly eight feet tall and carried himself with a mountain-like steadiness. 3 120

• Nearly eight feet tall after years of cultivation. 120
• Described as having handsome, resolute features and a straight posture. 120
• Frequently conceals his identity with masks, cloaks, altered clothing, and the Minor Formless Visage Art. 90 102
• Can alter his face, build, and apparent age; his disguises have supported identities such as Li Feiyu, Zhou Yuanba, Sun Li, and Wang Chan. 90 113 121 275

Personality

Su Mu is intensely self-reliant. His experiences as a prisoner, death warrior, and Gu-poison victim leave him unwilling to place his life in anyone else's hands. He is methodical about cultivating, gathering resources, disguising himself, and preparing for worst-case scenarios. 1 20 25

Though capable of extreme ruthlessness against enemies, Su Mu retains a personal moral boundary. He kills Sun Li after confirming his betrayal and ruthlessly pursues those responsible for harming his allies, but he refuses to kill Shi Feng merely to eliminate a witness because he recognizes Shi Feng as a decent man. 5 25

Su Mu is protective of people who have treated him with kindness. Zhou Shan's death motivates years of vengeance against the Black Mountain Army; he risks himself for Li Tie, Li Xiaohu, Qing He, Yan Xiaolan, Xiao Yue, and the abducted master craftsmen. 41 120 167 179 196

His ambition extends beyond revenge and survival. Su Mu seeks the peak of martial arts, wishes to travel beyond Qingzhou, and is determined to become strong enough to retrieve Xiao Yue from the Huo Family. 125 187

Abilities & Skills

Exceptional Comprehension

Su Mu possesses abnormal learning and deduction ability that improves as he masters skills. His Comprehension progresses from Slight Potential to Excellent Talent, Hidden Dragon in the Abyss, Latent Dragon in the Abyss, and Dragon-Phoenix Bearing. 20 50 73 150

• Masters martial arts far faster than ordinary practitioners; he grasped the basics of the Eighth-Rank Demon Subduing Fist after three run-throughs. 99
• Can cultivate multiple conflicting martial arts without harming his progress. 113 123
• Uses deduction to perfect techniques and fuse them into new arts. 151
• His Comprehension allows Great-Accomplishment martial arts to generate Force. 161

Martial Arts Mastery

Su Mu is proficient in fist, spear, saber, sword, movement, archery, body-hardening, and internal cultivation arts. He treats different martial disciplines as components that can be combined rather than fixed schools. 113 151 205

• Tiger Subduing Fist — His first ranked martial art; reached perfection after a two-year dream and helped him develop Transforming Force. 41 43
• Seven Forms of Overlord Spear — A Seventh-Rank spear technique he learns rapidly and later uses through the Crimson Flame Spear. 99 163
• Thunderclap Fist — Developed into multiple personal stances, including Thunderclap Spear. 110 160
• Hundred Battles Fist — Sixth-Rank fist technique acquired from the Wang Family's collection. 254
• Blazing Dragon Tornado — A self-created fusion of saber and sword techniques capable of suppressing stronger Five Extremes Realm opponents. 149
• Weapon intent and killing arts — His enlightenment in Donghe Town identifies slaughter as his martial path, greatly accelerating his weapon-based techniques. 123

Body-Hardening Arts

Su Mu's physical defense is among his greatest strengths. He layers multiple body-hardening methods and can endure attacks that would cripple ordinary martial artists. 102 155

• Adamantine Body — A top Eighth-Rank Vajra Temple art perfected by Su Mu; it allows him to withstand armed Qi Refining martial artists with minimal injury. 102
• Molten Fire Golden Body — Fusion of seven hardening techniques, including Adamantine Body, Iron Cloth Shirt, Iron Arm Art, Crimson Fire Skill, and Melting Gold Art. 151 155
• Iron Essence Qi reinforcement — Can inject Metal Element Divine Skill into his own body to further strengthen his defense, though doing so causes severe pain. 215
• Limit Break State — Can temporarily push his body beyond ordinary limits, first enabled through perfected Five Animal Frolics. 22 43

Spiritual Power and Soul Avatar

After his Second Muscle Tendon Transformation, Su Mu develops Spiritual Power that functions as an extension of his senses. 129

• Perceives surroundings as though they were submerged in water and can lock onto targets. 129
• Can create sound-isolating barriers with Spiritual Power. 253
• Soul Avatar allows his consciousness to observe large areas and perceive spiritual, emotional, and fortune-related phenomena. 164 219
• Multi-tasking enables simultaneous operation of multiple Forces and techniques. 73 164

Confucian Cultivation

Su Mu obtains the character “正” from Qing He and Liu Zhengyuan, then cultivates Nourish Vast Righteous Qi alongside his martial arts. 190 223

• The character “正” suppresses his Gu worm and repels spiritual attacks. 190 223
• Vast Righteous Qi helps him resist the Azure Blood Five Elements Pill's spiritual imprint. 223
• He glimpses a black-and-white Heart Destiny Character; its white and black aspects respectively embody protection, justice, slaughter, and rage. 251
• The Black and White Heart can cleanse impurity from his Vast Righteous Qi after killing. 252

Forging, Artifact Refining, Medicine, and Alchemy

Su Mu began as a blacksmith apprentice and became a highly capable artisan through study and cultivation. 4 76

• Perfects the Melting Gold Art and independently forges a rank-entering long saber. 141
• Forges the Three-Section Extension Style great spear, designed for concealed carrying and rapid deployment. 160
• Successfully performs spirit infusion and creates graded Treasure Weapons. 129 161
• Studies medicine under Lin Jingqiu and later refines high-grade Bone Strengthening Pills. 104 259

Silver-Eroding Needle Gu

The forced black pill administered during his death-warrior induction left Su Mu with a Gu worm beneath his heart. 1 20

• Initially requires antidotes; he fears death when his supply begins running out. 20
• The Gu reacts to Gu-related energy and devours the lingering mist from Qi Wuxing and the corpse puppet. 137
• Lin Jingqiu's death suppresses the Gu temporarily but does not remove it. 196
• The character “正” can suppress the Gu worm for a short time. 190

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Crimson Flame Spear — A three-section Seventh-Rank Treasure Weapon spear with three artifact patterns; Su Mu's principal weapon in later battles. 160 161 194
• Fish-shaped White Jade Pendant — Taken from Sun Li; eases mental fatigue and later permits Su Mu to borrow the White Flood Dragon Sword. 6 204 303
• Sumeru Ring — Storage ring entrusted to him by Lin Jingqiu before his death. 167
• Snow Silkworm Treasure Armor — Taken after killing Zhao Xuan; provides a concealed defensive layer. 43 44
• Character “正” — A Confucian character gifted through Liu Zhengyuan and Qing He; serves as a powerful spiritual defensive trump card. 190 223
• Five Elements Art — Manual recovered from Purple Robe Snake King's body; enables elemental Divine Skills and specialized Gang Force. 196 266
• Azure Phoenix Transformation Scripture fragment — A body-tempering art whose completed form can rival a Heavenly Phoenix Body, though Su Mu cannot yet meet its requirements. 204

Relationships

• Li Tie — Former blacksmith master and mentor figure. Su Mu regards Li Tie's problems as his own and returns to protect Li Xiaohu and Yang Qingqing. 4 120
• Zhou Shan — Deceased blacksmith master whom Su Mu calls Uncle Zhou. His death at the hands of the Black Mountain Army drives Su Mu's long campaign of vengeance. 41 220
• Lin Jingqiu / the Alchemist — Mentor, physician, and suspected former death-warrior supervisor. Before dying, Lin entrusts Xiao Yue and a Sumeru Ring to Su Mu. 158 167
• Xiao Yue / the Young Physician — A cherished companion entrusted to Su Mu by Lin Jingqiu. Her abduction motivates Su Mu to become strong enough to confront the Huo Family. 166 187
• Qing He — Su Mu gives the former tomboy her name and becomes her master. She later leaves willingly to study at Qingzhou Academy. 169 171 190
• Yan Xiaolan — A woman Su Mu once rescued from Zhao Xuan. She provides Fire Sparrow Blood and trusts Su Mu to avenge her family; he honors their agreement. 63 176 179
• Li Zhihe — Division Master of the Qingyun Demon Slaying Division. He recruits Su Mu as a Blade Catcher and recognizes his unusual potential. 64 89
• Li Lu — Traveling companion who leaves Qingyun with Su Mu. He protects her, supports her livelihood, and teaches her the Five Animal Frolics. 244 256 266
• Sun Family Ancestor — An ancient presence associated with Su Mu's fish-shaped jade pendant. The Ancestor offers guidance, protection, and cultivation knowledge. 243 244

Notable Quotes

“Fate must be in my own hands!” 1

“Central Plains... I, Su Mu, will go there!” 187

“I, Su Mu, only need to continuously improve my Comprehension and step by step increase my strength. I will surely surpass everyone, even the ancient sages!” 223