Zhao Han

Biodata

Feature	Detail
Name	Zhao Han 2
Alias	Yan Zhao 43
Affiliation	Poisonous Snake Gang (formerly) 11 16
Martial Arts School	Mad Saber Martial Arts School 25 28
Realm	Skin Refining 5 15 36; Muscle Refining 25 28 30 43; Nearing Bone Refining 40
Martial Arts	Black Wolf Fist 2 5 9 11 15 25; Snake-Style Deft Hand 11 15 36; Mad Saber Three Stacks Wave 25 28 40; Yu Family Saber Technique 33; Tiger Subduing Fist 40
Equipment	Ironwood Hard Bow 43; Steel Arrows 43; Throwing Axe 5 8
Possessions	System 2 47; 10-cubic-meter System space 40 43; Black ring 33
Notable Skills	Axe throwing 8; Disguise (straw hat, mask, martial arts attire) 47 49
Residence	Communal dormitory (formerly) 12; Abandoned courtyard (for training) 25
Height	1.78 meters 25

Physical Description

Zhao Han is described as being quite tall for his world, standing at 1.78 meters 25. He has a tanned complexion 18. Despite his martial arts training, his skin appears unconditioned, and he lacks calluses on his hands 45. When he first transmigrated, his body was that of a farmer, indicating he was somewhat thin and weak 18 19.

Specific details include:

• Height: 1.78 meters 25.
• Build: Initially described as somewhat thin and weak, with strong and firm limbs 8 18.
• Skin: Tanned 18, unconditioned, and lacking calluses despite martial arts training 45.
• Appearance: Ordinary, with no distinguishing features 42.

Background

Zhao Han, a transmigrated corporate worker, began his new life as a mine slave in the Great Zhou Kingdom, owned by the Poisonous Snake Gang 1. Initially, he was assigned to the kitchen as a butcher's block assistant, responsible for chopping and splitting firewood 3. His diligence caught the attention of Overseer Liu Gang, who promoted him to hunting tasks and encouraged him to practice martial arts 8. Zhao Han quickly learned Black Wolf Fist and Snake-Style Deft Hand, utilizing a Simplification System to accelerate his progress 2 4 12.

His early experiences were marked by violence and cunning; he ambushed and killed gang members who sought to harm him, looting their bodies for resources like Energy Pills and martial arts manuals 11 15. He also strategically framed the Black Wolf Gang for these deaths to avoid suspicion 11 16. Zhao Han's martial prowess led to his promotion to an elite gang member 14. However, he soon found himself embroiled in the internal power struggles of the Poisonous Snake Gang, leading him to kill Wang Bao, a leader of the Poison Dragon Hall, and flee the mine 17 18 25. He subsequently sought refuge and further training at the Mad Saber Martial Arts School 21. Zhao Han's primary motivations include survival, self-improvement through martial arts, and accumulating wealth, often by hunting valuable creatures like pythons 1 15 33 36.

Character Development

• Zhao Han demonstrates cunning and resourcefulness by choosing to practice martial arts instead of chopping firewood 5.
• He shows courage and skill in hunting a gray wolf 5.
• Zhao Han displays remarkable hunting skills, catching Liu Gang's eye, and is promoted from kitchen duty to hunting tasks 8.
• He demonstrates leadership and strategic thinking during a wild boar hunt 9.
• Zhao Han's determination to master Black Wolf Fist increases, leading him to practice with full commitment 9.
• He demonstrates his combat skills, using a combination of martial arts techniques, strategy, and resourcefulness to defeat cultists 31.
• Zhao Han demonstrates his ruthlessness and cunning in dealing with a cultist, showing no regard for oaths or moral ethics 32.
• He exhibits curiosity and a desire to learn more about the Shanyin Art and its implications 32.
• Zhao Han's strength increases significantly after mastering the Tiger Subduing Fist, bringing him close to the Bone Refining Realm 40.
• He demonstrates his growing ruthlessness and impulsiveness by killing Old Zhang too quickly 40.
• Zhao Han maintains a low profile despite his rapid progress, showing maturity and restraint 41.
• He proves his strength and potential, catching the attention of the master and other disciples, remaining humble and composed despite his achievements 45.
• Zhao Han shows arrogance, lack of respect, and indifference towards Yang Wuji and the school, while possessing Innate Divine Strength and a calm demeanor 46.
• He demonstrates his independence and self-reliance by declining Yang Zilan's mentorship, preferring to rely on the System 47.
• Zhao Han demonstrates his resourcefulness by trying to sell tiger parts to make money 49.
• A Shun is revealed to be malicious, intentionally putting Zhao Han in danger 5.
• Old Man Mi becomes wary of Zhao Han's quick improvement and is more cautious around him 41.
• Er Gouzi secretly practices martial arts, given by the Yin Tong Cult, and is swayed by their promises and threats 41.
• Yu Qiuyue shows her ambition and desperation, seeking external help to gain power and eliminate her rivals 47.
• Yu Qiuyue shows her greedy and manipulative side, attempting to exploit her sister for money 49.
• Yu Qiulian reveals her true nature as a malevolent and cunning individual, capable of creating doppelgangers using her hair 49.

Abilities

Innate Divine Strength

Zhao Han possesses Innate Divine Strength, a natural physical attribute that grants him exceptional power 45. This strength allows him to exert significant force, comparable to a martial artist who has just entered the Skin Refining Realm, even before formal training 45.

• Applications:
  • Defeating opponents in combat, such as Wang Qiang and Demon Gang, with a single strike 45.
  • Drawing a powerful Ironwood Hard Bow, requiring over eight shi (approximately 600 jin) of force, a feat that shocks onlookers 43.
  • Delivering powerful blows in martial arts, with an explosive power that can reach seven to eight hundred jin 45.
• Limitations:
  • While powerful, Zhao Han can control and limit his strength, for example, to less than 300 jin, to avoid revealing his full capabilities 45.

System Simplification

Zhao Han is aided by a System that can simplify martial arts techniques, making them easier and faster to learn and master 2 28. The System provides clear, often repetitive, tasks for proficiency advancement 2 28 32.

• Applications:
  • Simplifying Black Wolf Fist to "Mimic Wolf Posture," allowing him to reach novice proficiency quickly 2.
  • Simplifying Mad Saber Three Stacks Wave to "Water Cutting 5000 Times," which he finds "pretty simple" 28.
  • Simplifying Yu Family Saber Technique to tasks like carving "Yu" characters on wood, stone, and corpses, allowing him to quickly achieve Grandmaster proficiency 32.
  • Enabling rapid progress through martial arts realms, achieving in days or weeks what others take years or decades to accomplish 25 28 36.
• Limitations:
  • The System requires silver to simplify martial arts, with entry-level techniques costing 20 taels 28.
  • Unranked martial arts, even when simplified and mastered, offer limited future prospects and weak amplification of overall strength 2 36.
  • As Zhao Han's realm improves, the benefits from mastering Unranked martial arts become smaller or even nonexistent, necessitating more advanced techniques 32 36.

Martial Arts Proficiency

Zhao Han rapidly gains proficiency in various martial arts, often reaching mastery or perfection in a short period 9 25 28 36 40. His martial arts are categorized into proficiency levels: Not Started, Novice, Proficient, Mastered, and Perfected 2.

• Applications:
  • Black Wolf Fist: Achieved Great Success (Perfected) in the Black Wolf Fist, leading to a breakthrough into the Muscle Refining Realm 25. This technique hardens the skin to be as tough as cowhide 9.
  • Snake-Style Deft Hand: Reached Great Accomplishment (Perfected), which slightly increased his overall strength 36. He can use it to overwhelm opponents with rapid attacks 18.
  • Mad Saber Three Stacks Wave: Advanced to the proficient level, significantly increasing his strength in the Muscle Refining Realm and allowing him to wield it with great ease 28. This technique involves powerful, wave-like saber strikes 26.
  • Yu Family Saber Technique: Achieved Grandmaster proficiency, providing a slight improvement to his overall physical qualities 32.
  • Tiger Subduing Fist: Reached mastery, significantly increasing his strength and bringing him close to the Bone Refining Realm 40.
  • Mad Saber Nine Forms: Used in combat, though it is noted that his practice of it is not well-developed, relying more on brute force 44.
• Limitations:
  • Unranked martial arts, even at Great Accomplishment, offer limited further improvement and necessitate the acquisition of more powerful, ranked techniques 36.
  • The effectiveness of Energy Pills in sustaining prolonged full-force practice diminishes as his cultivation realm increases 28.

Spatial Storage (System Space)

Zhao Han possesses a System space, a personal inventory that can store items 43. The size of this space can be expanded 40.

• Applications:
  • Storing items like dried meat and water for sustenance during training 25.
  • Collecting valuable items and loot, such as the child statue and Yin Wood, from defeated enemies or discovered locations 32.
  • Potentially storing a large quantity of goods, such as all the bows and arrows in a weapon shop, given its 10-cubic-meter capacity 43.
• Limitations:
  • Expanding the System space requires significant financial investment (e.g., 80 taels of silver and 2 taels of gold for 10 cubic meters) 40.
  • The System space is primarily for storage and does not inherently grant other abilities related to the stored items (e.g., he only considered taking bows and arrows, not using them for combat directly from the space) 43.

Power Progression

Realm	Martial Arts	Mastery Level	Notes
None	Black Wolf Fist	Novice 0/50	First martial art, simplified by the System. Proficiency increased by mimicking wolf posture/howl.
Skin Refining	Black Wolf Fist	Proficiency 0/100	Achieved after diligently practicing Black Wolf Fist.
Skin Refining	Black Wolf Fist	Mastery 0/1000	Achieved after killing four wolves and practicing Black Wolf Fist 1000 times.
Skin Refining	Snake-Style Deft Hand	Uninitiated 0/10	Simplified, proficiency increased by imitating a snake's hiss.
Skin Refining	Black Wolf Fist	Mastered 750/1000
Skin Refining	Mad Saber Nine Forms	Not yet initiated 0/10	Simplified, requires chopping ten logs.
Muscle Refining	Black Wolf Fist	Great Success	Achieved after perfecting Black Wolf Fist (1000 repetitions).
Muscle Refining	Mad Saber Three Stacks Wave	Proficient	Simplified, requires 5000 water cuttings.
Muscle Refining	Snake-Style Deft Hand	Great Accomplishment
Muscle Refining	Yu Family Saber Technique	Grandmaster	Achieved after carving one hundred 'Yu' characters on corpses.
Peak Muscle Refining	Tiger Subduing Fist	Mastered 0/1000	Achieved after killing the Demonuntain Lord. Zhao Han is one step away from the Bone Refining Realm.

Relationships

Zhao Han's relationships are primarily transactional or based on mutual benefit and, at times, suspicion. He interacts with Liu Gang, an overseer who initially assigns him menial tasks but later values his skills and promotes him to hunting duties, seeing his potential to reach the Skin Refining Realm 3 8. This relationship shifts when Liu Gang is transferred, and Zhao Han finds himself under Wang Bao, who initially attempts to assert dominance over Zhao Han but is ultimately killed by him 17 18. Zhao Han also has a complex relationship with Yu Qiuyue, whom he captures and interrogates. She eventually reveals martial arts secrets and offers a deal for her family's support, though Zhao Han later observes her manipulative nature and her sister Yu Qiulian's sinister side 27 47 49. He also interacts with Yang Wuji, the master of the Mad Saber Martial Arts School, who initially dismisses Zhao Han due to his perceived arrogance but later offers him a position as his tenth disciple after witnessing his strength 45 46.

• Han Yang and Roommates: Han Yang and Zhao Han's other roommates are eager to befriend him, treating him to a meal and showing concern for his safety 45 47.
• Yang Zilan: She sees Zhao Han as a promising talent in archery and attempts to mentor him, but Zhao Han declines, preferring to rely on his System 47.
• Liang Feng: Liang Feng, a senior disciple, is jealous of Zhao Han's progress and later blackmails Yu Qiuyue 45 46 49.
• Wang Qiang and Demon Gang: These two opponents are defeated by Zhao Han in a saber competition and harbor envy and hatred for his Innate Divine Strength 45.
• Old Man Mi: The old man at the martial arts school observes Zhao Han's rapid progress with caution and notes his unusual nature 28 30 41 47.
• Er Gouzi: Er Gouzi, a fellow apprentice, is manipulated by the Yin Tong Cult and tasked with poisoning food 41.
• Old Zhang: Zhao Han hires Old Zhang as a guide to Gutter Cave, showing respect for his abilities 33.
• Jin Sanyu and the Liu Family: Zhao Han interacts with Jin Sanyu, the shopkeeper of Jinshi Weapon Shop, and later with Liu Ruyan and other members of the Liu Family, whom he suspects have ties to the Yin Tong Cult 43 50.
• Zhang Long and Zhao Hu: These two gang members attempt to ambush Zhao Han for his Energy Pills but are killed by him 10 11 12.
• Wang Liang: Wang Liang, a gang member, leaks information about Zhao Han's training location, leading to his death at Zhao Han's hands 11 19.
• Yin Tong Cult: Zhao Han frequently encounters members of the Yin Tong Cult, engaging in combat with them and suspecting their presence in various locations 16 30 47 50.

Significant Themes

Zhao Han's narrative explores several significant themes, including self-reliance and independence, as he consistently chooses to depend on the System for his martial arts progression rather than human mentors 47. His journey also highlights the harsh reality of survival in a chaotic world dominated by martial arts, where self-improvement and resourcefulness are crucial 5. The story frequently touches upon the theme of power dynamics, particularly how senior disciples hold sway over new applicants and juniors 46. Zhao Han's actions often demonstrate the consequences of impulsive decisions, such as his hasty killing of Old Zhang 40. The corrupting influence of power and the dangers of dabbling in the "Weird Path" are also central, especially through the depiction of the Yin Tong Cult and their disregard for life 30 31 32. Furthermore, the narrative emphasizes the importance of perseverance and hard work in martial arts training, contrasting it with the advantages of innate talent 23 45. Finally, themes of loyalty and betrayal emerge through characters like Er Gouzi, who is swayed by promises and threats 41.