Daoist

Biodata

Name	Yu Zheng'nan
Alias(es)	Daoist Yu; Daoist Yu Zheng'nan
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Qingcheng Sword Sect
Occupation/Role	Sect Leader; Daoist priest; mentor and caretaker of the sect’s disciples
Status	Active 176
First Appearance	Chapter 124

Appearance

Yu Zheng'nan is a middle-aged Daoist with a beard and a weathered blue cloth robe faded from repeated washing. His initially troubled expression gives way easily to a warm smile when greeting visitors. 124

• Wears traditional Daoist robes. 124 165
• Maintains an unpretentious appearance despite leading a martial sect. 124
• Later personally oversees construction and restoration work at the Qingcheng Sword Sect’s new temple. 176

Personality

Yu Zheng'nan is humble and self-critical. After Zhao Rui proposes restoring Qingcheng’s incomplete martial heritage, Yu admits that he had been stagnant and felt unworthy of the responsibility placed on him. 139

He is cautious in political and sectarian disputes, especially when Qingcheng is weak or displaced. Nevertheless, he remains resilient: after losing Qingcheng Mountain, he insists that the sect remains the Qingcheng Sword Sect and continues to lead its disciples from Iron Anvil Mountain. 165

Yu deeply values Qingcheng’s lineage over its buildings. Faced with the possibility of the sect’s destruction, he emphasizes preserving its people and teachings so that Qingcheng can be rebuilt. 138

Background

Daoist Yu has longstanding ties to Mingchan Courtyard through his lineage. At Elder Ge’s request, he travels to bring Zhao Rui to Qingcheng Mountain for a period of cultivation. 124

Before Zhao Rui’s arrival, Yu had taken seven disciples, all of whom had died; he is the only one left. Despite this loss, he guides Zhao Rui through Qingcheng’s daily life, including morning assemblies, scripture study, Daoist practices, and martial instruction. 124

Following Qingcheng’s calamity and the old Sect Leader’s departure, Yu becomes responsible for a weakened Qingcheng Sword Sect. He receives visiting sect representatives, manages internal affairs, and witnesses Zhao Rui become an increasingly vital protector of the mountain. 129 130

Leadership of the Qingcheng Sword Sect

Yu supports Zhao Rui’s effort to restore Qingcheng’s lost and incomplete martial arts. Though initially doubtful that damaged techniques can be repaired, he is moved by Zhao Rui’s plan to organize the sect’s knowledge and allow its arts to flourish together. 139

When Qingcheng faces the threat of demonic infiltration, Yu discusses evacuation and survival with Zhao Rui and Yun Hao. He accepts that preserving the sect’s lineage may matter more than holding its ancestral mountain. 138

After the sect is forced from Qingcheng Mountain, Yu leads the displaced disciples to Iron Anvil Mountain. Though the temple is poor and its resources nearly exhausted, he refuses to abandon the Qingcheng Sword Sect’s name or its hope of returning home. 165

Yu later helps establish a new Daoist temple beside Qingcheng Mountain’s auxiliary hall, pursuing a stable base from which the Sword Sect can endure and develop. 176 177

Relationships

• Zhao Rui — Invites Zhao Rui to cultivate at Qingcheng and comes to regard him as the sect’s indispensable elder, teacher, and protector; repeatedly hopes Zhao Rui will formally join Qingcheng. 124 139 165
• Elder Ge — Connected through martial lineage; Ge requests that Yu bring Zhao Rui to Qingcheng Mountain. 124
• Wang Zhanshan — Shares a lineage connection through Mingchan Courtyard and supports Yu’s invitation for Zhao Rui to train at Qingcheng. 124
• Yun Hao — Fellow Qingcheng leader and defender of the sect; works with Yu to protect disciples and preserve Qingcheng during its crises. 138 165
• Qingcheng disciples — Serves as their leader and guardian, continuing to guide them through exile, reconstruction, and political pressure. 139 165 176
• Bai Xuening — Escorts visiting sect representatives while Bai Xuening comprehends Sword Intent under Zhao Rui’s protection. 129
• True Person Weichen — Leads the restored Qingcheng Sect that contests the Sword Sect’s claim to the “Qingcheng” name. 166 167

Story Role / Major Arcs

Bringing Zhao Rui to Qingcheng

Yu introduces Zhao Rui to Qingcheng Mountain and oversees his initial cultivation as a Daoist. He explains the sect’s routines and allows Zhao Rui to study both Daoist teachings and martial arts. 124 125

Qingcheng’s Calamity and Restoration

As Qingcheng declines, Yu relies on Zhao Rui to repair lost martial arts, teach disciples, and strengthen the sect’s foundations. His respect for Zhao Rui grows as restored techniques and cultivation formulas return to Qingcheng’s possession. 138 139

Exile to Iron Anvil Mountain

After Qingcheng Mountain is occupied, Yu leads the surviving Sword Sect to Iron Anvil Mountain. He openly acknowledges their poverty but remains determined to preserve the sect’s identity until it can return. 165

Naming Dispute

Yu attends the Emei convention when the Martial Arts Association attempts to bar his sect from using “Qingcheng.” Zhao Rui’s public victory over Daoist Cangsong prevents the Sword Sect from being politically erased and restores its standing among other factions. 166 167

Establishing a New Temple

Yu works with Zhao Rui to secure a new temple site near Qingcheng Mountain, prioritizing stability and long-term development for the displaced Sword Sect. 176 177

Trivia

• Yu’s seven disciples had all died by the time Zhao Rui arrived at Qingcheng. 124
• He once humorously admits that, without Zhao Rui’s return, he would not have had the courage to “rob the rich and aid the poor.” 165
• Although he hopes Zhao Rui will become an official Qingcheng disciple, Zhao Rui consistently refuses formal sect membership. 139