Zhou Zhiruo

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Zhou Zhiruo (周芷若) 4
Alias(es)	Fourth Senior Sister; Fourth Sister 8
Species/Race	Human
Gender	Female
Age	11 years old; one month younger than Gu Shaoan 5 43
Affiliation	Emei Sect 4
Occupation/Role	Personal disciple of Abbess Miejue; Gu Shaoan's fourth senior sister 4 8
Status	Active 49
First Appearance	Chapter 4

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Willow Catkin Sword Technique — Beginner Level	5	Had trained for one month; demonstrated all forty-nine stances while reciting the accompanying mind-method incantations.
First field-combat victory	29	Initially froze when confronted by a bandit, but followed Gu Shaoan's guidance, regained composure, and knocked the opponent unconscious with the Willow Catkin Sword Technique.
Increased cultivation diligence	23	Began cultivating during travel alongside Gu Shaoan; Miejue noted that his example had made her more diligent.

Background / History

Zhou Zhiruo was the daughter of a boatman and suffered the loss of her family before being sent to the Emei Sect. Though she joined Emei roughly half a year before Gu Shaoan, she remained lonely among her much older senior sisters and quickly sought companionship with him after his arrival. 8

She became one of Abbess Miejue's personal disciples alongside Zhao Jingxuan, Ding Minjun, Bei Jinyi, and later Gu Shaoan. At the time Gu joined the sect, Zhou had been practicing the Willow Catkin Sword Technique for a month and had only just reached the Beginner Level. 4 5

Appearance

Zhou Zhiruo is a slender young girl with the gentle, refined bearing associated with the Jiangnan water towns. Though still a child, her features already suggest striking future beauty. 4 43

• Slender build, compared to a young bamboo shoot. 4
• Mist-veiled eyes with pupils likened to still autumn pools. 4
• Delicate porcelain-like nose and pale lips resembling faded crabapple petals. 4
• Wears Emei's plain white robes. 4
• Her gentle charm draws Song Qingshu's attention during Emei's visit to Wudang. 43

Personality

Zhou Zhiruo is kind, innocent, and considerate. She gives Gu Shaoan a wooden sword soon after he enters Emei, later brings him food and Qi Recovery Pills when his cultivation leaves him exhausted, and insists that caring for her junior brother is simply her duty as his senior sister. 8 17

Her compassion initially leaves her frightened by the prospect of killing. During the bandit-suppression mission, she struggles with the harshness of the martial world and later seeks Gu Shaoan's help in understanding Ding Minjun's betrayal and Miejue's punishment. 21 36 37

Despite her naivety, Zhou is obedient, earnest, and determined to improve. After recognizing the burdens borne by Miejue, she resolves to cultivate harder so that she can protect Emei and share her master's responsibilities. 23 38

Abilities & Skills

Willow Catkin Sword Technique

Zhou Zhiruo practices Emei's foundational sword art using bamboo and wooden training swords. Though initially only at the Beginner Level, she has learned all forty-nine stances and their accompanying mind-method incantations. 5

• Demonstrated the complete technique for Gu Shaoan at Miejue's command. 5
• Uses the stance Misty Willow Smoke Tree to strike a bandit's chest during her first battle. 29
• Uses Snowfall Without Trace to evade an attack and knock her opponent unconscious. 29
• Her inexperience makes her initially freeze against a real opponent; she stabilizes after receiving tactical guidance from Gu Shaoan. 29

Cultivation

Zhou Zhiruo trains diligently in Emei's martial arts and internal cultivation.

• Practices sword stances while wearing sandbag weights to strengthen her foundation. 13
• Cultivates internal energy during the journey to Heimu Mountain. 23
• Becomes more diligent through Gu Shaoan's example, earning Miejue's approval. 23

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Bamboo sword — Used for her Willow Catkin Sword Technique demonstration and early training because real blades are considered unsafe for children. 5
• Wooden sword — One of a pair made by Bei Jinyi; Zhou gives it to Gu Shaoan after deciding he needs a suitable practice weapon. 8
• Sandbag weights — Used during sword-stance practice. 13

Relationships

• Abbess Miejue — Her master and Emei's sect leader. Zhou deeply respects her, receives her guidance on the dangers of the jianghu, and gradually comes to understand the burden of Miejue's position. 25 37 38
• Gu Shaoan — Her junior brother and closest companion among Miejue's younger disciples. She gifts him a wooden sword, looks after him during cultivation, seeks his counsel, and relies on his guidance during her first battle. 8 17 29 36
• Zhao Jingxuan — Eldest senior sister, who encourages Zhou and Gu to spend time together because of their similar ages. 8
• Bei Jinyi — Third senior sister and instructor in the Willow Catkin Sword Technique. She arranges food and Qi Recovery Pills for Gu through Zhou. 9 17
• Ding Minjun — Second senior sister. Ding frightens Zhou with talk of killing and later betrays her fellow disciples, leaving Zhou confused and distressed by her fate. 21 36 37
• Song Qingshu — Wudang disciple who becomes visibly interested in Zhou during Emei's visit; Gu Shaoan steps between them to block his gaze. 43

Story Role / Major Arcs

Gu Shaoan's Arrival at Emei

Zhou meets Gu Shaoan when Miejue brings him to the rear-mountain bamboo courtyards as her new personal disciple. Because they are close in age and Zhou feels isolated among her older sisters, she readily develops a friendship with him. 4 8

Bandit Suppression on Heimu Mountain

Fearing that she may have to kill, Zhou discusses her anxieties with Gu before the expedition. During the assault, she faces a bandit for the first time, overcomes her panic with Gu's support, and proves capable of fighting once she regains her composure. 21 29

Learning Emei's Principles

After Ding Minjun's betrayal and punishment, Zhou struggles to understand why a fellow disciple could act with such malice and why Miejue had to respond so severely. Gu's explanation helps her recognize the importance of sect rules, responsibility, and resisting even small evils. 36 37

Journey to Wudang

Zhou accompanies Miejue and Gu Shaoan to Wudang, where Song Qingshu's improper interest in her prompts Gu to shield her. She later watches proudly as Gu defeats Zhang Yuting in the inter-sect sparring match. 43 47

Notable Quotes

“I am your Senior Sister, and it's only natural for me to take care of you. Junior Brother, don't say such polite words in the future.” 17

“I will work twice as hard in the future. When Junior Brother cultivates, I will cultivate too. Then, in the future, I can share Master's burdens and protect my Emei.” 38

Trivia

• Zhou joined Emei approximately six months before Gu Shaoan. 8
• She is one month younger than Gu Shaoan. 43
• She calls Gu Shaoan “Little Junior Brother” despite frequently relying on his guidance and judgment. 36 38