Zhang Tianzheng

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Zhang Tianzheng (张天正)
Alias(es)	Old Ancestor; Old Ancestor Zhang
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Zhang Family; Southern Spirit Immortal Sect 193 315
Occupation/Role	Zhang Family Old Ancestor; Spirit Transformation Dao Lord; commander of the Southern Domain army 193 314
Status	Active 320
First Appearance	Chapter 2 2

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Nascent Soul Early Stage	3	Already possessed the pressure of a Nascent Soul cultivator, though he suppressed most of it while the family believed his lifespan was nearing its end.
Nascent Soul Early Stage, Peak	21	Consumed Zhang Chen's Longevity Pill; recovered his youth, repaired old injuries and his damaged Nascent Soul, gained two hundred years of lifespan, and loosened a century-old bottleneck.
Nascent Soul Middle Stage	103	Broke through during seclusion, shattering the Dragon Breaking Stone Gate with the resulting spiritual-energy surge; he credited Zhang Chen's Heaven Mending Creation Pill.
Nascent Soul Late Stage / Great Cultivator	157	Completed another seclusion and manifested a colossal golden Dharma Idol over Dao Seeking Peak, causing shock across the East Mountain Islands.
Spirit Transmutation Realm	193	Passed the Inner Demon, Nascent Soul Tempering, and Dao Establishment trials; Zhang Chen's unseen protection weakened the tribulation's destructive force.

Background

Zhang Tianzheng was the Zhang Family's aged Old Ancestor when Zhang Chen revealed his inherited ability to gain cultivation advancement and improve descendants through marriage and childbirth. Though initially startled, Tianzheng immediately recognized its significance for the family's bloodline and supported Zhang Chen's marriage plans. 2 3

Before his rejuvenation, Tianzheng had suffered old injuries that left his Nascent Soul flawed and forced him to suppress his cultivation to conserve his dwindling lifespan. Zhang Chen's Longevity Pill restored his body to its prime and brought him to the peak of Nascent Soul Early Stage, restoring the Zhang Family's most important deterrent. 19 21

He and Zhang Chen subsequently concealed his recovery by having Tianzheng use a Secret Art to appear terminally ill. The deception baited the Wang Family into exposing its ambitions at the Zhang Family's Full Moon Banquet and enabled the Zhangs to turn their rivalry into a profitable family bet. 22 23 27

During his Spirit Transmutation Inner Demon Tribulation, Tianzheng relived the sacrifices his family made for his cultivation and his own journey from a struggling cultivator to the Golden Core stage. His eventual Dao became inseparably bound to the Zhang Family's collective fortune. 191 314

Appearance

Tianzheng's appearance has changed dramatically with his recovery and successive breakthroughs. Once a stooped, withered elder surrounded by deathly aura, he regained the body of a resolute middle-aged man after taking the Longevity Pill; after reaching Spirit Transmutation, he again appeared as a refined, vigorous elder. 21 193 196

• Initially had sparse white hair, deep wrinkles, a stooped frame, and a pronounced deathly aura. 19 21
• After rejuvenation, possessed black hair, sword-like brows, starry eyes, and a muscular, upright physique. 21
• Commonly wears blue, azure, or green robes. 49 196 315
• His Spirit Transmutation presence can cause the spiritual energy and waters around Riverwatch Mountain to react without any deliberate attack. 315

Personality

Tianzheng is fiercely protective of the Zhang bloodline. He elevated Zhang Chen to a status equal to the Family Head after recognizing him as the source of the family's changing fortune, and he was enraged to learn that Zhang Chen had been allowed to work at the Dragon Locking Island front lines. 12 104

Despite his formidable cultivation, he is practical and willing to use deception, patience, and calculated restraint. He convincingly feigned imminent death to draw out the Wang Family, then accepted Zhang Chen's plan to preserve Wang Teng as bait rather than killing him immediately. 22 27

His trust in Zhang Chen is central to his decisions. Tianzheng dared to bind his Dao to the uncertain future of the Zhang Family because of his faith in his descendants, especially Zhang Chen, and later accepted Zhang Chen's preparations for his Spirit Transmutation tribulation without knowing their full extent. 158 192 314

Abilities & Skills

Spirit Transmutation Cultivation

As a Spirit Transmutation Dao Lord, Tianzheng can exert pressure across vast distances, traverse space, and command the spiritual energy of the surrounding environment. 193 314 315

• Publicly declared Zhang Family sovereignty over the Southern Domain immediately after stabilizing his realm. 193
• Used a spatial divine ability to travel from Back Mountain seclusion to Moonwatch Pavilion. 314
• Led the Southern Domain army north against the Central Continent's immortal sects. 314 315
• His cultivation rises alongside the Zhang Family's fortune, but would stagnate or suffer backlash should the family decline. 314

Dharma Form

Tianzheng can manifest an enormous Dharma Idol bearing his likeness, concentrating vast spiritual energy into overwhelming attacks. 49 157

• Condensed a hundred-zhang golden Dharma Idol to break a third-rank defensive formation. 49
• Manifested a colossal golden Dharma Idol upon reaching Nascent Soul Late Stage. 157
• Fought alongside six other Nascent Soul cultivators against Sea Emperor Long You. 108

River-Sea Heaven-Suppressing Seal

Tianzheng's signature Spirit Transmutation technique borrows the momentum of rivers and earth veins to form a massive suppressive dharma seal. 317 318

• Countered Dao Lord Mountain Severer's Sky-Rending Sword Shadow at Riverwatch Mountain. 318
• Its extended use inflicts severe backlash on Tianzheng's meridians and spiritual power. 318
• The Golden Dragon of Destiny restored his damaged meridians, acupoints, and depleted power, allowing the seal to overwhelm Mountain Severer's attack. 318

Swordsmanship

Tianzheng is an accomplished sword cultivator whose attacks can repeatedly rupture an opponent's spells. 181

• Used a flying sword as purple streaks of Sword Qi against Qing Lingzi. 181
• Wields the Riverwave longsword, forged from ten-thousand-year cold iron recovered from a Southern Domain riverbed. 316
• Combined sword techniques with river momentum to pressure Dao Lord Mountain Severer. 317

Family Fortune Resonance

Tianzheng merged his Great Dao with the Zhang Family's accumulated destiny, creating a reciprocal bond between his strength and the clan's prosperity. 314

• Can sense dramatic changes in Zhang Family fortune even while secluded. 314
• Received direct reinforcement from the physical Golden Dragon of Destiny during his battle at Riverwatch Mountain. 318
• The Golden Dragon's power also strengthened nearby Southern Spirit Immortal Sect cultivators. 318

Deception and Strategic Planning

Tianzheng can disguise his true condition through a Secret Art and use perceived weakness to manipulate opponents. 22 27

• Feigned extreme age and frailty at Zhang Chen's children's Naming Ceremony and Full Moon Banquet. 22 25
• Hid his Nascent Soul recovery until the Zhang Family's wager with the Wang Family had already been accepted. 27
• Adjusted the Zhang Family's puppet strategy toward mass-produced Foundation Establishment puppets and a limited Golden Core trump card after learning the resource cost. 137

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Riverwave — Jade-green longsword forged from ten-thousand-year cold iron recovered from a riverbed; used against Dao Lord Mountain Severer. 316
• Smoke Cloud Body Protection Pendant — A life-saving jade pendant Tianzheng gave to Su Xiaoxiao; it can block a full-force Golden Core strike. 108
• Back Mountain Forbidden Ground Array Plate — Main control plate Tianzheng entrusted to Zhang Yuntao while he departed for Dragon Locking Island. 104
• Defensive artifacts — Unnamed high-grade defensive artifacts prepared for his Spirit Transmutation lightning tribulation. 192

Relationships

• Zhang Chen — Great-grandson and Tianzheng's most trusted descendant. Tianzheng publicly declared Zhang Chen equal in status to the Family Head, credited him with saving the Zhang Family, and received crucial pills and Spirit Transmutation insights from him. 12 21 158 193
• Zhang Yunshan — Son and Zhang Family Head. Tianzheng trusts his leadership but harshly rebuked him for allowing Zhang Chen to remain at the Dragon Locking Island front. 22 104
• Zhang Yunhai — Son and core Zhang Family commander; later reported the army's condition after the Riverwatch Mountain campaign. 320
• Zhang Yuntao — Son and trusted administrator. Tianzheng entrusted him with the locked-down Zhang Family Courtyard and its defensive resources during the Beast Tide. 104 320
• Su Xiaoxiao — Zhang Chen's favored companion. Tianzheng welcomed her warmly and gifted her the Smoke Cloud Body Protection Pendant after recognizing her potential and feelings for Zhang Chen. 108
• Golden Dragon of Destiny — Manifestation of Zhang Family fortune and the foundation of Tianzheng's Dao. It reassured him before Dragon Locking Island and later reinforced him against Dao Lord Mountain Severer. 104 318
• Dao Lord Mountain Severer — Central Continent Spirit Transformation opponent defeated after Tianzheng was reinforced by the Golden Dragon of Destiny. 318 324

Story Role / Major Arcs

• Recognition of Zhang Chen — Supports Zhang Chen's inherited bloodline claim, announces him as the Zhang Family's chosen one, and grants him authority equal to the Family Head. 2 12
• Wang Family confrontation — Regains his prime through the Longevity Pill, stages his apparent decline, and helps lure the Wang Family into an unfavorable bet. 21 22 27
• Dragon Locking Island Beast Tide — Secures the clan's rear defenses, then joins six other Nascent Soul cultivators in resisting Sea Emperor Long You. 104 108
• East Mountain ascendancy — Advances to Nascent Soul Middle and later Late Stage as the Zhang Family becomes the dominant power of the East Mountain Islands. 103 125 157
• Spirit Transmutation ascension — Undergoes his tribulation in Demon Suppression City, becomes the Zhang Family's first Spirit Transmutation Old Ancestor, and declares sovereignty over the Southern Domain. 191 192 193
• Northern campaign — Responds to the Zhang Family's surging fortune by leading the Southern Domain army north and defeats Dao Lord Mountain Severer at Riverwatch Mountain with the Golden Dragon of Destiny's aid. 314 318 320

Notable Quotes

“You didn't just save your Great-Grandfather's life—you saved the entire Zhang Family's life!” 21

“As long as the fire of the Myriad Puppet Hall never goes out, the Zhang Family's backbone will never bend!” 137

“I, Zhang Tianzheng, have today proven the Great Dao of Spirit Transmutation. From this day forth, wherever the Zhang family stands shall be the sovereign ground of the Southern Domain.” 193