Zhao Zhiqing

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Zhao Zhiqing (赵知清)
Gender	Female
Affiliation	Zhao Family of Yingtian Prefecture
Occupation / Role	Daughter of City Lord Zhao Pojun; martial artist and Secret Realm explorer
First Appearance	322

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Unspecified higher realm	323	Li Bufan's unusual strike causes her True Qi to stir on its own; she immediately sits to guide it and break through.

Appearance

Zhao Zhiqing is a young woman whose usual spirited composure sharply contrasts with her battered condition after being pursued in the Starry Sky Secret Realm. 369

• Wears practical combat attire during exploration; after Zhou Hong's pursuit, it is torn, dirtied, and bloodstained. 369
• Keeps her hair in a neat bun, though it becomes disheveled during battle. 369
• Has a cold, clear expression and a commanding presence when confronting her younger brother. 322
• Later appears in a light-blue dress with a gentler, more graceful demeanor outside the Secret Realm. 385

Personality

Zhiqing is resilient and proud. Even while seriously injured and fleeing Zhou Hong, she remains concerned for Li Bufan's safety; after being rescued, however, his brutal interrogation of Zhou leaves her frightened, grateful, and awed. 369 370

She is knowledgeable, direct, and strategically minded. She weighs risks carefully in dangerous regions, shares information freely with trusted companions, and provides Li Bufan with practical guidance in both exploration and martial theory. 371 373 402 448

Around Li Bufan, Zhiqing also displays a playful and slightly bossy side, personally dragging him to her family home and teasing him during a late-night visit. 397 400 Her concern for him gradually deepens during their time in the Spirit Marsh Secret Realm, where she tends to him through his extreme cultivation injuries. 439

Abilities & Skills

Surging Waves Palm

Zhiqing practices the Surging Waves Palm, a layered-force palm art supported by water-attribute True Qi. 369 402

• Her palm force contains ten distinct layers of stacking force, each stronger than the last. 402
• Her strikes maintain a continuous, river-like momentum even when she restrains her True Qi. 402
• Her palm, fist, and footwork foundations combine hardness and softness with varied changes. 402

Martial Knowledge

Raised in the Zhao Family, Zhiqing possesses a systematic grounding in martial theory that Li Bufan considers more thorough than his own. 402

• Explains Demonic Beast realms and their martial-artist equivalents. 375
• Explains the significance of the three Dantians and the “Three Flowers Seeds” born with an opened Spirit Dantian. 419
• Exchanges insights with Li Bufan during sparring and lends him basic martial-theory texts. 402

Secret Realm Expertise

Zhiqing is familiar with the Zhao Family's exploration records and uses that knowledge to guide expeditions. 371 373

• Possesses a Zhao Family map of the extreme cold region that is more detailed than Zhou Hong's. 373
• Identifies the Snow Vulture Tiger's habits and helps locate two Cold Marrow Buds in its lair. 376
• Provides intelligence on the Spirit Marsh Secret Realm's history and its five interconnected regions. 400

Equipment / Items

• Zhao Family map — A detailed map of the extreme cold region used to guide Li Bufan through the Starry Sky Secret Realm. 373
• Wind Settling Bottle — Used to collect wind blades while ascending Gale Cliff. 436

Relationships

• Li Bufan — Initially a Prefectural Competition opponent, then her rescuer and Secret Realm partner. Their relationship grows from gratitude and mutual reliance into affection, though Zhiqing later feels guilty over the Secret Realm incident and senses his distance after their return. 323 371 417 439 462
• Zhao Pojun — Her father and the City Lord of Yingtian Prefecture. His earlier guidance to Li Bufan motivates Li to rescue Zhiqing, and he later formally thanks Li for saving her. 369 371 398
• Zhao Zhichen — Her younger brother. She decisively defeats him in a martial-arts match and continues to supervise his training. 322 402
• Madam Xia — Her mother, who invites Li Bufan to the Zhao residence to thank him for saving Zhiqing. 385 397
• Xia Jianlin — Her uncle and the Pavilion Master of Treasure Gathering Pavilion. 398 400
• Zhou Hong — An enemy who pursues her for the Cold Jade Ice Heart Grass and intends to kill both her and Li Bufan to conceal the matter. 369 370

Story Role / Major Arcs

Prefectural Competition

Zhiqing defeats Zhao Zhichen before facing Li Bufan, who reaches the stage in a severely injured state. During their confrontation, Li's strike provokes an opportunity for her own breakthrough. 322 323

Starry Sky Secret Realm

While fleeing Zhou Hong over the Cold Jade Ice Heart Grass, Zhiqing encounters Li Bufan. He intervenes because of Zhao Pojun's prior kindness, defeats Zhou, and treats her injuries. 369 370 Zhiqing subsequently proposes that they travel together, contributing Zhao Family intelligence and leading him into the extreme cold region. 371 373

The pair cooperate to search the Snow Vulture Tiger's territory, where Zhiqing's understanding of Demonic Beast behavior helps them find two Cold Marrow Buds. 375 376

Return to Yingtian

After the State Competition, Zhiqing invites Li Bufan to a family thank-you feast and warns him that the Zhou Family may retaliate over Zhou Hong's defeat. 385 At the Zhao residence, she and Li Bufan spar with the Surging Waves Palm, exchange martial insights, and train alongside Zhao Zhichen. 397 402

Spirit Marsh Secret Realm

Zhiqing joins Li Bufan in the Spirit Marsh Secret Realm and is severely injured after absorbing excessive wood-attribute Vital Energy inside a giant tree. Li uses acupuncture and True Qi to disperse the energy over two days and nights. 416 417

Her injuries repeatedly leave her dependent on Li's protection during later battles and exploration. He carries her through Gale Cliff and protects her while she recovers, while Zhiqing nurses him after his extreme wind-tempering sessions. 425 434 436 439 Their mutual trust deepens during this period. 439 448

Aftermath

Upon returning to Yingtian, Zhiqing feels guilty over what Li endured in the Secret Realm. Li remains courteous but distant, and she gradually stops visiting as often. 462