Zhou Buping

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	Zhou Buping (周不平)
Alias(es)	Gatekeeper Old Man; Master Zhou 17 18
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Divine Sword Sect; Heartless Sword lineage; later Heartless Peak 30 161
Occupation/Role	Senior Elder; gatekeeper of Yanmen Valley; master of the Heartless Sword lineage 30 32
Status	Deceased; buried in the Sword Tomb 167
First Appearance	Chapter 17

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Early True Dan Realm	Ch. 46	Zhou states that he formerly cultivated to the early stage of the True Dan Realm.
Severely diminished after injury	Ch. 40, 45	His sea of qi, martial intent, and life-bound intent sword were damaged while suppressing the Moon Worship Cult rebellion; he struggled even to mobilize true qi.
Intermediate Grandmaster	Ch. 164	Despite continuing to cultivate and receiving medicine that replenished some vital essence, he recovered only to the intermediate grandmaster level.

Background / History

Early life and Heartless lineage

Zhou Buping suffered the loss of his father and relatives. Driven by hatred, he cultivated the Sword Piercing Fist to perfection in three years with almost no resources, opened his ren and du meridians, entered the martial path, and obtained the inheritance of the Heartless Sword Art. He eventually avenged his family, though he regarded that victory as unable to restore what he had lost 41.

For decades, Zhou guarded Yanmen Valley and assessed menial disciples seeking entry into the inner sect. His real purpose was to find a successor capable of completing the Heartless Sword Art, whose lineage had pursued the missing Flawless Vajra Method for six generations 30 34.

Taking Li Gan as a disciple

When Li Gan sought a re-examination for official-disciple status, Zhou recognized his exceptional comprehension from his rapid mastery of Sword Piercing Fist and accepted him as a personal disciple 17. He provided Li with the Heartless Sword Art, an official-disciple identity tablet, cultivation resources, a treasure sword, and explanations of internal-cultivation terminology 18.

Zhou believed the Heartless Sword Art was suited to Li because it depended principally on comprehension rather than innate talent. He set Li’s long-term goal as perfecting the art, comprehending Heartless Sword Intent, and locating the lineage’s missing Flawless Vajra Method in the Sword Grinding Cave 19 30.

He registered Li for the true-disciple selection but explicitly instructed him not to contend for the position. Zhou considered the opportunity to complete the Heartless Sword Art and pursue perfect xiantian more valuable than a true-disciple title 30.

Injury and retirement

Zhou was drafted to help suppress the Moon Worship Cult rebellion in the eight southeastern prefectures 35. He and other elder-level experts were ambushed; Zhou survived with severe injuries to his sea of qi and martial intent, while one sect expert died 40.

Li brought him to Chenzhong Terrace and cared for him through his recovery. Zhou gradually became self-sufficient, resumed teaching, and guided Chen Yong in martial arts 41. Accepting that his damaged dantian had permanently limited his recovery, he retired from sect affairs, built a wooden house near Chenzhong Terrace, and devoted himself to farming and later cultivating Spirit Rice 42 77.

Heartless Peak and death

Zhou remained proud of Li’s advancement, sharing cultivation knowledge and supporting Li’s progress through the Xiantian realms 46. When Li revealed his Heavenly Human breakthrough, Zhou immediately informed the sect master and helped establish the Heartless lineage as Heartless Peak 161.

In his final years, Zhou’s health declined rapidly, though he continued offering guidance to his grand-disciples. He took comfort in seeing the Heartless lineage flourish and held a final anniversary gathering for Heartless Peak before his death 166. Li Gan later laid his remains to rest in the Sword Tomb 167.

Personality

Zhou Buping places comprehension above talent and regards persistent cultivation as the path to overturning one’s fate. His decades-long search among the sect’s menial disciples reflected both his conviction and his refusal to abandon the Heartless lineage’s unfinished goal 19 30.

As Li Gan’s master, he is protective, practical, and demanding. He supplies resources while warning Li against techniques that could compromise a flawless body, advises him against dangerous suppression missions, and pushes him toward long-term cultivation rather than short-term status 35 40.

After his injury, Zhou adapts with unusual calm. Though he regrets his lost strength, he embraces retirement, farming, and the success of his disciple rather than despairing over his damaged cultivation 40 42 164.

Abilities & Skills

Heartless Sword Art

Zhou is an inheritor and teacher of the Heartless Sword Art, an advanced discipline that combines internal cultivation with sword techniques.

• The art’s core principle is entrusting one’s emotions to the sword 18.
• He considers it comparable to the main cultivation methods of the Seven Peaks 18.
• He identifies comprehension of Heartless Sword Intent as the art’s ultimate requirement 19.
• He understands that the lineage’s art is incomplete without the Flawless Vajra Method 30.

Martial cultivation knowledge

Zhou possesses extensive knowledge of the Divine Sword Sect’s cultivation system and its higher realms.

• Formerly reached the early True Dan Realm 46.
• Explains the five Xiantian realms: True Qi, True Essence, True Dan, Heaven-Man, and Martial Saint 46.
• Instructs Li on the Flawless Realm, perfect xiantian, martial intent, and the conditions required to forge a flawless body 28 30.
• His own sword intent and true qi became severely impaired after his rebellion injuries 45.

Teaching and mentorship

• Identified Li Gan’s potential while he was still a menial disciple and elevated him to personal disciple status 17.
• Guided Li through internal-cultivation terminology and the difficult principles of the Heartless Sword Art 18.
• Provided Li with the True Explanation of Heartless Sword Art to assist his comprehension of its Secret Technique 23.
• Offered martial guidance to Chen Yong during his recovery at Chenzhong Terrace 41.

Relationships

• Li Gan — Personal disciple and chosen successor of the Heartless Sword lineage. Zhou provides Li with cultivation methods, resources, strategic guidance, and support; Li later cares for Zhou after his injuries and ensures his burial in the Sword Tomb 17 18 40 167.
• Chen Yong — Li Gan’s friend and a temporary student under Zhou’s guidance while Zhou recovers at Chenzhong Terrace 41.
• Chai Shao and Bai Yun — Zhou’s grand-disciples through Li Gan. They assist with the establishment of Heartless Peak and return for Zhou’s final lineage gathering 161 166.
• Heartless Sword lineage ancestors — Zhou dedicates his life to fulfilling their unfinished wish of completing the Heartless Sword Art through the missing Flawless Vajra Method 30 34.
• Feng Shaoyu — Divine Sword Sect Master. Feng informs Li of the severity of Zhou’s injuries and later recognizes the significance of Li’s Heavenly Human breakthrough 40 161.

Notable Quotes

“As long as one's comprehension is high enough, even if one's aptitude is mediocre, they can defy the heavens, change their fate, and reach the pinnacle of the martial path.”
— Zhou Buping 19

“If there is still anyone in this world who cares about you, it must be your family.”
— Zhou Buping 41