Champion Marquis

Biodata

Name	Champion Marquis
Original	冠军侯
Alias(es)	Yang An
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Dagan Empire; Heavenly Mechanism Trading Company
Occupation/Role	Dagan military commander and frontier general; marquis; leader of a private commercial, intelligence, and military network
Status	Deceased; his primary divine thoughts were destroyed by Hong Yi, while Hong Yi later possessed his body 441 487
First Appearance	Chapter 155

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Martial Saint	198	Identified as a fifteen-year-old Martial Saint, an achievement regarded as extraordinary.
Peak Martial Saint	346	Recognized as a peak Martial Saint; his martial ability is compared to Saber Saint Gongyang Yu in his prime.
One step from Human Immortal	370	After nine days of meditation, he assimilates the martial essence within the Shangmang Divine Spear and states that he is one final step from the Human Immortal realm.
Human Immortal-level combat power	378	The Heavenly Radiance Horn God Armor, combined with his own body, grants him Human Immortal strength, extreme recovery, and sustained high-speed combat.
Human Immortal	441	At his final battle with Hong Yi, he possesses the heart and body of a Human Immortal; his martial experience has reached the Human Immortal realm.

Background / History

The Champion Marquis rose to prominence as an exceptionally young Dagan general. The title was traditionally bestowed upon young commanders in recognition of battlefield courage; within sixty years of the dynasty, he was reportedly its only recipient. Before turning seventeen, he had killed countless people, commanded frontier forces, and acquired a reputation as the second-most significant troop commander after Prince Shenwei. 155

After returning to Yujing from his victory on Giant Whale Island, he rejected Prince He's gifts without even sending a reply. He deliberately avoided succession politics, reasoning that whichever prince became emperor would still need him to guard the frontier. He personally trained his troops, distributed military pay generously, and won their loyalty through martial demonstrations and practical leadership. 155

His influence expanded beyond the army through the Heavenly Mechanism Trading Company. When the Azure Province Jin Family and Celebration Province Zeng Family interfered with its business, their dispatched experts were wiped out; both families subsequently sought peace by sending daughters as concubines-in-waiting and merging their businesses into his company. 277

During the Cloudrise investigation, he became entangled with Hong Yi and Chan Yinshe. He sought Chan Yinshe as a possible Dao companion, but her public declaration that Hong Yi was her chosen companion—and Hong Yi's literary criticism at the state banquet—provoked his fury and initiated their lasting rivalry. 238 239

Later, he openly pursued control of the True Gang Sect's sacred ground and declared his intention to seize the Dagan Empire once imperial policies turned the great clans against the throne. 347 His escalating confrontations with Hong Yi cost him the Moon Goddess, the Shangmang Divine Spear, and the Heavenly Radiance Horn God Armor before Hong Yi ultimately destroyed his remaining primary divine thoughts. 350 380 441

His origins remained mysterious throughout his life. Yinyun Zi identifies the Heaven Beyond Heaven associated with him as her son's place of origin, while later information identifies that world as Pan Star. 587 593

Appearance

Before adopting divine armor, the Champion Marquis is described as a graceful, handsome young marshal with a dignified bearing and an occasional wickedness in his smile. In battle, his appearance becomes increasingly inhuman beneath War God Shang's armor. 441

• Young enough to be called a “youth” while already commanding major forces. 155 233
• Wore sword and armor while personally supervising military drills. 155
• The Heavenly Radiance Horn God Armor formed a black-and-white horny shell over his body, with curved horns and blood-red membranes over his eyes. 370 375
• When empowered by the armor and Shangmang Divine Spear, he resembled an ancient demon god or war god, often with bone spikes emerging across his body. 377 378

Personality

The Champion Marquis is intensely proud, possessive, and convinced of his own supremacy. He treats power, political authority, artifacts, and people as things to be obtained and controlled; his ambition eventually extends to the Dagan throne itself. 306 347

He is not merely a reckless fighter. He refuses to march against Cloudrise without evidence because doing so would appear to be revenge disguised as official business, and he conducts investigations before committing his forces. 233 239 He also understands the importance of disciplined troops, wealth, and networks of influence. 155 277

Defeat by Hong Yi forces a temporary change in his outlook. He claims to have learned that “steel cannot remain hard forever,” choosing to conceal his edge rather than display it openly; nevertheless, his resentment toward Hong Yi and obsession with revenge remain unchanged. 370 377 441

Abilities & Skills

Martial Arts

A martial prodigy who reached Martial Saint at fifteen and later advanced to the Human Immortal level. His martial will is characterized by battlefield slaughter, relentless pursuit, and overwhelming fist intent. 198 349 441

• Personally demonstrated archery, strength, and close-quarters combat before his soldiers. 155
• His fist intent can pressure surrounding experts and induce fear. 348
• His spear assaults can unleash hundreds of thrusts in rapid succession. 378
• Learned the Relentless Killing Path and integrated it into his fighting style. 377 378
• His martial experience was noted as richer than Hong Yi's during their clashes. 378

Military Command

He commands troops through personal strength, strict training, generosity, and battlefield prestige. 155

• Held command over five battalions, 2,500 troops, more than one hundred sea vessels, and a coastal defense line. 155
• Led naval operations that captured a nation-suppressing warship and defeated Yunmeng warships. 233
• Consulted generals and experts while investigating the disappearance of Xiao Tianyao's fleet. 233
• Maintained elite troops whose coordination allowed their combined strength to greatly exceed that of isolated martial experts. 155

Three Realms Vitality Cannon

A Dao technique discharged from his chest that imitates the destruction of ancient stars. 440

• Fires a concentrated beam accompanied by a cannon-like blast. 440
• Its simulated stellar explosion can violently impact even the Heavenly Radiance Horn God Armor. 440
• It failed to decisively defeat Hong Yi, whose counterattack shattered the Champion Marquis's Creation Jade Body. 440

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Pan Emperor's Life Sword / Pan Emperor Sword — An ancient divine sword that protected him repeatedly; after his defeat, it chose to protect Hong Yi instead and was obtained by Hong Yi after the Champion Marquis's death. 299 380 442
• Shangmang Divine Spear — A divine spear containing War God Shang's martial essence and the Heavenly Radiance Horn God Armor; its battle intent could break Dao arts and directly attack body and soul. It was stripped from him by Hong Yi. 349 370 380
• Heavenly Radiance Horn God Armor — Divine armor forged from powdered heavenly dragon horns and War God Shang's vital blood. It granted flight, extreme durability, immense strength, and swift recovery, but Hong Yi removed it with the Yin-Yang Chaos Cavern Formation. 370 378 379 380
• Creation Gourd — A spatial treasure used for travel, concealment, and escape. 300 346
• Moon Goddess / Moon Goddess Armor — The conscious deity Han Yue could manifest from the Creation Gourd or become mercury-like armor around him. Hong Yi captured her. 347 349 350
• Chaos Heart-Guarding Mirror — A defensive treasure triggered against Hong Yi's Elixir Fire Divine Sword. 440

Relationships

• Hong Yi — Principal rival. Their conflict begins after Hong Yi humiliates him at Cloudrise and continues through repeated battles, ending with Hong Yi destroying his primary divine thoughts. 238 239 441
• Chan Yinshe — He sought her as a Dao companion, but she publicly chose Hong Yi instead and later fought beside Hong Yi against him. 238 239 378
• Yoululaite — A woman under his control whom he placed in Yujing; he considered her emotional attachment to Hong Yi a betrayal. 348 377
• Han Yue — The Moon Goddess he summoned through the Creation Gourd and used as divine armor; she was captured by Hong Yi. 347 349 350
• Third Prince of Great Zhou — A wary collaborator who offered knowledge of Middle Thousand Worlds; the Champion Marquis asserted dominance by attacking him when interrupted. 375 377
• Huang Yanyan — His wife and the apparent leader of his harem. After his death, she cooperated with Hong Yi while Hong Yi possessed the Champion Marquis's body. 487 502
• Ouyang Qian and Han Bingxin — Members of his harem who helped oversee his finances and intelligence networks. 487
• Hong Xi — His brother and loyal subordinate; Hong Yi killed Hong Xi while occupying the Champion Marquis's body. 489
• Yinyun Zi — Identifies the Heaven Beyond Heaven connected to him as her son's place of origin. 587

Story Role / Major Arcs

Rise as Dagan's Young General

He returns from Giant Whale Island as a celebrated commander, refuses Prince He's overtures, and consolidates the loyalty of his troops through direct training and generous treatment. 155

Cloudrise Conflict

Sent to investigate disappearances connected to Cloudrise, he attends the state banquet, where Hong Yi exposes his weak literary reasoning. Chan Yinshe’s choice of Hong Yi as Dao companion turns political tension into personal hostility. 233 238 239

Contest for Power and the True Gang Sect

He expands his ambitions from military command to imperial control, gathers powerful allies, and uses Han Yue to intimidate the experts assembled at Hongling Water Palace. 347

War with Hong Yi

His conflict with Hong Yi escalates through battles involving the Moon Goddess Armor, Shangmang Divine Spear, Heavenly Radiance Horn God Armor, and Pan Emperor's Life Sword. Despite gaining Human Immortal-level strength through the armor, he is stripped of both armor and spear. 349 378 380

Final Defeat

After attempting to escape through the Boat of Creation, he offers Hong Yi his knowledge of future human development in exchange for mercy. Hong Yi destroys his eighty-one primary divine thoughts, ending him as an independent threat. 441

Posthumous Legacy

Hong Yi later possesses the Champion Marquis's body and impersonates him to access his harem, private armies, workshops, trading firms, mines, spy networks, and other resources. 487 502

Trivia

• The title Champion Marquis had been granted only once in the Dagan dynasty's sixty-year history. 155
• He was reportedly a Martial Saint at fifteen and was still only around twenty when regarded as a peak Martial Saint with Human Immortal within reach. 198 353
• His commercial and intelligence apparatus was so extensive that millions or tens of millions of people were described as serving him each day. 502
• His face resembles that of the “leader of humanity” known to an inhabitant of Pan Star, deepening the mystery of his origin. 593