Painted Skin Scholar

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	Painted Skin Scholar (画皮书生)
Species/Race	Human
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Human Race; Ten Great Kings
Occupation/Role	Leader and protector of the Human Race in the Dimension Battlefield
Status	Alive
First Appearance	123

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Ten Great King	70	Created the Wen Family Mystic Realm by painting it into existence; later contended for the title of number one under heaven.
Beyond the Eighteenth Restriction / Path to Immortality	124	Had surpassed the Eighteenth Restriction by the time he defended humanity's last great city.
Peak Mortal Immortal	175 176	Suppressed his breakthroughs for roughly a century so he could enter the Hundred Races War and search for the Red-Clad Maiden.
Worldly Immortal	207	Broke free after the Taiyuan Immortal Mansion suppressed the enemy artifacts and overwhelmed other Worldly Immortals.
Mid-stage Worldly Immortal	230	Possessed three complete Three Thousand Great Daos after releasing the cultivation he had long suppressed.

Background / History

More than five thousand years before the present, the Painted Skin Scholar met Ancestor Wen and became his master. He casually created the Wen Family Mystic Realm through a painting, then brought Ancestor Wen to live within it. Ancestor Wen later founded the Wen Family in the Human World as the scholar's bookboy. 70 165

He was among the Ten Great Kings who ascended from the Human World to the Dimension Battlefield. Because he was not born in the Dimension Battlefield, he was immune to the curse that impaired the cultivation potential of its native humans. 165 234

Thirty years before Lin Jiufeng learned of him, the scholar appeared when the Giant Race elders attempted to destroy humanity's last great city following Gu Baili's death. Seated upon an unfurled scroll painting, he killed one elder and drove the others away, though he was wounded and subsequently entered seclusion. His intervention preserved humanity's place among the Hundred Races for thirty years. 123 124

Following the losses of Longevity Heaven and Gu Baili, he suppressed internal dissent among humanity at the Mortal Immortal realm. He then killed more than a dozen Worldly Immortals from other races, halting humanity's decline and becoming its leader. 234

Appearance

The Painted Skin Scholar is a stunningly handsome, refined scholar with a gentle demeanor and a face described as white as jade. Even in battle, he retains a composed, scholarly bearing. 123 202

• Slender fingers that channel Great Dao power into his scroll painting. 202
• Usually associated with calligraphy, painting, tea, and quiet studies. 164 165
• His battle aura can become overwhelming enough to collapse surrounding space. 171

Personality

He is warm and hospitable toward fellow humans from the Human World, immediately sheltering Lin Jiufeng after recognizing him and inviting him in from the snow for wine and tea. 164 165

The scholar sees cultivation as a means to protect others and preserve knowledge rather than an end in itself. He explicitly states that he wishes to stand at the peak, see its view, and record it for future generations, while shielding humanity from hardship. 170

Despite his usual gentleness, he is resolute and ruthless toward those who repeatedly seek humanity's extermination. He killed the captured Worldly Immortals of the Thirteen Clans without mercy after their long siege against him. 208 He is also capable of calculated deception, provoking a confrontation and then feigning contrition to conceal Lin Jiufeng's escape. 215

Abilities & Skills

Painting Dao

The Painted Skin Scholar enters and proves his Dao through painting. His paintings can manifest as real phenomena, techniques, worlds, and prisons. 171

• Creates Mystic Realms by painting them into being. 70
• Uses heaven and earth as his canvas while cultivating and inscribing comprehended Daos onto the land and sky. 171 236
• Painted thunder tribulations and peerless techniques can materialize and attack his enemies. 171
• His void paintings can trap multiple high-level opponents. 171 174

Scroll Painting

His lifebound scroll painting is connected to his heart and possesses power exceeding ordinary Immortal Artifacts. 202

• Envelops and imprisons Eighteenth Restriction-and-above experts. 171
• Generates worlds from Chaos Mist while resisting spiritual energy, solar and lunar essence, and enemy artifact attacks. 202
• Suppresses Worldly Immortals when unleashed alongside his own aura. 207
• Was pushed to its limit while facing fifteen Worldly Immortals and three Immortal Artifacts. 202

Four Saints Defense Array

He activated the Four Saints Defense Array to protect the Human Race's cities when the Thirteen Clan Alliance arrived to seize the remaining Human Race lantern. 169

• Established as a prepared defense against a large-scale invasion. 169
• Required defenders because it could not endure prolonged assault unaided. 170

Knowledge of Human History

As humanity's leader and a survivor of its long decline, he retains extensive knowledge of the Human World, the Dimension Battlefield, the Path to Immortality, Hell, the Heavenly Dao Stone, and humanity's past calamities. 165 184 209 234

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Ancient Scroll — An Ancient Immortal Artifact used to deter numerous Mortal Immortals and protect Lin Jiufeng. 182 183
• Lifebound scroll painting — His primary painting-based treasure, linked to his heart. 202
• Four Saints Defense Array — A defensive formation activated around the Human Race's cities. 169

Relationships

• Lin Jiufeng — Fellow ascender from the Human World, ally, and a figure the scholar protects and deeply trusts. He sheltered Lin Jiufeng, defended him with the Ancient Scroll, and helped conceal his escape. 165 182 215
• Sword God Emperor Willow — Close ally and fellow defender of humanity; they fought together against the Thirteen Clan Alliance and jointly supported Lin Jiufeng. 170 171 182
• Red-Clad Maiden — The woman who once saved him from severe injuries in the Human World. He pursued her afterward and delayed his breakthrough for a chance to find her in the Hundred Races War. 176 208
• Ancestor Wen — His disciple and former bookboy, who founded the Wen Family. 70 165
• Mad Blade Hundred Battles — One of the Ten Great Kings; the scholar retained a psychic link with him, though contact had been lost for years. 265
• Longevity Heaven — A human hope whose past and survival were known to the scholar; their fates are tied to humanity's struggle against the curse and the Shadow. 232 234

Story Role / Major Arcs

Savior of Humanity

The Painted Skin Scholar saved humanity's final great city from the Giant Race elders after Gu Baili's death. His appearance established him as the principal protector of the weakened Human Race. 123 124

Thirteen Clan Alliance Siege

After receiving Lin Jiufeng's warning of a coalition against humanity, he investigated and prepared the Human Race's defenses. When the alliance attacked, he activated the Four Saints Defense Array and trapped the enemy's highest-ranking experts inside a void scroll. 165 169 171

Hundred Races War

He entered the Hundred Races War as one of humanity's three representatives alongside Lin Jiufeng and Sword God Emperor Willow. He revealed the Ancient Scroll to protect Lin Jiufeng, searched for the Red-Clad Maiden, and was later besieged for decades by fifteen Worldly Immortals wielding three Immortal Artifacts. 175 182 202

After Lin Jiufeng's intervention freed him, he suppressed and executed the surviving Worldly Immortals of the Thirteen Clans. 207 208

Rebuilding Humanity

Following the war, he helped oversee humanity's recovery, supported the Hundredfold Time Difference cultivation plan, and worked to nurture a stronger generation of humans. 230 232 285

Later Crises

He joined Lin Jiufeng and Sword God Emperor Willow in the effort to rescue Mad Blade Hundred Battles from an Ancient Ruins in Puluo State. 264 265 He also provided historical knowledge concerning Ancestor Jiang Mang's Trident and the three-headed demon dragon. 323

Notable Quotes

“I cultivate only to stand at the peak, to see the view from there, and then write it down for future generations to read—not to become a soulless machine of cultivation, devoid of emotion.” 170

“If only I could have a vast mansion sheltering the world's poor scholars, all with joyful faces.” 170

“I'm here. You want to kill Lin Jiufeng? Dream on!” 182

Trivia

• His title reflects his painting-based cultivation, through which images can become reality. 171
• He once entered a Primordial Relic alone after defeating all competing experts, then killed nine top experts while being hunted in the Vast Sea Desert. 170
• He is described as the weakest among the Ten Great Kings. 272
• He possesses a psychic connection to Mad Blade Hundred Battles. 265