Lu Yuan

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Lu Yuan (陆渊)
Alias(es)	Master Lu; Brother Yuan
Species/Race	Human
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Sword Hanging Division (Bronze Sword Envoy); formerly Song Academy, Guangchun Hall, and the Martial Academy Inner Courtyard
Occupation/Role	Martial Scholar; martial artist; Bronze Sword Envoy
Status	Active
First Appearance	1

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Five Animals Fist — Novice	4	Reaches the novice level after training at Song Academy, gaining a marked increase in physical ability.
Five Animals Fist — Minor Accomplishment	9	Advances while balancing cultivation with the need to earn money and support his household.
External Strength / First Blood-Qi Tempering	10	Masters the Five Animals Fist and completes his first blood-qi body tempering; demonstrates the result by breaking a wooden stake.
Bright Energy Realm	11	Becomes a Bright Energy martial artist after fully mastering the Five Animals Fist.
Five Animals Fist — Perfection, Unbroken Limit 1%	23	Brings all five forms to completion; the Ancient Scroll displays a new “Unbroken Limit” property.
Dark Jin / An Jin	27 28	Perfects the Wind-Breaking Blade Technique, manifests blade aura, and overwhelms Black Tiger Gang fighters.
Hidden Energy Realm	33	Reveals this breakthrough shortly after joining Guangchun Hall’s sponsored group.
Transformation Realm	48	Defeats Cao Yang—also a Transformation Realm fighter—in a single exchange.
Quasi-Ranked Martial Artist	44 48	Opens his dantian, giving him a foundation for internal force before formally entering the ranks.
Ninth Grade — Skin Refining Realm	49	Officially enters the ranked martial-artist system and begins refining his skin with internal force.
Iron Skin	53	Achieves Minor Achievement in the Skin Refining Chapter; ordinary blades cease to be a meaningful threat.
Bronze Skin	55	His skin becomes tough enough to chip a blade without leaving a mark on his palm.
Gold Skin	59 88	Reaches the pinnacle of Skin Refining and reveals a Gold Garment during the Inner Courtyard assessment.
Flesh Refining — Minor Completion	80	Advances into the Flesh Refining Chapter of the Five Elements Vajra Body.
Silver Muscle	82	Gains musculature able to resist most ordinary Sword Qi attacks.
Gold Muscle; Bone Forging initiated	84	His body can withstand ordinary Qi Realm attacks; begins the Bone Forging Chapter.
Eighth Grade	87	Kills an Eighth Grade Longevity Cult remnant with a single lightning Sword Qi strike.
Fifth Grade; Gang Realm	115	Fully comprehends Thunder Intent and enters the Gang Realm, with combat power comparable to an ordinary upper third-rank martial artist.

Background / History

Lu Yuan transmigrated from modern times into the body of a weak, frail youth during the collapse of the Great Zhou Dynasty. He awakened in a famine-stricken home shared with his mother, Madam Yang, and his younger sister, Nannan. His first goal was simple: keep the three of them alive and prevent his mother from resorting to desperate measures for food. 1

After taking work carrying corpses with his childhood friend Fang Chang, Lu Yuan received an opening to learn martial arts at Song Academy. His rapid growth was enabled by the destiny known as Practice Makes Perfect, which lets him improve through repeated practice without being limited by his ordinary bone structure or natural aptitude. 1 16

At Song Academy, Lu Yuan kept his progress hidden, secured a top-three meat ration, and began eliminating Black Tiger Gang extortionists rather than remain their victim. He left the academy once the Five Animals Fist reached Perfection, choosing to avoid the academy’s succession dispute and pursue resources independently. 7 23

Zhou Wen recruited him under the Zhou Family’s sponsorship at Guangchun Hall. With access to meat, medicinal soups, and later rare treasures such as Century-Old Blood Ginseng, Lu Yuan advanced through the Dark, Hidden, and Transformation realms at an extraordinary rate. 24 38 48

After rescuing Zhou Wu from Black Cloud Stronghold, killing its Third Master Liu Chao, and later destroying the stronghold, Lu Yuan became a recognized force in Qinghe County. He placed fifth in the Martial Examination and earned the title of Martial Scholar before traveling to Anyang Prefecture. 38 58 71

In the Martial Academy, Lu Yuan entered the Inner Courtyard, exposed his Gold Skin, and repeatedly demonstrated strength far beyond what others expected from someone with merely medium aptitude. He later joined the Sword Hanging Division as a Bronze Sword Envoy, seeking its resources, techniques, and freedom from restrictive factional ties. 88 90 110 117

Appearance

Lu Yuan was initially weak and sickly after transmigrating, but martial cultivation quickly made him leaner, stronger, and visibly powerful. Others describe him as handsome, while his restrained bearing often causes people to underestimate him before witnessing his strength. 1 22 48

• Originally possessed a weak and frail body. 1
• Develops a lean, muscular build rather than a bulky frame. 22
• Frequently maintains a calm, composed expression even in lethal confrontations. 39 72
• Can manifest a dazzling Gold Garment upon using Gold Skin. 88

Personality

Lu Yuan is pragmatic, disciplined, and intensely protective of his family. His pursuit of martial strength began as a means to keep Madam Yang and Nannan from starving, and later develops into a determination to remove threats before they can endanger them. 1 57 115

He prefers to cultivate quietly, conceal his advantages, and avoid conflicts that offer little benefit. However, he does not mistake restraint for submission; when attacked or threatened, he responds decisively and often lethally. 3 47 72

Despite his ruthlessness toward enemies, Lu Yuan remembers kindness. He remains grateful to Fang Chang for bringing him into Song Academy, lends him silver when asked, and promises assistance to Chen Pi. 23

He has little interest in attaching himself to powerful families or factions merely for status. He declines recruitment by the Zhang Family and the Bright Moon Society, prioritizing independence, cultivation resources, and a stable environment for growth. 54 81 106

Abilities & Skills

Practice Makes Perfect

Lu Yuan possesses a destiny that allows repeated practice to continuously improve his techniques, regardless of his otherwise ordinary bone structure.

• Learns and improves martial arts at a rate that increasingly accelerates with practice. 16
• Retains permanent mastery once a skill is learned. 16
• Uses an Ancient Scroll and golden figures that independently rehearse, perfect, merge, and attempt to break the limits of techniques. 23 82
• Can progress beyond conventional mastery through properties such as Unbroken Limit and Breakthrough Pending. 23 82

Five Elements Vajra Body

Lu Yuan’s principal body-tempering art, progressing through Skin Refining, Flesh Refining, Bone Forging, and the cultivation of elemental essences.

• Achieves Iron Skin, Bronze Skin, and Gold Skin, granting extreme physical defense. 53 55 88
• Reaches Silver Muscle and Gold Muscle during Flesh Refining. 82 84
• Gold Muscle can withstand ordinary Qi Realm attacks. 84
• Condenses and integrates Wood Essence and Fire Essence with his internal energy. 96
• Begins the Bone Forging Chapter, aiming ultimately for Jade Bone. 84

Sword Arts and Sword Qi

Lu Yuan is proficient with several sword styles and uses Sword Qi as a major ranged killing method.

• Blazing Sun Sword Technique — Produces destructive crimson Sword Qi capable of piercing a boulder and attacking from roughly a hundred paces away. 49
• Startling Thunder Sword Art — An Earth Grade sword art acquired from the Inner Courtyard Library Pavilion. 90
• Lightning Sword Intent — Used to pierce Gold Skin and Gold Muscle defenses; reaches thirty-percent comprehension before later advancing to full Thunder Intent. 84 115
• Gang Thunder — His Gang Realm trump card; his internal-energy reserves permit roughly one full-power strike every half day. 115
• Uses Fire Intent-infused Sword Qi and Thunder Intent to overcome Chu Xiong and the fourth-rank Qi Long. 116

Blade Arts

Lu Yuan began as a fist practitioner but became highly dangerous with a blade.

• Wind-Breaking Blade Technique — Perfected early in his career and capable of manifesting blade aura. 27
• Wild Wind Blade Technique — Used alongside his sword in simultaneous dual-weapon combat against Liu Hu and two quasi-ranked allies. 72
• His blade techniques helped him kill Black Cloud Stronghold’s Third Master, Liu Chao, and defeat Cao Yang in a single move. 38 48

Flick Finger and Flying Blade Techniques

Lu Yuan employs hidden weapons with precision and lethal force.

• Flick Finger Technique — Can launch specially made iron pellets with enough force to kill or cripple martial artists. 31 38
• Kills Liu Chao with the Flick Finger Technique and iron pellets while rescuing Zhou Wu. 38
• Combines Flick Finger Technique with Blade Throwing Technique to create the Flying Blade Technique. 82
• Uses volleys of flying blades to kill Longevity Cult operatives before they can poison exotic beasts. 93

Movement Arts

Lu Yuan uses movement techniques for evasive combat, pursuit, and sudden offense.

• Gale Steps — Reaches Great Accomplishment and allows rapid evasive movement. 34 38
• Startling Wind Leg Technique — Evolved from Gale Steps and Wind Form Leg Technique. 82
• Wind Shadow Remnant — Produces sudden bursts of speed while neutralizing attacks. 82
• Wind Splitting Coil — Uses his legs as offensive weapons. 82

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Sword — Used for Blazing Sun Sword Qi, lightning Sword Qi, and other sword arts. 49 87
• Long blade — Used with Wind-Breaking Blade Technique, Wild Wind Blade Technique, and in dual-weapon combat. 19 72
• Special iron pellets — Hidden weapons fired through the Flick Finger Technique. 38
• Small throwing knives — Acquired for the Flying Blade Technique. 82
• Ancient Scroll — Internal artifact/system interface that displays proficiency and manifests golden figures to practice or deduce arts. 23 82
• Strange blue bead — Recovered from Liu Hu after their confrontation; its properties remain unknown. 72

Relationships

• Madam Yang — His mother. Lu Yuan’s earliest motivation is ensuring that she and Nannan survive the famine; he later buys a secure five-courtyard residence for them. 1 53
• Nannan — His younger sister. He is affectionate and protective toward her, buying her treats and supporting her wish to learn martial arts. 8 24
• Fang Chang — Childhood friend and fellow Song Academy student. Fang Chang introduces Lu Yuan to martial arts, but their bond becomes strained as Lu Yuan’s strength surpasses him. 1 23 61 64
• Chen Pi — Song Academy acquaintance who teaches Lu Yuan practical cultivation knowledge and receives Lu Yuan’s promise of future help. 3 23
• Zhou Wen — Zhou Family representative and Lu Yuan’s sponsor through Guangchun Hall; rewards him after Zhou Wu’s rescue. 24 38
• Zhou Wu — Second Master of the Zhou Family, rescued by Lu Yuan from Black Cloud Stronghold. 38
• Huang Hui — Guangchun Hall master who recognizes Lu Yuan’s potential and supports him after his clash with Cao Yang. 48 57
• Zheng Shuang — Qinghe County ally who helps Lu Yuan locate cultivation resources and remains concerned for his safety. 55 96
• Zhang Yida — Ninth Master of the Zhang Family and Lu Yuan’s ally. He attempts to recruit Lu Yuan, then maintains a friendship after being refused. 54 55
• Jiang Ying — Close ally and fellow Martial Academy student. She supports Lu Yuan’s independent decisions and later assists his Sword Hanging Division operations. 81 115 118
• Bai Xiaotang — Ally and Unity Alliance leader who supports Lu Yuan against Cui Yunhao and later works alongside him in the Sword Hanging Division. 96 118
• Ji Baiying — Martial Examination competitor and recurring rival who repeatedly dismisses Lu Yuan’s potential due to his aptitude. 61 81 88
• Cao Yang — Zhou Family genius and hostile rival. Lu Yuan defeats him decisively after Cao Yang attacks without warning. 47 48
• Cui Yunhao — Cui Clan second young master and enemy who attempts to force Lu Yuan into serving as his head guard. 95 96
• Chu Xiong — Chu Clan adversary whose threats toward Lu Yuan’s family lead Lu Yuan to confront him directly. 111 115 116

Story Role / Major Arcs

Survival and Song Academy

• Transmigrates into a famine-stricken household and resolves to support his mother and sister. 1
• Enters Song Academy after Fang Chang introduces him to the opportunity. 1
• Earns a top-three training position and meat rations through his rapid Five Animals Fist progress. 4 13
• Kills Black Tiger Gang members who extort his family and begins establishing himself as a ruthless survivor. 3 7

Guangchun Hall and Black Cloud Stronghold

• Leaves Song Academy after perfecting the Five Animals Fist and obtains Zhou Family sponsorship. 23 24
• Breaks through to the Dark and Hidden Energy realms while studying blade, sword, and movement arts. 27 33 34
• Rescues Zhou Wu, kills Liu Chao, and earns five hundred taels plus Century-Old Blood Ginseng. 38
• Hunts the Iron-Backed Savage Bull and destroys Black Cloud Stronghold after its bandits threaten his home. 57 58

Martial Examination and Martial Scholar

• Enters the Martial Examination despite former classmates believing he had abandoned martial arts. 60
• Effortlessly draws the Nine-Stone Bow three times and receives an A-plus assessment. 63 64
• Places fifth overall, becoming a Martial Scholar and earning an invitation to Anyang Prefecture. 71
• Eliminates Liu Hu and two quasi-ranked fighters after Liu Hu attempts to deceive and ambush him. 72

Martial Academy and Inner Courtyard

• Travels to Bright Moon Villa and then enters the Martial Academy. 73 77
• Refuses to join Murong Jue’s Bright Moon Society despite pressure from Ji Baiying. 81
• Reveals Gold Skin during the newcomer assessment, defeats Ji Baiying, and enters the Inner Courtyard. 88 89 90
• Fights Longevity Cult remnants, earns contribution points, and exposes his ability to kill Eighth Grade opponents. 87 93

Sword Hanging Division

• Chooses the Sword Hanging Division over the Ziyang Sect, the capital, and the military jinshi examination route. 110
• Advances to the Gang Realm and confronts Chu Xiong to remove a threat to his family. 115 116
• Participates in an operation against the Cui Clan under the identity of a Bronze Sword Envoy. 117 118

Notable Quotes

“Ten years is too long; I only seize the day!” 61

“I alone am enough.” 115

Trivia

• Lu Yuan’s nominal aptitude is repeatedly assessed as ordinary or medium-grade, despite his growth consistently surpassing first-class geniuses. 61 81 88
• He was still only sixteen when he revealed the Hidden Energy Realm to Guangchun Hall’s sponsored martial artists. 33
• He brought more than thirty thousand taels in silver notes to the Martial Academy. 79
• He prefers practical hidden weapons and regards them as legitimate supplements to martial cultivation rather than dishonorable shortcuts. 38 47