Shen Yu

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Shen Yu (沈昱)
Alias(es)	Master Shen; Brother Shen; Old Brother
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Cloud-Perch Academy; West Rong Prefecture Government Office
Occupation/Role	Former second-rank Imperial Censor and Minister; former Baiyuan County instructor and Wenlan Study custodian; Principal Fifth Rank Chief Clerk 74 76 147 156
Status	Alive 323
First Appearance	Chapter 50

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Begins body-forging cultivation	165	Chu Ming gives him a body-forging technique specifically deduced for someone with his poor martial compatibility. Under Meng Zhen’s guidance, Shen Yu finds it unusually well suited to him.
Three strands of Qi and Blood Power	254	Reports condensing his third strand after training with Chu Ming’s tailored method and receiving cultivation resources.
Six strands of Qi and Blood Power	259	Reaches six strands and openly takes pride in his rapid improvement.
Late Blood Activation Realm	321	Advances to the late stage through a highly compatible technique, medicinal resources, and Feng Yao’s daily guidance.

Background

Shen Yu was once a high-ranking court official, serving as a second-rank Imperial Censor and Minister. He also taught poetry to the imperial princes and possessed recognized attainments in poetry and the Mountain Classic. 147 157

A proponent of the Simplified Script, Shen Yu created the Ancient Oracle Script from the Mountain Classic and argued that simplified writing could make knowledge more accessible. His advocacy alienated the academy establishment and led to his demotion to a powerless county instructor. His verbal insults toward the Emperor also placed him under a capital sentence; his close friend Xiao He secured his survival, with both men ultimately demoted. 74 76 143

In Baiyuan County, Shen Yu became the custodian of Wenlan Study, which housed the restricted Classic of Mountains and Seas and Great Wilderness: Mountain Classic. His position gave him the means to recognize Chu Ming’s use of a disguise borrowed from the study and to secretly guide him toward the text. 76 77 81

Appearance

Shen Yu is an elderly, white-haired man with white temples and a weathered appearance. Though his eyes seem cloudy at first glance, they remain notably bright and sharp. 75 145

• White hair and visibly aged features. 76 146
• Usually dresses as a scholar or official. 143 156
• Can shift quickly between stern official dignity and deliberately undignified theatrics. 81 82

Personality

Shen Yu is fiercely independent and disdainful of convention. His campaign for the Simplified Script reflects his willingness to challenge entrenched institutions despite the personal cost, while his continued interest in the Mountain Classic shows an enduring commitment to scholarship. 75 76

He is sharp-tongued, theatrical, and capable of petty provocations. When Feng Yuan nearly discovered Chu Ming reading the restricted Mountain Classic, Shen Yu feigned injury and clung to him to buy time. He later tried to provoke an unseen Divine Mystery Bureau envoy when it refused to help Chu Ming. 81 160

Despite his abrasive manner, Shen Yu is deeply loyal. He treats Chu Ming as a kindred spirit and younger brother, repeatedly prioritizing Chu Ming’s safety over his own dignity, status, and past enmity with the Seventh Prince. 76 146 154

Abilities & Skills

Ancient Oracle Script and *Mountain Classic* Scholarship

Shen Yu is a leading scholar of Ancient Oracle Script and the Mountain Classic.

• Created the Ancient Oracle Script on the basis of the Mountain Classic. 75
• Identified Chu Ming’s exceptional ability to interpret ancient characters and taught him character-combination methods before the West Rong Prefecture trial. 76 145
• Recognized the difficulty of the twelve-character trial, admitting he could only identify roughly seven or eight of its characters with confidence. 146
• Used his position as Wenlan Study’s custodian to give Chu Ming covert access to the restricted Mountain Classic. 76 81

Simplified Script Advocacy

Shen Yu is a pioneering advocate for the Simplified Script.

• Views simplified writing as a means of spreading knowledge more widely. 75 76
• Was demoted after pressing the academy to adopt the Simplified Script. 74 76
• Refuses to let Chu Ming become “a second” Shen Yu by sacrificing his future to the same political cause. 76 77

Poetry

Shen Yu possesses substantial literary ability and formerly taught poetry to imperial princes. 147 157

• His poetic talent remains respected even after his demotion. 147 157
• Holds that the divide between civil officials and martial artists is rooted more in envy than in any inherent superiority of either path. 156

Martial Cultivation

Shen Yu initially lacked the aptitude to practice conventional martial arts, but Chu Ming created a compatible body-forging method for him. 156 160 165

• Progresses through Qi and Blood cultivation under Meng Zhen and Feng Yao’s guidance. 165 254 321
• Uses medicinal resources, including Green Ancient Nectar-enhanced pills, to support his training. 243 254
• Reaches the late Blood Activation Realm, though his cultivation remains far behind Chu Ming’s. 321

Mentorship and Advocacy

Shen Yu recognizes talent quickly and actively creates opportunities for those he values.

• Investigated Chu Ming’s history before approaching him and recognized his ability to endure hardship. 75
• Encouraged Chu Ming’s official ambitions without attempting to bind him to Shen Yu’s own political struggles. 77
• Pressed Xiao He to protect Chu Ming and personally prepared him for the Ancient Oracle Script trial that could clear his treason charge. 143 145
• Sought aid from the Divine Mystery Bureau alongside Xiao He when Chu Ming faced danger. 160

Relationships

• Chu Ming — Mentor, confidant, and sworn “older brother” figure. Shen Yu discovers Chu Ming’s talent, grants him access to the Mountain Classic, pleads for his safety during the treason case, and supports his career and cultivation. 76 77 145 146 154
• Xiao He — Lifelong friend and former Crown Prince’s tutor. Xiao He helped save Shen Yu from execution after Shen Yu insulted the Emperor, though their friendship is strained when Xiao He changes Chu Ming’s trial under pressure from the Seventh Prince. 143 146
• Feng Yuan — Fellow scholar and official with a contentious rapport. Shen Yu usually treats Feng Yuan with sarcasm, but both recognize and support Chu Ming’s potential. 81 82
• Meng Zhen — Martial instructor and ally. Meng Zhen guides Shen Yu’s body-forging practice and helps protect Chu Ming during the journey to Jingyan County. 165 170 171
• Xiao Shan — Chu Ming’s attendant, whom Shen Yu treats affectionately. He helps arrange her safety when accompanying Chu Ming would be too dangerous. 154 170
• Seventh Prince — A politically fraught relationship shaped by Shen Yu’s past defiance. Shen Yu kneels before the prince to seek a fair investigation for Chu Ming despite having refused to bow during his own imprisonment. 146 147

Story Role / Major Arcs

Baiyuan Academy and the *Mountain Classic*

Shen Yu repeatedly seeks out Chu Ming after noticing his potential. He identifies Chu Ming as the scholar who solved the Five-Eyes Diagram challenge, discovers his secret study of the Mountain Classic, and confirms that the two share support for breaking new ground through the Simplified Script. 74 77

As Wenlan Study’s custodian, he covertly lets Chu Ming study the restricted text and obstructs Feng Yuan to prevent the breach from being discovered. 76 81

Treason Charge and West Rong Prefecture Trial

When the Censorate moves to accuse Chu Ming of treason, Shen Yu immediately rushes to West Rong Prefecture and appeals to Xiao He for protection. 114 143

He prepares Chu Ming for an Ancient Oracle Script trial, then confronts Xiao He when the test is expanded from ten to twelve characters. Shen Yu ultimately kneels before the Seventh Prince and begs that Chu Ming—not Shen Yu—be granted justice. 145 146

Chu Ming identifies all twelve characters, validating Shen Yu’s faith in him and securing the basis for a renewed investigation. 147 148

Chief Clerk of West Rong Prefecture

Shen Yu becomes a Principal Fifth Rank Chief Clerk and works with Xiao He in West Rong Prefecture. He and Chu Ming make a three-year commitment to decipher the Mountain Classic, with Shen Yu hoping their success will earn him a senior post in Qi Capital. 154 156

He warns Chu Ming that his rapid rise is attracting jealousy and that the Fifth and Seventh Princes’ rivalry places him in a dangerous political position. 154 158

Blood Fiend Cult Crisis

As the Blood Fiend Cult infiltrates West Rong Prefecture, Shen Yu remains focused on the safety of Chu Ming, Xiao He, and the common people. He accompanies Chu Ming to Jingyan County, despite knowing that the journey may be dangerous, and later helps communicate developments in the cult’s campaign against the prefecture. 170 226 238

During the wider collapse of order in West Rong Prefecture, Shen Yu prevents the exhausted Xiao He from rushing into the devastated South City and tries to keep him alive long enough to continue governing. 323

Notable Quotes

“It’s just that I am getting on in years, and I suddenly encountered a... kindred spirit...” 76

“If Your Highness bears a grudge against me because of what happened in the past, I, Shen Yu, will bear it alone.” 146

“The real reason is that most scholars lack the aptitude for martial arts, so they cannot stand those who practice it.” 156