Zhuang Zhuang

Biodata

Power Progression

Background / History

Zhuang Zhuang was once a martial prodigy. A duel three years before the Young Qilin Gathering left her cultivation ruined, stripped away her former standing, and caused her to develop a heart demon. Zhan Mubai, by then a Yuntai Hall disciple, was the person who wounded her. 79 142

Her ancestors belonged to a prominent family. Although the family had declined, it retained a substantial, long-uninhabited estate in Zhao City's Inner City. She offers Chen Cheng the use of this property, which becomes the address he registers when establishing a separate household with Madam Li. 98

Despite the damage to her reputation and cultivation, she remained in Dragon Mountain Hall as an Inner Hall Senior Sister. She later overcame her emotional obstacle sufficiently to resume advancing, though the pressure of family expectations continued to weigh on her. 29 97

Before this recovery, she had increasingly withdrawn from training and taken on Middle Academy chores, leading others to fear that she intended to abandon martial arts. Chen Cheng's rapid advancement despite his inferior innate physique challenged her despair over her own limitations. His three First-Class assessment ratings became a decisive source of hope. 73 79 81

The Four Gods Profound Body was particularly important to her lineage: generations of her family, including Zhuang Zhuang herself, had failed to master it. Chen Cheng's willingness to explain its difficulties and guide her practice allowed her to overcome this inherited obstacle. 97 109

Her talent re-emerged decisively during Dragon Mountain Hall's Force Visualization assessment. Her complete Dragon Pattern and exceptional results earned her Wan Qianshan's direct acceptance as a personal disciple, as well as a recommendation to the Nine Altars Sect. By this time, she had spent seven years in Dragon Mountain Hall, including both the best and worst periods of her life in the Middle Academy. 155

Following the crisis surrounding Dragon Mountain Hall and Zhao City, Zhuang Zhuang joined the Martial Guard forces headed toward Whale-Fishing Pass. She spent roughly two years on the brutal battlefield, where she survived repeated hardship and emerged as a battle-hardened warrior. 177 270

After her return, she chooses not to accompany Chen Cheng north immediately. Her aunt, Zhuang Huixian, has recently lost her child, and Zhuang Zhuang remains in Zhao City to comfort her rather than leave her behind. She expresses the intention to seek Chen Cheng out in the north if a future opportunity arises. 272

Appearance

Zhuang Zhuang is consistently portrayed as gentle and elegant, with fair skin, delicate features, a slender but curvaceous build, and a notably composed presence. 64 97 109

• Usually wears Martial Hall training attire, though she also appears in casual cyan robes and a moon-white dress. 64 97
• Keeps her dark hair secured with a simple wooden hairpin, with loose strands framing her face. 64
• Her casual dress and restrained styling give her a “pure, lotus-like” air. 64
• Is described as having a slender waist and a graceful, full-figured silhouette. 64 97
• Wears crimson Evil-Slaying Office combat attire with a red half-armor bearing dark-gold Suanni patterns while undertaking missions. 109
• During her deployment toward Whale-Fishing Pass, she wears silver-white battle armor and carries two sabers. 177
• After returning from the battlefield, her formerly tranquil appearance is visibly weathered by hardship. She bears a long scar along the side of her neck that can seep black blood when her injury flares. 269 270 271

Personality

Zhuang Zhuang is gentle, serene, and considerate. She regularly gives Chen Cheng practical advice, warns him of dangers, and supports his cultivation without demanding recognition. 68 75 98

Among the Inner Hall disciples, she is known for being especially approachable. She acknowledges the Outer Hall disciples respectfully rather than adopting the superior airs common among her peers. She also respects the martial world's taboo against prying into another person's cultivation opportunities. 29 64

Her past injury left her emotionally vulnerable, but she does not allow that history to define her conduct. After confronting her inner demons, she appears outwardly composed and continues pursuing strength, status, and a path beyond Dragon Mountain Hall. 79 97 138

Her gentleness does not prevent decisive violence in official work. When processing a Blood-Robed One's corpse, she swiftly alters its wounds, dismembers it, and collects proof for the bounty without hesitation. 136

She also becomes increasingly assertive. When urgently recalled to the Upper Academy, she stands up to Kuang Yifeng, demonstrating greater confidence and independence than before. 154

Her time at Whale-Fishing Pass hardens this gentleness into a fierce protective resolve. When she learns that Madam Li has been targeted, she displays killing intent forged through two years of battlefield fighting and is prepared to kill her way through the Ti Cavalry to protect her. 270 271

She remains deeply attached to her family despite her wish to reunite with Chen Cheng and travel north. Her decision to stay with her grieving aunt shows that familial responsibility takes precedence over her immediate personal desires. 272

Abilities & Skills

Transformation Force

Zhuang Zhuang possesses Transformation Force, a level of martial force stated to surpass Clear Force and Dark Force. 98 153

• Can overpower a Transformation Force-level opponent, as demonstrated against the Turbid-Eyed Man. 153
• Can guide Chen Cheng's archery with her force, allowing him to land a decisive shot with the Mysterious Iron Treasure Bow. 153
• Works effectively in coordinated combat with Chen Cheng. 136 153
• Can form an invisible Transformation Force barrier that rebounds incoming force unless she consciously withdraws it. 98 145
• Uses Transformation Force defensively and offensively during prolonged sparring, forcing Chen Cheng to account for its barrier and force penetration. 146 152
• Can increase the force of her punches by channeling Transformation Force into them. During sparring, she uses approximately half of her Transformation Force alongside her fully activated seven wicks of Blood Qi. 146

Four Gods Profound Body

After Chen Cheng explained the technique and agreed to teach her, Zhuang Zhuang successfully mastered the Four Gods Profound Body. 97 109

• Her mastery prompts her to repay Chen Cheng with six Three Treasures Bone-Casting Pills. 109
• The technique is part of her effort to restore and improve her martial standing after her earlier decline. 97 138
• It strengthens both her Blood Qi and physique, giving her a marked advantage over martial artists of the same cultivation level. 146 159
• Although the first four wicks of her Blood Qi are less substantial than Chen Cheng's trait-enhanced foundation, they still greatly exceed those of ordinary peers. 146

Force Visualization

Zhuang Zhuang shows exceptional aptitude in Force Visualization through the Heavenly God Subduing Dragon Map. 155

• Thunder Pattern: 100%.
• Cloud Pattern: more than 30.
• Dragon Pattern: complete.
• Her results lead Wan Qianshan to select her as his personal disciple. 155
• Earlier in her training, she required seven days to understand the Thunder Pattern's principles and half a month to channel force through its lightning tips. Ye Yang cites these results when comparing her former talent with Xiao Yi's. 81

Crouching Dragon Fist

Zhuang Zhuang practices the Crouching Dragon Fist and uses its movements in close-range sparring with Chen Cheng. Her attacks combine fist techniques, footwork, Seven-Wick Blood Qi, and Transformation Force. 146 154

During their extended sparring, she can maintain an advantage in speed and strength, but Chen Cheng's precise defense and counterattacks repeatedly force her to rely on her Transformation Force barrier. After roughly two hundred exchanges, she begins to exhaust her physical and mental stamina while he remains composed. 146 152

Blade Combat

Zhuang Zhuang trains in blade techniques acquired through Evil-Slaying Office martial merits. 154

• Carries and employs two sabers during her wartime service. 177
• Her battlefield experience gives her decisive, lethal swordsmanship; she quickly disarms a Ti Cavalryman and holds her blade at his throat while escorting Madam Li and Fang Wenhou to safety. 271

Combat and Investigation

As an Evil-Slaying Guard, Zhuang Zhuang handles bounties, identifies threats, and acts decisively at crime scenes. 136

• Offers to process the reward for Chen Cheng after his killing of a Blood-Robed One. 136
• Explains the Cloth-Wrapping Demon's bounty and organizes a joint hunt at Seven-Mile Slope. 136
• Searches and loots a Blood-Robed One's body after Chen Cheng kills it. 136
• Alters the corpse's fatal wounds to resemble her own attacks and collects a piece from the center of its blood-colored hood as proof for calculating martial merit. 136
• Defeats her first Martial Selection opponent, a newly advanced Seven-Wick Blood Qi martial artist, in only a few moves. 159
• Endures the conditions of Whale-Fishing Pass for two years, developing killing intent and field experience far beyond her earlier academy combat. 177 270

Cultivation Assessment and Guidance

As an Inner Hall Senior Sister, Zhuang Zhuang verifies younger disciples' progress and explains the academy's privileges and assessment procedures. 29 36 64 68

• Tests Chen Cheng's second strand of Blood Qi by sending internal force through his body with a hand placed on his shoulder. She recognizes that his Blood Qi is unusually solid and thick. 36
• Directs him to exchange his badge and register his advancement, explaining his new access to medicinal meals, instruction, and employment recommendations. 36 64
• Explains the annual assessment's strength, endurance, and combat tests, including the danger of matches watched by prospective sponsors. 68
• Demonstrates an understanding of force penetration and melodic martial arts, explaining how force can be carried through sound and why Transformation Force is needed for genuinely lethal applications. 98

Equipment / Items

• Three Treasures Bone-Casting Pills — Gives Chen Cheng six pills after mastering the Four Gods Profound Body. 109
• Three Treasures Foundation-Cultivating Pills — Gives Chen Cheng nine pills obtained as the rewards for three Blood-Robed Ones he killed and she reported under her name. The claims also earn her praise from her Hundred-Guard and improve her standing in the squad. 138
• Ancient book containing the Raptor Taming Chapter — Provides it to Chen Cheng. Her uncle recovered the initially unreadable book from a Bai Family descendant during the assault on Cangying Hunting Manor. 145 146
• Beast-hide record of the God-Rearing Chapter — Had entrusted this record of the Four Gods Profound Body to Chen Cheng; he returns it when agreeing to teach her the technique. 97
• Evil-Slaying Office combat attire — Crimson martial clothing with a red half-armor marked by dark-gold Suanni patterns. 109
• Twin sabers — Carries two sabers as a Martial Guard deployed toward Whale-Fishing Pass. 177
• Fifth-grade healing medicine — Receives three bottles from Chen Cheng before parting from him in Zhao City. He expects them to be sufficient to heal her lingering battlefield injuries completely. 272

Relationships

• Chen Cheng — Junior brother, cultivation partner, and trusted combat ally. She advises him on assessments and danger, learns the Four Gods Profound Body from him, and fights alongside him against the Turbid-Eyed Man. Following two years apart, she reunites with him in Zhao City and remains loyal to him after witnessing the extent of his strength. His early accomplishments also help her overcome her heart demon. Although she wishes to accompany him north, she remains with her grieving aunt and promises to seek him out when circumstances permit; he gives her healing medicine before their parting. 68 79 97 109 153 271 272
• Wan Qianshan — Hall Master of Dragon Mountain Hall who accepts her as his personal disciple after her Force Visualization assessment. 155
• Ye Yang — Senior instructor whose guidance and academy duties she respects. He remembers her earlier exceptional aptitude and recognizes that Chen Cheng's assessment performance may have prompted her to overcome her emotional obstacle. 61 81
• Cao Miao — Dragon Mountain Hall instructor who shares her confidence in Chen Cheng's character. He stops her from pursuing Wan Qianshan to plead Chen Cheng's case when doing so would be futile. 156
• Zhan Mubai — The Yuntai Hall disciple who wounded her in the duel that ruined her cultivation. She still desires revenge, though his subsequent training in the Prefecture City makes her uncertain of her chances. 79 142
• Kuang Yifeng — Former fellow disciple and adversary. Zhuang Zhuang accuses him of having schemed against her three years earlier and rejects his contemptuous criticism of Chen Cheng. She had previously rejected his advances and later feels exhilaration when Chen Cheng kills him during the Martial Selection. 154 159
• Gu Kaishen — Shows interest in Zhuang Zhuang, though he is cold toward Chen Cheng. 97
• Zhu Qian — Acquaintance who reunites with Zhuang Zhuang at the Young Qilin Gathering; they show mutual respect. Zhuang Zhuang had known Zhu Qian since childhood. They later serve in the same newly promoted Martial Guard unit preparing to enter Whale-Fishing Pass. 143 177
• Yu Feng — Her uncle-in-law, who is protective of the Zhuang Family and invites Chen Cheng to dinner at the family's request. An Inner City Ti Cavalry officer, he also helps her search for opportunities to enter a martial sect. 113 138
• Zhuang Huixian — Her aunt and Yu Feng's wife, who sees Zhuang Zhuang off alongside Yu Feng and Chen Cheng. After Zhuang Huixian loses her child, Zhuang Zhuang chooses to remain in Zhao City to accompany and comfort her. 158 163 272
• Madam Li — Chen Cheng's mother, with whom Zhuang Zhuang develops a close bond. Madam Li treats her like a daughter, while Zhuang Zhuang later risks her life to protect her from the Patrol General Office. Their domestic bond includes preparing meals together and Zhuang Zhuang's occasional overnight stays at the Chen residence. 137 153 154 269 270 271
• Fang Wenhou — Dragon Mountain Hall junior brother who addresses her as Senior Sister. He joins her in protecting Madam Li during the turmoil in Zhao City despite his severe injuries. His emaciation is so extreme that she initially fails to recognize him upon returning. 269 270 271

Story Role / Major Arcs

Inner Hall Senior Sister

Zhuang Zhuang first appears as an Inner Hall Senior Sister who recognizes Xiao Yi's breakthrough to the second wisp of blood energy and escorts him to Master Ye for bone-reading. She is identified as the Inner Hall's Sixth Senior Sister and is respected for her approachable demeanor. 29

When Chen Cheng condenses his second strand of Blood Qi, she personally verifies it and explains the privileges of a Silver-Letter Waist Badge holder. His speed of advancement and unusually substantial Blood Qi surprise her because of his poor bone structure and impoverished background. 36

She later becomes a reliable source of guidance for Chen Cheng, explaining the annual assessment and cautioning him that Xiao Yi may be dangerous in the combat test. 68 75

Recovery and the Four Gods Profound Body

Chen Cheng's assessment results give Zhuang Zhuang renewed hope that innate limitations need not determine the entirety of a martial artist's future. His three First-Class ratings help break open the heart demon left by her earlier defeat. 79 81

After Chen Cheng discovers that she is troubled by her past, they discuss the Four Gods Profound Body. He agrees to teach her after revealing that he has entered its threshold. 97

Zhuang Zhuang subsequently masters the technique and repays him with government-supplied Three Treasures Bone-Casting Pills. 109

Evil-Slaying Guard Operations

Serving as an Evil-Slaying Guard, Zhuang Zhuang helps Chen Cheng claim a bounty for killing a Blood-Robed One. The two agree to hunt further Blood-Robed Ones and divide future rewards equally. 136

She subsequently delivers nine Three Treasures Foundation-Cultivating Pills earned through three kills credited to her name. Although Chen Cheng receives the pills, her role in reporting the kills wins official praise and raises her status within her squad. 138

She later joins Chen Cheng in defending his residence from the Turbid-Eyed Man and combines her Transformation Force with his archery to defeat the intruder. 153

Dragon Mountain Hall Succession

As Dragon Mountain Hall weakens, Zhuang Zhuang considers resigning from her post and entering seclusion to prepare for the Martial Selection. Chen Cheng offers her a room and Treasure Fish to support this effort. 142

Her outstanding Force Visualization performance secures her place as Wan Qianshan's personal disciple and earns a recommendation to the Nine Altars Sect. 155

When Kuang Yifeng influences Wan Qianshan against Chen Cheng, Zhuang Zhuang attempts to plead for her junior brother. Cao Miao stops her, explaining that the circumstances make persuasion useless. Though constrained by her master's authority, she continues defending Chen Cheng personally and urges him not to lower himself to Kuang Yifeng's provocations. 156

She subsequently participates in the Martial Selection as a Seven-Wick Blood Qi martial artist. Her superior foundation, Four Gods Profound Body, and Transformation Force let her dispatch an ordinary Seven-Wick opponent in only a few exchanges. 159

Whale-Fishing Pass Service and Return

Zhuang Zhuang joins a newly promoted Martial Guard unit preparing to march into Whale-Fishing Pass. Before the deployment, the campaign is already regarded as near-suicidal, and her appearance bears the first signs of wartime hardship. Zhu Qian, serving beside her, voices fear that entering the pass is like entering the gates of hell. 177

After two years fighting on the battlefield, she returns to a devastated Zhao City and seeks out Madam Li. Alongside the badly injured Fang Wenhou, she attempts to stop the Patrol General Office from taking Madam Li away. 269 270

She wounds a Ti Cavalry officer, holds her sword against his throat, and forces him to order the surrounding men to disperse. While escorting Madam Li and Fang Wenhou out, however, her neck wound begins seeping black blood again. The pain and exhaustion weaken her grip, allowing the officer to seize her sword and turn it against her. 271

Although her accumulated injuries flare during the confrontation and leave her vulnerable, Chen Cheng returns in time to save both Zhuang Zhuang and Madam Li from the Ti Cavalry. 270 271

Decision to Remain in Zhao City

After Chen Cheng resolves the immediate threats in Zhao City, Zhuang Zhuang must decide whether to accompany him north. Yu Feng remains because his parents and relatives are still in the city, and Zhuang Huixian stays with him. Zhuang Zhuang likewise chooses to remain, explaining that she cannot abandon her aunt so soon after the loss of her child. 272

She tells Chen Cheng that she wishes to go with him and will seek him out in the future if an opportunity arises. Before they part, he places three bottles of fifth-grade healing medicine in her hands, judging that her injuries should be able to recover completely with this treatment. 272

Trivia

• Zhuang Zhuang often opens the door when Chen Cheng visits, something he notices himself. 64
• Lu Song detects a faint scent of precious medicine on her using his exceptional sense of smell. 63
• She declines to participate in the annual assessment's combat test. 75
• She does not participate in the Young Qilin Gathering, instead prioritizing preparation for the Martial Selection. 142
• She once held Zhu Qian when Zhu Qian was a child. 141 143
• Her beauty, cultivation, and approachable manner make her the “white moonlight” of many young Outer Hall disciples. 29
• Yu Feng invokes Chen Cheng as his niece's husband when warning a stalker away, reflecting the family's acceptance of their closeness rather than establishing a confirmed marriage. 113
• Madam Li reserves a room for her at the Chen residence, though she usually stays with her aunt and only occasionally spends a night or two there. 153

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