Zong Jiujiu

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Zong Jiujiu (宗久久)
Alias(es)	Braid Girl; Lady Zong 93 121
Gender	Female
Affiliation	Northern Suppressing Faction; Zong Clan of the Capital 102 119
Occupation/Role	Northern Suppressing Faction investigator and martial artist
Cultivation	Spirit-Nurturing realm 96 137
Status	Active 160
First Appearance	Chapter 93

Background / History

Zong Jiujiu comes from the Capital and serves in the Northern Suppressing Faction. She is also a member of the Capital’s Zong Clan; her father was informed of her investigation into Qi Practitioners and did not stop her, which she interprets as tacit approval. 102 119

Her investigation concerns a major incident in the Capital three years earlier and the possibility that Ancient Qi Practitioners still exist. Unlike most within the Northern Suppressing Faction, she is convinced that talismans are evidence of their existence. 102

She arrives in the Dangyun Mountain area while seeking information and resources. After dealing with Fifth Master and killing nine giant Snake Demons, she learns that Chen Zhuo is a Blade-Catcher and immediately seeks him out to process the demons’ True Blood. 93

Appearance

Zong Jiujiu is a young woman of striking appearance who usually presents herself plainly despite the aristocratic poise and authority others notice in her. A faint clear radiance frequently manifests around her in combat or when using her techniques. 96 100 102

• Referred to as the Braid Girl. 93
• Has a beautiful face, willow-leaf brows, and thin lips. 95 100
• Wears a soft sword at her waist. 93
• Her body emits clear radiance, which can form protective or offensive manifestations. 95 102

Personality

Zong Jiujiu is curious, outspoken, and highly motivated by rare knowledge. Her interest in talismans becomes intense after witnessing Chen Zhuo and the Old Blind Man manifest True Fire; she is willing to disclose part of her background in exchange for being taught the technique. 100 101 102

She initially judges Chen Zhuo harshly by the standards of elite Blade-Catchers, then repeatedly revises her assessment as she witnesses his physique, martial foundation, strategic judgment, and potential. She becomes determined to keep other factions from recruiting him first. 96 100 114 151

Despite her high background, Zong Jiujiu is inexperienced in political maneuvering compared with Chen Zhuo and the Old Blind Man. She acknowledges this weakness but later shows clear improvement by analyzing the inaction of the City Defense Army and the ambitions of its vice-generals. 126 136

She is fiercely loyal to those she considers family or allies. News of Fu Hang’s death provokes open fury, while the danger surrounding Baiyun County leaves her grim but not despairing. 145 160

Abilities & Skills

Swordsmanship

Zong Jiujiu wields a soft sword and channels clear light through it as sword energy.

• Severed the heads of nine giant Snake Demons simultaneously with a single sword strike. 93
• Her sword energy cut through the lake waves created by the demons before reaching them. 93
• The name and full scope of her sword technique are not revealed.

Clear Radiance

Her clear radiance is a versatile manifestation associated with her martial cultivation.

• Protects herself from environmental hazards; she remained dry amid crashing lake water. 93
• Shielded Fifth Master from Dangyun Mountain’s miasma during their search for Chen Zhuo. 95
• Reconstructed phantom images of a past battle, allowing her and Fifth Master to trace Chen Zhuo’s movements. 95
• Supports her exceptional movement speed; one step carried her farther than ten of the Old Blind Man’s strides. 97

Talismans and Life Fire

Zong Jiujiu possesses an incomplete Water Character Talisman and displays exceptional aptitude for learning talismans.

• Used the Water Character Talisman to produce a stream of water from thin air. 101
• Replicated Chen Zhuo’s True Fire Talisman after observing it once. 102
• Her Life Fire burns cyan after the talisman is formed. 102
• Activating the copied True Fire Talisman drains her vitality and blood. 102

Investigation and Apprehension

As a Northern Suppressing Faction operative, Zong Jiujiu is capable in tracking, intelligence work, and taking suspects alive.

• Traced evidence of Chen Zhuo’s battle through a phantom reconstruction. 95
• Captured the fleeing Yao Xiong and delivered him to Chen Zhuo for questioning. 108
• Identified specialized creatures and materials, including the Lamp Star Mother Insect and Qilin Fragrance from Tiger Demon meat. 99 101

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Soft sword — Her primary weapon; used to release clear-light sword energy. 93
• Water Character Talisman — An incomplete talisman capable of drawing water. 101
• Cloth bird, Jiu Jiu — A top-tier first-tier demon beast used to carry messages and intercept reports; it can travel a thousand miles in a day. 126
• Earth Sha Bead — Received from Chen Zhuo after the events at the Cold Pool. 121

Relationships

• Chen Zhuo — Initially sought him as a Blade-Catcher to extract Snake Demon True Blood. They become collaborators against the threats surrounding Baiyun County; she hopes to recruit him into the Northern Suppressing Faction. 93 102 112 122
• Fifth Master — Zong Jiujiu saves him from the Snake Demons after extracting information from him. He leads her to Chen Zhuo, while she later encourages him to grow stronger after Qi Afu’s death. 93 95 100
• Old Blind Man — A fellow member of Chen Zhuo’s circle. He advises her not to interfere when Chen Zhuo deliberately feigns weakness and later helps explain Chen Zhuo’s political schemes. 118 126
• Fu Hang — Her father’s disciple and a childhood-like elder brother. His death at the hands of the Grey-Robed Man is a deeply personal loss for her. 145
• Wu Miaozhi — They clash when Zong Jiujiu suspects the Wu family of trying to bind Chen Zhuo to them through Wu Youyou. 124

Story Role / Major Arcs

Dangyun Mountain and the Blade-Catcher

Zong Jiujiu first appears near a lake with Fifth Master. She kills nine Snake Demons, worries over how to extract their sealed bloodlines, and becomes interested in finding Chen Zhuo after learning he is a Blade-Catcher. 93

She initially considers Chen Zhuo insufficiently experienced because he has dissected only around thirty demon beasts. Her opinion changes after witnessing his physical strength, demon dissection, Demon Pill refinement, and rapid martial progress. 96 97 100 101

Talisman Exchange and Qi Practitioner Investigation

In return for instruction in the True Fire Talisman, Zong Jiujiu reveals her Capital origin, Northern Suppressing Faction affiliation, and personal investigation into Qi Practitioners. She copies the True Fire Talisman with her own Life Fire almost immediately. 101 102

She later confirms her Zong Clan background when Liu Yingsheng recognizes her surname and connects her presence to the Northern Suppressing Faction’s interest in the Immortal Seed. 119

Demon-Slaying Valley

Zong Jiujiu accompanies Chen Zhuo to Demon-Slaying Valley, captures Yao Xiong, and witnesses the scale of Chen Zhuo’s Primordial Spirit and physical power. She nearly intervenes when Chen Zhuo appears trapped, before realizing he is using weakness to lure hidden opponents into the open. 108 114 118

Baiyun County Alliance

After the Autumn Hunt, Zong Jiujiu becomes Chen Zhuo’s recognized Northern Suppressing Faction representative in Baiyun County. She sits beside him when he receives local factions and later works with him to assess threats from the provincial government and the City Defense Army. 122 136

During Chen Zhuo’s seclusion, she orders Fifth Master to bar the newly appointed county magistrate and chief clerk from entering the Yamen. 159

Great Upheaval and the Baiyun County Formation

Zong Jiujiu reveals that the “Great Upheaval” is the return of Qi Practitioners to the mortal world. She concludes that their relationship with ordinary humans may be no different from humanity’s relationship with demon beasts. 147

She accompanies Chen Zhuo to investigate the formation around Baiyun County, where they confirm that the area has become a sealed dead zone created by a Qi Practitioner. Chen Zhuo later protects her from a fourth-tier peak Tiger Demon with Qilin bloodline. 149 150

Notable Quotes

“I have a sword... I have a sword...”
— Zong Jiujiu, before killing the nine Snake Demons 93

“In the end, we are not of the same path as those Qi Practitioners.” 147

Trivia

• Zong Jiujiu explains her name as “Zong” meaning “founding a sect” and “Jiujiu” meaning “long-lasting.” 93
• She carries gambling debts and accepts the Earth Sha Bead partly because it gives her a means to repay them. 121
• She names her cloth bird Jiu Jiu, sharing her own name. 126