Zhang Yuchen

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	Zhang Yuchen (张宇晨)
Alias(es)	“Whirlwind Ghost Hunter” (self-styled) 257
Species/Race	Human
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Jiang Chen's exorcist team
Occupation/Role	Exorcist; ritual-weapon and talisman user
First Appearance	Chapter 257

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Heroic Soul Realm — Pulse Gate opened	260	His true qi was sufficient to easily handle two black-eyed ghosts.
Early use of Spirit Gate Opening	537 616	Used the vital-essence-overdrawing technique while casting Mystic Light Binding Technique; later destroyed a mutated evil spirit with an empowered headbutt.
Half-step Essence Soul Realm — middle stage	696	His level before Third Master's special training, stated retrospectively.
Essence Soul Realm — late stage	696	Training under Third Master significantly improved both his qi and close-combat ability.
Essence Soul Realm — peak	833	Could not directly contend with a mid-to-peak Yellow-Clothed ghost, but his temporary Spirit Gate and embroidery-enhanced state could stall one.
Central Pivot Realm — peak	1366	His base cultivation matched Lu Zheng's; opening his Spirit Gate elevated him to the Strength Soul Realm.
Strength Soul Realm — early stage	1724	Volunteered for Lian Port City's exchange match and concealed much of his strength before fighting.
Blood Spirit Gate burst	1804	Temporarily reached the early Vitality Soul Realm while fighting crawling evil entities; the technique carried severe backlash.
Strength Soul Realm — peak	2191 2200	Sought the threshold to the Vitality Soul Realm; later displayed peak Strength Soul combat power against Tartary Black Shamans.
Blood Spirit Gate and Yin-Yang Embroidery burst	2056	From peak Strength Soul Realm, temporarily reached mid-to-late Vitality Soul Realm combat strength and held off Nine Corpse Daoist.
Vitality Soul Realm — early stage	2232	Completed the breakthrough after the Tartary Black Shaman battle, before the group's farewell meal.
Spirit Gate burst	2360	Temporarily displayed peak Vitality Soul Realm strength against a Red-Clothed vicious ghost.
Spirit Gate / Blood Spirit Gate burst	2402	Temporarily reached peak Qi Soul Realm, nearing Spiritual Wisdom Realm, at the cost of worsening an existing injury.
Vitality Soul Realm	2517	His established realm by the battle against the Great Tengu, where he severed roughly one-third of its nose with a powerful strike.

Background & History

Zhang Yuchen first meets Jiang Chen after being contacted to locate an old grave near his factory. Having already surveyed the area, he guides Jiang through the factory parking lot and up the overgrown hillside. He introduces himself with an intense, theatrical enthusiasm and promises to answer any future call involving supernatural matters. 257 258

At the time of their meeting, Zhang was working as a security guard near the open-air parking lot of an automobile factory. His familiarity with the factory grounds and surrounding hillside enabled him to guide Jiang to the concealed grave site. He is the nephew of the Yellow-Robed Daoist and originally came from Shaman North Hollow. 257 258 1058 His grandfather, Zhang Beiwang, was a respected funeral master who died before passing down his greatest skills; Zhang's uncle studied the books he left behind. Zhang Third Master belongs to a distant branch of the same clan and later trains him. 673 893 1058 1285

Though initially less experienced in cultivation methods and talisman arts than Jiang Chen's established companions, Zhang proves himself in battle against a yellow-clad vicious ghost. After enduring the most punishment and drawing the ghost's attention away from the team, he unveils Green Dragon Crescent Slash, severely injuring the ghost at the cost of exhausting nearly all his true qi. 283

His strength originates in part from the full-back Yin-Yang Embroidery depicting open-eyed Guan Gong. Zhang states that the tattoo was placed on him when he was young because his fate was poor; his uncle had him study exorcism to balance that fortune. 285 1370 He was also sickly as a child, and his health gradually improved after receiving the embroidery. 1059 As he learns to access the embroidery's power, it becomes both a defense against evil and the foundation of his strongest techniques. 396 863

Zhang later undergoes special training under Third Master, improving rapidly from the half-step Essence Soul Realm into the late Essence Soul Realm. His growth continues through repeated missions alongside Jiang Chen, Mao Jing, and Pan Ling, including fights against corpse fiends, ghost riders, Southeast Asian evil masters, and the forces of Carefree Tower. 696 721 1305 1994

After reaching the peak Strength Soul Realm, Zhang attempts to comprehend the Vitality Soul Realm through meditation and the spiritual power supplied by his Yin-Yang Embroidery. Jiang's advice that the realm requires the tempering and manifestation of will, conviction, and momentum helps Zhang find direction on his path. His first attempt does not produce an immediate breakthrough, but he reaches the early Vitality Soul Realm after the Tartary Black Shaman campaign, before the later conflict with the Great Tengu. 2191 2192 2232 2517

Appearance

Zhang Yuchen is a tall, muscular young man with dark skin and a masculine, stylish appearance. He is approximately 1.9 meters tall and bears numerous old and recent scars from battles with ghosts and demons. 257 1370

• Full-back Yin-Yang Embroidery of open-eyed Guan Gong in green armor holding the Azure Dragon Crescent Blade. 285
• Strongly built physique, including defined musculature and eight visible abdominal muscles. 395
• Often removes or tears his shirt when activating the embroidery's power. 843 1803
• His tattoo and body can manifest abnormal black-and-white qi activity after severe overexertion. 864

Personality

Zhang is hot-blooded, outspoken, and theatrically chuuni. He gives himself grandiose titles, calls enemies “Ou Doudou,” and treats encounters with supernatural threats as opportunities to prove himself. His behavior can embarrass his companions, but it is sincere rather than an act. 257 530

He is notably brave and resilient. Even when heavily injured, isolated, or outmatched, he repeatedly returns to the fight and willingly puts himself in danger to protect his allies. 283 729 2402 His confidence can become recklessness—particularly against unfamiliar high-level zombies or when overusing the Blood Spirit Gate—but he learns through combat and gradually becomes more tactically capable. 534 1809 1994

Beneath his bravado, Zhang is loyal to his companions and serious about becoming a Grand Exorcist Master. He eagerly volunteers for dangerous missions and actively pursues further cultivation. 1287 1623 2191

Although often impulsive, Zhang can make sound observations when investigating supernatural incidents. He correctly analyzes the implications of hostile families and ghostly phenomena, and later distinguishes between ghost projections and constructed ghost forms. 902 2305

He also enjoys embellishing accounts of his exploits. After the group's escape from an onmyoji confrontation, he boasts about fighting across a dock, although Pan Ling had carried him away and Brother Wang had sacrificed himself to cover their retreat. 2549

Abilities & Skills

Yin-Yang Embroidery

Zhang's open-eyed Guan Gong tattoo is a form of Yin-Yang Embroidery that can borrow the power associated with its embroidered figure. It gathers spiritual power for his cultivation and grants both passive protection and active combat techniques. 285 396 2191

• Wards off minor evil spirits, demons, ghostly qi, and certain yin toxins. 309 863 1370
• Causes nearby supernatural entities to sense danger. 395
• Generates Yin-Yang dual qi and a powerful pressure when activated. 852 864
• Can enhance his cultivation speed by gathering spiritual power. 2191
• Overuse can destabilize the embroidery and leave unresolved yin toxin in his body. 864
• Its open-eyed Guan Gong can briefly overlay Zhang's vision, allowing him to see through certain illusions and perceive concealed ghosts. 396
• By the time of the battle against the ghost horde, Zhang can gather the tattoo's power onto a ritual weapon at will, producing crescent-blade-shaped attacks beyond his standard finishing technique. 2150

Green Dragon Crescent Slash

Zhang's signature finishing technique manifests the phantom of Guan Gong's Azure Dragon Crescent Blade through his Coin Sword and Yin-Yang Embroidery. 283 1400

• First used with blood on his Coin Sword to cleave apart a yellow-clad vicious ghost's claw and strike its weak point. 283
• Considered the strongest single-target attack in his four-person squad after he opens the Spirit Gate. 1400
• Can be used consecutively after his growth, though doing so leaves him exhausted. 1309
• Initially consumed virtually all his true qi after one strike. 283
• Its manifestations and related techniques are sometimes called Azure Dragon Cleaving Slash or Whirlwind Invincible Tyrant Dragon Slash. 1232 1303
• Against a Red-Clothed vicious ghost, its explosive force was described as equivalent to two levels above his temporarily enhanced cultivation. 2360

Lord Guan Protection

Zhang can draw more directly on the tattoo's power to create a defensive Yin-Yang presence resembling Guan Gong.

• Lord Guan Descends to Protect the Body and Vanquish Demons releases overwhelming Yin-Yang pressure to repel attackers. 852
• Yin-Yang Protection Art creates a defensive manifestation that blocks talismans, poisonous gas, and other hostile arts. 1994 1995
• Invite Lord Guan Sheng to Possess and Subdue Demons is an advanced invocation of the embroidery's power that releases extreme Yin-Yang pressure, but its use contributed to a dangerous dual-qi imbalance and unresolved yin toxin. 852 864
• The tattoo's power allowed him to withstand a bat demon's ultrasonic attack when his allies could barely move. 1232
• Guan Gong's eyes can become active, briefly overlaying Zhang's vision; this ability is unstable and initially caused panic amid an illusion. 396

Spirit Gate and Blood Spirit Gate

Zhang can open his Spirit Gate by using blood and a hand seal, sharply increasing his physical strength, true qi, and combat ability for a limited time. 1303 1304 Opening the gate releases qi beyond what he can ordinarily draw out at once and severely overdraws his vital essence. 537

• Spirit Gate can raise his combat level by approximately two ranks temporarily. 1304
• While empowered, he can combine the boost with Green Dragon Crescent Slash and Yin-Yang Embroidery. 1304
• Blood Spirit Gate is a stronger, more draining form of the art. It temporarily raised him to early Vitality Soul Realm during the fight against Cloak Old Ghost's forces and, on a later occasion, to mid-to-late Vitality Soul Realm combat strength when combined with his embroidery. 1804 2056
• Blood Spirit Gate can elevate him to peak Qi Soul Realm, nearing Spiritual Wisdom Realm. 2402
• The state lasts only minutes under severe strain and can cause life-threatening backlash; after one use, his heart rate reached 310 bpm. 1807 1809
• While the Blood Spirit Gate was active during the battle against Cloak Old Ghost's forces, he possessed enough combat strength to easily eliminate basic Red-Clothed crawling evil entities. 1804
• With Blood Spirit Gate and Yin-Yang Embroidery active, his physical strength briefly surpassed Nine Corpse Daoist's, allowing him to hold the opponent off while his allies attacked another enemy. 2056

Talisman Arts

Zhang is a capable talisman user whose skill improves significantly through training. 537 696

• Mystic Light Binding Technique — blood-drawn talisman art that immobilized a black-furred zombie long enough for a coordinated kill. 537
• Divine Fire Talisman — fire-element talisman used against paper ghosts, ghost horses, crawling evil entities, and human evil cultivators. 696 722 1310 1803
• Clear Mind Talisman — used in attempts to resist mental interference and illusion arts. 1225
• True Blood Curse Flame — a secret technique used to injure the Pink Skeleton Ghost, after which Zhang collapsed from the exertion. 853
• Uses larger talisman paper for more powerful spells, which requires greater qi and drawing skill. 536

Physical Combat

Zhang's exceptional physique complements his cultivation. He is particularly dangerous in direct, aggressive engagements. 696 1368

• Strong enough to send a black mist dog soul flying with Whirlwind Tyrannosaur Fist. 696
• His raw individual strength exceeds that of Jiang Chen and Mao Jing despite Jiang Chen's higher cultivation. 1368
• Capable of rapidly climbing steep cliffs, a skill developed while gathering herbs and honey in his village. 1036
• Uses decisive, ruthless attacks and is willing to fight through injuries. 260 283
• Defeated the transformed deputy director Liu Wang with a single Whirlwind Tyrannosaur Fist, despite being ordered to leave him alive. 1193 1194
• At the Vitality Soul Realm, landed a powerful strike that cut away approximately one-third of the Great Tengu's nose. 2517

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Coin Sword — Zhang's personal ritual weapon and the focus for Green Dragon Crescent Slash. 260 722
• Yin-Yang Embroidery — full-back open-eyed Guan Gong tattoo; his primary supernatural asset. 285
• Bronze Mirror — used as a blunt weapon against ghosts, though he lacks the cultivation to fully use its light-based power. 455
• Rune-inscribed staff — used in close combat against crawling evil entities; one was cleaved apart by a blue evil ghost. 1803
• Erhu — carried during his attempted cultivation breakthrough at Purple Serenity Temple. 2192

Relationships

• Jiang Chen — closest combat partner and frequent source of tactical guidance; they repeatedly fight back-to-back and coordinate finishing attacks. 531 537 1305 2402
• Mao Jing — teammate knowledgeable about Yin-Yang Embroidery; Mao identifies the dangers of Zhang's Yin-Yang dual qi imbalance. 285 864
• Pan Ling — teammate and trusted ally; she helps interpret the qi flows within his tattoo and protects him when he collapses after using powerful techniques. 396 729 She later carries him during their escape from onmyoji forces. 2549
• Third Master — trainer whose special training substantially improved Zhang's qi and combat skill. A distant member of Zhang's clan, he is addressed by Zhang as “Third Uncle Zhang.” 673 696 1058
• Zhang Beiwang — grandfather and former funeral master of Shaman North Hollow. His books helped Zhang's uncle learn the family's arts after Zhang Beiwang died. 893
• Uncle Yu — elder ally and mentor figure; Zhang accompanies him in paying respects at family graves and prepares to travel with him to South Island. 1342 1368
• Lu Zheng — rival from the Lu Family; Zhang defeats him in a public spar with one Yin-Yang Embroidery-enhanced punch. 1366 1368
• Zhang Yunfei — distant younger cousin from the Zhang Family's main branch. She provides him with a Hundred Gu Herb injection to treat Blood Poison Moth gu poison after their first meeting. 1058 1059 Though they are approximately the same age, she addresses him as “Uncle Yuchen” according to their clan seniority. 1362

Story Role / Major Arcs

• Old Grave Incident — Meets Jiang Chen and joins him in locating an old grave near Zhang's factory. 257 258
• Yellow-Clad Vicious Ghost Battle — Reveals Green Dragon Crescent Slash and proves his value as a frontline fighter. 283
• Shen Family Village — Battles corpse fiends and a black-furred zombie; unveils Mystic Light Binding Technique. 531 537
• Nine Corpse Tower and surrounding conflicts — Faces powerful ghosts, evil Daoists, and Yin-Yang Embroidery backlash after pushing his limits. 729 852 864
• Black Cloud Valley — Is poisoned by the Blood Poison Moth and is treated with Zhang Yunfei's potent Hundred Gu Herb medicine. 1058 1059
• Lu Family Manor invasion — Fights Vietnamese evil masters alongside Jiang Chen and helps defend the Lu Family. 1301 1305 1309
• Lu Family sparring match — Defeats Lu Zheng before the assembled South of the Ridges Feng Shui community. 1366 1368
• Lian Port City exchange match — Defeats a half-step Central Pivot Realm South Korean exorcist in one move despite presenting only early Strength Soul Realm aura. 1724 1725
• Carefree Tower battle — Uses Spirit Gate and Yin-Yang Protection Art as a breakthrough force against hostile cultivators. 1994 1995
• Nine Corpse Daoist confrontation — Combines Blood Spirit Gate with Yin-Yang Embroidery to hold off Nine Corpse Daoist while Jiang Chen and Mao Jing attack a red-haired old zombie. 2056
• Tartary Black Shaman operation — Fights at peak Strength Soul Realm while assisting in the assault on a shamanic formation; breaks through to early Vitality Soul Realm after the campaign. 2200 2202 2232
• Evil King City approach — Easily subdues Hunchback Ma and helps gather intelligence on Kong Lingqi. 2303 2305
• Snow Spirit siege — Reopens an existing injury but activates Blood Spirit Gate to fight beside Jiang Chen against the Snow Spirits until reinforcements arrive. 2402
• Great Tengu battle — Having reached the Vitality Soul Realm, inflicts a major wound on the Great Tengu amid the group's confrontation with Japanese onmyoji and monks. 2517
• Escape from the onmyoji — Is carried by Pan Ling as the group retreats across the sea; Brother Wang sacrifices himself to help secure their escape. 2549

Notable Quotes

“As long as you call, I, Zhang Yuchen, the Whirlwind Ghost Hunter, will be there in no time...” 257

“Ou Doudou, do you really take your Lord Zhang for a pushover?” 283

“Lord Guan, descend to protect me and subdue evil!” 852

“Brother Jiang, my hot blood is already burning. Brother Jiang, I'm coming to the Northeast. I'm going into the forbidden zone to take on evil entities.” 1623

Trivia

• Zhang's imposing self-given titles include “Dark Judge,” “Light Guardian,” and “Destroyer Warrior.” 530
• Although he boasts about being naturally healthy, he previously told his companions that he had poor health as a child; his condition improved after he received Yin-Yang Embroidery. 1059
• He enjoys calling weaker opponents “Ou Doudou,” including ghosts, zombies, and rival exorcists. 260 534 1725
• His Yin-Yang Embroidery is believed by Fan Xingshui to have been created by Fan's elder brother, an exceptional embroiderer. 1370
• Zhang habitually gives his techniques overly dramatic names, including “Whirlwind Invincible Tyrannosaurus Punch,” despite some names being his own inventions rather than formal arts. 1367
• When Zhang Yunfei suggests sponsoring him for the Dragon Group, he doubts he could pass its four-generation background check because a Zhang ancestor reportedly became a bandit. 1362