Elder Zheng

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Zheng Gan
Alias(es)	Elder Zheng; Old Principal Zheng; Principal Zheng; Explosive Flame Dragon King 272
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Huaxia; Jiangnan Martial Arts University
Occupation/Role	Former principal of Jiangnan Martial Arts University; martial-arts educator; Huaxia elder; explorer; interstellar trade coordinator
Status	Active 487
First Appearance	Chapter 119 119

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Peak Martial King	119	Identified as one of Huaxia's few peak Martial Kings and the principal of Jiangnan Martial Arts University. 119
Genetic Martial Emperor, Sixth Stage (temporary)	258	Used a Genetic Potion to forcibly raise his cultivation in order to confront the Flood Dragon Emperor and expose its weakness. 258
Genetic Martial Emperor	261	Survived the forced breakthrough and confirmed that he could still cultivate martial arts, though he was no longer as sharp as before. 261
Genetic Martial Emperor, Third Stage	264	Had advanced enough to spar with the newly ascended Lu Chong in the Virtual Space. 264
Genetic Martial Emperor, Fifth Stage	273	Accompanied Lu Chong through the Undersea Space Wormhole as Huaxia's second-strongest participant. 273
Gene Martial Venerable	484	Reached the Gene Martial Venerable realm while serving under Lu Chong in Great Dream Mountain. 484

Background

Zheng Gan lived through the Great Cataclysm and became one of the figures who held Huaxia together during its aftermath. After leaving the front lines at over one hundred years old, he became principal of Jiangnan Martial Arts University and continued contributing through martial-arts education; half of Huaxia's eight peak Martial Kings had received his guidance. 156

As principal, Zheng built Jiangnan Martial University's foundation with minimal state resources. His habit of thrift remained visible decades later, from his worn office furniture to his reluctance to spend resources wastefully. 156 286

He had already spent nearly a century studying Heaven-Tier Martial Arts by the time he met Lu Chong. Zheng believed that Huaxia's incomplete and low-grade Heaven-Tier legacies were the principal obstacle preventing Martial Kings from advancing further, and he regarded repairing higher-grade Heaven-Tier Martial Arts as a national priority. 156

Appearance

Elder Zheng is an elderly man with white hair, a beard, and a healthy, ruddy complexion. His manner is gentle and approachable, without the oppressive aura expected of a peak Martial King. 119 156

• Usually wears a long gown. 156
• Has a perpetually smiling, harmless appearance. 258
• His restrained presence reflects his ability to completely conceal his edge. 156

Personality

Zheng is warm, humorous, and unpretentious. He teases Lu Chong freely, including during their first days on Manlong Planet, but becomes solemn and decisive whenever Huaxia's safety is at stake. 258 285

His frugality is practical rather than miserly. He prioritizes scarce national resources for those who can make the greatest immediate use of them, such as giving Huaxia's first replicated high-energy Nutrient Pod to Lu Chong rather than keeping it for himself. 262

He is also highly pragmatic and politically experienced. Lu Chong recognizes that Zheng's survival skills, social judgment, intelligence work, and ability to navigate unfamiliar environments surpass his own. 273

Abilities & Skills

Genetic Martial Cultivation

Zheng was originally a peak Martial King and later became a Genetic Martial Emperor through a Genetic Potion. His forced advancement allowed him to temporarily reach the Sixth Stage of Martial Emperor during the Flood Dragon Emperor crisis. 119 258

• Reached the Fifth Stage of Genetic Martial Emperor before entering the Silver Star Realm. 273
• Later advanced to the Gene Martial Venerable realm. 484
• Retained the ability to cultivate martial arts after using the Genetic Potion, albeit with reduced sharpness compared with before. 261
• His temporary Sixth Stage enhancement came at the cost of compromising his personal beliefs against genetic advancement. 258

Red Dragon Totem

Zheng can transform into and wield the Red Dragon Totem in combat. 279

• Faced a Martial Emperor-stage Three-Eyed Person while using the totem. 279
• Detached from and detonated the Red Dragon Totem to block a powerful vertical-eye beam, allowing himself to retreat safely. 280
• Used his experience and superior realm to stabilize battles against unfamiliar alien combat methods. 279

Strategic Research and Analysis

Zheng combines martial experience with investigation, intelligence gathering, and long-term planning.

• Secretly investigated the Flood Dragon Emperor's origins and identified the energy source inside its body as the key to defeating it. 253 259
• Collaborated with Lu Chong and Qin Yulan to study the ancient stone tablet recovered from the seabed. 268
• Gathered information on Manlong Planet, the Silver Star Alliance, local races, city power structures, and Captain Niu Bo before committing to alliances. 281 285
• Warned against prematurely moving large numbers of Huaxia citizens into the Silver Star Realm before Blue Star's security and territorial position were secure. 308

Commerce and Logistics

Zheng is an experienced businessman and organizer.

• Doubled his initial investment in Shifang City within ten days by exploiting commercial opportunities overlooked in the Silver Star Realm. 307
• Proposed purchasing an Imperial Rank Interstellar Spaceship to establish trade between Blue Star and the Silver Star Realm. 307
• Managed Huaxia's transportation, technological exchange, resource acquisition, and interstellar development efforts. 314 343
• Accepted responsibility for coordinating Lu Chong's territory and personnel in Great Dream Mountain. 484

Array Unlocking

Zheng opened the millennia-old sealing array leading to the Undersea Space Wormhole. 274

• Applied the procedure deduced by Qin Yulan's research team rather than claiming personal mastery of arrays. 274
• Scouted the passage alone before allowing Lu Chong to enter, confirming the existence of a life-bearing planet beyond it. 274

Equipment

• Water Blue One — An Imperial Rank Nine-Star Silver Turtle spacecraft purchased by Lu Chong; Zheng received deputy command authorization and used it to travel between Blue Star and the Silver Star Realm. 314
• Qingyun Armor — A top-tier divine artifact given to Zheng by Lu Chong; it can protect him from ordinary gods. 484

Relationships

• Lu Chong — Mentor, senior, explorer, and business partner. Zheng monitored Lu Chong from the time he consumed Beast King Heart Blood, supported his access to Heaven-Tier inheritances, and later accompanied him into the Silver Star Realm. 156 161 273
• Professor Xu — Former student. Xu addresses Zheng as “Teacher” and acts as an intermediary during Zheng's first meeting with Lu Chong. 156
• Chen Wudi — Long-standing comrade. Chen addresses him as “Brother Zheng” and openly worries over Zheng's dangerous plans during the Flood Dragon Emperor crisis. 258 259
• Li Qianqiu — Fellow Huaxia senior and trusted companion during the interstellar expedition preparations. 273 275
• Qin Yulan — Research collaborator who helped decipher the ancient tablet and deduce the method for unsealing the underwater passage. 268 274
• Zhou Yuantong — Fellow Huaxia powerhouse and Jiangnan Martial Arts University administrator; Zheng's absence left Zhou acting as principal. 236

Story Role / Major Arcs

Heaven-Tier Martial Arts Restoration

Zheng recognizes Lu Chong's unprecedented capacity to repair Martial Skills and explains why restoring High-Grade Heaven-Tier Martial Arts could open a path beyond the Martial King realm. He later supports Lu Chong's study of the university's remaining Heaven-Tier inheritances. 156 161

Flood Dragon Emperor Crisis

Zheng disappears to investigate a way to defeat the Flood Dragon Emperor, returning only when Huaxia's coastal defense is near collapse. He temporarily raises his cultivation to the Sixth Stage of Martial Emperor, opens a wound in the Emperor's body, and entrusts Lu Chong with extracting the energy source within. 253 258

Undersea Wormhole Exploration

After the Beast Emperor crisis, Zheng helps recover alien wreckage and an ancient tablet, then assists in researching its warning about extraterrestrial civilizations. He opens the undersea sealing array and scouts the wormhole route to Manlong Planet alone. 268 274

Silver Star Realm Development

In Shifang City, Zheng becomes Lu Chong's intelligence and logistical support while building a commercial foothold for Huaxia. His long-term plan centers on securing spacecraft, trade routes, advanced technology, and resources capable of strengthening Blue Star against future invasions. 285 307 308

Great Dream Mountain Coordination

After Lu Chong becomes a Holy Land elder, Zheng accepts command over Huaxia's personnel and allied gods in Lu Chong's territory. He coordinates defense, recruitment, resource distribution, and other affairs so Lu Chong can focus on cultivation. 484

Notable Quotes

“I found a way to deal with it.” 258

“You just focus on flying forward; we'll make sure all this logistical support work is handled properly.” 484