Rujie

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Rujie (如戒)
Alias(es)	Master Rujie; Buddhist Son of Heavenly Sound Temple 95 856
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Heavenly Sound Temple; Buddhist Sect 136 401
Occupation/Role	Buddhist monk; later Abbot of Heavenly Sound Temple 865 866
Status	Active; serving as Heavenly Sound Temple's abbot 866
First Appearance	Chapter 95

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Late Core Formation	95 100	Joined Chen Changqing to eliminate Granny Ghost. His Great Sun Tathagata Mantra could restrain the Ghost General, but its cost was immense at his cultivation level.
Core Formation Great Perfection	154	His Buddhist light and aura had deepened considerably; he was one step from Golden Core.
Late Golden Core	197	Entered the Azure Dragon Ranking's top ten at tenth place, displaying exceptional talent for his realm.
Nascent Soul	400	Reached this realm after acquiring a Buddhist Sect inheritance in the Dao Sect's Universe Secret Realm.
Spirit Transformation	679	Had advanced by the time he returned to Shu Mountain to seek Chen Changqing's aid for the Immortal Secret Realm.

Background / History

Rujie first encountered Chen Changqing, then traveling under the alias Li Feiyu, at an inn in a town plagued by sinister Ghost Qi. Seeking to eliminate the local evil for merit, Rujie enlisted Chen Changqing's help against Granny Ghost, a Ghost General-level threat. Rujie's Great Sun Tathagata Mantra bound the ghost long enough for Chen Changqing to strike, though the Black Mountain Ghost King's interference shattered Rujie's restraint. Afterward, Rujie credited Chen Changqing for making the victory possible and invited him to visit Heavenly Sound Temple. 95 99 100 102

The two met again in the Dao Sect's Universe Secret Realm. With only late Core Formation cultivation, Rujie asked Chen Changqing to escort him in retrieving an inheritance of a Heavenly Sound Temple ancestor; Chen Changqing ultimately helped him secure it. Rujie emerged from the secret realm at Core Formation Great Perfection, and the inheritance later enabled him to reach Nascent Soul. 146 154 400

Rujie later pursued the Buddhist Sect Holy Son position, for which merits from subduing demons, saving people, and converting powerful ghosts were essential. He sought Chen Changqing's help against Yulan Stronghold's Ghost Emperor, recognizing that his Nascent Soul cultivation was insufficient for the task alone. After the Four Great Ghost Emperors were eliminated, Rujie departed with the battle merits needed for his candidacy. 401 412 413

While exploring the Land of the Fallen Heavenly Monarch before entering the Immortal Secret Realm, Rujie discovered a Buddha Bone Sarira that could strengthen his body and help him break through a bottleneck. Three cultivators attacked him for it; despite activating his Vajra Body, he was overwhelmed until Chen Changqing, Bai Wuya, and Si Youyou intervened. 722 723 724

The Sarira continued to draw danger during the Immortal Secret Realm expedition. A black-robed elder of the Nether Sect captured and tortured Rujie in a Buddha hall, but Si Youyou rescued him with the Soul-Devouring Bell. Rujie then broke his restraints with the Great Sun Tathagata Seal before Chen Changqing arrived to confront the Nether Sect. 758

After Heavenly Sound Temple came under pressure from Great Thunder Sound Temple, Rujie defended its position in a dharma debate and defeated Wuchen by revealing the hidden Tiger-Taming Arhat Inheritance. Following Chen Changqing's defeat of the Demon Buddha Kongwu, the Heavenly Sound Buddha Bone acknowledged Rujie as the temple's new abbot. Though initially reluctant, he accepted responsibility for the temple and its disciples. 857 858 865 866

Appearance

Rujie is a bald, plump monk with a potbelly and an oily-looking face. He has been described wearing moon-white robes and a kasaya. 136 344 858

• Bald head and round, plump build. 136 344
• Often wears moon-white monk's robes. 344
• Bears an Arhat tattoo on his back, revealed when he activates the Tiger-Taming Arhat Inheritance. 858
• Later carries the Heavenly Sound Buddha Bone at his chest. 865 866

Personality

Rujie is informal, shameless, and fond of banter. He openly enjoys wine and meat despite being a Buddhist monk, and he is known to leer at attractive women rather than strictly observing monastic precepts. 344 401

He is highly pragmatic about survival and treasures. He readily admits when an enemy is beyond him, jokes about fleeing, and can rationalize scavenging valuable objects as “fate.” 723 752 761 769 However, his self-preservation does not prevent him from standing beside his allies when it matters: he accompanied Chen Changqing against the Nether Sect, helped break the Nether Soul-Locking Array, refused to withdraw when threatened by Ming Jiuyou, and remained behind to guard Bai Wuya during a critical refinement. 705 762 764

Rujie is deeply concerned with the Buddhist Sect's integrity. Although initially skeptical of Xiaoqian's account of Thunder Sound Temple's crimes, he was angered after Chen Changqing confirmed that monks had massacred an entire town for cultivation. 402 He also publicly rejected Wuchen's claim that a sect's right to receive incense offerings should depend on its strength, maintaining that the Buddhist Sect must protect all living beings equally. 857 His eventual acceptance of the abbot's position demonstrates a willingness to place Heavenly Sound Temple's needs above his personal reluctance. 865 866

Abilities & Skills

Great Sun Tathagata Mantra

A supreme Buddhist secret art that manifests Buddha-light capable of suppressing ghosts and dispersing Ghost Qi.

• Forms chains of Buddha-light to restrain targets. 100
• Its “Tathagata Descends to the World” manifestation enveloped an entire area in light and rapidly dispersed Ghost Qi. 100
• Can be adapted into the Great Sun Tathagata Seal to attack, destroy restraints, or disrupt formations. 758 762
• Its consumption is extreme when used beyond Rujie's cultivation level; he could not maintain the restraint on Granny Ghost for long. 100

Vajra Body

A Buddhist body-refinement technique used for defense.

• Allowed Rujie to resist attacks from one Tribulation Transcendence cultivator and two late-stage Spirit Transformation cultivators. 723
• Could not fully withstand the combined assault; Rujie was severely injured before being rescued. 723

Tiger-Taming Arhat Inheritance

An ancient inheritance concealed within Rujie's body, represented by an Arhat tattoo and Dharma manifestation.

• Manifests a golden Tiger-Taming Arhat with a colossal tiger phantom. 858
• Greatly enhances Rujie's physical strength, allowing him to tear apart six Buddhist-light rings. 858
• Shattered the suppression of Wuchen's Quasi-Immortal Artifact, the Demon-Suppressing Bowl. 858
• Blocked and dispersed Wuchen's Thunder Sound Demon Suppression. 858
• Was acknowledged by the Heavenly Sound Buddha Bone as the temple patriarch's inheritance. 865

Buddhist Formations and Dharma Seals

Rujie possesses practical expertise in Buddhist seals and countermeasures against soul-based formations.

• Used prayer beads to guide Chen Changqing toward a destination in the Universe Secret Realm. 146
• Identified the Nether Soul-Locking Array as a soul-suppressing formation. 762
• Could stall the array for approximately three breaths, creating an opening for Chen Changqing's attack. 762
• Helped Chen Changqing break the array with the Great Sun Tathagata Seal. 762 764

Equipment / Items

• Prayer beads — Used to guide travel in the Universe Secret Realm. 146
• Broken Bowl — A Buddhist artifact used defensively against the Nether Ghost Seal. 764
• Buddha Bone Sarira — Discovered in an abandoned herb garden; capable of aiding breakthroughs and strengthening the body. 722 723
• Heavenly Sound Buddha Bone — Acknowledged Rujie as Heavenly Sound Temple's abbot and resonates with his Arhat inheritance. 865 866

Relationships

• Chen Changqing — Close ally and fellow demon-slayer. Chen repeatedly protects and assists Rujie, including against Granny Ghost, in the Universe Secret Realm, during the contest for Buddhist Sect merit, and throughout the Immortal Secret Realm expedition. 95 102 146 401 724 764
• Xiaoqian — A ghost cultivator whom Rujie initially intended to send to the afterlife after Granny Ghost's defeat. He later learned of the Thunder Sound Temple's atrocities against her town, though she remains wary of him. 344 401 402 679
• Bai Wuya — Powerful traveling companion during the Immortal Secret Realm expedition. Bai Wuya saved Rujie from cultivators pursuing the Buddha Bone Sarira. 723 724
• Si Youyou — Fellow traveler and frequent bantering partner. She rescued Rujie from a black-robed elder and often calls out his opportunism. 724 752 758
• Wuchen — Monk of Great Thunder Sound Temple and rival in the dispute over Heavenly Sound Temple. Rujie defeated him after unveiling the Tiger-Taming Arhat Inheritance; Wuchen was later reported to have been crippled in the conflict. 857 858 866
• Kongwu — The Demon Buddha whose defeat by Chen Changqing led to the Heavenly Sound Buddha Bone's recognition of Rujie as abbot. 865
• Master Huixin — Heavenly Sound Temple elder rescued from the Arhat Ancient Cave. He supported Rujie's succession as abbot. 865
• Master Huiming — Senior monk who announced Rujie as Heavenly Sound Temple's new abbot. 865 866

Story Role / Major Arcs

Granny Ghost Incident

• Met Chen Changqing, then using the alias Li Feiyu, at an inn while investigating the town's sinister Ghost Qi. 95
• Invited Chen Changqing to help eliminate Granny Ghost for merit. 95 100
• Restrained Granny Ghost with the Great Sun Tathagata Mantra, enabling Chen Changqing's decisive attack. 100
• Recognized Chen Changqing's extraordinary resources after witnessing a Purple Mansion-grade talisman destroy the Black Mountain Ghost King's phantom hand. 101

Dao Sect Universe Secret Realm

• Asked Chen Changqing to escort him to Heavenly Sound Temple's ancestral inheritance because he could not safely traverse the secret realm alone. 146
• Secured the inheritance with Chen Changqing's help, laying the foundation for his later Nascent Soul advancement. 154 400

Buddhist Sect Holy Son Competition

• Sought merit needed to compete for the Buddhist Sect Holy Son position. 401
• Asked Chen Changqing to help confront the Ghost Emperor of Yulan Stronghold. 401 412
• Became outraged by the revelation that Thunder Sound Temple monks slaughtered civilians for cultivation. 402
• Claimed the battle merits from the fall of the Four Great Ghost Emperors before departing to continue his candidacy. 413

Immortal Secret Realm Expedition

• Recruited Chen Changqing for the Immortal Secret Realm expedition and agreed to follow his safety-first rules. 680 682
• Discovered a Buddha Bone Sarira, then narrowly survived an ambush by stronger cultivators. 722 723
• Traveled with Chen Changqing, Si Youyou, and Bai Wuya through the Creation Heavenly Palace. 724 760 761
• Was captured by a Nether Sect elder in a Buddha hall but was rescued by Si Youyou; he broke free using the Great Sun Tathagata Seal. 758
• Assisted Chen Changqing in breaking the Nether Soul-Locking Array and remained involved in the conflict with the Nether Sect. 762 764

Heavenly Sound Temple Succession

• Publicly defended Heavenly Sound Temple against Great Thunder Sound Temple's accusations during the dharma debate. 857
• Defeated Wuchen through the Tiger-Taming Arhat Inheritance. 858
• Was chosen by the Heavenly Sound Buddha Bone and formally installed as the new abbot. 865 866

Notable Quotes

“Wine and meat pass through the intestines, but the Buddha remains in the heart.” 401

“The more people tell me to get lost, the more I want to stand my ground.” 762

“Valuing one's life is the first lesson of cultivation.” 769

“If this poor monk stuffs the Buddha bone back in now, is it still in time?” 865