Zhang Long

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Zhang Long (张龙)
Alias(es)	Brother Zhang; Senior Brother Zhang
Affiliation	Vermilion Bird Tower; Peace Sect capital branch
Occupation/Role	Waiter; Peace Sect disciple
Status	Alive
First Appearance	7

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Iron Skin realm	19	Zhao Hu's memories identify Zhang Long as an Iron Skin martial artist who has not yet entered First Blood.
Nearing First Blood	43 49	Prepares for blood exchange at the Peace Sect's Sacred Pool using secret medicine and a Tiger-Wolf; his peers believe he is one or two months from a breakthrough.

Background / History

Zhang Long is a waiter at Vermilion Bird Tower and a covert disciple of the Peace Sect. Alongside Zhao Hu, he initially treats Yang Xiao as an exploitable inferior: the pair invite him into their dice game after recognizing him as an easy mark, then deliberately accept his losses and begin calling him “brother.” 7

He and Zhao Hu secretly consume leftover food and wine from private rooms, arguing that low-ranking attendants must “fish up” extra benefits because their wages are insufficient. Zhang Long brings Yang Xiao into this arrangement because Yang Xiao works beside them daily and would be difficult to keep uninformed. 8 The two are assigned to a secret Peace Sect operation connected to Vermilion Bird Tower’s grandmaster discourse. 8 16

Zhang Long comes from a minor Qingzhou martial family that once produced a grandmaster. His ancestor formally passed him a fragmentary inheritance of the Shadowless Divine Skill; after ten years of cultivation, Zhang Long mastered its incomplete form, which he calls the Shadowless Skill. 50

Before joining the capital branch, Zhang Long used the Shadowless Skill to commit robberies and murders, with Zhao Hu serving as lookout. 50 He and Zhao Hu also hid stolen gold and a treasure map in a remote courtyard—later discovered to be Yang Xiao’s home—then began planning to kill Yang Xiao and reclaim the cache. 49

Personality

Zhang Long is outwardly warm, sociable, and generous when cultivating useful relationships. He quickly turns cordial toward Yang Xiao once he believes Yang Xiao can be profited from, and he presents his exploitation of leftover food as solidarity among low-ranking workers. 7 8

His friendliness conceals a calculating and cruel nature. He and Zhao Hu test Yang Xiao through humiliation, intending to cripple and replace him if he shows resentment. 13 Zhang Long views Yang Xiao as mediocre and harmless, repeatedly underestimating him while planning to kill him for wealth, silence Zhao Hu, and use both men as resources for his blood exchange. 19 49 50

He is ambitious and proud of his talent, family backing, and standing within the Peace Sect. He speaks dismissively of ordinary disciples and expects to become a hall master after a successful blood exchange. 49

Abilities & Skills

Iron Skin Physique

Zhang Long has cultivated to the Iron Skin realm, placing him above ordinary civilians and most lower-ranking Peace Sect youths. 19 49

• Considered a notable figure among ordinary disciples of the Peace Sect capital branch. 49
• Has not yet completed his first blood exchange. 19
• Is preparing to use Tiger-Wolf blood and secret medicine to break into First Blood. 49

Shadowless Skill

An incomplete version of the Zhang family’s inherited Shadowless Divine Skill, cultivated by Zhang Long after receiving fragmentary bamboo slips from his ancestor. 50

• Allows its user to move through shadows after completing one blood exchange. 50
• Zhang Long used it as cover while robbing and murdering people at night. 50
• Its incomplete circulation creates side effects that an unenhanced body cannot withstand. 50
• Zhang Long’s mastery is attributed to his aptitude, physique, and compatibility with the art. 50

Knowledge of Blood Exchange

Zhang Long understands the general principles of Blood Qi Martial Dao and explains them to the impostor posing as Zhao Hu. 22

• Blood exchange replaces a martial artist’s mixed blood with the blood of fierce beasts. 22
• Secret medicine is necessary to support the process. 22
• A cultivated state of mind can improve the chance of successful blood exchange; Zhang Long estimates a benefit of at least ten percent from gaining insight through a great scholar’s lecture. 22

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Peace Sect token — Used to stop Li San from attacking the disguised Yang Xiao. 43
• Shadowless Skill bamboo slips — Fragmentary Zhang family inheritance received from his ancestor. 50
• Tiger-Wolf — A rare beast prepared for Zhang Long’s intended blood exchange. 49 50
• Blood-exchange secret medicine — Obtained at great cost for his planned breakthrough. 50

Relationships

• Yang Xiao — Fellow Vermilion Bird Tower waiter whom Zhang Long initially exploits and later intends to kill over a hidden treasure map. He mistakes Yang Xiao, disguised as Zhao Hu, for his trusted partner. 7 8 49 50
• Zhao Hu — Fellow waiter, Peace Sect disciple, robbery accomplice, and lookout during Zhang Long’s past crimes. Zhang Long later plans to kill and feed him to the Tiger-Wolf. 7 8 50
• Song Que — Zhang Long appears to operate under Song Que’s orders as part of a secret Peace Sect mission at Vermilion Bird Tower. 16
• Peace Sect helmsman — Knows of Zhang Long’s blood-exchange plan and supports his attempt to use the Tiger-Wolf. 49 50
• Li San — A Peace Sect special envoy and Yellow Turban Warrior. Zhang Long uses his token to halt Li San’s attack on the disguised Yang Xiao. 43
• Great Sage Teacher — Zhang Long reveres the Peace Sect leader and is deeply moved by his speech. 43 46

Story Role / Major Arcs

Vermilion Bird Tower Conspiracy

Zhang Long and Zhao Hu draw Yang Xiao into their circle through dice and leftover food, believing him gullible and easy to control. Their Peace Sect affiliation and involvement in a planned operation at the tower are exposed to Yang Xiao through eavesdropping. 7 8

Zhang Long later tests Yang Xiao’s tolerance by giving him poor food and provoking him; he decides against replacing Yang Xiao only because Yang Xiao appears sincerely grateful and because the sect’s operation is imminent. 13

Zhao Hu’s Death and the Impostor

After Zhao Hu secretly attempts to murder Yang Xiao and is killed, Zhang Long becomes a potential threat because he may discover Zhao Hu’s disappearance. 19 He subsequently speaks with Boss Zhao, who is impersonating Zhao Hu, and explains the value of state of mind in blood exchange. 21 22

Peace Sect Sacred Pool

Zhang Long saves the disguised Yang Xiao from Li San with his token, then asks “Zhao Hu” to assist in his blood-exchange ritual at the Sacred Pool. 43 He reverently attends the Great Sage Teacher’s appearance and remains unaware of the sect’s more sinister methods. 46 48

Blood-Exchange Scheme

Zhang Long reveals the hidden treasure map and his plan to kill Yang Xiao after successfully exchanging blood. 49 He leads the disguised Yang Xiao to a hidden training chamber containing a Tiger-Wolf, intending to feed Zhao Hu to the beast as part of securing its cooperation. 50

Through observation, Yang Xiao learns Zhang Long’s history, crimes, and Shadowless Skill, then steals the incomplete technique for himself. 50

Trivia

• Zhang Long believes Yang Xiao’s aptitude and bones are too poor for martial cultivation. 13 49
• He regards Zhao Hu’s aptitude as lower-middle, but still several times better than Yang Xiao’s. 49
• Zhang Long claims his family spent three years and lost five retainers to obtain the Tiger-Wolf intended for his blood exchange. 49
• He later reveals that he slaughtered more than a hundred Zhang family members to feed the Tiger-Wolf and gain the helmsman’s support. 50