Cui Lang

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Cui Lang (崔浪)
Alias(es)	Constable Cui; Chief Constable Cui
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Cloud Mountain County yamen (formerly); Azure Cloud Prefecture yamen, Second Squad
Occupation/Role	Former county constable and acting chief constable; Bronze Badge Constable specializing in demon and evil-entity cases
Status	Active; leads the prefectural yamen's Second Squad 58 59
First Appearance	Chapter 1

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Peak Refining Essence Realm	3	Advanced from the middle stage after the Little Pot refined demon blood into essence blood; confirmed his strength through the Fierce Bull Stance.
Initial True Essence Gathering Realm	9	Cultivated the Blazing Sun Technique with Tiger Demon essence blood, condensing scorching Blazing Sun True Essence and more than doubling his strength.
Middle Essence Gathering Realm	26	Reached the middle stage using the Toad Demon's essence blood; gained the ability to infuse True Essence into his saber.
Essence Gathering Realm	37	Broke through while continuing to cultivate after dealing with Peony and Dark Fragrance Pavilion.
First and Second Layers of the Bloodfire Demon Body	38	Tempered his muscles, bones, and skin with the essence blood of six demons; his physical combat strength reached the peak Gathering Origin Realm, and a saber used at eighty percent strength left only a white mark on his skin.
Essence Gathering Realm, publicly revealed	50	Revealed his realm by shattering a stone lock with a True Essence-coated palm after Zhou Yafeng's capture.
Third Layer of the Bloodfire Demon Body / Core Embracing Realm	52	Completed the third layer while refining exceptionally potent demon essence blood, pushing his aura beyond the peak Gathering Essence Realm into the Core Embracing Realm.

Background

Cui Lang was the son of Old Cui, a former executioner who drowned under suspicious circumstances at the Cloudwater River. Cui Lang also nearly drowned in the same incident, later retaining fragmented memories that did not explain why he and his father had gone to the riverbank at night. He seeks to uncover the truth behind the death while protecting his younger sister, Cui Ling. 1 2 10

Initially a poor youth practicing only the inferior Fierce Bull Stance, Cui Lang wanted to become a constable for its salary and access to martial instruction. Zheng Fengyun exploited that ambition, coercing him to execute a captured demon by threatening Cui Ling. Demon blood entered Cui Lang's body during the execution and was absorbed by a mysterious Little Pot within his mind. 1 2

The Little Pot protected him from demon poison and transformed the blood into refined essence blood, allowing him to rapidly reach the peak of the Refining Essence Realm. Cui Lang concealed the Little Pot and falsely attributed his progress to a detoxifying pill left by his father, securing a constable position under Zheng Fengyun. 2 3

Personality

Cui Lang is intensely pragmatic. He hides his cultivation, fabricates convincing explanations for his sudden advances, and presents himself as greedy, ambitious, or loyal whenever doing so gains him information or protects his position. He used Zhao Changshan as an alibi while killing Xiao Yu, feigned allegiance to Constable Li, and manipulated Zheng Fengyun's faction into exposing its own collusion with demons. 19 23 25 27

Despite his willingness to deceive and take bribes, Cui Lang draws a line at sacrificing innocents or knowingly serving demons. He intervened when Sun Yuanwai attempted to offer children to the River God, refused a bribe connected to the sacrifice, and ultimately resolved to purge the officials who concealed demon activity in Cloud Mountain County. 12 19 28

His primary personal attachment is Cui Ling. He prioritizes her safety, shares his money and techniques with her, hides dangerous details to spare her worry, and agrees to relocate to Azure Cloud Prefecture because Lin Liben may target their family. 16 21 23 53

Abilities & Skills

Mysterious Little Pot

A vessel located in Cui Lang's mind that absorbs demonic substances and refines them into forms he can use.

• Absorbs demon blood and produces refined essence blood that strengthens Cui Lang's body and cultivation without poisoning him. 2 3 9
• Does not react to ordinary animal blood, including chicken, fish, rabbit, and sheep blood. 3
• Refined Xiao Yu's demon spirit into pale green mist that nourished Cui Lang's soul and drastically improved his comprehension. 25 26
• Absorbs demon blood from slain enemies, forcing Cui Lang to remain near corpses until the process ends. 7 57

Blazing Sun Technique

A cultivation method awarded after Cui Lang and Zhao Changshan slew the Tiger Demon.

• Condenses scorching Blazing Sun True Essence, greatly increasing Cui Lang's physical power. 8 9
• Allows True Essence to be infused into his saber, strengthening the lethality of his blade techniques. 26
• Was secretly taught to Cui Ling, though she initially struggled to sense qi. 23 26

Bloodfire Demon Body

A three-layer body-tempering technique given to Cui Lang by Zheng Fengyun, who expected its extreme cost and pain to prevent Cui Lang from mastering it.

• Uses qi, blood, True Essence, and refined demonic essence to temper skin, flesh, bones, and sinews. 34 35 38
• The second layer grants red-bronze skin and resilience sufficient to withstand attacks from opponents around the Gathering Essence Realm. 38 45
• The completed third layer elevated Cui Lang into the Core Embracing Realm and substantially increased his raw physical strength. 52 53
• Its cultivation is exceptionally painful and resource-intensive; Cui Lang's strengthened soul helps him remain conscious through the process. 38

Eight Desolations Slash

Cui Lang's principal saber art, privately taught by Zhao Changshan in exchange for their reward money.

• Emphasizes fierce force and unstoppable forward momentum. 8 23
• Enabled Cui Lang to wound the Toad Demon only days after learning it. 14
• Reached mastery after the Little Pot refined Xiao Yu's demon spirit and enhanced his comprehension. 26
• Can be empowered by Blazing Sun True Essence and combined with his kicking techniques. 26 57

Dragon-Burying Kick

A movement and kicking technique taught by Shen Ruyu as Cui Lang's reward for his merit.

• Cui Lang quickly learned its basic True Essence circulation under Shen Ruyu's instruction. 51 52
• Reached Minor Mastery while fighting two Mountain Ghosts without relying on his saber. 56
• Improves his mobility and allows him to fight effectively at close range while unarmed. 56 57

Combat Adaptability

Cui Lang frequently wins through concealment and situational manipulation rather than displaying his full strength.

• Deliberately allowed the pig demon to strike him in order to disrupt Constable Li and leave Li vulnerable to the other demons. 31 32
• Used the cat demons' attack to appear injured before revealing his Bloodfire Demon Body and killing both demons. 45
• Can fight through poor visibility by listening for movements and sensing fluctuations in nearby aura. 56

Equipment / Items

• Waist saber — Cui Lang's standard weapon and the focus of his Eight Desolations Slash. 4 26
• Mysterious Little Pot — A concealed mental vessel that refines demonic blood and spirits; no other character is known to have detected it. 3 26
• Bronze statue — A sinister palm-sized statue with a human body, snake tail, and ten mismatched arms; recovered from Zheng Fengyun's storeroom. 46 47

Relationships

• Cui Ling — His younger sister and closest family member. Cui Lang protects her, funds her training, and teaches her the Blazing Sun Technique in secret. 2 23 53
• Zhao Changshan — Senior constable, early partner, and informal martial instructor. Zhao taught Cui Lang the Blazing Sun Technique and Eight Desolations Slash; despite Zhao's greed and lustfulness, Cui Lang considers him a friend and hopes he improves. 8 9 37
• Shen Ruyu — Prefectural constable, mentor, and sponsor. She teaches Cui Lang the Dragon-Burying Kick, recognizes his potential, and brings him and Cui Ling to Azure Cloud Prefecture for protection. 51 53 58
• Zheng Fengyun — County commandant who coerced Cui Lang into his first demon execution and later attempted to recruit him into demon collusion. Cui Lang eventually killed Zheng after exposing his schemes. 1 34 46
• Constable Li — Cui Lang's former superior, who tried to groom him as a controllable confidant while collaborating with demons. Cui Lang secretly undermined Li during the battle that led to Li's death. 19 21 31 33
• Li Tieshan — A mid-stage Gathering Essence Realm member of Cui Lang's prefectural Second Squad. Li initially reserves judgment but urges the squad to respect Shen Ruyu's appointment. 58 59

Story Role / Major Arcs

• Demon execution and recruitment — Zheng Fengyun forces Cui Lang to behead a demon; the Little Pot awakens after absorbing its blood, and Cui Lang rapidly earns a constable post. 1 3 4
• Early demon cases — Working alongside Zhao Changshan, Cui Lang helps defeat the Tiger Demon and Toad Demon, acquiring the Blazing Sun Technique and Eight Desolations Slash. 6 8 14
• Investigation of county corruption — Cui Lang discovers that Constable Li, Zheng Fengyun, and other officials maintain a system of demon collusion and Blood Pill collection. He feigns cooperation while gathering information. 19 21 24 27
• Elimination of Cloud Mountain County's conspirators — Cui Lang engineers Constable Li's downfall, kills Zheng Fengyun, Ding Xiong, and Song He, and exposes the broader connection to the Demon God Cult. 31 46 47 49
• Prefectural appointment — Following Shen Ruyu's intervention and the collapse of the county conspiracy, Cui Lang becomes head constable before transferring with Cui Ling to Azure Cloud Prefecture. 50 53
• Second Squad leadership — Cui Lang is appointed a Bronze Badge Constable in charge of demon and evil-entity cases, though his new subordinates initially doubt his qualifications. 58 59

Trivia

• Cui Lang rejected Ma Yuanwai's marriage proposal because he considered marriage a distraction from martial cultivation. 28
• He has only learned one move of the Swimming Dragon Step, rather than the complete movement technique. 46
• Cui Lang's first reward for executing a demon was only two taels of silver, which he considered inadequate for the risk involved. 2