Zhao Yang

Biodata

Name	Zhao Yang (赵阳)
Alias(es)	Uncle Yang; Zhao Hong's senior brother
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Clear Creek Village; Eight Desolations Six Directions Hall
Occupation/Role	Martial artist; instructor and mentor to Clear Creek Village's youths; Zhao Hong's uncle and martial teacher
Status	Alive; Mystic Embryo shattered, leaving his martial path effectively ended and his health severely compromised 15 17
First Appearance	Chapter 2

Background / History

Zhao Yang left Stone Valley County roughly six or seven years before his return to Clear Creek Village. In the prefectural city, he became a personal disciple of the formidable Eight Desolations Six Directions Hall, an achievement that had previously caused a sensation throughout the county. 2 3

After his Mystic Embryo was shattered through both accident and human involvement, Zhao Yang returned to his home village. He concealed the injury for nearly a month while establishing martial training for the village and cultivating Zhao Hong. 15

His connection to Zhao Hong is familial: Zhao Yang's father and Zhao Hong's grandfather were brothers. He also regards Zhao Hong as a junior brother because he teaches him on his own master's behalf. 3 17

Appearance

Zhao Yang is a tall, lean young man with sharply defined features, a calm expression, and an imposing presence that immediately unsettles Zhao Hong. 2

• Appears to be in his mid-twenties upon returning to Clear Creek Village. 2
• Carries an aura Zhao Hong finds far more intimidating than the demon rat that nearly killed him. 2
• After revealing his shattered Mystic Embryo, his aura carries a natural sense of desolation and decay. 15

Personality

Zhao Yang is composed, observant, and quietly affectionate toward his village and family. He recognizes Zhao Hong's unusual condition during Bone Kneading almost immediately, sees through the boy's attempt to feign pain, and carefully tests the limits of his physique rather than exposing its secrets publicly. 3 5

As a teacher, Zhao Yang is demanding and practical. He expects Zhao Hong to endure brutal physical training, uses real danger as a lesson, and insists that martial skill must be matched with decisiveness and survival instinct. 9 13 14

Despite the loss of his martial future, he remains outwardly calm and focuses on securing Zhao Hong's future. He gives Zhao Hong techniques, resources, a weapon, a sect letter, and advice to seek advancement through the Judge's Office rather than entering the prefectural city recklessly. 15 17

Abilities & Skills

Mystic Embryo Cultivation

Zhao Yang previously reached the Mystic Embryo Realm, placing him far beyond ordinary martial artists of Stone Valley County. His Mystic Embryo has since shattered, severely limiting his ability to fight and ending his path of further cultivation. 15

• His released aura can suppress Zhao Hong's erupting blood qi and force it back into his body. 5
• He can disperse lingering cold energy from Zhao Hong's body immediately after acting. 15
• He avoids fighting Lu Hong because combat would aggravate his injuries. 15
• He privately believes he has only about a year left to live. 17

Bone Kneading

Bone Kneading is Zhao Yang's method for examining and stimulating a person's tendons, bones, and martial potential. 3 5

• Assesses the aptitude of Clear Creek Village's youths before beginning their instruction. 3
• Detects Zhao Hong's extraordinary toughness, malleability, and growth potential. 5
• Increases pressure until Zhao Hong's Dragon Tendon and Tiger Bones respond with a domineering counterforce. 5
• Uses the technique to help Zhao Hong break into early Blood Refinement after administering beast blood. 5

Stele-Splitting Hand

Stele-Splitting Hand is one of Zhao Yang's true inherited skills and the foundation of his martial arts. 8

• Beginner level: strikes with speed so great that opponents cannot react. 8
• Lesser mastery: controls force precisely enough to crack a stone only three inches deep. 8
• Greater mastery: sends force through an intact surface to shatter the stone's interior. 8
• Zhao Yang passes the art to Zhao Hong only after judging him worthy of receiving true teachings. 6 8

Martial Instruction

Zhao Yang transforms Clear Creek Village's martial training by teaching advanced methods and providing food, blood, and herbs gathered through hunting. 4

• Teaches the Mountain-Leaning Stake, Cloak Saber Technique, Great Li Eagle Claw Art, and Eight-Step Exploding Fist to the village youths. 4
• States that Mountain-Leaning Stake is five times as effective as the Six-Part Body-Strengthening Art for body strengthening and nourishing blood and qi. 4
• Later teaches Zhao Hong the Mighty Vajra Finger, Cloud-Breaking Flash, and Six Harmonies Saber Art. 16 17
• Designs Zhao Hong's intensive two-month training regimen and provides medicinal paste to sustain it. 15 16

Equipment / Items

• Black-Iron Ink Saber — A sharp black-iron saber Zhao Yang gives Zhao Hong for protection while traveling. 17
• Letter to the Eight Desolations Six Directions Hall — A letter Zhao Hong is instructed to deliver to Zhao Yang's master upon eventually reaching the prefectural city. 17

Relationships

• Zhao Hong — Grandnephew, disciple, and junior brother. Zhao Yang discovers Zhao Hong's exceptional physique, personally trains him, and arranges his route into the Judge's Office. 3 5 17
• Wang Chuan — Childhood acquaintance from Clear Creek Village; Wang Chuan is relieved by Zhao Yang's return and assists with village training. 3 4
• Zhang Yuan — Fellow villager and assistant in training the village youths. 4
• Lu Hong — Longtime rival and acquaintance. Zhao Yang repeatedly surpassed and beat Lu Hong in the past, leaving Lu Hong eager to reclaim his pride. 10 15
• Zhao Yang's master — Master of the Eight Desolations Six Directions Hall. Zhao Yang teaches Zhao Hong on this master's behalf and directs Zhao Hong to deliver him a letter in the future. 5 17
• Yang Ling — The Yang Family's Third Young Master, identified as the person who stole a treasure from Hall Master He's fourth disciple and caused that disciple's Mystic Embryo to shatter; Zhao Hong concludes this was Zhao Yang. 45

Story Role / Major Arcs

Return to Clear Creek Village

Zhao Yang returns after years in the prefectural city and becomes the village's foremost protector and martial authority. He assesses the local youths through Bone Kneading, then begins teaching them stronger martial arts. 2 3 4

Zhao Hong's Mentor

Recognizing Zhao Hong's Dragon Tendon and Tiger Bones, Zhao Yang tests him, helps him enter Blood Refinement, and makes him an inheritor of the Eight Desolations Six Directions Hall's techniques. He continually pushes Zhao Hong through harsh training and practical battles. 5 8 13 16

Shattered Mystic Embryo

After the conflict with the Cold Blade Sect remnants, Zhao Yang reveals that his Mystic Embryo has shattered. Though he accepts his own ruined future, he intensifies his efforts to prepare Zhao Hong for the dangerous martial world. 15

Sending Zhao Hong Outward

Zhao Yang gives Zhao Hong a saber, a letter to his master, and instructions to join the Judge's Office in the Great Green Mountains. He believes its resources, status, and protection will give Zhao Hong a better chance against the forces connected to Zhao Yang's enemies. 17

Notable Quotes

“True teachings are not passed on lightly!” 6

“Everyone has their fate. This is mine.” 15

“You little brat, call me Uncle.” 17

Trivia

• Zhao Yang considers Zhao Hong's potential so extraordinary that he mentally compares him favorably to his own Eldest Senior Brother. 5
• He calls Zhao Hong “closer than my own nephew” after witnessing the youth's Blood Refinement breakthrough. 5
• Zhao Yang's instruction enables Clear Creek Village's youths to improve in several days as much as they normally would in months. 4