Zhao Ya

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Zhao Ya (赵崖)
Alias(es)	Fifth Master Zhao; Young Hero Zhao; “Chief Steward Zhao” 139 199
Species/Race	Human; described by Li Dao as being from outside Li Dao’s world 488
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Prosperity Escort Agency (former); Dingtai Martial Hall; Azure Dragon Temple 1 38 287
Occupation/Role	Former agency laborer and escort; Head of Guards; Azure Dragon Temple disciple and outer-sect recruiter 1 38 96 315
Status	Alive; his system ultimately changed to a single All-Encompassing skill after Hu Ye’s empowerment 493
First Appearance	Chapter 1

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Bone Forging / First Realm	9	Completed bone forging; his hardened bones could withstand ordinary clubs and staves, granting him basic self-protection 9
Tendon Transformation / Second Realm	28	Completed tendon transformation; heart unlocking began at 3% 28
Third Realm	96	Recognized as a seventeen-year-old Third-Realm martial artist after rising from an escort-agency servant background 96
Skin Tempering / Fourth Realm	133	Completed skin tempering after more than two hours; his lifespan rose to 189 years and kidney/spleen unlocking exceeded 50% 133
Half-Step Fifth Realm	168, 169	Purged foul qi from his body and reached the acquired realm’s limit; his strength rose by more than double, allowing him to contend with Fifth-Realm martial artists 168 169
Fifth Realm	238	Used the Mountain Demon Bead and Ghost Child Bead as dual catalysts, completed the breakthrough, and injured Meridian Opening expert Jin Cunyue with a saber strike 221 238
Meridian Opening	324	Opened the final acupoint of the Hand Taiyin Lung Meridian during battle with Zheng Dalei 324
Azure Dragon / Star-Devouring True Force fusion	369	Successfully fused Azure Dragon True Force with Star-Devouring True Force, surpassing 10,000 years of remaining lifespan 369
All-Encompassing state	493	Hu Ye’s power shattered and merged Zhao Ya’s human-body outline into him; his panel became “Skill: All-Encompassing,” with an unquantifiable lifespan 493

Background / History

Zhao Ya entered the Prosperity Escort Agency in Dancing Elephant City as a laborer at age sixteen. At the time, his visible status panel estimated only twenty years of remaining lifespan, motivating his pursuit of martial cultivation and longevity. He began practicing the Eight-Part Vajra Art and Five Tigers Fist, discovering that training increased both his proficiency and organ-unlocking progress. 1 2

Nutrition became central to his development. Tan Dong’s dried earthworm meat supplied high-quality blood and qi with few impurities, accelerating Zhao Ya’s early Bone Forging. As his stomach talent developed, he gained extraordinary digestion and could rapidly break down cured meat to absorb its essence. 4 2

After becoming an escort, Zhao Ya trained relentlessly in fists, saber arts, body tempering, and movement techniques. Meng Lei promoted him after he revealed his Second-Realm cultivation, while Zhao Ya began teaching Tang Zui’er saber techniques and stake-running. 38

Zhao Ya later joined Dingtai Martial Hall under Lu Dingtai. His rise through the Third and Fourth Realms drew growing attention across Cloudsky Commandery, particularly after he defeated Xia Cunyi, a peak Third-Realm, half-step Fourth-Realm martial artist in public combat. 96 124 133

During the Cloudsky beast tide, Zhao Ya fought the Mountain Demon and discovered that a malformed monster bound to its back had been controlling it. He killed both creatures, helped harvest Meat Fields from the fallen exotic beasts, and carried his injured master back toward the city. 152

After reaching the Fifth Realm in Yan Capital, Zhao Ya dismantled major threats including the Four Seas Gang, the Beast-Controlling Sect’s local forces, and the Profound Sun Sect. He obtained the Eastern King’s Legacy and its Star-Devouring True Force Manual, then departed Great Yan for the Beyond Lands. 243 261 275

In the Beyond Lands, Zhao Ya entered Azure Dragon Temple, rapidly strengthened its outer sect, and advanced through Meridian Opening cultivation. His growing power eventually allowed him to merge Azure Dragon True Force with Star-Devouring True Force, acquire control of the Black Ship, and travel between worlds. 287 315 369 450

Appearance

Zhao Ya is a tall, straight-backed young man with heroic yet refined features. His appearance and bearing are repeatedly noted as unusually striking, while his concealed aura and deep eyes give experienced martial artists the impression of immense, tightly controlled strength. 204 423

• Tall, sword-straight frame. 423
• Considered notably handsome by several observers. 124 204 222
• Possesses sharp, penetrating eyes; after high-level cultivation, his gaze is compared to bottomless pools. 222 423
• His skin and physique underwent major changes after Fourth-Realm Skin Tempering. 133

Personality

Zhao Ya is disciplined, cautious, and intensely focused on cultivation. Despite rapid breakthroughs, he repeatedly warns himself against arrogance and avoids unnecessary displays of ability. He prefers training at home over entertainment or debauchery. 4 115

He is pragmatic in dangerous situations. Zhao Ya uses poison, deception, concealment, and ambushes when necessary, showing little attachment to conventional martial honor. He killed Fan Hao after extracting information from him, infiltrated Wan Zhen’s base through stealth and poison, and concealed himself before striking Xie Tianfeng. 17 259 271

Despite this ruthlessness, Zhao Ya protects those he considers his own and shows compassion to uninvolved civilians. He helped He Zhen’s widow and children escape Yan Capital, taught ordinary people martial arts for self-defense, and consistently placed Zui’er’s safety before his own convenience. 120 216 199

His loyalty is particularly strong toward Lu Dingtai and his fellow disciples. Zhao Ya refused Wang Tiancheng’s offer to become a direct disciple of Golden Blade Academy because he would not abandon his unconscious master or senior brothers. 170

Abilities & Skills

Longevity Panel and Organ Unlocking

Zhao Ya possesses a status panel visible only to himself. It tracks lifespan, skill proficiency, and the unlocking progress of his viscera, bowels, brain, and related talents. 1 2

• Cultivation and organ unlocking directly increase his lifespan, from twenty years at age sixteen to more than 17,000 years by age twenty-two. 1 403
• His stomach grants exceptional digestion and absorption of blood-qi resources. 2
• His kidney talent strengthens bones, generates marrow, purges toxins from blood and marrow, and supports mental clarity. 158 159
• His five-viscera talents can be activated together, giving him extreme endurance in prolonged combat. 260
• His brain unlock vastly expanded his perception; with closed eyes, he could sense a small snake more than a hundred meters away. 415
• Hu Ye’s later empowerment merged the body-outline system into Zhao Ya and reduced his listed ability to All-Encompassing. 493

Saber Arts

Zhao Ya’s principal combat specialty is saber technique. His original Gale Saber Technique advanced into the Wind-Slaying Saber Technique and eventually reached Transcendent and Saintly mastery. 232 403

• Defeated Xia Cunyi and publicly broke his arm while still at the peak of the Third Realm. 124
• Withstood Yan Xizhao’s powerful sword strike and earned the admiration of Wang Tiancheng and Xu Nianran. 209
• Killed Fu Tingyuan, the Ghost Serpent Gu Master, and later Xie Tianfeng. 192 272
• Uses the Spirit Tortoise Hibernation Art to conceal his presence before delivering decisive saber attacks. 271
• His Meteoric Iron Saber broke during his battle with Wan Zhen; he later acquired a Cold Iron Saber. 259 267

Fist Arts and Physical Strength

Zhao Ya began with the Five Tigers Fist and later mastered stronger fist and palm techniques, including Great Vajra Fist, Great Tablet-Shattering Palm, and Immovable Wisdom King Fist. 1 114 403

• His Five Tigers Fist reached Returning to Simplicity, forming the basis of his close-combat power. 158
• Great Tablet-Shattering Palm was powerful enough that Zhao Ya believed it could defeat the Ghost-Faced Giant Ape without using a saber. 158
• His punches killed Lang Songbai and Steel Shadow in single strikes. 243 340
• Immovable Wisdom King Fist later reached Transcendent and Saintly mastery. 403

Body Tempering and Defense

Zhao Ya’s body-tempering path began with the Eight-Part Vajra Art, which evolved into the Eight-Part Vajra Longevity Art. He later refined the Golden Body Art into the Golden Body Armor Transformation Art. 1 133 243

• Bone Forging made his skeleton hard enough to break ordinary weapons on impact. 9
• Skin Tempering transformed his skin from “kraft paper” durability to something like tanned leather armor. 133
• His body can resist or reject hostile true force, as demonstrated against Zheng Dalei. 324
• Even Xiao Yan’s full-strength attack was not expected to break through his defenses after his five-viscera talents were unleashed. 260

Movement and Concealment Arts

Zhao Ya specializes in high-speed pursuit, escape, and stealth. His early movement arts included Grass-Treading Flight and Swallow Three Skims the Water, later consolidated into Light as a Swallow and Treading Snow Without a Trace. 37 192 403

• Reached complete proficiency in Grass-Treading Flight and Swallow Three Skims the Water before becoming an escort. 38
• Broke through Light as a Swallow while battling Fu Tingyuan and several Gu Masters. 192
• Treading Snow Without a Trace reached Transcendent and Saintly mastery. 403
• His movement speed makes him exceptionally difficult to restrain; he can choose to disengage from most opponents. 403
• Spirit Tortoise Hibernation Art suppresses his trace and aura for infiltration and ambushes. 271

Poisons and Detoxification

Zhao Ya is highly skilled in poison arts and is immune to poisons himself. 209 324

• Secretly poisoned hostile martial artists as a precaution during the encounter involving Nie Jingnian. 133
• Used poison to infiltrate Wan Zhen’s Beast-Controlling Sect base and weaken both Wan Zhen and Xiao Yan. 259
• Detoxified Liu Bolong and Chen An after Zheng Dalei poisoned their trading-house subordinates. 324
• Uses poisons for group control as well as assassination and information-gathering. 407

Realm-Breaking Talents and True Force

Zhao Ya gained the Mountain Demon Body and Spectral Eyes as realm-breaking talents. 308

• Mountain Demon Body — enlarges and reinforces his body, substantially increasing physical power. 308
• Spectral Eyes — enhances combat perception and reaction speed. 308
• When both talents are activated alongside his viscera talents, he can temporarily match or overwhelm Meridian Opening experts. 259 260
• His fused Azure Dragon and Star-Devouring True Force greatly increased both his lifespan and combat power. 369
• Blood-to-Force Conversion allows him to use digested dried meat to replenish Yuan Sea Force. 377

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Cold Iron Saber — acquired after the Meteoric Iron Saber broke against Wan Zhen. 259 267
• Golden Body Armor Transformation Art — body-tempering technique surrendered by Xiong Kun and refined by Zhao Ya. 243
• Star-Devouring True Force Manual — obtained from the Eastern King’s Legacy; contains knowledge of Meridian Opening and Yuan Sea cultivation. 261
• Mountain Demon Bead and Ghost Child Bead — dual Realm-Breaking Catalysts used for his Fifth-Realm breakthrough. 221 238
• Black Ship — vessel from beyond the mist; Zhao Ya gained control of it and memorized its internal structure. 450
• Weapons-master dagger — retained after Xiao Yan used it to stab Wan Zhen. 261

Relationships

• Lu Dingtai — Zhao Ya’s master at Dingtai Martial Hall. Zhao Ya refused a powerful sect’s recruitment rather than abandon him, while Lu Dingtai regards Zhao Ya with pride and protectiveness. 170 271
• Tang Zui’er — Zhao Ya’s close companion and student. He taught her saber, stake-running, and White Crane Palm techniques; she remains deeply concerned for him. 38 139 275
• Shang Luoluo — trusted ally and daughter of Shang Jingchuan. Zhao Ya entrusts her with intelligence channels within the Beast-Controlling Sect. 124 274
• Meng Lei — Chief Escort of the Prosperity Escort Agency. He recognized Zhao Ya’s talent and promoted him from menial worker to escort. 1 38
• Mo Qi — cultivation adviser who helped Zhao Ya prepare for and complete his dangerous Fifth-Realm breakthrough. 221 238
• Wang Tiancheng — Golden Blade Academy martial artist who offered Zhao Ya a direct-disciple position; later defended Zhao Ya’s residence alongside Xu Nianran. 170 238
• Xu Nianran — No-Mind Academy martial artist who recognizes Zhao Ya’s saber skill and fought in defense of his residence. 209 238
• Yan Xizhao — Sword-Washing Manor martial artist and political ally. Their duel ended in mutual recognition, and they later cooperated against common enemies. 209 272
• Xiao Yan — former disciple of Wan Zhen and Zhao Ya’s conditional informant within the Beast-Controlling Sect. 260 261
• Liu Yuhuan — Zhao Ya’s companion during his travels beyond the known world; she is attracted to him and possesses a mysterious pure bloodline. 463 466
• Shi Bolong — captive and coerced associate whom Zhao Ya keeps under close control aboard the Black Ship. 450 463
• Li Dao — the world’s Heavenly Dao, who revealed Zhao Ya’s outsider status and asked him to inherit authority against an approaching threat. 488 493
• Hu Ye — powerful being revealed through the Mysterious Fox Jade Canon; granted Zhao Ya immense power and lifespan. 493

Story Role / Major Arcs

Prosperity Escort Agency

Zhao Ya starts as a lowly laborer and trains in secret using his status panel. His first cultivation resources come from the agency and Tan Dong’s dried earthworm meat, allowing him to rise from Bone Forging to an escort position. 1 4 38

Dingtai Martial Hall and Cloudsky Commandery

After joining Lu Dingtai’s martial hall, Zhao Ya becomes a renowned young expert. He defeats Xia Cunyi, reaches the Fourth Realm, confronts threats from gangs and masked enemies, and protects Cloudsky Commandery during the beast tide. 124 133 152

Conflict with Wei Hongbin

When Wei Hongbin moves to suppress the martial factions of Cloudsky Commandery, Zhao Ya rejects Golden Blade Academy’s recruitment offer and chooses to defend his master and senior brothers. He takes the initiative against Wei Hongbin’s forces and becomes a leading figure among the local martial artists. 170 177

Yan Capital and the Fifth-Realm Breakthrough

Zhao Ya travels to Yan Capital, clashes with the Four Seas Gang, develops ties with Shang Jingchuan and Yan Xizhao, and uses dual Realm-Breaking Catalysts to attain the Fifth Realm. He subsequently kills Lang Songbai and becomes one of Yan Capital’s most feared young martial artists. 216 238 243

Eastern King’s Legacy and Great Yan’s Upheaval

Seeking the Eastern King’s Legacy, Zhao Ya kills Wan Zhen, obtains the Star-Devouring True Force Manual, and later returns to help destroy the Profound Sun Sect and the old aristocratic order. 260 261 272 273

Beyond Lands and Azure Dragon Temple

Zhao Ya leaves Great Yan for the Beyond Lands, joins Azure Dragon Temple, recruits outer-sect disciples, opens meridians, and develops into one of the temple’s central powers amid conflicts with Northern Azure Dragon and other major forces. 275 287 315 340

Beyond the Mist

After gaining control of the Black Ship, Zhao Ya travels through the Boundless Sea and other realms. Li Dao reveals that Zhao Ya alone can confront a threat that marked souls within the world cannot resist, leading Zhao Ya to accept the transfer of Heavenly Dao authority. 450 463 488 493

Trivia

• Zhao Ya’s remaining lifespan rose from 20 years at age sixteen to an unquantifiable amount by age twenty-seven. 1 493
• He repeatedly relies on dried meat and exotic-beast Meat Fields as cultivation resources. 4 97 377
• Zhao Ya dislikes flower boats and similar entertainment, preferring to remain home and cultivate. 115
• Shang Luoluo teasingly calls him “Chief Steward Zhao.” 199
• His two-hour Skin Tempering process was vastly longer than the usual three to five minutes for ordinary martial artists. 133