Nie Junyue

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Nie Junyue (聂君越)
Alias(es)	Old Proprietor; Proprietor; Old Master; Shopkeeper
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Immortal Guest House
Occupation/Role	Old Proprietor and builder of Immortal Guest House
Status	Alive; later questioned by Qin Ke at the ruins of Yellow Bamboo Town 67
First Appearance	Chapter 8

Background / History

Nie Junyue rose from humble beginnings and built Immortal Guest House from a single inn into a major force in Yellow Bamboo Town and the surrounding region. By the time of the story, its expansion and administration rest heavily on his own shoulders. 12 14

Ten years before meeting Qin Yi, Nie Junyue encountered a girl around Qin Yi's age and entered into an unresolved conflict with her. The memory still unsettles him, particularly when Qin Yi displays similarly uncanny intelligence and potential. 13 14

He anticipated that warfare in the Central Plains would eventually engulf Ancient Shu. In preparation, he had Immortal Guest House establish a preliminary foothold in the Central Plains, search for unusually gifted people and abnormal goods, and prepare land to receive refugees. He believes the world is approaching a transformation in which individuals of extraordinary strength will become reality rather than legend. 8

Appearance

Nie Junyue is a mild, refined middle-aged man whose calm presentation contrasts with the pressure he can exert in negotiation. 8 12

• Narrow phoenix eyes, often described as calm, concerned, or sharply scrutinizing others. 8
• Usually wears scholar’s robes or fine brocade, including moon-white robes on one occasion. 8 48
• Wears a jade thumb ring. 12
• Maintains an outwardly gentle smile even while issuing threats or making coercive demands. 8 13

Personality

Nie Junyue is patient, pragmatic, and strongly future-oriented. He values mutually beneficial investments over destroying useful talent; after Qin Yi exposes the risks of pursuing Ruan Su, Nie Junyue accepts that supporting the siblings is more profitable than suppressing them. 13

His composure is also a tool. He uses silence, etiquette, and a gentle tone to pressure others, but becomes guarded when Qin Yi accurately identifies Immortal Guest House’s expansion plans and notices his emotional instability. 12

Despite his authority, Nie Junyue is painfully aware of his limitations. Qin Yi’s organizational ideas and Ruan Su’s abnormal potential leave him feeling unable to keep pace with “monsters” like them. 14

Abilities & Skills

Inner Martial Arts

Nie Junyue is an inner martial arts expert and personally joins Immortal Guest House’s elite retainers during the confrontation with Fu Ming. 48

• His exact martial realm and techniques have not been specified.
• He recognizes the disparity between ordinary martial artists and Path cultivators such as Fu Ming. 50
• He was unable to save Ruan Su from Fu Ming, later admitting that his opponent was too strong. 51

Administration and Intelligence

Nie Junyue personally directs Immortal Guest House’s business, intelligence, guards, and expansion efforts. 8 14

• Sent Luo Liuyi to establish an operational foothold in the Central Plains and locate unusually gifted individuals. 8
• Commands Iron Guards, night patrols, masked operatives, and inner martial artists. 8 10 43
• Conducted pilot reforms in Immortal Guest House branches after receiving Qin Yi’s proposed framework laws. 40
• Negotiated directly with Qin Yi’s Qin Family for support against the Mountain Lord and a cultivation path for Hongyi. 40

Political Judgment

Nie Junyue reads changing power structures quickly and is willing to compromise when faced with a stronger position. 13 40

• Recognized Qin Yi and Ruan Su as assets worth investing in rather than enemies worth eliminating. 13
• Understood that Qin Yi’s recognition as the Qin Family’s Eldest Young Master changed their relationship into one of superior and subordinate. 40
• Chose to support Qin Yi’s side against Fu Ming only after making the decision conditional on Qin Yi’s own choice. 48

Relationships

• Qin Yi — Initially involved in a plot against Qin Yi and Ruan Su, but later forms a transactional alliance with him. Nie Junyue invests in Qin Yi’s ideas, helps facilitate his return to the Qin Family, and addresses him as “Young Master.” 13 40 43
• Ruan Su — An Immortal Guest House retainer whom Nie Junyue previously sought to marry. He orders Luo Liuyi to respect her, later promises Qin Yi that he will look after her, and fails to save her from Fu Ming. 11 13 44 50 51
• Luo Liuyi — A capable subordinate sent to the Central Plains for three years. Nie Junyue criticizes her failure to understand his wider plans but continues entrusting her with sensitive assignments. 8
• Peng Jun — Immortal Guest House night-patrol captain who reports Ruan Su’s crisis to Nie Junyue and is among the retainers mobilized against Fu Ming. 8 49
• Qin Ke — Interrogates Nie Junyue after returning to the ruins of Yellow Bamboo Town, seeking information about Qin Yi, Ruan Su, and the weapons left behind. 67
• Fu Ming — A Qin Family cultivator who attempts to buy Nie Junyue’s neutrality with a cultivation path and future cooperation; Nie Junyue ultimately witnesses Fu Ming kill Ruan Su. 48 50

Story Role / Major Arcs

• Central Plains preparations — Receives Luo Liuyi’s report on the Central Plains, confirms preparations for incoming refugees, and emphasizes his search for “strange people” amid the approaching world transformation. 8
• Ruan Su incident — Investigates the massacre on Compassion Mountain, determines Ruan Su’s strength has grown faster than expected, and reassesses the situation after learning Qin Yi survived. 10
• Negotiation with Qin Yi — Visits the siblings’ courtyard, apologizes for the attack, gives Ruan Su Snowfrost for her burns, and enters a prolonged negotiation with Qin Yi aboard his carriage. 11 12
• Compromise and investment — Abandons the option of eliminating Ruan Su, agrees to invest in the siblings, and begins relying on Qin Yi’s proposed organizational reforms. 13 40
• Qin Family handover — Arranges Qin Yi’s meeting with Shang Jin and Fan You, then accepts Qin Yi’s new superior status after his identity as the Eldest Young Master is recognized. 43 44
• Battle with Fu Ming — Joins Immortal Guest House’s retainers against Fu Ming, helps Qin Yi land safely after Ruan Su throws him from the battlefield, and survives Ruan Su’s death. 48 50
• Aftermath in Yellow Bamboo Town — Tells Qin Ke that he helped Ruan Su and fled with Qin Yi, then found Fu Ming dead after Qin Yi had left. 67

Notable Quotes

“Compared to stifling a genius, investing for a win-win outcome is the road I would choose.” 13

“Why can’t I keep up? Why... is the gap between me and these monsters always so vast...” 14