Xu Zhou

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Xu Zhou (许昼)
Gender	Male
Origin	Transmigrator from Earth
Martial Soul	Black Ancient Book; officially recorded as a black Book-type Martial Soul 2 3
Affiliation	Nuoding Academy — auditor under Yu Xiaogang's observation; temporary archive verifier 13 19
Occupation/Role	Archive verifier, hearing recorder, and investigator of contradictory records 16 19
Status	Active; escaped the captive-breeding ground and moved to open its main gate 26
First Appearance	Chapter 1

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Level 0 → Level 1	2	The Script of All Beings awakened within the Black Ancient Book. Su Yuntao's mistaken belief that Xu Zhou had no Soul Power was converted into Soul Power.
Above Level 1 — exact level undisclosed	4	Yu Xiaogang incorrectly identified the Black Ancient Book as a door, producing a major increase because he was an important figure.
Level 2	5	Yu Xiaogang's exaggerated belief that the Martial Soul could surpass the Clear Sky Hammer and Six-Winged Angel yielded enough Cognitive Bias for a two-level breakthrough.
Level 2 to below Level 10	19	Continued Cognitive Bias collection steadily increases his Soul Power, but Xu Zhou remains far from the level-ten threshold needed to become a Soul Master.
Further growth — exact level undisclosed	20	The public meditation lesson greatly expands belief that he cannot cultivate, granting a substantial amount of hidden Soul Power without activating the Soul Power Sensor Lamp.

Background

Xu Zhou is a transmigrator from Earth living in Holy Soul Village. Before the village's Martial Soul Awakening ceremony, he overhears Old Jack and Su Yuntao rehearsing Tang San's supposed awakening, revealing that they—and numerous others—know the original plot. He subsequently realizes that the continent is filled with transmigrators competing for the same opportunities, resources, and canon roles. 1

During his own awakening, Xu Zhou manifests a black Book-type Martial Soul and appears to possess no innate Soul Power. The Book then reveals itself as the Script of All Beings: it converts other people's mistaken judgments about him into Soul Power. Su Yuntao's dismissal immediately raises Xu Zhou from level zero to level one. 2

He keeps this ability secret, recognizing that repeated identical misconceptions yield diminishing rewards. Instead, he seeks influential people and widespread false beliefs that he can later overturn. This leads to the formation of a Public Script claiming that he has no cultivation talent and will never become a Soul Master; he must become one before its deadline expires. 3 19

Yu Xiaogang's increasingly elaborate misidentification of the Black Ancient Book as a Spatial Gate becomes Xu Zhou's first major source of Cognitive Bias. Xu Zhou encourages the speculation, accepts Yu Xiaogang's support, and obtains an appraisal certificate declaring that his Soul Power is sealed behind the supposed gate. 4 5

Personality

Xu Zhou is pragmatic, observant, and highly adaptive. He quickly recognizes that openly explaining his actual ability would be dangerous, so he instead cultivates harmless misconceptions while carefully concealing his true Soul Power. He is willing to let others underestimate him when doing so benefits his cultivation or protects him from attention. 3 19 20

He is also analytical under pressure. Whether identifying fabricated Soul Beast reports, tracking inconsistencies in procurement records, or noticing sabotage in the Spirit Hunting Forest, Xu Zhou relies on evidence rather than assumptions. 16 17 25 26

Despite his calculated approach, Xu Zhou repeatedly risks himself to assist others. He enters the Spirit Hunting Forest despite being considered a burden, tries to save Luo Sanpao after the latter is poisoned, and helps Tang San and Yu Xiaogang escape the captive-breeding ground. 21 25 26

Abilities & Skills

Script of All Beings

The Black Ancient Book contains the Script of All Beings, a unique ability system activated when Xu Zhou's Martial Soul awakened. Its core function is converting erroneous judgments about him into Soul Power. 2

• A person must genuinely make a mistaken judgment about Xu Zhou for Cognitive Bias to be collected. 2 4
• Incorrect judgments from important figures grant greater rewards. Yu Xiaogang's misidentification of the Martial Soul causes a major increase. 4
• Repeated judgments of the same type from the same target yield diminishing returns. 3 5
• Xu Zhou can benefit from misconceptions about his strength, Martial Soul, knowledge, combat ability, and cultivation potential. 6 13 14 16 19
• Correct judgments produce no reward. 5

Public Scripts

When many people sincerely share the same false belief about him, Xu Zhou can condense it into a Public Script with a defined completion condition, reward, and penalty. 3 8

• His first major Public Script is founded on the belief that he has no cultivation talent and can never become a Soul Master. Its condition is for Xu Zhou to become a Soul Master within the time limit. 3 19
• A separate Public Script forms when Holy Soul Village believes he can raise others' Soul Power. It requires the believers to personally confirm that this ability does not exist. 8
• Completing a Public Script grants a Script Projection use; Xu Zhou receives this reward after the village acknowledges that Zhao Tiezhu's breakthrough and Tang Hao's healing were unrelated to him. 11
• Failed Public Scripts can impose penalties, including the random transfer of one of Xu Zhou's Soul Power levels. 8

Proofreading and Contradiction Detection

The Black Ancient Book can compare records, physical evidence, labels, and observed events to expose inconsistencies. This has made Xu Zhou valuable to Nuoding Academy as a temporary archive verifier. 19

• He exposes fabricated Ghost Vine attack records by cross-checking injury reports, treatment records, and forest-entry registrations. 16
• He deduces the cause of the Ghost Vine incident by tracing its severed roots to a cargo carriage. 17
• He identifies the Ironthorn Vine's true age and exposes false reports claiming he communicated mentally with it. 18 19
• He verifies that academy-issued Snake-Repelling Powder was replaced with paralysis medicine, Bewitching Herb Juice, and Snake-Luring Pollen. 25
• He uses gatekeeper records and on-site registrations to prove that the teachers outside the captive-breeding ground do not possess the main-gate key. 26

Hidden Meditation

Xu Zhou cannot draw external Soul Power through ordinary meditation, so standard detection methods continue to classify him as having zero innate Soul Power. However, meditation allows him to organize and stabilize the Soul Power gained through Cognitive Bias. 20

• Crystal balls and Soul Power Sensor Lamps fail to reveal his internally accumulated Soul Power. 13 20
• This concealment allows him to preserve the widespread belief that he cannot cultivate, strengthening his Public Script. 19 20
• Yu Xiaogang notices that Xu Zhou's aura becomes more stable after meditation, but does not publicly reveal his suspicions. 20

Soul Beast Resonance

When Xu Zhou touches the poisoned Luo Sanpao, a faint Soul Power resonance occurs. The effect causes both Mandrake Snakes in the captive-breeding ground to focus on him. 25 26

• The resonance does not establish control over the Soul Beasts. 25
• Continuing it would cause both snakes to lock onto Xu Zhou as their target. 25
• The Four-Century Mandrake Snake subsequently pursues Xu Zhou, forcing Tang San to protect him. 26

Tactical Analysis

Xu Zhou is an effective field investigator despite his lack of publicly recognized combat ability.

• He identifies feints and movement patterns during Tang San and Xiao Wu's dormitory fight. 15
• He detects altered Snake-Repelling Powder by its scent before the group is attacked in the Spirit Hunting Forest. 22
• He uses Snake-Luring Potion to redirect both Mandrake Snakes toward the feeding hatch, creating an opening for the group's escape. 26
• He notices and retrieves the captive-breeding ground's key after identifying that the supposed authorities outside cannot open the gate. 26

Relationships

• Xu Yan — His father. Xu Yan quickly suspects that Xu Zhou concealed Soul Power during the awakening and supports his decision to keep the ability secret. 3 4
• Tang San — Fellow transmigrator, friend, and frequent partner in dangerous situations. Tang San incorrectly concludes that Xu Zhou has a system, promises to protect the secret, and repeatedly shields Xu Zhou from threats in the Spirit Hunting Forest. 3 6 22 26
• Yu Xiaogang — Mentor and source of Xu Zhou's most valuable early Cognitive Bias. Yu Xiaogang proposes taking Xu Zhou as an apprentice, secures his academy admission, and remains responsible for observing his Martial Soul. 5 12 13
• Luo Sanpao — Yu Xiaogang's Martial Soul. Xu Zhou assists in diagnosing its poisoning and helps save it during the Mandrake Snake incident. 25 26
• Wang Sheng — Seventh Dormitory acquaintance who worries about Xu Zhou's safety and witnesses his observational skill during Tang San and Xiao Wu's fight. 14 15 21
• Xiao Wu — Academy acquaintance who selects Xu Zhou as referee for her fight with Tang San and gives Tang San a wooden stick and note intended for Xu Zhou before the forest expedition. 15 22
• Nuoding Academy Headmaster — Recognizes Xu Zhou's value in verifying documents, appointing him as a temporary file verifier and granting archive access. 19 20

Story Role / Major Arcs

Holy Soul Village Awakening

• Xu Zhou uncovers the existence of widespread transmigrator interference after overhearing Old Jack and Su Yuntao rehearsing Tang San's awakening. 1
• He awakens the Black Ancient Book, gains level-one Soul Power through Su Yuntao's mistaken judgment, and receives an official certificate stating that he has no innate Soul Power. 2 3
• He begins deliberately preserving and exploiting the village's belief that he cannot become a Soul Master. 3 4

Yu Xiaogang's Spatial Gate Theory

• Yu Xiaogang mistakes the Black Ancient Book for a Spatial Gate after Luo Sanpao senses an unusual aura from it. 4
• Xu Zhou encourages Yu Xiaogang's theories, gaining Cognitive Bias from claims that his Soul Power is sealed, that the Book connects to another world, and that its quality exceeds legendary Martial Souls. 5 6
• Yu Xiaogang's mistaken theory receives temporary real-world reinforcement when he gains levels and a spatial Soul Skill, leading Holy Soul Village to believe Xu Zhou can help others level up. 7

Village Upgrade Scheme

• Xu Zhou creates a registration process for villagers seeking Soul Power increases, hoping they will eventually prove the supposed ability false. 7 8
• Zhao Tiezhu coincidentally breaks through to level ten, and Tang Hao's old injuries later heal through Ah Yin rather than Xu Zhou, complicating Xu Zhou's attempt to dispel the rumor. 8 9 10
• Ah Yin publicly confirms that Xu Zhou cannot level others or heal injuries, allowing him to complete the relevant Public Script and receive a Script Projection reward. 11

Nuoding Academy Investigator

• Xu Zhou enters Nuoding Academy as an auditor and research subject after three conventional Soul Power tests read zero while an unreliable device reads level ninety-nine. 12 13
• He becomes the hearing recorder for Tang San's Soul Ring debate, where he exposes forged Ghost Vine evidence. 16
• Following the Ghost Vine and Ironthorn Vine incidents, the academy appoints him temporary archive verifier due to his ability to identify contradictions. 17 18 19
• The academy publicly uses him as proof that meditation cannot grant Soul Power to someone with zero innate Soul Power, unintentionally strengthening his hidden cultivation. 19 20

Spirit Hunting Forest Incident

• Xu Zhou joins Tang San and Yu Xiaogang in the Spirit Hunting Forest despite a notice barring those with zero innate Soul Power from entering. 21
• He discovers that their Snake-Repelling Powder has been tampered with and helps expose attempts to force Tang San into a predetermined Mandrake Snake encounter. 22 23 24
• After Luo Sanpao is poisoned and two Mandrake Snakes trap the group, Xu Zhou identifies the altered medicine, draws the snakes toward the feeding hatch, and escapes with Tang San and Yu Xiaogang. 25 26
• He then uses the captured key to challenge the academy personnel outside the grounds and open the main gate. 26

Notable Quotes

“Read fewer novels.” 3

“Master. Take another careful look. Other than a door, could there be another possibility?” 4

“You even wrote me into the betting pool.” 26