Hu Bugui

Biodata

Power Progression

Background / History

Hu Bugui is a Beast Spirit Valley disciple who travels with a camel-like spirit beast loaded with trade bundles. He first meets newly promoted spirit farmer Xu Changqing while Xu is preparing a Grade-Two Spirit Field for winter planting. Identifying Xu's need for fertilizer, Hu offers century-old spirit beast dung and negotiates a first transaction of twenty-five jin of dung for ten jin of first-grade spirit rice 11.

He subsequently becomes a regular contact for Xu, returning with fertilizer and sharing news of the New Year Market in Red Maple Valley, where cultivators can exchange spirit rice for other resources 12. During the market, he sells young spirit beasts; Xu purchases a little yellow dog from him, and Hu gives Xu a Spirit Beast Pouch in response to Xu's sincerity 19.

As resource prices rise before the Formal Disciple Grand Competition, Hu changes his business model from simple peddling to fertilizer investment. He supplies century-old spirit beast dung to Xu's Grade-Two Spirit Field in exchange for one-tenth of its yield, while also investing in other spirit farmers to spread his risk 25. The arrangement produces substantial returns, including a share of Xu's spring harvest 28.

After receiving his agreed portion of Xu's harvest and tasting Xu's Second-Grade Spirit Rice Wine, Hu gives Xu a Spirit Beast Pouch containing a Pearl Hen that lays spiritually nourishing eggs 38. He later takes Xu fishing, where spilled Spirit Rice Wine unexpectedly proves highly effective as bait 42 43.

Hu seeks to use this discovery to catch a Dragonfish at Black Dragon Pool. His goal is to offer the rare fish to a Golden Core Realm fishing enthusiast in Beast Spirit Valley and potentially become that cultivator's disciple, allowing him to escape his life as a manure seller 43. The expedition with Foundation Establishment cultivator Zhao Ziyue attracts fish demons as well as Dragonfish; Hu is dragged into the water and suffers an arm injury before Zhao rescues him 50.

Hu continues to expand his dealings beyond fertilizer. He begins planning to raise spirit beasts himself to secure a steady manure supply, helps Xu and Zhao Ziyue develop a Foundry Peak food-and-franchise business, and repeatedly contributes capital, merchandise, and management to their ventures 96 141 176 222. As his wealth grows, he becomes an increasingly capable spirit-beast merchant, providing Xu with Pearl Chickens and helping arrange Wangwang's breeding in Beast Spirit Valley 261 283.

Although his Conflicting Spiritual Roots make advancement unusually difficult, Hu reaches Qi Refining Perfection and enters the Formal Disciple Grand Competition. He achieves notoriety by defeating Foundation Establishment cultivator Wang Qian with fresh spirit-beast manure, exploiting the opponent's flames to spread an intolerable stench until Wang surrenders 234. He later successfully reaches Foundation Establishment after obtaining a properly balanced Foundation Establishment Pill 438.

Following Zhao Ziyue's return, Hu accepts a rare Dragonfish from Zhao and agrees to seek the protection of Beast Spirit Valley's Golden Core fishing expert, recognizing that a powerful patron is more valuable than pride in an increasingly dangerous cultivation world 440. He eventually forms a Human-Grade Golden Core, finds Lin Xiaoyan as his Dao companion, and leaves Dongting Immortal Sect with her and their daughter Hu Ning for Flameglow Sect 653 789.

During the collapse of Flameglow Sect, Hu and Lin Xiaoyan defend one another against Grand Elder Zhu Hong's faction. Though both are Late Human-Grade Golden Core cultivators, they are outnumbered and badly injured. Hu refuses to flee without his wife, and the pair die while holding hands 997 999. Their deaths drive Xu Changqing to pursue Zhu Hong and swear vengeance 999 1001.

Much later, Xu encounters the merchant Jin Buhuan, whose appearance strongly resembles Hu Bugui's. Jin denies knowing Hu or possessing any Hu-surnamed relatives, leaving any connection unestablished 1218.

Appearance

Hu Bugui is a fat, prosperous-looking man with two noticeable rolls of cheek fat that jiggle when he smiles. He commonly arrives on a camel-like spirit beast carrying bundles of merchandise, accompanied by the jingling bell around the beast's neck 11.

• Plump build and fleshy cheeks 11 12
• Often wears a broad, eager smile while negotiating 11 19
• Travels with a heavily loaded camel-like spirit beast 11
• His fertilizer shipments carry a strong, lingering odor 11 38
• Dressed extravagantly for the Flower Sea Dao-companion gathering in pale-gold clothing and jade rings, giving him the appearance of a conspicuous nouveau riche 72
• Later adopts plainer robes when departing Dongting Immortal Sect with Lin Xiaoyan and Hu Ning 789

Personality

Hu Bugui is shrewd, adaptable, and unashamed of pursuing profit. He markets himself as “a businessman on the rise,” bargains actively over prices, and carries unusual goods alongside his fertilizer stock, including monkey wine, unknown seeds, and a used paper figurine 11 12.

He is also practical enough to alter his strategy when peddling alone no longer seems sustainable. Rather than merely selling dung, he creates investment arrangements with multiple spirit farmers, accepting lower immediate returns in pursuit of larger long-term profits 25.

Despite his mercantile instincts, Hu values Xu Changqing as a friend. He gives Xu Spirit Beast Pouches, delivers manure to his remote field, shares leisure time fishing, and openly confides his wish to change his status through cultivation 19 38 42 43.

Hu is shamelessly direct and socially clumsy, particularly when discussing his manure business or seeking a Dao companion. He routinely treats embarrassing tactics as entirely reasonable if they achieve a practical result, whether in romance, commerce, or battle 72 73 234 502.

Beneath his comic and profit-seeking exterior, Hu is loyal and courageous. He readily supports Xu's ventures, worries deeply when Xu is missing, and ultimately refuses to abandon Lin Xiaoyan when Flameglow Sect falls into civil conflict 419 997.

Abilities

• Spirit-beast handling — As a Beast Spirit Valley disciple and trader, Hu is knowledgeable about breeding, transporting, selling, and raising spirit beasts. He also recognizes business opportunities involving Fire Crows, Golden Toads, Spirit Wolves, and other beasts 96 164 502 569.
• Metal-Fire cultivation — His mutually restraining Metal-Fire Spiritual Roots limit the efficiency of his cultivation and make breakthroughs especially dangerous, requiring unusually precise balancing during Foundation Establishment 234 438.
• Unorthodox combat tactics — Hu uses unconventional psychological warfare. He defeated Wang Qian by throwing fresh spirit-beast manure and later employed Golden Toads to overwhelm opponents with their tongues 234 502.
• Commercial judgment — He identifies price fluctuations in spirit beasts and other cultivation goods, invests aggressively when opportunities arise, and maintains extensive contacts through Beast Spirit Valley 25 359 569.
• Cooking — Hu is particularly skilled at grilling spirit-beast meat and uses food to ease awkward social situations 128.

Business Activities

• Spirit-beast manure trade — Supplies century-old spirit beast dung as fertilizer for spirit fields; claims access to dung from five-hundred- and thousand-year spirit beasts as well 11 25.
• Yield-share investment — Provides fertilizer for a one-tenth share of a spirit farmer's post-mission harvest, diversifying investments across several farmers 25.
• Processed-fertilizer supply — Continues supplying Xu's fields after Xu discovers that fresh manure can consume Earth Qi and conceal insect eggs, requiring it to be processed before use 88.
• Spirit-beast sales and breeding — Sells young spirit beasts at the Red Maple Valley market, plans to raise his own beasts for manure production, and later seeks cooperation with the beast-taming Bai Family over spirit wolves 19 96 569.
• Foundry Peak franchise venture — Co-invests with Xu Changqing, Zhao Ziyue, and other partners in a business based on spirit-beast meat, seasonings, fruits, Spirit Rice Wine, and franchise fees 96 141 176.
• Market information — Informs Xu of the New Year Market and its spirit-rice barter opportunities 12.
• Fire Crow procurement — Uses his Beast Spirit Valley network to introduce Xu to Liu Wei and arrange the purchase of Fire Crows from the Earthfire Zone 163 164.

Equipment / Merchandise

• Camel-like spirit beast — Used for transport and to carry bundled stock; a bell around its neck announces Hu's arrival 11 42.
• Century-old spirit beast dung — His principal fertilizer product, used to improve spirit-field yields 11 25.
• Spirit Beast Pouches — Gives Xu one pouch for the little yellow dog and later another containing a Pearl Hen 19 38.
• Pearl Hen — A spirit beast gifted to Xu; it lays an egg containing trace spiritual energy every three days 38.
• Pearl Chickens — Supplies Xu with twenty Pearl Chickens, including two roosters and eighteen hens 261.
• Golden Toads — Spirit beasts used in his later combat methods 502.
• Purple-Gold Hood — A Supreme-Grade defensive spirit artifact purchased to prepare for his Golden Core tribulation 542.
• Hundred-Year Monkey Wine — A wine he offers for sale that gradually replenishes spiritual power 12.
• Unknown spirit-plant seeds — Seeds expelled by a thousand-year spirit beast, offered at a price of three hundred jin of Second-Grade Spirit Rice 12.

Relationships

• Xu Changqing — Business partner and closest friend. Hu supplies fertilizer for Xu's fields, receives shares of the harvest, introduces him to market opportunities, and gifts him spirit-beast-related items 11 12 25 38. They later become long-term commercial partners and trusted companions; Xu is devastated by Hu's death and pursues Zhu Hong to avenge him 141 999 1001.
• Zhao Ziyue — Friend and frequent fishing companion. Zhao rescues Hu from a fish demon at Black Dragon Pool, later gives him a Dragonfish to help him secure a powerful master, and remains one of Hu's closest friends through his departure from Dongting Immortal Sect 43 50 440 789.
• Lin Xiaoyan — Hu's Dao companion and wife. They leave Dongting Immortal Sect for Flameglow Sect together and have a daughter, Hu Ning. Hu refuses to abandon her during Zhu Hong's coup, and they die side by side 789 997 999.
• Hu Ning / Huohuo — Hu and Lin Xiaoyan's daughter. Hu obtains a snow-white spirit rabbit for her before his family's departure; she later escapes Flameglow Sect's destruction and seeks Xu Changqing's aid 789 999.
• Li Sancai — Fellow business partner and friend who joins Xu and Zhao in seeing Hu's family off from Dongting Immortal Sect 141 789.
• Zhu Hong — Flameglow Sect Grand Elder who murders Hu and Lin Xiaoyan during his seizure of power 997 999.
• Sun Ban — Temporarily delivers Hu's fertilizer shipment while Hu recovers from his injury 50.
• Bai Chuan and Bai Xiang — Members of the beast-taming Bai Family who receive Hu's proposal for cooperation involving their Spirit Wolf packs 569.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Spirit Field Trade

Hu introduces Xu Changqing to the practical economy surrounding spirit farming: fertilizer prices, spirit-rice barter, markets, and the value of long-term business relationships. His regular deliveries help Xu improve the productivity of his Grade-Two Spirit Field 11 12 24.

Fertilizer Investment Partnership

Facing rising costs, Hu proposes an investment arrangement rather than a one-time sale. Xu accepts a spring trial under which Hu supplies century-old manure for one-tenth of the harvest, establishing an ongoing partnership beneficial to both parties 25 28 38.

Fishing and Black Dragon Pool

Hu draws Xu away from farm work for a fishing trip, during which Spirit Rice Wine reveals its effectiveness as bait. Motivated by his ambition to become the disciple of a Golden Core fishing enthusiast, Hu later tests the wine at Black Dragon Pool with Zhao Ziyue; the venture confirms the bait's effectiveness but leaves him injured by a fish demon 42 43 50.

Foundry Peak Commerce

Hu becomes one of the principal operators and investors in Xu Changqing's Foundry Peak enterprise. He helps turn Supreme-Grade produce, Spirit Rice Wine, seasonings, and spirit-beast meat into a franchise business, enthusiastically reinvesting profits into further opportunities 96 141 176 222.

Formal Disciple Grand Competition

At Qi Refining Perfection, Hu attracts sect-wide attention through an infamous victory over Foundation Establishment cultivator Wang Qian. By using fresh spirit-beast manure against Wang's fire techniques, he turns the arena into an unbearable stench and forces Wang to surrender, gaining notoriety rather than respect 234.

Foundation Establishment and Golden Core Advancement

Hu overcomes the severe limitations of his Conflicting Spiritual Roots to establish his foundation. Later, after accepting Zhao Ziyue's Dragonfish and seeking stronger backing, he advances to a Human-Grade Golden Core and builds a family with Lin Xiaoyan 438 440 653.

Departure to Flameglow Sect

As Beast Spirit Valley prepares to assign disciples with limited prospects to external duties, Hu chooses to leave Dongting Immortal Sect with Lin Xiaoyan and their daughter. His departure marks the end of his daily life with Xu Changqing, Zhao Ziyue, and Li Sancai, though he promises to remember their friendship 784 789.

Death at Flameglow Sect

During Zhu Hong's attempted takeover of Flameglow Sect, Hu and Lin Xiaoyan face a vastly stronger force. Hu sends Huohuo away but remains with Lin Xiaoyan, and the couple are killed together. Their deaths become the immediate cause of Xu Changqing's campaign of vengeance against Zhu Hong 997 999 1001.

Notable Quotes

“You could put it that way, but more accurately, I am a businessman on the rise.” 11

“I don't want to keep selling filthy, foul-smelling manure forever.” 43

“If we die, we die together!” 997