Chen Zui

Biodata

Power Progression

Background / History

Chen Zui enters Yonglu Mountain’s Mountain Examination after other candidates avoid teaming with him, partly because of his wild beard, ragged clothing, and rough presentation. He voluntarily joins Wen Xu and Bian Chunchou when they need a third member, believing that leading two weaker teammates to victory will prove his own strength 15 26.

He comes from a poor and uncomplicated background. Unable to afford an inn before master selection, he sleeps outdoors and relies on a cleansing art rather than bathing; he also says he grew up eating Grain-Repelling Pills because his mother could not cook 26. His mother is a powerful cultivator who can catch his blade with one finger, though she sent him away to study at Yonglu Mountain rather than teach him herself 44.

Chen, Wen Xu, and Bian become the first team to finish Yonglu Mountain’s entrance trials. Chen escapes the Heart-Questioning Realm quickly after seeing an illusion of his mother, immediately recognizing that she could not truly be on Yonglu Mountain 23. His Earth-Metal Dual Spiritual Roots later secure his potential as a weapon cultivator, and he becomes the disciple of the Blade Peak Venerable he admires 24 33.

Chen later learns that he is not a Half-Demon, but a human child who was near death before his adoptive mother saved him with her blood essence. The Tiger Ghost Demon Vine repaired his originally frail body, accounting for his extraordinary resilience, physical strength, and unusually rapid hair growth 654.

His childhood home is a secluded lakeside residence beyond the Dark Marsh of Ghostmist Forest. It is protected by severe natural dangers and restrictions and surrounded by a vast field of heaven-grade spirit plants, whose value Chen did not understand as a child 628 629. His mother gave him a branch of her true form that allows him to freely enter and leave the hidden home 654.

Appearance

Chen initially appears far older and harsher than his actual age due to his neglected grooming and weathered, heavily bearded appearance. After bathing and changing into Yonglu Mountain’s disciple uniform, he is revealed to be a striking, exceptionally muscular young man 15 26.

• Extremely tall, with a blade-trained physique 26
• Thick brows, large eyes, and valiant features 26
• Thick hair, brows, and beard that become unruly when neglected 15 43
• Usually carries a saber or blade 15 27
• Is actually eighteen years old, despite looking substantially older when unkempt 25 26
• His body becomes increasingly formidable through cultivation and body tempering, making him appear imposing even when his spiritual power is restricted 372 600
• Repeated secluded training frequently leaves him looking wild, ragged, and heavily bearded until Bian Chunchou or Venerable Yanshan forces him to clean himself up 236 544

Personality

Chen is blunt, literal-minded, and intensely self-confident. He says what he thinks without softening it, openly calls Wen Xu and Bian Chunchou burdens, and sees difficult battles as opportunities to prove himself 15. His pride is rooted less in status than in a straightforward belief that strength should be demonstrated through open combat.

Despite his rough manner, he is protective and responsible. He returns to defend Wen Xu and Bian when the Wind Blades become dangerous, rejects Li Zishen’s request to commit murder, and chooses to confront a Red-Clad Vengeful Ghost alone so it cannot grow stronger by killing others 17 21.

Chen struggles with abstract cultivation theory and prefers direct practice to reflection. After Wen Xu asks whether he wants to imitate another person or pursue his own path, Chen resolves to cultivate only as himself and follow a personal blade path 40. His single-mindedness can make him socially inexperienced, but it also gives him unusual resolve.

Combat is Chen’s preferred way of communicating with and understanding others. He eagerly seeks strong opponents, attempts to build friendships through fighting, and treats even defeats as material for improving his blade Dao 117 283 460. Although he initially has little interest in anything beyond his saber, Venerable Yanshan’s guidance gradually forces him to consider his own shortcomings, his relationship with his Spiritual Root, and what his blade lacks 222 223.

Chen has become more talkative and willing to think through problems around trusted friends, though abstract logic remains difficult for him. He prefers practical observation to calculation and finds it more sensible to count animals directly than solve an arithmetic problem about them 197.

He is also developing a stronger sense of justice. After Wen Xu gives him a conduct guide for uncertain situations, Chen learns to help bullied people while also reporting offenders to the proper authorities instead of simply fighting them and leaving 45 240.

Abilities & Skills

Blade Cultivation

Chen is a close-range blade cultivator with powerful instincts and relentless training habits. His fighting style emphasizes direct aggression, speed, and physical force.

• Creates a hurricane through physical strength while wielding his saber 18
• Follows Wen Xu’s tactical instructions effectively during combat, striking opponents’ weaknesses with sharp instinct 19
• Defeats and disarms Li Zishen after Wen Xu neutralizes the Wind-Treasure Gourd 20
• Reaches the brink of deeper blade comprehension through nonstop practice; the wind around his training area becomes orderly amid chaos 43
• Prefers tasks involving direct combat and finds excessive thought bothersome 44
• Fights primarily through his own body, instincts, and blade rather than elaborate spells or weapon techniques 130 131
• Defeats a Foundation Establishment cultivator while still at Qi Refining Peak, earning a reputation as the strongest cultivator below Foundation Establishment 117 118
• Uses battle against stronger opponents as a whetstone, including Golden Core and Nascent Soul cultivators 297 460
• Can suppress a breakthrough mid-battle to prioritize a decisive strike, believing that victory for his blade comes before advancement in cultivation 300
• Reaches a state in which blade practice is as natural as breathing, allowing his will, body, and weapon to move as one 355
• Forms a metallic Nascent Soul wielding a great blade, reflecting the complete integration of his cultivation and blade Dao 602

Weapon Resonance and Forging

Chen’s relationship with his blade is instinctive rather than scholarly. He believes every blade can be perfect in the hands of a worthy wielder and disdains cultivators who blame their weapons for their own inadequacy 228.

• Achieves Foundation Establishment after sensing a subtle resonance between his body and saber in the Sharp Metal Land 227
• Can sense the motions and changes of his saber with exceptional precision once his spiritual power begins responding to it 227
• Previously uses ordinary iron broadswords rather than relying on spirit blades or powerful artifacts 131
• Refuses Venerable Yanshan’s Radiant Blade because it does not suit him, preferring to forge a blade personally matched to his fighting style 356
• Possesses a newly forged natal blade by the time he reaches Pingshui City 440
• Has begun learning artifact refining and iron forging at Artifact Refining Peak, though his brute-force methods frequently alarm Venerable Yanshan and Zheng Jin 356 357

Earth-Metal Dual Spiritual Roots

Chen’s Earth-Metal Dual Spiritual Roots are naturally harmonious, as Earth supports Metal. The combination is especially well suited to artifact refinement and weapon cultivation 24.

• Gives him strong potential in weapon-focused cultivation 24
• Leads Yonglu Mountain elders to consider Artifact Refining Peak as a possible placement before he instead joins Blade Peak 24 33
• Supports his rapid Qi Refining advancement through disciplined training 38 43
• Makes the Sharp Metal Land especially compatible with his cultivation and supports his Foundation Establishment breakthrough 227
• Eventually learns that accepting rather than avoiding the nature of his Spiritual Root is part of his path forward 229

Physical Strength and Endurance

Chen possesses an unusually strong body, developed through years of blade practice and a simple upbringing.

• Describes himself as capable of knocking down Wen Xu and Bian Chunchou with one punch 15
• Continues training his blade without stopping for extended periods 43
• Is warned by his master that excessive cultivation can be harmful, even after reaching the Ninth Layer of Qi Refining 43
• His friends jokingly compare his body to something harder than iron 43
• His body is exceptionally resilient because his adoptive mother used her blood essence to save and rebuild him as a child 654
• His body tempering is stronger than that of many dedicated body cultivators, allowing him to fight effectively even without relying on spiritual power 423 600
• Can endure severe injuries and continue fighting with undiminished aggression, using pain and danger to sharpen his concentration 131 299
• Is largely unaffected by Spirit Transformation pressure because he grew up under the far greater pressure of his adoptive mother 694

Heart-Questioning Realm Resistance

Chen breaks free from the Heart-Questioning Realm faster than Wen Xu and Bian Chunchou.

• Recognizes the illusion of his mother as impossible because she could not be present on Yonglu Mountain 23
• His simple, direct thinking prevents him from becoming trapped in the illusion for long 23
• Ordinary illusion techniques have limited effect on him, but emotional illusions involving his adoptive mother can exploit a profound vulnerability 448

Combat Perception and Teamwork

Although Chen is not naturally suited to planning, he has exceptional practical awareness in battle and learns to trust Wen Xu’s direction.

• Recognizes familiar people through their distinctive spiritual power even when they are disguised 197
• Detects abnormalities in an opponent’s spiritual power through direct exchanges of blows 545
• Acts as the primary attacker in the trio’s battles, while Wen Xu directs the overall strategy and Bian Chunchou fills openings with talismans 298
• Trusts Wen Xu’s judgment enough to follow tactical commands immediately during life-threatening situations 163 298
• Develops an interest in protecting companions and briefly considers cultivating a Way of Protection after repeated joint trials 272

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Saber — Chen’s primary weapon and the focus of his cultivation 15 33
• Ordinary iron broadswords — Chen historically favors plain, unenchanted blades and relies on his own ability rather than a weapon’s grade or embedded techniques 131 228
• Natal blade — A personally forged blade that Chen values deeply and considers more suitable than Venerable Yanshan’s Radiant Blade 356 440
• Heavenly Meteoric Iron — Precious forging material given through Wen Xu and his master’s connections, which Chen intends to use for a blade suited to himself 356
• Wind-Treasure Gourd — Seized from Li Zishen during the Mountain Examination; Wen Xu later lends it to Chen for use against the Red-Clad Vengeful Ghost 20 22
• Communication Talisman — Learns to use one after Bian Chunchou teaches him 43
• Conduct guide for cultivators — Receives a booklet from Wen Xu on handling uncertain situations outside the sect and resolves to memorize it 45
• Tiger Ghost Demon Vine branch — A piece of his adoptive mother’s true form that grants him free passage to and from her hidden residence 654

Relationships

• Wen Xu — Teammate and close friend. Chen initially regards Wen Xu as a weak burden, but later trusts his judgment in battle and accepts his guidance on cultivation and conduct 15 19 40 45. Chen considers Wen Xu nearly flawless, frequently spars with him, and trusts his intelligence even when he cannot understand Wen’s reasoning himself 195 222. He addresses Wen Xu as “Little Martial Granduncle” in public on Venerable Yanshan’s instruction 222 223.
• Bian Chunchou — Teammate and close friend. Bian frequently teases, feeds, cleans up after, and teaches Chen practical matters such as communication talismans; Chen accepts the help without resentment 26 43. Bian and Wen Xu are Chen’s first true friends, and their companionship gradually helps him become more expressive and socially aware 137 197.
• Venerable Yanshan — Master. Chen admires this Spirit Transformation cultivator and becomes his disciple after entering Yonglu Mountain 31 33. Yanshan’s teaching method relies heavily on provocation, forcing Chen to examine flaws in himself and his blade rather than simply practice harder 222 223.
• Chen Zui’s adoptive mother — A Tiger Ghost Demon Vine with cultivation once comparable to the Body Integration Realm. She saved Chen with her blood essence, raised him in Ghostmist Forest, and remains the person he admires most despite her harsh scolding and demanding standards 44 654. Chen considers her his true family and has no desire to seek his birth parents 654.
• Shu Menghua — An elder connected to Chen’s maternal side, whom he calls Aunt Meng. She knows his mother well, is familiar with his difficult temperament, and appears concerned for his growth 411 440. She may have arranged the Blissful Union Sect cultivator who exposed Chen’s emotional weakness on Cloud Platform 448 489.
• Zheng Jin — Artifact Refining Peak elder and occasional forging supervisor. Zheng Jin forcibly makes Chen forge iron with sealed spiritual power, though Chen treats him as an unwilling fellow laborer 357.
• Li Zishen — Mountain Examination opponent. Chen fights Li’s team directly, cuts down the hand holding the Wind-Treasure Gourd, and defeats him 18 20.
• Red-Clad Vengeful Ghost — Threat Chen chooses to confront alone after learning that its strength rises with every person it kills 21 22.
• Wu Fang — A sword cultivator whom Chen believes is better suited to the saber. Chen’s blunt insistence that Wu abandon his inherited sword path stems from his genuine belief in following one’s natural aptitude 283 333.
• Wang Li — A former Cloud Platform opponent and body cultivator whose strength Chen respects. Wang Li later witnesses Chen’s battle against Yang Lao and is inspired by Chen’s ability to surpass the limitations of his Spiritual Root 439 460.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Mountain Examination

Chen forms a three-person team with Wen Xu and Bian Chunchou after they risk elimination for lacking a third member. He acts as the group’s primary close-range fighter, though his attempts to overpower the artifact Calm the Storm initially worsen the Wind Blades threatening his teammates 15 17.

During the conflict with Li Zishen’s group, Chen refuses to retreat despite being outnumbered. He capitalizes on Wen Xu’s use of the folding fan to disarm Li Zishen and claim the Wind-Treasure Gourd 18 20. The trio subsequently divides its roles efficiently: Chen fights, Wen Xu provides ranged support, and Bian negotiates artifact trades 21.

Entrance and Master Selection

After passing the Heart-Questioning Realm with Wen Xu and Bian, Chen’s compatible Earth-Metal Dual Spiritual Roots are revealed. He becomes an inner disciple and joins Blade Peak under the Venerable he had hoped to follow 23 24 33.

Blade Path and Rapid Advancement

Chen initially cannot understand the principles in his cultivation method. Wen Xu’s advice leads him to abandon imitation and commit to cultivating as himself through his own blade path 40. His relentless practice brings him from the Seventh to the Ninth Layer of Qi Refining, though he must later temper his body and mentality rather than continue advancing recklessly 38 43 44.

Venerable Yanshan later challenges Chen’s belief that neither he nor his blade possesses flaws. Chen’s seven days of uninterrupted practice fail to immediately solve the problem, but begin a longer period of self-examination that leads him to seek the finest possible Foundation Establishment for the sake of his saber 223 225.

Sect Missions

Chen joins Wen Xu and Bian on missions around Langyuan City to gain practical experience. He favors combat-oriented tasks but gradually adopts Wen Xu’s cautious approach to uncertain situations, accepting that good intentions alone do not justify rushing into danger 44 45.

His growing trust in Wen Xu’s guidance is particularly important during later missions and secret-realm crises. Although Chen remains the group’s spearhead, he follows Wen’s directions and protects his companions while Bian provides talisman support 163 298.

Sect Grand Competition

Chen reaches Qi Refining Peak within his first year at Yonglu Mountain and becomes one of the competition’s strongest contestants. He defeats Li Anqu and a Foundation Establishment cultivator, then repeatedly challenges Foundation Establishment opponents despite the cultivation gap 91 117.

His relentless offense exhausts opponents far above his realm, and he ultimately defeats a Foundation Establishment cultivator in an official match. The achievement earns him the reputation of the “Great Devil King” below Foundation Establishment and grants him a direct advance into the finals 117 118.

Foundation Establishment

After recognizing that only an exceptional foundation is worthy of his blade, Chen stops forcibly searching for a breakthrough and instead immerses himself in saber practice 225. During three months of training in the Sharp Metal Land, his Earth-Metal Spiritual Roots resonate with the environment and his saber, allowing him to establish his Foundation naturally 227 229.

Chen believes that he may have achieved Perfect Foundation Establishment, but he remains far more interested in continuing to practice than in verifying or publicizing the achievement 229.

Golden Core and Prodigies Ranking

Chen’s Foundation Establishment advancement continues through constant blade practice rather than conventional secluded comprehension. At twenty-eight, he forms a Golden Core after instinctively gathering his dense spiritual power within his Dantian and charging directly into all three bolts of Core Formation Tribulation Lightning 355 356.

His Core Formation makes him likely the youngest Golden Core cultivator in the cultivation world and places him at one hundredth on the Prodigies Ranking. Chen is indifferent to the recognition and returns his attention to forging and blade practice 355 357.

Cloud Platform and Bright Moon Secret Realm

While traveling in Pingshui City, Chen competes on Cloud Platform and encounters opponents with exceptional body tempering and illusion techniques. A Blissful Union Sect cultivator defeats him by assuming the form of his mother, exposing his deep emotional attachment to her as a weakness 439 448.

In the Bright Moon Secret Realm, Chen battles Yang Lao, a Nascent Soul Middle Stage body cultivator, to hone his blade Dao. Though outmatched in cultivation, he displays combat power comparable to a Late Golden Core cultivator and uses the battle to advance his understanding of the saber 460.

Nascent Soul Tribulation

During a battle against a Spirit Transformation cultivator, Chen confronts Nascent Soul Tribulation Lightning while already severely injured. Rather than fear the tribulation, he focuses entirely on enduring it and unifying his will with his blade 601.

After successfully transcending the tribulation, Chen forms a metallic Nascent Soul in his own image, holding a great blade. He immediately joins Wen Xu and Bian Chunchou in fighting their shared enemy despite all three having only just advanced 602 605.

Return to Ghostmist Forest

Chen eventually leads Wen Xu, Bian Chunchou, and Zheng Jin through the dangers of Ghostmist Forest to visit his childhood home. The journey reveals the extraordinary dangers he survived as a Qi Refining cultivator and suggests that his mother may have secretly protected him during his childhood travels 628.

At the hidden residence, Chen learns more fully about his adoptive mother’s identity and the sacrifice she made to save him. Although she drives him away after their reunion, Chen remains determined to repay her care, beginning with finding spirit robes that suit her tastes better than his previous gifts 629 654.

Notable Quotes

“If I can bring you two along, obtain an artifact, and reach the endpoint, wouldn't that prove that I'm stronger than everyone else?”
— Chen Zui on joining Wen Xu and Bian Chunchou’s team 15

“Why should I become someone else? I'll only be myself. I only want to walk my own path of the blade.”
— Chen Zui 40

“We won.”
— Chen Zui after suppressing his breakthrough to secure victory against a Golden Core opponent 300

Trivia

• His name is explained as “Zui as in ‘the best.’” 15
• Although he is the youngest of Wen Xu, Bian Chunchou, and himself, his neglected appearance initially makes him seem far older 25 26.
• He does not understand how to use a communication talisman until Bian teaches him 43.
• He is so direct that he initially believes a cleansing art is an adequate substitute for bathing 26.
• He considers Wen Xu and Bian Chunchou his first true friends 137.
• He can identify close companions through their spiritual power even if they disguise themselves 197.
• His mother’s teachings include respecting other people’s unusual habits, speaking less to avoid mistakes, and helping weaker people responsibly 15 99 240.
• As a child, he once dug up valuable heaven-grade spirit plants to practice his blade, for which his mother severely beat him 629.