Scholar

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Scholar (书生); his original name has been lost 23
Alias(es)	White Robe; the White-Clad Sword Cultivator; formerly hailed as Great Xia’s foremost sword cultivator 21 52
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Mocking Heaven Sect — Second Elder 150
Occupation / Role	Sword cultivator, flying-sword transport specialist, Chen Qiu’s retainer and battlefield partner 23 69
Status	Active; continues carrying out Chen Qiu’s arrangements with his younger brother 312
First Appearance	Chapter 20 20

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Heavenly Dao Perfect Foundation Establishment	21	Reached this foundation at age fifteen after beginning cultivation at thirteen.
Golden Core Realm	21	Entered Golden Core at age twenty-four, after obtaining sword-compatible Traits and cultivation arts through secret realms.
Foundation Establishment Third Layer	21	Fell from Golden Core after being defeated by three Late Golden Core cultivators and afflicted with Bone-Eroding Poison.
Foundation Establishment Third Layer, sword intent restored	120	A Heavenly Dao Detoxification Pill cleansed impurities in his Dao Foundation, allowing him to display the Azure Lotus Sword Formation.
Golden Core First Layer; Human-Sword Unity	150	Endured Ji Taiping’s sword intent, comprehended and replicated it, then entered Human-Sword Unity and killed him.
Near Nascent Soul	208	Left to seek personal opportunities, stating that he was only one step from the Nascent Soul Realm.

Background / History

Rise and fall as White Robe

Scholar began cultivating at thirteen, formed a Heavenly Dao Perfect Foundation Establishment at fifteen, and entered the Golden Core Realm at twenty-four. His Traits, cultivation arts, and secret-realm opportunities were exceptionally suited to sword cultivation, establishing his reputation as Great Xia’s foremost sword cultivator. 21

His confidence and former freedom as a sword cultivator brought him many enemies. Three Late Golden Core cultivators eventually defeated and nearly killed him; his cultivation collapsed to the Foundation Establishment Third Layer, and Bone-Eroding Poison ravaged his body and legs. He hid in Windward City with his younger brother, refusing to seek former friends because of both the bounty on him and his pride. 21 22

Scholar sought a patron capable of obtaining a Heavenly Dao Treasure Jade worth three thousand Spirit Stones, which could suppress the poison and extend his life. He concealed the true urgency of this requirement from his younger brother so that the latter would not recklessly try to earn the money. 21 22

Service under Chen Qiu

Scholar first worked with his younger brother as a paid transport provider near Heaven-Question Market. Chen Qiu offered three thousand Spirit Stones upfront, five hundred Spirit Stones per month, and yearly raises; Scholar accepted despite doubting that Chen Qiu could pay, formally pledging himself to him. 20 23

Chen Qiu later provided Scholar and his brother with supplies, Voice-Transmission Rings, and Spirit Stones. Scholar returned most of the money and accepted only one hundred Spirit Stones per month, viewing excessive payment as incompatible with his dignity and responsibilities. 31

The Heavenly Dao Treasure Jade suppressed most of Scholar’s poison, but his legs had been irreparably damaged. He replaced his bones with the Sword Bone kept by Mocking Heaven Sect, recovered the ability to walk, and gradually rebuilt his cultivation. 112 116

Sword cultivator inheritance and Human-Sword Unity

The Sword Bone unsealed Scholar’s memories of the Imperial Preceptor’s interference in his past. According to Scholar, the Imperial Preceptor implanted a Heart Gu in him, manufactured encounters with Ji Renjian, and sacrificed pawns to create karmic ties intended to make the pair Dao companions and forge an unparalleled sword cultivator. Scholar ultimately rejected that path because it violated his Sword Dao. 104

After repeated failures and severe injuries, Scholar cleared the Sword Cultivator Inheritance and obtained a complete Nascent Soul Body for Chen Qiu’s Golden Core formation. 121

Scholar later confronted Ji Taiping, his long-standing rival. Though initially four minor realms below Ji Taiping, he endured the latter’s attacks, used the sword intent left in his wounds to comprehend Ji Taiping’s path, entered Human-Sword Unity, and killed him with a single slash. 150

Appearance

Scholar is a young man who typically dresses in coarse linen robes and sits cross-legged. During his years under Bone-Eroding Poison, his legs were too damaged for him to stand normally, forcing his younger brother to carry or assist him. 20 21

• Formerly associated with white robes as the White-Clad Sword Cultivator. 21 52
• Carries his flying sword, Three-Foot Azure Edge, concealed in his sleeve. 21 120
• Regained the ability to walk after replacing his damaged bones with the Sword Bone. 112 116
• Later wears a reddish-brown robe denoting his position as a Mocking Heaven Sect elder. 150

Personality

Scholar is proud, restrained, and deeply attached to the ideals of sword cultivation. Even while dying from poison, he would rather hide in poverty than let former acquaintances see him reduced to a cripple. 22

His pride does not override his principles. He refused to exploit Ji Renjian’s Heavenly Dao Beauty effect to force his way into Human-Sword Unity, believing that doing so would make him no different from Ji Taiping. 108

He is also knowledgeable, cautious, and more pragmatic than his former reputation suggests. He frequently explains cultivation matters to Chen Qiu’s group, advocates retreat against overwhelming enemies, and gradually comes to value companionship after years as an arrogant lone sword cultivator. 25 39 120

After serving Chen Qiu, Scholar becomes less rigid about “staying outside worldly affairs,” arguing that genuine detachment requires first experiencing worldly desires rather than merely avoiding them. 124

Abilities & Skills

Sword Cultivation

Scholar’s Sword Dao is his defining strength. Even after his fall from Golden Core, his experience, sword intent, and combat instincts remained formidable. 76

• Entered the realm of Human-Sword Unity during his battle with Ji Taiping. 150
• Can analyze, comprehend, and imitate an opponent’s sword intent through combat. 150
• Pursues a Sword Dao centered on resisting injustice and remaining true to his original heart. 104 108
• Was once capable of challenging powerful opponents far above his apparent cultivation. 21 76
• His spiritual-energy reserves remained abnormally limited during recovery, requiring Qi-Replenishing Pills for sustained combat. 115

Three-Foot Azure Edge

Scholar’s life-bound flying sword is the Three-Foot Azure Edge, a weapon spiritually connected to him. Though it declined from a Golden Core treasure to a Foundation Establishment treasure after his fall, it remained exceptionally fast and precise. 76

• Launches at extreme speed with the command “Knock.” 20 120
• Can pursue and pierce a fleeing Golden Core after its owner’s physical body has been destroyed. 76
• Forms the Azure Lotus Sword Formation, creating hundreds of sword lights carrying Scholar’s sword intent. 120
• Was damaged during battle but remained usable because it had not shattered completely. 117
• Gains increased damage based on its speed through the Sword Flies Like Time Trait given by Chen Qiu. 160

Spatial Mobility

Scholar’s mobility relies on the combination of his flying sword and his bloodline connection with his younger brother. Their methods make them among the fastest travelers in Great Xia. 20 141

• Sends Azure Edge to a destination, then uses it as the basis for rapid relocation. 20
• Can traverse roughly twenty li in three breaths. 20
• Uses his speed to carry Chen Qiu across battlefields for mobile lightning bombardment. 69 70
• Can return instantly to his younger brother through their Bloodline Trait, making the pair exceptionally difficult to trap. 117
• Requires spiritually rich environments to sustain high-output sword flight for extended periods. 70

Battlefield Support

Scholar is an experienced scout, guide, and tactical partner rather than merely a duelist.

• Identifies rare treasures, Traits, secret realms, cultivation bottlenecks, and enemy dangers. 25 38 39
• Scouts and lures demonic beasts with Demon-Attracting Incense while Chen Qiu handles mass extermination. 40
• Provides high-speed aerial mobility that complements Chen Qiu’s spellcasting. 69 70
• Helped disable the Nascent Soul sword cultivator puppet by piercing the restriction around its core with Sword Intent. 151

Equipment / Items

• Three-Foot Azure Edge — Scholar’s life-bound flying sword and primary weapon. 21 76
• Sword Bone — A Mocking Heaven Sect treasure used to replace his ruined bones; its sword intent also released sealed memories. 104 112
• White-Clad Sword Cultivator — A treasured picture book recording the deeds of his former identity. 22
• Mocking Heaven Sect Elder Token — An elder’s token that Chen Qiu states may offer protection in dire situations. 208

Relationships

• Chen Qiu — Master, benefactor, and closest ally. Chen Qiu recruited Scholar, paid for the Heavenly Dao Treasure Jade, helped restore his body, and relied on his swordsmanship in major battles. 23 112 150
• Scholar’s younger brother — Blood-related younger brother and constant companion. Their Bloodline Trait enables instantaneous reunions and emergency escapes; the brother’s name was never bestowed. 12 117 312
• Fat Dragon — Companion and frequent source of teasing. Fat Dragon repeatedly challenges Scholar’s claims about Myriad Demon Child and presses him about his past. 74 83
• Ji Renjian — A Heavenly Dao Beauty whose connection to Scholar was engineered by the Imperial Preceptor. Her death transferred her Heavenly Dao Beauty’s sword-intent benefit to Scholar. 104 150
• Ji Taiping — Rival sword cultivator. Scholar surpassed him by reaching Human-Sword Unity and killed him at Green Peak. 150
• Imperial Preceptor — The suspected architect of Scholar’s former life. Scholar believes he implanted the Heart Gu, engineered his connection to Ji Renjian, and intended to use him to break Great Xia’s cage. 104

Notable Quotes

“The world is vast; anywhere can be reached in three breaths.” 20

“With a mental state as poor as yours, I truly do not understand how you cultivated to the realm of Human-Sword Unity.” 150

Trivia

• Scholar’s younger brother is not mute; he avoids speaking because his words are followed by misfortune with disturbingly high probability. 312
• Scholar’s younger brother was born a Nameless Person, meaning he can never possess a name or appear on a Heavenly Dao Edict. 312
• Scholar once killed Myriad Demon Child three times and even dissected one corpse, but could not understand how the demonic cultivator repeatedly returned. 74