Old Zheng

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Old Zheng (郑老头)
Alias(es)	Master Zheng; Elder Zheng 3 18
Gender	Male 3
Affiliation	Zheng Family Martial Arts Hall 3 4
Occupation/Role	Master of the Zheng Family Martial Arts Hall; martial-arts instructor 3 13 14
Status	Active 18
First Appearance	Chapter 3

Background / History

Old Zheng is the master Zhou Tian recommends to Zhou Chen because he considers Zheng’s character the best among the Outer City’s three major martial-arts halls. Zhou Tian entrusts Zhou with a lump of flesh taken from a Mist Monster battle, believing Zheng will assess it fairly rather than cheat him. 2

When Zhou first meets him, Zheng is lounging in a luxurious hall in a black silk robe, reading a frivolous novel while a maid feeds him grapes. He initially treats Zhou’s attempted enrollment as routine business, telling him to pay, register, receive a token, and return for a bone assessment. 3

Zheng immediately recognizes Zhou’s offering as supreme-grade Black Taisui, a treasure worth more than a thousand gold even in the Inner City. Although it could have been taken as payment, Zheng instead offers Zhou an opportunity equivalent to Direct Disciple treatment for three months. Zhou must become a Martial Warrior within that period to earn recognition; otherwise, Zheng permits him to remain at the hall as a steward. 4

After Zhou leaves, Zheng feeds the Black Taisui to Yingying, a mysterious woman residing inside his ice furnace. He tells her that the treasure will let her live comfortably for several more years. 4

Zheng later observes Zhou’s early training and concludes that Zhou’s lower-middle-grade bone aptitude and ordinary comprehension make success within three months impossible. Despite this assessment, he allows Zhou to continue under the agreed terms. 6

He enforces the hall’s three-month deadline, expelling a poor disciple surnamed Chen after the youth fails to break through to the First-Rank Skin Tempering Realm. 15

Appearance

Old Zheng is an elderly man whose indulgent presentation sharply contrasts with his martial authority. 3 4

• Wears a black silk robe. 3
• Has a goatee and aged eyes. 3 4
• Often lounges rather than maintaining a formal master’s bearing. 3
• Is frequently attended by maidservants who feed him grapes or pastries. 3 13

Personality

Old Zheng presents himself as lecherous, lazy, and vulgar, openly flirting with maidservants and prioritizing novels, snacks, and comfort. 3 13 He is also prone to crude insults when teaching, particularly toward disciples who misunderstand the purpose of hidden weapons. 14

Beneath this exterior, Zheng is perceptive and pragmatic. He evaluates disciples’ aptitude and comprehension closely, refuses to exploit Zhou over the Black Taisui, and provides Zhou a meaningful chance despite judging his talent poor. 4 6 His combat teaching rejects honor-driven posturing in favor of concealment, surprise, decisive force, and survival. 13 14

Abilities & Skills

Third-Rank Martial Arts

Old Zheng is a Third-Rank Martial Artist and the only known member of his hall to have reached the Force Realm of Wild Bull Fist. 5

• His martial standing is high enough that the masters of the other two Outer City martial-arts halls treat him politely. 5
• He possesses the Wild Bull Fist secret technique Wild Bull Force, which can kill an opponent from roughly a meter away. 5
• Lian Taoze states that even a high-grade Mist Monster would force Zheng to flee, illustrating the danger posed by threats beyond his rank. 12

Physical Techniques

Zheng demonstrates overwhelming speed and control when examining Zhou Chen’s Black Taisui. 4

• He crosses the hall so quickly that Zhou cannot perceive when he moved or took the wooden box. 4
• A press on Zhou’s shoulder blade leaves Zhou numb and unable to move. 4
• He can assess bone aptitude by examining the shoulder blade, neck, and wrist. 4

Combat Instruction

Zheng teaches that combat begins with how one conducts oneself rather than with fighting alone. 13

• Advocates appearing ordinary so opponents underestimate and fail to prepare for the practitioner. 14
• Emphasizes that hidden weapons must remain genuinely concealed; public practice reveals a fighter’s methods and weakens their usefulness. 14
• Favors striking from the shadows and acting decisively once an opening appears. 14

Equipment / Items

• Ice furnace — A bronze furnace within Zheng’s hall that houses Yingying. 4
• Black Taisui — A supreme-grade treasure Zheng receives from Zhou Chen, then feeds to Yingying. 4

Relationships

• Zhou Chen — Master and provisional disciple. Zheng grants Zhou three months of Direct Disciple-equivalent treatment after receiving the Black Taisui, though he initially expects Zhou to fail and become an odd-job worker. 4 6
• Yingying — A mysterious woman inside Zheng’s ice furnace who calls him “Father.” Zheng is openly affectionate and protective toward her, feeding her the Black Taisui to sustain her. 4
• Lian Taoze — His eldest young disciple, who assists Zheng in managing and instructing junior disciples. 4 13
• Ma Ge — The martial hall gatekeeper who introduces Zhou to Zheng and fears provoking the master during Zhou’s enrollment attempt. 3 4
• Registered disciples — Zheng teaches them practical combat principles and strictly enforces their three-month deadline to reach the First Rank. 13 15

Notable Quotes

“The first point of actual combat is not fighting. It is the way of being human.” 13

“Hidden weapons, hidden weapons—the key lies in the word ‘hidden’!” 14