Zhang Shaojiu

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Zhang Shaojiu (张少久)
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Zheng Family Martial Arts Hall; Shen Ao’s faction; New City Lord’s camp 7 68 77
Occupation/Role	Master Zheng’s sixth Direct Disciple; martial warrior with military merits under the New City Lord 70 77 78
Cultivation	Second-Rank Flesh Tempering; Iron Tendon-Flesh at Major Accomplishment, nearing Copper Sinew-Flesh 70 80
Aptitude	Superior bones 7
Status	Alive; injured by Zhou Chen in their latest documented confrontation 80
First Appearance	Chapter 7, “Divine Statue, Give Me More Points!” 7

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
First-Rank Skin Tempering	13	Becomes a First-Rank Martial Artist less than half a month after joining the hall, following a breakthrough in his Stake-Standing Exercise.
Wild Bull Fist — Minor Accomplishment	13 36	Chapter 13 credits him with reaching this stage within one month. Chapter 36 also describes a Minor Accomplishment breakthrough; no intervening reset is documented.
First-Rank Skin Tempering — Perfection	68	Has sufficient Blood Vitality to attempt the Second-Rank bottleneck. Credits Shen Ao’s support and the New City Lord’s medicinal rewards.
Second-Rank Flesh Tempering	70	Credits the City Lord’s Pure Profound Pill, which increases the chance of advancement by twenty percentage points.
Crimson Ring Art — demonstrated	79	Forms blood rings around his arms to amplify his strength against Lian Taoze.
Iron Tendon-Flesh — Major Accomplishment	80	His muscles display a blackish-gray sheen. He is nearing Copper Sinew-Flesh, but remains inferior to Zhou Chen in their direct clash.

Background / History

Zhang Shaojiu comes from a desperately poor family. He enters Zheng Family Martial Arts Hall wearing coarse hemp clothing, but his superior bones quickly attract Shen Ao, who sponsors him as a promising future ally. Despite his imposing build, Zhang initially walks slightly bent beside Shen Ao, staring at his shoes and afraid to meet his eyes 7.

Before joining the hall, Zhang had known a young man surnamed Chen since childhood. They entered training together and promised that whoever advanced faster would help the other. After Zhang’s talent brought him recognition and Shen Ao introduced him to the city’s pleasures, he became distant. When the Chen youth left the hall, Zhang offered only an indifferent glance 15.

Appearance

• Build: Exceptionally tall, broad, and brawny from his introduction 7.
• Early clothing: Coarse, tattered hemp garments that visibly contrast with the wealthy disciples’ brocade 7 13.
• Improved dress: Receives fine white silk clothing from Shen Ao as his reputation grows 13.
• Later bearing: Stands upright “like a green pine,” projecting an imposing pressure and accompanied by two attendants holding umbrellas 70.
• Combat features: Crimson rings encircle his arms when using Crimson Ring Art; tempered muscles develop a blackish-gray sheen 79 80.

Personality

Zhang’s early timidity gives way to pride as his cultivation advances. Praise from Master Zheng and wealthy disciples makes him feel superior to poorer students, although their expensive clothing also reminds him of his own poverty. Shen Ao’s gifts and encouragement help replace his awkwardness with confidence 7 13.

His confidence depends heavily on being recognized as exceptional. Zhou Chen’s rapid progress makes him jealous, and Shen Ao restores his composure by comparing Zhang to a bright moon and Zhou to an insignificant insect. Zhang accepts this reassurance and imagines himself as a dragon destined to rise above others 37.

Zhang increasingly treats status as grounds for domination. He publicly strikes a woman from his past, dismisses their former promises, and attempts to force Zhou into his service after recruitment fails. Master Zheng privately considers him impetuous and later judges his character too poor for important responsibilities 19 39 71 78.

Abilities & Skills

Wild Bull Fist

• Reaches Minor Accomplishment unusually quickly, earning comparisons with Zhao Tianhong’s early progress 13.
• Uses Blood Hoof Stomps the Ground against Lian Taoze 79.
• His fist intent is overwhelmed by Zhou Chen’s Perfection-stage Wild Bull Fist during their confrontation 80.

Crimson Ring Art

• A secret technique originating from one of Azure City’s great clans 79.
• Forms blood rings around the arms; each ring increases strength by 10–20% 79.
• Enables Zhang, whose flesh has not yet reached the copper stage, to overpower the poorly conditioned Lian Taoze 79.
• Can concentrate Blood Vitality into a powerful double-palm attack aimed at the opponent’s chin and neck 79.

Flesh Tempering and Combat Experience

• Coordinates muscular power throughout his body to deliver concentrated attacks after reaching the Second Rank 80.
• Gains practical combat experience through recent campaigns under the New City Lord 70 79.
• Attempts a neck-seizing attack targeting blood vessels and acupoints, but Zhou Chen knocks his arm aside 71.
• His cultivation and secret technique do not prevent Zhou from breaking through his defenses and injuring him 80.

Items & Cultivation Resources

• White silk clothing — Gift from Shen Ao, marking Zhang’s growing social standing 13.
• Pure Profound Pill — City Lord-provided medicine credited with assisting his Second-Rank breakthrough 70.
• Qi-Blood Soup — Granted free every day after his formal acceptance as a Direct Disciple 78.
• Deer-Blood Muscle-Strengthening Pills — Receives three monthly; they accelerate muscle and tendon tempering for Second-Rank Martial Artists 78.

Relationships

• Shen Ao — Patron and senior martial brother. Sponsors Zhang from enrollment, provides gifts and guidance, and uses his progress to recruit other disciples into the Shen Clan 7 13 68.
• Master Zheng — Master. Praises Zhang’s talent and accepts him as his sixth Direct Disciple, while remaining critical of his temperament 13 19 77 78.
• Zhou Chen — Fellow disciple turned rival. Zhang resents Zhou’s progress, tries to recruit him through rewards and intimidation, and is ultimately injured when Zhou intervenes for Lian Taoze 37 70 71 80.
• Lian Taoze — Eldest senior martial brother and factional opponent. Zhang challenges him for control of the hall’s taisui meat business and follows an injuring blow with a potentially lethal attack 79.
• New City Lord — Political patron whose praise, pills, and merit rewards accelerate Zhang’s rise 39 68 70.
• Unnamed childhood friend surnamed Chen — Former training companion. Zhang abandons their promise of mutual assistance after gaining recognition 15.
• Unnamed woman in a goose-yellow ruqun — Woman he once promised to return for after establishing himself. He publicly slaps and rejects her, claiming their statuses are now different 39.
• Sun Yingying — Attempts to approach him as a marriage prospect after his promotion. Zhang rejects her banquet invitation and bluntly states that he is not interested 78.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Political Rise

The New City Lord’s reported praise makes Zhang a useful intermediary for wealthy merchants seeking access to the new regime. Visitors bring gifts to him and Shen Ao, while Zhang discards the woman who knew him before his rise 39.

By First-Rank Perfection, Zhang serves as Shen Ao’s recruitment example, openly attributing his progress to sponsorship and generous medicinal rewards. He subsequently earns military merit several times, and Zhou hears that he may soon be appointed a centurion; the appointment itself is not confirmed 68 70.

Attempted Recruitment of Zhou Chen

After reaching the Second Rank, Zhang visits Zhou at night and offers a pill and opportunities to earn merit in exchange for loyalty. When Zhou refuses, Zhang attempts to seize him by the neck. Zhou blocks the move, and Zhang withdraws rather than openly challenge the Lian Household on its own territory 70 71.

Before leaving, Zhang warns that the Lian Household could be wiped out. Zhou reports the threat to the household and urges vigilance 71.

Direct Discipleship and Public Confrontation

Zhang formally becomes Master Zheng’s sixth Direct Disciple through a tea-offering ceremony. His promotion strengthens Shen Ao’s faction, which already outnumbers Lian Taoze’s followers 77 78.

He then targets Zhou for public humiliation before challenging Lian for the taisui meat business. Crimson Ring Art helps him overpower Lian and crack his shoulder bone, but Zhou intercepts the following double-palm strike 78 79 80.

Discovering that Zhou has also reached the Second Rank enrages Zhang. His stronger follow-up attack fails: Zhou’s counterpunch drives him back seven steps, leaves his right arm shaking, and makes him spit blood. Zhou remains standing without retreating 80.

Notable Quotes

“The past was the past. Childish words—how could you take them seriously? Do not come again.” 39

“Otherwise, if the Lian Household suddenly gets wiped out one day, you'll inevitably suffer along with them.” 71

“If you lose, how about handing the taisui meat business over to me?” 79