Ma San

Biodata

Power Progression

Background

Before joining the Blackwater Gang, Ma San worked as a broker. His familiarity with the county seat's Brokerage Office, servant contracts, and its protections for servants remains useful to Lu Shaolin's household management 48.

Ma San was assigned alongside Li Si as one of Lu Shaolin's two dock subordinates when Lu formally joined the Blackwater Gang as a junior leader. He subsequently followed Lu into the External Affairs Hall, accepting the greater danger of demon-hunting work because he had no family obligations tying him to the docks 13 27.

Although Ma San initially lacked the aptitude to reach the Skin Refinement Realm, Lu Shaolin supported his cultivation with Qi-Blood Pills, spirit wine, martial instruction, weapons, and an official position in the Demon Suppression Bureau. Through persistent training, Ma San eventually advanced from an ordinary gang subordinate to a capable Organ-Tempering martial artist and later reached the Martial King Realm with Lu's direct assistance 30 117 152 177 178 466.

During the years Lu Shaolin was believed dead, Ma San joined the Demon Suppression Guards' campaign in the Outer Regions to avenge him. He lost his left arm and right leg after being surrounded by Zombies, then left Prince Lin's Residence rather than burden Lu's household. Lu later found him living alone outside Pingshan County and restored his limbs with True Essence 425.

Personality

Ma San is taciturn, stern-faced, and blunt. He usually contributes only short, practical remarks, contrasting sharply with the more sociable and talkative Li Si 15 18.

Beneath this cold exterior, he is compassionate and protective. He immediately sought Lu Shaolin's permission to stop Ma the Second from taking Dong Linger as payment for debt, then personally forced the Little Knife Society enforcer to release her 22.

He is notably loyal and dutiful. Ma San follows Lu's assignments without complaint, volunteers for dangerous or inconvenient tasks, and remains behind to guard Lu's residence when the other subordinates leave 27 45 48.

Ma San's loyalty endures through increasingly dangerous assignments, severe injury, and years of separation. Even after losing an arm and a leg, he continued caring for Lu's former Red-Scaled Horse and immediately reaffirmed his desire to serve once Lu returned 425.

He is diligent in martial practice. After Lu taught him the Wind-Chasing Saber Art, Ma San practiced for entire afternoons without complaint; he later continued training under Dao Bailie's guidance 97 183.

Abilities & Skills

Combat and Guard Duty

Ma San carries a saber and initially had enough fighting ability to overpower Ma the Second, though he had not reached the Skin Refinement Realm. As his cultivation advanced, he became Lu Shaolin's personal Demon Suppression Guard and a more capable battlefield companion 22 30 152 178.

• Defeated and drove off Ma the Second while rescuing Dong Linger 22.
• Served on dock patrols, village watches, and Black Calamity operations under Lu Shaolin 15 29 32.
• Used his own blood to lure Walking Corpses into Lu Shaolin's attack range 33.
• Promptly reported rescue fireworks from a neighboring fishing village, enabling Lu to rescue the trapped patrol squad 30.
• Entered dangerous Black Calamity sites alongside Feng Tie, Tan Qing, Fei Bin, and Li Cai, including forcibly entering a locked village-head's residence on Lu's order 63.
• Fought Zombies in the Outer Regions during the Demon Suppression Guards' counteroffensive, sustaining the injuries that cost him an arm and a leg 425.
• Limitation: Before his later breakthroughs, lacked the strength to fight River Demons safely on his own 30.

Saber Arts and Martial Training

Ma San learned the Wind-Chasing Saber Art directly from Lu Shaolin and trained persistently thereafter. He later received instruction from the Innate Realm grandmaster Dao Bailie, who became a resident of Lu's household 90 97 179 183.

• Began learning the Wind-Chasing Saber Art after witnessing Lu's practice 90.
• Practiced the art diligently during Lu's Demon Suppression Bureau assessment and travels 97.
• Received Lu's Hundred-Forged Flame-Patterned Saber after Lu was issued a superior weapon 98.
• Later received Lu's former Thousand-Forged Flame-Patterned Saber after Lu acquired the Meteor Flamefall Saber 152.
• Continued saber training under Dao Bailie's instruction at Carefree Residence 183.
• Reached the Martial King Realm after Lu Shaolin directly elevated his cultivation 466.

Horsemanship and Hunting

Ma San is an experienced rider who taught Lu Shaolin how to mount, control, and ride a horse. He also participated in hunting trips and used a borrowed hunting bow while training with Lu 28 30.

• Rode a yellow-dappled horse after joining the External Affairs Hall 28.
• Helped Lu quickly learn to ride and gallop 28.
• Accompanied Lu on hunting expeditions, practiced archery, and returned with game he had personally hunted 30.
• Regularly prepared, maintained, and led Lu's horses throughout their travels 94 153 178.
• Continued carefully tending Lu's former Red-Scaled Horse while living in seclusion after his injuries 425.

Household Management and Logistics

Ma San is an efficient household attendant and practical organizer. His former brokerage experience, riding ability, and familiarity with Lu's preferences make him responsible for servants, transport, supplies, horses, weapon collection, and official errands 48 49 77 133.

• Explained that servants must consent to contracts.
• Described the Brokerage Office's regular inspections and servants' right to terminate contracts after verified abuse 48.
• Assisted Lu in selecting and contracting the twin maidservants Nian Chun and Nian Qiu 49.
• Procured gifts, food, wine, weapons, and supplies at Lu's direction 77 111 152 193.
• Commissioned and collected a metoric-iron-reinforced Purple-Gold Gourd for Lu's expedition to Thunderclap Mountain 158.
• Managed Carefree Residence's relocation, provisions, stable duties, and Fire-Pattern Steel deliveries 178.
• Became chief steward of Prince Lin's Residence, with Sun Ning serving as deputy chief steward 242.

Relationships

• Lu Shaolin — His boss, benefactor, and principal ally. Ma San has served under Lu since the dock assignment, followed him into the External Affairs Hall and Demon Suppression Bureau, and acts as a reliable guard, messenger, escort, horse handler, and practical adviser. Lu repeatedly supports Ma San's advancement with pills, weapons, martial instruction, official status, spirit wine, and eventually direct cultivation assistance 13 27 98 152 177 466.
• Li Si — Former fellow dock subordinate. The two bicker over their aptitude and differ sharply in temperament, but work effectively together under Lu 18 20. Li Si remained behind for his wife and children when Ma San chose to enter the External Affairs Hall 27.
• Dong Jia and Dong Linger — Ma San rescued Dong Linger from the Little Knife Society, escorted Dong Jia to retrieve their belongings, and later helped move both sisters into Lu's county-seat residence 22 23 48.
• Feng Tie — Fellow External Affairs Hall subordinate who serves alongside Ma San in Lu's squads and household 34 48.
• Li Cai — Fellow subordinate under Lu. Ma San helped bring him into the group and later assisted in relocating Lu's household 38 48.
• Dao Bailie — An Innate Realm grandmaster and Lu's disciple who became Ma San's saber instructor after moving into Carefree Residence. Ma San treats him with great respect 179 183.
• Sun Ning — Deputy chief steward of Prince Lin's Residence under Ma San after Lu Shaolin became King Lin 242.
• Lu Nianfu — Lu Shaolin's son, who affectionately calls Ma San “Grandpa Ma” after Ma San's return to Prince Lin's Residence 425.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Dock Patrols

Ma San begins as one of Lu Shaolin's two assigned dock subordinates. During these patrols, he establishes his reserved disposition and helps explain the docks' social environment, though Li Si handles most conversation 13 15.

When the Dong sisters are targeted by Ma the Second, Ma San acts as Lu's enforcer. With Lu's authorization, he beats down Ma the Second and secures Dong Linger's release 22.

Afterward, he brings the sisters to Lu, recommends taking them in as household workers, and escorts them to retrieve their belongings from the inn 23.

External Affairs Hall Transfer

Unlike Li Si, Ma San accepts Lu's offer to transfer into the External Affairs Hall. He receives a black External Affairs token and a horse, then accompanies Lu into the more dangerous work of guarding fishing villages from River Demons 27 29.

At the outpost, he shares watches, learns hunting and archery from Lu, and raises the alarm when another village requests aid. His report allows Lu to arrive in time to save four trapped guards from a powerful River Demon 30.

Rainstone Village Corpse Collection

During the Rainstone Village Black Calamity, Ma San becomes central to Lu's corpse-collection scheme. He lures Walking Corpses with blood, pushes carts through the village, and repeatedly transports bodies for Lu to inspect 33 34.

Although he is unsettled by Lu's fixation on touching corpses, he adapts by anticipating his boss's preferences; he obtains a reclining chair for Lu's temporary camp 33.

Household Guard

After Lu becomes External Affairs Hall Master and moves into a three-story county-seat loft, Ma San takes a side room by the gate and serves as the household's guard. He continues assisting Lu with practical matters, including moving the Dong sisters, visiting the Brokerage Office, and contacting Li Si 48 50.

He later learns the Demon Suppression Bureau's recruitment requirements for Lu, handles household errands, and helps Lu prepare for official visits and expeditions 73 77.

Demon Suppression Guard

After advancing to early Tendon Tempering, Ma San officially joins the Demon Suppression Bureau as Lu Shaolin's personal guard. Lu equips him with official uniforms, Qi-Blood Pills, and his former Thousand-Forged Flame-Patterned Saber 152.

Ma San accompanies Lu on official travel, escorts Wu Kaishan's mother to Diamond Temple, and manages horses, weapons, supplies, and camp duties during Lu's increasingly dangerous missions 153 178 185.

At Carefree Residence, he trains under Dao Bailie and rises to the Organ-Tempering Realm, becoming strong enough to accompany Lu to Radiant Province 178 183.

Injury, Separation, and Restoration

When Lu Shaolin was believed dead, Ma San joined the counteroffensive into the Outer Regions. He fought Zombies recklessly in an attempt to avenge Lu, lost his left arm and right leg, and later departed alone because he believed himself incapable of serving as anything but a burden 425.

Five years later, Lu personally finds Ma San in a cottage outside Pingshan County, where he is still caring for Lu's Red-Scaled Horse. Lu restores his limbs with True Essence and brings him back to Prince Lin's Residence, restoring both his physical ability and place within the household 425.

Prince Lin's Residence

Following Lu Shaolin's elevation as King Lin, Ma San becomes chief steward of Prince Lin's Residence, serving beside deputy chief steward Sun Ning 242.

He remains one of Lu's most trusted attendants during Lu's later journeys across worlds. After revealing that his real name is Ma Han, he is directly raised to the Martial King Realm by Lu Shaolin 466.

Trivia

• Ma San's former profession as a broker surprises Lu Shaolin, who jokes that his taciturn nature may explain why he eventually entered gang work 48.
• Li Si describes him as “cold on the outside but warm-hearted underneath” 22.
• Ma San's nickname became so habitual that even he had nearly forgotten his given name, Ma Han, until Lu Shaolin asked him directly 466.
• He was initially so frightened by Demon General E San's appearance that his hand went to the hilt of his saber, though he relaxed after Lu confirmed that E San was a friend 111.