Zhen Yuanzi

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Zhen Yuanzi (镇元子)
Alias(es)	Ancestor of Earth Immortals 25
Gender	Male
Occupation/Role	Earth Dao cultivator; master of Five Villages Temple and protector of Longevity Mountain
Residence	Five Villages Temple, Longevity Mountain
Cultivation	Perfected Great Principle Golden Immortal; later commits to pursuing Law-Proving Dao rather than the Three Corpses Severing Method 26 29
First Appearance	Chapter 10 (mentioned) 10

Background / History

Zhen Yuanzi attended Hongjun’s first sermon at Zixiao Palace, remaining among the few cultivators able to persist in comprehending the Dao until its conclusion. He was seated with his close friend Hong Yun after Hong Yun surrendered his meditation cushion to Zhunti. Zhen Yuanzi understood Hong Yun’s generous nature but privately regretted the loss of such an important opportunity. 12 13

He resides at Longevity Mountain, a serene immortal mountain on the boundary between the eastern and western regions of the Primordial Land. Its earth veins, abundant spiritual energy, and profound Wu Earth aura reflect his cultivation of the Earth Dao. 25

When Dao Xuan arrived at Five Villages Temple seeking a branch of the Ginseng Fruit Tree, Zhen Yuanzi welcomed him as an honored guest. He offered ten Ginseng Fruits, accepted Dao Xuan’s embryonic gourd in exchange, and honored his promise to provide a branch despite recognizing the cost to his companion spiritual root. Dao Xuan then restored the tree’s wound with ten drops of Three Lights Divine Water. 25 26

Zhen Yuanzi and Dao Xuan spent ten thousand years discussing their respective Daos beneath the Ginseng Fruit Tree. Their exchange deepened Zhen Yuanzi’s foundations until he was ready to sever a corpse and enter the Quasi-Saint realm. 27

Dao Xuan warned him that successful Three Corpses Reunification required powerful treasures of shared origin. Zhen Yuanzi realized that his Ginseng Fruit Tree was the only suitable vessel for his self-obsession, but refused to sacrifice the spiritual root that had accompanied him since birth. He abandoned the Three Corpses Severing path and chose the far more difficult Law-Proving Dao instead. 28 29

Appearance

Zhen Yuanzi has a youthful, childlike face despite his long beard and venerable bearing. He dresses as a Daoist and carries a fly whisk. 25

• Hair tied in a Daoist topknot.
• Broad robes with wide sleeves.
• Long beard that hangs beneath his chin.
• Usually holds a fly whisk in one hand. 25

Personality

Zhen Yuanzi is modest and deliberately low-profile. Dao Xuan’s grand couplet at the gate of Five Villages Temple embarrassed him because he disliked attracting attention or competing for reputation. Even so, he graciously accepted Dao Xuan’s apology and welcomed him inside. 25

He is sincere, hospitable, and bound by his word. Though he regretted promising to fulfill Dao Xuan’s request before learning it involved the Ginseng Fruit Tree, he still immediately cut off a branch as agreed. 26

His strongest attachment is to the Ginseng Fruit Tree. Rather than refine his lifelong companion into a treasure for severing his self-obsession, he chose to abandon an established route to enlightenment and undertake Law-Proving Dao. 28 29

Abilities & Skills

Earth Dao

Zhen Yuanzi cultivates an Earth Dao of stability, endurance, and support. He views earth as the foundation that bears all living beings, all laws, and even the Heavenly Dao itself. 27

• Emphasizes stillness, tolerance, and the ability to contain all things.
• Contrasts with Dao Xuan’s transformative Four Symbols Dao: Zhen Yuanzi’s earth provides the stable foundation upon which creation and change can endure.
• His cultivation is closely tied to Innate Wutu Essence and the earth veins of the Primordial World. 25 27

Wutu Divine Thunder

Zhen Yuanzi possesses the Wutu Divine Thunder, a renowned lightning technique counted among the notable divine thunders of the Primordial World. 10

• Associated with his Wu Earth cultivation.
• Ranked below Hongjun’s Zixiao Divine Thunder and the Three Pure Ones’ divine thunders in the stated comparison. 10

Earth Book

The Earth Book is Zhen Yuanzi’s companion treasure and a supreme artifact of the Earth Dao. It is one of the Three Books of Heaven, Earth, and Man. 27

• Contains profound Earth Dao rhythms and circulating Innate Wutu Essence.
• Serves as the core of Longevity Mountain’s Innate Wu Earth Formation.
• Links the formation to the earth veins of the Primordial World, making an attack on the mountain potentially disastrous to those veins. 25 27

Law-Proving Dao

After rejecting the Three Corpses Severing Method, Zhen Yuanzi chooses Law-Proving Dao, also called Dao-Proving Through Strength. 29

• Seeks Hunyuan attainment through complete comprehension of a Great Dao law.
• Can be pursued by integrating laws into the physical body or Primordial Spirit.
• Zhen Yuanzi accepts the path despite its extreme difficulty and the failures of several ancient predecessors. 29

Equipment / Spiritual Roots

• Earth Book — Companion treasure and core of the Innate Wu Earth Formation. 25 27
• Ginseng Fruit Tree — His companion spiritual root and one of the Primordial World’s ten great spiritual roots; it produces Ginseng Fruits and was central to his decision to reject Three Corpses Severing. 25 28
• Ginseng Fruits / Grass-Restoring Elixirs — Bloom once every three thousand years, bear fruit after another three thousand years, and mature after a further three thousand years; smelling one grants 360 years of longevity, while eating one grants 48,000 years. 25
• Fly Whisk — A mid-grade Innate Spiritual Treasure Zhen Yuanzi had originally considered using for corpse severing. 25 28
• Embryonic Gourd — Gifted by Dao Xuan; it can be refined with Innate Wutu Essence into an earth-element treasure. 26 28

Relationships

• Dao Xuan — Fellow Daoist and potential companion on the Great Dao. Dao Xuan exchanged an embryonic gourd for a Ginseng Fruit Tree branch, healed the tree afterward, discussed the Dao with Zhen Yuanzi for ten thousand years, and guided him toward Law-Proving Dao. 25 26 27 28 29
• Hong Yun — Close friend. Hong Yun gave his Zixiao Palace meditation cushion to Zhunti, then sat beside Zhen Yuanzi; Zhen Yuanzi understood his kindness but worried over the opportunity he had lost. 12
• Hongjun — Teacher at Zixiao Palace. Zhen Yuanzi was among the cultivators who endured Hongjun’s first sermon until the end. 13
• Ginseng Fruit Tree — Companion spiritual root that has remained with Zhen Yuanzi since his birth. He refuses to sacrifice it even when it is revealed to be the ideal treasure for his self-obsession. 28

Story Role / Major Arcs

Zixiao Palace Sermons

Zhen Yuanzi attends Hongjun’s first sermon and remains in enlightenment until its conclusion, establishing him among the Primordial World’s more capable great powers. His friendship with Hong Yun is highlighted during the dispute over the meditation cushions. 12 13

Dao Xuan’s Visit to Longevity Mountain

Dao Xuan approaches Zhen Yuanzi for a Ginseng Fruit Tree branch to cultivate within his Inner World. Their exchange of treasures, Dao Xuan’s healing of the tree, and their shared Ginseng Fruits establish mutual respect. 25 26

Choosing Law-Proving Dao

Following their ten-thousand-year Dao discussion, Zhen Yuanzi nearly pursues the Three Corpses Severing Method. He refuses when its completion would require sacrificing the Ginseng Fruit Tree, then resolves to cultivate the Earth Dao through Law-Proving Dao instead. 27 28 29

Notable Quotes

“Do I have any other choice?” 29

“But I will not walk the path of Three Corpses Severing!” 28