Zhao Chen

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Zhao Chen (赵辰)
Alias(es)	Nine-leaf Sword Grass; Thunder Emperor; Thunder Emperor King
Species/Race	Transmigrated human consciousness inhabiting a Nine-leaf Sword Grass, a divine herb and one of the Ten Fiends 1 118
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Master of Thunder Palace; master and successor of the Ancient Thunder Palace 95 160
Occupation/Role	Cultivator, Thunder Emperor, ruler of Tianluo Continent 184
Status	Active 201
First Appearance	Chapter 1

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Late Spirit Movement Stage	1	Reached after a year of absorbing the essence of the sun and moon while rooted in the Spirit Road; lacked the Nine-leaf Sword Grass inheritance.
Spirit Wheel Stage	2	Advanced by absorbing the blood and spiritual energy of Luo Li’s slain pursuers.
Mid-stage Fusion Heavenly Realm	9	Received Spirit Road spiritual-energy empowerment despite not being a human trial-taker; advanced from the Divine Soul Stage past the initial Fusion Heavenly Realm threshold.
Middle Heaven-reaching Realm	31	Absorbed the Black God Lightning Tribulation through an earth-dragon formation while protecting Jiuyou.
Third-grade Sovereign Realm	38	Survived and dispersed a major heavenly tribulation, though he was disappointed not to reach Ninth-grade Sovereign.
Eighth-grade Supreme Realm	70	Reached the eighth Supreme grade before resolving to pursue the Earthly Sovereign Realm more seriously.
Earthly Sovereign Realm	79	Refined the Thousand-Dragon Lightning Tribulation and emerged from the Tai Chi Two-Yi Formation as an Earthly Sovereign; also achieved human transformation.
Upper Earthly Sovereign Realm	101	Broke through during a tribulation that also purified corruption in the Fallen Battlefield.
Quasi-@@REF_ENTITY_17122626@@ Realm	134	Received the Ancient Heavenly Emperor’s remaining pure immortal spiritual energy; the Emperor could not raise him to the full Heavenly Sovereign Realm.
Heavenly Sovereign Realm	151	Fully entered the Heavenly Sovereign Realm and began directing Thunder Palace’s continent-wide expansion.
Late Spirit Grade Heavenly Sovereign	166	Instantly refined the Primordial Savage Beast’s essence-blood inheritance and advanced from middle to late Spirit Grade.
Immortal Grade Heavenly Sovereign	176	Confirmed his breakthrough after defeating the Thunder Heavenly Demon Emperor and gaining the Thunder Spirit Clan’s allegiance.

Background

Zhao Chen was a transmigrator who awakened in the Great Thousand World as a silver Nine-leaf Sword Grass. His sign-in system had granted him this form, but not its complete inheritance, leaving him rooted and comparatively weak in the Spirit Road for a year. The sword intent from his nine leaves made nearby spirit beasts fear him, allowing him to survive despite his immobility. 1

His circumstances changed when he encountered the injured Luo Li. Zhao Chen intervened against her Spirit Wheel Stage pursuers with a sword-leaf attack, then absorbed the slain cultivators’ energy to advance. Luo Li recognized his intelligence and potential, transplanted him onto the Luo God Sword, and offered to take him into the wider world. 2

At the Champion’s Platform, Zhao Chen completed ten cumulative sign-ins and obtained the Grass-Character Sword Art. He empowered Luo Li’s decisive strike against the other King-Sealing prodigies, enabling her to claim the Spirit Crown. 8

After leaving the Spirit Road, Zhao Chen pursued the True Phoenix Art at Black Eerie Abyss and developed an unconventional cultivation method by refining poisonous miasma. He later joined Luo Li at Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy, where he reunited with Jiuyou after helping preserve the Nine Netherbird’s life in egg form. 10 15

Zhao Chen’s rise accelerated through lightning inheritances. He survived and consumed heavenly tribulations, subdued Netherworld Heart Demon Lightning, reconstructed the Supreme Heart Demon Scripture, and claimed the Thunder Emperor Token—the key to the Ancient Thunder Palace. 38 69 70

He subdued the Hundred Battles Domain, obtained the Thunder Emperor Armor, defeated Liu Tiandao, and used another tribulation to reach the Earthly Sovereign Realm and assume human form. His forces subsequently expanded into Thunder Palace, which became the dominant power of the Northern Border and later Tianluo Continent. 74 79 86 184

Appearance

Zhao Chen’s original body is a conspicuous silver blade of grass with nine leaves shaped like narrow swords. He later develops poisonous coloration, lightning traits, golden dragon patterns, and eventually a handsome human form. 1 10 63 79

• Nine sword leaves — Silver leaves resembling sleeve swords; their innate sword intent frightens spirit beasts. 1
• Poison refinement — Refining Black Eerie Abyss miasma stained his silver body green and imbued his attacks with poisonous properties. 10
• Lightning and dragon markings — Later bears Black God Lightning and nine five-clawed golden dragon patterns from the Great Luo Golden Body. 63
• Human form — First achieved after his Earthly Sovereign tribulation; Jiuyou describes him as handsome. 79

Personality

Zhao Chen is pragmatic, ambitious, and unusually willing to turn lethal dangers into cultivation opportunities. He treats poison, tribulations, forbidden inheritances, and hostile factions as resources to exploit rather than threats to avoid. 10 31 69

He is fiercely confident in his potential, sometimes reckless, but his confidence is backed by careful preparation through formations, sign-in rewards, and political maneuvering. He prefers forcing enemies into submission when their people and resources can still be useful, rather than destroying them indiscriminately. 31 72 182

Despite his ambition, Zhao Chen consistently supports his companions’ advancement. He postponed his own immediate gains to secure Luo Li’s Spirit Road championship, gave away valuable Tribulation Fluid, and refused to weaken Jiuyou’s bloodline merely to gain her Undying Fire. 5 38 74

Abilities & Skills

Nine-leaf Sword Grass Physiology

As a Nine-leaf Sword Grass, Zhao Chen possesses exceptional affinity with natural and destructive energies. His plant body can refine materials that would normally be lethal to cultivators.

• Refines toxic miasma into cultivation and poisonous attack properties. 10
• Absorbs Black God Lightning and other tribulation energies as nourishment. 31 175
• Can reveal a gigantic true sword-grass form in battle. 79
• His former plant body was initially rooted and immobile; he did not attain human form until reaching the Earthly Sovereign Realm. 1 79

Grass-Character Sword Art

The Nine-leaf Sword Grass’s inherited art is one of the three primordial sword arts and one of the Ten Fiends’ precious arts. Its ultimate potential includes severing spacetime and annihilating seas of stars. 1 8

• Manifested a sword leaf capable of attacking within the Spirit Road’s normal restrictions on spiritual arts. 2
• Allows Zhao Chen to fight opponents at or above his cultivation level after receiving its inheritance. 8
• Can condense immense quantities of sword qi into gigantic golden swords capable of instantly killing Upper Earthly Sovereigns. 110
• Zhao Chen’s sword mastery let him reverse Elder Hidden Sword’s own sword energies against him. 72

Thunder Emperor Art and Lightning Control

Zhao Chen acquired the Thunder Emperor Art at the Dragon Demon Palace headquarters and developed it into the foundation of his thunder-based authority. 38

• Suppresses and subdues intelligent lightning, including Netherworld Heart Demon Lightning. 69
• Controls the nine Divine Thunder origins of the Ancient Thunder Palace through the Thunder-Taming Method. 174
• Devours tribulation-like demonic lightning rather than defending against it. 175
• His Netherworld Heart Demon Lightning Spirit evolved into a True Dragon-level lightning spirit after consuming the Thunder Heavenly Demon Emperor’s origin. 175

Supreme Heart Demon Scripture

The Supreme Heart Demon Scripture is one of the Great Thousand World’s thirty-six peerless divine abilities, inherited from the Heart Demon Thunder Emperor. 70

• Cultivated the Lesser Heart-Demon State by forming a Heart-Demon Seed within his heart. 70
• Can plant Heart-Demon Seeds in subordinates to secure absolute obedience. 70 72
• The Heart Demon State can remove hesitation and turn its user into an emotionless battle machine with greatly increased combat strength. 69

Formations and Alchemy

Zhao Chen is a formation grandmaster and accomplished alchemist in addition to being a combat cultivator. 87

• Constructed an earth-dragon formation that redirected Black God Lightning into himself. 31
• Used the Tai Chi Two-Yi Formation to imprison and refine an entire tribulation cloud. 79
• Improved Dragon-Phoenix Heaven’s spatial formation, allowing Earthly Sovereigns to enter safely. 87
• Refines rare pills capable of healing injuries, evolving bloodlines, and advancing cultivation. 87 160

Dragon-Phoenix Inheritances

Zhao Chen refined True Dragon and True Feng resources to form the Dragon-Phoenix Body, then received the Dragon-Phoenix Canon—the inheritance of the Sacred Beast Dragon Phoenix. 90

• The Dragon-Phoenix Body strengthens his physical combat potential and supports his Phoenix and Dragon arts. 90 175
• The Dragon-Phoenix Canon is the cultivation method for producing a true Sacred Beast Dragon Phoenix. 90
• His True Dragon Art, True Phoenix Art, Dragon-Phoenix Canon, and Dragon-Phoenix Body can combine into a Dragon-Phoenix True Spirit comparable to a Spirit Grade Heavenly Sovereign. 175

One Qi Transformation into Three Pure Ones

The Ancient Heavenly Emperor passed Zhao Chen this peerless divine ability and advised him not to create incarnations prematurely. 134

• Three-Division Realm — Creates two incarnations equal to the original body under one consciousness. 134
• Three-Union Realm — Reunites the incarnations to greatly increase power. 134
• Three-God Realm — Produces three independent bodies that may cultivate separately. 134
• Unity Realm — Fuses the bodies for a transformation capable of surpassing the user’s existing realm. 134

Other Inheritances

• Great Luo Sword Embryo — Ominous weapon that grows stronger against stronger opponents and can devour materials to evolve. 21
• Kunpeng Art — Grants Kun and Peng transformations, yin-yang mastery, and extreme speed. 185
• Qilin Art — Grants Qilin Step, Qilin Fist, Qilin Kick, Qilin Pattern, danger-sensing, and the ability to discern fortune and misfortune. 201
• Heavenly Horned Ant Art — Provides immense, seemingly inexhaustible physical strength. 182
• Berserk Power — Inherited from the Primordial Savage Beast and intended to become a future Thunder Palace supreme technique. 166

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Great Luo Sword Embryo — A heavy, ominous sword embryo that strengthens itself through devouring. 21
• Thunder Emperor Armor — Intact dark armor infused with lightning and corrupting aura; enhances Zhao Chen enough to overwhelm Ninth-grade Sovereigns and contend with Earthly Sovereigns defensively. 74
• Thunder Emperor Token — The true key to controlling and summoning the Ancient Thunder Palace. 70
• Heavenly Emperor Sword — Saint Grade Peerless Saint Object wielded during the battle against the Heaven-Swallowing Demon Emperor’s remnant. 132
• Dragon Ascension Gates — Three subdued Saint Objects that grant Zhao Chen preliminary control over the Ancient Heavenly Palace’s entrance and Golden Dragon Tokens. 127
• Scripture Repository — High-grade Saint Object brought under Zhao Chen’s control, allowing direct access to its stored divine abilities. 130

Relationships

• Luo Li — First major ally and closest companion. Zhao Chen saved her in the Spirit Road, enabled her Spirit Crown victory, and later treated the Luo God Clan’s crisis as his own. 2 8 101
• Jiuyou / Little Nine Netherbird — Divine-beast companion and Thunder Palace executive deputy palace master. Zhao Chen protected her during her tribulation and later helped her evolve into the Primordial Undying Bird. 31 159 166
• Mandala — Ally, formation collaborator, and daughter of the Ancient Heavenly Emperor. She assisted Zhao Chen in securing the Ancient Heavenly Palace and guards Thunder Palace during his absences. 101 125 127
• Lin Jing — Thunder Palace’s Guardian Divine Maiden and daughter of the Martial Ancestor. Zhao Chen recruited her, arranged her cultivation resources, and agreed to wait for her before entering Divine Sea Space. 121 124 185
• Heart Demon Thunder Emperor — Ancient predecessor whose remnant taught Zhao Chen the Supreme Heart Demon Scripture and entrusted him with destroying the Extraterrestrial Evil Clan. 70
• Ancient Heavenly Emperor — Mentor who empowered Zhao Chen to the Quasi-@@REF_ENTITY_17122626@@ Realm and passed down One Qi Transformation into Three Pure Ones. 134
• Martial Ancestor — Powerful supporter who entrusts Zhao Chen with the Westernmost Land and promises to handle the Peak Heavenly Demon Emperor. 200
• Luo Tianshen — Luo Li’s grandfather and leader of the Luo God Clan; initially shocked by Zhao Chen’s strength, then accepts his support for the clan. 101 110
• Lei Cang — Chief of the Thunder Spirit Clan, who pledges his clan’s allegiance after Zhao Chen kills the Thunder Heavenly Demon Emperor. 176

Story Role / Major Arcs

Spirit Road

Zhao Chen begins as an immobile divine grass seeking cultivation methods. His intervention in Luo Li’s pursuit creates their alliance, while their joint victory at the Champion’s Platform grants him the Grass-Character Sword Art and makes Luo Li the Spirit Crown bearer. 1 2 8

Northern Heavens and Heavenly Tribulations

After separating from Luo Li to seek the True Phoenix Art and Nine Netherbird, Zhao Chen refines Black Eerie Abyss miasma, reunites with his companions, and repeatedly weaponizes heavenly tribulations for cultivation. 9 10 31 38

Thunder Emperor Legacy

Zhao Chen enters Demon Thunder Abyss, subdues Netherworld Heart Demon Lightning, reconstructs the Supreme Heart Demon Scripture, and claims the Thunder Emperor Token. He then takes Hundred Battles Domain and gains the Thunder Emperor Armor. 69 70 74

Rise of Thunder Palace

Following his Earthly Sovereign breakthrough, Zhao Chen turns Nine Nether Palace’s influence into Thunder Palace. He subdues the Northern Border’s major factions, secures Dragon-Phoenix Heaven, and develops resources for his companions’ advancement. 79 86 87

Luo God Clan and Ancient Heavenly Palace

Zhao Chen aids Luo Li’s family against the Blood God Clan, kills Blood Spirit Son, and deters the West Heaven War Hall. He later enters the Ancient Heavenly Palace with Luo Li, Jiuyou, and Mandala, seizing its gates, formations, and inheritance infrastructure. 101 110 125 127

Unification of Tianluo Continent

As a Heavenly Sovereign, Zhao Chen expands Thunder Palace across Tianluo Continent. At the Tianluo Banquet, he defeats or forces the submission of the five superpower leaders, becoming Tianluo Continent’s recognized ruler. 151 182 184

War Against the Extraterrestrial Evil Clan

After reaching Immortal Grade, Zhao Chen consolidates the Ancient Thunder Palace and prepares for the wider war against the Extraterrestrial Evil Clan. He accepts responsibility for Saint Abyss Continent and intends to reclaim the Demonic Domain through purification formations and military counteroffensives. 176 200 201

Notable Quotes

“Helping you is helping me.” 8

“I will protect all of you.” 70

“What do you mean, I can’t? That word doesn’t exist in my dictionary!” 31