Gu Ni

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Gu Ni (谷尼)
Alias(es)	Master Gu Ni; Uncle Gu Ni 5 18
Gender	Male 5
Affiliation	Mittel Auction House, Wutan City; Mittel Merchant Guild 5 20
Occupation/Role	Chief appraiser; Second-Rank Alchemist; Chu Zhou’s early alchemy instructor 5 18
Cultivation	Three-Star Da Dou Shi 6
Alchemist Rank	Second Rank; capable of refining some familiar Grade Three pills 18 40
Status	Alive at his latest documented appearance 40
First Appearance	Chapter 5 5

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Second-Rank Alchemist / Three-Star Da Dou Shi	5 6 18	Established level when introduced. Can refine a few familiar Grade Three pills, but low success rates and mediocre quality have prevented him from passing the third-rank certification examination.
Improved Grade Three pill refining	40	Observes Chu Zhou’s complete refining processes and receives direct guidance. Becomes capable of supplying selected Grade Three pills for the auction house after Chu Zhou’s departure; third-rank certification is not confirmed.

Background / History

Gu Ni once received kindness from Ya Fei’s parents and consequently regards her almost as his own daughter. His advice about recruiting and supporting Chu Zhou is primarily intended to secure her future 6.

His own advancement in alchemy was slow: becoming a Second-Rank Alchemist took many years, and reaching the third rank still seemed distant. He believed that advancing into the higher stages of Da Dou Shi might give him a chance to overcome that barrier 30.

Assessing Chu Zhou

Ya Fei summons Gu Ni to verify a newly hired attendant’s claim of having alchemical talent. By examining Chu Zhou’s Dou Qi and soul perception, Gu Ni confirms the necessary fire attribute with a trace of wood and recognizes unusually strong soul power. At Ya Fei’s suggestion, he accepts Chu Zhou as an alchemist’s apprentice 5.

Gu Ni then urges Ya Fei to invest the full extent of her authority in him. His examination reveals that Chu Zhou is over twenty, rather than eighteen, but has exceptionally sturdy meridians. He attributes the young man’s weak cultivation to poverty and lack of instruction rather than poor aptitude, while insisting that his character and loyalty must still be assessed 6.

A practical lesson strengthens his confidence: after introducing two hundred medicinal herbs, Gu Ni watches Chu Zhou identify every one and repeat their properties accurately. He recommends removing routine chores from Chu Zhou’s schedule and having Ya Fei personally guide him while he cultivates toward Dou Zhe 8 9.

Providing Resources and Instruction

When Chu Zhou supplies detailed instructions for Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid, Gu Ni successfully reproduces it on his first attempt. He later teaches Chu Zhou Fire-Pushing Palm and Explosive Flame Step, personally supervising his initial practice 13 14.

After Chu Zhou reaches Dou Zhe, Gu Ni begins formal medicine-refining lessons. Although he remains Chu Zhou’s instructor, both understand that he is introducing the craft and building a friendly bond rather than becoming a formally acknowledged master 18.

Chu Zhou’s first successful batches of Spring Return Powder astonish him. Gu Ni expands the lesson to nine common first-rank pills and tells Ya Fei that their protégé may eventually surpass Pill King Gu He. He subsequently teaches ten Grade One recipes daily and sponsors Chu Zhou’s First-Rank Alchemist examination 19 20 21.

Advanced Lessons and Reciprocal Teaching

Gu Ni encourages Chu Zhou to prioritize second-rank advancement, though he accepts the young man’s explanation that he wishes to revisit Deercry Village. After Chu Zhou returns, Gu Ni teaches him Grade Two refining and witnesses his first-attempt success with a Body Recovery Pill 22 30.

Together with Ya Fei, he obtains ten Grade Two Injury Recovery Pills made by different alchemists for Chu Zhou to study. The collection includes pills made by Liu Ling and Princess Yao Yue, connecting the samples to the teaching traditions of Gu He and the Alchemist Guild president 30 31.

Their instructional relationship eventually becomes reciprocal. Once Chu Zhou can refine Grade Three pills, he allows Gu Ni to observe and freely offers guidance, improving the older alchemist’s ability to maintain the auction house’s supply of selected medicines 40.

Appearance

• Age and complexion: An elderly man with partly gray hair, an aged, otherwise unremarkable face, and a healthy glow 5.
• Clothing: Blue robes that appear ordinary but carry a faint sheen, indicating that they are no common garment 5.
• Distinguishing features: A beard he strokes while speaking and an air of professional pride 5 8 9.

Personality

Gu Ni combines pride in his profession with a willingness to acknowledge superior talent. He initially doubts whether an ordinary attendant could possess alchemical aptitude, but changes his judgment after testing Chu Zhou. Later, he openly admits that he cannot identify shortcomings in the young man’s first successful refinement 5 19.

He is protective of Ya Fei and treats patronage as a long-term commitment that requires sound judgment. Although enthusiastic about Chu Zhou’s prospects, he insists on testing loyalty and recommends that Ya Fei observe his character personally 6 9.

As an instructor, he is practical and adaptable. He uses hands-on herb identification to assess a student’s aptitude, changes his teaching plan when Chu Zhou exceeds expectations, and welcomes questions outside scheduled lessons 8 19 15.

Abilities & Skills

Alchemy

An experienced Second-Rank Alchemist, Gu Ni teaches both foundational knowledge and practical refining 5 18.

• Particularly proficient with Spring Return Powder and Hemostasis Pills 18.
• Can slow a refining process while explaining each step to a student 18.
• Reproduces Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid from a sufficiently detailed formula on his first attempt 13.
• Initially struggles with Grade Three pill quality and consistency; Chu Zhou’s later instruction improves his success with selected recipes 18 40.

Appraisal

As the auction house’s chief appraiser, Gu Ni evaluates medicines and other treasures 5 18.

• Examines Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid through its scent and a liquid sample 10.
• Channels Dou Qi through a fine needle to test the sample, confirming Grade Two quality and its cultivation-enhancing effect 10.
• Offers 10,000 gold coins for an outright purchase; Ya Fei ultimately authorizes the negotiated price of 20,000 10.

Soul Perception and Physical Assessment

Gu Ni uses soul perception alongside injected Dou Qi to examine cultivation aptitude 5 6.

• Identifies Chu Zhou’s fire-and-wood affinity and unusually powerful soul 5.
• Checks bone age and meridian resilience 6.
• Recognizes that the disguised seller of Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid possesses soul perception stronger than his own 10.

Dou Technique Instruction

Gu Ni provides Chu Zhou with two combat techniques and explains their use 14.

• Fire-Pushing Palm: High Yellow Tier; produces destructive gusts ahead of the practitioner.
• Explosive Flame Step: Low Black Tier; releases concentrated Dou Qi through the feet for sudden acceleration and can also strengthen a direct kick.
• Personally guides Chu Zhou until he grasps Fire-Pushing Palm’s basics within an hour.

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Storage Ring — Holds his refining equipment, medicines, and appraisal tools 10 18.
• Medicinal cauldron — Used for demonstrations and refining; he also prepares a separate ordinary cauldron as a gift for Chu Zhou 13 18.
• Fine appraisal needle — Used with Dou Qi to examine medicinal liquid 10.
• Technique scrolls — Provides the scrolls for Fire-Pushing Palm and Explosive Flame Step to Chu Zhou 14.

Relationships

• Ya Fei — Employer and the daughter of his former benefactors. He regards her almost as his own daughter and hopes Chu Zhou’s future strength will protect her interests 6 9.
• Chu Zhou — Apprentice, protégé, and later a source of instruction. Gu Ni supplies lessons, equipment, certification sponsorship, and medicine samples; Chu Zhou eventually helps improve his Grade Three refining 5 18 21 31 40.
• Qin’er — Auction-house maid who carries out his arrangements for Chu Zhou’s clothing, accommodation, and medicine-room lessons 6 7.
• Xiao Yan — Initially encountered as a concealed medicinal seller. Gu Ni appraises his Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid without identifying him beneath the disguise 10.

Notable Quotes

“Of course, throughout his training, I'll also assess his character and loyalty for you. We can't raise an ungrateful traitor!” 6

“My lady, we haven't just stumbled upon a treasure this time. We've found a priceless treasure. Heaven has smiled upon us.” 19