Zhou Kangyong

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Zhou Kangyong (周康永)
Alias(es)	Fourth Prince; Young Master Zhou 2 31
Gender	Male 2
Affiliation	Great Zhou Imperial House; Cloud Cliff Sect 2 9
Occupation/Role	Fourth prince of Great Zhou; disciple of Elder Shi Yaoqian 2 9
Spiritual Root	Superior true spiritual root 2
Status	Deceased; killed by Su Wan’er in a duel to the death 50
First Appearance	Cloud Cliff Sect’s recruitment ceremony 2

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Golden Core — early stage	46 50	Reaches Golden Core after more than a month of intensive training motivated by revenge. His father permits him to lead an expedition against Li Shouyi upon reaching this realm. His early-stage cultivation is confirmed during his final confrontation with Su Wan’er.

Background / History

Recruitment and Rejection

Zhou Kangyong approaches Li Shouyi during Cloud Cliff Sect’s recruitment ceremony, presenting his royal status and superior true spiritual root as reasons to accept him. Although outwardly respectful, he regards Li as a stepping stone toward becoming a disciple of the sect master or a supreme elder. Li bluntly rejects him and leaves with Shen Wan’er, humiliating Zhou before the assembled spectators 2.

Zhou subsequently becomes Shi Yaoqian’s disciple. His father later explains that he sent Zhou to Cloud Cliff Sect specifically because its techniques for progressing from Foundation Establishment to Golden Core were among the Dao Alliance’s best—not because the imperial family lacked teachers 9 31.

Campaign Against Li Shouyi

Still resentful of his rejection, Zhou arranges for disciples to stir up hostility toward Li in the dining hall. He then delivers a newly introduced rule requiring Li’s two disciples to enter the newcomer tournament, using pointed remarks about abuse of authority to provoke him 9 10.

Zhou joins Tang Que and Shi Yaoqian in planning to force Li out through unfavorable tournament matchups. When both of Li’s disciples reach the semifinals, Zhou proposes a different approach: use Li’s neglected contribution assignments as grounds for an expulsion vote 10 18.

Tournament Defeat

In his semifinal against Su Wan’er, Zhou blames her for the humiliation of being passed over as Li’s disciple. Following Tang Que’s advice, he attacks with physical sword techniques rather than spells, bypassing the protection of Myriad Laws Cannot Invade. He initially drives her back and cuts open her sleeve 13 18.

Su counters with Three Thousand Cause-and-Effect Devour, preventing him from attacking her and inflicting disastrous luck. Zhou falls, loses two front teeth, drops his sword, and slips on the fallen teeth; the sword then strikes his crotch. He flees the arena in agony and is awarded third place 19.

The injury nearly leaves him unable to perform sexually. Zhou Tianlong holds Cloud Cliff Sect responsible and subsequently orders subordinate sects to destroy it within a month 31 32.

Revenge Expedition and Death

As news of the injury spreads, Zhou kills three men mocking him in a restaurant and threatens the constable who arrives to investigate. After reaching Golden Core, he asks his father to honor a promise allowing him to pursue Li personally. Zhou Tianlong arranges cooperation with Wu Dalang and lends him Soldier No. 1 for the expedition to Good Fortune Mountain 46.

Wu Dalang’s contemptuous insults sour the alliance. Zhou conceals his anger and orders his followers not to help Wu if he begins losing, hoping to watch him die. Nevertheless, Zhou accompanies Wu in attacking the Wastrel Sect’s defensive formation 48 49.

When Su Wan’er appears, Zhou challenges her to a duel to the death. He believes his training has prepared him to win, but his early Golden Core cultivation is below her peak Golden Core level. Su kills him with a single slap, leaving a headless corpse. Soldier No. 1 escapes with his body and threatens revenge by the imperial family 50.

Appearance

Zhou is introduced as a handsome young man dressed in luxurious clothing, with sword-like brows and star-bright eyes 2.

• Aristocratic bearing: His respectful posture initially masks visible arrogance 2.
• Concealing attire: He wears black clothing and a cloak when confronting the men mocking him in the restaurant 46.
• Ostentatious accessories: His tournament sword has a scabbard set with twenty-eight dazzling gemstones 18.

Personality

Zhou expects his talent and royal birth to make him a desirable disciple. Rejection becomes a lasting grievance, and he directs his resentment not only at Li Shouyi but also at Su Wan’er for being accepted instead of him 2 10 18.

He can maintain a courteous façade while plotting retaliation. His exchanges with Li leave little outward grounds for criticism, while his response to Wu Dalang’s insults is to smile politely and secretly arrange to withhold assistance 10 48.

His pride is accompanied by cruelty and overconfidence. He murders commoners for mocking his injury, intimidates law enforcement, and ultimately stakes his life on a duel without recognizing how far Su Wan’er has surpassed him 46 50.

Abilities & Skills

Cultivation Aptitude

• Possesses a superior true spiritual root, an aptitude that ordinarily makes a recruit highly sought after by sect elders 2.
• Advances to early Golden Core through intensive training driven by his desire for revenge 46 50.

Martial Arts and Swordsmanship

• Trains in martial arts from childhood as part of the Great Zhou imperial family’s education 13.
• Uses sweeping cuts and straight thrusts without magical power to exploit Su Wan’er’s vulnerability to physical attacks 18.
• Initially gains the advantage against her limited martial experience, but cannot overcome her cause-and-effect technique 18 19.

Physical Conditioning

• His revenge training includes daily sets of one hundred sit-ups, one hundred squats, and a hundred-kilometer run 50.
• His elders expose him to extreme heat and the lightless depths of the sea to train endurance 50.
• Despite this preparation, he is killed instantly by peak Golden Core Su Wan’er 50.

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Flying sword — An exceptionally expensive, flashy sword that Li Shouyi suspects is Hidden Sword Manor’s latest model 9.
• Seven-Colored Glazed Sword — Hidden Sword Manor’s latest creation, with twenty-eight gemstones embedded in its scabbard. Zhou uses it against Su Wan’er; during his defeat, it slips from his hand and wounds him 18 19.
• Golden Thread Treasure Armor — A latest-model product from Forge God Hall, stated to resist attacks below peak Foundation Establishment. It does not prevent Su Wan’er’s karmic technique from affecting him 19.

Relationships

• Zhou Tianlong — Father and ruler of Great Zhou. Retaliates against Cloud Cliff Sect over Zhou’s injury and supplies allies and an escort for his revenge expedition 31 32 46.
• Zhou Tianhai — Grandfather. Zhang Daoling states that his own master beat Zhou Tianhai to death 50.
• Shi Yaoqian — Master at Cloud Cliff Sect. Defends Zhou’s royal dignity, supports his schemes, and rushes after him following the tournament injury 9 10 19.
• Li Shouyi — Rejected prospective master and principal target of revenge. Zhou attempts to ruin his reputation and secure his expulsion 2 10 18.
• Su Wan’er — Rival and eventual killer. Zhou rejects suggestions that he pursue her as a Dao companion because he fears her gambling would consume his wealth 13 19 50.
• Tang Que — Sect master and co-conspirator. Helps plan Li’s removal and advises Zhou on countering Su Wan’er’s defensive art 10 13 18.
• Wu Dalang — Temporary ally against Li. Wu’s insults lead Zhou to plot against him during their joint expedition 46 48.
• Soldier No. 1 — Escort lent by Zhou Tianlong. Carries Zhou during the journey, shields him before Zhang Daoling, and retrieves his corpse 46 48 50.