Wuhua

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Wuhua (无花)
Alias(es)	Peerless Monk; Marvelous Monk, also rendered as Wonderful Monk or Wondrous Monk 7 11 30 31
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Southern Shaolin, also called Putian Shaolin; secretly involved in his family’s conspiracy 35 41 48
Occupation/Role	Buddhist monk; disciple of Master Tianfeng; mastermind behind the Heavenly One Divine Water case 18 36 40
Family	Eldest son of Tianfeng Jushiro and Li Qi, better known as Stone Guanyin; elder brother of Nangong Ling 11 41
Status	Deceased—killed by Fang Yunhua with a sword thrust through the throat. Officially reported to have hanged himself inside Southern Shaolin 45 46 48
First Appearance	Mentioned in Chapter 7; appears in person manipulating Red One Point in Chapter 19 7 19

Background / History

Wuhua’s family connects him to two major martial institutions and a longstanding feud with Mount Hua. His mother, Li Qi of the Huangshan Family, became Stone Guanyin after Mount Hua destroyed her clan. Wuhua and his younger brother Nangong Ling were placed in Southern Shaolin and the Beggar Gang respectively, positioning them to rise within both organizations 7 12 35 41.

At Shaolin, Wuhua concentrated on building an impeccable reputation. His apparent Buddhist devotion and refined conduct made him widely accepted as an eminent monk, while his institutional backing made accusations against him difficult to substantiate 8 18 29.

Before their friendship collapsed, Wuhua and Chu Liuxiang had met three times: they drank together for three days and nights, played chess for five days and nights, and discussed Buddhism for seven days and nights. Chu treasured these encounters and initially refused to believe Wuhua capable of the crimes under investigation 7 22.

Appearance

• Face: Fair and delicate, with shining eyes, red lips, and white teeth 20.
• Clothing: Plain robes and white socks; his monk’s robe is later described as moon-white 30 44.
• Bearing: Exceptionally graceful and refined, presenting an almost otherworldly image of spiritual purity 20 30.
• Final condition: His escape leaves him with a torn robe, a broken left arm, a footprint on his chest, and blood at his mouth—destroying his previously immaculate appearance 44.

Personality

Wuhua carefully performs the role of a serene, detached monk. He uses elegant conversation, Buddhist learning, and apparent concern for friends to conceal manipulation. When Chu begins behaving suspiciously, Wuhua continues playing the zither with feigned composure despite breaking into a cold sweat 20 21.

His pride becomes increasingly visible as his plans unravel. He resents being grouped with Fang Yunhua under romantic epithets, briefly exposes intense hatred toward him, and reacts furiously when Fang describes him as merely a tool for testing martial strength 22 44.

Wuhua values survival and control over loyalty. He kills Nangong Ling when his brother threatens to expose their scheme, attempts to exploit Chu’s compassion through a staged death, and clings to the prospect of future revenge even while fleeing. After defeat, he insists that no one has the right to judge him 41 42.

Abilities & Skills

Martial Standing

• Upper T3: Fang Yunhua’s ranking places Wuhua at the top of T3, half a tier above its other prominent fighters, including Nangong Ling, Red One Point, Hu Tiehua, Ji Bingyan, and Zuo Qinghou 33.
• Below T2 seniors: Master Tiannan and Dai Duxing can each defeat him decisively 44.
• Combat defeats: Chu Liuxiang defeats him before his escape attempt; Fang Yunhua later kills him while he is already severely injured 41 44 45.

Lightness Skill

Wuhua’s movement skill is among the best of his era 29 42.

• Chu judges it superior to Hu Tiehua’s 29.
• Japanese ninja arts further enhance his movement 44.
• During his mountain escape, heightened excitement increases his speed by another ten percent; this is not identified as a new cultivation tier 42.
• His mobility cannot save him once Fang’s cold internal energy stiffens his body 45.

Japanese Ninja Arts

Wuhua combines deception, concealment, and escape techniques with direct attacks 20 36 42.

• Disguises himself as Tianfeng Jushiro to ambush Chu 36.
• Uses an eye-irritating smoke bomb and seven palm strikes to break away from Chu 42.
• Temporarily suppresses severe injuries and resets his broken arm before the final duel 44.
• Feigns death to persuade Chu to protect his supposed corpse, but Chu recognizes the trick after Fang’s earlier warning 41.

One Slash Against the Wind

Wuhua uses Tianfeng Jushiro’s signature saber attack in his final duel 45.

• Watches for a fatal opening before delivering a decisive downward slash 45.
• Depends on striking against the wind to unleash its full power 45.
• Fang blocks it with a diagonal parry; the exchange becomes the catalyst for Fang’s breakthrough into sword intent 45.

Other Martial Techniques

Wuhua deploys several arts after losing the initiative against Fang 45.

• Shaolin Divine Fist
• Deft Finger Skill
• Wind Duckweed Palm
• Death-Binding Technique

None restores his advantage, and he cannot expel the cold force accumulating in his body 45.

Music and Psychological Manipulation

Wuhua’s zither playing can intensify existing emotional distress 19.

• A sorrowful, murderous tune amplifies Red One Point’s despair and anger until he attacks Chu irrationally 19.
• Wuhua also manipulates conversations, clues, and public opinion, repeatedly directing Chu’s attention toward Fang 21 22 31 32.

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Zither — Used to manipulate Red One Point’s emotions from concealment 19 20.
• Smoke bomb — Releases an eye irritant that helps him escape Chu 42.
• Long saber and secondary blade — Wielded in his final confrontation; Fang supplies the long saber through Shangguan Cangxing 44 45.
• Heavenly One Divine Water — Stolen from the Divine Water Palace and used in the conspiracy surrounding Ren Ci’s death. Wuhua also intends to poison Master Tianfeng with it 36 41.
• Handwritten diary — Hidden inside a wooden fish at Nangong Ling’s home. Situ Liuxing steals it for Fang; it documents Wuhua’s sexual exploits and his impregnation of Situ Jing 43.

Relationships

• Stone Guanyin / Li Qi — Mother and fellow conspirator. Their plans include seizing the Kucha Kingdom; Wuhua regards her martial strength as overwhelming 45 46.
• Tianfeng Jushiro — Father. Wuhua is his eldest son and uses his signature saber technique 41 45.
• Nangong Ling — Younger brother and accomplice. Wuhua ultimately kills him because his actions are exposing their scheme 30 41.
• Master Tianfeng — Teacher and Southern Shaolin abbot. Wuhua plans to poison him, but the temple imprisons Wuhua first. Tianfeng nevertheless arranges a chance for his disciple to survive through Chu’s intervention 40 41.
• Chu Liuxiang — Cherished friend turned investigator and opponent. Wuhua repeatedly attempts to kill him, then exploits his reluctance to kill through a staged death 22 29 41.
• Fang Yunhua — Enemy tied to his mother’s feud with Mount Hua. Fang anticipates his deception, acquires his diary, and personally kills him 7 41 43 45.
• Situ Jing — Divine Water Palace disciple whom Wuhua gets pregnant. Her involvement in the stolen divine water and subsequent suicide are central to Chu’s investigation 8 20 36 43.
• Red One Point — Target of Wuhua’s musical manipulation, turned against Chu through amplified despair and anger 19.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Heavenly One Divine Water Investigation

• Fang names Wuhua as a possible culprit, but Chu initially rejects the suggestion 7.
• Su Rongrong observes that Wuhua’s respected monastic identity could grant him access to the Divine Water Palace without arousing the suspicion that Chu or Fang would attract 18.
• Wuhua’s suspicious appearance, manipulative music, and repeated attempts to implicate Fang strengthen Chu’s doubts 19 20 22.
• At the abandoned Black Robe Nunnery, Wuhua attempts another assassination. A dying nun’s identification of the killer as “Wu” reinforces Chu’s suspicions 29.
• Su confirms that Wuhua visited the Divine Water Palace. Qiu Lingsu’s testimony then identifies him as the hidden mastermind who persuaded Nangong Ling to kill the four men initially targeted for their wealth 36.

Exposure, Escape, and Death

• Southern Shaolin contains Wuhua before he can poison Master Tianfeng. The abbot arranges for him to leave with Chu 40 41.
• Wuhua confesses his family connections and Nangong Ling’s murder. After Chu defeats him, his feigned death fails because Fang has already warned Chu about the tactic 41.
• He escapes using smoke and palm attacks, only to encounter Fang and the senior fighters blocking his route 42 44.
• Despite suppressing his injuries and accepting a saber, Wuhua loses to Fang’s sword intent and cold Mingyu energy. Fang pierces his throat and reveals knowledge of his final anti–Mount Hua alliance plan 44 45.

Aftermath

• Master Tiannan takes custody of Wuhua’s body and seeks discretion concerning the diary’s damaging contents 46.
• The official account attributes the affair to a Japanese conspiracy and falsely reports that Wuhua hanged himself in Southern Shaolin. Master Tianfeng resigns, and Tiannan succeeds him 48.
• Wuhua’s earlier efforts to organize factions in Shaanxi, Shanxi, and Henan against Mount Hua leave a continuing political threat, though investigations and Mount Hua’s diplomacy delay confrontation 45 47.
• His rumors portraying Fang as an ambitious mastermind survive his death and help draw Yuan Suiyun’s attention to Mount Hua 48.

Notable Quotes

“Brother Chu, must you be soaking wet every time you meet this humble monk?” 20

“I am a monk. Being yoked together under these romantic epithets causes me considerable trouble.” 22

“I haven't lost yet.” 45