Zhang Yao

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Zhang Yao (张耀)
Alias(es)	Little Zhang 1
Species/Race	Human 2 19
Gender	Male
Age	18 40
Origin	Chinese; lived with his grandfather in South City before entering Rodos 2 5
Affiliation	Chosen Ones; Black Iron Tier badge holder of the Bounty Hunters’ Guild. Poses as a member of the Sea Wolf Pirates’ Water Ghost Unit 5 8 14 29
Occupation/Role	Final-year high school student, Nine Nether Art cultivator, and assassin undertaking Fehr’s contract 36 42
Cultivation Realm	Nine Netherworlds, first layer: qi drawing into the body; has not yet opened the lesser celestial circuit 39 49
Character Level	Level 8 47 49
Status	Alive; attempting to escape an Ironblood Brotherhood ambush at the latest documented appearance 50
First Appearance	Prologue 1

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Nine Nether Art acquired	3	Reveals the manual’s moisture-sensitive writing, memorizes nearly ten thousand characters, and burns the cloth before beginning cultivation.
Qi drawing into the body — first-layer entry	4	Develops his first true qi after eight months. Further advancement requires enough qi to open the lesser celestial circuit.
Fetal Breath Technique comprehended	7	Awakens while nearly drowning. Grants constitution +2, mental power +2, and true qi +30.
Character level 1	7 8	Killing an elite navy soldier awards 100 experience. All attributes increase by 1.
Character level 2	10	Kills a one-armed elite marine underwater. All attributes increase by 1, and depleted stamina is restored.
Character level 4	10 11	Repeated underwater ambushes culminate in killing an elite water ghost for 2,000 experience. The level-up heals his injuries and restores stamina.
Concealment Technique — level 1	12	Learns the D-rank support skill from the water ghost’s Skill Book, gaining shadow-based stealth.
Character levels 5–7	14	Finishes the unconscious Sea Wolf for 10,000 experience and gains three levels. Crossing level 5 unlocks the Spacetime Shop.
Basic Battle Aura — level 1, mutated	15	Learns the skill and merges its energy into his higher-grade true qi. Gains 5 true qi; strength, agility, and defense bonuses become 20% each.
Concealment Technique — level 3	31	Reaches the skill’s level cap after a month of training. Qi consumption decreases and concealed movement becomes less restricted.
Basic Battle Aura — levels 2–3	31	Reaches level 3 during the same training period. Each advancement grants constitution +1; its combat bonuses rise to 30% each.
Character level 8	47	Killing Will awards 1,500 experience and 200 gold. All attributes increase by 2.

Latest Recorded Attributes

Attribute	Recorded Value
Character level	8; 5,000/7,000 experience 49
Strength	19, with +1 equipment bonus 49
Agility	19, with +5 equipment bonus 49
Constitution	25, with +1 equipment bonus 49
Mental power	20 49
Health	340, as displayed by the panel 49
True qi	600; character level-ups do not increase it 49

Background / History

Before moving to South City, Zhang Yao was ambushed with a brick and humiliated by his attackers. He retaliated against everyone involved, sending them to the hospital but suffering serious injuries himself. His parents then sent him to recover at his grandfather’s home and transferred his school enrollment, hoping to remove him from his former surroundings. He gradually became a more considerate child and student 5.

His introduction to cultivation began during a routine trip to buy his grandfather wonton noodles. Taking a shortcut through a park, he witnessed Yan Wu and Zhang Xiao fight to the death over a treasure. Curiosity and greed overrode his intention to call the police, and he searched Yan Wu before watching both bodies dissolve into yellow liquid 1.

Returning to the clearing, Zhang Yao found a cloth-wrapped stone inside a hollow tree. The wrapping concealed the Nine Netherworlds cultivation manual, whose writing appeared when wet. Despite its disturbing illustrations and suspected demonic origin, he memorized the method and destroyed the cloth to protect the secret 2 3.

Eight months later, he cultivated his first true qi. When he examined the accompanying stone, it began draining that qi. The stone proved to be a Guiding Stone associated with his selection as a Chosen One of Rodos 4 5.

Appearance

• Looks: Somewhat above average in appearance, though Zhang Yao considers himself far less handsome than Lancelot 12.
• Apparent age: Luo De initially assumes he is much older than eighteen; Zhang Yao attributes his mature bearing to repeated brushes with death 40.
• Armor: His equipped Water Ghost Leather Armor is jet-black, seamless, and edged with unusual patterns. It replaces his original T-shirt without restricting movement 12.
• Ring: Wears the blue-gray spatial ring on his left index finger 5.

Personality

Zhang Yao is ambitious, persistent, and intensely focused on cultivation. He spends hours memorizing the Nine Nether Art, devotes eight months to reaching its first stage, and later trains in his inn room for an entire month without going outside. His concentration frequently makes him neglect meals 3 4 21 31.

Humiliation provokes a strong desire for revenge. His Guide’s contempt revives feelings from his earlier bullying, but he suppresses an immediate response and resolves to wait until he can retaliate effectively. Fehr’s coercion produces similar resentment 5 42.

In Rodos, he increasingly prioritizes caution over pride or profit. He conceals his outsider status, lets Luo De handle unfamiliar negotiations, and refuses a tempting bounty while focused on cultivation. Nevertheless, easy victories can make him overconfident, as shown by his dangerous struggle with a water ghost and his failure to recognize the Brotherhood’s trap 10 29 40 50.

His restraint is selective rather than absolute. He kills wounded pirates and marines for experience, yet rejects slaughtering civilians and spares Will’s unarmed mistress. His treatment of Tred is coercive: he preserves the alchemist’s life partly because his equipment and expertise remain useful 10 19 47 48.

Around family and trusted companions, Zhang Yao is warmer and more playful. He helps with New Year preparations, repeatedly startles Luo De with sudden appearances, and exchanges familiar teasing with Li Qing’er. He remains uncomfortable with unsolicited physical closeness, even from Luo De 35 36 38.

Abilities & Skills

Nine Nether Art

A nine-realm cultivation method recorded by Rodos as the talent Nine Netherworlds (first layer). Zhang Yao remains in its foundational qi-drawing stage 4 49.

• True qi cultivation: Converts spiritual energy into true qi; Rodos’s abundant energy allows much faster replenishment than his home world 6 27 37.
• Injury endurance: True qi flows into his injured chest during an underwater struggle, cooling the area and easing pain 10.
• Physical reinforcement: Can circulate true qi during combat, combining it with Mutated Battle Aura during his attempted breakout 50.
• Current objective: Accumulate 5,000 true qi before attempting to open every acupoint along the conception and governing vessels in one push 39.
• Preparation: Diverts energy to nourish his meridians, intending to reduce the risk of rupturing them during the breakthrough 39.
• Unlearned technique: Nine Nether Yin Wind Step requires the next realm, body tempering with qi; he cannot yet practice it 4.

Fetal Breath Technique

A self-comprehended breathing method awakened at the brink of drowning 7.

• Replaces breathing through the mouth and nose with true-qi-assisted breathing through the pores 7 8.
• Enables prolonged underwater movement and ambushes 10 12.
• Cannot be upgraded 7 8.

Concealment Technique

A D-rank support skill that hides Zhang Yao’s body in shadows 12.

Property	Level 1	Level 3
True qi consumption	1 every 2 seconds 12	1 every 3 seconds 31
Movement-speed penalty	90% 12	80% 31
Cooldown	180 seconds 12	180 seconds 31
Restrictions	Attacking cancels concealment; unusable in illuminated areas 12	Same restrictions 31

• Used to observe battles, approach targets, and inspect his return point before revealing himself 12 38 45.
• Works alongside the equipment-provided Afterimage Technique as part of his escape and misdirection tactics 19.
• Reaches its current level cap at level 3, though he continues practicing in hopes of eventually raising its rank 31 34.

Mutated Basic Battle Aura

A D-rank warrior skill transformed by merging battle aura into Zhang Yao’s true qi 15.

Property	Level 1	Level 3
Strength bonus	20% 15	30% 31
Agility bonus	20% 15	30% 31
Overall defense bonus	20% 15	30% 31
True qi consumption	1 per second 15	1 every 2 seconds 31
Cooldown	None 15	None 31

• Reaching levels 2 and 3 grants one additional point of constitution each 31.
• Enhances his existing fighting ability rather than providing a separate offensive attack 42.

Training Method

Zhang Yao develops a repeatable cultivation routine by using Concealment and Battle Aura to empty his painfully swollen dantian, then meditating to refill it 30.

• His first test raises true qi from 90 to 92 while increasing both skills’ proficiency 30.
• A month of practice brings his displayed true qi to 502 and both skills to level 3 31.
• The routine is far less practical at home, where a full day and night may not replenish the qi that Rodos restores in under two hours 37.

Combat & Assassination

• Underwater ambushes: Drags wounded opponents below the surface, exploiting Fetal Breath to outlast them 10.
• Stealth attacks: Uses shadows, target routines, and secluded locations to kill without prolonged open combat 44 45 47.
• Mixed-range fighting: Uses daggers when he can approach and a repeating arm crossbow when distance prevents a close attack 48.
• Crowd tactics: Charges weaker armed men rather than four skilled pursuers, intending to use the crowd itself to obstruct the experts 50.

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Ring of the Cunning Jackal — Chosen One’s Spatial Ring with ten cubic meters of storage; automatically collects eligible loot within ten meters 5 6 10.
• Sharp Water Ghost Dagger / Drowned Ghost Dagger — Looted from an elite water ghost and used in close-range killings 11 18.
• Sturdy Water Ghost Leather Armor — Blue equipment looted alongside the dagger; light and flexible despite covering his body 11 12.
• Bewitching Siren Boots — Gold equipment taken from Sea Wolf. Provides strong defense, an agility bonus, 20% increased movement speed, and the Afterimage skill 14 15.
• Phantom Cloak — Purchased before the Brotherhood assassinations. Improves defense, agility, and movement speed, with a passive chance to make opponents misjudge attacks; especially valuable in his crowded breakout 44 50.
• Repeating Arm Crossbow — Confiscated from Tred and immediately equipped for concealed ranged attacks 47 48.
• Poison supplies — Tred’s Cloud of Death, poison-cloud consumable, Poison-Coating Potion, and Antidote Pills. Zhang Yao reserves the rare clouds rather than spending them during the initial assassinations 48.
• Two Plachy Brothers’ daggers — Given to him by Doreze as a friendship gift 22.
• Black Iron Tier Bounty Hunter Badge — Granted after selling information about Lancelot; improves access to Guild resources 29.
• Overview of Rodos — Purchased for 100 gold, prioritizing knowledge of the world over ordinary combat equipment 20 21.
• Special spyglass and damaged nautical chart — Looted from Sea Wolf and stored for later use 14 15.

Relationships

• Luo De / Rod Gamet — Closest documented companion in Rodos. Their uneasy alliance develops into friendship: Luo De supplies local knowledge, recommends him to the Free Pirates, leaves the crew, and shares their Guild payment equally 8 25 28 29.
• Doreze — Captain of the Nightglow and a friend. Offers Zhang Yao a first-mate position; they exchange daggers and a gemstone as friendship gifts 22 23 30.
• Unnamed Guide — Humiliates and overpowers him upon his arrival. Zhang Yao vows revenge, although his later belief that she caused his dangerous portal landing is mistaken 5 7.
• Grandfather — Hosts Zhang Yao in South City. Zhang Yao regularly buys him wonton noodles and lives with him while attending school and beginning cultivation 1 4 5.
• Parents — Arrange his move after his violent retaliation and warmly welcome his New Year return. He conceals his Rodos activities behind a study-related explanation 5 35 38.
• Li Qing’er — Cousin and frequent source of exasperation. Her schemes once left him fighting punks on her behalf; their rivalry also includes an affectionate snowball fight 36 38.
• Li Tian — Uncle whom Zhang Yao admires for his self-made success, modesty, and unchanged character 37.
• Amelia — A Free Pirate whose safety Zhang Yao and Luo De promise her brother to protect. Zhang Yao’s stern restrictions and cold manner repeatedly upset her, despite his private attraction to her 25 39 40.
• Guleiya — Distrustful Free Pirate officer. Her resemblance to his Guide makes Zhang Yao wary; when she tries to touch him, he responds by placing a dagger against her neck 24 25.
• Shopkeeper Sun — Merchant and source of practical advice. Zhang Yao bargains with him for information and remembers his guidance about improving low-rank skills through diligence 20 21 34.
• Fehr — Coercive employer who orders the Brotherhood assassinations. His armed escort and knowledge of their circumstances make refusal dangerous, earning Zhang Yao’s resentment 42.
• Tred — Alchemist captured while pursuing personal revenge against the Brotherhood. Zhang Yao takes his equipment and confines him, considering him potentially useful 46 47 48.
• Lancelot — Overwhelmingly stronger naval officer. Zhang Yao avoids fighting him and later profits from selling information about his Heaven Tier strength 12 14 29.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Entry into Rodos

Zhang Yao’s first encounter with his Guide leaves him injured and furious. The spatial ring supplies essential information: death in Rodos is real, the Chosen One’s Hall permits only a twenty-four-hour stay, and temporary visits home cost 100 gold per day. He restores his drained qi and narrowly leaves before the hall’s deadline 5 6.

The portal deposits him more than ten meters above the sea during a pirate–navy battle. A near-drowning awakens Fetal Breath, while Rod Gamet’s mistaken identification gives him a Water Ghost cover identity. Zhang Yao exploits wounded combatants for experience, then finishes the unconscious Sea Wolf and escapes with Luo De rather than risk confronting Lancelot 7 8 10 14.

Andal Harbor and Independent Training

Aboard the Nightglow, Zhang Yao kills the threatening Plachy Brothers, earns Doreze’s friendship, and discovers that visible bloodshed affects him more deeply than his earlier underwater killings. He declines Doreze’s immediate recruitment offer in favor of exploring opportunities with the Free Pirates, but recognizes that their proposed fight against Maluk could leave him badly injured or dead 18 19 22 23 25 26.

In Andal Harbor, Luo De rejoins him after leaving the Free Pirates. Selling news of Lancelot brings wealth and Bounty Hunter Badges, allowing Zhang Yao to concentrate on training. His new depletion-and-replenishment routine substantially increases his true qi and brings his two book-learned skills to level 3 28 29 30 31.

New Year Visit

Using the attribute panel, Zhang Yao purchases six days in his original world for 600 gold. His Rodos equipment returns to the spatial ring, but his learned skills and enhanced physical abilities remain usable. He celebrates with his family and adjusts his training to the much thinner spiritual energy before returning to Rodos through a carefully selected shadowed alley 35 37 38.

Ironblood Brotherhood Assassinations

Fehr pressures Zhang Yao into accepting a ten-day assignment to assassinate ten Brotherhood leaders. The accompanying B-rank quest promises 30,000 experience, a random C-rank combat Skill Book, and superior blue equipment, with the loss of one level for failure 42.

Using Luo De’s intelligence, Zhang Yao eliminates the weakest leaders first, reaches level 8 by killing Will, and captures Tred after interrupting the alchemist’s separate revenge attack. Tred’s crossbow and supplies help him eliminate targets six through eight 44 45 46 47 48.

His pursuit of the ninth target, Toka, leads into a coordinated trap. Surrounded by more than fifty armed men and four skilled pursuers, Zhang Yao attempts a direct breakout using true qi, Mutated Battle Aura, two daggers, and the Phantom Cloak. An unidentified figure blocks him just as he nears escape; the encounter remains unresolved in the provided chapters 48 50.

Notable Quotes

“As long as I keep working hard, one day I’ll open the lesser celestial circuit and reach body tempering with qi!” 4

“Sorry, Miss Guleiya. I don’t like getting too close to other people!” 24

“I’m training so I can live better and more comfortably. It has nothing to do with anyone else!” 29