Tan Qingshan

Biodata

Background / History

Tan Qingshan has been a close friend of Mu Chen since childhood. When evil forces attack their family, he immediately joins the defensive efforts. He becomes part of Mu Chen’s squad alongside Tang Qian’er, taking the front line while Mu Chen supplies powerful attacks and Tang Qian’er provides support 34.

Appearance

• Build: A burly youth 34.
• Characteristic weapon: A heavy axe, whose blade shines brightly when infused with his spiritual energy 34.

Personality

Tan Qingshan is forthright, generous, and openly affectionate toward his friends. He greets Mu Chen with a hearty shoulder pat, praises his accomplishments on the Spirit Road, and volunteers to block enemy attacks so Mu Chen can concentrate on dealing damage 34.

His fierce battlefield courage is tempered by concern for others. Although he repeatedly charges into dangerous fights, he advises reconnaissance teammates to retreat rather than play the hero if they encounter danger 35 36 39.

He is less comfortable with scholarly work than combat. During the search for the secret weapon’s activation method, he complains about the number of ancient books and admits that he cannot recognize many of their characters. Nevertheless, he continues helping and later discovers an important ritual mural 42 48.

Abilities & Skills

Close Combat and Axe Fighting

Tan Qingshan excels at close combat, combining considerable physical strength with fierce spiritual energy 34.

• Uses broad, sweeping axe strikes to repel attacks and create openings for teammates 34.
• Breaks through enemy ranks as the squad’s vanguard 35 36.
• Cleaves incoming soul arrows and ice spikes with his axe 36 45.
• Limits: Dense attacks can overwhelm him. Against the qilin-like guardian beast, an all-out strike leaves only a shallow mark on its scales, and its counterattack knocks him to the ground 36 47.

Spiritual Energy Wind Blades

By channeling spiritual energy through his heavy axe, Tan Qingshan produces powerful wind blades and energy waves 34 50.

• Tears openings through the Black-Robed People’s attacks alongside Mu Chen 36.
• Directs wind blades along a restrictive vortex’s edge to help weaken its suction 46.
• Adds axe-generated energy waves to the clan’s assault on the enemy’s collective shield 50.

Coordinated Combat

Tan Qingshan trains to synchronize his attacks with Mu Chen and Tang Qian’er rather than fight independently 34.

• Receives specialized mobility and coordination training as a member of the elite assault squad 37.
• Concentrates attacks on exposed weak points, including the three-headed beast’s head junction and the qilin-like beast’s belly and leg joints 45 47.
• Combines his axe strikes with his companions’ attacks to breach ancient restrictions 46.

Soul Power

• Participates in the ancient activation ritual by channeling soul power into the clan’s secret weapon with Mu Chen and the other companions 44.

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Heavy axe — His principal weapon, used for close-range strikes, intercepting projectiles, and releasing spiritual energy wind blades. Its demonstrated power depends on the spiritual energy he channels into it; it cannot penetrate the qilin-like guardian beast’s strongest scales 34 36 47.

Relationships

• Mu Chen — Childhood friend and squad leader. Tan Qingshan volunteers to protect him in combat; Mu Chen rescues him when the bell-wielder’s guards overwhelm him and draws the qilin-like beast’s attention after he is knocked down 34 36 47.
• Tang Qian’er — Squadmate and support cultivator. Her healing, energy recovery, and defensive enhancements sustain Tan Qingshan during battles and training 34 35 47.
• Lin Feng and Su Yao — Reconnaissance teammates. Before their missions, Tan Qingshan warns them to prioritize retreat over unnecessary risks 39.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Defense Against the Black-Robed People

• Joins Mu Chen’s balanced combat squad and practices taking the vanguard before answering the family alarm 34.
• Leads the charge into the attackers’ densest ranks, helping the clan repel their assault 35.
• Accompanies Mu Chen in disrupting the reinforcements’ formation. He fights through the bell-wielder’s guards, suffers wounds, and intercepts soul arrows before Mu Chen destroys their source 36.

Strategic Preparations

• Represents the younger disciples at the elders’ strategy meeting. He identifies the need to counter enemy techniques that strengthen spiritual energy and interfere with souls 37.
• Is selected for the elite assault squad tasked with exploiting openings to attack enemy leaders 37.
• Carries heavy spiritual ores during construction of the clan’s defensive barrier network 38.

Awakening the Secret Weapon

• Helps search the Library Pavilion for activation instructions and participates in preparations involving conviction and soul power 42.
• Fights wolf-like guardian beasts during the expedition that retrieves the Heaven and Earth Spirit Root 43.
• Suggests that the eye-shaped wall pattern may indicate the spirit eye, then joins the ritual that awakens the weapon 44.
• Battles the three-headed guardian beast, initially attacking its blue head before joining the concentrated assault on its head junction 45.
• Suggests a connection between the seven-star restriction pattern and star power; helps weaken a vortex and blast through a vulnerable intersection 46.
• Survives the qilin-like guardian beast’s counterattack and returns to battle after Tang Qian’er heals him. The group ultimately defeats it by exploiting its vulnerable joints 47.
• Discovers the mural depicting a glowing sphere placed into a stone platform. This clue helps the group locate the final activation item 48.

Renewed Counterattack

• Witnesses the secret weapon’s awakening and expresses amazement at its power 49.
• Fights beside the clan elites during the renewed assault, using spiritual energy waves from his axe to help shatter the Black-Robed People’s shield. The clan drives the attackers from its territory 50.

Notable Quotes

“With me here, I guarantee I’ll block the enemy’s attacks for you, so you can focus on dishing out damage.” 34

“Be careful, everyone. Those black-robed men aren’t easy to deal with. If you run into danger, don’t try to be a hero. Retreat immediately.” 39