Cao De

Biodata

Power Progression

Appearance

• Handsome features: Xiao Wu admires his eyebrows, eyes, nose, and mouth; Ning Rongrong describes him as roguishly handsome 5 13.
• Blood-red eyes during technique use: His pupils turn red when activating Basic Laser Eyes, and his eyes become blood-red while channeling the Great Sun Heart Method into his sword 6 36 39.

Personality

Cao De is teasing, calculating, and deliberately provocative. Once he discovers that other people’s feelings produce emotion points, he repeatedly antagonizes Tang San and Yu Xiaogang. He particularly enjoys defeating Tang San with counters to the techniques Tang San takes pride in 1 2 4.

He is affectionate and protective toward his romantic partners, but ruthless toward enemies. He comforts Xiao Wu and Ning Rongrong, arranges protection for Xiao Wu before traveling, and rescues Shui Bing’er despite his own injuries. Conversely, he kills opponents who threaten him or insult the girls accompanying him 19 22 26 32 42 45.

His confidence does not eliminate caution. He postpones killing Tang San because of Tang Hao’s protection and treats combat as an opportunity to test his sword’s limitations 6 19 32 39.

Abilities & Skills

Emotion-Point System

The system grants Cao De points whenever someone experiences emotions toward him. Characters with greater influence in the original story generate more points, making Tang San a particularly valuable source 1.

• Both hostile emotions and affection produce points: Tang San supplies anger and resentment, while Xiao Wu supplies affection and admiration 5 7.
• Points can purchase cultivation methods, items, Soul Power, and Soul Ring upgrades 1 4.
• The system provides a Shop, lottery rewards, knowledge transfer, and storage through System Space 1 4 6.
• Its reliability is questionable: it secretly diverts previously unclaimed emotion points to obtain Shadow, then presents the event as a malfunction 47.

Great Sun Heart Method

His principal cultivation method increases Soul Power through daily practice and substantially enhances his physical strength 2 4.

• Used to reach levels 8 and 40 5 18.
• Supports recovery from injuries, including those sustained during Da Ming’s pressure test 22.
• Channels Soul Power into the Thousand-Blade Demon Sword during his experiments with independent sword control 33 36 39.
• The system states that paired practice can rapidly increase both participants’ Soul Power 4.

Anti-Tang Sect Manual

A beginner gift-pack reward containing countermeasures researched specifically against Tang Sect martial arts, hidden weapons, and poisons. The system transfers its knowledge directly to Cao De 1.

• His attribute panel lists the manual as only partially learned 4.
• Includes Magnetic Hand and Reverse Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track 1.
• Identifies Aqua Regia as a counter to Mysterious Jade Hand, but Cao De is not shown obtaining it; the system says it is available through lottery draws 1.

Magnetic Hand

Allows Cao De to manipulate Tang Sect hidden weapons remotely 1.

• Reverses Tang San’s poisoned needles in midair, striking their owner instead 2.
• Lifts and redirects Tang San’s Sleeve Arrow without physical contact 4.
• The beginner version works only on Tang Sect hidden weapons; the advanced version extends to all metals and requires emotion points to unlock 1.

Reverse Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track

Predicts the movements of Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track and allows Cao De to move ahead of its user 1.

• Makes Tang San’s footwork predictable enough for Cao De to evade with small movements 2.
• Later used to dodge the Scholar’s lightning and Yang Pang’s spear attacks 43 45.

Basic Laser Eyes

The documented basic function provides thermal imaging rather than an offensive beam 6.

• Detects people and creatures through their heat signatures 6.
• Reveals a distant figure with exceptionally vigorous vitality, whom Cao De identifies as Tang Hao 6.
• Works with Remote Sensing Marks to alert him when a marked person encounters danger 13.
• Intermediate Laser Eyes appears in the Shop, but its purchase is not documented 1 4.

Thousand-Blade Demon Sword

His evolved martial soul emits purple light and can separate into numerous blade fragments 4 9 14.

• Destroys and absorbs the Mighty Male Ant’s lingering consciousness during ring absorption 7.
• Its hilt’s Evil Spirit Rune reacts to Blood Pearls and related blood energy 40 41 42.
• Absorbs the energy sustaining a Blood Pearl illusion, blood-red attack components, and blood qi 41 43 44.
• Blood-energy absorption slightly improves its Soul Power conversion rate and deepens Cao De’s connection to the weapon 41 45.
• Initially, its transformations depend on Soul Skills. His attempt to wield it freely without those skills yields only about 1% Soul Power conversion during the Feng Xiaotian fight 32 39.

Draw Cut

His first Soul Skill combines extreme charging speed with a sword strike 11 14.

• Wounds Zhao Wuji through his activated defensive skill 14.
• Can supply rapid movement without drawing the sword, allowing Cao De to ram an opponent 19.
• Its cutting power fails to penetrate the Green-Haired Tortoise’s shell in Cao De’s test 19.
• Unhealed injuries reduce its speed, allowing Yang Pang to block it 45.

Demon Sword’s Protection

Forms a purple barrier or dome from sword fragments and can dispel control effects 14.

• Protects Cao De and Xiao Wu from Zhao Wuji’s gravitational field 14.
• Blocks Yang Pang’s homing spear, although the impact aggravates Cao De’s injuries 45.
• Is not invulnerable: the Scholar’s eighth Soul Skill shatters it 43.

Armor Break

Separates the sword into linked fragments, producing an elongated blade capable of penetrating powerful defenses 19.

• Extends the blade to more than ten meters 19.
• Cuts through Profound Tortoise Defense and kills the Canghui Academy teacher 19.
• Higher Soul Power creates greater resistance, slightly slowing its penetration 19.
• Can combine with Piercing once Cao De’s connection to the sword strengthens 45.

Piercing

His fourth Soul Skill scatters the weapon into numerous independently attacking Demon Blade Shards 26 33.

• Kills Bu Le and Shi Nian with attacks penetrating their bodies 26 34.
• Overwhelms the Mad Old Man’s wind blades, prompting him to flee 39.
• Combines with Armor Break so fragments can bypass a blocked section of the weapon and attack from other directions 45.
• Can perform controlled cutting work, opening a person-sized hole in a wall 49.

Equipment / Items

• Martial Soul Evolution Card — Beginner reward consumed to evolve his original martial soul 1 4.
• Anti-Tang Sect Manual — Beginner reward supplying specialized counter-techniques 1.
• Gold Soul Coins — Receives 1,000 in his beginner gift pack; later invests 200,000 for half of Shrek Academy 1 10.
• Remote Sensing Marks — Single-use danger-alert items linked to Laser Eyes. He purchases three before the Shrek entrance test and another after rescuing Ning Rongrong 13 26.
• Pope Token — Given to him by Bibi Dong before his departure from Spirit Hall 39.
• Soul Bone brought by Huo Wu — Temporarily stored in System Space when its exposed aura attracts Spirit Hall’s Enshrined; subsequently left with Bibi Dong 36 37.
• Dagger — Taken from System Space to finish the Mighty Male Ant before absorbing its ring 6.

Relationships

• Xiao Wu — Romantic partner, whom he calls his “little wife.” He knows her identity as a hundred-thousand-year Soft Bone Rabbit, affirms that his feelings are genuine, and arranges protection for her before leaving Shrek 5 10 22 32.
• Tang San — Principal rival and recurring source of emotion points. Cao De repeatedly counters his techniques, while Tang San develops a lasting desire for revenge 1 2 7 9.
• Yu Xiaogang — Antagonist whose authority Cao De rejects. Cao De publicly humiliates him at Nuoding and later knocks him unconscious after he demands a kowtow at Shrek 9 16.
• Ning Rongrong — Romantic partner. She defends him at Shrek, worries deeply when he disappears into the forest, and confesses her feelings after he rescues her from Bu Le 16 24 26 27.
• Zhu Zhuqing — Fellow Shrek student whom he rescues during Zhao Wuji’s test. She thanks him afterward and watches over him during his fight with the Canghui teacher 14 15 19.
• Flaide — Shrek Academy dean and business partner. Cao De buys 50% of the academy while allowing him to remain dean, then opposes an immediate relocation to Heaven Dou Imperial City 10 30.
• Bibi Dong — Teacher who accepts him as her second disciple after testing his strength. She keeps his Soul Bone and grants him a Pope Token 37 39.
• Huo Wu — Traveling companion who addresses him as “Master” after he frees her from Shi Nian. She follows him to Spirit City and defends him against Feng Xiaotian 34 36 37 39.
• Shui Bing’er — Rescued from the Scholar’s blood-energy influence and later from Yang Pang’s forced bridal imprisonment. She subsequently addresses Cao De as “Master” and brings him medicine 43 45 46.
• Shui Yue’er — Kidnapping victim he rescues; later seeks his help to save her older sister, Shui Bing’er 41 44 45.
• Da Ming and Er Ming — Xiao Wu’s protective companions. Da Ming tests Cao De’s intentions before helping him search for suitable soul beasts 22.
• Shadow — System-acquired, level-93 Titled Douluo servant with a shadow martial soul. Performs reconnaissance and protects Cao De from an attempted poisoning 47 49 50.
• Xiao Lingmeng / Dai Lingmeng — Prospective collaborator who proposes an alliance against the Star Luo Empire. Cao De’s answer is not supplied 50.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Nuoding Academy

Tang San’s mockery of Cao De’s original martial soul triggers the emotion-point system. Cao De immediately begins provoking Tang San and Yu Xiaogang, claims the beginner rewards, and meets Xiao Wu on the way to Dorm Seven. After defeating Tang San with his own needles, he is recognized as the dormitory’s boss 1 2 3.

Cao De bribes Spirit Hall guards into permitting and assisting his first soul-beast hunt. After absorbing the Mighty Male Ant’s ring, he defeats Tang San again despite Blue Silver Grass’s binding attack. His subsequent public humiliation of Yu Xiaogang ends with Yu Xiaogang and Tang San leaving Nuoding 6 7 9.

Shrek Academy

After leaving Nuoding with Xiao Wu, Cao De purchases half of Shrek Academy. He defeats Dai Mubai at the Rose Hotel and demonstrates his unusual ring configuration during the entrance test, where he rescues Zhu Zhuqing and wounds Zhao Wuji 10 11 14.

His investor status complicates disciplinary confrontations: Flaide avoids directly challenging him after he injures Yu Xiaogang. Cao De later reaches level 40 and joins the expedition to the Star Dou Great Forest 16 18.

Star Dou Great Forest

Cao De accompanies Xiao Wu to Da Ming and Er Ming, openly acknowledging her soul-beast identity. He endures Da Ming’s pressure without retaliating to demonstrate his intentions, then cultivates nearby while Xiao Wu forms her ring. Da Ming agrees to find thirty-thousand- to fifty-thousand-year soul beasts for him 22.

After returning, Cao De rescues Ning Rongrong from Bu Le and reveals Piercing. Their relationship becomes romantic 26 27.

Sword Investigation and Spirit Hall

A recurring sense of unease and glowing sword patterns prompt Cao De to leave Shrek on a dangerous journey. In Barak City, he experiments with controlling his martial soul without Soul Skills, then rescues Huo Wu by killing Shi Nian 30 32 33 34.

In Spirit City, he becomes Bibi Dong’s second disciple and receives her Pope Token. His continuing sword experiments culminate in a confrontation with Feng Xiaotian and the Mad Old Man, who escape after Cao De unleashes his full Soul Skills 37 39.

Blood Pearl and Skywater Academy

The sword’s reaction leads Cao De into a Blood Pearl Formation, where it absorbs the illusion’s sustaining energy. He rescues Shui Yue’er and begins investigating the Nuomi Church’s blood-based powers 40 41.

Against the Scholar, Cao De suffers severe injuries but drains his blood qi before the opponent dies by suicide. After nearly two days unconscious, Cao De learns that Shui Bing’er has been imprisoned over Shui Yiyi’s death. Still injured, he kills Yang Pang and frees her from a hidden bridal chamber beside Yang Fang’s corpse 44 45.

Star Luo Investigation

While traveling to Star Luo City, Cao De gains Shadow through the system’s concealed exchange of emotion points. Shadow’s blood-marked rings raise Cao De’s suspicions of a Nuomi Church connection, though the servant remembers only his loyalty to Cao De 47.

Cao De uses the local Spirit Hall branch to search for a mysterious box. After Shadow stops Li Hu’s poisoning attempt, Cao De orders surveillance of both Li Hu and Wu Chen. Xiao Lingmeng then presents a drawing of the same box and proposes cooperation to destroy the Star Luo Empire 50.

Notable Quotes

“I’ll treat you well for the rest of my life, my little wife.” 5

“Losing focus in battle is a fatal mistake.” 7

“If I wanted to hunt Xiao Wu for her soul ring, I would have imprisoned her back at Nuoding Academy.” 22

Trivia

• Cao De knows the original story’s plot and recognizes characters from an animation, allowing him to anticipate events such as Tang San’s first soul-ring hunt 1 5 6.
• He associates his evolved sword with Killer Seven and wants to control it freely like Seven rather than depend on Soul Skills 32.
• Soul Skill numbering is inconsistent in the supplied text: Demon Sword’s Protection is introduced as the second skill but later called the third, while Piercing is usually the fourth but once called the first 14 26 42 43 45.
• Although Cao De tells a guard that he has reached level 10, the subsequent system notification explicitly records his purchase from level 8 to level 10 6 7.