Er Leng

Biodata

Background / History

Er Leng grew up in the Southern Border, where he gathered medicinal herbs in the mountains with his second uncle. The late Prince Huai brought him into the residence at six years old. A martial prodigy, he grew up alongside Zhu Zigui and was groomed to become the young prince’s trusted military aide 7 14 17.

After the late prince died, Zhu Zigui transferred Er Leng to the personal guard battalion to cultivate support among its soldiers. Despite spending more than two years there and befriending other company commanders, Er Leng could guarantee complete obedience from only himself. Wang Jingzhong treated him like a son, and his death left Er Leng openly distraught 7.

Appearance

• Build: Burly and powerfully built 12 18.
• Eyes: Described as small 8.
• Battle blindfold: Tears a strip from his clothing to cover his eyes while defending Tranquil Heart Hall, fearing another eye-based charm spell 17.

Personality

Er Leng is blunt, literal-minded, and poorly educated. He struggles with prepared speeches, misses jokes and unfamiliar expressions, and frequently flatters his prince. His early suggestions for avenging Wang Jingzhong involve vicious retaliation against Li Yan’s family, reflecting the reckless conduct he once shared with Zhu Zigui 7 8 13 17.

His foolishness contrasts with genuine emotional attachment and courage. He mourns Wang Jingzhong intensely, instinctively shields Ren Ye from danger, and becomes composed and methodical when conducting security searches. After being freed from Liu Ling’er’s charm, he is overwhelmed by shame and asks Ren Ye to kill him 7 8 11 17.

Er Leng regards loyalty as repayment for his lord’s care. Even after recognizing that Celestial Master Xu is beyond his ability to defeat, he returns to the hall entrance rather than abandon his orders. When critically injured, he tries to take sole responsibility for killing the commander and soldiers so that Prince Huai will not be implicated 18 19.

Abilities & Skills

Swift Saber

Er Leng excels with a single saber and ranks among the strongest fighters in Prince Huai’s estate. His defining strength is the extraordinary speed of his blade 7 14.

• Nearly kills Liu Ling’er with a slash to her shoulder before she charms him 15.
• Kills Zhong Kuishan in one strike, shattering his steel saber and cutting through his silver armor 17.
• Defeats more than a dozen attacking soldiers within two breaths while blindfolded 18.
• Throws Invite the Moon at Old Taoist Xu’s neck while being knocked backward, then catches the returning weapon 18.
• Limit: Old Taoist Xu’s Power Body combines overwhelming strength with a steel-like, blade-resistant body, directly countering Er Leng’s speed 19.

Heightened Senses and Stealth

Er Leng explains that martial artists train their five senses before their bodies. He claims that no sound within fifty meters escapes his notice 12.

• Detects two rats searching for food while guarding Ren Ye at night 12.
• Hears approaching warhorses before the eunuchs beside him notice anything 17.
• Fights blindfolded, reacting to attackers as they approach 17 18.
• Moves without audible footsteps while investigating Ren Ye’s bedchamber 11.

Southern Border Knowledge

His upbringing gives Er Leng practical familiarity with medicinal herbs and unusual Southern Border practices 11 14.

• Scent recognition: Identifies the intruder’s distinctive scent as one previously encountered in Liyuan Garden; claims he could distinguish it among a hundred people 14.
• Gu identification: Recognizes the Soul-Control Gu and explains how its male component imprisons the soul while its female component controls the victim 11.
• Host compatibility: Explains that the gu was refined specifically for Prince Huai and burned itself up after entering Little Xu instead 11.
• Limit: Can identify the gu’s effects but cannot save Little Xu once implantation occurs 11.

Security and Protection

• Leads searches for intruders, hidden weapons, traps, poison, and disturbed dust in Ren Ye’s bedchamber 11.
• Stations attendants along the four corridors leading into the sleeping quarters to provide early warning 12.
• Helps distribute valuables and stage misleading security preparations to expose an insider 13.
• Commands twelve eunuchs at Tranquil Heart Hall’s entrance while Ren Ye deals with Liu Ling’er below 17.

Vulnerability to Charm

• Liu Ling’er exploits his simple personality and places him under a charm that creates a connection through which she can monitor his loyalty 15.
• While controlled, he lies to Ren Ye, reveals the secret chamber, assists Liu Ling’er’s infiltration, and prepares traps intended for his own prince 16 17.
• Lian’er breaks the enchantment using Ren Ye’s Tranquil Heart Daoist Talisman 17.
• Afterward, he blindfolds himself because Liu Ling’er’s charm worked through her eyes 17.

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Invite the Moon — A silvery-white, single-edged weapon counted among the world’s ten renowned sabers. Ren Ye gives it to Er Leng after they discover it in the secret chamber. It belonged to the assassin Hidden Maiden fifty years earlier; obtaining her lifetime learning through the saber is described as a rumor, not an achievement Er Leng demonstrates 9.
• Handmade leather sheath — Carries Invite the Moon at his side 11.
• Improvised blindfold — A strip torn from his clothing, worn during the defense of Tranquil Heart Hall 17 18.

Relationships

• Zhu Zigui / Prince Huai — Childhood companion and master. They are roughly the same age and grew up inseparable; the late prince intended Er Leng to become Zhu Zigui’s military aide 7 17.
• Ren Ye — Retains Er Leng as a trusted protector while occupying Prince Huai’s identity. Gives him Invite the Moon, forgives his involuntary betrayal, and retaliates against Old Taoist Xu for gravely injuring him 9 17 19.
• Late Prince Huai — Brought Er Leng home at six and helped raise him. Er Leng remembers him as one of the few people who treated him like family 7.
• Wang Jingzhong — Superior and father figure, addressed as “Uncle Wang.” Er Leng mourns his death and blames Li Yan 7.
• Lian’er — Fellow trusted attendant who helps distribute rewards, rebukes his failures, and frees him from Liu Ling’er’s charm. Ren Ye later entrusts his care to her 13 14 17 20.
• Liu Ling’er — Enemy who nearly dies to his saber before charming and sexually exploiting him. Uses his access to infiltrate Tranquil Heart Hall; after regaining control, Er Leng expresses anguish over the assault and his actions under the spell 15 16 17.
• Old Taoist Xu / Celestial Master Xu — Opponent during the defense of the hall. His refined Power Body defeats and critically injures Er Leng 18 19.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Discovery of the Secret Chamber

• Accompanies Ren Ye in searching Tranquil Heart Hall for the late emperor’s secret decree and witnesses the hidden passage opening 7.
• Scouts the passage, discovers the treasure-filled chamber, and steps between Ren Ye and the talisman-sealed iron door when something strikes it from within 8.
• Suffers a minor wound when Ren Ye swings the Nation-Guarding Sword in panic during a ghost encounter. Receives Invite the Moon afterward 9.

Soul-Control Gu and the Insider Trap

• Oversees the bedchamber search that uncovers the Soul-Control Gu and explains the attempted enslavement after Little Xu dies 11.
• Helps Ren Ye lure an insider into revealing the gu controller, then follows the young eunuch to Spring Fragrance Garden 13 14.
• Initially reports that the masked woman escaped through superior movement skills and hidden weapons. His later confession reveals that she actually charmed him during the encounter 14 17.

Enchanted Betrayal and Release

• Misidentifies another songstress as the thief, escorts Liu Ling’er into Tranquil Heart Hall disguised as a maid, and opens the passage using the fake Nation-Guarding Sword 16.
• Ren Ye detects the deception through suspiciously concentrated bloodstains and Er Leng’s subsequent movements 19.
• Once Lian’er removes the charm, Er Leng confesses his disclosures and sabotage. Ren Ye restores his responsibility by ordering him to guard the hall entrance 17.

Defense of Tranquil Heart Hall

• Blocks the Qingzhou Guard, Spy Battalion, and government soldiers from entering; kills Zhong Kuishan and the soldiers who charge him 17 18.
• Challenges Celestial Master Xu despite knowing he cannot win. The second palm strike caves in his chest and leaves him unable to stand 18 19.
• His injuries provoke Ren Ye’s confrontation with Xu and the destruction of Xu’s Power Body by summoned ghosts. After forcing the officials to submit, Ren Ye orders Lian’er to care for Er Leng 19 20.

Notable Quotes

“As long as Er Leng is alive, no one can hurt you.” 12

“I am Prince Huai’s guard! I have no other talents. My blade is simply fast! Take one step forward, and you die!” 17

“Take your lord’s pay, serve your lord faithfully! Even a stray dog understood that rule. How could a man not know it?!” 18

Trivia

• Ren Ye speculates that Er Leng is a Gate Spirit, possibly an Awakened, and wonders whether he could bring him into the real world. Neither the classification nor that possibility is confirmed in the provided chapters 13.
• His loyalty speech draws on a childhood stray dog that continued guarding his parents’ home after he left. The dog died of old age and was buried beneath the family’s apricot tree 18.