Tie Zhu

Biodata

Power Progression

Background / History

Tie Zhu belonged to the Nine Luminaries Black-Scaled Python race, whose naturally powerful bodies made the Flood Dragon transformation path unusually difficult. His own transformation began after an encounter with an ancient underground palace. Inside, creatures died among traps surrounding an altar and an iron pillar encircled by nine dragons. Tie Zhu tried unsuccessfully to swallow the pillar and escaped as the palace sank, but later could not remember its location 448 481.

In the ancient era, he lived beneath the Long River and obstructed the Heavenly Saber Sect’s expansion, earning Zhao Congren’s enmity. He also witnessed a Yin God descend and a Supreme Powerhouse fall. His kind was eventually wiped out, and he spent a thousand years confined before emerging from the Dragon-Locking Well 459 482 558 611.

Jiang Chen was the first person Tie Zhu acknowledged after his release. Their father–son relationship became so widely recognized that Jiang Chen considered Tie Zhu inseparable from his own fortunes—and the one companion, apart from the family attached to his hammer, who would support him unconditionally 611.

Imperial Destiny

Sister Hong’s divination revealed an extraordinary imperial destiny, described as that of an emperor unmatched through the ages. His earth aspect indicated wandering, dramatic rises and falls, and the configuration of Seven Killings, Greedy Wolf, and Po Jun 496.

The reading also revealed a black thread entwined around his fate. Sister Hong concluded that someone had altered his fate twice and continued to watch him; when his imperial destiny matured, he might end up benefiting that hidden party. Tie Zhu responded by asking to abandon his promised Grand Sacrifice and remain insignificant 496.

Appearance

• Early form: A black-scaled, python-like creature with only a pair of short forelegs. Despite being called a Flood Dragon, he was visibly incomplete 481.
• After recovering King-Level power: Grew short whiskers, forehead bumps, and additional legs; his body exceeded three hundred meters during the breakthrough 496.
• Later markings: Developed nearly imperceptible golden markings, followed by more conspicuous dark-gold protective patterns 526 759.
• Eyes: Manifest the sun and moon, becoming especially imposing when his power rises 594 629.
• Variable size: Can coil around Jiang Chen’s wrist or hide inside clothing, yet enlarge to a thousand zhang in battle 481 488 639.
• Bloodline-awakened form: A dark-gold, five-clawed Black Dragon several hundred zhang long, surrounded by lightning and tangible draconic pressure 795.

Personality

Tie Zhu is boastful, talkative, and quick to claim credit. He exaggerates injuries to solicit offerings, praises Jiang Chen extravagantly when threatened, and becomes visibly intoxicated by public admiration. He also recognizes when silence is safer than pointing out his father’s hypocrisy 471 481 483 660.

His fearfulness does not erase his loyalty. He once proposed temporarily severing their father–son relationship to avoid the Formation Gate’s retaliation, yet remained with Jiang Chen when they provoked Shenji and Jing Shou. Jiang Chen ultimately judged his support to be unconditional 488 611.

He is obsessed with the Jiang family inheritance and regards himself as its rightful heir, sometimes treating Jiang Xiao Chen as a rival. He is equally enthusiastic about food and repeatedly describes himself as a premium ingredient—even volunteering instructions for cooking his body after death 599 668 692 777.

Despite his usual clowning, Tie Zhu proves exceptionally capable in command. As King Zhu, he works without sleep, asks detailed questions, and implements sweeping reforms with a speed that surprises Jiang Chen 800.

Abilities & Skills

Racial Physique and Defense

Tie Zhu’s exceptional durability is primarily an innate racial gift rather than a cultivated art 668.

• Blocked Xuanyi’s killing blow as a Half-King without suffering an actual injury 481 482 497.
• Lifted the Yin God Hammer when Jiang Chen, then a Third-Step King, could not move it 526.
• After acquiring his irregular True Dragon body, endured Jiang Xiao Chen’s attack with the Earthly Fiend Yin God Hammer without even grunting 691.
• Later withstood attacks from a Great Power Corpse; Jiang Dijiao’s full-power slash left only a shallow groove despite his golden-pattern protection 764 768.
• Limits: The Master of the Artifact Gate cut him in two before his True Dragon transformation. Even after his bloodline awakening, Primordial Heavenly Fire overwhelmed his defenses until Jiang Chen extinguished it 640 796.

Sun-and-Moon Art

Tie Zhu cultivates a single art centered on the sun, moon, and the alternation of day and night 668.

• Channels scorching and yin powers through his body, illuminating his scales with ancient symbols 594.
• Changes a local stretch of the world between day and night during combat 639.
• Expanded the phenomenon across a thousand miles during his breakthrough 668.
• Combines the art with his Pitch-Black Mystic Scales to resist lethal techniques 633.

Golden-Pattern Protection

The Dark Gold Light Orb transmitted an obscure incantation that covers Tie Zhu in golden light before settling into protective patterns 759.

• Adds another defensive layer to his already reinforced body 759.
• Emerged after he swallowed Immortal Qi; Jiang Chen and Jiang Xiao Chen suspected both the stronger physique and the new technique were benefits of that event 758 759.
• Its precise defensive ceiling remained unmeasured when Jiang Chen proposed testing it against a Yin God 759.

Speed and Interception

Tie Zhu’s True Dragon body grants exceptional movement speed even when its offensive power is comparatively weak 691.

• Outran Jiang Xiao Chen during the pursuit following his theft of the Immortal Qi 758.
• Repeatedly intercepted killing moves aimed at Jiang Xiao Chen 769.
• Stole Heartless Sword’s weapon and blocked her attacks, allowing the Nine Provinces’ formation to strike her 786.
• Limit: Jiang Dijiao’s obscuring black curtain concealed attack angles well enough that Tie Zhu could not guarantee every interception 769.

Physical Combat and Bloodline Awakening

Tie Zhu fights mainly through biting, ramming, clawing, and tail strikes.

• Could tear apart newly advanced Supreme Powerhouse-level Weird Objects despite lacking strong offense against opponents of his own realm 751.
• Under the Ancestral Dragon Reverse Blood Formation, destroyed the Yin Demon Devouring Heaven Formation and fought a top Great Power 795.
• Withstood the imitation Four-Element Heaven-Opening Formation, then bit off the Penglai Immortal Slave’s leg and pursued him 796.
• Restriction: His immature body held limited energy, and Jiang Chen’s intervention was needed to unlock the physical power he already possessed 796.

Perception and Ancient Knowledge

• Identifies ancient treasures and explains events, factions, and practices from earlier cultivation eras 448 450 627.
• Recognized Formless Zen and inferred how the headless Buddha statues helped seal Formless City’s Yin God 667.
• As an Eighth-Step King, could assess distant combat inside the Restricted Zone more clearly than Jiang Chen could at the time 595.
• Perceived the pitch-black heart inside an ancient sealed jar and heard its attempted temptation 773.
• Studied multiple countries’ languages specifically to expand his ability to taunt opponents 760.

Command and Administration

As King Zhu, Tie Zhu reorganized the Nine Provinces’ defenses before the third upheaval 800.

• Established the Mountain and River Iron Guards.
• Expanded practical combat training.
• Reformed recruitment for Unusual Persons and Netherworld Messengers.
• Promoted nationwide dissemination of basic cultivation methods.
• Introduced survival rules for encounters with Restricted Zone Weird Objects.
• Coordinated Yamas and Dao Alliance powerhouses in rotating shifts, completing major institutional reforms within five or six days 800.

Equipment / Items

• Dark Gold Light Orb — Extracted from the “Great Tie Zhu” in the Dragon Palace after another failed attempt to swallow the larger object. The attempt nearly pulverized his True Dragon body. The orb remained in his belly, consumed much of his intake, and later taught him the golden-pattern incantation 727 733 759.
• Sacrificial offerings and restorative elixirs — Supplied by Jiang Chen for advancement and healing. They helped repair severe injuries, regrow his severed tail, and sustain him against Tian Yi 496 595 614 633.
• King-Level Ghost Artifacts — Stored inside his belly; the Master of the Artifact Gate forcibly drew them out during battle 640.
• Immortal’s Finger, borrowed — Used to strike the Master of the Artifact Gate before leaving the Restricted Zone 648.

Relationships

• Jiang Chen — Adoptive father, traveling companion, and principal provider of cultivation resources. Their exchanges alternate between punishment, flattery, and genuine mutual reliance 481 496 611.
• Jiang Xiao Chen / Jiang Chen’s Evil Self — His “Second Uncle,” battle partner, and perceived rival for the Jiang family inheritance. Tie Zhu protects him in combat while privately scheming against his standing in the family 595 692 769 777.
• Sister Hong — Addressed as “Stepmother.” She discovered the extraordinary—and apparently manipulated—nature of his destiny 496.
• King of the Metropolis — Addressed as “little mother” when Tie Zhu served tea during a gathering 659.
• Xiaohai — Offered him shelter inside his jacket when he appeared frightened of the crowd; Tie Zhu insisted he was merely avoiding excessive admirers 455.
• Zhao Congren — Ancient enemy from the Heavenly Saber Sect. Their grudge began when Tie Zhu blocked the sect’s expansion near the Long River 558.
• King of Reincarnation — A protector Tie Zhu expected to rely on after returning to the Mortal World, despite joking with Jiang Chen about rebelling against him. Jiang Chen later floated giving Tie Zhu his position 648 767.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Notable Quotes

“If anyone dares lay a hand on my dad, I, Tie Zhu, will take a bite out of that bastard even if it means being smashed to pieces.” 481

“Neither of us is virtuous, so how could we possibly let those bastards off?” 595

“A mere Supreme Powerhouse, that’s all. Someday I’ll piss on someone even stronger for you!” 660