Teng Zijing

Biodata

Power Progression

Background / History

Assassination Assignment and Faked Death

Teng Zijing was an operative of the Overwatch Council’s Fourth Bureau. Xu Yunzhang issued false orders sending him to Danzhou to assassinate Fan Xian, then was secretly silenced. Zhou Cheng’s internal assessment identifies Teng as a pawn deliberately made available by Emperor Qing and Chen Pingping for Li Yunrui’s assassination scheme 13 24 31.

The Council’s records subsequently listed Teng as killed by Fan Xian. In reality, his death had been faked, and he accompanied Fan Xian to the Capital. With his wife and child missing, he asked Fan Xian to investigate the Council’s records and help find them 21 31 36.

Search for His Family

Unknown to Teng, Zhou Cheng had ordered Chen Bao to bring his family to Prince Cheng’s Residence. They were placed under guard, with instructions to treat them well and arrange work for them 14 18.

Wang Qinian supplied a fabricated file claiming that Guo Baokun had murdered Teng’s wife and child. Enraged, Teng left to seek revenge, using a palm strike and throwing knives to prevent Fan Xian from stopping him. Fan Xian later intercepted him, and the two ambushed Guo to demand answers 30 31.

Guo’s repeated denials led them to question the file. Wang admitted that he had fabricated it because he mistakenly believed Fan Xian intended to kill Teng’s surviving family. His subsequent investigation located them at Prince Cheng’s Residence 31.

Coercion at Prince Cheng’s Residence

Fan Xian promised to accompany Teng to the residence the next morning. However, Teng realized that Fan Xian’s apparent night with Si Lili—whom Zhou Cheng favored—might make such a visit dangerous. Rather than burden Fan Xian with that knowledge, he attempted a nighttime rescue alone 31 32.

Chen Quan’s guards captured him. Zhou Cheng openly admitted that he was holding Teng’s family to force him to monitor Fan Xian. Teng initially agreed, then used a report about Si Lili to create an opening, seized Zhou Cheng at daggerpoint, and demanded his family’s release and a carriage out of the Capital 33.

Zhou Cheng effortlessly defeated him twice. He then allowed a brief family reunion and sent Teng back to Fan Xian, still under orders to report his movements. Teng disclosed the coercion to Fan Xian, who advised him to comply rather than endanger his family 34 35.

Capital Prefecture Trial

While following Fan Xian after his arrest over Guo Baokun’s beating, Teng was ambushed and detained. The Crown Prince presented his survival as evidence that Fan Xian had deceived the emperor. Teng attempted to take sole responsibility, claiming that he had forced Fan Xian to submit the false death report at knifepoint 35 36.

Emperor Qing’s decree declared Teng’s survival an Overwatch Council arrangement, ending that accusation. Zhou Cheng subsequently exposed Mei Zhili’s advance preparations to capture Teng for the Crown Prince’s case 36 37.

After Zhou Cheng threatened Fan Ruoruo to pressure Fan Xian, Teng physically restrained his enraged friend from attacking the prince 39.

Ox Pen Street Ambush and Survival

Teng continued reporting to Zhou Cheng, including conveying Fan Xian’s planned meeting with the Second Prince. Before the journey, he warned Fan Xian to take Zhou Cheng’s threats seriously. The two discussed moving their families to Danzhou, where Teng hoped to live peacefully with money, land, and his loved ones 46 48.

On Ox Pen Street, they survived an initial attack by two archers before confronting Cheng Jushu. Both were wounded, and each wanted to remain behind so the other could escape. Neither left. Teng took a seemingly fatal blow while protecting Fan Xian, and Wang Qinian found neither breath nor pulse 48 49.

Teng had not actually died. A strand of Grandmaster true qi that Zhou Cheng had implanted during their earlier confrontation protected his internal organs and placed him in suspended animation. Zhou Cheng reclaimed it, allowing Teng to awaken and sit up; he left Teng’s recovery and care to Fan Xian 34 50.

Personality

Teng’s overriding priority is his wife and son. He regards bodyguard work as employment rather than his life’s purpose, and is willing to relocate anywhere that offers land, money, and safety for his family. His normally stern expression softens noticeably when he speaks about his son 47 48.

He distrusts powerful people, doubting that a prince would genuinely pity someone of his standing. Coercion makes him outwardly compliant but does not erase his resistance: he attempts to escape Zhou Cheng’s control and feels guilty about being forced to spy on Fan Xian 31 33 34.

His blunt claims that he would flee danger contrast with his actions. He offers to shoulder the courtroom accusation against Fan Xian, restrains him from a reckless confrontation, and ultimately takes Cheng Jushu’s blow for him 36 39 48 49.

Abilities & Skills

Seventh-Rank Martial Arts

Teng uses true qi for close combat and rapid movement 30 33 34.

• Can deliver palm strikes and attack with a short dagger 30 33.
• Briefly approaches eighth-rank strength and speed under extreme determination 34.
• Remains outmatched by higher-ranked opponents: Chen Quan captures him within ten exchanges, while Zhou Cheng defeats him before he can follow the movements 33 34.

Stealth and Mobility

Teng can move silently across rooftops and walls, supporting infiltration and covert movement 32 37.

• Surveys Prince Cheng’s grounds from a rooftop before entering 32.
• Attempts to reach the servants’ quarters to gather information 33.
• His infiltration fails because hidden guards are already watching elevated positions around the estate 33.

Hidden Weapons

Teng employs concealed blades both to control distance and to strike quickly 30 33 48.

• Throws two knives to block Fan Xian’s pursuit 30.
• Conceals a short dagger in his sleeve for his hostage attempt 33.
• Takes down one of the Ox Pen Street archers with a hidden weapon 48.

Implanted Grandmaster True Qi

Zhou Cheng’s Hundred-Forged True Qi provides external protection rather than an advancement in Teng’s own cultivation 34 50.

• Normally coils around his heart meridians; Teng cannot refine, dispel, or control it 34 50.
• Activates against attacks of eighth-rank strength or greater, shielding his heart meridians and internal organs 50.
• Protects him from Cheng Jushu’s full-force strike but induces suspended animation 50.
• Would dissipate after several hours without intervention; Zhou Cheng instead retrieves it to wake him 50.

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Short dagger — Concealed in his sleeve during his attempt to take Zhou Cheng hostage; later used in his renewed attack on the prince 33 34.
• Throwing knives and hidden weapons — Used to impede pursuit and counter an archer during the Ox Pen Street ambush 30 48.

Relationships

• Fan Xian — Former assassination target, employer, and close friend. Fan helps search for his family and accepts his coerced reporting; after Teng’s apparent death, he calls him his friend and brother 21 24 35 49.
• Wife and son — His foremost concern and the hostages used to compel his service. His wish is to live peacefully with them 33 34 48.
• Zhou Cheng / Prince Cheng — Coercive patron who holds Teng’s family and demands intelligence on Fan Xian. Also secretly implants the true qi that saves Teng’s life 33 34 50.
• Wang Qinian — His fabricated file nearly sends Teng into a revenge killing; he later admits the deception and locates Teng’s family 30 31.
• Chen Quan — Captures Teng during the residence infiltration, then supervises his preparations for the family reunion 33 34.
• Crown Prince Li Chengqian — Uses Teng’s survival to accuse Fan Xian of deceiving the emperor during the Capital Prefecture trial 36.

Notable Quotes

“Were you reasonable when you forced me to spy on Fan Xian and betray my friend? I'm just a warrior, my life worth no more than grass, but Your Highness should never have treated me as though I were nothing!” 33

“Yes. Being alive is enough. People often don't live for themselves. … I live for my family. That's all I want to live for.” 48