Liu Zhengfeng

Biodata

Power Progression

Background / History

Hengshan Elder and Musical Friendship

Liu Zhengfeng was the Hengshan School’s second-in-command and a wealthy notable in Hengshan City. He practiced his bamboo flute daily and regarded Qu Yang, an elder of the Sun Moon Demon Cult, as the only person who truly understood his music 22 23 27.

Their friendship drew hostility from both sides of the martial world. Dongfang Bubai ordered Qu Yang to kill Liu Zhengfeng; Qu Yang’s refusal led to his being branded a traitor. Zuo Lengchan likewise learned of their connection and moved against Liu Zhengfeng under the accusation of colluding with the Demon Cult 11 23 24.

Recruitment and Golden Basin Retirement

Lin Lang interrupted Liu Zhengfeng’s flute practice by playing the funeral tune “Grand Funeral” outside his mansion. Angered by the apparent threat to his household, Liu Zhengfeng confronted him and fought more than thirty exchanges without gaining an advantage. Lin Lang then warned him that retirement alone would not protect his family from Mount Song 22 23.

Liu Zhengfeng refused to save himself by killing Qu Yang. Instead, he accepted a Jinyiwei Small Banner post after Lin Lang promised protection for his family, no action against Qu Yang or Hengshan, and permission to leave after completing three tasks. Liu Zhengfeng intended to fulfill those tasks, then resume a wealthy gentleman’s life of travel and music; Lin Lang privately intended to keep him under his command 23.

At the Golden Basin Handwashing Ceremony, Lin Lang pushed Liu Zhengfeng’s hands into the basin before Fei Bin could halt the ritual. Mount Song disciples then revealed that they held his family captive. Only Dingyi protested, leaving Liu Zhengfeng disillusioned with his fellow martial artists. Lin Lang invoked his new status as an imperial official and accused Mount Song of rebellion, forcing the intruders to withdraw 24.

Six Mount Song Guardians subsequently ambushed Liu Zhengfeng and Lin Lang outside Hengshan City. Liu Zhengfeng killed Tang Ying’e while Lin Lang killed the other five. After searching the bodies, Liu Zhengfeng returned home to settle his family affairs before reporting to Bailing County 25. Lin Lang later attributed the guardians’ deaths to the Sun Moon Demon Cult, provoking retaliation from Mount Song 27 28.

Service in the Jinyiwei

Liu Zhengfeng discovered that Lin Lang had exaggerated the Jinyiwei’s martial strength. Nevertheless, leaving was dangerous: his government affiliation was public, and Mount Song still threatened his family. He accepted fugitive-hunting duties as a way to punish martial-world criminals while retaining Lin Lang’s protection 36.

His arrests included Sun Yu, a second-rate martial artist responsible for killing eighteen people, and a female thief at the late-stage Martial Arts Master realm. Lin Lang rewarded him with two peerless martial arts manuals taken from the thief 39 40.

Following the office’s successful arrests, Liu Zhengfeng became Hundred-household of Bailing County, although he continued working at the Pingyang Thousand-household Office under Lin Lang. He began showing interest in further promotion and increasingly joined Wang Wu and Jia Liu in the pleasures of the Fragrant Pavilion 44. When Lin Lang prepared a mission against Hengshan, Liu Zhengfeng stayed behind to help guard the office 49.

Personality

Liu Zhengfeng initially values music, friendship, and family safety over official ambition. He refuses to harm Qu Yang even when offered that route to survival, and accepts the low-ranking Small Banner position because protection matters more to him than status. His courteous reception of the retirement ceremony’s guests also reflects his regard for martial-world etiquette 23 24.

His loyalty to Lin Lang develops alongside an awareness of being manipulated. He recognizes both the misleading recruitment pitch and Lin Lang’s deliberate violence against Thousand-household Zhao, but considers Lin Lang more protective of his followers than Mo Da. By his promotion celebration, his former indifference to advancement has given way to anticipation 36 44.

Abilities & Skills

Thirteen Forms of the Ever-Changing Cloud and Mist

Liu Zhengfeng has perfected this sword technique and used it to defeat numerous skilled swordsmen 23.

• Cannot gain the upper hand against Lin Lang’s unusual swordplay 23.
• Estimates that he could briefly hold off three Mount Song Guardians, but would lose within seven or eight minutes 25.
• Kills Tang Ying’e during the six-guardian ambush 25.

Capture and Subdual

His martial strength allows him to apprehend wanted criminals for the Jinyiwei 36 39.

• Subdues Sun Yu in fewer than three moves 39.
• Captures a late-stage Martial Arts Master through a surprise attack 39 40.
• Finds capturing comparable experts alive substantially harder than killing them; he can bring back only one such prisoner at a time 40.

Music

Liu Zhengfeng is an accomplished end-blown bamboo flute player whose daily practice is treated as a time for quiet around Liu Mansion 22.

• Shares a deep musical understanding with Qu Yang 23.
• Later discusses music with women at the Fragrant Pavilion 49.

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Sword — Used in his duel with Lin Lang and against the Mount Song Guardians 23 25.
• End-blown bamboo flute — His favored musical instrument 22.
• Small Banner waist token — Issued by Lin Lang when he joins the Jinyiwei 23.
• Two peerless martial arts manuals — Gifts from Lin Lang, containing the captured female thief’s martial inheritance; their names are not provided 40.

Relationships

• Qu Yang — Close friend and musical confidant. Liu Zhengfeng unequivocally refuses to kill him to appease the Five Mountains Sword Alliance 23.
• Lin Lang — Recruiter, protector, and superior. Their relationship develops from reluctant dependence into continued service and growing appreciation of Lin Lang’s rewards 23 36 44.
• Mo Da — His senior brother in Hengshan; Liu Zhengfeng judges Lin Lang more fiercely protective of his followers 36.
• Dingyi — The only martial artist who openly objects when Mount Song threatens his captive family 24.
• Wang Wu and Jia Liu — Fellow officers under Lin Lang who draw him into the Fragrant Pavilion’s entertainments 44.
• Zuo Lengchan and the Mount Song Sect — Enemies who attempt to prevent his retirement, seize him, and destroy his household over his friendship with Qu Yang 23 24 25.

Notable Quotes

“Impossible! Qu Yang is the only man who truly understands my music. I would never harm him.” 23

“Do I need anyone else’s permission to wash my hands in the golden basin? From this moment onward, I am no longer a man of the martial world.” 24

Trivia

• His ceremonial “golden basin” is actually gold-colored copper. When Lin Lang asks for it, Liu Zhengfeng offers to have several basins made from real gold instead 23.
• Thousand-household Liu considers his martial prowess sufficient for a Thousand-household appointment, despite his initial recruitment as a Small Banner 27.