Fang Buping

Biodata

Background / History

Recruitment at North Mang

Fang Buping led the recently established North Mang Sub-Helm, which lacked personnel for many duties. Acting on the cult leader’s instructions, he assessed Zhao Changhe and Luo Qi for appointments. After learning that Luo Qi had reached the first Profound Pass through the Luo family’s outer teachings, he appointed him to lead a squad tasked with procuring food through raids 7.

Fang resented Zhao Changhe for receiving credit for killing Luo Zhenwu, whom Fang had wounded first. Although Zhao qualified for admission as a core member, Fang delayed his admission under the pretext that he first needed faith in the Blood God. He supplied the subsidiary Blood Baleful Art instead, restricted both newcomers to the mountain stronghold unless summoned, and rewarded each with an extra chicken drumstick 7.

Failed Treasure Search

Fang conducted the North Mang treasure search through a few dozen full-fledged cultists, withholding information from the stronghold’s other men. After the mission failed, Vermilion Bird punished him severely. Stronghold members blamed his secrecy and unwillingness to share the opportunity for the search’s poor results 24.

He recuperated in a luxurious city residence staffed by servants and occupied by dozens of cult members. Zhao Changhe had scarcely seen him during more than a month at the stronghold. Fang’s resentment deepened because Zhao and Luo Qi had also obtained the credit for the treasure discovery, making his failure more conspicuous 30 31.

Dispute over Supplies

After discovering that Fang had removed much of the stronghold’s money and food, Zhao Changhe visited the city branch. Fang reprimanded him for entering the city without permission, but backed down when Zhao pointed out that his disparaging remarks about villagers and bandits also applied to Xia Chichi. Fang then provided cult scriptures, history books, and the lightness art Bloodflight Without a Trace 30 31.

Fang privately encouraged Wang Dashan to report the stronghold’s affairs and suggested that he could replace Zhao as chief. Zhao instead challenged Deputy Helmsman Huang for responsibility over money and provisions. After Zhao won, Fang had to recognize the transfer of duties and watch him requisition supplies for the stronghold. Still bedridden, Fang suppressed his anger out of fear that Zhao could kill him before anyone intervened 31 32.

Recovery and Death

Fang and Wang Dashan leaked Zhao’s whereabouts and drew underworld challengers to the stronghold. Zhao discovered their cooperation but retained Wang as a known spy, allowing Fang to remain confident in his information 37.

Once recovered, Fang bought up medicinal herbs that Zhao needed for cultivation and renewed his demand for half the stronghold’s monthly earnings. He subsequently arrived to claim a captured young woman, but Zhao secretly released her. Zhao then killed Wang Dashan, broke through to the third level, and left the stronghold 48 49.

Fang pursued him, treating Wang’s death as a violation of cult rules that finally justified killing Zhao. Zhao deliberately led him into the rear mountain to avoid being surrounded. Fang survived hidden wooden-spears traps and deflected an arrow, but the successive attacks disrupted his momentum. During their final saber clash, Zhao threw lime into his face and cut his throat. The Book of Troubled Times recorded Fang’s death and raised Zhao to ninety-first on the Hidden Dragon Ranking 50.

Personality

Fang is jealous and vindictive, particularly when subordinates receive recognition he believes belongs to him. His resentment over Luo Zhenwu’s death leads him to obstruct Zhao Changhe’s admission, while the treasure discovery intensifies his hostility. He uses religious requirements, supply allocations, and reporting rules as tools for making Zhao’s position difficult 7 31 48.

His appetite for comfort contrasts with the stronghold’s shortages: he lives in an elaborate city residence and receives attentive service while recuperating. Nevertheless, his hostility has limits. Fear of Xia Chichi’s possible retaliation restrains him, and his injuries force him to tolerate Zhao’s successful challenge. In combat, he becomes overconfident in his superior cultivation, experience, and knowledge of the stronghold’s traps 30 31 32 50.

Abilities & Skills

Internal and External Cultivation

• Fourth-level martial artist: Fang has over twenty years of training and has spent years honing himself at the fourth Profound Pass. His strength and reactions exceed those of the newly advanced third-level Zhao Changhe 47 50.
• Dual cultivation: He possesses internal energy as well as external cultivation, demonstrated by his use of Bloodflight Without a Trace 50.
• Unspecified foundational art: His complete cultivation method is not identified. At Zhao’s recruitment, he himself had not qualified to learn the cult’s supreme Blood God Art 7 50.

Saber Mastery

• Experienced combatant: His saber technique and extensive fighting experience make him substantially more dangerous than Deputy Helmsman Huang 50.
• Defensive control: Even while falling without footing, he deflects sharpened wooden spears coming from multiple directions 50.
• Rapid interception: He strikes an incoming arrow aside, although its blood-baleful energy disrupts his meridians and forces him back 50.

Gods and Buddhas Scattered

• Blood-baleful ultimate technique: Fang uses this killing-intent-laden saber strike during his pursuit of Zhao 50.
• Suppression and fear: Its force suppresses and churns Zhao’s blood-baleful energy while briefly producing fear 50.
• Counterable force pattern: Zhao strikes its weakest point, surviving the attack despite being injured and thrown backward 50.

Bloodflight Without a Trace

• Internal-energy-powered movement: This advanced cult lightness art enables Fang to rapidly close the distance on Zhao, who uses the same technique 34 50.
• Failed obstruction: Fang gives Zhao the manual expecting its considerable internal-energy requirement to make it unusable. He does not know that Zhao secretly cultivates an internal art 34.

Concealed Weapons

• Disabling attack: Fang cripples Luo Zhenwu with a concealed weapon before Zhao delivers the killing blow 7.

Relationships

• Zhao Changhe — Subordinate turned enemy. Fang’s repeated obstruction culminates in a pursuit in which Zhao kills him 7 48 50.
• Luo Qi / Xia Chichi — Initially appoints Luo Qi as a squad leader. Her later position as the Four Symbols Cult’s Saintess makes Fang fear retaliation for mistreating Zhao 7 30 31.
• Wang Dashan — Informant and prospective replacement for Zhao as stronghold chief. His reports give Fang a misleading sense that he knows Zhao’s defenses 31 37 50.
• Instructor Sun — Fang’s right-hand man, also a fourth-level cultivator. Sun handles martial instruction rather than Fang teaching recruits personally 9 47.
• Deputy Helmsman Huang — Oversees the branch’s money and provisions under Fang. Fang witnesses his defeat and recognizes Zhao’s right to take over his duties 31 32.
• Vermilion Bird — Punishes Fang severely for the failed North Mang mission, leaving him incapacitated for months 24 48.
• Luo Zhenwu — Victim of Fang’s concealed-weapon attack; the loss of credit for his subsequent death fuels Fang’s jealousy of Zhao 7.