Old Zhan

Biodata

Power Progression

Appearance

• Lost a leg during a mission and walks with a cane or crutch 4.
• Can move remarkably quickly despite his limp when sufficiently motivated 10.
• Wears a Flying Fish Uniform with a copper-thread fish after becoming a Commandant 14.

Background / History

Prison Supervisor

Old Zhan lost a leg while carrying out a mission. Although his sixth-level cultivation qualified him physically for advancement, he lacked the merits needed for promotion and remained an ordinary Martial Guard supervising the prison 4.

Junior Banner Officer Ye arranged for Fu Shaoping to administer punishments there during his probation. Old Zhan accepted the assignment and allowed the newcomer to handle punishments personally, with the explicit restriction that he must not beat prisoners to death 2 4.

Partnership with Fu Shaoping

Fu Shaoping’s interrogation of Chang Xiaotian led to the rescue of the abducted women on Autumn Grace Mountain. Recognizing an opportunity to obtain his remaining promotion merits, Old Zhan negotiated a reward split: he would receive the Ninth-Rank Merit, Fu Shaoping would receive six origin spirit stones, and the men would divide ten taels of silver. He also offered Fu Shaoping a copy of Tiger Roar Fist in return for priority in future prison-merit distributions 5 6.

Old Zhan then brought Fu Shaoping to interrogate Old Devil Qin, a ninth-level Body Tempering prisoner who had resisted questioning for years. Although skeptical of Fu Shaoping’s proposed water-drop torture, he ordered the jailers to maintain it around the clock 6 7.

The confession revealed the location of stolen yin baleful qi and earned an Eighth-Rank Merit, equivalent to ten Ninth-Rank Merits. Old Zhan took only the two merits he still needed for promotion, giving Fu Shaoping the remaining eight and all ten low-grade essence stones 10.

Becoming a Commandant

After his promotion, Old Zhan offered Fu Shaoping a place under his command when the other Commandants would not accept the young guard’s preferred assignments. Fu Shaoping became his first subordinate 14.

Aware that his disability limited his field assistance, Old Zhan promised to visit the Mission Hall early and secure criminal cases involving non-martial artists. The office exempted him from the usual monthly Eighth-Rank mission requirement and left him in charge of the prison 15 18.

Their squad’s first case ended with Fu Shaoping returning with the culprit in under four hours. Old Zhan passed on every reward without deductions, taking only the separate commission paid to Commandants by the Bureau. He also arranged for Fu Shaoping to execute the condemned murderer, Yang Shan 17 18 19.

Half-Beast Investigation

During the search following the Dakui Village massacre, Old Zhan accompanied Fu Shaoping to Yellow Creek Village. When Fu Shaoping identified the Half-Beast’s hiding place in the Longflow River, Old Zhan immediately launched the warning signal and reported the location to Chief Banner Chen 20 21 22.

Afterward, he truthfully credited Fu Shaoping with the discovery and passed all ten Ninth-Rank Merits to him. Believing that Chen intended to recruit Fu Shaoping into the hunting reserve team, Old Zhan urged him to consider its resources and promotion prospects. When Fu Shaoping refused, he advised him to decline without making Chen lose face 22 23.

Supporting Fu Shaoping’s Advancement

Old Zhan continued finding suitable cases and arranging practical support. He secured the Qi Dashan assignment, borrowed a Wind Spirit Hound using Fu Shaoping’s stones, and waited anxiously when the young man had not returned by the deadline. After the mission, he warmed braised pig’s trotters for the exhausted Fu Shaoping 23 24 25 26.

For Fu Shaoping’s betrothal, Old Zhan gave him a valuable Stone Origin Pill intended to help him reach the fourth level of Body Tempering. He later supplied an Origin Energy Pill, explained methods of cultivating at the fourth level, and gave away his old Hunting Manual 26 27 42.

Sunwood Forest and Endless Cliff Village

While Fu Shaoping was occupied with secluded pill refining, Old Zhan took a month-long Sunwood Forest guarding assignment in his stead 28.

When Fu Shaoping visited and reported disturbing events around Endless Cliff Village, Old Zhan summoned the longtime cook Old Cui for questioning. After recognizing the seriousness of the information, he had Cui confined, prohibited the servants from leaving, and urged Fu Shaoping not to investigate alone. He nevertheless helped him depart discreetly through a secret passage 34 35.

Upon Fu Shaoping’s return with evidence of a longstanding infant-trafficking operation, Old Zhan insisted that Chief Banner Chen handle the matter. He lent Fu Shaoping his Town Martial Token to seek Chen’s intervention 37.

Joining the New Year Household

Old Zhan normally lived alone and often stayed in the office’s side hall to avoid the inconvenience of traveling on his crutch. Near the New Year, Fu Shaoping packed his belongings and brought him home, explicitly treating him as the household’s elder. Old Zhan happily accepted and contributed silver for the celebrations 49.

The next morning, he quietly returned to the Mission Hall, hoping the holiday absence of other guards would let him secure an easy assignment for Fu Shaoping. He obtained a Qiuchang Village murder case whose reward had been raised because of the shortage of available personnel 49.

Personality

Old Zhan initially pursues promotion through a frank, mutually beneficial bargain rather than concealing his interests. Once Fu Shaoping helps him obtain the rank, he remains scrupulous about credit and rewards: he takes only the promised two merits from the prison case and refuses to deduct anything from missions to which he contributed nothing 6 10 18.

His attachment to Fu Shaoping gradually becomes familial. He worries during dangerous assignments, gives valuable cultivation resources, and encourages opportunities that could take Fu Shaoping beyond his own command. Though accustomed to solitude, he is deeply moved when Fu Shaoping includes him as an elder of the family 22 25 26 49.

Abilities & Skills

Sixth-Level Martial Cultivation

• Has refined strength into his marrow and formed an origin force seed 4.
• Can fully draw Fu Shaoping’s Hou Yi Bow and fire a Darklight Arrow while testing the weapon 41.
• His missing leg limits his mobility and ability to assist on field missions 15 21.

Tiger Roar Fist

• Possesses and has practiced this first-grade martial art 6 8.
• Gives Fu Shaoping a copy as compensation in their merit-sharing arrangement 6.
• Fu Shaoping reaches its beginner level a month faster than Old Zhan did; Old Zhan’s later mastery is not specified 8.

Prison and Mission Administration

• Directs jailers, assigns punishment duties, and arranges executions 4 7 18 19.
• Uses his Commandant access to the Mission Hall to select assignments for Fu Shaoping 15 23 49.
• Can arrange support from the Hunting Hall, including a rented Wind Spirit Hound 24.

Cultivation Knowledge

• Explains that entering the Earth Origin Realm requires fusing yin baleful qi with primal qi, granting fifty additional years of lifespan 10.
• Identifies demonic-beast blood essence and Origin Energy Pills as ways to advance fourth-level Body Tempering cultivation 27.
• Warns that prolonged consumption of unrefined beast blood essence can damage a weak-willed practitioner’s temperament or sanity 27.
• Knows that the Origin Energy Pill recipe is restricted by aristocratic clans and the Martial Suppression Bureau 27.

Equipment / Weapons / Items

Personal Possessions

• Cane or crutch — Supports his movement after losing a leg 4 49.
• Copper-thread Flying Fish Uniform — Worn following his promotion to Commandant 14.
• Town Martial Token — His identification token; lent to Fu Shaoping to request Chief Banner Chen’s intervention 37.

Gifts to Fu Shaoping

• Tiger Roar Fist manual — Supplied through their initial merit-sharing agreement 6.
• Stone Origin Pill — His betrothal gift, which subsequently helps Fu Shaoping break through to fourth-level Body Tempering 26 27.
• Origin Energy Pill — A breakthrough celebration gift worth ten low-grade essence stones 27.
• Hunting Manual — A yellowed book he originally obtained for ten Ninth-Rank Merits 42.

Relationships

• Fu Shaoping — Trainee, subordinate, and eventually a nephew-like family member. Fu Shaoping resolves to care for Old Zhan in old age and arrange his burial when the time comes 4 14 26 49.
• Zhou Pan’er — Fu Shaoping’s betrothed and the maker of tofu pudding Old Zhan enjoys. She formally welcomes him as an elder when he joins their household for the New Year 4 26 49.
• Zhou Xinxiang — Entrusted with Old Zhan’s silver to purchase the household’s New Year supplies 49.
• Chief Banner Chen — Senior officer to whom Old Zhan reports the Half-Beast’s location and directs the request for intervention in Endless Cliff Village 22 37.
• Old Qiu — Prison subordinate who reports Chang Xiaotian’s confession to him 5.

Trivia

• His favorite foods include tofu pudding and spicy dishes; Fu Shaoping brings both when visiting him at Sunwood Forest 35.
• He generally eats nothing late at night, but makes an exception for the meal Fu Shaoping brings him 35.