Zhou Yongchang

Biodata

Power Progression

History

Early Career and Adoption of Xu Xuan

More than a century before taking Xu Xuan as his disciple, Zhou Yongchang visited Spiritual Expanse Mountain as a Qi Refining cultivator to assist the Lingyan Xu Lineage. He remembered Wang Tong, whom he called his martial nephew, as a righteous man whose kindness had benefited him 58.

Zhou first confronted Xu Xuan in Yue Capital, accusing him of using an Azure Wood Sect Inner Disciple Token to swindle people. After recognizing the token’s connection to Wang Tong and the Xu Lineage, he examined Xu Xuan and was astonished by his immense magical power, robust physique, and unusually solid foundation 57 58.

He accepted Xu Xuan—then presenting himself as Xu Chen—as his personal disciple. Zhou gave him a purple-gold Personal Disciple Token and a patrolling envoy’s talisman seal, granting authority to inspect the hundred kingdoms, execute heretics and demons before reporting, and suppress rebellious vassal rulers. He also intervened with Su Mingyuan on behalf of Xu Xuan’s relationship with Su Yuqing 58.

Before leaving three days later, Zhou answered Xu Xuan’s cultivation questions and supplied the Five Elements Divine Light Foundation Establishment Method and Taiyin Soul Refining Foundation Establishment Method. He advised advancing step by step because the spiritual treasures required for direct five-elements foundation establishment were difficult to obtain 59.

Patronage and Sect Recruitment

By Xu Xuan’s Foundation Establishment ceremony, Zhou had killed at least three Foundation Establishment cultivators in the war against the Profound Sword Gate. Attending as the Azure Wood Sect’s representative, he brought Jade Liquid Pills and rare refining materials, announced sect protection for the Taixu Immortal Kingdom, and promised Xu Xuan a Pseudo-Treasure 73.

He subsequently forged and delivered the Dragon-Patterned Black Gold Spear, then provided Seven Killings of Break the Army as its accompanying combat technique. He also warned Xu Xuan that Demonic Ancient Artifacts lay behind regional unrest and that interference from Profound Sword Gate cultivators was possible during the Heavenly Martial Kingdom expedition 74 75.

Decades later, Zhou supplied an introductory Purple Mansion jade slip and recruited Xu Xuan as an Azure Wood Sect elder. He arranged a thirty-year State Preceptor posting in Yan Kingdom, where Xu Xuan would investigate an ancient cult and a suspected demonic artifact while retaining considerable freedom to establish his own institutions 81.

When Xu Xuan returned, Zhou settled his confrontation with Zhou Zi’ang and presented the Longevity Wood as both a promised cultivation opportunity and an apology for his junior’s conduct. He also supplied a Pine Crane token to prevent further obstruction within the sect 93 94.

Foundation-Seizure Scheme

Xu Xuan’s investigation eventually uncovered a fatal problem with Zhou’s guidance: the world’s damaged five-elements source streams made the five-elements path to Purple Mansion a dead end. Nevertheless, Zhou insisted that perfecting the corresponding true intents and spirit bodies would allow his disciple to advance 96.

The investigation also revealed the Pine Crane Lineage’s declining influence, Pine Crane True Person’s approaching lifespan limit, and the Zhou Clan’s collection of five-elements treasures and foundation-seizing methods. Zhou himself had remained stalled at Half-Step Purple Mansion for over a century 96.

For more than a dozen years, Zhou continued asking about Xu Xuan’s progress and urged him to attempt the breakthrough. Xu Xuan concealed his suspicions while investigating Zhou’s affinity for Four Symbols True Intent and preparing escape measures 97.

Zhou finally appeared in Xu Xuan’s cave abode and activated a vast formation supported by three reclusive Purple Mansion ancestors. He admitted that he intended to take Xu Xuan’s Five Elements Dao Foundation, three spirit bodies, and Longevity Wood. He dismissed their master-disciple bond and explained that Pine Crane True Person believed Xu Xuan possessed a secret capable of perfecting his foundation and opening a path beyond Purple Mansion 98.

Xu Xuan’s Death and the Missing Longevity Wood

After a Zhou ancestor suppressed Xu Xuan’s resistance, Zhou began extracting his foundation through a pitch-black rune. Xu Xuan’s final self-destructive attack shattered the rune, broke through the ancestors’ defensive barriers, and struck Zhou, disrupting the absorption process 99.

Zhou nevertheless retained enough foundation essence to gain strength and lifespan. His success was incomplete: Xu Xuan’s Greenwood Spirit Body had secretly carried the Longevity Wood overseas, leaving Zhou unable to integrate the stolen foundation perfectly and creating obstacles to his future cultivation 100.

Pine Crane True Person ordered a worldwide search for the wood and instructed Zhou to consolidate his Purple Mansion cultivation. Zhou also took Xu Xuan’s emptied corpse, considering its bloodline potentially useful for research or puppet refinement 100.

Conflict with Xu Xuan’s Next Life

More than two centuries later, the reincarnated Xu Xuan learned that Zhou had become Purple Firmament Peak’s master and was suspected of reaching mid-stage Purple Mansion 103 107.

When Xu Xuan, operating as Xue Ming, killed Zhou Clan cultivators on an overseas battlefield, Zhou swore to extract his soul and deny him rebirth. Although his mid-stage Purple Mansion cultivation was confirmed, his lingering foundation injury and pressure from rival sect experts prevented him from personally pursuing the supposed Foundation Establishment junior 121.

The Zhou Clan later increased the bounty on Xue Ming by thirty percent and secretly hired a gold-medal Shadow Pavilion assassin to kill him in the Starfall Sea 130.

Appearance

• Clothing: Green, blue, or plain azure robes 57 73 93.
• Features: A lean face and a long beard that he frequently strokes while speaking 73 74 94.
• Bearing: Initially enters with a forceful stride and an abyss-like aura; later appears gentle and immortal-like, with cultivation difficult to fathom 57 93.
• During the betrayal: His habitual smile disappears, replaced by detached calm and an intense longing to complete his cultivation 97.

Personality

Xu Xuan initially regarded Zhou as upright and incorruptible, drawing on their contact in a previous life. His year-round border patrols, battlefield achievements, and willingness to protect his disciple reinforced that impression 58 73.

Behind his patient guidance, Zhou treated Xu Xuan as a cultivation resource. He maintained a kindly manner throughout years of mutual suspicion, then openly declared that family, friendship, and master-disciple affection were shackles on the Dao path. His approaching lifespan limit intensified his urgency, while the prospect of transcending Purple Mansion drove him to sacrifice his disciple 97 98.

Abilities & Skills

Magical Combat

• Recognized as skilled in magical combat and deadly battle 63.
• Killed at least three Foundation Establishment cultivators during the Azure Wood Sect–Profound Sword Gate conflict 73.
• Possessed sufficiently refined control to suppress Xu Xuan’s killing aura with his voice during the confrontation with Zhou Zi’ang 93.

Five Elements and Spirit Bodies

• Established a five-elements foundation and cultivated five spirit bodies whose combined aura approached Purple Mansion pressure 59 96.
• Had a documented natural affinity for Four Symbols True Intent 97.
• Sought Xu Xuan’s Greenwood Longevity True Intent to complete the missing component of his own Dao; Xu Xuan later understood that greenwood longevity intent also helped stabilize foundation seizure 98 117.

Foundation-Seizing Cauldron-Swapping Great Method

• Uses a dark, devouring rune to extract another cultivator’s Dao foundation and transfer its essence into himself 97 98 99.
• Repaired age-related and cultivation deficiencies while absorbing Xu Xuan’s foundation 99.
• Could not perfectly integrate the stolen foundation without the Longevity Wood; the resulting injury persisted after he reached mid-stage Purple Mansion 100 121.

Artifact Refinement

• Used the Azure Wood Sect’s Hundredfold Spirit-Forging Art to create the Dragon-Patterned Black Gold Spear over eighty-one days 74.
• Combined dragon-patterned black gold with dozens of rare materials, including stellar iron essence and ten-thousand-year submerged wood core 74.
• Produced a pseudo-magic treasure containing true dragon Dao resonance and evil-dispelling power; he called it his finest work to date 74 78.

Relationships

• Xu Xuan / Xu Chen / Xue Ming — Personal disciple whom Zhou protected and cultivated before seizing his foundation. In his next life, Xu Xuan targeted Zhou’s clansmen and vowed to claim Zhou’s foundation in return 58 98 100 121.
• Pine Crane True Person — Grandmaster and the Zhou Clan’s Golden Core backing. Supported the plan to perfect Zhou’s foundation and ordered the search for the missing Longevity Wood 96 98 100.
• Zhou Zi’ang — Grandnephew and Discipline Hall cultivator. Zhou ordered him to stand down during his confrontation with Xu Xuan and apologized for his conduct 93 94.
• Three Pine Crane Zhou Clan ancestors — Reclusive Purple Mansion cultivators who helped trap Xu Xuan, suppress his resistance, and protect Zhou during the foundation seizure 98 99.
• Wang Tong — Martial nephew remembered fondly for his righteousness and kindness. Recognition of his token prompted Zhou’s reassessment of Xu Xuan 58.

Notable Quotes

“One walks the Great Dao alone, contending for the slimmest chance.” 98

“Family, friendship, the bonds between master and disciple—all are nothing but shackles that bewilder the mind along the endless Dao Path.” 98