Liu Yu

Biodata

Power Progression

Background

Liu Yu’s cultivation aptitude was discovered on an island subordinate to the Tide-Subduing Sect. The sect judged his aptitude too poor to justify further nurturing and sent him out. Chen Yihua subsequently took him in, paying the sect a fee for his previous upkeep. Zhao Yi entered Chen Yihua’s care through the same process 41.

Liu Yu grew up at Linghua Abbey. Two years older than Wang Qing, he looked after his junior brother whenever Chen Yihua and Zhao Yi were away. This responsibility later expanded into overseeing Linghua Island whenever Zhao Yi traveled or entered seclusion 2 45 130.

Appearance

Liu Yu typically wears pale green or blue-green Daoist robes. When receiving visitors as Linghua Island’s acting representative, he presents a composed, carefully arranged appearance 1 45.

• Hair: Gathered into a Daoist topknot and secured with a wooden hairpin 45.
• Martial clothing: Also wears close-fitting martial clothes; during a vulnerable period for the island, Zhao Yi notices that he has again slept fully dressed 33.
• Aura: After entering Spirit Attraction, his aura is mild and completely contained, concealing the disturbance normally associated with a breakthrough 115.

Personality

Liu Yu is cautious without being unwilling to fight. He repeatedly warns Zhao Yi against underestimating experienced opponents, particularly Daoist Mu, and questions whether a treasure map might conceal an ambush. Once convinced that an expedition concerns Zhao Yi’s cultivation prospects, however, he supports investigating even a dangerous destination 2 43.

His courtesy serves both personal and practical purposes. He receives cultivators warmly regardless of their cultivation, believing good relations help Linghua Island participate in profitable businesses. He also openly challenges Zhao Yi’s habit of making dangerous decisions without consulting him 30 124.

His devotion to the sect often comes at the expense of his own advancement. He conceals lingering injuries from most of his fellow disciples, manages scarce resources, and proposes reducing senior members’ pill allotments to fund Zhao Yi’s Dao Foundation breakthrough. He refuses to cut the fourth-generation disciples’ provisions, considering them essential to the sect’s future 131 138.

Although protective of his juniors, Liu Yu is not indiscriminately indulgent. He recognizes that Wang Qing’s arrogance helped expose him to danger and hopes the experience will teach restraint. His concern for Linghua Island also does not prevent ruthless action: he participates in the destruction of Three Heroes Island, including the killing of its mortal inhabitants 57 62.

Abilities & Skills

Water-Attribute Cultivation

Liu Yu initially practices the Water-Spirit Wave-Subduing Art, a method suited to his water spiritual root. By his Dao Foundation attempt, he practices the Heavenly Sea True Scripture, the defining cultivation technique of the former Heavenly Sea Sect of Beihai 7 162.

• His later magical power produces sounds resembling surging waves as it circulates through his meridians 162.
• His early aptitude is explicitly lower-grade; reaching Dao Foundation requires sustained resources and Zhao Yi’s support 25 162.

Enlightenment-Derived Water Spell

During his Spirit Attraction breakthrough, Liu Yu’s accumulated understanding of Daoist script coalesces into an unnamed water spell 115.

• Manifests as a tiny water tornado held between his palms 115.
• Contains enough power to astonish Zhao Yi despite its small size 115.
• Appears immediately controllable, with Liu Yu already at ease directing it 115.
• Its demonstrated combat effects are not described in the supplied account 115.

Daoist Script and Formations

Liu Yu excels at Daoist script. When Linghua Island assigns cultivation arts to its disciples, he is the only member whose script mastery meets the requirements for studying both talisman crafting and formations 62 115.

• Initially makes little progress with an incomplete formation inheritance 115.
• Is intended to learn from Wu Yuying while she installs the Vast Origin Golden Light Formation; Zhao Yi also purchases Azureflame High Person’s Formation Insights to support his training 115.
• Directs Linghua Island’s defensive formation against Daoist Liefeng, replacing exhausted low-grade spirit stones with middle-grade ones to keep it operating 129.
• Treats surviving until Zhao Xinghe’s arrival—not defeating Daoist Liefeng—as the defensive objective 129.
• Exchanges formation insights with Qingli Rogue, with both benefiting from their discussions 136.

Swordsmanship

Zhao Yi considers Liu Yu sufficiently skilled with the sword to help instruct Li Hai 28.

• Uses the Thirty-Six Forms of Chasing Wind and Slaying Spirits against Ghost Shark Daoist 31.
• Coordinates closely with Zhao Yi, alternating attack and defense 31.
• Wounds Yuan Huaqing in a sword fight during the Kongqing Island raid 40.
• Practices swordsmanship with Wang Ping as part of the latter’s training 103.
• His early combat endurance is limited by his smaller true-qi reserves, which become a serious weakness during the Ghost Shark duel 31.

Boiling Blood Art

Liu Yu uses the Boiling Blood Art for a desperate final assault against Ghost Shark Daoist 31.

• Enables him to commit to the attack despite exhaustion 31.
• Injures his meridians, requiring recovery afterward 33.

Spirit Plants and Resource Management

Liu Yu tends medicinal herbs, spirit fields, and newly acquired spirit trees while administering the island’s stores 9 38 122.

• Successfully cultivates Jade Green Radiance into a spiritual tea, fulfilling an ambition Chen Yihua had not achieved. It sells for ten spirit stones per tael 134.
• Keeps annual treasury inventories and tracks weapons, pills, cultivation inheritances, and income 62.
• Maintains stored Dharma Weapons with fish oil to preserve their condition 70.
• Allocates resources according to cultivation priorities rather than automatically favoring Zhao Yi 141.

Equipment & Items

• Longsword — His principal early weapon. His sword breaks during the final exchange with Ghost Shark Daoist 31.
• Sharp Metal Talismans — Stacks two on his sword to improve its cutting power while trapped by Daoist Mu’s vines 4.
• Golden Light Talismans — Uses them defensively in dangerous battles, including the shipboard ambush, the Ghost Shark duel, and the return journey from Yunsha Market 22 31 124.
• Spirit pearl — Receives one from Daoist Mu’s hidden stores and refines it to reach Minor Achievement of Meridian Opening 7 13.
• Storage bag and four water-attribute artifacts — Set aside for him by Zhao Yi after his Spirit Attraction breakthrough; the artifacts had previously belonged to Zhao Chenxing before passing into Qin Wuya’s possession 115.
• Profound Origin Pill — Allocated to him by Zhao Yi, but placed in the treasury after Wang Qing and Li Hai also decline it 82 93.

Relationships

• Chen Yihua — Master who took Liu Yu in after his rejection by the Tide-Subduing Sect. Liu Yu later fulfills Chen Yihua’s wish to develop Jade Green Radiance into spiritual tea 41 134.
• Zhao Yi — Eldest senior brother, frequent combat partner, and predecessor as sect master. Zhao Yi supports his cultivation, arranges treatment for his injuries, and trusts him with Linghua Island’s administration 31 136 137.
• Wang Qing — Younger fellow disciple whom Liu Yu has cared for since their youth. Liu Yu supports his advancement but also reprimands his arrogance and risky behavior 2 13 57 134.
• Li Hai — Fourth junior brother and swordsmanship student. They represent Linghua Island together at Yunsha Market, where Liu Yu often tempers Li Hai’s confrontational responses 28 123.
• Wu Xiuzhu — Wife and Dao companion. She recognizes the severity of the injuries he hides from others and supports him through the sect’s financial difficulties 71 131.
• Liu Cang — Son of Liu Yu and Wu Xiuzhu. Liu Yu visits him and his mother after completing his Dao Foundation breakthrough 163.
• Qingli Rogue — Healer and fellow formation specialist. Their discussions lead them to regard each other as kindred spirits 136.
• Wang Ping — Administrative successor in training. Takes over the General Affairs Hall and later becomes acting sect leader during Liu Yu’s cultivation seclusion 138 152.
• Daoist Liefeng — Hostile Dao Foundation cultivator whose attack leaves Liu Yu with severe, long-lasting internal injuries 129 134.

Story Role & Major Arcs

Securing Linghua Island’s Survival

After Chen Yihua’s death is concealed, Liu Yu recognizes the danger posed by Daoist Mu’s repeated inquiries. Although concerned about the older cultivator’s hidden strength, he accompanies Zhao Yi and Wang Qing to Jade Pearl Island. Following their victory, he discovers Daoist Mu’s hidden cache beneath a kitchen water vat and remains with Wang Qing to establish Linghua Island’s authority over the island 2 7.

His duties include patrolling, tending herbs, repairing the abbey, and testing islanders for cultivation aptitude. He identifies Chunsheng’s lower-grade water spiritual root and later helps Zhao Yi assess the potential value of Jade Pearl Spring’s spirit fish 9 13.

Shipboard Ambush and the Ghost Shark Duel

Liu Yu fights beside Zhao Yi when four black-clad cultivators board the Linghua after drugging its crew. He protects the wounded Zhao Yi with a Golden Light Talisman and afterward administers the recovered healing pills while his senior brother is unconscious 22 23.

Against Ghost Shark Daoist, Liu Yu explains the original feud to the assembled cultivators and joins Zhao Yi in the duel. His exhausted true qi eventually compromises their defense. In their final assault, his sword breaks and he is thrown back wounded, while Zhao Yi kills Ghost Shark Daoist 31.

Expansion and Marriage

During the Kongqing Island raid, Liu Yu helps seize six Jade-Pattern Bee hives, then stays behind with Zhao Yi to delay pursuit. He wounds Yuan Huaqing before escaping across the water 40.

Wu Yuying subsequently proposes a marriage connecting Peach Blossom Island and Linghua Island. Liu Yu initially objects to marrying so soon, but becomes Wu Xiuzhu’s Dao companion on the eighth day of the sixth month, Year 5499 of the Yuangguang Calendar. They return to Linghua Island for a celebratory feast 53 71.

Spirit Attraction and Defense Against Daoist Liefeng

While his juniors advance, Liu Yu continues handling cultivation supplies, fields, visitors, and trade. Zhao Yi eventually prioritizes purchasing the Marrow-Cleansing Pill needed for his breakthrough. At the Undersea Cave Abode, Liu Yu perfects his Three Origins and reaches Spirit Attraction through an unusually quiet moment of enlightenment 88 108 115.

He later directs the defensive formation against Daoist Liefeng. The confrontation leaves his lungs and internal organs severely injured, but he conceals the extent of the damage from most of the sect. He then redirects resources toward Zhao Yi’s Dao Foundation attempt, believing a Dao Foundation protector is necessary for Linghua Island’s survival 129 131 134.

Treatment and Succession

After Zhao Yi emerges from seclusion, he discovers Liu Yu’s lingering injuries and takes him to Qingli Rogue. Three months of treatment completely heals damage that has troubled him for seven or eight years 134 136.

At Zhao Yi’s Dao Foundation celebration, Liu Yu formally succeeds him as sect master. Zhao Yi subsequently presses him to delegate routine work so that leadership does not consume his remaining cultivation opportunities. Wang Ping takes over the General Affairs Hall, and Liu Yu is instructed to select fourth-generation attendants 137 138.

Consolidation and Dao Foundation

As sect master, Liu Yu helps integrate Black Wind Island into Linghua Island’s organization and arranges support for its administration. He also sets stipends and cultivation provisions for Guiwu and Zhang Ying after they become Dao Foundation combatants 143 151.

He opposes an immediate full attack on the Han Family, judging the danger of Daoist Liefeng escaping too great. After helping plan a more limited operation against the family’s Demon-Hunting Ship, he entrusts sect affairs to Wang Ping and Xu Qiyu and enters seclusion at Black Wind Island’s Cold Spring 152.

Liu Yu later prepares his Dao Foundation attempt with 168 opened apertures and a spiritual-energy gathering formation. His successful breakthrough adds another Dao Foundation cultivator to Linghua Island. He subsequently participates in planning the covert seizure of a spirit-stone vein and is assigned to meet the attacking forces at Greenfish Island 162 163 165.

Notable Quotes

“Your Dao Path is at stake, senior brother. Even if it’s a dragon’s pool or a tiger’s den, we have to investigate!” 43

“Without a Dao Foundation cultivator to hold the fort, others are the knife and chopping block, and we are the fish upon it!” 131

“Those cannot be cut. Linghua Island will depend on them in the future! How could we cut their provisions?” — On protecting the fourth-generation disciples’ allotments 131