Artifact Spirit Ancestor

Biodata

Power Progression

His documented progression concerns the recovery of his damaged soul, rather than a sequence of newly attained cultivation realms.

Background / History

Ancient Origins and the Immortal-Origin War

The Ancestor’s original form was a Golden Crow that traveled bearing the blazing sun. He identifies himself as the ancestor of the Golden Crow clan and claims that the Sacred Phoenix lineage originated from his blood. A surviving Sacred Phoenix elder treats him as her senior 131 589 634.

He fought across the lands with Ancestor Hai Ze and experienced centuries of the Immortal-Origin War. Hai Ze wielded the Three-Legged Crow Cauldron against three Immortal Kings before dying. The Ancestor survived with a damaged soul and fell into a slumber lasting more than twenty thousand years, leaving him ignorant of the intervening history 2 125 558 589.

Although he boasts that he had reached “perfection” tens of thousands of years earlier, his surviving remnant soul cannot freely reproduce his former strength. His memories of the invasion also reveal a lasting hatred of the Immortal Realm’s rulers, particularly those who originated in the Origin Realm and later attacked their homeland 125 130.

Early Travels with Mu Bai

After awakening, the Ancestor becomes a source of knowledge and protection for Mu Bai. When Mu Bai attempts to refine a Dragon-Awakening Pill to save his poisoned Clan Patriarch, the Ancestor secretly channels soul power through the Crow Cauldron. The pill succeeds, but the expenditure dims his soul body and leaves him silent inside the cauldron 6 7.

In the Silver Frost Forest, he guides Mu Bai and Golden Roc, helps gather cultivation materials, and promotes Golden Roc’s courtship of Blood Phoenix. His appetite for soul-repairing treasures repeatedly creates friction: after Mu Bai negotiates for half the Fox-Faced Bats’ Jade Soul Marrow Milk, he steals more from the remaining pool. Mu Bai later refuses his proposal to return and seize further resources 123 126 127 128 130.

His reunion with a Sacred Phoenix elder reveals the forest’s former identity as the Silver Frost Sacred Domain. He urges Mu Bai to accept her promised Ten Thousand Beasts Seal, a treasure he once possessed, while warning that the ancient Sacred Domains were destroyed during the invasion 131.

Recovery and Return

After devouring the bone dragon’s remnant soul, the Ancestor spends an extended period refining it. He subsequently remains in the Shuhuan Mountain Range’s Soul Crystal Mine while Mu Bai continues his travels. More than ten years later, Mu Bai returns to seek his help rescuing Xing Yun and Hu Meier 178 186 196 405 416.

The recovered Ancestor eagerly promises assistance, but revises his approach when he learns that the Kunling Sect has multiple Dao Ling experts. Rather than storming the sect, he recommends that Mu Bai infiltrate it in disguise 416 417.

Appearance

• Elderly manifestation: Usually appears as a small old man with a white beard and a wrinkled face, often standing or squatting on Mu Bai’s shoulder 113 120 421.
• Intangible soul body: Golden Roc passes through him when attempting to rub against him, though the Ancestor can still strike and restrain others 124 435.
• Variable form and size: Can become smoke, take a bird’s shape, or manifest as a towering Divine Crow. He later adopts Golden Roc’s appearance 113 127 130 532.
• Visible depletion: Severe exertion makes his body dim, illusory, or nearly transparent 7 125 167.
• Limited visibility: Cultivators with sufficiently low cultivation, including Xi Bazì and Sweet Potato Boy, cannot see him 541.

Personality

The Ancestor is talkative, boastful, lecherous, and intensely protective of his dignity. He recounts his ancient exploits at length, demands Soul Crystals from Mu Bai, and resents the indignity of having his cauldron used as a medicinal bathtub. Mu Bai can nevertheless pressure him by threatening to publicize his behavior to Hai Ze’s descendants 2 113 126 427.

His pragmatism often clashes with Mu Bai’s principles. He considers excessive compassion dangerous in the cultivation world and criticizes Mu Bai for refusing to exploit the Fox-Faced Bats further. His bravado also has limits: he hides behind Mu Bai when the bats attack and abandons his proposed frontal assault on the Kunling Sect once he learns its defenders’ strength 123 130 417.

Beneath the bluster, he is deeply attached to his companions. He risks his fragile soul to obtain Sea Ridge Soul Milk for Mu Bai, worries privately about dangers within Mu Bai’s Inner World, and tries to lift his spirits after painful personal conflicts. His affection for Golden Roc eventually brings him to tears during their reunion 167 513 535 627 628.

Abilities & Skills

Crow Cauldron Control

As the Three-Legged Crow Cauldron’s artifact spirit, he controls functions that Mu Bai cannot independently command 190.

• Size manipulation: Enlarges the cauldron inside a Dragon King Whale’s blowhole, suffocating it 167.
• Defensive enclosure: Covers Flower Ravine Creek Valley’s houses and catches incoming attacks, allowing Mu Bai to fight without exposing the residents 557 558.
• Formation breaking: Displays the cauldron’s Crow Radiance and intricate leg engravings while confronting a formation, recalling his destruction of Immortal Race formations during the ancient war 587.
• Heavy offense: Drives the cauldron into repeated collisions with Hai Chen’s Golden Fist Gauntlet 637.

Soul Manipulation and Recovery

His existence as a soul body lets him lend power, alter his manifestation, and absorb resources to repair himself 7 125 178.

• Alchemy assistance: Uses a thread of Mu Bai’s soul power as a connection to channel his own power into pill refinement—an intervention normally unavailable to outsiders 7.
• Soul consumption: Devours and gradually refines the bone dragon’s remnant soul 178 186.
• Restorative absorption: Consumes Soul Crystals and Jade Soul Marrow Milk to replenish his damaged soul 113 123 125 416.
• Limits: Powerful techniques can threaten his remaining stability. White Spirit Cold Flame makes him feel as though his soul body will burn apart even before contact 125 167 533.

Spatial Techniques

He retains spatial methods despite his weakened condition 125 589.

• Form-Shifting and Position-Swapping Technique: Performs an exchange of positions using spatial power, which he says normally requires the Dao Zun Realm or above. Using it leaves his body close to dispersal 125.
• Substitution: Replaces himself with the Crow Cauldron to escape Madam Seven Emotions’ grasp 589.
• Mobility restriction: Remains dependent on the cauldron; traveling independently can require carrying it with him 129 476.

Formation Knowledge and Divine Spring Sight

He conceals the Soul Crystal Mine and teaches Mu Bai how to perceive through its concealment 196.

• Five Elements Spirit-Evolving Formation: Explains that crystals of all five attributes would produce stronger concealment; an incomplete arrangement can be exposed through environmental disruption 196.
• Divine Spring opening: Teaches Mu Bai to channel mental power through his eyes to see through illusions 196.
• Emergency intervention: Redirects Mu Bai’s mental power when the procedure nearly drains his Divine Sea and destroys his foundation 196.
• Further study: Attributes additional skill in unraveling formations to studying the Flag Formation during his long isolation 421.

Cultivation Guidance and Ancient Knowledge

His experience makes him a frequent identifier of unfamiliar treasures, bloodlines, and cultivation principles 124 159 438.

• Treasure identification: Recognizes Immortal Realm crystals, the World Tree sapling, and a Devil Race Supreme Inheritance Fruit 124 159 438.
• Body refinement: Guides Mu Bai’s use of medicinal baths, Beast Cores, Heavenly Demon Cores, and Demon Blood Fruit 126 435.
• Inner World development: Explains that Origin Water can nurture life within an Inner World and recommends planting the World Tree there 435.
• Historical instruction: Describes the Immortal-Origin War and the Origin Realm’s three Daos and eighteen domains 125 190.
• Battlefield judgment: Recognizes that attackers are targeting the valley’s residents rather than merely attacking Mu Bai 558.

Equipment / Items

• Three-Legged Crow Cauldron — His vessel and principal weapon. Its artifact spirit belonged to Hai Ze, so Mu Bai cannot command its full Soul Treasure functions without the Ancestor’s cooperation 190.
• Ten Thousand Beasts Seal — Formerly in his possession. He recalls that its appearance compelled ten thousand beasts to bow and urges Mu Bai to obtain it from the Sacred Phoenix elder 131.

Relationships

• Hai Ze — Former companion and master of the Crow Cauldron. The Ancestor remains proud of their shared legacy and fears being too ashamed to face him again 2 190 427 637.
• Mu Bai — Adviser, protector, and contentious elder figure. He variously calls Mu Bai his descendant, good brother, and successor; their constant bargaining does not prevent him from risking his soul for Mu Bai 120 131 167.
• Golden Roc — Traveling companion, pupil, and frequent target of teasing. He helps Golden Roc pursue Blood Phoenix, later takes his likeness out of affection, and openly weeps while embracing him 127 128 532 627 628.
• Blood Phoenix — Encourages her relationship with Golden Roc and recognizes her Phoenix Spirit Qi. Her strength also protects the group when their excursions attract dangerous opponents 128 129 130.
• Sacred Phoenix elder — An ancient junior who respects his seniority. He claims her lineage descends from his blood and introduces Mu Bai as his successor 131.
• Ye Wan — Treats her as his granddaughter-in-law. They regularly trade insults and pranks, but he praises her willingness to share Mu Bai’s burdens 476 504 533 534.
• Madam Seven Emotions — Courts her persistently until she becomes more receptive. They jointly guard Mu Bai and his companions during their recovery; he later desperately clears the clouds so her mortally wounded clam form can receive moonlight 589 591 594 634.
• Golden Crow Can — Direct descendant from the Golden Crow Aristocratic Clan who kneels before him as Ancestor. Can and Little Black come to fetch him despite fighting on their home continent 624.
• Hai Chen — Opponent in Mu Bai’s climactic battle. The Ancestor treats Hai Chen’s ability to meet the cauldron head-on as an affront to himself and Hai Ze 637.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Notable Quotes

“Chen Laosan can risk his life fighting that giant squid for his grandson. You’re my descendant too. I’m going to win some for you as well!” 167

“Oh, well. I’ll just have to work hard. He does call me Ancestor, after all.” 513

“Boy, you have to stay with this old ancestor a while longer. I won’t turn my nose up at you anymore. I’m not afraid of the bad luck that comes with following you...” 628