Chu He

Biodata

Power Progression

“Grade” and “rank” are used interchangeably in the recorded cultivation stages.

Background / History

Life Before the Bureau

Chu He transmigrated from Blue Star ten years before entering the Demon Suppression Bureau. He and his younger brother, Chu Nan, initially had neither money nor anyone to rely on, even competing with dogs for food. Within three years, Chu He established a wealthy household in Green Mountain Commandery; he was thirteen at the time 1 18.

His growing soul strength forced him to practice body-tempering arts to keep his flesh from breaking apart. His Super Point Allocation System became accessible only ten days before the Bureau’s final trial. It later explained that it had exhausted its energy sealing and destroying the consciousness of a powerful soul already present in his body 1 3 4.

Secret Organization

• Recruitment: Spent ten years nurturing loyal orphans from different regions. Five hundred were identified as suited to combat 12.
• Infiltration: Ordered them to enter the Demon Suppression Bureau in batches and conceal their connections to him 12.
• Purpose: Intended to use Bureau resources to develop them, then gather them under his command as an independent foundation—even against possible pressure from Bureau leaders or the imperial court 13.
• Early results: Two hundred had joined the Yunzhou Bureau and entered the Martial Artist Realm by his promotion to company commander. At least twenty squad leaders were subsequently loyal to him 24 26.

Appearance

• Features: A slightly pale young man with strikingly handsome features and a typically cold expression 1 2.
• Early uniform: Wears a flying-fish robe, carries a long saber, and displays his squad leader’s dark-iron token 2.
• Later uniform: Receives a crimson brocade robe embroidered with golden flood dragons and accompanied by a scarlet cape 48 50.
• Soul overload: Cracks spread across his chest and neck when his physical body cannot contain his soul. During extreme releases, the wounds become deep enough to expose bone 3 18 42.

Personality

Chu He deliberately cultivates an intimidating public reputation. Rather than quietly developing his strength, he chooses conspicuous victories and confrontations to attract the Bureau’s attention and accelerate his promotion. He threatens well-connected recruits, challenges several rivals at once, and treats political schemes as obstacles best overcome through overwhelming strength 2 19 21.

His ruthlessness extends beyond combat. He orders sect disciples stripped of their possessions under the pretext of unpaid taxes, uses accusations of White Lotus Cult involvement against enemies, and exploits Zhao Yizhi’s concern for Blood Spider without promising to save her. He favors ambushes and finishing wounded demons when those methods offer the safest route to more Demon Points 11 26 29 30 35.

He is markedly warmer toward his brother and generous toward his followers. Lu Feng values his protection and his willingness to distribute seized treasures among his men. Chu He also remains on the battlefield against the tiger-headed demon despite having an opportunity to flee, though he later reveals that the confrontation and his disappearance were part of a calculated plan 12 41 44 48.

Abilities & Skills

Super Point Allocation System

Converts Demon Points into cultivation and martial-skill improvements 3 6.

• Points come from killing demons; humans whose bodies are sufficiently tainted by Demon Qi can also qualify 16.
• Rewards depend on the target’s strength relative to Chu He. Weaker enemies yield fewer points or none 6.
• Recorded first kills at new ranks grant additional rewards 2 37.
• The system warns him about threats, identifies unusual souls, and destroys the presence attempting to possess him through the black mirror 1 12 44.
• Cultivation breakthroughs can repair severe injuries, as demonstrated during his fall from the cliff 43.

Dragon Elephant Prison Suppression Art

A seventh-grade body-tempering art associated with the Demon Suppression Bureau’s founder. It becomes Chu He’s principal cultivation method 3.

• Strengthens his body sufficiently to withstand increasing soul power 3 4.
• Produces black Qi and attacks accompanied by dragon cries and elephant roars 3 21.
• Offers exceptional combat power but is notoriously slow and resource-intensive to cultivate normally 22.
• Chu He bypasses much of that difficulty through point allocation 3 25.

Soul Power

Chu He continuously absorbs power from the sealed soul within his skull. Its consciousness has been destroyed, but the remaining energy strengthens his own soul 4.

• Infuses hidden weapons with soul power, allowing attacks beyond their physical impact 18 37.
• Develops offensive and supporting methods uncommon among Great Qian martial artists 36.
• Pupil of Illusion Breaking: Helps expose the possessed, already-dead villager in Moon Ancient Village 9.
• Soul Drill: Appears among his system-listed skills 36 44.
• Forced release: Can strike the seal to draw out additional power, temporarily increasing his strength at the risk of bodily destruction 16 42.
• Limit: Frequent intensive use accelerates his soul’s growth, worsening the imbalance between soul and body 18.

Hidden-Weapon Control

Chu He combines hidden-weapon techniques with his unusually strong soul, chiefly using a copper coin 18 20.

• Nine Netherworld Controls: A third-grade skill capable, at major mastery, of simultaneously controlling nine hidden weapons and rendering them invisible. Chu He reaches great perfection 3 6.
• Yin-Yang Nine Imperial Controls: An advanced derivative selected as his fourth-grade martial-skill reward. Recorded at the third layer after his company commander promotion and at great perfection after Nine Nether Town 20 24 44.
• Uses the coin to attack from concealed angles, disarm opponents, and deliver lethal soul-infused strikes 15 22 37.

Thunderbolt Saber

Also recorded as Thunder Saber, this technique reaches great perfection early in his Bureau career 6 13.

• Channels lightning-like power through his Demon-Suppressing Saber 15.
• Forms part of his close-range fighting style alongside punches, kicks, and hidden weapons 15 22.

Nine Demonic Latent Arts

A forbidden potential-burning technique used against the Fourth Rank late-stage tiger-headed demon 41.

• Temporarily raises his combat strength enough to engage the wounded demon 41.
• Inflicts excruciating pain and normally leaves its user dead or crippled 41.
• Chu He combines it with further soul releases to finish the enemy; his subsequent cultivation upgrades repair the damage 42 43.

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Demon-Suppressing Saber — Standard Bureau weapon and his main melee armament. He also drives it into the cliff face to arrest his fall 2 43.
• Copper coin — His signature hidden weapon, used for concealed physical and soul-powered attacks 1 18 37.
• Crimson brocade robe and scarlet cape — Honorary attire made from frost silk and embroidered with golden flood dragons; described as resistant to blades, spears, water, and fire 48.
• Hundred Household Commander’s token — Previously carried by Sun Shang. Supports communication across a province and deters ordinary Second Rank demons from approaching within ten zhang 50.
• Black mirror — Blood-devouring treasure central to the White Lotus Cult’s Nine Nether Town scheme. Chu He takes it after the system destroys its possessing presence; its further capabilities remain unexamined in the supplied account 44.
• Heaven and Earth Dice Cup — Collected with the stakes after defeating Zhao Yizhi in a gambling contest 29.

Relationships

• Chu Nan — Younger brother and closest family member. Chu He confirms that his soul has not been replaced, discovers the remnant soul in his jade pendant, and privately vows to restore his missing arm 12 18.
• Lu Feng — Early follower and member of his original five-man squad. Admires Chu He’s generosity, protection, and prospects 2 7 48.
• Di Yiqi / Zhao Yuan — Covert subordinate who reports on the infiltration network and is appointed squad leader over Lu Feng’s group. Commands Chu He’s guards during the Nine Nether Town crisis 24 26 34.
• Zhang Wei — Patron and superior who arranges support, rewards his achievements, and backs his promotion despite sect pressure. Chu He promises to repay his care 5 6 24 49.
• Qian Hao — Senior commander who welcomes his return, restores his merit points, and appoints him to command the Sixth Battalion 49.
• Zhou Cang — Senior Bureau authority who grants his exceptional honors and publicly confirms his Hundred Household Commander appointment 43 49 50.
• Tie Jun — Green Mountain Commandery commander who recognizes his achievement against the White Lotus Cult and offers a transfer with rapid promotion. Chu He declines 17.
• Sun Shang — Zhang Wei’s rival, who tries to turn the Divine Sword Sect against Chu He. After Sun Shang dies protecting Zhang Wei, Chu He eventually inherits his command token 19 41 50.
• Li Wan’er — Fellow trial candidate who confronts him for abandoning her during the Vajra Leopard attack. He answers by threatening her with his saber 1 19.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Joining the Demon Suppression Bureau

Chu He enters the final trial seeking access to graded demons and Demon Points. He initially retreats from the First Grade Vajra Leopard, later kills it in a weakened state, and ranks first among the recruits. His reward includes a squad leader position and Blood Qi Pills 1 2.

After acquiring graded techniques, he kills eleven demons during his prison initiation and advances to Late First Grade. He officially joins Zhang Wei’s Third Army, Third Battalion, with permission to select five guards 3 6.

Moon Ancient Village and Green Mountain Commandery

At Moon Ancient Village, Chu He identifies a possessed corpse, prevents his squad from drinking poisoned tea, and stays to confront the hidden threat. He kills the White Lotus Cult Holy Maiden and orders the obstructing Divine Sword Sect disciples reported as rebels. Before returning home, he orders the village burned 9 11 12.

In Green Mountain Commandery, he traces a Blood-Devouring Spirit Ghost to a wounded White Lotus Cult protector. A dangerous release of sealed soul power enables him to kill the protector, earn enough points for Second Rank, and secure recognition from Tie Jun 15 16 17.

Company Commander Selection

Chu He challenges the other qualified squad leaders together, cripples Zhou Ye, and defeats the remaining attackers. Zhang Wei awards him the Third Battalion company commander position. Chu He then kills a Divine Sword Sect challenger at the Bureau entrance, escalating the dispute without losing Zhang Wei’s backing 21 22 24.

Nine Nether Town

Leading fifty guards, Chu He investigates demons concealed in Nine Nether Town and suspects the Heavenly Origin Sect of plotting against the visiting competitors. He occupies the competition’s seat of honor and dismisses its bouts as inadequate preparation for lethal combat 26 30 33 34.

When Tian Yuan and Dao Buer reveal their collusion with demons, Chu He sends his warned unit toward its base and hunts targets across town. His kills fund successive breakthroughs to Middle and Late Second Rank. He ultimately uses forbidden arts and soul power to behead the Fourth Rank late-stage tiger-headed demon 34 36 37 41 42.

Disappearance, Return, and New Command

Thrown over the cliff, Chu He spends Demon Points to reach Middle Third Grade and restore his body. He later explains privately that his disappearance concealed his recovery and extraordinary advancement from Zhou Cang. After taking the black mirror, he erases his tracks and leaves bloody shoes beside the river 43 44.

The Bureau presumes him dead and grants him a crimson brocade robe, permission to enter the hall without bowing, and exceptional burial honors at Heroes’ Tomb. He returns during his own memorial before the robe can be buried 43 48.

Chu He attributes his recovery to a fabricated encounter with a Black God Fruit. Promoted to Hundred Household Commander of the Sixth Battalion, he receives orders to rotate into his hometown. He interprets the assignment as permission to confront a local faction under the cover of routine deployment 49 50.

Notable Quotes

“One overwhelming strength shatters ten thousand methods. When you're strong enough, all schemes are bullshit.” 19

“Fighting to the death is the fastest path to cultivating the strong.” 34

“Company Commander Chu He, reporting back!” 48