Chen Nian

Biodata

Power Progression

Latest Recorded Attributes

• The displayed combat rating measures his attributes rather than the full strength of his Word Spirits 4.
• With Attack and Defense Reversal active, his attack can exceed 1,000 at Tier 1, Level 83 47.
• After meeting the World Tree, his attributes and equipment contributions are represented collectively as an ability score. Acquiring the Sun and Moon Mystic Weapon increases that score from 500 to 820 579.
• Later confirmed advancements include middle-to-late Tier Seven and early Tier Eight; the earlier numerical attribute panels do not represent his final guardian-level capabilities 691 699 720 725.

Background

Chen Nian’s parents divorced and both remarried. His father disapproved of his gaming and expelled him from home, intending to make him experience financial hardship and eventually return to take over the family business. Instead, Chen Nian supported himself through gaming without returning 14.

Under the name Buyu, he became the strongest player in Calamity, a game with more than a hundred million players. His earnings bought him a villa and luxury car, and his assets exceeded one hundred million yuan. His family remained unaware of his success 1 14.

Despite attracting numerous admirers online, he distrusted online relationships and pursued Xia Wen in person. After she accidentally sent him a screenshot mocking his invitation to dinner and called him an unambitious shut-in, he blocked her. Shortly afterward, Calamity merged with reality 1.

His father is later identified as Chen Huirong. Both parents retain an image of him as a gaming-obsessed teenager and have neglected him while raising their new families. His mother eventually visits his villa with Ning Ziqing, his younger sister, who recognizes him as the person who rescued her the previous night 90 102.

His identity ultimately extends beyond his life on Blue Star: he is connected to the guardian of the Fifth Stratum, the fifth among the nine guardians. By the finale, he remembers saving Xiao Bai when she was a little white snake hundreds of years earlier 706 720 726.

Appearance

• Good-looking: Even Xia Wen acknowledges his looks when rejecting him; university students later openly praise his appearance 1 36.
• Frequent disguises: Uses masks and hats to conceal his identity, including during the Fire Flame Abyss expedition 16 45.
• Golden eyes during activation: Golden light appears in his pupils when he uses Golden Sword of Judgment 2 6.
• Physical Sanctification: His body shines with golden light and appears cast from gold when he activates this stage of the Nine Revolutions Mysterious Art 678.
• Sun God Body: After receiving the Sun God’s blessing, his blood vessels shine crimson-gold and magma-like patterns flicker beneath his skin. The Moon God’s blessing forms silver-white divine armor over him 720.

Personality

Chen Nian prioritizes independence and efficient growth. He refuses conventional employment because it would interfere with leveling, usually hunts alone to avoid splitting experience, and accepts university and law-enforcement affiliations only on flexible terms 5 23 24.

He is protective without seeking publicity. He saves Liu Si, rescues Xiaoke from a sewer monster, and removes an explosive talisman from Qiu Ya despite claiming not to care about her. After rescues, he often leaves quickly to avoid attention 2 17 42.

His restraint does not extend to people trying to kill or exploit him. He kills Brother Dao’s attackers and the dungeon gang, retaliates against Liu Xingchen’s provocations, and refuses Xia Wen’s attempts to regain his interest. He also treats allies generously, distributing surplus equipment to guild members 10 15 36 42.

He remembers favors and repays them disproportionately. His willingness to accompany an ally into danger because she once healed him strengthens his guildmates’ loyalty. He also purifies Ai Lan’s corruption despite the danger and later seeks her help as a trusted companion 107 169 188.

His protection of allies can be uncompromising. On Heavenly Demon Island, he demands that a woman insulting Lu Ge either apologize or leave, then forcibly expels her when she refuses. Against a cannibalistic Eastern Wilderness woman, he briefly pretends to release her before immediately confronting her again 125 268.

Although he initially rejects online romance, he eventually acknowledges his feelings for Su Jinyu and develops relationships with multiple women. He is flirtatious, frequently attempts to conceal romantic entanglements from jealous partners, and has a recurring fondness for women’s legs 141 381 479 567 615 726.

His readiness to protect others persists even against overwhelming enemies. He shields Sunlight City from Cain’s attacks, remains behind to cover an evacuation, and later knowingly enters the threatened Third Stratum because he has friends there, despite recognizing that he cannot stop the invading Calamity with his current strength 563 564 699 706.

Abilities & Skills

Word Spirit Sage

His unique talent produces supernatural effects through spoken, obscure syllables 1 6.

• Basic Word Spirits unlock with genetic levels; rare abilities require skill scrolls or synthesis 4 11.
• His initial draw bypasses normal level restrictions, giving him immediate access to Golden Sword of Judgment 1.
• High-risk Word Spirits consume substantial supernatural power. Excessive use can overtax his genes and cause irreversible collapse 4 16.
• He manages consumption through rest, lower-cost abilities, and leveling, which replenishes his available power 5 46.
• Both his Transcendence and attack attributes contribute to Word Spirit strength 145.
• World Tree Performance Points later allow him to purchase compatible Word Spirits and strengthen his abilities directly 578 579 606 691.

Golden Sword of Judgment — Sequence 121

A high-risk Word Spirit capable of cutting physical objects, supernatural attacks, souls, and even temperature 1 3 6.

• Severs flames and heat, allowing Chen Nian to approach fire monsters and shelter others beside him 6 48.
• Cuts through the world boss’s barrier, mountain, and heart in a single attack 29.
• Repeatedly destroys the Fire Flame Inheritance Trial’s fire dragon, although the dragon continues reviving until the trial ends 48.
• Its energy cost and recognizable effects make it unsuitable for routine hunting or maintaining his disguise 4 37.
• Its effectiveness still depends on his underlying attributes: Black Sun can endure Judgment through a sufficiently large physical-stat advantage 225.

Death God — Sequence 127

An ultra-high-risk Word Spirit that creates a vision-stripping domain and grants Death God Possession for thirty seconds 8.

• Manifests a skeletal figure carrying a scythe and the Book of Life and Death 10.
• Possession initially grants a displayed +300% attack power 10.
• Reaping: Every player killed permanently adds 10 attack power to Death God Possession 8.
• After killing the group pursuing him, Chen Nian calculates that its next activation will provide the 300% bonus plus 500 additional attack 10.
• Its distinctive appearance can reveal him as Buyu to knowledgeable players 10.
• Remains part of his later arsenal, including his battles with Cain and the disguised Li Hua. Cain’s artifact can absorb and reflect an attack empowered by Death God 562 574.

Void-Escaping Spirit Snake — Sequence 53

An invisible, controllable spirit snake obtained through skill-scroll synthesis 11 12.

• Delivers concealed attacks, including the blows that defeat the Fire Rock Giant 12.
• Carries Chen Nian during pursuit and tears through the sewer octopus 17.
• Protects Qin Yu from Jiang Lie’s attack 22.
• Controls Xiao Cheng’s movements while Chen Nian acts from hiding 34.
• Breaks Zhao Wenqiang’s hand and thigh to force the disguised Calamity Beast to reveal itself 99.
• Coils around and forcibly transports a hostile island resident into the woods 125.

Elemental Word Spirits

• Flash Lightning — Sequence 10: Summons lightning bolts; used to clear gathered packs of monsters 4.
• Flame Explosion — Sequence 19: Produces explosive fire attacks. Chen Nian uses it to mutate the Calamity Treant and later destroy bodies 5 6 10.
• Wind Demon Slash — Sequence 33: Creates invisible cutting winds capable of severing the treant’s attacking branches 5 6.
• Wind-Gathering Cannon — Sequence 49: Concentrates wind pressure at his fingertip for a single-target shot. With Attack and Defense Reversal, it destroys the Guardian Colossus’s heart and shatters the Heavenly Flame Demon Wolf’s meteor 39 42 46.
• Lion Flame: The ultimate first-tier Word Spirit, available at level 99. It is stronger than ordinary Word Spirits but weaker than rare high-risk abilities 67 140.
• Thunder Dragon: The ultimate second-tier Word Spirit. Like Lion Flame, it offers substantial power without the restrictions associated with rare high-risk Word Spirits 140.
• Zhurong: Used to instantly kill the Deep Sea Demon God during the Heavenly Demon Island battle 370.

Perception, Movement & Concealment

• Eagle Eye — Sequence 9: Expands his field of vision severalfold and lets him track hidden followers or an opponent’s movements 5 8 47.
• Wind and Lightning Flash: Provides rapid movement; lets him remove Qiu Ya’s explosive talisman before it detonates and evade the Heavenly Flame Demon Wolf 42 47.
• Hidden Shadow, Formless: Conceals him from sight, allowing him to rejoin crowds unnoticed, intervene secretly, and leave without exposing himself 30 34 45 49.
• Air Flight: Allows him to fly through the air 67.
• Instant — Sequence 48: Triples the speed of bodily movements, including drawing a blade, jumping, and initiating movement. Its stated potential evolution increases that multiplier to thirtyfold 128.
• Spatial teleportation: Allows instantaneous repositioning and is sufficiently reliable that Ai Lan recognizes his failure to evade an attack as deliberate 196.
• Intangibility — Sequence 120: Instantly renders his body intangible for one second, allowing him to ignore all attacks during that interval. It cannot be activated consecutively 579.
• Fiery Eyes and Golden Pupils: Inherited from Sun Wukong’s lingering power 699.

Physical Strength & Durability

• Knocks Jiang Lie unconscious and breaks his arms with one punch 22.
• At level 60, reaches 100 constitution and 500 bonus defense; his combined durability is described as sufficient to withstand a railgun shot 31.
• Takes Chu Long’s Lightning Spear and a point-blank explosive talisman without injury 34 42.
• With Demon Form active, sustains supersonic flight while killing every invader on a street in less than thirty seconds 179.
• After reaching Tier Five, can fight a Heavenly Torrent Rank Calamity Beast directly without the outside assistance previously required 476.
• With Physical Sanctification, withstands a Demon God’s sword striking his neck, seizes the weapon, and breaks it by hand 678.
• His physical strength nevertheless initially falls short of Jian Yang’s; their collisions shake his skeleton, and the recoil from their weapon clash nearly breaks the bones in his hand 718.

Game Knowledge & Tactics

• Deliberately mutates the Calamity Treant from level 70 to 80 to improve its potential rewards 6.
• Uses repeated three-into-one skill-scroll synthesis to pursue rare abilities 11.
• Navigates dungeon traps and allows hostile party members to reveal the boss’s defenses before intervening 40 41 42.
• Combines Eagle Eye and Wind and Lightning Flash to avoid attacks while his defense is converted into offense 47.
• Prioritizes leveling, replacing equipment, enchanting every piece, and strengthening those enchantments while preparing for the Demon God of Trickery 127.
• Prolongs fights against powerful Divinity holders to earn Divine Might Points, rather than always defeating them as quickly as possible 238.
• Uses the Chaos Space-Devouring Beast as shelter to pass Instructor Liu’s one-minute Platinum promotion assessment 591.

Divinity and Heavenly Eye

Chen Nian’s Divinity is identified as Yang Jian. His divine advancement improves his basic attributes and grants powers beyond his Word Spirit talent 145 225.

• Heavenly Eye: Pierces falsehood and overcomes inner demons. Its third-tier evolution grants immunity to all mental attacks 145.
• Reads opponents’ movements, complementing his movement techniques and close-combat evasions 240 325.
• Can emit beams of divine light 240.
• His Divinity destroys the sinister power drawn out of Ai Lan, allowing him to purify her corruption through close contact 169.
• Possessing Divinity allows him to understand different languages 238.

God Descent Technique

A divine invocation that actively awakens his Divinity and manifests a towering divine figure 214 285.

• Increases all attributes by 100%, greatly strengthens physical regeneration, and enhances Heavenly Eye 214.
• Normally leaves his Divinity dormant for seven days after use, preventing immediate reuse 214.
• Manifests Yang Jian’s armored phantom, including the characteristic third eye 285.
• Supplies the strength required to wield the Mountain-Splitting Axe’s first divine-power release in later battles 688 691.

Nine Revolutions Mysterious Art

A divine combat art acquired with his Tier Four advancement. Fighting powerful opponents with divine power earns Divine Might Points toward comprehending its further levels 225 238 476.

• First revolution: Provides profound movement techniques, allowing him to evade attacks without spatial teleportation 238.
• Gentle Kun Transformation: Redirects incoming force and uses the opponent’s strength against them 508.
• Dragon Battles and Wilds: Produces a golden-dragon-shaped strike; used against Li Hua’s wind-and-fire dragon 574.
• Physical Sanctification: Strengthens his body enormously, allowing him to break a Demon God’s sword and wield the Mountain-Splitting Axe 678 683.
• Also allows him to draw the Spring of Life’s water from Tang Rou’s body after rescuing her from drowning 456.

Summoning and Control

• Heavenly Water Prison: Learned permanently through the Blue Sea Demon Ring; confines enemies in a water prison and prevents movement 140.
• Ten Beasts of All Creation: Summons powerful creatures using collected Soul Energy. Chen Nian can control five simultaneously during the battle with Cain, and later has access to the first six before purchasing the seventh 476 564 691.
• Heavenly Thunder Divine Bird: The seventh Beast of All Creation, unlocked for twenty Performance Points. It uses multiple forms of lightning and flies faster than Chen Nian at his own full speed 691.
• Sovereign: A Word Spirit used to subdue Fahai and two disciples at Jinshan Temple, preventing them from pursuing Xiao Bai and Xiao Qing 667.
• Mind-Bewitching Demon Pendant: Enables him to command the Rock Demon God as an obedient servant 186.

Origin Divine Power and Advanced Techniques

• Cage: A powerful ability that shatters Li Hua’s Zero Barrier. Chen Nian stops it before it kills her 574.
• Dharma Heaven and Earth: Learned through academy training; its power is also required for wielding the Mountain-Splitting Axe’s second divine-power release 659 691.
• Origin divine power: Initially insufficient to sustain Cage and Dharma Heaven and Earth together. After reaching middle-to-late Tier Seven, he can use both without exhausting it through a single ability 691.
• Nine-Character Mantra: Progresses alongside his other powers; he can use its sixth character by middle-to-late Tier Seven 691.
• Mandate of Heaven — Stars: Continuously restores Transcendent power and divine power for a limited time. Combined with God Descent Technique, it lets him maintain divine armor against a Holy Lord a major realm above him, although he expects defeat once its effect expires 644 645.
• Will of all living beings: Forms a vast white sword of light from converging radiance and uses it to split the rift between worlds, returning with Rika 584.

Guardian Powers

• Nine Heavens, Azure Firmament: Chen Nian’s true signature ability, gathering the energy of heaven and earth. Its ninth level is its highest realm; he previously used it to fight Jian Yang to a standstill in sparring 725.
• Sun God Body: The Sun God’s blessing transforms his body and fills him with immense physical strength 720.
• Moonlight Divine Armor: The Moon God’s blessing forms silver-white armor over his body 720.
• Stars Divine Sword: The Star God’s blessing creates a sword forged from actual stars, with seven stars shining along its blade 720.
• The combined Sun, Moon, and Star blessings are unique to Chen Nian among the nine guardians 720.
• In the ultimate battle, a punch empowered by ninth-level Nine Heavens, Azure Firmament drives the Stars Sword through Jian Yang’s shield of Protection 725.

Equipment & Items

• Flame Tree Garment — Epic: Grants 150 defense, 30 attack, +10 constitution, +10 agility, and substantial fire resistance. Equipping it triggers the opening of the Trading Space. Later replaced by the Demonic Turtle Battle Armor 7 60.
• Mountain-Carrying Demon Turtle set — Epic: Initially owns the Battle Helm, Leg Armor, and Armguard 30 37.
  • Three pieces grant +20% defense, raising his recorded bonus defense to 696 37.
  • The four-piece bonus offers +30% total defense and Countershock, described as automatically reflecting all attacks. He completes the set by obtaining the Demonic Turtle Battle Armor, raising bonus defense to 820 30 50 60.
  • Later replaced by the legendary Heavenly Demon Lord Set 130 134.
• Attack and Defense Reversal — Calamity Gem: Converts all defense into an equivalent amount of attack. His defense returns when the effect ends 38 42.
• Crimson Wolf Molten Fire Club — Epic: Grants 230 attack, 50 defense, +10 constitution, and +10 Transcendence, with a flame-imbuement effect. He equips it for its attributes rather than using it as his primary fighting weapon. Later replaced by Startled Dragon 47 85.
• Flame Bow — Epic, transferred to Qin Yu: Gives it to her in exchange for acting as his girlfriend in name only 13.
• Mountain-Carrying Demon Turtle Shell: Retains this rare material for forging the final set piece; later purchases the remaining materials and seeks a Blacksmith. The planned armor is subsequently completed 30 50 60.
• Energy Core: Obtains it from the Guardian Colossus; it is used in constructing teleportation arrays for intercity reinforcement 42.
• Ten Thousand Swords Art scroll: Obtains it from the Guardian Colossus and intends to give it to Xiao Qi 42.
• Heavenly Demon Heart-Protecting Pendant — Epic: Grants 150 attack and +20 Supernatural. Its Heart Protection effect completely blocks one attack, permanently destroying the pendant when triggered. Initially cannot equip it because it requires Tier Two, then equips it after advancing 67 85.
• Moonlight Wolf Ring — Epic: Equips it upon reaching Tier Two 85.
• Startled Dragon — Legendary: A Tang saber granting 300 attack. Dragon Lurks in the Abyss accumulates dragon qi while sheathed, and Armor Breaking allows its physical attacks to ignore 10% of enemy defense 85.
  • Unlike his earlier weapons, which he treated mainly as attribute accessories, Chen Nian is enthusiastic about wielding the Tang saber directly 85.
  • Permanently damaged in the battle preceding his God Descent Technique reward, leaving only part of its hilt 214.
• Heavenly Demon Lord Set — Legendary: Replaces his epic armor set. Its complete-set effect grants temporary Demon Form, increasing all attributes by 30% without the drawbacks associated with consuming monster essences 130 134 179.
  • Includes Heavenly Demon Ape King Armor 130.
  • The final piece, Storm Thunder Bracers, grants 200 attack, 200 defense, +20 constitution, +20 Transcendence, and +20 agility. It provides Black Demon Divine Lightning and increases lightning-type supernatural power by 30% through Thunder Mastery 134.
• Arcane enchantments: His assembled enchantments reduce supernatural power consumption by 40%, improving sustained combat 134 140.
• Demon God of Trickery’s Jeweled Pendant — Legendary: Part of his full legendary loadout by the end of the Heavenly Demon Island arc 140.
• Blue Sea Demon Ring — Legendary: Restricted to the person who killed the Deep Sea Demon God. Grants 200 attack, +80 Transcendence, 50% water-attack immunity, free underwater movement, and one permanently learned random ability from the Demon God; Chen Nian receives Heavenly Water Prison 140.
• Mind-Bewitching Demon Pendant: Used to place the Rock Demon God under his control 186.
• Demon Sword Remnant: Obtained after defeating Black Sun and retained as material for repairing and strengthening his destroyed weapon 225.
• Dragon Slayer — Mythic: A Tier Four saber with 600 attack, 300 defense, +100 constitution, and +100 agility 233.
  • Retains the sheathed dragon-qi accumulation effect.
  • Armor Breaking and Metal Severing ignores 20% of enemy defense.
  • Startled Dragon Pierces the Sun transforms the thrown saber into a giant dragon with immense piercing power 233 401.
  • Shattered by Cain’s reflected attack; its destruction is confirmed during Chen Nian’s later encounter with Li Hua 562 574.
• Armor of Sighs — Mythic: Grants 1,000 defense and +20% total defense. Indestructible adds 20% resistance to physical and transcendent attacks; Wrath of the Divine Artifact grants substantial divine power after accumulating one hundred hit-triggered stacks; Wall of Sighs creates a wall described as blocking all attacks 290.
• Blood of Immortality: Supplies demonic power that Chen Nian can use after his divine power has been exhausted, including through Blood Burst 367.
• Ominous Omen Demonic Necklace — Mythic: Equipped after reaching Tier Five. Adds 200 to all attributes, 300 attack, and 300 defense, while granting immunity to contamination effects 476.
• Sun and Moon Mystic Weapon — Heavenly Craft: Obtained through the World Tree. Adds 320 ability-score points and possesses advanced forms with limited durations and recovery intervals 579.
  • Its Snow Moon Sword form absorbs lunar essence to advance from new-moon to half-moon form. Half-moon form enables Moon Fills Heaven and Earth 590.
  • Chen Nian continues using it for ordinary battles after obtaining the Mountain-Splitting Axe 683.
• Demon Blade Murasame: Used alongside his awakened demonic power. By the Tier Six training trials, he has enough initial control to use that power without backlash 592.
• Mountain-Splitting Axe: Obtained for thirty Performance Points after he reaches Tier Seven. Its enormous weight requires Physical Sanctification even in its initial form 683.
  • Divine-power releases greatly increase its weight, size, and destructive force. The first release requires God Descent Technique; the second requires Dharma Heaven and Earth 683 688 691.
  • Strengthened by Sun Wukong’s lingering power. After reaching Tier Eight, Chen Nian can alter its size freely, enlarging it a hundredfold 699.
  • Uses its highest divine-power release against Jian Yang, though that alone cannot overcome him 718.
• Stars Divine Sword and Moonlight Divine Armor: Manifestations of the Star God’s and Moon God’s blessings during his recovery of guardian powers 720.

Relationships

• Qin Yu — Singer, Buyu admirer, and initially his girlfriend in name only. Their arrangement begins with the Flame Bow exchange; she does not initially recognize him as her idol. He repeatedly protects her and secretly helps recover her stolen equipment 8 13 22 34.
  • Later brings him lunch and seeks opportunities to level together; he includes her in Li Yunwei’s elite dungeon party 69.
  • Their relationship becomes genuine and is consummated in the King Domain’s sacred grounds. After returning to Linhai City, Qin Yu admits their involvement to Tang Rou 479 480.
  • Remains among the people he visits after the final battle 726.
• Ye Hongling / Chiling — Longtime gaming acquaintance who actively searches for his real identity. She recognizes him during the world-boss battle; their flirtation includes kisses that help fuel her Fire Flame Inheritance Trial. He initially refuses to give her his real name 7 29 48 49.
  • Generously helps him obtain his final legendary set piece and Arcane enchantments 134.
  • Their gaming relationship included teaming up in a dangerous valley, morning voice messages, and photographs of her legs; Chen Nian remembers her as a particularly comforting presence 615.
  • Accompanies him to Changnian City and remains part of his life after the final battle 267 726.
• Su Jinyu / Xiao Qi — Affectionate guild administrator who calls him Brother Buyu. He attends her birthday in a Rilakkuma disguise; afterward, she requests surveillance footage to identify him 14 15 27.
  • He saves her from the Twin Demon God during the first Blood Moon Calamity. Their attachment deepens, and he explicitly recognizes that he loves her rather than merely regarding her as a younger sister 141 370.
  • Helps him grow the Tree of Evolution’s fruit, although her Divinity repeatedly takes over and attacks him during intimacy 144.
  • Restores his senses after his demonic power runs out of control. They consummate their relationship, but a later takeover by her Divinity nearly kills him, and the danger continues to restrict their intimacy 502 674.
  • Later attends World Tree Academy’s advanced division alongside him and is referred to as his wife 692.
• Liu Si — Neighbor whom he saves from demonic hounds. She worries about his absences, cooks for him, and invites him to visit for meals 2 14.
• Li Yunwei — Law-enforcement captain who recruits him on flexible terms. She later investigates inconsistencies in his account of the world-boss battle 23 32.
  • Suspects that Chen Nian and Buyu are the same person, encrypts his bureau records, and organizes a dungeon expedition partly to test her theory 69.
  • Works with him to expose and capture the humanoid Calamity Beast disguised as Zhao Wenqiang 99.
• Xia Wen — Former romantic interest. After her insulting rejection, he refuses to resume pursuing her and later turns away her request for combat instruction 1 36.
  • Rejects her gratitude and invitation for a drink after exposing Zhao Wenqiang. He regards his former feelings as entirely in the past 99.
• Liu Xingchen — Stepbrother, the son of his father’s new wife. Chen Nian retaliates against his condescension by disrupting a billion-yuan deal and later pressures him into donating ten million yuan to the university 14 15 23.
  • Attempts to publicly discipline Chen Nian during the blacksmith dispute, only to lose support after Chen Nian makes a phone call. Chen Nian leaves without treating him as a meaningful rival 58 59.
• Big Goose — Wealthy guildmate who arranges a 1.5-billion-yuan rival offer to derail Liu Xingchen’s deal 15.
• Qiu Ya — Healer held captive by a dungeon gang. Chen Nian removes her explosive talisman, kills her captors, and carries her out; she subsequently searches online for information about him 40 42.
  • Later helps him during the dispute involving her father and accompanies him back from Jiangcheng 56 59 67.
• Zhao Yixue / Luo Xue — Powerful gaming acquaintance whose possessiveness initially makes him reluctant to reveal his identity. He deliberately loses an early confrontation to avoid being recognized as Buyu 55 56.
  • Meets him again on Heavenly Demon Island and persuades him to carry her to an ancient cavern 119.
  • Agrees without hesitation to help him against powerful enemies, despite knowing the danger, and becomes distressed when she believes he has been seriously injured 189 196.
  • Their later relationship includes intimate domestic moments, romantic rivalry with Su Jinyu, and an enduring place in his life 219 225 726.
• Lu Ge — Guildmate whom he shelters on Island 100 after her own island is overrun. He expels a resident who refuses to stop insulting her 125.
• Ai Lan — Divinity holder whom he purifies of sinister corruption. His lack of prejudice toward her mixed heritage and willingness to save her deeply move her 169.
  • She accompanies him on a dangerous campaign to repay his help. He later brings her into Mountains and Rivers in Lasting Peace 188 219 370.
• Gu Qingyue — Princess of the Lost Continent whose fate becomes entangled with his through a marriage-related encounter. He ends the Rock Demon God’s sacrifices and helps give her people a future outside the underground city 186 187 281.
  • She openly pursues him, including arranging a public wedding-toast situation that Su Jinyu interrupts 217.
  • Names Changnian City and the nation of Nian in gratitude for his help. Their relationship remains close through the finale 274 281 726.
• Tang Rou — Guild associate and secretary who wants to remain behind to help him during the Lost Continent crisis 187.
  • He rescues her from the Spring of Life and removes the water from her body. Despite evident mutual closeness, they still describe their relationship as boss and secretary after sharing hot pot 456 480.
  • Uses her notes to preserve awareness of him while others forget his existence during his attempt to rescue Rika 584.
  • Remains his devoted secretary and one of the people he seeks out after the final battle 726.
• Shangze Sakura — Becomes his attendant while seeking his help for Uesawa Ueki. He helps her adapt to ordinary life through shopping, food, and gentle teasing 229 250.
  • Trains her after the faction war, first directing her to hunt wanted criminals and then challenging her to steal bells from his waist. She eventually succeeds by distracting him with a maid outfit 291.
  • Later lives on the Lost Continent and remains among those he visits after the final battle 691 726.
• Uesawa Ueki — A powerful fighter Chen Nian agrees to help at Sakura’s request. Later saves Chen Nian from Di Mie’s killing attack and carries him away 229 699.
• Yang Wei — Childhood friend with whom Chen Nian reconnects. Helps him arrange a trap for an enemy and later accompanies him to the Dream Pavilion 346 355 412.
• Meng’er — Fox demon at the Dream Pavilion who creates romantic dreams for him. She warns him when a dangerous challenger targets him and later kisses his forehead while he sleeps 324 325 412.
• Tamamo-no-Mae / Yu’er — Powerful fox demon connected to his God-Demon Capital adventures. Entrusts him with her amnesiac, youthful form after sealing her power and memories; he names her Yu’er and cares for her before taking her to world C-04 324 659.
  • Remains among his loved ones in the finale 726.
• An Qingluo — Senior at World Tree Academy who initially regards him as a valued friend rather than a romantic partner. Their relationship develops romantically during the ten-year period after the final battle 505 512 726.
• Ye Li — Vampire queen with whom he forms a mutually beneficial agreement: he helps her recover and pursue revenge, while she provides her blood. Later stays at his villa and adopts gaming and mobile-phone habits 545 574.
• Sunlight City’s eldest princess — Initially seeks his rare Type V Blood and attempts to make him her blood servant. Their later blood pact links their lives, while his blood develops vampiric traits that he conceals from the hunters 533 537 543 544.
• Rika — Interworld companion who seals the World Gate during the Fifth Stratum evacuation. Earlier, Chen Nian risks being forgotten by the world to retrieve her from the cracks between worlds; they return together and restore others’ memories of them 583 584 699.
  • They continue secretly dating after the finale despite her older sister’s opposition 726.
• Mu Qingxuan — Among the people important to him whom he visits after the final battle 726.
• Xiao Bai and Xiao Qing — Snake-demon sisters he protects from Fahai while caring for Yu’er. Xiao Bai seeks help after he allows himself to be taken to Jinshan Temple 667.
  • Xiao Bai had recognized him as the benefactor who saved her centuries earlier. He ultimately recovers that memory, and their relationship becomes romantic during the subsequent decade 706 726.
• Instructor Liu — Academy instructor who supervises his training and treats him as a prized student, arranging travel permission and advising him before the C-04 journey 591 659.
• Mo Ning — World Tree Academy’s founder, whose knowledge of his background and romantic history unsettles him. Explains the World Tree’s nine guardian children and later places Ye Yuan in his care 684 691.
• Ye Yuan / A Yuan — Guardian of the Sixth Stratum. After losing her power, she settles at the academy under Chen Nian’s care at Mo Ning’s direction 684 691.
• Sun Wukong — A brief battlefield comrade whose death saddens Chen Nian. His lingering power becomes Chen Nian’s inheritance 699.
• Jian Yang — A fellow guardian whom Chen Nian addresses as Eldest Brother. Previously sparred with him, but becomes his overwhelming opponent in the final conflict after obtaining the power of Destruction 718 725.
• Chen Simeng — His daughter, explicitly included among the loved ones he reunites with after the final battle 726.

Story Role / Major Arcs

The Merger and Early Hunting

• Inherits his unique talent when Calamity becomes reality and immediately uses Golden Sword of Judgment to rescue Liu Si 1 2.
• Hunts outside Linhai City, defeats the mutated Flame Calamity Treant, and sells its Demon Hunter talent card for 10,000 gold—equivalent to one million yuan 4 6 8.
• Kills the group pursuing his loot, protects Qin Yu, and helps clear the Fire Abyss dungeon while concealing his contribution from her 10 12.

Public Recognition at Linhai University

• Rescues Xiaoke from a sewer monster and leaves anonymously, but reporters trace him through his taxi ride. The university awards him 50,000 yuan 17 19.
• Publicly identifies Qin Yu as his girlfriend to distinguish his visible student persona from the secretive Buyu 19 20.
• Earns an S-rank by defeating Jiang Lie, then secures flexible university and law-enforcement affiliations rather than joining routine training 22 23 24.

Guild Gathering and World Boss

• Travels to Lu City for the guild gathering and Su Jinyu’s birthday while Linhai City struggles against the Mountain-Carrying Demon Turtle 25 27.
• Returns by private jet, jumps into the battlefield, and kills the world boss before the deadline. His victory prevents the threatened early Blood Moon Calamity and unlocks Calamity Summoning 25 29 30.
• Declines a named server-wide announcement, although Ye Hongling recognizes him during the attack 29 30.

Calamity Beasts and the Captive Dungeon Party

• Uses three Calamity Summoning scrolls to combine valuable targets with a mass undead hunt, obtaining Attack and Defense Reversal 37 38.
• Plays along with a dungeon gang’s coercion, kills the Guardian Colossus, and rescues Qiu Ya when the gang turns on them 40 42.

Fire Flame Abyss

• Joins Ye Hongling’s expedition in exchange for a high-tier skill scroll 44.
• Destroys the Heavenly Flame Demon Wolf’s meteor, defeats the boss, and reaches level 83 46 47.
• Enters the inheritance trial to protect Ye Hongling and helps her complete it. He leaves under concealment after accepting payment and selling her the Heavenly Meteor Descends scroll 48 49.
• Receives one million gold, equivalent to one hundred million yuan, and buys the remaining materials needed for his planned epic armor piece 50.

Completing His Equipment and First Advancement

• Deliberately loses to Zhao Yixue to avoid revealing that he is Buyu, then becomes involved in the dispute surrounding Qiu Ya’s father 55 56 58.
• Overcomes the pressure exerted by Liu Xingchen and the assembled business figures, then obtains the armor completing his Mountain-Carrying Demon Turtle set 59 60.
• Reaches level 95, acquires Air Flight, and prepares to maximize his first advancement through a Demon God Rank challenge 67.
• Joins Li Yunwei’s elite dungeon expedition with Qin Yu while Li secretly investigates his identity 69.
• Successfully reaches Tier Two and equips Startled Dragon and his previously unusable Tier Two accessories 85.

Blood Moon Calamity and Humanoid Infiltrators

• Finishes the main-front battle of the first Blood Moon Calamity, discovers that another Twin Demon God is threatening Su Jinyu, and rushes to save her. Slaying the Demon God leads to his first Divine Gene and Divinity 370.
• Receives further public recognition from law enforcement as his former classmates reassess him 97.
• Exposes Zhao Wenqiang as a humanoid Calamity Beast and helps Li Yunwei capture him, but declines to join a broader citywide search 99.
• Reconnects with his mother and Ning Ziqing when they visit his villa 102.

Heavenly Demon Island

• Explores beyond his assigned island’s safe zone, encounters Zhao Yixue, and accompanies her to an ancient underground cavern 119.
• Shelters Lu Ge on Island 100 and asserts his authority when a resident attempts to exclude her 125.
• Uses large-scale monster hunting to level rapidly and replaces his epic equipment with a complete legendary Heavenly Demon Lord Set 128 130 134.
• Ascends the Heavenly Demon Tower with his companions clearing the way and defeats the Demon God of Trickery after a difficult battle 370.
• When the Demon God of Trickery summons the Deep Sea Demon God, Chen Nian activates Zhurong and instantly kills the new opponent 370.
• Finishes with a full legendary loadout and reaches Tier Two, Level 99 140.

Divine Advancement and the Lost Continent

• Acknowledges his feelings for Su Jinyu and works with her beneath the Tree of Evolution to produce his advancement fruit, contending with her Divinity’s hostile takeovers 141 144.
• Advances to Tier Three and gains Heavenly Eye’s immunity to mental attacks 145.
• Purifies Ai Lan after an encounter with sinister power in underwater ruins 169.
• On the Lost Continent, protects civilians from invaders and subjugates the Rock Demon God, ending the sacrifices demanded in the Mountain God’s name 179 186.
• Learns that Black Sun created the Black Calamity and will return in thirty days to absorb its accumulated power. Recruits Ai Lan and Zhao Yixue for the coming confrontation 186 188 189.
• Defeats Black Sun and subsequently receives God Descent Technique; the campaign leaves Startled Dragon permanently damaged 214 225.
• Becomes the focus of Gu Qingyue’s public romantic overtures before returning through the World Gate with his companions 217 219.
• Advances to Tier Four and acquires the Nine Revolutions Mysterious Art 225.

Dragon Slayer and the Faction War

• Accepts Shangze Sakura’s request concerning Uesawa Ueki and seeks a master blacksmith to replace his ruined weapon 229.
• Obtains the mythic Dragon Slayer saber and fights powerful Divinity holders to accumulate Divine Might Points 233 238 240.
• Helps Sakura settle into life around him after returning to Linhai City 249 250.
• Visits the rebuilding Changnian City, where a statue commemorates him as its hero 267.
• During the faction war, travels with Su Jinyu to the Lost Continent’s border and encounters Li Bai at the Ancient Desolate Forbidden Zone 370.
• Enters the Eastern Wilderness alone to fight the Beast God. Ultimately borrows Li Bai’s wine and defeats the Beast God using Bring in the Wine 281 370.
• Gains the Armor of Sighs and reaches Tier Four, Level 42, then rewards his guild and begins training Sakura 290 291.

God-Demon Capital and the Heavenly Vault Realm

• Defeats Inugami to earn access to the Dream Pavilion’s top floor, where Meng’er creates a romantic dream for him 324.
• Returns despite warnings about a powerful challenger and demonstrates his close-combat evasive skill against Yaksha 325.
• Uses Blood of Immortality’s demonic power after exhausting his divine power during the God-Demon Capital conflict 367.
• Arranges for Transcendents to enter the Heavenly Vault Realm through a stable passage, seeking mutual benefits such as technology and crystals while first inspecting the danger himself 410.
• Conquers the realm’s three forbidden lands, including rescuing Tang Rou from the Spring of Life 447 456 467.
• Battles Chi Ming, defeats him, advances to Tier Five, and collects Divine Might Points and Soul Energy from the encounter 474 476.
• Consummates his relationship with Qin Yu and returns to Linhai City with her and Tang Rou before the interworld passage closes temporarily 479 480.

World Tree Academy and Sunlight City

• Recovers from demonic loss of control through Su Jinyu’s intervention, then enters World Tree Academy and begins actual interplanar train travel 502 505.
• Establishes himself among academy students and openly acknowledges that he already has a girlfriend 508 512.
• Travels to Sunlight City, where he forms a fragile partnership with the second princess while the eldest princess seeks his Type V Blood 533.
• Defeats a vampire prince, rescues commoners, and opposes Aojia when the hunter attempts to execute them 543.
• Agrees to help Ye Li recover and pursue revenge 545.
• Battles Cain, an Origin Demon God, losing Dragon Slayer to reflected power and repeatedly defending Sunlight City from attacks aimed at its inhabitants 562 563 564.
• Returns home and uncovers Li Hua’s identity after a disguised attack tests his strength 567 574.

World Tree Rewards and Rika’s Rescue

• Meets the World Tree consciousness and exchanges twenty Performance Points for the Sun and Moon Mystic Weapon and Intangibility 578 579.
• Enters the cracks between worlds to rescue Rika despite the risk of being forgotten and unable to return 583.
• Tang Rou’s notes preserve evidence of his existence while others forget him. Chen Nian ultimately cleaves the interworld rift with a sword formed from the will of living beings, returning with Rika and restoring people’s memories 584.
• Breaks the academy’s Tier Five hunting records, wins repeated arena matches, and reaches Platinum 590 591.
• Demonstrates initial backlash-free control over his demonic power in Tier Six Heavenly Torrent combat training 592.
• Later spends Performance Points to advance to Tier Six 606.

Cultivation Worlds and C-04

• Enters the Azure Profound Sect after rescuing Yue Xiaomeng and formally becomes her junior brother 619.
• Becomes involved in Mu Yun’s world and uses the upgraded Mandate of Heaven, Stars, to withstand stronger enemies while Mu Yun and Mu Qingxuan retreat 644 645.
• Learns Dharma Heaven and Earth at the academy 659.
• Cares for Tamamo-no-Mae’s sealed, amnesiac form, Yu’er, and takes her to the Third Stratum’s world C-04 to help her breakthrough 659.
• Protects Xiao Bai, Xiao Qing, and Yu’er from Fahai, allowing them to escape while he goes to Jinshan Temple and uses Sovereign to prevent pursuit 667.
• Demonstrates Physical Sanctification against a Demon God and later obtains the Mountain-Splitting Axe after killing two Origin Demon Gods 678 683.

The Fall of the Strata

• Meets academy founder Mo Ning and learns that A Yuan may be the Sixth Stratum’s guardian 684.
• Uses God Descent Technique and the Mountain-Splitting Axe against Black Sun 688.
• Takes responsibility for Ye Yuan after the Sixth Stratum falls. Recognizing that Blue Star, the Lost Continent, God-Demon Capital, and the Seven Great Sky Domains all belong to the threatened Fifth Stratum, he spends 120 Performance Points on urgent preparations 691.
• Unlocks the Heavenly Thunder Divine Bird, the axe’s second divine-power release, and middle-to-late Tier Seven strength 691.
• Fights alongside his companions as the Fifth Stratum faces invasion. After Sun Wukong dies, inherits his power and reaches early Tier Eight 698 699.
• Remains behind to cover the evacuation while Rika seals the World Gate. Exhausted and stranded, he nearly dies to Di Mie, the Ninth Seat Origin Demon God, before Uesawa Ueki rescues him 699.
• Later chooses to enter the endangered Third Stratum despite understanding that the journey may be fatal, because he has friends there 706.

Guardian Awakening and the Final Battle

• Recognizes his identity as the Fifth Stratum’s guardian and his connection to Xiao Bai’s centuries-old rescue 706.
• Confronts Jian Yang, addressing him as Eldest Brother, but initially finds himself outmatched even with the Mountain-Splitting Axe fully released 718.
• Receives the combined blessings of the Sun God, Moon God, and Star God, recovering the Sun God Body, Moonlight Divine Armor, and Stars Divine Sword 720.
• In the ultimate battle, uses the ninth level of Nine Heavens, Azure Firmament to force the Stars Sword through Jian Yang’s shield of Protection 725.
• Returns with Su Jinyu, Ye Hongling, Zhao Yixue, and the others to the Fifth Stratum, visiting his loved ones across its worlds 726.
• Spends the following decade maintaining peace and stability while continuing his family and romantic life 726.

Identity Concealment

• As Buyu, never uses voice chat and communicates only through text, keeping personal information tightly controlled 20.
• Deliberately adopts a conspicuous public identity as a heroic student and celebrity’s boyfriend to contrast with Buyu’s secretive reputation 19 20.
• Fears that exposure would make him a priority assassination target for foreign powerhouses once national wars open 49.
• His claim to Chiling that he is a “forty-year-old fat shut-in” is a deflection, not a confirmed description of his age or physique 7.
• Deliberately allows Zhao Yixue to defeat him so that she will not recognize him as Buyu, remembering her earlier threat to capture him and keep him at the Zhao Family 55.
• Li Yunwei independently suspects his identity after comparing his movements with Buyu’s appearances and encrypts his law-enforcement records before attempting to confirm her theory 69.
• His guildmates eventually know him personally as their leader; Lu Ge’s realization explains his earlier concern for her, while Su Jinyu comes to address him directly as Chen Nian 132 217.
• Continues avoiding unnecessary public attention even in the Lost Continent, flying away when a girl recognizes him as Changnian City’s hero 267.
• The later revelation of his Fifth Stratum guardian identity is distinct from his earlier concealment of Buyu. By the finale, he has recovered memories of actions performed centuries before his modern life 706 726.