Zhou Jianhua

Biodata

Personality

Zhou Jianhua is cautious about supernatural developments, particularly when national security is involved. Before supporting Su Mu’s first interworld teleportation, he records questions about its benefits, possible dangers, and whether hostile outsiders could cross over. His willingness to cooperate does not initially override his responsibility to investigate risks 94.

He becomes openly enthusiastic about discoveries that benefit Huaxia. Environmental improvements, foreign equipment, otherworldly ores, and new energy technologies repeatedly delight him. He also supports covert and confrontational measures, including acquiring restricted equipment abroad and helping turn a foreign grain-market scheme against its organizers 105 135 240 272.

His professional relationship with Su Mu develops into personal concern. He worries during Su Mu’s prolonged absences, urges him not to sacrifice himself except as a last resort, and maintains contact with his parents. Although he envies cultivation, Sword Flight, and storage treasures, he acknowledges that he lacks the resources to cultivate himself 205 300 360 458.

Story Role / Major Arcs

First Contact with Su Mu

Zhou Jianhua first meets Su Mu when the latter seeks official assistance. He recognizes him as the person responsible for reviving the Dragon Vein and knows that its intervention against a typhoon spared Huaxia losses exceeding ten billion. He offers to approve a minor request within his authority 74.

Su Mu’s request is an opportunity to play against AlphaGo. Zhou arranges the online match through several telephone calls and does not press further when Su Mu declines to explain his purpose. Su Mu then cancels his Invisibility Technique in front of him, which Zhou interprets as a gesture of goodwill and an opening for future cooperation 75.

Their first formal conversation also establishes Zhou’s interest in the Dragon Vein’s practical benefits. He asks how it can be nurtured after learning about its potential to regulate weather and prevent disasters 75.

Establishing Teleportation Cooperation

When Su Mu requests an enormous electricity supply for a Teleportation Array, Zhou places the area under a level-one alert. After questioning him about the other world and the possibility of outsiders arriving, Zhou reports the proposal to his superiors, prompting a secret meeting among senior officials 94.

He attends the first activation and announces the appointed start time. Afterward, he grants Su Mu’s request for an isolated cultivation area in the Qinling Mountains and asks whether Huaxia can learn to build Teleportation Arrays for a lunar base 100 103.

Su Mu explains that lunar travelers must be physically strong enough to withstand teleportation and offers spirit medicine to help train them. Zhou begins arranging the moon-landing preparations and later organizes the squad used for the first Earth–Moon transfer. Its captain successfully reaches the lunar surface with supplies, allowing construction of the base to begin 103 163.

Restricted Equipment Mission

After receiving a report that Su Mu’s treasured robe can withstand an explosion stronger than a grenade, Zhou considers using his abilities to obtain high-end equipment unavailable to Huaxia 124.

Su Mu accepts the mission. Zhou prepares the targets, travel route, documents, and flight arrangements; the requested equipment includes five-axis simultaneous CNC machine tools. When Su Mu returns, Zhou receives the stolen machinery and instruments with delight 126 133 135.

Floating Islands and Public Secrecy

Su Mu’s promised “big treasure” proves to be a floating island, which appears above the Teleportation Array in full public view. Horrified by its conspicuous arrival, Zhou orders the electrical engineer to cut the power. The pillar of light disappears, and the island vanishes from sight with it 187 188.

Afterward, Zhou offers Su Mu a reward and gives him an official identification document carrying substantial authority. He also seeks a concealment formation for the lunar base when foreign probes threaten to expose it, though Su Mu lacks the necessary materials and Spirit Stones 191 193.

When another spectacle appears over the Qinling Mountains and Zhou cannot reach Su Mu through the formations, he orders an explanation that does not admit its supernatural nature. An emergency press conference attributes the scene to virtual imaging technology 202.

By the arrival of the second floating island, Zhou is much less troubled by exposure. He arranges for personnel to receive it and treats the public explanation as something the spokesperson can handle 395.

Learning the Danger Facing Earth

After Su Mu recovers from the Qinling Mountains incident, Zhou learns that he can travel to the Immortal Cultivation Realm and that a conflict there has endangered Earth. Su Mu says he can destroy himself to prevent Earth from being implicated and asks Zhou to care for his parents if that becomes necessary. Zhou strongly urges him not to let anything happen to himself unless there is no alternative 205.

They agree that immediately opening cultivation to the entire population would not allow Earth to catch up with ancient cultivation powers. Instead, Su Mu promises to gather resources for Huaxia’s expansion into space. Zhou leaves to organize the undertaking and accepts that discovery of the lunar base need no longer restrain their plans 205.

Supplying Weapons for Otherworldly Conflicts

Zhou coordinates nuclear weapons—called “mushroom bombs” in their conversations—for Su Mu’s use outside Earth. Su Mu initially collects two weapons; Zhou later confirms that three more have been prepared 229 239 288.

When Su Mu anticipates a major war against the West Sea and requests approximately one hundred bombs, Zhou secures Huaxia’s backing and has the logistics department gather them 330.

After Su Mu’s ten-year absence, Zhou offers further military assistance against his troubles in the Haotian Realm. Huaxia now possesses new weapons, including planet-destroying cannons, and could provide warships if needed. Su Mu declines for the time being 458.

Experimental Tiger Emergency

On New Year’s Eve, Zhou summons Su Mu to a secret mountain base after an experiment goes wrong. Researchers studying Spiritual Power’s effects have used a tiger as a test subject, inadvertently allowing it to progress toward becoming a Demon Cultivator 366 367.

The tiger breaks its aerospace-grade cage and immobilizes Zhou and the others with its pressure. Su Mu arrives just as it attacks, knocks it away, and saves them. He subsequently places a restriction on the tiger so the researchers can keep it under control 366 367 368.

With the emergency resolved, Zhou asks for a ride home on Su Mu’s flying sword, fulfilling his wish to experience Sword Flight firsthand 368.

Family Introduction and the Heavenly Gates

During dinner while discussing another teleportation, Zhou introduces Su Mu to his daughter, Zhou Sihan. He begins asking about Su Mu’s romantic life in the hope of bringing them together. Su Mu leaves without showing interest, disappointing Zhou and irritating his daughter 454 455.

The transfer brings back four ancient gates. When they act unexpectedly after arriving on Earth, Zhou asks whether one is the Southern Heavenly Gate. Su Mu proposes that it originally belonged to Earth and was taken away to another realm; Zhou considers the possibility that Huaxia’s ancient myths reflect real events 455 456.

When Zhou Sihan pieces together clues about Su Mu, Zhou sternly warns her not to spread anything about his identity 456.

Ten-Year Absence and Reunion

Throughout Su Mu’s ten-year disappearance, Zhou and other officials visit his parents during the New Year and other holidays, helping keep them comfortable while concealing the uncertainty surrounding their son. Officials worry about Su Mu but avoid forcing entry into his protected residence 458.

When Su Mu finally calls, Zhou immediately travels to meet him. He reports Huaxia’s progress, including cities on Mars and spacecraft exploring beyond the star system 458.

Zhou subsequently works through the accumulated confidential requests requiring Su Mu’s help, many involving the Little Dragon Vein. After watching the still-youthful cultivator depart, he reflects on his own graying hair and approaching retirement 459.

Development and Research Coordination

Zhou receives resources from Su Mu, communicates research results, and helps connect supernatural discoveries with national projects.

Skills and Authority

Government Coordination

• Can approve smaller requests directly and escalate major matters to Huaxia’s senior leadership 74 94.
• Organizes security, electrical infrastructure, blackout notices, and scheduling for Teleportation Array activations 187 237 238 239.
• Coordinates Su Mu’s assistance with unsolved criminal cases, gathering files from across the country at the Security Bureau 300.

Information Security

• Orders confidentiality agreements and restrictions after incidents involving Su Mu’s abilities 124.
• Directs public explanations for supernatural events and warns Su Mu to use Sword Flight more discreetly after an aerial sighting 202 314.
• Immediately trusts Su Mu’s identification of Hou Yuan as a spy and orders the man taken away, though he is embarrassed by the breach within his own organization 392.
• Uses paper copies for highly confidential matters because of concerns about network leaks 459.

Relationships

• Su Mu — Principal government contact and trusted collaborator. Zhou gives Su Mu’s communications priority even during meetings and avoids disturbing him during cultivation 422.
• Su Mu’s parents — Cultivates a warm relationship with them, brings gifts, and introduces provincial officials who can provide local assistance. His initial aim is both to protect them and strengthen Su Mu’s ties to the government 169 360.
• Zhou Sihan — Daughter. He unsuccessfully attempts to match her with Su Mu while withholding classified information about him 454 455 456.
• Huaxia’s senior leadership — Superiors to whom he reports supernatural developments. He is explicitly instructed to establish absolute trust with Su Mu, whom they regard as crucial to Huaxia’s future 94 108.
• Government spokesperson — Works with Zhou on announcements involving extraordinary developments. The spokesperson dreads his calls because they often bring difficult new disclosures to explain 293 395 396.
• Wei Zhonghao — Security Bureau colleague who reports on incidents involving Su Mu and arranges evidence collection for supernatural criminal investigations 124 300.

Appearance

• By the end of the documented events, Zhou has graying hair and describes himself as growing old and nearing retirement 459.

Notable Quotes

“Quick, turn off the lights! Stop showing off!” 188

“Trust me, you wouldn't want to know.” 293

“It's good to have eternal youth and immortality. Not like me—I'm getting on in years and about to retire.” 459