Tang Yuan

Biodata

Power Progression

Tang Yuan’s cultivation develops separately in the two realms. His Demon Realm cultivation cannot simply be brought back to the Human Realm, and Demon Realm cultivation methods cannot be practiced there 10 14.

Background / History

Reincarnation and the Mystic Spoon

Tang Yuan originally lived on Blue Star. During a weekend fishing trip, he entered the water to retrieve his catch and was pulled underwater by a whirlpool. He awoke in a cultivation world as a farmer’s son, recovered his previous-life awareness at three, and began cultivation under Daoist Gou at nine. After failing the Purple Sword Sect’s entrance selection at fourteen, he became a contracted spirit fisherman for the Xi Household 1.

The black spoon he had caught on Blue Star accompanied his reincarnation and remained in his sea of consciousness. After discovering its ability to transport him to another world, he experimented with it for more than four years. His early visits revealed only darkness and intense heat; the opening chapter marks his discovery that his other-world identity is a black snake demon 1.

His snake incarnation had gained sentience a century earlier and studied under a monkey demon alongside a toad, gecko, spider, centipede, and scorpion. The monkey master’s death and the centipede and scorpion’s betrayal left Tang Yuan and three fellow disciples imprisoned for pill refinement. Tang Yuan opened their cage with a human cultivator’s talisman and escaped; after returning to the Human Realm, he discovered that his natal Demon Core remained in his Dantian 1 2 3.

Trade and Alchemy

Tang Yuan exploited the price difference between the realms by selling Human Realm Red Spirit Eels in Loulan City. The proceeds funded pills, Spiritual Qi, equipment, and cultivation supplies. To explain his sudden wealth, he staged the discovery of an alchemist’s legacy in the Ghost-Fearing Sea, using equipment he had purchased beforehand 4 6 7.

With Xi Yunshu’s help, he transferred from fishing to trainee alchemy work. The Xi Household required him to finance his training and produce a Spirit Gathering Pill within a year. He succeeded in the third month of 4025 and became an official household alchemist; two months later, he successfully forged the profitable Spiritual Qi Moon Xin Stream Tide 9 13.

Xi Shanhu’s interference cut off his purchases of Red Spirit Eels, while Xi Youde prohibited him from visiting his mortal hometown for three years. Xi Yunshu provided the location of Golden Shell Island’s eel migration grounds, allowing Tang Yuan to establish his own supply 11 12.

Chief Guest Elder and Sect Recruitment

While seeking Dragon Skeleton Jade Mud in the Demon Realm, Tang Yuan encountered an Earth Flood Dragon whose surviving Divine Sense later took refuge in the Mystic Spoon. Its intervention saved him when Xi Shanbao betrayed him and Xi Yunshu: a brief reversal of time allowed Tang Yuan to activate the Wall God Robe before the attack 15 16 17 21.

For rescuing Xi Yunshu and his contributions to alchemy, Tang Yuan received the Xi Household’s grand guest elder appointment and exclusive use of Ten Thousand Snakes Island. He sought the position chiefly because it offered a recommendation to major sects possessing fourth-grade cultivation methods 15 17.

At twenty-nine, he attended recruitment on Immortal Ascension Island but repeatedly faced rejection over his age and low cultivation. Ning Wanqiu, his childhood cultivation companion, offered her precious Origin-Nurturing Pill to secure his admission to the Purple Sword Sect. Tang Yuan refused to let her spend it on him. He ultimately joined the demonic Holy Cardamom Sect while promising to remain the Xi Household’s chief guest elder 18 19 25.

Holy Cardamom Sect and the Barbarian Di Secret Realm

Before reporting to the Holy Cardamom Sect, Tang Yuan relocated his family to Dangwu Village on the Purple Mother Continent. He subsequently spent time cultivating and hunting on Three Graves Mountain near his wife and children 19.

At the sect, he developed a livelihood producing Lesser Heavenly Gang Soul-Extinguishing Lightning Arrays, using Tang Yi to test methods and handle much of the production. Ding Chunqiu attempted to control his work and sales, prompting Tang Yuan to seek a Foundation Establishment backer 30 32.

In the Barbarian Di Secret Realm, Tang Yuan escaped a prolonged rhinoceros pursuit by sheltering in a cave. The cave led him to a red-ore mine where his ghost spirits could strengthen themselves by devouring other spirits. He later used more than a hundred ghosts to overwhelm an orc tribe’s soldiers without killing them and obtained its chief’s Purple Jade Huang 38 39 42.

His secret-realm gains included thousands of beastman canine teeth. By the time he reviewed the expedition’s rewards, he had obtained the Qi Refinement portion of the Purple Cloud One Qi Treatise and valuable metal-attribute Spiritual Qi. His connection with High Person Li Bai offered protection, but Li Bai’s planned five-year seclusion left him exposed to Ding Chunqiu and High Person Kui Wood 45 46.

Ascension City and the Tang Household

Tang Yuan survived Ascension City’s destruction by escaping through the Mystic Spoon to the Demon Realm. After hiding there for three months, he returned to find that Perching Clouds Island had sunk. The disaster strengthened his resolve to cultivate faster and made him reconsider allowing his children to pursue immortality 50 51.

Hou Fei made ten Aperture-Opening Pills using Dragon Skeleton Jade Mud, a thousand strands of Moon Jade Radiance, and fifty years of Tang Yuan’s lifespan. Tang Yuan left cultivation resources for his family but limited direct contact out of concern that his enemies and karmic ties could endanger them. His four eldest children chose cultivation to protect their household and village 52 55 56.

Tang Yuan returned to Golden Shell Island and divided each month between cultivation in the Human and Demon Realms. He also needed to obtain a Nascent Soul Demon Beast for Hou Fei to prevent the dragon from possessing one of his descendants 67.

By 4043, Tang Yuan knew of his eldest son Tang Tiansong’s death and youngest son Tang Tianshu’s abduction. He declined to visit Tiansong’s grave or meet his grandson Tang Wenxuan, fearing that others could divine his whereabouts. He instead prepared for extended seclusion and took the Mystic Spoon with him because Hou Fei believed the Demon Realm might offer a way to revive Tiansong 107.

Appearance

• Human form: Wears a straw rain cape and hat while working as a fisherman; later appears in plain cloth during a family visit 1 24.
• Snake form: A black snake roughly half a zhang long, with four red, human-face-like markings on each side of its head, vertical pupils, and a forked tongue 1 2.
• Later appearance: His hair is completely white when he meets Tang Tiandong in 4043 107.
• Concealed appearance: Uses disguises and concealment robes, including changing his appearance before visiting a money house 6 24.

Personality

Tang Yuan is cautious, secretive, and strongly motivated by survival. He constructs plausible explanations for his wealth, uses clones to test unfamiliar cultivation methods, and avoids clan warfare when he has little to gain. His caution also shapes his family life: he keeps his distance when he believes contact could expose his relatives to powerful enemies 7 13 30 52 107.

He is commercially resourceful and highly attentive to costs. He builds income through inter-realm trade, alchemy, Qi forging, and array production, but also bargains aggressively and avoids expensive transport when possible. Threats to his livelihood can provoke murderous anger, as shown by his reactions to the eel blockade and Ding Chunqiu’s restrictions 10 13 30 49 67.

His affection for his family coexists with ruthless conduct toward opponents. He wants his wife and children to live peacefully, acknowledges Miao’s burden in raising them, and sacrifices lifespan to provide cultivation opportunities. Against enemies, he employs soul capture, destructive demonic techniques, and lethal ambushes 23 24 32 52.

Abilities & Skills

Mystic Spoon Travel

The Mystic Spoon allows Tang Yuan to travel between the Human and Demon Realms and transport supplies 1 9.

• Initially becomes usable the day after the full moon, with Tang Yuan required to return within fifteen days 1.
• Absorbs moonlight at the full moon to gather a wisp of middle sixth-grade Moon Jade Radiance 1.
• Supports inter-realm commerce and serves as an emergency escape route 9 13 51.
• Can no longer enter his sea of consciousness after the Earth Flood Dragon takes residence; he instead wears it around his neck 17 21.

Replica Clones

Hou Fei creates flesh-and-blood replicas from Dragon Skeleton Jade Mud mixed with Tang Yuan’s Essence Blood 23 24.

• Tang Jia: His first replica costs ten years of lifespan and is sacrificed in a Blood Skeleton Technique Lightning ambush against Zhang Yang 23 24.
• Tang Yi: Tests cultivation methods, makes arrays, stands guard, scouts, and carries Tang Yuan when he is exhausted 30 38 42 43.
• At the time of his battle with Zhang Yang, Tang Yuan can fully control only one replica at a time; his claim to possess a thousand is a bluff 23.
• Reaching Middle-stage Qi Refinement makes him capable of creating another replica 30.

Borrowed Time Reversal

Time Reversal belongs to the Earth Flood Dragon, which uses it to protect Tang Yuan as part of its payment for residing in the spoon 21.

• Rewinds space and time within three li by approximately three seconds 21.
• Can be used only once per day 21.
• Requires that no Foundation Establishment-or-higher cultivator be present within fifty li 21.
• Gives Tang Yuan a second opportunity to respond to otherwise fatal attacks 17 21.

Transformation

Tang Yuan retains access to his natal Demon Core in the Human Realm and can combine it with Beast Transformation Pills 3 8.

• Transforms into a sea turtle to endure dangerous waters and remain underwater for more than twelve shichen 7.
• Can perform beast transformation while still at Meridian Opening, despite lacking the usual high-realm cultivation or beast-taming secret techniques 8.
• Initially relies on Human Transformation Pills in the Demon Realm because his snake incarnation has not mastered human transformation; one pill prevents accidental reversion for at least seventy-two shichen 4.

Alchemy and Qi Forging

Alchemy and Spiritual Qi production provide Tang Yuan with both cultivation resources and income 13.

• Successfully refines a Spirit Gathering Pill and becomes an official Xi Household alchemist 13.
• Is recognized as a fourth-grade alchemist by age twenty-nine 18.
• Forges upper-tier fifth-grade Moon Xin Stream Tide from Thunder Water Sha with a trace of Moon Jade Radiance 13.
• Benefits from the Metal Pivot Fire Spirit Technique’s compatibility with fire control and pill refinement 12 13.

Lightning Arrays and Cultivation Disciplines

Tang Yuan trains in multiple disciplines rather than relying exclusively on one cultivation method 30.

• Lightning arrays: Produces Lesser Heavenly Gang Soul-Extinguishing Lightning Arrays; Tang Yi discovers that their manufacture requires cultivator Essence Blood 30.
• Body cultivation: Practices the Golden Sand Treasure Body Scripture obtained from Zhang Yang 24 30.
• Artifact forging: Reaches minor mastery of the Fire Spirit Artifact Forging Instruction 30.
• Meridian forging: Reaches minor mastery of the Heart Lightning Meridian-Forging Instruction 30.
• Hehuan Transformation Scripture: Uses it to turn Du Qing’s attempted dual-cultivation exploitation against her 32.
• Purple Cloud One Qi Treatise: Obtains its Qi Refinement portion and reaches minor mastery of its Middle-stage Qi Refinement content 46.

Ghost Control and Combat

Tang Yuan combines ghost spirits, talismans, formations, blades, and deception in battle 21 23 34 42.

• Captures souls with a soul-summoning banner and deploys ghost spirits in combat 22 38.
• Strengthens his ghosts by allowing them to devour wandering souls and other spirits 39.
• Commands more than a hundred ghosts against the orc camp while avoiding fatalities 42.
• Uses Golden Light Shield defensively and the Eight Trigrams Earth-Fixing Formation against unstable terrain 21 23.
• Fires light-arrow talismans from a bow to suppress an opponent stronger than himself 21.
• Uses smoke screens, replica bodies, and Blood Skeleton Technique Lightning to create close-range ambushes 23 34.

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Mystic Spoon — Black, approximately three and a half inches long, engraved with eight runes; his means of inter-realm travel and Hou Fei’s residence 1 21.
• Wall God Robe — Gecko-made garment fashioned from natal scales; provides invisibility, protection, and appearance alteration. Its protective state prevents Xi Shanbao’s Body-Confining Talisman from taking effect 2 6 17.
• Seven-Colored Invisibility Robe — Taken from Zhang Yang; conceals the wearer and their cultivation. Its effectiveness against Foundation Establishment detection remains untested by Tang Yuan 24.
• Monkey Master’s beast-hide Storage Bag — Can be placed inside an ordinary human Storage Bag, unlike standard Storage Bags; used to transport Red Spirit Eels 3 12.
• Soul-summoning banner — Used to collect souls and support his ghost-related techniques 22 38.
• Tang Jia’s skeleton — Retained after his first replica’s destruction; fused with Adamantine Sand and still linked to him through the replica’s creation 24.
• Silver Snake Sword — Middle-grade, middle-tier Spirit Artifact received from Qi Feiming 44.
• Transport artifacts — Uses a bamboo-leaf flying boat, a Spirit Stone-powered spirit boat, and a flying shuttle 1 14 25.
• Honored Guest Privilege Slip — Song Household token granting him and his associates free lodging and waived sales commissions in Ascension City for sixty years 49.
• Li Bai’s waist token — Permits free entry to and departure from the Holy Cardamom Sect 46.

Relationships

Family

• Miao — Wife, married when Tang Yuan was eighteen. She raises their children during his long absences; he openly acknowledges her sacrifices 24 25.
• Tang Tiansong — Eldest son. Tang Yuan entrusts him with family resources and advice; after his death, Tang Yuan seeks a possible means of resurrection in the Demon Realm 55 107.
• Tang Tianlan — Second child and eldest daughter; one of the four older children offered a path into cultivation 52 56.
• Tang Tianzi — Third child and daughter, twin of Tang Tiandong 24 52.
• Tang Tiandong — Fourth child and son. Tang Yuan tells him where to seek help during a household crisis and entrusts him with leading the family’s future 52 107.
• Tang Tianya — Fifth child and son. Hou Fei privately identifies him as unusual and considers possessing him, a threat Tang Yuan seeks to avert 52 55 67.
• Tang Tianshu — Youngest son, born in the eleventh month of 4032. His abduction becomes a concern for Tang Yuan and the household 52 107.
• Tang Xiao — Younger brother, whose family relocates with Tang Yuan’s household to Dangwu Village 19 92.
• Tang Miao — Nephew whom Tang Yuan regards as well-disposed and identifies as an innate Aperture Opener. Tang Yuan leaves him cultivation support; he later goes south to search for Tang Tianshu 55 107.
• Tang Wenxuan — Grandson through Tang Tiansong. Tang Yuan declines to visit him because he fears exposing his whereabouts 107.

Allies and Associates

• Hou Fei / Earth Flood Dragon — Resident of the Mystic Spoon, protector, and creator of replicas and Aperture-Opening Pills. Their cooperation involves bargaining over resources, souls, and lifespan; Hou Fei’s interest in his descendants also creates danger 21 23 52 67.
• Xi Yunshu — Xi Household patron who arranges his alchemy transfer and reveals Golden Shell Island’s eel grounds. Tang Yuan rescues her twice 9 11 17.
• Kang Cang and Liu Hanchuan — Fishing associates who help purchase eels and cultivation materials; Tang Yuan ensures they share in the profits 9 10 12.
• Ning Wanqiu — Childhood cultivation companion who attempts to secure his admission to the Purple Sword Sect at personal cost 18 19.
• Huang You’er and Hu Mei’er — Demon Realm associates whom he funds with Spirit Stones and pills and entrusts with arrangements in Loulan City 4 6 10.
• Kou Cheng — Merchant contact who trades in his goods, supplies materials and methods, and advises him to seek a Foundation Establishment backer 25 27 30 32.
• High Person Li Bai — Foundation Establishment protector whose absence makes Tang Yuan reluctant to return to the Holy Cardamom Sect 46 67.
• Qian Xiaobao — Sect acquaintance whom Tang Yuan pays to monitor news, particularly Ding Chunqiu’s activities 36 46.
• Ding Chunqiu — Commercial adversary who tries to recruit Tang Yuan into the Outstanding Talent Merchant Association, then threatens his independent array sales 30 32.

Notable Quotes

“Tiansong, no matter what you do, your father only hopes that you, your mother, and your younger brothers and sisters can live your whole lives in peace and happiness.” 24

“You must understand that to take care of your family, you must first take care of yourself.” 55

“If the Tang Household ever faces a crisis you truly can’t resolve, you can come to Golden Shell Island to find me.” 107