Shan Gudao

Biodata

Power Progression

Background / History

Shan Gudao was originally a beggar. Before Li Xiangyi’s elder brother, Li Xiangxian, died of illness, he gave Shan Gudao a family jade pendant and entrusted him with caring for Li Xiangyi. According to Princess Zhaoling, Qi Mushan subsequently accepted Shan Gudao as a disciple for Li Xiangyi’s sake 35 38.

Feng Qing mistook Shan Gudao for a surviving descendant of Nanyin’s imperial family. His age, birthmark, and possession of the jade pendant appeared to support that identification. The actual royal descendant was Li Xiangyi, whose ancestry traced to Consort Xuan and Prince Fangji 27 38 47.

Behind his position as Li Xiangyi’s senior brother, Shan Gudao cultivated secret followers and ambitions to seize the throne. Wen Qiushui encounters different versions of his schemes across her lives as Qiao Wanmian, a fisherwoman, Jiao Liqiao, He Xiaolan, and Princess Zhaoling; these storylines give him separate outcomes 15 25 27 32 47.

Appearance

• Concealing cloak: At Wansheng Dao’s headquarters in the Jiao Liqiao storyline, he keeps himself completely hidden beneath a cloak 27.
• Birthmark: One of the features Feng Qing uses to identify him incorrectly as a member of the Li family 27 38.
• Unflattering assessments: Wen Qiushui, while inhabiting He Xiaolan, repeatedly considers him unattractive and remarks that their son fortunately resembles his mother 32 35.

Personality

Shan Gudao maintains a righteous public image while concealing resentment toward his master and junior brother. He praises them when speaking to He Xiaolan, but his occasional expressions reveal hostility. In the He Xiaolan storyline, Qi Mushan and Qin Po discover a box of gifts from Li Xiangyi that Shan Gudao has ruined and discarded 32 35.

His relationships are instrumental to his ambitions. He approaches He Xiaolan with tenderness, then becomes increasingly interested in her family’s mechanisms and her brother-in-law’s court position. After she becomes pregnant, he neither proposes marriage nor shows her much attention, apparently assuming that bearing his child will secure her loyalty 32.

He responds violently when challenged. Caught torturing a child, he first attempts a smiling explanation, then attacks He Xiaolan when she rejects him. His envy of Li Xiangyi nevertheless coexists with confidence in Li Xiangyi’s abilities: he later has men follow Li Lianhua because he expects him to find the Mother Worm 33 46.

Abilities & Skills

Martial Arts and Inner Power

• Trained under Qi Mushan on Mount Yun Yin alongside Li Xiangyi 18 38.
• Can obtain another person’s inner cultivation through deception, as demonstrated when he takes Qi Mushan’s power 17 18.
• His increased inner power does not compensate for inferior technique against Wen Qiushui: Qiao Wanmian kills him in a few moves, while He Xiaolan evades his attack and cuts his throat 17 33.

Covert Organization and Political Schemes

• Commands concealed followers who kneel before him and maintain contact in secret 32.
• Benefits from Feng Qing’s ability to obtain leverage over ministers and establish Wansheng Dao’s connections at court 39.
• Investigates Nanyin treasures and mechanical devices, seeking access to the Heavenly Secret Manor’s expertise 32 35.
• Uses surveillance to follow Li Lianhua’s investigation to the imperial palace after failing to obtain what he needs through the Luomo Ding 46.

Karmic Fire Parasite Scheme

• His faction uses Child Chong to control certain people at court before obtaining the Mother Worm 27.
• In the Princess Zhaoling storyline, he seeks the Mother Worm to control others and overthrow the reigning dynasty 46.
• Bloodline limitation: His blood cannot kill the parasites, exposing his false royal identity. Jiao Liqiao’s blood kills a parasite during her test, and Li Lianhua’s blood later destroys the Mother Worm 27 47.

Equipment / Items

• Li family jade pendant — Entrusted to him by Li Xiangxian; later mistaken for evidence of Shan Gudao’s royal ancestry 38.
• Nanyin correspondence — Letters found among his belongings confirm his concealed dealings with Nanyin followers 35.
• Karmic Fire Mother Worm — Used in his final resistance during the palace rebellion; destroyed by Qin Po using Li Lianhua’s blood 47.

Relationships

• Li Xiangyi / Li Lianhua — Junior martial brother and target of his concealed hatred. Li Xiangyi initially trusts him deeply and pursues revenge after his reported death 15 35.
• Li Xiangxian — Entrusts Shan Gudao with his family pendant and the care of his younger brother before dying 38.
• Qi Mushan — Master. In the Qiao Wanmian storyline, Shan Gudao betrays him and steals his inner cultivation 17 18.
• Qin Po — His master’s wife, who helps raise him and later blames herself for failing to teach him properly. In the Princess Zhaoling storyline, she publicly exposes his false ancestry 18 35 47.
• He Xiaolan — Former lover and mother of his son. She breaks off their relationship after discovering his secret followers and ulterior interest in her family 32.
• Fang Duobing / He Duobing — Biological son. In He Xiaolan’s altered life, the boy retains memories of being Fang Duobing and feels relief rather than grief at Shan Gudao’s death 32 33 34.
• Feng Qing — Supporter who mistakenly recognizes him as Nanyin royalty. In the Princess Zhaoling storyline, Feng Qing secretly cooperates with Zhaoling and ultimately kills him 27 46 47.
• Jiao Liqiao — Nanyin Holy Maiden involved in the conspiracy against Li Xiangyi. After Wen Qiushui takes her place, she exposes Shan Gudao as an impostor and kills him 27.
• Wen Qiushui — Repeated opponent across her different identities. She kills him as Qiao Wanmian, Jiao Liqiao, and He Xiaolan, then engineers his downfall as Princess Zhaoling 17 27 33 39 47.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Qiao Wanmian Storyline

Qiao Wanmian warns Li Xiangyi that Shan Gudao is untrustworthy, but he dismisses her concerns. Shan Gudao is subsequently reported killed by the Golden Mandarin Duck Alliance. When his supposed corpse disappears, Li Xiangyi challenges Di Feisheng, and the two factions go to war 15.

Suspicious of the timing, Qiao Wanmian investigates and travels to Mount Yun Yin. There she finds Shan Gudao alive, having provoked Qi Mushan into Qi Deviation and stolen his inner power. She kills Shan Gudao and treats Qi Mushan before his injuries become fatal 17 18.

Eastern Sea Fisherwoman Storyline

Seeing Li Lianhua wearing mourning clothes, Wen Qiushui concludes that Qi Mushan has died at Shan Gudao’s hands in this life. Later, news spreads that Li Xiangyi has returned to destroy the throne-seizing conspiracy of Shan Gudao’s Wansheng Dao and the surviving Nanyin descendants 21 25.

Jiao Liqiao Storyline

Jiao Liqiao confronts Shan Gudao at Wansheng Dao’s headquarters and cripples his Dantian. She tests his blood against a Karmic Fire Parasite, proving to Feng Qing that Shan Gudao is not of the imperial bloodline. After revealing that Li Xiangyi was the true heir, she kills Shan Gudao with a palm strike and takes control of Feng Qing’s forces 27.

She orders his corpse preserved in a medicinal coffin. Years later, she uses her knowledge of its location to bargain with Li Lianhua. Feng Qing eventually shows him the body and explains the old conspiracy, helping bring about Li Lianhua’s acceptance of leadership over the Nanyin Cult 27 30 31.

He Xiaolan Storyline

Three years after giving birth, He Xiaolan tracks Shan Gudao to Luoyang and catches him torturing a child for information. When he attacks her, she cuts his throat and rescues the child. Li Xiangyi initially challenges her over the killing, but subsequent investigation confirms Shan Gudao’s wrongdoing 32 33 34.

The investigation links Shan Gudao’s followers to the He Household massacre, committed for Cloud Iron. Meanwhile, Qi Mushan and Qin Po uncover his Nanyin correspondence and evidence of his hatred for Li Xiangyi. He Xiaolan ultimately kills Feng Qing and the other followers to prevent retaliation and protect the Heavenly Secret Manor from implication in Shan Gudao’s crimes 35 36.

Princess Zhaoling Storyline

Princess Zhaoling reveals Shan Gudao’s false ancestry to Feng Qing and states that she has secretly drained Shan Gudao’s internal power. Rather than eliminate him immediately, she plans to use his rebellion against her political opponents and gain prestige by defeating him 38 39.

With Feng Qing secretly cooperating, Shan Gudao is allowed to advance toward the palace. He gains control over the emperor and loyal ministers, prompting Li Xiangyi and Zhaoling to unite court and martial-world forces against him 46 47.

His final resistance fails when Qin Po destroys the Mother Worm with Li Lianhua’s blood and reveals the true royal lineage. Feng Qing then kills Shan Gudao and stages his own death with the aid of a prepared feigned-death pill 47.