Dōshi

The **Dōshi** (道士, *****Dōshi*****?) are monsters who live to serve as students, servants, and military force to Lord Tensen.

The name also serves as a title to low ranking Sennin who train themselves to master the Five Training Methods of Immortality under the guidance of the higher ranking Tensens.

## Appearance

The Dōshi had human bodies with heads that were based on insects, plants, or other abnormal characteristics. While their standard attire was a changshan, other Dōshi had the option of wearing ceremonial Taoist robes adorned with beaded necklaces, and a headpiece bearing the Yin-Yang symbol.

## Personality

The Dōshi had higher intelligence and their own individual personalities than the Sōshin and Mōshin. As servants and students of Lord Tensen, they had pledged their loyalty towards them and focused on their Tao training in Hōrai. However, they were liable to give up information or support their enemies if they got the better of them.

## Biology

The Dōshi are all biologically male due to them being samurai that underwent an experimental metamorphosis by Lord Tensen. Similar to the ovules of a Tensen, the Dōshi possessed a heart-like organ located within their tandens and would die if destroyed.

## Abilities and Powers

The Dōshi had knowledge and proficient use of the life force energy known as Tao where they could enhance their physical strength, harden their bodies, read movements, and send out invisible projectiles. Two had been shown to be able to control the Tao of the Paradise Centipedes and Butterflies. Since they were of higher status, they had the authority to order the Sōshin. They were also capable of wielding weapons such as spears.

The Dōshi could also regenerate any damage done to their bodies due to possessing Flower Tao within them and were able to endure huge amounts of pain, with at least one shown being able to remain active with only their head after their body had been cut to ribbons by Yamada Asaemon Shugen. However, their healing factor was shown to be of a weaker scale compared to the Tensens and other Flower Tao users, capable of being killed if their bodies were incinerated to ash, or decapitated. Other than this, the Dōshi's tandens were their main weakness and would die if destroyed.

## History

### Past

The Dōshi were originally humans that were either a part of Jofuku's voyage or from Japan who came to Kotaku seeking the Elixir of Life. Through an unknown process, they were morphed into loyal servants of Lord Tensen with no traces left of their former selves, including the absence of their memories. They came to live in Hōrai where they were taught Taoism by Lord Tensen and mastered the ability to use Tao.

At one point in time, Mei was sentenced by Rien to undergo Bōchū Jutsu training with the Dōshi after her defiance but soon made her escape from the palace.

### Lord Tensen Arc

After a group of humans sent from Japan managed to make it halfway through the island, Lord Tensen sent out three Dōshi to investigate. One Dōshi went out to check on Aza Chōbei and Aza Tōma to see that they have become Tan in the pit after their encounter with Ju Fa and Tao Fa. The two brothers managed to make their way out of the pit and fight against the Dōshi. After gaining new powers from his time down at the pit and awakening his ability to use Tao, Chōbei managed to defeat the Dōshi and forced him to guide him and his brother to Hōrai.

Meanwhile, two Dōshi confronted Gabimaru, Tamiya Gantetsusai, and Yamada Asaemon Fuchi at the Sōshin Valley and found Mei accompanying them. They wished to take her back to Hōrai to complete their Tao training but are hindered by the humans from doing so. With her help, Gabimaru awakened his ability to sense Tao and defeated the Dōshi.

Once the Aza Brothers made it to Hōrai, they encountered Gabimaru, Gantetsusai, Fuchi, and Mei and engaged in conflict. While fighting Gantetsusai, Tōma ordered the Dōshi they enslaved to attack Fuchi and Mei. The Dōshi agreeed to cooperate but realized that the little girl Fuchi was guarding was Mei who went missing in the past. After Mei ceased the conflict by having Chōbei fall down a crater she unleashed, the Dōshi was taken along with the group as they made their way to the palace. He was then later set free by Fuchi after the Asaemon became depressed to know that his comrades were dead.

### Hōrai Arc

After the arrival of a second landing party, Rien sends out a Dōshi to eliminate them. The Dōshi confronts the humans with the Mōnshin at his command but was ultimately taken down by Yamada Asaemon Shugen and became subjugated to interrogation to divulge information about the island.

Two Dōshi were stationed as guards near the Dō'in Temple but were quickly killed by Gabimaru and Yuzuriha. During the survivors fight against the Tensens in the palace, the Dōshi were put in charge of loading the floodgate ships with cargo containing the Paradise Butterflies in preparation for Rien's plan to sail to Japan. However, after a raid ensued by the second landing party, Rien sent out the Dōshi to eliminate them, resulting in Hōrai turning into a warzone.

After Zhu Jin emerged out in the open fully fused with the Banko, Jikka witnessed a Dōshi reverting back to their former human self while wondering what had happened ever since they came to the island in the past. The roots from the Zhu Jin-fused Banko then started to hunt down the Dōshi and caused them to turn into trees with smiling heads sprouting from bloomed buds. By the end of chaos, the Dōshi race became extinct.

## Trivia

* Though it has become apparent that a Dōshi will die if their tanden is destroyed, the Dōshi who was defeated by Chōbei was shown to remain alive after having his tanden severely damaged and his lower body separated. The reason behind his survival remains unclear.