Hou Yu

* Manhua 1
* Manhua 2

Also known as the **Monkey Grandmaster**, Hou Yu is one of the most famed Artifact Refining Experts in Star Boundary. An alcoholic and obsessed gambler, Hou Yu is eventually approached by Yang Kai in his search for an Artifact Refining Expert to recruit into High Heaven Palace.

## Appearance

Hou Yu has mature and plump female body. Though not the most outstanding beauty, Yang Kai finds she is still somewhat attractive.

## Personality

Hou Yu loves both drinking and alcohol to an extreme level. She is constantly on the run from gambling debts and has an abrasive personality. However, as long as people are willing to play with her she is kept happy.

## Background

Hou Yu is an outstandingly talented Emperor Grade Artifact Refining Expert. Her Artifacts, each notable for having a small hidden Monkey insignia on them, have become famous throughout all of Star Boundary, and Yang Kai estimates she is the most impressive female Artifact Refining Expert he has seen outside of Yang Yan.

Hou Yu has an impressive cultivation level for an Artifact Refining Expert as a 1st Order Emperor. However, she is not very suited for combat, and is purposefully kept away from the front lines of conflict.

## Past

Hou Yu is longtime good friends with Nanmen Da Jun. In the past, she lost her Flight Emperor Artifact to him. From then on, Nanmen Da Jun would be careful to hide this incredibly valuable treasure from her whenever he saw her.

## History

### Palace Master Yang

Hou Yu hides from around 20 angry debt collectors on an island in Star Boundary. Eventually, however, she notices her good old friend Nanmen Da Jun is nearby and gives away her position. Hou Yu is then shocked to find out that Nanmen Da Jun has come into the service of his new Palace Master in Yang Kai. At first dismissive of Yang Kai, Hou Yu is further shocked to learn that this extremely young 1st Order Emperor is also an Emperor Grade Alchemist. However, what really moves a reluctant Hou Yu into joining Yang Kai is when he informs her that he has met an even fiercer Artifact Refining Expert than her before subsequently handing her an Origin Grade Starship refined by Yang Yan in the past. Blown away by the craftsmanship of this Artifact, Hou Yu finally agrees to join Yang Kai in a salaried position.

Upon leaving the Island, the group comes across the numerous angry Emperors, and Yang Kai pays off Hou Yu's debts while taking it out of her salary, ensuring that she will have to serve under him for a very long time in order to repay her debts. Initially dejected that she can no longer gamble wantonly, Hou Yu tries to escape High Heaven Palace numerous times. However, as she is constantly under the guard of the 3 3rd Order Emperor Realm comparable Monster King Guest Elders of the Sect, she has no choice but to eventually give up. Fortunately, Hou Yu relatively quickly grows to enjoy the benefits of being the Chief Artifact Refining Expert of High Heaven Palace.

### Demon War

When Yang Kai seemingly revolts against Star Boundary and Becomes Devil, High Heaven Palace is closed off from the world. However, in actuality it is used as a major base of operations for Star Boundary's top forces. Hou Yu heads the Artifact Refining department during this time. Talented Artifact Refiners work diligently under her as she periodically shouts at them to work harder despite the fact that she is largely ignored. Later, Hou Yu is placed in one of several World Beads along with all the other non-combatants of Star Boundary as Yang Kai and the other Great Emperors eventually achieve victory in the war at the Final Battle of Star Boundary.

### Void Land

When Yang Kai returns to Star Boundary from the Outer Universe with a World Tree subtree, Hou Yu is placed in charge of finding talented Artifact Refining Experts to bring back to Void Land. She would subsequently follow Yang Kai back to Void Land where she is part of the Artifact Refining department.

## Trivia

* The name Monkey Grandmaster (猴大师) is a pun with Hou Yu’s (候羽) surname. The character for Monkey (猴/Hóu) is phonetically similar to her surname (候/Hòu).
* In the DDL translation, this title is initially simply translated as “Grandmaster Hou.”
* In the original web novel, Momo has Yang Kai present Hou Yu with an Origin Grade Starship that was said to be refined by Yang Yan back on Shadowed Star. In DDL’s translation, it is changed to an Origin King Grade Warship.

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Chapter 2758
2. ↑ Chapter 4197
3. ↑ Chapter 2782
4. ↑ Chapter 2786
5. ↑ Chapter 2784