Shan Zhu

Shan Zhu (*Chinese: 山 渚 Pinyin: Shān Zhǔ lit: Mountain Bank) is* a Demon in service to the Three Venerable Beasts. He is one of the three Demons sent after Wenren Yixuan following the latter's victory over Chen Shou and recovery of the Qilin's son. He serves as one of the antagonists for Season 2, along with Jiao Wei and Jue Ying.

## Appearance

Shan Zhu's a large and imposing Demon with auburn hair, four red eyes, and a fanged under-bite. His body is primarily gray with his lower jaw, abs, and disproportionately large arms being tan. The upper half of his arms, shoulders, chest, and head-casing are natural armor, and a muted red. Shan Zhu's legs and feet are comparatively normal in proportion to his arms and each end in three black-clawed toes. His most noticeable feature, however is his arms' ability to open at the center of the palm where the red and tan skin meet all the way up to his elbow along the jagged line for him to use his powers, with his shoulders able to do the same. In contrast to his appearance, Shan Zhu wears simple black pants, a brown and green colored rope belt, and wrappings around the cuff of his pants. Much like the Chi Shou and Tan Shou, there is a noticeable reverb in his voice.

## Personality

A loner by preference, Shan Zhu is not one for conversation or cooperation as noted by fellow Demon Jue Ying after declining Ying's offer to team up and hunt Wenren Yi Xuan. In contrast to his taciturn nature, he becomes talkative when fighting, admiring his opponent's skills or acknowledging when they do not live up their reputations. He is also pragmatic, using his solvent powers to cripple his opponents in conjunction with his combat skills and when faced with the threat of the Wenren brothers, does not hesitate to eat an entire bag of Juxian Pills for a power boost.

## Synopsis

### Season 1

Following the death of Chen Shou, Chi Shou ordered Shan Zhu, along with Jiao Wei and Jue Ying, to hunt down Wenren Yi Xuan and retrieve the Qilin's son.

### Season 2

Following receiving his orders, Shan Zhu decided to head out alone despite Jue Ying's offer to team up. While his associates were ran into Xuan and his party early on, Shan Zhu continued his search until he saw the flare Dao Li and Su Xiao An used to signal for aid during their scuffle with the Four Guardians. Arriving at the origin of the flare, Shan Zhu made a surprise attack on Chi Ji and Lu Er, and then began fighting the Guardians. Though they tried to fight him off, Shan Zhu made quick work of them using his solvent and strength and managed to briefly capture Dao Li and steal his Juxian Pills.

Before he could do anything else, Chi Ji and Lu Er return to the fight, transforming into their demon forms to try and even the battle. Even with their combined efforts Shan Zhu managed to beat the two into submission, destroying Chi Ji's right arm and breaking both of Lu Er's. While asking for more pills, Rongcheng Zeqi arrives and manages to shoot an arrow into one of Shan Zhu's eyes, giving Wenren Yixuan and Wenren Jingxuan a chance to attack him and save the Brothers. Unharmed by the attack, Shan Zhu asks Xuan if he is the one who killed Chen Shou. Xuan confirms it, and Shan Zhu immediately eats all of Dao Li's Juxian Pills. Shan Zhu becomes enveloped in crystal and transforms, ready to battle the Brothers.

The battle starts off with the Wenren Brothers using combined attacks, but Shan Zhu is more than a match. After Xuan manages to ensnare Shan Zhu, Jingxuan hits him with **Flame Ring Explosion,** but Shan Zhu breaks out by generating vast amounts of crystal and punches Jingxuan threw a mountain. Following the young Envoy and attacking him mid-fall, Xuan pulls him away and tries to hold him down. Shan Zhu reveals his new Arm Blades and tries to slash Xuan and after a back-and-forth fight, punches Xuan into a mountain and pummels him before trying to stab him again. Xuan manages to catch his blades and cuts them off with **Huo Huan** but gets punched into the ground just before Jingxuan returns and continues assaulting Shan Zhu with green flames. Xuan quickly recovers and the two manage to sweep Shan Zhu's feet out from under him and uppercut him with green flames, giving the two a chance to defeat Shan Zhu. However, Shan Zhu intercepts their pincer attack and captures Jingxuan in crystal. Shan Zhu creates a massive drill out of crystal and tries to crush Jingxuan, but Xuan cuts it and the second crystal Shan Zhu threw behind it to pieces. As a surprise attack, Shan appears behind his second attack and manages to impale Xuan in his shoulder joint and nearly impaled Jingxuan in the neck were it not for Xuan bracing with Huo Huan. Shan becomes disappointed Xuan could not fight him at full strength, and prepares to stab him with his other blade. Xuan manages one quick burst of flames through his ribbons to free Jingxuan, who strikes Shan Zhu once more with Green Flames. However, Shan Zhu responds quickly and counters with a powerful right punch severely injuring Jingxuan.

Infuriated by his little brother getting hurt Xuan flies into a rage and destroys the seal on his flames, entering into his **Ying-Yang State.** Before he could comprehend what happened, Xuan attacked Shan Zhu and burned his arm off with **Flame Beheader**. Surprised and in pain, Shan Zhu tries to attack Xuan with several crystal constructs at high speed to no avail. Weakened by his efforts and injuries, Shan Zhu keels over and gets enveloped by energy summoned by Xuan dashing around him. Xuan summons a massive amount of flames in the sky and fires it down as **Flaming Dome**. Despite his last ditch effort to stop the attack, it breaks through and incinerates Shan Zhu along with the mountain below him.

## Power and Abilities

**Overall Abilities**: Shan Zhu's an extremely powerful demon and considered second only to the Three Venerable Beasts. He possesses a dangerous combination of strength, size, speed, technique, and intelligence that easily backs up this claim, trivializing his battles against Chi Ji, Lu Er, the Four Guardians, and almost killing the Wenren Brothers.

**Green Embrittlement Crystal** *(Chinese: 绿色脆化晶 Pinyin: Lǜsè Cuìhuà Jīng)***:** One of Shan Zhu's abilities. From the opening of his palms, Shan Zhu can expel unknown amounts of a viscous lime-green crystalline solvent that can harden or soften at his whim. The solvent once hardened will weaken whatever it encases and cause extreme pain, while weakening certain healing abilities. Combined with his immense strength, Shan Zhu uses this solvent to breakdown his opponents' attacks and bodies.

**Red Corrosive Crystal** *(Chinese: 红色腐蚀晶 Pinyin: hóngsè fǔshí jīng)***:** Another solvent Shan Zhu can generate, with this type coming from the openings on his shoulders. While able to harden like its green counterpart, the Red Solvent corrodes and burns anything that it touches.

**Transformation:** After eating Jixuan Pills, Shan Zhu undergoes a drastic transformation. His body-shape remains roughly the same, save for his head which takes on human features and is encased in red and teal crystal. The red armor on his upper body is now white with his shoulders and forearms now encased in red and teal on his right and left sides, respectively. His rope belt's colors also change to red and teal, his leg wrappings and toes turn white, and his gray skin is now solid black. Shan Zhu's physical abilities become amplified and his solvent abilities far more dangerous.

**Arm Blades:** Shan Zhu after transforming gains the ability to generate sharp and durable blades from his middle knuckles. Shan Zhu uses these blades in tandem with his strikes to throw his opponents off-balance in order to impale or cut them. He is also able to use them to generate and throw his solvent as razor-sharp projectiles.

**Enhanced Solvent:** Shan Zhu's solvent received a major boost after his transformation. Deviating from the corrosive aspect of the solvents after transforming, Shan Zhu instead uses his new power to create large quantities of the solvent and instantly harden it to attack or ensnare. His control has also increased, granting him fine control over the shape his constructs take.

**Enhanced Physical Abilities:** Shan Zhu's physical strength, speed, reflexes, and endurance receive a tremendous boost after transforming. During his battle with the Wenren brothers, Shan Zhu was able to overwhelm the two, throwing them into mountains, blocking and parrying them both simultaneously, punch fast and hard enough to blow off the top of a mountain.