Henan is a Central Plains region through which several characters’ journeys intersect. It is both a place of passage and a setting for encounters: You TanZhi reaches its borders while moving south, while Duan Yu and his companions travel through its towns and temples in search of family and martial-world connections.

Setting and Routes

You TanZhi reaches the borders of Henan after drifting south. Because his iron head might alarm people, he hides by day in caves in the wild and comes out at night to find food. This secretive way of travelling brings him to a small, dilapidated roadside temple, where he hides behind a shrine as three visitors arrive and talk about the martial world.

Henan also serves as a point of orientation for travel to Lei Gu Mountain. Zhu DanChen tells Duan Yu that the mountain lies south of SongXian and northeast of QuYuan Ridge, and that it is not far away. The directions place the region within a network of roads and destinations that carry characters toward new encounters.

Duan Yu and the Martial World

Duan Yu’s route through Henan leads him toward the Beggar Clan’s gathering and news of Su XingHe. After learning that the Deaf Mute Old Man is also known as Mr Intelligent, Duan Yu leaves the valley and asks Zhu DanChen about him. Zhu explains that Su XingHe is a prestigious Central Plains expert, deaf and mute but highly skilled in martial arts; the conversation redirects Duan Yu’s attention toward the chess invitations being circulated in the martial world.

At White Horse Temple in LuoYang, Duan Yu is discussing Buddhist teachings with the abbot when Fu Sigui, Gu Ducheng, and Zhu DanChen arrive. They have come to Henan to deliver a letter from Duan Zhengchun to the Beggar Clan, hoping to vindicate Xiao Feng over the accusation that he killed Ma Dayuan. Having heard reports of a daydreaming gentleman resembling Duan Yu, they search for him and find him at the temple. Their reunion brings Duan Yu together with companions who can help him continue his journey.

Converging Journeys

The region’s narrative significance lies in the way separate routes converge without ending their characters’ wider searches. You TanZhi’s concealment in a roadside temple places him within earshot of talk about Qiao Feng, while Duan Yu’s travels connect him to the Beggar Clan’s affairs, Su XingHe’s chess invitations, and his companions’ message from Duan Zhengchun. Henan thus functions as a crossroads where private journeys meet the wider movement of the martial world.