Leng Tu

He took Leng Tu's name and Leng Tu's clothes, and in the end became Leng Tu altogether — crueler and more deranged than the original had ever been.

At first he had only to copy the words and the manner. But one lie demands more lies to cover it, and when the disguise could no longer hold he silenced every soul who had known the real Leng Tu. Lies and blood piled up until cruelty became habit and the mask became his face.

"Herald" is the title he goes by. He spends that cruelty pleasing the Merciful Lady: she is hard of heart, takes her pleasure in the suffering of the world, and has no use for what is useless. Fail to satisfy her and a man has no value, to be cast aside at any moment.

He will not let himself become useless. The Viper of Seven Venoms tasted that long ago: in that lightless prison of illusion his talent, his kindness and his loyalty were ground down to nothing, and he could only cling to life through endless torment, at the mercy of others.

When Soul faced him, the question was exactly this — the Herald, Leng Tu, or the Viper of Seven Venoms.

He spreads the false worship of the Merciful Lady and runs puppet experiments on countless Wulin fighters and common folk, savouring their desperate struggles inside the shells, wanting them to suffer as the Viper once did.

He also switched Still Poison and Silence Poison to kill Lei Dang of the Order — the same scheme that destroyed the Viper of Seven Venoms, played out once more under Leng Tu's name.

For all his sins, if it brings him one step nearer the Lady, he is hers without reserve.

Perhaps the Viper of Seven Venoms was always meant to go through that irredeemable suffering. Were it otherwise, who would be the believer crawling at the Lady's feet today?