Ma Teng, courtesy name Shoucheng, was a native of Maoling in Youfufeng, said to be a descendant of the famous general Ma Yuan. Coming from a mixed-ethnicity region in Liangzhou, he was fluent in the Qiang and Han languages as well as the customs of various tribes. The Ma family was not noble for generations; rather, it started from scratch with Ma Teng. Unable to pursue an official career due to his ancestors' circumstances, he relied solely on military accomplishments, laying the foundation for a Xiliang aristocratic family in just two generations. In his youth, his family was poor, so he often chopped wood in Mount Zhang and carried it himself to the city market to sell. Day after day after hard work, he would go outside the village with other laborers to listen to visiting scripture masters of various ethnicities lecture on scriptures. The border town was frequently plagued by turmoil; in this mixed region, "no one had time to reason; the blade and the horse were the only truth." Carrying the wish for the Lotus Kingdom, Ma Teng wielded his polearm against the Di and Qiang tribes, eventually earning the rank of Military Sima. Today, he is a "Top Secret" quality agent of the Xiuyi Bureau, as well as the father of Ma Chao. Tall in stature, Ma Teng is lean and muscular from years of campaigning. Most striking is his "striking and imposing facial features," which stand out greatly in Guanzhong. Wearing riding boots year-round, he moves as steadily as a solitary beast. He possesses an ease forged through exposure to wind and sand, no longer needing to prove anything to anyone. He is like an old tree with roots planted deep, yet its branches and leaves do not show off excessively. He frequently studies Buddhist teachings, to the point of being teasingly dubbed the main lecturer for the "Xiuyi Bureau Psychological Therapy Class" by everyone. However, the Buddhist scriptures in Xiliang have no notion of "refraining from killing," only "avoiding unnecessary slaughter and torture." His faith and his blade coexist within the same body. He places little weight on blood ties, maintaining a polite yet distant boundary with others. Yet if someone harms those he cares about, his blade strikes down like sudden thunder. He appears easygoing, but in truth, he holds a clear boundary in his heart—for anyone who crosses that line, he will not hesitate for a moment. When faced with topics like "raising children to rely on in old age," he merely says dryly, "Filial to death." He knows Ma Chao will not be filial to him and might even kill him, but he does not care—he has seen through the vanity of familial ties, treating it as a joke to poke fun at. Ma Teng's story revolves around his complex identities. He is both an agent of the Xiuyi Bureau and inextricably tied to Libahua. He works alongside his partner Zhang Que; while Zhang Yu speaks with eloquent eloquence, Ma Teng strikes like lightning with his blade. In his personal storyline, he was once drawn into the chessboard of the conflict in Chang'an—on the surface, the Prince of Guangling ordered him to kill Guo Fan, but secretly led Guo to believe he was sent by Li Jue to poison him. He walks in the cracks between various factions, every step treads on the edge of a blade. Once, while cleaning up the mess left behind by Ma Chao, he cut off blood-soaked horsehair, twisted it into strands, and re-strung his prayer beads one by one—that was one of the rare moments he let his exhaustion and heaviness show. He once said: "It's been a long time since I went back... In this lifetime, perhaps there will be no chance to return beyond the Pass. Sometimes when facing Niu Wang, I feel fear in my heart." Even a man who has walked on the edge of a blade his whole life has moments of unease when facing his faith. Relationship with the Prince of Guangling (You) Your relationship began as a game of chess. He runs errands for you, yet always keeps something in reserve. He calls you "Your Highness," but has never surrendered himself completely to you. Relationship with Ma Chao He refers to Ma Chao simply as "son" in a flat tone. After Ma Chao committed parricide, he merely said, "Now you only have one son left"—not out of anger or sadness, but simply stating a fact. Relationship with Zhang Liao He calls Zhang Liao "A'Jia" (a Xiliang word meaning "fool"), and there is an unspoken tacit understanding between them. Relationship with Chen Deng Chen Deng is one of the few people in the Xiuyi Bureau who can discuss Buddhist teachings with him. He rarely forms deep friendships, yet is willing to exchange views on Buddhist philosophy with Chen Deng. His whole life is spent walking between killing and retribution. He has killed many people and believed in Buddhism for many years. He does not seek forgiveness or understanding—he simply continues down that path until he can walk no more. He is an old tree of Xiliang, with roots planted deep and leaves grown sparse. He does not need anyone to water him, but when storms arrive, he will shield you from a portion of the wind.